Vertical Stereo Rear-View Camera Layout for Trailer Occlusion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Stereo camera systems for utility vehicles, such as trucks with trailers, face challenges in providing effective rear-view images due to trailer variability and occlusion, limiting the utility of existing horizontal-mounted cameras.
Innovation Solution
A rear-view stereo camera system with vertically arranged pairs of cameras on the utility vehicle's cabin, providing image and distance information of side and rear areas, using spacers to maintain lateral distance and offering a vertically-oriented field of view, enhanced by grayscale or infrared cameras and control units for image processing and object detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cameras are arranged horizontally on the rear end of the trailer, then stereo image information can be provided, but the system becomes incompatible with different towing vehicles and trailers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from horizontal camera arrangement to vertical arrangement. The cameras are mounted one above the other on the cabin of the towing vehicle, creating a vertical baseline instead of a horizontal one. This dimensional change allows the system to provide stereo imaging while being independent of trailer configurations and compatible with different towing vehicles.
2Loss of information
If cameras are arranged at the back side of the cabin, then rear-view information can be provided, but the trailer limits the view and causes occlusion
Solution Approach 1:
The cameras are positioned on the cabin structure before the trailer is attached, at locations that anticipate future occlusion issues. By mounting cameras vertically on the cabin at strategic heights, the system captures images before trailers can block the view, and the vertical arrangement ensures that at least one camera remains visible above the trailer.
3Device complexity
If a single camera is used for rear-view monitoring, then the system is simple, but stereo image information and distance measurement are not available
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cameras into a unified stereo imaging system mounted on the cabin. By merging two or more cameras in a vertical arrangement with a defined baseline distance, the system achieves both stereo vision capability and distance measurement through triangulation, while maintaining a compact integrated structure on the vehicle cabin.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a vehicle camera system, including two pairs of cameras. A first pair of cameras is arranged at the left side portion of the vehicle cabin and a second pair of cameras is arranged at the right side portion of the cabin. The cameras of the first and second pair of cameras are arranged one above the other in a vertical direction. The first and second pairs of cameras build rear-viewing stereo camera systems for providing image and distance information of areas on the left and right sides of the vehicle, respectively. The cameras of the first and second pair of cameras are arranged by one or more spacers at the vehicle cabin, the spacers providing a lateral distance of the cameras to the vehicle cabin. The cameras of each pair of cameras have a vertical distance of at least 0.5 m.