Surround-View Image Stitching for Articulated Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image processing systems for articulated machines fail to provide a real-time surround-view image due to the need for extensive computations to account for changes in camera positions, resulting in distortions and blind spots.
Innovation Solution
An image processing system that includes multiple cameras and sensors to capture and determine the current position of cameras relative to the machine, selecting from predefined stitching configurations to generate a surround-view image, thereby adjusting the image stitching process in real-time to compensate for camera movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate calculations are performed for each change detected in inclination sensors to account for camera movements, then the surround-view image can account for camera position changes, but huge amount of computations are necessary and real-time processing is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-calculates and stores multiple stitching configurations corresponding to different articulation angles before operation. When the machine articulates, the system simply selects the pre-computed configuration matching the current angle range, avoiding real-time calculations and achieving both accuracy and real-time performance
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects different stitching configurations based on the detected articulation angle, adapting the image stitching process to the current machine state without requiring complex real-time computations for each angle change
2Device complexity
If a single stitching configuration is used for articulated machines, then the image stitching process is simple, but distortions and blind spots occur when the machine articulates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the articulation angle range into multiple segments, each with its own pre-defined stitching configuration. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simple configurations within each segment while achieving high overall image quality across all articulation states
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the stitching configuration parameters based on the articulation angle, selecting different pre-computed configurations that are optimized for specific angle ranges, thereby maintaining image quality without requiring a single complex universal configuration
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing system is disclosed for a mobile machine. The system may include a plurality of cameras mounted on the machine and configured to capture image data of an environment around the machine. The system may further include a display and a processing device. The processing device may obtain information indicative of a current position of at least one camera relative to the machine. Based on the obtained information, the processing device may select a stitching configuration out of a plurality of predefined stitching configurations. The processing device may use the selected stitching configuration to generate a surround-view image of the environment around the machine. Thereafter, the processing device may also render the surround-view image on the display.