Trailer Edge Tracking for Digital Mirror Image Section
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for tracking an image section on a monitor to replace an exterior mirror in vehicles towing trailers struggle with reliable head movement detection, leading to undesirable adjustments and reduced accuracy due to noise and other factors, especially when cornering.
Innovation Solution
The method determines the position of a vertical trailer edge from consecutive camera images, tracking the image section based on this edge position without requiring head movement detection, using motion vectors and reliability measures to filter out noise and ensure accurate tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If head movement detection is used to track the image section, then the system can adapt to driver viewing changes, but false detections occur due to noise and non-viewing-related head movements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential tracking information (trailer edge position) from the camera image sequence, separating it from the problematic head movement detection. By focusing solely on trailer edge position detection through image processing rather than head movement sensing, the system achieves reliable tracking without false detections from non-viewing-related head movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses consecutive camera images to create a temporal copy of the scene, comparing multiple frames to detect and filter out noise. By evaluating changes between consecutive images, the system can distinguish between actual trailer edge movements and transient noise effects, improving detection reliability.
2Reliability
If consecutive camera images are evaluated to improve detection reliability, then noise and dirt effects are averaged out, but computational effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by focusing computational resources only on the relevant region of interest - the trailer edge area in the camera image. Instead of processing the entire image sequence globally, the system concentrates analysis on specific local regions where the trailer edge is expected to appear, reducing overall computational effort while maintaining detection reliability through multi-frame evaluation.
3Measurement precision
If the image section is compressed to show the trailer rear edge, then the driver can see the trailer position, but the field of view is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptability by automatically adjusting the image section display based on detected trailer edge positions and driving conditions. The system dynamically compresses or shifts the image section to keep the trailer edge within the visible monitor area, and can adaptively adjust the degree of compression based on the cornering situation, balancing edge visibility with overall scene context.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for tracking a section of an image (104a, 104b) of a camera image (104, KB) displayed on a monitor (101) to replace an exterior mirror (102) of a vehicle (103) during cornering of a vehicle combination (106) consisting of the vehicle (103) and a trailer (105), and to a corresponding control unit. According to the invention, the position (KP, KP1, KP2, KP3) of a vertical edge (K5) of the trailer (105) is determined from at least two successive camera images (KB(tj)), and the image section (104a, 104b) is tracked according to the position (KP, KP1, KP2, KP3) of the vertical edge (K5).