Coordinate Transformation Table Variable Pixel Pitch

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional image generation devices face increased data volume and distortion issues when creating bird's eye view images, particularly as the region viewed from a vehicle becomes farther away, due to the need for a large coordinate transformation table with dense pixel correspondence points.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves creating a coordinate transformation table with a variable pitch for selected pixels, where the pitch becomes rougher in regions farther from the vehicle, reducing the number of pixel correspondence points and maintaining acceptable distortion levels by interpolating pixel values, thereby reducing the data volume while preserving image quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If selected pixels are densely arranged across the entire screen region to maintain low distortion, then the data volume of the coordinate transformation table increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedistortion levelVSAvoiddata volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the array pitch of selected pixels based on vertical position in the image. Regions closer to the vehicle (lower vertical positions) use a finer array pitch to maintain low distortion, while regions farther from the vehicle (higher vertical positions) use a coarser array pitch. This localized adaptation of pixel density resolves the contradiction by maintaining acceptable distortion levels only where necessary, rather than uniformly across the entire image.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the image region into multiple vertical zones based on distance from the vehicle. By dividing the screen region into distinct segments with different distortion characteristics, the system can apply different array pitch strategies to each segment. This segmentation allows the coordinate transformation table to optimize for both data volume reduction and distortion control in different spatial regions simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If selected pixels are sparsely arranged to reduce data volume, then the distortion level increases in regions farther from the vehicle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata volumeVSAvoiddistortion level
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the array pitch of selected pixels based on vertical position in the image. Regions closer to the vehicle (lower vertical positions) use a finer array pitch to maintain low distortion, while regions farther from the vehicle (higher vertical positions) use a coarser array pitch. This localized adaptation of pixel density resolves the contradiction by maintaining acceptable distortion levels only where necessary, rather than uniformly across the entire image.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Manufacturing precision

If a fixed fine array pitch is used across the entire image, then distortion is minimized but memory efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedistortion levelVSAvoidmemory efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the array pitch of selected pixels based on vertical position in the image. Regions closer to the vehicle (lower vertical positions) use a finer array pitch to maintain low distortion, while regions farther from the vehicle (higher vertical positions) use a coarser array pitch. This localized adaptation of pixel density resolves the contradiction by maintaining acceptable distortion levels only where necessary, rather than uniformly across the entire image.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a dynamic array pitch that varies with vertical position in the image. Rather than using a static, uniform pitch, the system adaptively adjusts the density of selected pixels based on the vertical coordinate, creating a dynamic transformation table that optimizes both distortion control and memory usage for different regions of the image.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3255604B1Image generation device, coordinate conversion table creation device and creation method
Publication Date: 2020.03.18 FAURECIA CLARION ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3255604B1 patent drawingFigure 1(A)~1(B)
  • EP3255604B1 patent drawingFigure 2(A)~2(B)
  • EP3255604B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An image generation device performs coordinate transformation, based on a coordinate transformation table, to a two-dimensional first image having a span in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction and acquired by overlooking and imaging an object from a first viewpoint at a first depression angle, and generates and outputs a second image which was obtained by overlooking the object from a second viewpoint which is different from the first viewpoint at a second depression angle which is different from the first depression angle. The coordinate transformation table is a table for transforming coordinates of a plurality of first selected pixels selected from a plurality of first pixels constituting the first image into coordinates of second selected pixels corresponding to a plurality of second pixels constituting the second image. The first selected pixels of the coordinate transformation table is set so that, when a region of the first image is divided into a plurality of regions in the vertical direction based on at least one pixel boundary line extending in the horizontal direction, an array pitch of the first selected pixels in a region on a lower side in the vertical direction of the first image becomes rougher than an array pitch of the first selected pixels in a region on an upper side in the vertical direction of the first image.