DE102018207407A1 - Driver assistance system, means of locomotion and method for displaying an image of a surrounding area of a means of locomotion - Google Patents

Abstract

A means of locomotion, a driver assistance system and a method for displaying an image of a surrounding area of a means of transportation are proposed. The method comprises the steps:
Detecting the surrounding area of the means of locomotion by means of a first environment sensor,
Representing a first subarea of an image of the detected surrounding area on a display unit,
• determining that a second subregion of the image of the detected environmental region has a greater relevance in relation to the first subregion and in response thereto
Representing the second subarea instead of the first subarea of the image of the detected surrounding area on the display unit.

Description

The present invention relates to a driver assistance system, a means of locomotion and a method for displaying an image of a surrounding area of a means of locomotion. In particular, the present invention relates to improved driver assistance through dynamic adaptation of a displayed portion of environmental data.

In modern means of transport more and more environmental sensors are used, which can provide the driver with a picture of the environment. In particular, environmental optical data are also increasingly provided for the use of artificial rearview mirrors, including camera sensors and display devices. Compared to a conventional, static rearview mirror, which is adapted to the requirements of a single driver before the start of the journey and then not changed further, environmental data acquired by means of sensors offer the possibility of being displayed in a suitable manner in the means of transportation as a function of given circumstances.

DE 10 2006 037 600 A1 discloses a method for the resolution-dependent representation of the surroundings of a motor vehicle in which a masking of the image data takes place in those image areas in which the resolution is below a defined threshold value. This is a resolution-dependent representation of the environment of a motor vehicle, in which the driver can detect the environment in a particularly reliable manner, only possible. In particular, the representation is advantageously adapted to cornering or a shunting operation, wherein when used in conjunction with articulated trains, the bending angle between the towing vehicle and the trailer or semi-trailer in the decision which image areas are displayed and which are masked, are taken into account.

DE 10 2010 033 786 A1 discloses a method for detecting and displaying areas located laterally next to and laterally behind the vehicle, wherein the output of the captured images is adjusted dynamically depending on a current driving situation and / or user specification. If the proposed image acquisition units are provided for replacing conventional exterior mirrors, depending on a cruise speed and a steering angle information, a corresponding control of the image acquisition units can take place.

It is an object of the present invention to better exploit further possibilities in the optical presentation of information sensed by environmental sensors and thus better support the drivers of vehicles.

The above object is achieved by a method for displaying an image of a surrounding area of a means of transport. The means of transportation may be, for example, a car, a van, a truck, an aircraft and / or watercraft. The surrounding area may be an optically detectable area around the moving means or a part thereof. In a first step, the surrounding area of the means of locomotion is detected by a first environmental sensor. This does not exclude that a second or another sensor may be involved in the detection of the surrounding area. In particular, the environmental sensor may be an optical sensor which enables a photorealistic representation of the surrounding area detected by it. Furthermore, a first subarea of an image of the detected surrounding area is displayed on a display unit. In particular, the partial area may represent a smaller image detail than the entirety of the acquired environmental area information. The representation can take place on a display unit of the means of locomotion. In other words, the display unit may comprise an integral part of the means of locomotion (eg a central information display, a combination instrument or the like). In particular, the display unit may be arranged at the position or in the direction in which a rearview mirror (interior mirror) is usually arranged. An alternative location for the display unit is in the area of the A-pillars. In addition, according to the invention, it is automatically determined that a second partial region of the image of the detected environmental region has a greater relevance than the first partial region. In other words, the second subarea, which represents a part of the detected environment information that is not congruent with the first subarea, is more important for the information of the user (eg driver of the means of locomotion) due to current circumstances. The increased relevance may arise due to different circumstances. In particular, the relevance can be determined automatically based on a driving situation, which can be done sensor-based. In response to the determination of the increased relevance, the second subarea is then automatically displayed on the display unit instead of the first subarea of the image of the detected surrounding area. In other words, the second partial area is displayed on the display unit, while the first partial area is no longer displayed on the display unit. This does not preclude the first partial area and the second partial area from behaving in such a way that the second partial area contains information which is likewise present in the first partial area. Therefore, the second subregion is characterized in particular in relation to the first subregion in that different boundaries characterize the scanned surrounding regions. For example, a section of the environment information which was displayed as a first subarea may be shifted in response to the occurrence of the increased relevance, so that information disappears at a first image border, whereas new information is added to the representation at an opposite image border. In principle, it is also possible for the second subarea to have a different zoom level than the first subarea. In particular, however, the information represented by the second sub-area for the driver of the means of locomotion of a higher relevance than those information of the first sub-area, which are not included in the second sub-area. In this way, a more relevant for guiding the means of transport information is automatically provided, whereby the traffic safety and / or user comfort can be increased.

The dependent claims show preferred developments of the invention.

As indicated above, the surrounding area of the means of locomotion can also be detected by means of a second environmental sensor. The second environmental sensor may detect another region of the surrounding area which overlaps with a region detected by the first sensor or is disjoint (not overlapped). The data acquired by means of the second environmental sensor can be used for the representation of the first subarea on the display unit. In other words, the representation of the first subarea may be a fused image having information of the first environment sensor and the second environment sensor. In particular, the second environmental sensor may also be an optical sensor and most preferably have an identical resolution as the first environmental sensor. In this way, a particularly harmonious fused representation can take place or a computation-intensive adaptation of the data of the two environmental sensors can be omitted. In particular, the first environmental sensor and the second environmental sensor may be arranged at different positions in the means of locomotion. Preferably, the first environmental sensor may be associated with a vehicle side, while the second environmental sensor may have a position in the means of locomotion which lies substantially on a central longitudinal axis of the means of locomotion. In particular, it may be a front camera and / or a rear-facing camera (reversing camera). In this way, the first environment sensor and the second environment sensor may be used to create a representation of surrounding areas of the vehicle that detects nearly 270 degrees horizontal angle.

If a first and a second environmental sensor are used for the representation of the first subarea, the representation of the second subarea can be a reduced (reduced) map compared to the first subarea based on data of the first environmental sensor and an expanded map based on data of the second environmental sensor include. In other words, as a function of the increased relevance, environmental data determined by means of the first environmental sensor are removed from the display in favor of environmental data determined by the second sensor. In particular, the horizontal angle, which is included in the representation, be moved and / or enlarged and / or reduced.

Determining that the second subarea of the image of the detected surrounding area has an increased relevance in comparison to the first subarea can take place as a function of a digital map material and depending on a current and / or future location of the means of locomotion. For example, it can be determined on the basis of the map material and depending on a current position of the means of locomotion that the means of locomotion is in a curve or is heading for a curve. Since a cornering movement can cause a displacement of a rearward area with the greatest relevance, the representation of the rearward area can be automatically adjusted in accordance with the invention by displaying the second partial area instead of the first partial area.

Similarly, a shift of the relevant surrounding area depending on a steering angle can be determined automatically. A steering angle to the left can be used, for example, as an opportunity to include ambient areas further to the left as part of the second subarea in favor of the environment information on the right into the representation of the image of the detected surrounding area. This improves the information situation of the driver.

Since cornering is also documented or announced, for example, by the operating state of a direction indicator, the operating state of the direction indicator of the means of locomotion can also be used to ascertain the increased relevance of the second subarea and to cause its presentation. After it is determined that a predefined time period has elapsed and / or a predefined path length has been traveled since the second partial area is displayed, the redisplay of the first partial area instead of the second partial area of the image of the detected ambient area on the display unit can be initiated in response to the recognition. In this way, the previous state is restored depending on the time / distance. In particular, a factory setting can be restored in this way, independently of sensory reasons, by which the user can achieve the best possible detection of the vehicle environment over the long term or on average. In addition, the representation can be optically calmed, since the sensory state, which has led to the representation of the second subarea instead of the first subarea, possibly lasts only a few seconds, while such a short displacement of the image section shown possibly to loss of comfort in the use of the representation could result from the user.

The predefined time duration or the predefined path length can be specified in a configuration menu by the user. In other words, the user can predefine the time / distance to adapt the behavior of a system according to the invention to his preferences.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a driver assistance system for displaying an image of a surrounding area of a vehicle is proposed. The driver assistance system comprises a data input, which may include, for example, a bus subscriber. At least the data input can receive the data of an environmental sensor and forward it to an evaluation unit (for example an electronic control unit, a programmable processor, a microcontroller or the like) also provided in the driver assistance system. The evaluation unit is linked to a data output in information technology, which, for example, likewise a bus subscriber and / or a monitor cable or the like. can have. The data input is set up to detect a surrounding area of the means of transportation by means of a first environment sensor. This does not exclude that the data input of a second, a third or another environmental sensor can enter via the data input. The data output is set up to display a first subarea of an image of the detected surrounding area on a display unit of the means of locomotion. In other words, the data output, the instrument cluster and / or a central information display and / or a head-up display o.ä. to cause the display of a first subarea / partial image of the sensor data. The evaluation unit is set up to determine that a second subarea of the image of the detected surrounding area has a greater relevance than the first subarea. In response to the knowledge that the second subregion of the image of the detected environmental region has a greater relevance than the first subregion, the data output is set up to display the second subregion on the display unit instead of the first subregion of the image of the detected environmental region. In this way, the driver assistance system according to the invention is set up, when used in a means of locomotion, to realize the features, combinations of features and the resulting advantages of the method according to the invention in a corresponding manner in a manner that reference is made to avoid repetition of the above statements.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is proposed a means of transportation (eg, a car, a van, a truck, an air and / or water vehicle) having a driver assistance system according to the second aspect of the invention and therefore also the features, feature combinations, and advantages of the above Invention aspects realized in a corresponding manner.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Fortbewegungsmittels;
• 2 eine schematische Draufsicht auf ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines erfindungsgemäß ausgestalteten Fortbewegungsmittels;
• 3 eine Darstellung mittels unterschiedlicher Umgebungssensoren aufgenommener Umgebungsbereiche;
• 4 die in 3 gezeigte Darstellung nach erfindungsgemäßer Anzeige des zweiten Teilbereiches gegenüber dem ersten Teilbereich;
• 5 eine erfindungsgemäße, fusionierte Ansicht verfügbaren Datenmaterials sowie eines dynamisch verschieblichen Fensters zur Auswahl darzustellender Informationen; und
• 6 ein Flussdiagramm veranschaulichend Schritte eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens zur Anzeige eines Abbildes eines Umgebungsbereiches eines Fortbewegungsmittels.

Further details, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the figures. Show it:

• 1 a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a means of transport according to the invention;
• 2 a schematic plan view of an embodiment of an inventively designed means of transport;
• 3 a representation by means of different environmental sensors recorded environmental areas;
• 4 in the 3 shown illustration according to the invention display of the second portion of the first partial area;
• 5 a fused view of available data material according to the invention as well as a dynamically movable window for selection of information to be displayed; and
• 6 a flowchart illustrating steps of an embodiment of a method according to the invention for displaying an image of a surrounding area of a means of locomotion.

1 shows a car 10 as an embodiment of a means of transport according to the invention, which is an electronic control unit 8th when Evaluation unit with a data input 8a and a data output 8b having. The electronic control unit 8th is with a digital data storage 7 in terms of information technology, in which computer program code is stored for executing a method according to the invention. The data input 8a is with an optical camera 1 in the mirror triangle as the first environmental sensor and an optical camera 2 in the form of a rear-view camera as a second environment sensor information technology connected and receives digital data representing the detection areas I and II the cameras 1 . 2 , By means of the data output 8b can the electronic control unit 8th representations according to the invention on the central information display 6 as a display unit.

2 shows a plan view of an embodiment of a car according to the invention as a means of transport, which two cameras arranged in the outside mirrors 1 . 3 as the first and third environmental sensor and a reversing camera 2 as a second environmental sensor has. The cameras 1 . 2 . 3 are information technology with an electronic control unit 8th linked, which in turn with a digital data storage 7 and a central information display 6 Information technology is connected. To generate a view of a digital rearview mirror for the driver of the car 10 become out of the detection ranges of the cameras 1 . 2 . 3 the surrounding areas I . II . III scanned and assembled. The merged presentation 14 represents the maximum representable information. Depending on a particular driving situation, this data volume can become a subarea 4 as a first subarea or subarea 5 selected as the second subarea and on the central information display 6 be displayed. Indicates the first subarea 4 a higher relevance for the current vehicle state than the second subarea 5 On, the boundaries of the area to be displayed are both shifted to the right, ignoring on the left basically representable data material. It follows from the driving situation, that of the first part 4 not contained data has an increased relevance to a partial image displayed on the right-hand edge of the image, becomes the second sub-region 5 presented in order to increase the relevance of the displayed image material. In this way, the user acceptance and / or the user comfort and / or the traffic safety of a means of transport configured according to the invention are increased.

3 shows a representation 4 ' three camera pictures 1a . 2a . 3a which by means of the cameras 1 . 2 . 3 of in 1 and 2 shown cars 10 been recorded. The picture component 11 shows in particular the ego vehicle. This component is typically included in a classic rear view mirror image to simplify the viewer's orientation. The picture component 12 indicates the legally provided field of view, which has a lasting relevance for the safe vehicle guidance. The picture component 13 goes beyond the legally provided pictorial component 12 and is now no longer necessary or helpful for a turn to the left. The present invention therefore proposes not to continuously display this in favor of another image component, which does not exclude that the image material is further recorded and evaluated, for example, for video object recognition.

4 shows a representation 5 ' , in which the image component 13 (please refer 3 ) largely from the presentation 5 ' was removed to the pictorial component 17 to be able to display on the display device and thus a second portion in the representation 5 ' to represent, which opposite to in 3 shown first portion has increased relevance to the vehicle guidance.

The image section can be shifted to the left, for example by a turn signal request or a larger steering angle, in order to hide the unnecessary area on the right and to gain more information on the left in the critical area. In addition, maps from the telematics unit (head unit) can be used to interpret the situation. The cutout in particular returns automatically to the initial state after a predefined period of at least ten seconds or after complete passage through the curve or after completion of a predefined route length.

5 shows fused imagery 14 and a dynamically selectable section according to the invention 15 which is displayed to the driver of the means of locomotion. This step could also be termed "situational windowing" to reduce or even eliminate the blind spot. The section to be displayed 15 For example, in the direction of the arrows P1 and or P2 adapted to the current driving situation / vehicle situation. In particular, the method according to the invention can be applied in such a way that, for certain situations, a displacement of the section represented superimposed on horizontal and vertical displacement 15 is executed to display an optimized image detail. The speed, or the duration, to bring the image into the desired position and the duration to return to the initial situation, may be predefined by the manufacturer of the means of transport. Within certain limits, the driver can influence the adjustment for the preset values. In particular, these settings can be made via an ID Encoder (eg car key, person recognition or similar) are assigned to the current driver and called automatically.

6 shows steps of an embodiment of a method according to the invention for displaying an image of a surrounding area of a means of locomotion. In step 100 the environmental area of the means of locomotion is detected by means of a first environmental sensor. In step 200 the environment area of the means of locomotion is detected by means of a second environment sensor. The second environmental sensor may in particular have a different orientation than the first environmental sensor. In step 300 Therefore, a screen view of the data of the first and the second environmental sensor can be assembled and in step 400 be displayed on a display unit of the means of locomotion. In step 500 Subsequently, a first portion of an image of the detected surrounding area is displayed on a display unit of the means of locomotion. The first subarea here is in particular a selected from the entire data material section. In step 600 a determination is made that a second partial region of the image of the detected environmental region has a greater relevance than the first partial region. This can be done in particular sensor-based and preferably automatically. In response, it will be in step 700 the second subarea instead of the first subarea of the image of the detected surrounding area is shown on the display unit. The components of the image of the surrounding area now shown are due to the increased relevance of greater help for the driver for safe and / or comfortable guidance of the means of transport. In step 800 a user input for the configuration of the system according to the invention is determined. In other words, the user determines the conditions under which an inventively changed selection of a section (second section) should be reversed. Through the user input will be in step 900 predefined a changed period of time and also a changed route length. In step 1000 it is then determined that a predefined period of time has elapsed and / or a predefined path length has been traveled. In response, it will be in step 1100 the first subarea instead of the second subarea of the image of the detected surrounding area is shown on the display unit. In other words, after a predefined period of time has elapsed, the method according to the invention returns from the representation of the second subarea to the representation of the first subarea. The definition of a minimum period of time after which the first subarea reappears reassures the presentation and increases user acceptance in using dynamically selected clippings from the data material determined by environmental sensors.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

camera

1a

camera image

2

backup camera

2a

Rear view camera image

3

camera

3a

camera image

4

first subarea

4 '

presentation

5

second subarea

5 '

presentation

6

central information display

7

data storage

8th

electronic control unit

8a

data input

8b

data output

10

car

11

Picture excerpt with ego vehicle

12

Image section, which is required by law

13

Picture detail, which is relevant only depending on the driving situation

14

merged presentation

15

detail to be displayed

17

when turning left relevant image component

100-1100

steps I . II . III surrounding areas to be merged

P1, P2

arrows

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102006037600 A1 [0003]
• DE 102010033786 A1 [0004]

Claims (11)

A method of displaying an image of a surrounding area of a vehicle (10) comprising the steps of: Detecting (100) the surrounding area of the means of locomotion (10) by means of a first environment sensor (1), Representing (500) a first subarea (4) of an image of the detected surrounding area on a display unit (6), • determining (600) that a second partial region (5) of the image of the detected environmental region has a greater relevance than in the first partial region (4) and in response thereto Representing (700) the second partial area (5) instead of the first partial area (4) of the image of the detected surrounding area on the display unit (6). Method according to Claim 1 further comprising • detecting (200) the surrounding area of the locomotion means (10) by means of a second environmental sensor (2, 3) and • representing the first subarea (4) of the image of the detected surrounding area on the display unit (6) using data from the second environmental sensor (2). Method according to Claim 2 in which the representation of the second partial area (5) comprises a reduced image compared to the first partial area (4) on the basis of data of the first environmental sensor (1) and an expanded image based on data of the second environmental sensor (2). Method according to Claim 2 or 3 further comprising • merging (300) and presenting (400) a common screen view of data from the first environment sensor (1) and the second environment sensor (2). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein • Determining that a second subregion (5) of the image of the detected surrounding region has an increased relevance relative to the first subregion (4), depending on a map material and a location of the means of locomotion (10). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein • determining that a second partial region (5) of the image of the detected environmental region has a greater relevance than the first partial region (4), as a function of a steering angle of the locomotion means (10). Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein • determining that a second subarea (5) of the image of the detected surrounding area has a greater relevance than the first subarea (4), depending on a signal representing an operating state of a direction indicator of the means of locomotion (10). Method according to one of the preceding claims further comprising • determining (1000) that a predefined amount of time has elapsed and / or been traveling a predefined path length, and in response thereto Representing (1100) the first subarea (4) instead of the second subarea (5) of the image of the detected surrounding area on the display unit (6). Method according to Claim 8 further comprising • determining (800) a user input representing a changed duration and / or path length and responsive thereto • predefining (900) the changed time duration and / or path length. Driver assistance system for displaying an image of a surrounding area of a means of transport (10) comprising A data input (8a), • an evaluation unit (8) and • a data output (8b), where The data input (8a) is set up to detect a surrounding area of the means of locomotion (10) by means of a first environment sensor (1), The data output (8b) is set up to display a first subarea (4) of an image of the detected surrounding area on a display unit (6), • the evaluation unit (8) is set up to determine that a second partial region (5) of the image of the detected environmental region has a greater relevance than the first partial region (4), and The data output (8b) is set up, in response to the knowledge that the second subregion (5) of the image of the detected surrounding region has increased relevance compared to the first subregion (4), the second subregion (5) instead of the first subregion ( 4) of the image of the detected surrounding area on the display unit (6). Means (10) comprising a driver assistance system according to Claim 10 ,

Images