System and method for providing a composite image of a vehicle and its surroundings

1 . A system for providing a composite image of a surrounding area of a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of cameras, each camera taking a captured image of the surrounding area of the vehicle, wherein a first camera is configured to acquire a first captured image, and a second camera is configured to acquire a second captured image, the first captured image and the second captured image being at least partially overlapped;

at least one controller is configured to receive and combine at least the first captured image and the second captured image for providing the composite image, wherein the at least one controller comprises a first control unit inside of the first camera and a second control unit inside of the second camera,

a composite image processor is configured to define a first region of interest within the first captured image and a second region of interest within the second captured image; and

wherein each of the at least one controller is further configured to detect a brightness and a color of the respective first region of interest and second region of interest and to adjust the brightness and the color of the respective first captured image to create an adjusted first captured image and to adjust the brightness and the color of the second captured image to create an adjusted second captured image before being combined,

wherein the composite image processor is configured to receive and combine the adjusted first captured image and the adjusted second captured image for providing the composite image of the surrounding area of the vehicle, wherein the first region of interest is different from the second region of interest in size and location,

wherein the first region of interest has a size of between 25%-80% of the first captured image, and the second region of interest has a size of between 25%-80% of the second captured image,

wherein the size, shape, and location of the first region of interest and second region of interest are pre-defined when the vehicle is not in operation by the at least one controller, and

wherein the first and second regions of interest include substantially only the surrounding area of the vehicle.

2 . The system for providing the composite image of the surrounding area of the vehicle of claim 1 wherein the first region of interest and the second region of interest are fixed in size and location while the vehicle in in operation.

3 . The system for providing the composite image of the surrounding area of the vehicle of claim 1 wherein the first region of interest and the second region of interest are defined by coordinates by the at least one controller.

4 . The system for providing a composite image of a surrounding area of vehicle of claim 1 wherein at least 70% of the first region of interest and the second region of interest include the surrounding area of the vehicle.

5 . The system for providing the composite image of the surrounding area of the vehicle of claim 1 wherein less than 30% of the first region of interest encompasses the vehicle and less than 30% of the second region of interest encompasses the vehicle.

6 . The system for providing the composite image of the surrounding area of the vehicle of claim 1 wherein the first region of interest has a size of between 30%-60% of the first captured image and the second region of interest has a size of between 30%-60% of the second captured image.

7 . The system for providing the composite image of the surrounding area of the vehicle of claim 1 wherein a third camera is configured to acquire a third captured image, and a fourth camera is configured to acquire a fourth captured image, the third captured image and the fourth captured image being at least partially overlapped;

at least one controller is configured to receive and combine at least the third captured image and the fourth captured image for providing the composite image, wherein the at least one controller comprises a third control unit inside of the third camera and a fourth control unit inside of the fourth camera,

wherein the composite image processor is configured to define a third region of interest within the third captured image and a fourth region of interest within the fourth captured image; and

wherein each of the at least one controller is further configured to detect a brightness and a color of the respective third region of interest and fourth region of interest and to adjust the brightness and the color of the respective third captured image to create an adjusted third captured image and to adjust the brightness and the color of the fourth captured image to create an adjusted fourth captured image before being combined,

wherein the composite image processor is configured to receive and combine the adjusted third captured image and the adjusted fourth captured image for providing the composite image of the surrounding area of the vehicle, wherein the third region of interest is different from the fourth region of interest in size and location,

wherein the third region of interest has a size of between 25%-80% of the third captured image, and the fourth region of interest has a size of between 25%-80% of the fourth captured image,

wherein the size, shape, and location of the third region of interest and fourth region of interest are pre-defined when the vehicle is not in operation by the at least one controller, and

wherein the third and fourth regions of interest include substantially only the surrounding area of the vehicle.

8 . A system for providing a composite image of a surrounding area of a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of cameras, each camera taking a captured image of the surrounding area of the vehicle, wherein a first camera acquires a first captured image, and a second camera acquires a second captured image, the first captured image and the second captured image being at least partially overlapped;

at least one controller receives and combines at least the first captured image and the second captured image provided to the composite image, wherein the at least one controller comprises a first control unit inside of the first camera and a second control unit inside of the second camera,

a composite image processor defines a first region of interest within the first captured image and a second region of interest within the second captured image; and

wherein each of the at least one controller is further configured to detect a brightness and a color of the respective first region of interest and second region of interest and to adjust the brightness and the color of the respective first captured image to create an adjusted first captured image and to adjust the brightness and the color of the second captured image to create an adjusted second captured image before being combined,

wherein the composite image processor receives and combines the adjusted first captured image and the adjusted second captured image provided to the composite image of the surrounding area of the vehicle, wherein the first region of interest is different from the second region of interest in size and location,

wherein the first region of interest has a size of between 25%-80% of the first captured image, and the second region of interest has a size of between 25%-80% of the second captured image,

wherein the size, shape, and location of the first region of interest and second region of interest are pre-defined by the at least one controller when the vehicle is not in operation, and

wherein the first and second regions of interest include substantially only the surrounding area of the vehicle.

9 . A method for providing a composite image of a surrounding area of a vehicle, the method comprising:

capturing an image by each of a plurality of cameras, wherein a first camera acquires a first captured image, and a second camera acquires a second captured image, the first captured image and the second captured image being at least partially overlapped;

defining a first region of interest when the vehicle is not in operation having a size of between 25%-80% of the first captured image, and wherein the first region of interest includes substantially only a first portion of the surrounding area of the vehicle;

defining a second region of interest when the vehicle is not in operation having a size of between 25%-80% of the second captured image, and wherein the first region of interest includes substantially only a second portion of the surrounding area of the vehicle;

adjusting the at least one of the brightness and the color of the first region of interest of the first captured image to create a first adjusted image and adjusting the brightness and color of the second region interest of the second captured image to create a second adjusted image;

storing the first adjusted image and the second adjusted image in a composite image processor; and

combining the first adjusted image and the second adjusted image to form a composite image of the surrounding area of the vehicle.

10 . The method for providing the composite image of the surrounding area of the vehicle of claim 9 wherein the step of adjusting the at least one of the brightness and the color of the first region of interest of the first captured image is performed by a first control unit inside of the first camera to create a first adjusted image and the step of adjusting the brightness and color of the second region interest of the second captured image is performed by a second control unit inside of the second camera to create a second adjusted image.

11 . The method for providing the composite image of the surrounding area of the vehicle of claim 9 wherein the step of adjusting the at least one of the brightness and the color of the first region of interest of the first captured image is performed by the controller in the composite image processor to create a first adjusted image and the step of adjusting the brightness and color of the second region interest of the second captured image is performed by a the controller in the composite image processor to create a second adjusted image.