Virtual Spherical Projection for Vehicle Surround View
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surround view systems for vehicles often lack a complete 360° view due to camera limitations, particularly above the vehicle where no camera captures this area, leading to gaps in the displayed environment, which can distract drivers and fail to provide essential information like weather or traffic updates.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that utilize a virtual projection surface, shaped like a sphere, to display camera images and additional information, such as a dynamic sky, in a virtual space, filling gaps above the vehicle with computer-generated or stored image information adjusted for time, position, and weather conditions, ensuring a comprehensive and intuitive view for the driver.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If cameras are arranged to provide a 360° view around the vehicle, then the coverage area is improved, but the area above the vehicle remains uncaptured creating gaps in the display
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual projection surface as an intermediary between the camera images and the display. This spherical virtual surface receives camera images mapped onto it and fills uncaptured areas (particularly above the vehicle) with computationally generated sky information, thereby mediating the gap between limited camera coverage and complete 360° visualization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional camera image plane to a three-dimensional spherical virtual projection surface. By mapping camera images onto the spherical surface and adding computational sky information in the vertical dimension above the vehicle, the system achieves complete omnidirectional coverage that flat displays cannot provide.
2Reliability
If the virtual projection surface is designed as a complete sphere, then the visual representation is improved and all directions are covered, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the spherical virtual projection surface into multiple regions: areas covered by actual camera images and areas (particularly above the vehicle) that require computational sky information. This segmentation allows the system to use real captured data where available and generate supplemental data where needed, reducing the burden on any single camera while maintaining complete coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual projection surface serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a coordinate transformation surface for mapping camera images, a display canvas for presenting the surround view, and a framework for integrating computational sky information. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate systems for each purpose.
3Loss of information
If additional image information is added to fill areas above the vehicle, then the completeness of the display is improved, but the processing requirements and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-generates and stores sky information in advance, rather than computing it in real-time during vehicle operation. This preliminary action allows the computational sky data to be ready for immediate insertion into the virtual projection surface, significantly reducing the processing energy required during actual vehicle operation while maintaining information completeness.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for displaying the surroundings of a vehicle (1). The method comprises detecting a sub-region of the surroundings of the vehicle in at least one camera image, making available a virtual projection area (2) in a virtual space (3) which represents the actual surroundings of the vehicle, transmitting the at least one camera image onto a first region (4) of the virtual projection area (2), wherein the at least one camera image is arranged in the virtual projection area (2) in accordance with the position of the surroundings of the vehicle depicted therein, transmitting computer-generated image information and/or additional image information stored in advance to a second region (5) of the virtual projection area (2), and displaying the surroundings of the vehicle from the point of view of a virtual camera (7) which is arranged in the virtual space.