FR3120030A1 - Method and digital rear-view device used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of the vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a digital rear-view device used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of the vehicle. The method comprises the following steps: detection (10) of an opening of a front door of the vehicle; obtaining (11) a first view of a side and rear area of the vehicle from a first camera associated with said front door; obtaining (12) a second view of a ground area near the front door from a second camera associated with said front door; and simultaneous display (13) of said first and second views on the same on-board display of the vehicle. Figure for abstract: Figure 10

Description

Method and digital rear-view device used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of the vehicle

The invention relates to methods and devices for digital rear-vision used by a vehicle to replace the exterior mirrors of the vehicle, in particular automobiles.

Technology background

Digital rear-view systems are recently appearing in vehicles. A digital rear-vision system replaces exterior mirror mirrors of a vehicle. It usually comprises a front left camera located for example in the area of a left exterior mirror and oriented so that its field of vision covers a rear left side area of the vehicle, and a front right camera located for example in the area of a right-hand exterior mirror oriented so that its field of vision covers a right-rear side area of the vehicle. It also includes two displays adapted to display the images captured by the front left and front right cameras. There illustrates the case where the two front left and front right displays (screen) are positioned on the dashboard while the illustrates the case where these two cameras are positioned in the interior panels of the front doors.

A driver or a front passenger of a vehicle equipped with such a digital rear-view system can then observe on the displays if there is an obstacle in the rear left or right side zones. The digital rear-view system displays remain functional after the vehicle engine has stopped in order to allow the driver (and the front passenger) to monitor on a display whether a vehicle is coming as soon as he wants to get out of the vehicle in the same way. way than with mirrored exterior mirrors.

The views displayed by the displays of a digital rear-vision system represent lateral and rear zones (left or right) which correspond to the coverage of the fields of vision of these cameras. On the other hand, the fields of vision of these cameras do not cover the areas on the ground at the foot of the left or right front doors. However, it is sometimes useful to view these areas when getting out of the vehicle, for example, to detect the presence of a puddle of water or muddy ground in these areas.

An object of the present invention is to obtain a digital rear-vision method which displays a view of areas on the ground at the foot of the front left and front right doors.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a digital rear-viewing method used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of the vehicle, the method comprising the following steps:

detection of opening of a front door of the vehicle;

obtaining a first view of a side and rear area of the vehicle from a first camera associated with said front door;

obtaining a second view of a ground area near the front door from a second camera associated with said front door; And

simultaneous display of said first and second views on the same on-board display of the vehicle.

According to a particular embodiment, the left front door and the right front door of the vehicle are each equipped with a first and a second camera, a first and a second view are obtained from the first and the second camera associated with the left front door and displayed on a first display, and first and second views are obtained from the first and second cameras associated with the right front door and displayed on a second display.

According to a particular embodiment, the second view is superimposed on the first view to be displayed simultaneously on a display.

According to a particular embodiment, the first camera is a camera normally used by a digital rear-vision system on board the vehicle.

According to a particular embodiment, the second camera is a camera usually used by a 360° vision system on board the vehicle.

According to a particular exemplary embodiment, the first and/or the second view obtained by a camera is a sequence of images captured at a particular frequency.

According to a particular embodiment, the frequency of capture of a sequence of images relating to the first view is different from the frequency of capture of a sequence of images relating to the second view.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a digital rear-view device used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of the vehicle, the device comprising a memory associated with a processor configured for the implementation of the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the invention.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a vehicle, in particular autonomous, for example of the automobile type, comprising a 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 10, in which:

schematically illustrates locations of cameras and displays of a digital rear-view system according to a state of the art;

schematically illustrates locations of cameras and displays of a digital rear-view system according to a state of the art;

schematically illustrates locations of cameras and displays of an on-board digital rear-vision system of a vehicle according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

illustrates a top view of the fields of view of the first and second cameras of the two sets of cameras E1 and E2 according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

illustrates a side view of the fields of view of the first and second cameras of the two sets of cameras E1 and E2 according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

illustrates a simultaneous display of two views on the same display according to an embodiment of the present invention;

schematically illustrates a digital rear-view device used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of the vehicle, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

illustrates an implementation architecture of a digital rear-view system used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of a vehicle, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

illustrates an implementation architecture of a digital rear-vision system used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of the vehicle, according to a variant of the particular embodiment of the ; And

illustrates a flowchart of the different steps of a digital rear-vision method used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of the vehicle, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.

A method and a digital rear-vision device used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of the vehicle will now be described in the following with reference in conjunction with FIGS. 1 to 10. The same elements are identified with the same reference signs throughout the following description.

According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, when the opening of a front door of a vehicle is detected, a first view of a side and rear zone of the vehicle is obtained from a first camera associated with said front door; a second view of a ground area near the front door is obtained from a second camera associated with said front door; and said first and second views are displayed simultaneously on the same on-board display of the vehicle.

A driver (or a front passenger) can then view the entire side area on a display, whether it is at the rear or on the ground near the door he has just opened. He can then make sure that he can get out of the vehicle in complete safety but also that there are no puddles of water or mud, for example, at the foot of the door.

schematically illustrates locations of cameras and displays of an on-board digital rear-vision system of a vehicle according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.

The digital rear-vision system comprises two sets E1 and E2 of two cameras each, a front left display AG and a front right display AD positioned, for example on the dashboard or in the doors.

The E1 assembly is associated with the left front door. It comprises a first camera G1 whose field of vision covers a rear side area and a second camera G2 whose field of vision covers an area at the foot of the front left door. The E2 assembly is associated with the right front door. It comprises a first camera D1 whose field of vision covers a rear side area and a second camera D2 whose field of vision covers an area at the foot of the front right door.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the sets E1 and E2 are installed at the level of the doors or the fenders, preferably at the locations usually reserved for exterior mirrors.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate fields of view of the first and second camera of the sets E1 and E2. There illustrates a top view of the fields of view of these cameras while the illustrates a side view of these fields of view. In these figures, the fields of view CVG1 and CVG2 of the cameras G1 and G2 respectively are schematically represented to indicate the areas of coverage of these cameras. Likewise, the fields of view CVD1 and CVD2 of the cameras D1 and D2 respectively are represented schematically to indicate the areas of coverage of these cameras.

According to a particular embodiment, the first cameras G1, D1 are cameras conventionally used by a digital rear-vision system on board the vehicle and adapted to capture horizontal views of rear left and right side zones of the vehicle.

This exemplary embodiment is advantageous because it limits the additional cost of implementing the present invention by reusing on-board cameras of the vehicle and which are usually used for other tasks.

According to a particular embodiment, the second cameras G2 and D2 are cameras conventionally used by a 360° vision system on board the vehicle and adapted to capture vertical views of the left and right zones close to the bodywork of the vehicle.

This exemplary embodiment is advantageous because it limits the additional cost of implementing the present invention by reusing on-board cameras of the vehicle and which are usually used for other tasks.

According to a particular embodiment, the cameras of the sets E1 and E2 are housed in the door handles.

When the vehicle is in reverse or stationary, for example, the AG or FR displays show views of the rear left or right side area of the vehicle.

According to the present invention, in a first operation, an opening of a front door is detected, for example the front left door.

In a second operation, a first view V1 of the left side and rear zone of the vehicle is obtained from the first camera G1 associated with the left front door.

In a third operation, a second view V2 of the zone on the ground close to the front left door is obtained from the second camera G2 associated with the front left door.

In a fourth operation, the first and second views V1 and V2 are displayed simultaneously on the on-board display AG of the vehicle.

The operations are similar for opening the front right door using the set E2 of cameras D1 and D2 and the display AD.

According to a particular embodiment example, illustrated in , during the simultaneous display of the first and second views V1 and V2 on the same display, the first view is displayed in the background and the second view, of smaller size than the first view, is displayed in the foreground. The second view V2 is then superimposed on the first view V1.

Other examples of simultaneous display of the first and the second view can be implemented without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, a single view composed of the first and the second view can be obtained and then displayed. Or again, the second view can replace part of the first view before this first view is displayed.

The simultaneous nature of the display of the first and second views indicates that these views are viewed on the same display at very close time instants. A slight display delay, of a few milliseconds for example, of one of these two views is also considered as a simultaneous display.

According to a particular embodiment, a view V1 and/or V2 obtained by a camera can be a sequence of images captured at a particular frequency, typically 25 images/second. The present invention is not limited to a particular image capture frequency.

According to a variant, the frequency of capture of a sequence of images relating to the first view V1 is different from the frequency of capture of a sequence of images relating to the second view V2.

For example, the frequency of image capture by camera G2 or D2 is 10 times lower than that of images captured by cameras G1 or D1.

This variant is advantageous because it makes it possible to limit the resources necessary for the implementation of the invention without however harming the quality of the rendering of the environment of the vehicle because the images representing a zone on the ground near the doors of the vehicle have contents which vary little compared to those of the images representing a rear side area in which a change such as the appearance of a cyclist or a vehicle may appear at any time.

schematically illustrates a device 7 configured to implement one of the operations described with regard to FIGS. 3 to 6 and/or the steps of the method described with regard to the .

Examples of such a device 7 include, but are not limited to, on-board electronic equipment such as a vehicle's on-board computer, an electronic computer such as an ECU ("Electronic Control Unit"). The elements of device 7, individually or in combination, can be integrated in a single integrated circuit, in several integrated circuits, and/or in discrete components. The device 7 can be made in the form of electronic circuits or software (or computer) modules or else a combination of electronic circuits and software modules.

The device 7 comprises one (or more) processor(s) 70 configured to execute instructions for carrying out the steps of the method and/or for executing the instructions of the software or software embedded in the device 7. The processor 70 can include integrated memory, an input/output interface, and various circuits known to those skilled in the art. The device 7 further comprises at least one memory 71 corresponding for example to a volatile and/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 of the on-board software or software comprising the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is for example stored on the memory 71.

According to different particular embodiments, the device 7 is coupled in communication with other similar devices or systems and/or with communication devices, for example a TCU (from the English “Telematic Control Unit” or in French “Unité Telematics Control"), for example via a communication bus or through dedicated input/output ports.

According to a particular embodiment, the device 7 comprises a block 72 of interface elements for communicating with external devices, for example a remote server or the “cloud”, cameras, displays, or even other nodes of the ad hoc network. Block 72 interface elements include one or more of the following interfaces:

- RF radio frequency interface, for example of the Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi® type, LTE (from English "Long-Term Evolution" or in French "Evolution à long terme"), LTE-Advanced (or in French LTE-advanced );

- 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);

- LIN interface (from English “Local Interconnect Network”, or in French “Réseau interconnecté local”).

Data such as views obtained by a camera or a command issued by a computer are for example loaded to the device 7 via the interface of block 72 using a Wi-Fi® network such as according to IEEE 802.11, an ITS G5 network based on IEEE 802.11p or a mobile network such as a 4G network (or LTE Advanced according to 3GPP release 10 – version 10) or 5G, in particular an LTE-V2X network.

According to another particular embodiment, the device 7 comprises a communication interface 73 which makes it possible to establish communication with other devices such as other computers of the on-board system, cameras or even displays via a communication channel 74. The communication interface 73 corresponds for example to a transmitter configured to transmit and receive information and/or data, such as views obtained by a camera or a command transmitted by a computer, via the communication channel 74. The communication interface 73 corresponds for example to a wired network of the CAN type (from the English "Controller Area Network" or in French "Network of controllers"), CAN FD (from the English "Controller Area Network Flexible Data- Rate” or in French “Flexible Data Rate Controller Network”), FlexRay (standardized by ISO 17458) or Ethernet (standardized by ISO/IEC 802-3).

According to an additional particular embodiment, the device 7 can supply output signals to one or more external devices, such as a display 75, a loudspeaker 76 and/or other peripherals 77 (projection system) via respectively output interfaces 78, 79 and 80. According to a variant, one or the other of the external devices is integrated into the device 7. The display 76 corresponds for example to a screen, touchscreen or not.

illustrates an implementation architecture of a digital rear-vision system used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of a vehicle, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.

This architecture includes a CV computer connected to a system of cameras, here four, referenced AV1, AR1, G1 and D1, for the implementation of a 360° vision system whose purpose is to obtain a 360° vertical view areas close to the vehicle body. Camera AV1 gives a front vertical view of the vehicle body, camera AR1 gives a rear vertical view, camera G1 gives a left vertical view and camera D1 gives a right vertical view.

This architecture also includes a CO computer connected to a left door opening sensor COG and a right door opening sensor COD of the vehicle.

This architecture also includes a CG computer for the implementation of a left digital rear-vision system and another CD computer for the implementation of a right digital rear-vision system.

The computer CG is connected to the camera G1 and to a camera G2. The computer CG is also connected to a display AG. The computer CD is connected to the camera D1 and to a camera D2. The computer CD is also connected to a display AD.

The CG, CD, CV and C0 computers are interconnected.

Connecting cameras and displays to a computer or connecting computers together means that these cameras, displays or computers exchange information. These exchanges can take place through a memory, for example, when a display and a computer form a single device. These exchanges can also take place via a NET communication bus, for example between a camera and a display or between two remote computers.

According to a particular embodiment, the communication bus NET is a wired bus of the CAN type (from the English "Controller Area Network" or in French "Réseau de Contrôleur"), CAN FD (from the English "Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate” or in French “Flexible Data Rate Controller Network”), FlexRay (standardized by ISO 17458) or Ethernet (standardized by ISO/IEC 802-3).

When a door opening sensor, for example COG, detects opening of the front left door of the vehicle, the computer CO sends a command C to the computer CG (and possibly to the computer CD) via the communication bus NET. This command C includes information indicating whether it is the left or right door that has been opened. This command C indicates, in this case, that it is the left door that has been opened. The computer CD does not take this command C into account. The command C then triggers the obtaining of the first view V1 from the camera G1. This triggering is either direct between the computer CO and the camera G1, or caused by a command sent by the computer CG following its reception of the command C. The reception of the command C by the computer CG triggers the obtaining of a second view V2 from camera G2. Obtaining the first and the second view can be done continuously according to a capture frequency when these first and second views are sequences of images. The computer CG communicates the first and second views it receives to the display AG which simultaneously displays the first and second views.

A similar process is implemented using the door opening sensor COD, the cameras D1 and D2, the computer CD and the display AD.

illustrates an implementation architecture of a digital rear-vision system used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of the vehicle, according to a variant of the particular embodiment of the .

The architecture of the is a variant of the architecture of the . According to this variant, the computers CG and CD form a single computer CGD which determines which cameras to use, either G1 and G2, or D1 and D2, and which display to use, either AG or AD, according to the information carried by the command C received from the computer CO.

illustrates a flowchart of the different steps of a digital rear-vision method used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of the vehicle, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention. The method is for example implemented by a device 7 on board the vehicle or by a digital rear-vision system according to an architecture of FIGS. 8 or 9.

In a step 10, an opening of a front door of the vehicle is detected.

In a step 11, a first view of a side and rear area of the vehicle is obtained from a first camera associated with said front door.

In a step 12, a second view of an area on the ground near the front door is obtained from a second camera associated with said front door.

In a step 13, the first and second views are displayed simultaneously on the same screen on board the vehicle.

According to a variant embodiment, the variants and examples of the operations described in relation to FIGS. 1, 8 and 9 apply to the steps of the method of .

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above but extends to a digital rear-vision method used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of the vehicle, which would include secondary steps without depart from the scope of the present invention. The same would apply to a device configured for the implementation of such a method.

The invention also relates to a vehicle, for example an automobile or more generally an autonomous land motor vehicle, comprising the device 7 of the or a digital rear-vision system according to the architecture of FIGS. 8 or 9.

Claims (10)

A digital rear-view method used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of the vehicle, said method comprising the following steps:
detection (10) of an opening of a front door of the vehicle;
obtaining (11) a first view of a side and rear area of the vehicle from a first camera associated with said front door;
obtaining (12) a second view of a ground area near the front door from a second camera associated with said front door; And
simultaneous display (13) of said first and second views on the same on-board display of the vehicle. A method according to claim 1, wherein the left front door and the right front door of the vehicle are each equipped with a first and a second camera, a first and a second view are obtained from the associated first and second camera to the left front door and displayed on a first display, and first and second views are obtained from the first and second cameras associated with the right front door and displayed on a second display. Method according to claim 1 or 2, for which the second view is superimposed on the first view to be displayed simultaneously on a display. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, for which the first camera is a camera normally used by a digital rear-vision system on board the vehicle. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4, for which the second camera is a camera normally used by a 360° vision system on board the vehicle. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5, for which the first and/or the second view obtained by a camera is a sequence of images captured at a particular frequency. Method according to claim 6, for which the frequency of capture of a sequence of images relating to the first view is different from the frequency of capture of a sequence of images relating to the second view. Computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to any one of the preceding claims, when these instructions are executed by a processor. Digital rear-view device (7) used by a vehicle to replace exterior mirrors of the vehicle, said device (7) comprising a memory (71) associated with at least one processor (70) configured for the implementation of the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7. Vehicle comprising the device (7) according to claim 9.