Method and device for operating a video monitoring system for a motor vehicle

1. A method for operating a camera-monitor system for a motor vehicle, wherein the camera-monitor system has a side camera assigned to a longitudinal side of the motor vehicle to provide an image of surroundings of the motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle includes a towed portion articulating in relation to a driver's cabin, the method comprising:

specifying a region of interest in the surroundings, the region of interest defined in relation to the towed portion; and

transforming the image of the camera into a transformed image;

changing the location of the motor vehicle in relation to the surroundings;

maintaining the region of interest in the transformed image in a specified image region with a specified magnification independent of the change in relative position between the surroundings and the motor vehicle.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein specifying the region of interest comprises:

ascertaining a specified image content;

ascertaining vehicle data; and

specifying with an input apparatus.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the region of interest includes a rear edge of a trailer attached to the motor vehicle.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

transforming the image such that specified regions of the surroundings in the transformed image have different magnifications in specified image regions; and

changing the respective positions of the image regions in the transformed image based on a change in the relative position of the region of interest.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising transforming the image with a continuously changing compression factor so a continuous transition is presented between image regions immediately adjoining one another.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising transforming the image into the transformed image so surroundings presented in the transformed image remain unchanged and independent of a change in the relative position of the region of interest in the surroundings.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising rectifying the image prior to the transformation.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising composing the image from a plurality of input images.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the camera-monitor system comprises two cameras assigned to a common longitudinal side of the motor vehicle;

wherein each of the two cameras provides a respective image of the surroundings of the motor vehicle; and

the respective images of the two cameras partly overlap.

10. A camera-monitor system for a motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle includes a towed portion articulating in relation to a driver's cabin, the system comprising:

a side camera assigned to a longitudinal side of the motor vehicle to provide an image of surroundings of the motor vehicle; and

a processor programmed to:

specify a region of interest in the surroundings, the region of interest defined in relation to the towed portion; and

transform the image of the camera into a transformed image; and

maintain the region of interest in the transformed image in a specified image region with a specified magnification after a change in relative position between the surroundings and the motor vehicle.