Edge Enhancement for Parking Obstacle Display

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Solution Overview

Problem

Video-based parking assistance systems require the driver's full attention and do not simplify the perception of obstacles, especially when images contain insufficient features, and combined systems with additional warnings increase information complexity.

Innovation Solution

A method that determines the distance and angular position of obstacles, applies edge enhancement to the surroundings image based on these values, and displays the edge reinforcement, allowing the driver to perceive obstacle relevance with a single glance without additional graphic or acoustic components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If video-based systems with additional graphic and acoustic components are used, then obstacle information completeness is improved, but display complexity and driver cognitive load increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobstacle information completenessVSAvoiddisplay complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and emphasizes only the most critical obstacle information by applying edge enhancement selectively to nearby obstacles. Instead of displaying all obstacle details equally, the system extracts and highlights only those elements that require immediate driver attention, thereby reducing display complexity while maintaining essential information completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different visual treatment (edge enhancement) to different regions of the display based on obstacle distance. Nearby obstacles receive enhanced edge detection and display, while distant obstacles are shown with standard processing. This local differentiation allows the system to maintain information completeness for all obstacles while reducing overall display complexity by selectively enhancing only critical areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If multiple display elements and information types are shown simultaneously, then obstacle detection capability is improved, but ease of operation and driver attention management deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobstacle detection capabilityVSAvoiddriver attention management
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments obstacle information display into two distinct categories: nearby obstacles with enhanced edge detection and distant obstacles with standard display. This segmentation allows the driver to quickly identify and focus on critical nearby obstacles while still having awareness of distant obstacles, thereby maintaining detection capability while improving attention management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses visual emphasis through edge enhancement (analogous to color changes in TRIZ) to differentiate between nearby and distant obstacles. The enhanced edges create a visual contrast that naturally draws driver attention to nearby obstacles without requiring additional graphic overlays or acoustic warnings, thus maintaining reliability while improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

3Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If edge enhancement is applied to all obstacles, then obstacle visibility is improved, but processing time and computational load increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveobstacle visibilityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies edge enhancement selectively only to nearby obstacles rather than all obstacles. By determining obstacle distance and applying enhancement only where necessary, the system improves visibility for critical obstacles while minimizing computational load and processing time. This localized approach resolves the contradiction between detection difficulty and processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2478510B1Method and device for representing obstacles in a parking assistance system of motor vehicles
Publication Date: 2014.12.10 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP2478510B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2478510B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for representing obstacles in a parking system of motor vehicles (2), comprising the following steps: a) determining an image of the surroundings and detecting obstacles (7, 8) located therein, b) determining at least one distance value and/or one angular position of the detected obstacles, c) applying an edge reinforcing method to regions of the image of the surroundings depending on the determined distance values and/or angular positions, and d) displaying the edge reinforcement with the determined image of the surroundings in a display (9) of the parking assistance system, and to a device for carrying out the method.