KR102895865B1 - Monitoring apparatus for vehicle and operating method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle surroundings monitoring device and an operating method thereof, and more particularly, to a vehicle surroundings monitoring device and an operating method thereof that provides images of the vehicle surroundings so that a driver can easily monitor the vehicle surroundings.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a vehicle surrounding surveillance device includes an image acquisition unit that acquires a surrounding image for at least one direction around the vehicle; an image output unit that outputs a surveillance image including at least a portion of the surrounding image; a view mode selection unit that allows one of a plurality of view modes having different field of view ranges to be selected; and an image processing unit that extracts a surveillance image having a field of view range corresponding to the selected view mode from the surrounding image and transmits the extracted surveillance image to the image output unit, wherein the image processing unit, when switching a view mode from a first view mode to a second view mode, extracts an image frame having a field of view range different from the first view mode and the second view mode from the surrounding image at regular intervals for a set time, and, before outputting each extracted image frame, outputs an overlapping frame in which each extracted image frame overlaps a previous frame, so that the field of view of the surveillance image can be changed in stages.

Description

{Monitoring apparatus for vehicle and operating method for the same}

The present invention relates to a vehicle surroundings monitoring device and an operating method thereof, and more particularly, to a vehicle surroundings monitoring device and an operating method thereof that provides images of the vehicle surroundings so that a driver can easily monitor the vehicle surroundings.

Typically, vehicles have inside mirrors installed inside the vehicle to allow the driver to see the situation behind the vehicle, and outside mirrors are installed on both sides of the vehicle to allow the driver to see the situation at the side and rear of the vehicle. Depending on the field of view secured by the inside mirrors or outside mirrors, the driver can see surrounding vehicles and pedestrians when reversing, overtaking, or changing lanes.

Recently, camera mirrors that include cameras are installed in vehicles instead of outside mirrors to reduce air resistance when the vehicle is driving and to reduce the possibility of damage due to external impact, and surveillance images of an area corresponding to a certain field of view among the images of the vehicle's surroundings acquired by the camera mirror are extracted and displayed on a display device installed inside the vehicle, so that the driver can easily understand the surroundings of the vehicle.

Surveillance images provide various view modes such as normal view and wide view depending on the field of view, and surveillance images corresponding to different sized areas are extracted from the surrounding images depending on the required view mode.

When switching view modes, if the surveillance image with the field of view of the previous view mode suddenly changes to the surveillance image with the field of view of the next view mode, it is difficult for the driver to recognize the change in field of view, and this may lead to a misjudgment of the magnification of an object in the surveillance image and an incorrect judgment of the distance to the object, which may lead to a vehicle accident.

Therefore, a method is required to enable the driver to easily recognize the change in view mode while preventing the driver from feeling any discomfort when changing view modes.

Patent Registration No. 10-0936557 (Published on January 13, 2010)

The present invention has been designed to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a vehicle surroundings monitoring device and an operating method thereof that provide a visual effect that allows a driver to easily recognize a change in view mode.

In addition, a vehicle surrounding monitoring device and its operating method are provided to prevent the driver from feeling any discomfort when switching view modes.

The tasks of the present invention are not limited to the tasks mentioned above, and other tasks not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle surrounding surveillance device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an image acquisition unit for acquiring a surrounding image for at least one direction around the vehicle; an image output unit for outputting a surveillance image including at least a portion of the surrounding image; a view mode selection unit for selecting any one of a plurality of view modes having different field of view ranges; and an image processing unit for extracting a surveillance image having a field of view range corresponding to the selected view mode from the surrounding image and transmitting the extracted surveillance image to the image output unit, wherein the image processing unit, when switching a view mode from a first view mode to a second view mode, extracts an image frame having a field of view range different from the first view mode and the second view mode from the surrounding image at regular intervals for a set time, and outputs an overlapping frame in which each extracted image frame overlaps a previous frame before outputting each extracted image frame, so that the field of view range of the surveillance image can be changed in stages.

The video frames extracted at the above regular intervals may have different field of view ranges.

The video frames extracted at the above regular intervals can have a field of view closer to the second view mode as time passes.

The above image processing unit can delay the output of the extracted image frame when extracting the image frame and cause the overlapping frame to be output.

The above image processing unit may further include a storage unit that stores the extracted image frame while the overlapping frame is output when extracting the image frame.

The second view mode has a wider field of view than the first view mode, and the view mode selection unit can switch between the first view mode and the second view mode according to at least one of a turn signal signal and a gear signal.

The above image processing unit can cause an image representing the magnification of an object in the surveillance image compared to a reference magnification according to the field of view of the surveillance image to be displayed on the surveillance image.

In order to achieve the above object, an operating method of a vehicle surrounding surveillance device according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a step of extracting and outputting a surveillance image having a field of view corresponding to a first view mode from a surrounding image; a step of selecting the second view mode having a different field of view from the first view mode; a step of extracting image frames having different field of view from the first view mode and the second view mode from the surrounding image at regular intervals for a set period of time; a step of outputting an overlapping frame in which each of the extracted image frames overlaps a previous frame before outputting each of the extracted image frames; and a step of extracting and outputting a surveillance image having a field of view corresponding to the second view mode from the surrounding image after the set period of time has elapsed.

The step of extracting the above video frame may extract a video frame having a field of view closer to the second view mode as time passes.

The step of outputting the above-mentioned overlapping frame may include a step of storing the extracted image frame; a step of generating an overlapping frame in which the extracted image frame overlaps a previous frame; a step of outputting the overlapping frame; and a step of outputting the stored image frame.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

According to the vehicle surrounding monitoring device and its operating method of the present invention as described above, one or more of the following effects are achieved.

When switching between multiple view modes that output surveillance images of different field of view ranges among surrounding images, a visual effect of a gradual change in field of view is provided, thereby enabling the driver to easily recognize the change in view mode.

In addition, there is an effect that can prevent the driver from feeling unfamiliar by allowing the view mode to be switched more smoothly by outputting an overlapping frame in which each extracted image frame overlaps the previous frame before outputting each image frame extracted at a certain cycle while the view mode is switched.

Additionally, when switching view modes, the magnification of the surveillance image is displayed on the surveillance image, which has the effect of allowing the driver to more accurately recognize the distance to objects in the surveillance image.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle periphery monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle in which an image acquisition unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the horizontal field of view of an image acquisition unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the vertical angle of view of an image acquisition unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are schematic diagrams showing the field of view range of surveillance images according to each view mode according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are schematic diagrams showing the magnification of objects in surveillance images according to view modes according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an image frame output while the view mode is switched according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating an image displayed to indicate a magnification on a surveillance image according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of a vehicle surroundings monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The advantages and features of the present invention, and the methods for achieving them, will become clearer with reference to the embodiments described in detail below together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided only to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification.

Accordingly, in some embodiments, well-known process steps, well-known structures, and well-known techniques are not specifically described to avoid obscuring the present invention.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments only and is not intended to limit the present invention. In this specification, the singular also includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise. As used herein, the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising" are used to mean that they do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, and/or operations other than the mentioned components, steps, and/or operations. In addition, "and/or" includes each and every combination of one or more of the mentioned items.

Furthermore, the embodiments described herein will be described with reference to perspective views, cross-sectional views, side views, and/or schematic drawings, which are ideal examples of the present invention. Therefore, the shapes of the examples may vary depending on manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances. Accordingly, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the specific shapes depicted, but also encompass variations in shape resulting from the manufacturing process. Furthermore, for convenience of explanation, each component in each drawing depicted in the present invention may be depicted somewhat enlarged or reduced.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to drawings for explaining a vehicle surroundings monitoring device and its operation method according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle periphery monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle surrounding monitoring device (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an image acquisition unit (100), an image output unit (200), a view mode selection unit (300), and an image processing unit (400).

In the embodiment of the present invention, the image acquisition unit (100) is installed on both front doors of the vehicle or near the front doors as shown in FIG. 2 so as to replace the role of the outside mirrors and acquires a surrounding image of the rear or side rear of the vehicle. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the image acquisition unit (100) can acquire a surrounding image of at least one direction in which the driver's surveillance is required, and the number or installation location of the image acquisition units (100) can be changed in various ways depending on the direction in which the surrounding image is to be acquired.

Hereinafter, in the embodiment of the present invention, an image acquisition unit (100) installed on the driver's side of the vehicle will be described as an example, and an image acquisition unit (100) installed on the opposite side of the driver's side can be similarly applied with only some differences in the installation location.

The image acquisition unit (100) may include at least one camera having various angles of view, such as a narrow-angle camera or a wide-angle camera. In the embodiment of the present invention, the image acquisition unit (100) includes a camera having a horizontal angle of view of θ1 as in FIG. 3 and a vertical angle of view of θ2 as in FIG. 4. As an example, the size of the surrounding image acquired by the image acquisition unit (100) may be defined by the horizontal angle of view (θ1) and the vertical angle of view (θ2) of the camera included in the image acquisition unit (100).

In the embodiment of the present invention, an example is described in which the viewpoint of the camera included in the image acquisition unit (100) is positioned to face the rear of the vehicle, and a surrounding image of the rear or side rear of the vehicle corresponding to the angle of view of the camera is acquired. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the viewpoint of the camera may be changed in various ways depending on the direction in which the driver needs to monitor.

The image output unit (200) can output a surveillance image including at least a portion of the surrounding image acquired by the image acquisition unit (100), and the surveillance image can be extracted from the surrounding image and transmitted by the image processing unit (400) described later.

The size of objects such as surrounding vehicles, pedestrians, and fixed facilities included in the surveillance video output through the video output unit (200) may vary depending on the size of the area corresponding to the surveillance video in the surrounding video. This is because even if the size of the surveillance video varies, the screen size of the video output unit (200) on which the surveillance video is output is the same.

That is, as the size of the surveillance video increases, the size of the object within the surveillance video output through the video output unit (200) becomes relatively smaller, and conversely, as the size of the surveillance video decreases, the size of the object within the surveillance video output through the video output unit (200) becomes relatively larger.

The view mode selection unit (300) can select a view mode that indicates a field of view corresponding to a surveillance image among surrounding images, and in the embodiment of the present invention, an example will be described in which the view mode selection unit (300) selects either the first view mode (Normal view mode) used during normal vehicle driving and the second view mode (Wide view mode) used when the vehicle changes lanes or moves backward. In this case, the view mode selection unit (300) can select either the first view mode or the second view mode according to a turn signal signal or a gear signal of the vehicle.

For example, the view mode selection unit (300) is configured to select a second view mode with an increased field of view compared to the first view mode so that the driver can more easily understand the surroundings of the vehicle when a turn signal signal or a reverse gear (R) signal is input for driver operation.

The view modes selectable by the view mode selection unit (300) are not limited to the examples described above, and any one of a plurality of view modes having various field of view ranges may be selected.

In the embodiment of the present invention, a case in which the view mode selection unit (200) automatically selects a view mode according to a vehicle's turn signal signal or gear signal is described as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the driver may also select a desired view mode by operating a button, switch, lever, etc. provided in the vehicle.

The image processing unit (400) can extract a surveillance image having a field of view corresponding to a selected view mode from the surrounding image and transmit it to the image output unit (200).

For example, in the first view mode, the image processing unit (300) extracts a surveillance image having a first field of view (A1) from the surrounding image (A) as shown in FIG. 5 and transmits it to the image output unit (200), and in the second view mode, as shown in FIG. 6, it extracts a surveillance image having a second field of view (A2) larger than the first field of view (A1) from the surrounding image (A) and transmits it to the image output unit (200).

At this time, since the screen size on which the surveillance image is output from the image output unit (200) is the same, an increase in the field of view of the surveillance image means that the magnification of the object in the surveillance image, i.e., the size of the object, is reduced.

That is, when a surveillance image having a first field of view (A1) as in FIG. 7 is output through a screen (210) of an image output unit (200), the size (S1) of the object in the surveillance image becomes relatively smaller than when a surveillance image having a second field of view (A2) larger than the first field of view (A1) as in FIG. 8 is output through a screen (210) of an image output unit (200).

As described above, the image processing unit (400) extracts a surveillance image having a field of view corresponding to the view mode selected by the view mode selection unit (300) from the surrounding image and transmits the extracted image to the image output unit (200). However, if the field of view suddenly changes when the view mode is switched, there may be cases where the driver does not properly recognize the size of an object in the surveillance image.

Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, a visual effect indicating a change in view mode is provided when the view mode is changed, so that the driver can easily recognize the change in view mode and the view mode can be changed more smoothly. In the embodiment of the present invention, a case of changing from a first view mode to a second view mode will be described as an example.

When the second view mode is selected from the first view mode due to a lane change or reversing of the vehicle, and the view mode is switched, the image processing unit (400) extracts image frames having different field of view ranges from the first view mode and the second view mode at regular intervals during a set time for switching the view mode, and outputs an overlapping frame in which each extracted image frame overlaps with the previous frame before outputting each extracted image frame, so that when switching from the first view mode to the second view mode, an animation effect can be provided in which the field of view range of the surveillance image changes gradually rather than abruptly.

At this time, the image processing unit (400) can implement a smoother animation effect by outputting an overlapping frame in which each image frame extracted between the image frames extracted when switching the view mode overlaps the previous frame, thereby preventing the driver from feeling a sense of incongruity due to a difference in the field of view of each extracted image frame.

In the embodiment of the present invention, since the case where the first view mode has a smaller field of view than the second view mode is described as an example, the case where the field of view of the extracted image frame gradually increases from the field of view of the first view mode to the field of view of the second view mode as the time for extracting the image frame elapses during the set time when switching from the first view mode to the second view mode is described as an example.

The image processing unit (400) sequentially outputs each extracted image frame having a different field of view while the view mode is switched, and simultaneously outputs an overlapping frame in which each extracted image frame overlaps with the previous frame before outputting each extracted image frame, thereby allowing the field of view to change more smoothly from the field of view corresponding to the first view mode to the field of view corresponding to the second view mode.

At this time, the image processing unit (400) may further include a storage unit (410) such as a buffer for temporarily storing each extracted image frame so that the output of each extracted image frame is delayed at a regular interval so that an overlapping frame in which each extracted image frame overlaps with the previous frame can be output before the output of each extracted image frame.

As described above, when the image processing unit (400) extracts each image frame at a certain interval while the view mode is switched, and outputs an overlapping frame in which each extracted image frame overlaps with the previous frame before outputting each extracted image frame, a smoother animation effect can be implemented compared to a case in which only each extracted image frame is output, as in FIG. 9.

That is, when overlapping frames are not used, each image frame extracted at a regular interval is sequentially output according to the frame rate of the image output unit (200) and output in the order of f ₀ , f ₁ , f ₂ , f ₃ , ..., but when overlapping frames are used, each image frame extracted before outputting in the order of f ₀ , f ₀ +f _{1 ,} f ₁ , f ₁ +f ₂ , f ₂ , ... is output as an overlapping frame in which each image frame and the previous frame are overlapping.

At this time, FIG. 9 can be understood as a surveillance image output through the screen (210) of the image output unit (200), and is an example of a case where the screen (210) of the image output unit (200) has the same size, but the field of view is switched to a second view mode with a larger field of view than the first view mode, and the field of view of the image frame gradually increases as time passes while the view mode is switched, so that the size of the object in the surveillance image gradually decreases.

That is, in Fig. 9, f ₀ , f ₁ , f ₂ , f ₃ , ... represent image frames extracted at regular intervals, and f ₀ As the field of view of the surveillance video approaches the second view mode as f ₃ is approached, it can be understood that the size of the object within the surveillance video gradually decreases, and the position of the object within the surveillance video changes as at least one of the vehicle and the object moves.

In addition, in Fig. 9, an example is given where two overlapping frames overlap at a ratio of 1:1, but this is not limited thereto, and the two overlapping frames may overlap so that one of the two frames has a greater weight depending on the weight of each of the two overlapping frames.

Meanwhile, as described above, even when the view mode is switched, the driver may have difficulty recognizing the magnification of the currently output surveillance image, so the image processing unit (400) may cause an image (I) representing the magnification of the currently output surveillance image to be synthesized and output on the surveillance image based on the reference magnification.

In an embodiment of the present invention, an example will be described in which the image processing unit (400) displays an image (I) such as “-(minus)” indicating that the magnification of the currently output surveillance image has decreased compared to the reference magnification on the surveillance image as shown in FIG. 10. However, this is merely an example to help understanding of the present invention, and is not limited thereto. The magnification of the currently output surveillance image compared to the reference magnification may be displayed as an image composed of letters, patterns, numbers, or a combination thereof.

At this time, Fig. 10 is an example of a case in which the magnification of the first view mode is used as the reference magnification, and the view mode is switched from the first view mode to the second view mode, and the magnification of an object in a surveillance image output through the image output unit (200) is reduced.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of a vehicle surroundings monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is an example of a case where the view mode is switched from a first view mode to a second view mode in which the field of view is increased compared to the first view mode.

Referring to FIG. 11, in the operation method of the vehicle surrounding surveillance device according to the embodiment of the present invention, first, a surveillance image having a field of view corresponding to a first view mode extracted from a surrounding image is output through an image output unit (200) (S110).

If it is determined that the second view mode is selected and the view mode is switched while the surveillance video is being output in the first view mode (S120), the image processing unit (400) extracts image frames in which the field of view gradually approaches the second view mode from the first view mode at regular intervals during the set time for switching the view mode (S130), and repeatedly performs a process in which each extracted image frame is sequentially output as an overlapping frame in which the extracted image frame overlaps the previous frame and each extracted image frame is sequentially output (S140).

When the set time has elapsed and the view mode switching is completed (S150), the image processing unit (400) extracts a surveillance image having a field of view corresponding to the second view mode from the surrounding image, and causes the extracted surveillance image of the second view mode to be output through the image output unit (200) (S160).

As described above, the vehicle surrounding monitoring device of the present invention and its operating method can provide an animation effect in which the field of view changes stepwise when the view mode is switched between view modes having different field of view ranges, and can implement a smoother animation effect by having two consecutive image frames from among the image frames extracted at a certain cycle while the view mode is switched overlap each other and outputting the overlapped frame between the extracted image frames.

In addition, by displaying an image (I) indicating the magnification of the surveillance image within the surveillance image so that the driver can easily recognize the magnification of the current surveillance image compared to the reference magnification, the driver can recognize the distance to the object by considering the size of the object within the surveillance image, thereby reducing the possibility of a vehicle accident.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without altering its technical spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims below rather than the detailed description above, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents should be construed as being included within the scope of the present invention.

100: Image acquisition unit
200: Video output section
300: View mode judgment unit
400: Image processing unit
410: Storage

Claims (10)

An image acquisition unit for acquiring a surrounding image for at least one direction around the vehicle;
An image output unit that outputs a surveillance image including at least a portion of the above surrounding images;
A view mode selection unit that allows one of a first view mode and a second view mode having different field of view ranges to be selected; and
An image processing unit that extracts a surveillance image having a field of view corresponding to the selected view mode from the surrounding image and transmits the extracted surveillance image to the image output unit,
The above image processing unit,
When switching the view mode from the first view mode to the second view mode, a plurality of image frames in which the field of view gradually approaches the field of view of the second view mode from the field of view of the first view mode are extracted at regular intervals from the surrounding image during a set view mode switching time, and the plurality of extracted image frames are sequentially output, but before outputting each extracted image frame, an overlapping frame in which each extracted image frame overlaps with a previous frame is output, so that the field of view of the surveillance image is changed in steps.
The surveillance video in which the above field of view changes step by step is
A vehicle perimeter surveillance device that outputs the same size corresponding to the screen of the above-mentioned video output unit so that the size of the object in the output surveillance video changes in stages. delete delete In the first paragraph,
The above image processing unit,
A vehicle periphery monitoring device that delays the output of the extracted video frame when extracting the above video frame and allows the overlapping frame to be output. In the first paragraph,
The above image processing unit,
A vehicle periphery monitoring device further comprising a storage unit that stores the extracted image frame while the overlapping frame is output during extraction of the image frame. In the first paragraph,
The above second view mode is,
It has a wider field of view than the first view mode above,
The above view mode selection section,
A vehicle surrounding monitoring device that switches between the first view mode and the second view mode according to at least one of a turn signal signal and a gear signal. In the first paragraph,
The above image processing unit,
A vehicle perimeter surveillance device that displays an image representing the magnification of an object in the surveillance image compared to a reference magnification according to the field of view of the surveillance image on the surveillance image. A step in which a surveillance image having a field of view corresponding to the first view mode is extracted and output from the surrounding image;
A step in which a second view mode having a different field of view from the first view mode is selected;
A step of sequentially outputting a plurality of image frames in which the field of view gradually approaches the field of view of the first view mode to the field of view of the second view mode at regular intervals from the surrounding image during a set view mode switching time;
A step for outputting each extracted image frame so that a superimposed frame in which each extracted image frame overlaps with a previous frame is output before outputting each extracted image frame so that the field of view of the surveillance image is changed in stages; and
After the set view mode switching time has elapsed, a step is included in which a surveillance image having a field of view corresponding to the second view mode is extracted and output from the surrounding image,
The surveillance video in which the above field of view changes step by step is
A method for operating a vehicle's surrounding surveillance device, which outputs the same size corresponding to the screen of the video output unit so that the size of an object in the output surveillance image changes stepwise. delete In paragraph 8,
The steps for outputting the above overlapping frames are:
A step in which the extracted image frame is stored;
A step in which an overlapping frame is created in which the extracted image frame overlaps with a previous frame;
A step in which the above overlapping frame is output; and
A method for operating a vehicle's surrounding surveillance device, comprising a step of outputting the stored video frame.