Rear-stitched view panorama for blind spot reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle rear-view systems, including mirror and camera monitoring systems, pose safety concerns due to limited fields of view and the need for drivers to shift attention between multiple displays, leading to blind spots and distractions.
Innovation Solution
A rear-stitched view panorama system using four cameras to generate a seamless panoramic view of the rear field of view, eliminating the need for multiple displays by transforming and stitching images from side and rear cameras onto a virtual display, with optional object detection in blind zones to ensure visibility of objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional three-mirror system is used to provide rear-view visualization, then the driver can see the rear and side fields of view, but the driver must shift attention between multiple mirrors which detracts attention from the scene in front of the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple camera feeds (rear-view camera and side-mounted cameras) into a single unified panoramic display that shows the entire rear and side fields of view simultaneously. This merging of multiple views into one display eliminates the need for the driver to shift attention between separate mirrors or displays, while still providing comprehensive rear-view visualization.
2Area of stationary object
If side mirrors are adjusted to typical positions that include the sides of the vehicle, then the driver can see the sides of the vehicle, but blind spots remain just outside the side FOVs posing an additional safety hazard
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions cameras at the side corners of the vehicle rather than using traditional side mirrors, and processes the images to create a panoramic view that wraps around the vehicle. This dimensional repositioning and image transformation allows the system to cover areas just outside the traditional side FOV, eliminating blind spots while still showing the sides of the vehicle.
3Reliability
If camera monitoring systems replace mirrors with cameras, then the driver can see rear and side views, but the driver still must shift attention between displays before mentally piecing together an aggregated view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the rear-view camera feed and side-mounted camera feeds into a single panoramic display that presents an aggregated view of the entire rear and side fields of view. This eliminates the need for multiple separate displays that the driver would need to mentally piece together, while still providing comprehensive rear-view visualization.
4Reliability
If multiple separate displays are used to show rear and side views, then comprehensive coverage is achieved, but the system complexity and driver cognitive load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple camera feeds from different locations (rear-view camera and side-mounted cameras) into a single unified panoramic display. This merging approach achieves comprehensive field of view coverage while reducing the number of displays from multiple separate screens to one integrated display, thereby reducing system complexity and driver cognitive load.
Data Source
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AI summary
In described examples, a rear-stitched view panorama (RSVP) system includes at least one processor and a memory storing software instructions that, when executed by the least one processor, cause the RSVP system to compute (404) a disparity map for a left center rear image and a right center rear image captured by a stereo camera mounted on a rear of a vehicle, transform (402) a right rear image, a left rear image, a reference center rear image, and the disparity map to a virtual world view, the right rear image and left rear image captured by respective right and left cameras mounted on the vehicle, compute (406) an optimal left seam and an optimal right seam based on the transformed disparity map, and stitch (408) the transformed images based on respective optimal seams to generate a panorama.