KR100833603B1 - Navigation system for providing bird view and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A car GPS(Global Positioning System) navigation system capable of providing a bird's-eye view and a method thereof are provided to secure precise and practical traffic information around a vehicle using a plurality of cameras capable of taking images by sections according to angle of view and outputting a synthesized image using the images. A car GPS navigation system capable of providing a bird's-eye view comprises a GPS antenna(110), a memory unit(160), a camera module(180), an image synthesis unit(170), and a navigation control unit(130). The GPS antenna receives location and speed information of a vehicle from a GPS satellite. The memory unit stores two-dimensional topography database. The camera module comprises a plurality of cameras(181,182), each of which is arranged adjacent to the vehicle to take images of the front, rear, and lateral sides of the vehicle by sections according to its angle of view. The image synthesis unit creates a bird's-eye view image by synthesizing images taken by each camera of the camera module, and divides a picture to be displayed into each image area for displaying the each image area. The navigation control unit displays an icon of the vehicle on a picture of surroundings synthesized by the image synthesis unit, and displays a route to a destination requested by a user on the bird's-eye view image by using location and speed data and topography database.

Description

Navigation system for providing a bird view and its method {Navigation System for Providing Bird View and Method Thereof}

1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle navigation apparatus including a conventional GPS receiver.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a vehicle navigation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flow chart showing a vehicle navigation providing method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

4 is an exemplary view showing a configuration example of a camera for synthesizing environment image data around a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention.

5A and 5B are exemplary views showing examples of images actually synthesized by the image synthesizing unit according to the present invention.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

110: antenna 120: GPS receiver

130: navigation control unit 140: display unit

150: user interface unit 160: memory unit

170: image synthesizer 180: camera module

The present invention relates to a vehicle navigation device and a method for providing a bird view, and more particularly, to provide a realistic and realistic traffic conditions of the front and rear and left and right around the vehicle driven by the driver, to prevent traffic accidents, present The present invention relates to a vehicle navigation apparatus and a method for providing a bird view capable of optimally recognizing a driving state of a vehicle.

In general, a navigation device for a vehicle provides location tracking and retrieval, a location based service (LBS) and a map service as part of an intelligent traffic information device (ITS) in association with a GPS receiver. In particular, an automobile navigation apparatus using a GPS receiver refers to a vehicle navigation apparatus that accurately detects a position, a speed, a time, etc. of a vehicle by receiving radio waves transmitted from a GPS satellite.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle navigation apparatus including a conventional GPS receiver.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle navigation apparatus may include an antenna 10, a GPS receiver 20, a navigation controller 30, a display 40, a user interface 50, a memory 60, and the like. Can be.

The vehicle navigation apparatus receives position information and speed data of the vehicle from the GPS satellite through the antenna 10 and the GPS receiver 20. In addition, the vehicle navigation device includes a memory unit 60 for storing terrain information including a 2D format.

The navigation controller 30 receives current vehicle speed and location information from the GPS receiver 20, and map information stored in the memory unit 60. The navigation controller 30 may mark the vehicle on the map by combining the vehicle location information and the map information received from the GPS receiver 20. The marked map may be provided to the user through the display unit 40 or the like.

In addition, the navigation device receives a user's destination through a user interface unit 50 such as a keypad or a touch screen. The navigation controller 30 may calculate and display a route to the user's destination input from the current location of the vehicle. Of course, recently, an intelligent vehicle navigation apparatus has also been provided, such as transmitting a destination input by a user to a server on an external network through a GPS satellite and receiving and displaying a route avoiding a congested route.

However, the general vehicle navigation device merely provides information about the location and movement of the vehicle on a flat map and does not provide specific traffic conditions. There is a problem that can not recognize the traffic situation accurately and realistically.

Therefore, the present invention is to solve the above problems according to the prior art, an object of the present invention, by using a camera module that is disposed adjacent to take a photograph of the surrounding environment of the vehicle according to its own angle of view, synthesized and output Accordingly, the present invention provides a vehicle navigation apparatus and a method for providing a bird view that can provide a user with the most accurate and realistic traffic conditions around his vehicle.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a vehicle navigation apparatus includes a GPS antenna for receiving vehicle position information and speed data from a GPS satellite, a memory unit for storing a terrain database in a two-dimensional format, and a surrounding environment of the vehicle according to an angle of view of the vehicle. A camera module disposed adjacent to be photographed, an image synthesizer for synthesizing the images photographed by the camera to generate a bird view image, and displaying the icon of the vehicle in the environment around the vehicle synthesized by the image synthesizer, and the GPS The navigation controller may include a navigation main controller configured to display, on the generated bird view image, a route to a destination requested by a user using location information and speed data of the vehicle received from an antenna and a terrain database stored in the memory unit.

In this case, the camera module may include two front cameras having an angle of view of 90 degrees in order to photograph the front of the vehicle. In this case, the image synthesizer divides the screen to be displayed into two regions. Two images captured by the front camera module are displayed in the divided areas. The image synthesizing unit may remove image overlap by using a Fourier transform when image overlap occurs in two images photographed through the two front camera modules.

In addition, it characterized in that it comprises a plurality of cameras having a wide angle of view for photographing the front, rear and both sides of the vehicle.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle navigation service providing method, wherein the vehicle navigation apparatus photographs an environment around a vehicle and displays a bird view image marking a specific type of vehicle icon on an image around the vehicle, The vehicle navigation apparatus receives the current vehicle position and speed information from a GPS satellite, and determines a route to a destination requested by the user using a map database stored in the vehicle navigation device and the position and speed information of the vehicle. And reflecting the same on the bird view image.

In this case, the step of photographing the environment around the vehicle is characterized by photographing the front environment of the vehicle using a plurality of cameras having a wide angle of view to photograph the front, rear and both sides of the vehicle.

The vehicle navigation service providing method may further include splitting one screen into left and right regions, and inserting images captured by the two front cameras in each region.

Hereinafter, a vehicle navigation apparatus and a method for providing a bird view according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a vehicle navigation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle navigation apparatus includes an antenna 110, a GPS receiver 120, a navigation controller 130, a display 140, a user interface 150, a memory 160, and an image synthesizer. 170, a camera module 180 including a plurality of cameras 181, 182, ---, n, and the like.

Similarly, the vehicle navigation device receives location information and speed data of the vehicle from the GPS satellite through the antenna 110 and the GPS receiver 120. In addition, the vehicle navigation device includes a memory unit 160 for storing map information in a 2D format.

The navigation controller 130 receives the speed and location information of the current vehicle from the GPS receiver 120, and receives map information stored in the memory 160. Information such as the position coordinates of the vehicle transmitted from the GPS receiver 120 is also transmitted to the image synthesizing unit 170.

On the other hand, a plurality of cameras (181, 182, ---, n) included in the camera module 180 is mounted at an appropriate position of the vehicle, such as a roof, trunk, etc. of the vehicle so that the environment around the vehicle can be observed. It is. The environment around the vehicle photographed as described above is transmitted to the image synthesizing unit 170.

As described above, the image data around the vehicle transmitted from the plurality of cameras 181, 182, ---, n are synthesized by the image synthesizing unit 170. In this case, the image synthesizing unit 170 should synthesize image data around the vehicle so that optical distortion and overlapping may not occur. Such a synthesis method is well known. Omit. The synthesized image data is transferred to the navigation controller 130.

The navigation controller 130 performs a marking operation by reflecting the position and velocity data of the vehicle received from the GPS satellites in the synthesized image data. That is, instead of using the conventional 2D map database information, the navigation controller 130 marks the current vehicle position and speed information on an actual video screen photographed through a camera mounted around the vehicle. The marked map may be provided to the user through the display unit 140 or the like.

In addition, the navigation device may receive a user's destination through a user interface unit 150 such as a keypad or a touch screen. In this case, the navigation controller 130 determines a route to the destination using the map database stored in the memory 160 and the current location of the vehicle. However, the calculated route is not displayed on the existing 2D map, but is marked on the synthesized video.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle navigation providing method according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

First, the vehicle navigation apparatus receives a predetermined ID and password from a user, and performs an authentication process using the same (S301).

The vehicle navigation apparatus performs a task of photographing environmental information around the vehicle by using a camera mounted at an appropriate position of the vehicle (S302). After that, the vehicle navigation apparatus synthesizes individual image data photographed through a plurality of cameras (S303). As such, the vehicle navigation device may acquire hemispherical three-dimensional video information in which the vehicle is at the center. The vehicle navigation apparatus marks and displays a car-shaped icon at the center of the 3D video data (S304). The above process corresponds to a process of informing the user of the current driving state of the vehicle by synthesizing image data existing around the vehicle and marking and displaying a vehicle icon at the center of the synthesized image data.

On the other hand, the user inputs a destination to go using a keypad, a touch screen or a voice input means (S305). The input destination may be converted into location coordinates through a map database that is pre-stored in the vehicle navigation apparatus. In addition, the vehicle navigation device receives the current vehicle position and speed information from the GPS satellites using a GPS receiver such as an antenna (S306).

The vehicle navigation apparatus calculates a path of the shortest distance using the current location coordinates of the vehicle received from the GPS satellites and the location coordinates of the destination input by the user (S307). The vehicle navigator device displays the calculated route by reflecting it on the synthesized surrounding image data (S308).

4 is an exemplary view showing a configuration example of a camera for synthesizing environment image data around a vehicle according to another embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the vehicle of the present invention basically photographs an environment around the vehicle by using a camera module 180 including four cameras 181, 182, 183, and 184. The camera according to the present embodiment is characterized by including a lens and an imaging device such as a CCD or a CMOS like a normal camera. In addition, the camera of the present invention has a wide angle photographing angle of at least 180 degrees by adjusting the characteristics of the lens and the image pickup device. Such a camera is installed at one point of the roof of the vehicle (in this embodiment, the front of the roof, the trunk, and both sides of the roof). Each of the cameras 181, 182, 183, and 184 photographs an area of 180 ° left and right with respect to the installed direction, and transmits the photographed image to the image combining unit of FIG. 2.

The image synthesizing unit 170 synthesizes the images captured and collected by the camera module 180 including the cameras 181, 182, 183, and 184. The image synthesizing unit 170 divides the background screen into a predetermined area and inserts the image photographed by the camera module 180 into a corresponding area. For example, the image synthesizing unit 170 may display data photographed by each camera 181; 182; 183; 184 of the camera module 180 as shown in FIG. 5A. A; B; C; D) can be arranged for each, and can be delivered to the display unit 140 to provide to the driver.

In particular, the image synthesizing unit 170 displays image data of each area A; B; C; D photographed by each camera 181, 182, 183, 184 of the camera module 180 as described above. As illustrated in FIG. 5B, the overlapping portions are processed and synthesized to provide a realistic, realistic and three-dimensional traffic situation around the user's vehicle O. FIG.

As a result, the user may not only check driving information of his vehicle through the display, but also accurately and realistically check the display 140 without directly checking the traffic situation around the vehicle.

As described above, according to the present invention, the surrounding environment of 360 ° in front, rear, left, and right of the vehicle can be photographed using four cameras. However, when using a general navigation device, it is sufficient to show the surrounding environment in front of the vehicle.

Therefore, the camera for photographing the rear is usually deactivated. However, when the user makes a request for observing the environment behind the vehicle by using a predetermined key button, the camera for rear photographing is activated. Of course, in this case, the camera that photographs the front will be deactivated.

FIG. 5A illustrates a divided image captured by each camera, and FIG. 5B illustrates a result of combining camera images of a navigation device.

In more detail with respect to the synthesis of the image of the present invention, the angle of view of the camera in the present invention can shoot a wide angle of more than 180 degrees, the surrounding images are overlapped or overlapped by each camera (181, 182, 183, 184) Since the overlapped portion is processed as a single image by various image synthesizing methods such as a Fourier transform in the image synthesizer 170, the result is that each image is synthesized without overlapping portions, as if the bird is in the air. It will be provided as a bird view image that can observe or recognize all around the vehicle.

In addition, in the present invention, it is preferable that an image processing technique that outputs two-dimensional data taken through a camera as a three-dimensional image is applied. Such a rendering technique corresponds to a method of creating a color of each pixel on a two-dimensional projection screen in order to feel a three-dimensional feeling when a three-dimensional object is viewed from an arbitrary direction.

Although the present invention has been described in detail through the representative embodiments, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can make various modifications without departing from the scope of the present invention. I will understand. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined not only by the claims below but also by the equivalents of the claims.

As described above, according to the apparatus for securing a vehicle vision providing a bird view according to the present invention and a method thereof, the surrounding traffic situation can be displayed in a realistic and three-dimensional manner centering on the user's vehicle, thereby providing a more realistic navigation service for the user. In addition to being provided with the driver, the driver can check the surrounding environment of the vehicle including the blind spots, which has the effect of enabling safer and more accurate driving.

Claims (8)

In a vehicle navigation device, A GPS antenna 110 for receiving position information and speed data of the vehicle O from the GPS satellites; A memory unit 160 for storing a terrain database in a two-dimensional format; A camera having a plurality of cameras 181, 182, 183, and 184 disposed adjacent to the vehicle O to separately photograph the front, rear, and both sides of the surrounding environment of the vehicle O according to an angle of view. Module 180; A bird view image is generated by synthesizing the images captured by the cameras 181, 182, 183, and 184 of the camera module 180, and a screen to be displayed is displayed on each camera 181, of the camera module 180. An image synthesizer for dividing the image photographed by the images 182, 183, and 184 into the respective image regions A, B, C, and D, and displaying the respective image regions A, B, C, and D; 170); And Displaying the icon of the vehicle O in the environment surrounding the vehicle O synthesized by the image synthesizing unit 170, location information and speed data of the vehicle O received from the GPS antenna 110 and And a navigation controller (130) for displaying a route to a destination requested by a user on the generated bird view image using a terrain database stored in the memory unit (160). delete delete The method of claim 1, The image synthesizer 170, When the image overlap of each image area (A, B, C, D) photographed through each camera (181, 182, 183, 184) of the camera module 180 occurs, the image overlap using Fourier transform Car navigation apparatus, characterized in that to provide a bird view by removing the phenomenon. In the vehicle navigation service providing method, The vehicle navigation apparatus photographs the environment around the vehicle by area with each of the cameras 181, 182, 183, and 184 of the camera module 180 (S302), and an image area (A) of the traffic situation around the vehicle photographed by area. Synthesizing S, B, C, and D (S303), and then marking and displaying a specific type of vehicle icon (S304); The vehicle navigation apparatus may include receiving location and speed information of a current vehicle from a GPS satellite (S306); And A route to a destination requested by the user is determined using a map database previously stored in the vehicle navigation apparatus and vehicle position and speed information (S307), and each camera 181, 182, 183 of the camera module 180 is determined. And (S308) reflecting and displaying the image areas (A, B, C, D) captured by 184 on the bird view image (S308). delete delete The method of claim 5, The bird view display step (S308), Fourier transform is performed when image overlap of each image region (region A, region B, region C, region D) photographed through each camera 181, 182, 183, 184 of the camera module 180 occurs. Method of providing a navigation service for a vehicle, characterized in that to provide a bird view by removing the image overlap phenomenon.

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