Remote Perspective Vehicle Environment Observation System
A system and method for enhancing situation awareness of a vehicle operator is disclosed. Object data corresponding to objects detected within a region external to the vehicle are determined from radar, imaging, GPS, and vehicle-to-vehicle communication systems. A three-dimensional visualization of the region is rendered on a visual display based on the object data including representations of detected objects and the vehicle from a viewpoint perspective that is remote from the vehicle.
1 . Situation awareness enhancement system for a subject vehicle comprising:
a ranging system adapted for detecting objects in a region external to the subject vehicle and for providing corresponding detected object data;
an imaging system adapted for detecting objects in said region external to the subject vehicle and for providing corresponding detected object data;
a GPS system adapted for detecting objects in said region external to the subject vehicle and for providing corresponding detected object data;
a visual display; and,
a control unit adapted to receive detected object data from ranging, imaging and GPS systems and render a three-dimensional visualization of said region on the visual display including detected objects and the subject vehicle from a viewpoint perspective that is remote from the subject vehicle.
2 . The situation awareness enhancement system for a subject vehicle as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system adapted for receiving detected object data from other vehicles in said region external to the subject vehicle;
wherein said control unit is further adapted to receive detected object data from said vehicle-to-vehicle communication system for use in rendering said three-dimensional visualization of said region.
3 . The situation awareness enhancement system for a subject vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the viewpoint perspective is selectively variable.
4 . The situation awareness enhancement system for a subject vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein detected object data corresponding to the ranging system includes one or more of range, range-rate and angular position data.
5 . The situation awareness enhancement system for a subject vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the imaging system is adapted for object recognition.
6 . The situation awareness enhancement system for a subject vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the GPS system is adapted for object identification.
7 . The situation awareness enhancement system for a subject vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the visual display comprises a head-up display.
8 . The situation awareness enhancement system for a subject vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ranging system includes one or more of a radar system, a ladar system, a lidar system, a sonar system and an imaging system.
9 . The situation awareness enhancement system for a subject vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the detected objects are rendered for display in colors substantially corresponding to the actual colors of the detected objects.
10 . Method for enhancing situation awareness of a subject vehicle operator, comprising:
providing object data corresponding to objects detected within a region external to the subject vehicle from a ranging system, an imaging system, and a GPS system; and,
rendering a three-dimensional visualization of said region on a visual display based on the object data including representations of detected objects and the subject vehicle from a viewpoint perspective that is remote from the subject vehicle possibly with color matching the actual color of the object/vehicle.
11 . The method for enhancing situation awareness of a subject vehicle operator as claimed in claim 10 further comprising:
providing object data corresponding to objects detected within said region external to the subject vehicle from a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system.
12 . The method for enhancing situation awareness of a subject vehicle operator as claimed in claim 10 further comprising:
fusing the object data corresponding to detected objects;
wherein rendering the three-dimensional visualization of said region on a visual display is based on the fused object data.
13 . The method for enhancing situation awareness of a subject vehicle operator as claimed in claim 10 wherein object data corresponding to the ranging system includes one or more of range, range-rate and angular position data.
14 . The method for enhancing situation awareness of a subject vehicle operator as claimed in claim 10 wherein object data corresponding to the imaging system includes object recognition data.
15 . The method for enhancing situation awareness of a subject vehicle operator as claimed in claim 10 wherein object data corresponding to the GPS system includes object identification data.
16 . The method for enhancing situation awareness of a subject vehicle operator as claimed in claim 10 wherein rendering a three-dimensional visualization of said region on a visual display is done in accordance with an operator selected viewpoint perspective.
17 . The method for enhancing situation awareness of a subject vehicle operator as claimed in claim 10 wherein rendering a three-dimensional visualization of said region on a visual display based on the object data includes rendering the detected objects in colors substantially corresponding to the actual colors of the detected objects.