Vehicle vision system
Vehicle visual systems are disclosed to produce seamless and uniform surround-view images of the vehicle using a number of Ultra Wide-Angle (UWA) lens cameras and optionally HUD systems. A distributive system architecture wherein individual cameras are capable of performing various image transformations allows a flexible and resource efficient image processing scheme.
1. A vehicle vision system comprising:
a plurality of Ultra Wide-Angle (UWA) lens cameras mounted on a plurality of sides of a vehicle, each camera providing a corresponding UWA feed, wherein each camera comprises a Geometry and Color Processing (GCP) unit that is configured to pre-process the corresponding UWA feed, by applying a plurality of geometry and color transformations to the corresponding UWA feed in preparation for a seamless surround-view image construction;
a central logic configured to combine the pre-processed plurality of UWA feeds provided by the corresponding plurality of cameras, and output a surround-view image of the vehicle; and
at least one display unit to display at least one of the surround-view output image, one or more of the UWA feeds, and one or more of the pre-processed UWA feeds;
wherein the GCP pre-processing of a UWA feed comprises selecting a viewing perspective in the corresponding UWA feed according to a display mode instruction, and applying a perspective distortion correction transformation to the selected viewing perspective.
2. The vehicle vision system of claim 1 , wherein one camera from the plurality of cameras is further configured to command other cameras and the central logic.
3. The vehicle vision system of claim 1 , wherein the central logic comprises a GCP unit.
4. The vehicle vision system of claim 3 , wherein the central logic is further configured to command the plurality of cameras.
5. The vehicle vision system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cameras, the central logic, and the at least one display comprise a communication means to communicate with one another via a communication network.
6. The vehicle vision system of claim 1 , wherein the GCP pre-processing of a UWA feed further comprises:
adjusting brightness of the perspective corrected UWA feed for seamless blending of overlapped image areas.
7. The vehicle vision system of claim 1 , wherein the display mode is selected automatically as triggered by changes in driving conditions.
8. The vehicle vision system of claim 1 , wherein the display modes is selected manually.
9. The vehicle vision system of claim 1 , wherein the display mode is a top-down view.
10. The vehicle vision system of claim 1 , wherein the display mode is a panoramic surround-view.
11. The vehicle vision system of claim 1 , wherein the display unit comprises at least one LCD panel.
12. The vehicle vision system of claim 1 , wherein the display unit comprises at least one projection unit to project images on a viewing surface.
13. The vehicle vision system of claim 1 , wherein the display unit comprises at least one augmented rear-view and side-view mirrors.
14. The vehicle vision system of claim 1 , wherein said system further comprises at least one Head-UP-Display (HUD) unit.
15. The vehicle vision system of claim 1 , wherein said system further comprises a user interactive medium.
16. A method for producing a surround-view image of a vehicle, said method comprising:
capturing a plurality of Ultra Wide-Angle (UWA) feeds by a corresponding plurality of UWA lens cameras mounted on sides of the vehicle, wherein each camera comprises a Geometry and Color Processing (GCP) unit;
pre-processing the plurality of Ultra Wide-Angle (UWA) feeds in preparation for a seamless surround-view image, comprising applying a plurality of geometry and color transformations by the plurality of the cameras' GCP unit to the corresponding UWA feed;
combining the pre-processed plurality of UWA feeds provided by the corresponding plurality of cameras, using a central logic to output the surround-view image of the vehicle; and
displaying at least one of the surround-view output image, one or more of the UWA feeds, and one or more of the pre-processed UWA feeds;
wherein the GCP pre-processing of a UWA feed comprises selecting a viewing perspective in the corresponding UWA feed according to a display mode instruction, and applying a perspective distortion correction transformation to the selected viewing perspective.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of cameras and the central logic communicate with one another via a communication network.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein one camera from the plurality of cameras is configured to command other cameras and the central logic.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the GCP pre-processing of the UWA feeds further comprises:
adjusting brightness of the perspective corrected plurality of UWA feeds for seamless blending of overlapped image areas.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the display mode is selected automatically as triggered by changes in driving conditions.
21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the display modes is selected manually.
22. The method of claim 16 , wherein the display mode is a top-down surround-view.
23. The method of claim 16 , wherein the display mode is a panoramic surround-view.