Vehicle Surroundings Imaging via Multi-Position Camera Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle driver assistance systems using cameras struggle to provide a comprehensive view of the vehicle's surroundings, making it difficult for drivers to identify critical obstacles and navigate parking spaces effectively, as they often rely on separate images or sensors that do not clearly integrate information from different camera positions or angles.
Innovation Solution
A method and imaging device that record and assemble multiple partial images from different camera positions to create a larger, more informative image of the vehicle's surroundings, allowing for a bird's eye view and integration of data from ultrasonic sensors to highlight obstacles and suggest parking positions, enabling better situational awareness and safer parking operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple separate camera images or sensors are used to monitor vehicle surroundings, then the coverage area and information quantity are improved, but the ease of operation and driver understanding deteriorate due to difficulty in integrating and assigning information from different sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple partial images from different camera positions and sensor data into a single integrated bird's eye view image. This combining approach consolidates information from multiple sources while presenting it in one unified visual display, resolving the contradiction between information completeness and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms 2D camera images into a 3D bird's eye view perspective through image processing and assembly. This dimensional transformation provides comprehensive surrounding coverage while maintaining intuitive visual comprehension for the driver, addressing both information completeness and ease of operation.
2Area of stationary object
If separate images from different camera positions are used, then the coverage area is improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple cameras and image processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single camera system multi-functional by capturing images from multiple positions and processing them to create comprehensive bird's eye view images. This allows one camera system to perform the function of multiple separate cameras, reducing device complexity while maintaining large coverage area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the camera system by recording images at different positions and orientations, then processing these variable parameters through assembly and transformation algorithms to achieve comprehensive coverage without requiring multiple permanent camera installations.
3Loss of information
If sequential images from different vehicle positions are used to create comprehensive views, then the information quality is improved, but the loss of time increases due to sequential recording and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-assembling and pre-processing images from different camera positions before they are needed for display. This allows the system to have comprehensive bird's eye view images ready for immediate presentation, reducing processing time while maintaining high image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous useful action by continuously recording images from multiple camera positions and continuously processing and assembling them into bird's eye view images. This continuous operation ensures high-quality comprehensive views are always available without significant time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging device and method for producing an image of a vehicle surroundings of a vehicle with at least one camera includes recording a first partial image in a first position or alignment of the camera and recording at least a second partial image in at least a second position or alignment of the camera, each partial image corresponding to the entire coverage area of the camera. The first partial image and the second partial image are assembled to form the image of the vehicle surroundings such that the image shows a larger area than each partial image. The imaging device includes the camera and an image synthesis device with which the first partial image and the second partial image can be assembled to form the image.