Vehicle Rear Image Stitching for Trailer Obscuration and Overlap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image processing systems for vehicles with articulated couplings fail to effectively combine images from towing and towed vehicles due to obscuration and overlap issues, leading to hidden or duplicated objects of interest in composite images.
Innovation Solution
An image processing system that determines an obscuration region and an area of interest within the field of view of the towed vehicle, selecting a subsection of the image data to generate a composite image that minimizes obscuration and overlap, using controllers to model and process image data from both vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If images from both towing and towed vehicles are combined to create a composite image, then rear visibility is improved, but obscuration regions cause objects to be hidden or duplicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the towed vehicle image into distinct regions: obscured regions (where objects are hidden), overlap regions (where objects appear in both images), and non-obscured regions. This segmentation allows different processing strategies to be applied to each region, ensuring that objects in obscured regions are identified and displayed without duplication or omission in the composite image.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing step that analyzes the relationship between the towing vehicle image and the towed vehicle image by determining obscuration regions and overlap regions. This intermediary analysis acts as a mediator to identify which regions contain objects of interest that need special handling, allowing the system to reliably display all objects without duplication or loss.
2Loss of information
If the entire first field of view is displayed in the composite image, then complete information from the towed vehicle is provided, but overlapping regions create duplicate objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the first field of view into overlap regions and non-overlap regions. By identifying the overlap region where the first and second fields of view intersect, the system can selectively process only the non-overlap portion of the first image data for display in the composite image. This prevents duplicate objects from appearing while still providing complete information from unique areas of the first field of view.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and identifies the overlap region between the first and second fields of view. By taking out the overlapping portion from the first image data, the system eliminates the source of duplication while preserving all unique information from the first field of view. The extracted overlap region information is used to mask or exclude duplicate objects from the final composite image.
3Area of stationary object
If cameras are positioned to maximize field of view coverage, then more of the rear environment is visible, but obscuration by the towed vehicle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary determination of the obscuration region before final image composition. By calculating the obscuration region based on the known geometry and relative positions of the towing and towed vehicles, the system can proactively identify which areas of the first field of view will be obscured. This preliminary action allows the system to compensate for obscuration effects through intelligent selection and processing of image data, maximizing effective coverage despite physical obstructions.
Data Source
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AI summary
Aspects of the present invention relate to an image processing system for processing image data received from first and second imaging devices provided on a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle connected by an articulated coupling. The image processing system includes one or more controller. The image processing system has an input configured to receive first image data from a first imaging device disposed on the towed vehicle and second image data from a second imaging device disposed on the towing vehicle. The first imaging device has a first field of view and the first image data represents a first scene behind the towed vehicle. The second imaging device has a second field of view and the second image data represents a second scene behind the towing vehicle.The image processing system includes a processor configured to determine an obscuration region in the second field of view which is obscured by the towed vehicle. An area of interest is determined in the first field of view in dependence on the determined obscuration region. The processor is configured to select a subsection of the first image data representing at least a portion of the determined area of interest.The present invention also relates to a method of processing image data; computer software and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium.