FR3093058A1 - Vehicle camera washing control method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

Method and device for controlling vehicle camera washing The invention relates to a method and device for controlling washing a camera of a vehicle exterior vision system. To this end, at least one image (1) representative of the acquisition of the camera is displayed on a screen. A gesture (21) representative of at least partial scanning of the screen is detected, which triggers the camera wash command. Figure for the abstract: Figure 2

Description

Vehicle camera wash control method and device

The invention relates to vehicles, in particular of the automobile type, and more specifically to human/machine interfaces (HMI) which are intended to control functions provided by vehicle equipment. The invention also relates to vehicle exterior vision systems and more specifically to the control of these systems, in particular the control of the washing or cleaning control of the camera(s) included in such systems.

Technology background

Contemporary vehicles often have an exterior vision system, also called a rear-view system or visual reversing aid system (AVR). Such a system comprises one or more cameras arranged on the vehicle, outside of it. The images acquired by such cameras are then displayed on a display device comprising a screen, for example on a display device integrated in the dashboard or in a rear-view mirror or on a display device of the tablet or telephone type. smart (from the English "smartphone").

Since the camera(s) of the exterior vision system are located outside the vehicle, they are subject to splashes of rain, mud and dust. To provide clear images of the environment close to the vehicle to the driver and/or its passengers, it is necessary to wash or clean these cameras when they are dirty.

On certain vehicles, the control for cleaning the camera(s) of the exterior vision system is linked to the control for cleaning the windscreen. There is then no dedicated command and the user is not always aware that activating the windscreen cleaning command also cleans the camera(s).

On other vehicles, there is a physical or virtual button on the vehicle's function control screen which allows you to control the cleaning of the camera(s) by pressing it. Such a solution leads to diversity from one vehicle to another depending on whether or not it is equipped with an exterior vision system and contributes to the multiplication of buttons, which reduces the user-friendliness and simplicity of the interface. man/machine allowing interaction with the various functions and parts of the vehicle.

The present invention aims to correct at least one of the aforementioned problems. An object of the present invention is to improve the cleaning or washing control of one or more cameras of an exterior vision system for a vehicle.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a method for controlling the washing of at least one camera of a vehicle exterior vision system, the method comprising the steps of:

- display of at least one image representative of the acquisition of the at least one camera on a screen;

- detection of a gesture representing at least partial scanning of the screen;

- control of the washing of the at least one camera following the detection of the gesture.

According to a variant, the screen is a touch screen, the corresponding gesture by moving at least one finger on the touch screen.

According to yet another variant, the screen is a non-touch screen, the gesture corresponding to a movement of at least one finger in front of the screen, the detection comprising a gesture recognition step.

According to an additional variant, the gesture is representative of the movement of a windshield wiper on a windshield.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a washing control device for at least one camera of a vehicle exterior vision system, the device comprising:

- means for displaying at least one image representative of the acquisition of the at least one camera on a screen;

- means for detecting a gesture representative of at least partial scanning of the screen;

- Means for controlling the washing of the at least one camera following the detection of the gesture.

According to a variant, the screen is a touch screen, the corresponding gesture by moving at least one finger on the touch screen.

According to yet another variant, the screen is a non-touch screen, the gesture corresponding to a movement of at least one finger in front of the screen, the gesture detection means comprising gesture recognition means.

According to an additional variant, the gesture is representative of the movement of a windshield wiper on a windshield.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a vehicle, for example of the automotive type, comprising the device as described above according to the second aspect of the invention.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a computer program which comprises instructions adapted for the execution of the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the invention, this in particular when the computer program is executed by at least one processor.

Such a computer program can use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

According to a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for the execution of the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the invention.

On the one hand, the recording medium can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise a storage means, such as a ROM memory, a CD-ROM or a ROM memory of the microelectronic circuit type, or even a magnetic recording means or a hard disk.

On the other hand, this recording medium can also be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, such a signal being able to be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by conventional or hertzian radio or by self-directed laser beam or by other ways. The computer program according to the invention can in particular be downloaded from an Internet-type network.

Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which the computer program is incorporated, the integrated circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the method in question.

Brief description of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description of the non-limiting embodiments of the invention below, with reference to the appended figures 1 to 4, in which:

illustrates an image resulting from the acquisition of the environment of a vehicle by a camera of an exterior vision system of the vehicle, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

illustrates a gesture performed on a screen displaying the image of FIG. 1, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

schematically illustrates a washing control device of a camera having acquired the image of FIG. 1, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

illustrates a flowchart of the different steps of a method for controlling the washing of a camera of an exterior vision system of the vehicle, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.

A device and a method for controlling at least one camera of a vehicle exterior vision system will now be described in the following with reference in conjunction with FIGS. 1 to 4. The same elements are identified with the same signs of reference throughout the following description. The embodiments described below relate more particularly to an implementation of the control device according to the invention within a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle. However, any implementation in a different context, in particular in any type of vehicle (for example a truck), is also covered by the present invention.

According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the invention, a method for controlling the washing (or cleaning) of one or more cameras of an exterior vision system of a vehicle, for example of the automotive type, comprises the display on a display device (for example a screen) of one or more images representative of at least part of the environment close to the vehicle. These images have advantageously been acquired by one or more of the cameras of the exterior vision system of the vehicle. A gesture representing a swipe of the screen displaying the image(s) is detected, triggering the command to wash the camera(s) of the exterior vision system.

A device configured for implementing the method is also described.

Controlling the washing of the camera(s) of the exterior vision system by a simple gesture simplifies the ergonomics of the man/machine interface controlling the various equipment (or part of them) of the vehicle and makes control more intuitive.

illustrates an image 1 resulting from the acquisition of the environment of a vehicle by a camera of an exterior vision system of the vehicle, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

Image 1 comprises two parts 10 and 11. A first part 10 corresponds to the point of view of a determined camera, for example a camera positioned at the rear of the vehicle, for example above the license plate or at the rear window of the vehicle. The point of view or the field of vision of the rear camera allows the driver and/or the passengers of the vehicle to see on the screen displaying image 1 the immediate external environment located behind the vehicle. A text box 100 is embedded on the first part 10 to display information or warnings such as "Please check the surroundings before any maneuver". The first part 10 is optionally enriched with real-time driving aid graphic information, such as the planned trajectory of the vehicle as a function of current conditions (for example the orientation of the steering wheels) or a distance with respect to an obstacle, in the form of straight or curved, horizontal and/or vertical lines. The first part 10 is for example enriched in content via any augmented reality solution known to those skilled in the art.

A second part 11 of image 1 corresponds to a panoramic view of the immediate environment of the vehicle, seen from above the vehicle. This second part 11 is obtained by composition of video streams obtained from several cameras positioned at different points of the vehicle, for example 4 video streams received from 4 different cameras, a rear camera, a front camera, a left side camera and a right side camera . According to this particular example, the 4 cameras are part of the exterior vision system of the vehicle. According to this example, the driver and/or the passenger(s) of the vehicle visualizes the environment outside the vehicle in real time, with a first part 111 making it possible to visualize the environment located behind the vehicle, a second part 112 allowing the environment located in front of the vehicle to be viewed, a third part 113 allowing the environment located to the left of the vehicle to be viewed and a fourth part 114 allowing the environment located to the right of the vehicle to be viewed.

The content displayed in the first part 10 of image 1 corresponds to the video stream, enriched with additional graphic content or not, obtained from any of the cameras of the exterior vision system of the vehicle. The content displayed is for example determined automatically according to the direction of travel of the vehicle. For example, if the vehicle is in reverse then the content displayed in this first part 10 corresponds to the content obtained from the rear camera. If the vehicle is moving forward then the content displayed in this first part 10 corresponds to the content obtained from the front camera. According to a variant, the content displayed in this first part 10 is for example determined or chosen by a user, the driver or a passenger for example, by the use of dedicated control means or by clicking on one of the parts 111 to 114 of the panoramic view 11, in particular when the screen used to display the image 1 is a touch screen, to display the view associated with the clicked part.

According to a variant embodiment, the first part 10 of the image 1 is subdivided into 4 sub-parts, each sub-part displaying the video stream obtained from a different camera of the exterior vision system of the vehicle.

According to another variant embodiment, image 1 comprises only one part, for example the first part 10.

Of course, the number of cameras in the vehicle's exterior vision system is not limited to 4, but extends to any number, for example 1 camera or 2, 3, 8 or more cameras.

illustrates a gesture performed on or in front of a screen displaying the image 1, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 represents the gesture made by the hand 21 of a user on the screen displaying the image 1 or in front of the screen displaying the image 1. The gesture advantageously corresponds to a gesture simulating a sweeping of the screen. When the screen is touch-sensitive, the gesture corresponds for example to a movement of one or more fingers of the hand 21 in one direction, for example to the left or to the right, over a determined distance, for example over a few centimeters, for example 3, 5, 7, 10 or 15 cm. The determined distance is for example a function of the size of the screen, according to an optional embodiment variant. The movement of the finger(s) is for example horizontal, vertical, diagonal or in any direction of movement. According to another example, the gesture corresponds to a movement of the finger(s) in two opposite directions, for example from left to right then from right to left, or from bottom to top then from top to bottom. According to another example, the gesture corresponds to a movement of the finger(s) of the hand 21 simulating or representing the movement of a windscreen wiper on a windshield, that is to say forming for example an arc of a circle .

The touch screen corresponds for example to a screen of the LCD type (from the English "Liquid Crystal Display" or in French "Display to liquid crystals") or of the OLED type (from the English "Organic Light-Emitting Diode" or in French "Organic electroluminescent diode") associated with a touch surface. The touch surface uses for example a capacitive system with a layer accumulating the charges and placed on the touch surface. According to a variant, the touch surface is associated with a network of infrared radiation sensors, horizontal and vertical, to detect the position or the sequence of positions of the contact of the finger(s) of the hand 21 on the touch surface.

When the screen is not touch-sensitive, the gesture is detected, for example, by analyzing images from one or more cameras filming the hand, for example one or more cameras positioned in the frame of the screen. The analysis corresponds for example to a comparison with images from a database, the images comprising positive images representing the gesture or gestures expected to trigger the washing command of the camera and negative images representing gestures different from those expected. According to a variant, the gesture is detected by the analysis of video images associated with depth images obtained by one or more video + depth acquisition cameras.

Once the gesture has been detected, the control for washing the camera carrying out the acquisition of the content displayed on the screen and corresponding to the content of the first part 10 of image 1 is triggered. The command is for example triggered by the device managing the man/machine interface managing the display of the image 1 on the screen and the detection of the gesture (for example the device 3 of FIG. 3), the command then being transmitted to the computer or ECU (from the English "Electronic Control Unit" or in French "Unité de Commande Electronique") ensuring the control of the washing of the camera or cameras of the exterior vision system of the vehicle. For example, if the content displayed on the first part of image 10 corresponds to the content obtained from the rear camera of the vehicle's exterior vision system, then the rear camera washing command is triggered.

According to a variant embodiment, the gesture of the hand is performed on one of the parts 111 to 114 of the panoramic view corresponding to the second part 11 of the image 1. The part on which the gesture is performed is determined and the control of the washing of the camera corresponding to the viewpoint associated with this part is triggered. For example, if the gesture is performed on or in front of the part 112, then the washing command of the front camera is triggered. According to another example, if the gesture is performed on or in front of the part 114, then the washing command for the right camera is triggered.

schematically illustrates a device 3 for controlling the washing of one or more cameras of a vehicle exterior vision system, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the invention. The device 3 is for example configured for the implementation of the steps of the method described with regard to FIG. 4. Examples of such a device 3 include, without being limited thereto, various electronic devices such as a computer or an ECU , a smart phone (“smartphone”), a tablet, a GPS-type navigation device, on-board electronic equipment such as a vehicle's on-board computer. The elements of device 3, individually or in combination, can be integrated in a single integrated circuit, in several integrated circuits, and/or in discrete components. The device 3 can be made in the form of electronic circuits or software (or computer) modules or else a combination of electronic circuits and software modules. According to different particular embodiments, the device 3 is coupled in communication with other similar devices or systems, for example computers or ECUs, for example via a communication bus or via input ports / dedicated output.

The device comprises one (or more) processor(s) 30 configured to execute instructions for carrying out the steps of the method. The processor 30 can include integrated memory, an input/output interface, and various circuits known to those skilled in the art. The device 3 further comprises at least one memory 31, by a volatile at/or non-volatile memory and/or comprises a memory storage device which can comprise volatile and/or non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM, ROM, PROM , RAM, DRAM, SRAM, flash, magnetic or optical disk.

The computer code comprising the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is for example stored on the memory or the memory storage device 31.

According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 3 comprises a block 32 of interface elements for communicating with external devices, for example the camera(s) of the exterior vision system, one or more depth sensors, odometric sensors, a GPS sensor. Block 32 interface elements include one or more of the following interfaces:

- RF radiofrequency interface, for example of the Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi® type;

- USB interface (from the English "Universal Serial Bus" or "Universal Serial Bus" in French);

- HDMI interface (from the English “High Definition Multimedia Interface”, or “Interface Multimedia Haute Definition” in French).

According to another particular embodiment, the device 3 comprises a communication interface 33 which makes it possible to establish communication with other devices (such as computers or ECUs, cameras, one or more depth sensors, a point of access or a router which offers access to external networks such as the Internet) via a communication channel 330, for example a communication bus of the CAN data bus type (from the English “Controller Area Network” or in French “Network of controllers”). The communication interface 33 corresponds for example to a transmitter configured to transmit and receive information and/or data via the communication channel 330. The communication interface 33 comprises for example a modem and/or a network card and the communication channel can for example be implemented in a wired and/or wireless medium.

Data are for example loaded to the device 3 using a Wi-Fi® network such as according to IEEE 802.11 or a mobile network such as a 4G network (or LTE Advanced according to 3GPP release 10 – version 10) or 5G.

According to an additional particular embodiment, the device 3 can provide output signals to one or more external devices, such as a display screen 340, one or more loudspeakers 350 and/or other peripherals 360 ( DVD player, a projection system) respectively via output interfaces 34, 35 and 36. According to a variant, one or the other of the external devices is integrated into the device 3. The display screen 340 corresponds by example on screen, touch or not, displaying image 1.

illustrates a flowchart of the different steps of a method for controlling the washing of one or more cameras of a vehicle exterior vision system, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The method is for example implemented in the device 3 of Figure 3.

In a first step 41, one or more images such as image 1 are rendered and/or displayed on a screen, the touch or non-touch screen. The image or images displayed represent the environment close to the vehicle captured by one or more of the cameras of the exterior vision system.

In a second step 42, a gesture representative of a swipe is detected, the gesture being performed by touching the screen if the screen is touch-sensitive and in front of the screen if the screen is non-touch-sensitive.

In a third step, the washing control of the camera(s) whose content is displayed on the screen is triggered by the detection of the gesture.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above but extends to a method for controlling a vehicle exterior vision system and to the device configured for the implementation of such a method. .

The invention also relates to a vehicle, for example an automobile or more generally a land motor vehicle, comprising the device 3 of FIG. 3.

Claims (10)

Method for controlling washing of at least one camera of a vehicle exterior vision system, said method comprising the steps of:
- display (41) of at least one image (1) representative of the acquisition of said at least one camera on a screen;
- detection (42) of a gesture representative of at least partial scanning of said screen;
- control (43) of the washing of said at least one camera following said detection of said gesture. Method according to claim 1, for which said screen is a touch screen, said gesture corresponding to a movement of at least one finger on said touch screen. Method according to claim 1, for which said screen is a non-touch screen, said gesture corresponding to a movement of at least one finger in front of said screen, said detection comprising a step of recognizing said gesture. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, for which the said gesture is representative of the movement of a windshield wiper on a windshield. Device (3) for controlling the washing of at least one camera of a vehicle exterior vision system, said device comprising:
- display means (34) of at least one image representative of the acquisition of said at least one camera on a screen;
- detection means (30) of a gesture representative of at least partial scanning of said screen;
- Control means (30) for washing said at least one camera following said detection of said gesture. Device according to claim 5, for which said screen is a touch screen, said gesture corresponding to a movement of at least one finger on said touch screen. Device according to claim 5, for which said screen is a non-touch screen, said gesture corresponding to a movement of at least one finger in front of said screen, said detection means comprising means for recognizing said gesture. Device according to one of Claims 5 to 7, for which the said gesture is representative of the movement of a windscreen wiper on a windscreen. Exterior vision system for a vehicle, comprising at least one camera and the device according to one of Claims 5 to 8. Motor vehicle comprising the device according to one of Claims 5 to 8.