Binary Mask Image Synthesizer for Vehicle Surround View Ghosting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surround view systems for vehicles face issues with optimal visibility of objects in the overlapping regions of camera views, leading to object disappearance or ghosting due to abrupt changes or gradient blending methods.
Innovation Solution
An image synthesizer using a binary mask to combine images from overlapping camera views, ensuring that only one image data set is present in each pixel, reducing ghosting and abrupt changes, and improving object visibility by leveraging the human eye's ability to filter relevant information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If gradient blending procedures are used to combine images in overlapping regions, then smooth transition between camera views is achieved, but object visibility deteriorates due to ghosting or disappearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the overlapping region into multiple zones (first region closer to first camera, second region closer to second camera, and intermediate region) and applies different selection strategies to each segment. This segmentation allows the system to prioritize objects from the appropriate camera view in each region while maintaining smooth transitions in the intermediate zone, thereby resolving the contradiction between smooth transitions and object visibility.
2Manufacturing precision
If a narrow blending area is used, then sharp transitions are achieved, but object visibility deteriorates due to projection of vertical images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality characteristics to different regions: sharp transitions are applied in the first and second regions where each camera has clear dominance, while smooth transitions are applied in the intermediate region where objects may be visible from both cameras. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing sharp transitions only where they do not compromise object visibility.
3Reliability
If a wide blending area is used, then object visibility is improved, but ghosting occurs due to double representation of obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically selects which camera's image to display in each region based on spatial position and object detection. In the first region, objects are primarily selected from the first camera; in the second region, from the second camera; and in the intermediate region, a smooth transition is applied. This dynamic selection prevents ghosting by ensuring that each pixel displays information from only one camera view at a time, while still maintaining wide blending coverage.
4Reliability
If straight line separation is used to divide overlapping portions, then the problem of object disappearance is avoided, but abrupt changes in view occur as objects cross the line
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the static straight line separation with a dynamic region-based approach that considers spatial relationships and object positions. The system dynamically determines which camera view to display based on the object's position relative to the cameras and the defined regions, ensuring continuous and smooth view transitions as objects move across the field of view, thereby eliminating abrupt changes while maintaining object visibility.
Data Source
AI summary
An image synthesizer for a driver assisting system includes a receiving module and a combining module. The driver assisting system includes a first camera configured to capture a first image from a first scene and a second camera configured to capture a second image from a second scene, wherein the first scene and the second scene partly overlap in an overlapping region. The receiving module configured to receive the first image from the first camera and the second image from the second camera. The combining module is configured to combine the first image and the second image in the overlapping region using a binary mask.