KR20220095415A - Apparatus and method for providing AVM image for variable length truck - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for providing an AVM image for a length-available truck. The apparatus includes: a plurality of front cameras acquiring and providing a plurality of images made by photographing the surroundings of a tractor; a plurality of rear cameras acquiring and providing a plurality of images made by photographing the surroundings of a trailer; a front image providing part generating a front image by synthetizing the images acquired through the plurality of front cameras; a rear image providing part generating a rear image by synthesizing the images acquired through the plurality of cameras; a distance sensor sensing and outputting a distance between the tractor and the trailer; a coordinate system control part acquiring and storing a tractor coordinate system and a trailer reference coordinate system in a state in which the length of the truck is the shortest or longest, while additionally acquiring a trailer correction coordinate system by moving a position of the trailer reference coordinate system based on distance variations between the tractor and the trailer sensed through the distance sensor every time the length of the truck varies; and an AVM image generation part correcting an image synthesis area of at least one of the front and rear images in accordance with the trailer correction coordinate system, and then, generating and providing an AVM image. Therefore, the present invention is capable of more stably generating and providing an AVM image without an image omission.

Description

Apparatus and method for providing AVM image for variable length truck

The present invention provides an AVM image for a variable-length truck capable of generating and providing an AVM (Around View Monitoring) image without error regardless of a change in length between the tractor and the trailer in a variable-length truck with a variable length between the tractor and the trailer It relates to an apparatus and method.

Due to the recent development of the automobile industry, the distribution of automobiles has been commercialized to the extent that it is called the era of one car per household.

Among these advanced electronic technologies, there is an AVM image providing device (Around View Monitoring, AVM) that allows a driver to conveniently check the surrounding environment of the vehicle with the naked eye by photographing and displaying the surrounding environment of the vehicle.

The AVM image providing device captures the surrounding environment through cameras installed on the front, rear, left and right sides of the vehicle, synthesizes a plurality of captured images to generate an AVM image, and provides it to the display device provided in the vehicle to do it

Accordingly, the driver can accurately recognize the surrounding situation of the vehicle through the displayed surrounding environment, and can conveniently park the vehicle without looking at the side mirror or rearview mirror.

However, in the case of a variable-length truck, the distance between the tractor and the trailer may change at any time as shown in FIG. 1 . In this case, if the image synthesis operation is not performed in consideration of the distance change, there is a problem that the image is omitted due to the change in distance. can occur

In other words, as in FIG. 2, the positional relationship between the tractor coordinate system and the trailer coordinate system changes frequently according to the distance between the tractor and the trailer. There may be a problem with omissions.

Accordingly, in order to solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an AVM image providing apparatus and method for a variable-length truck capable of preventing the occurrence of missing images of the variable-length truck in advance.

The object of the present invention is not limited to the object mentioned above, and other objects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art from the description below.

As a means for solving the above problems, a plurality of front cameras for acquiring and providing a plurality of images taken around the tractor according to an embodiment of the present invention; A plurality of rear-view cameras for acquiring and providing a plurality of images taken around the trailer; a front image providing unit for generating a front image by synthesizing the images obtained through the plurality of front cameras; a rear image providing unit for generating a rear image by synthesizing images obtained through the plurality of rear cameras; a distance sensor for sensing and outputting a distance between the tractor and the trailer; Obtain and store the tractor coordinate system and the trailer reference coordinate system in the minimum or maximum length of the truck, but whenever the truck length is changed, the trailer reference coordinate system is obtained based on the amount of change in the distance between the tractor and the trailer sensed through the distance sensor. a coordinate system control unit for additionally acquiring a trailer correction coordinate system by moving the position; There is provided an AVM image providing apparatus for variable-length trucks including an AVM image generator that generates and provides an AVM image after correcting an image synthesis region of at least one of a front image and a rear image according to the trailer correction coordinate system.

The coordinate system controller acquires the coordinate system of the front image obtained in the minimum or maximum length of the truck as the tractor coordinate system, and acquires the coordinate system of the rear image as the trailer reference coordinate system.

The AVM image generator enlarges or moves the image synthesis area of at least one of a front image and a rear image according to the trailer correction coordinate system.

The distance sensor is characterized in that it is installed on the rear of the tractor or the front of the trailer.

As a means for solving the above problems, a tractor coordinate system and a trailer reference coordinate system using images acquired through a plurality of front cameras and a plurality of rear cameras acquired in the minimum or maximum length of the truck according to another embodiment of the present invention obtaining and storing; acquiring a distance change amount between the tractor and the trailer through a distance sensor installed on the rear of the tractor or on the front of the trailer when the length of the truck is changed; additionally acquiring a trailer correction coordinate system by moving the trailer reference coordinate system according to the amount of change in the distance between the tractor and the trailer; and correcting at least one image synthesis region of a front image and a rear image according to the trailer correction coordinate system, and then generating and providing an AVM image.

According to the present invention, when the distance between the tractor and the trailer is changed due to a change in the length of the truck, the distance between the tractor and the trailer is sensed through the distance sensor, and then the positional relationship between the tractor coordinate system and the trailer coordinate system is actively adjusted using this. It will be possible to more reliably create and provide AVM images without missing parts.

1 and 2 are views showing an example of an AVM image for a variable length truck according to the prior art.
3 is a view for explaining an AVM image providing apparatus for a variable-length truck according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a view for explaining a method of obtaining front and rear camera calibration information of the AVM image providing apparatus for a variable length truck according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram for explaining coordinate systems used in an AVM image providing apparatus for a variable length truck according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a view for explaining a method of providing an AVM image for a variable length truck according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 and 8 are diagrams for explaining an AVM image correction method reflecting a trailer correction coordinate system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Objects and effects of the present invention, and technical configurations for achieving them will become clear with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the description of the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a well-known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

And, the terms to be described later are terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, which may vary according to intentions or customs of users and operators.

However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various different forms. Only the present embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of the present invention is complete, and to completely inform those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs, the scope of the invention, the present invention is defined by the scope of the claims will only be Therefore, the definition should be made based on the content throughout this specification.

3 is a view for explaining an AVM image providing apparatus for a variable length truck according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the AVM image providing apparatus 100 for a variable length truck includes a plurality of front cameras 111 to 113 , a plurality of rear cameras 121 to 123 , a front image generator 130 , and a rear image generator 140 , a distance sensor 150 , a coordinate system controller 160 , and an AVM image generator 170 , and the like.

A plurality of front cameras 111 to 113 are dispersedly disposed on the tractor V1 of the variable-length truck to acquire and provide a plurality of images taken respectively in front of the vehicle, in the front left of the vehicle, and in the front right of the vehicle.

A plurality of rear cameras (121 to 123) are distributed on the trailer (V2) of the variable-length truck, and obtains and provides a plurality of images of each of the rear of the vehicle, the left rear of the vehicle, and the right rear of the vehicle.

The front image generator 130 pre-acquires and stores calibration information (camera internal and external parameters) of each of the front cameras 111 to 113, and synthesizes a plurality of images obtained through the front cameras 111 to 113 based on this. to acquire and output one front image.

The rear image generating unit 140 pre-acquires and stores calibration information of each of the rear cameras 121 to 123, and based on this, synthesizes a plurality of images obtained through the rear cameras 121 to 123 to form one rear image. create and output

At this time, the calibration information of each of the front and rear cameras (111 to 113, 121 to 123) is obtained by arranging a plurality of calibration plates on the floor around the truck as shown in FIG. It can be obtained by comparative analysis, but the specific implementation method thereof may be variously changed in the future.

The distance sensor 140 is installed on the rear side of the tractor V1 or the front side of the trailer V2, and senses and outputs the distance between the tractor V1 and the trailer V2 whenever the truck length is changed.

The coordinate system controller 150 acquires and stores the tractor coordinate system and the trailer reference coordinate system in the minimum or maximum length of the truck, but whenever the length between the tractor and the trailer changes, the distance between the tractor V1 and the trailer V2 is changed. Thus, the trailer reference coordinate system is moved to obtain and store the trailer correction coordinate system corresponding to the current position of the trailer at any time.

The AVM image generator 160 corrects at least one image synthesis region of a front image and a rear image according to the trailer correction coordinate system, and then generates and outputs the reflected AVM image.

5 is a diagram for explaining coordinate systems used in an AVM image providing apparatus for a variable length truck according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the present invention relates to a tractor coordinate system {F} corresponding to a tractor, a variable length axis reference coordinate system {T} corresponding to a variable length axis, a length variable axis correction coordinate system {T'}, and a trailer reference system corresponding to a trailer It can be seen that the coordinate system {B} and the trailer compensation coordinate system {B} are used.

The tractor coordinate system {F} and the trailer reference coordinate system {B} can be derived from the front and rear images acquired in the minimum (or maximum) truck length, and the variable length reference coordinate system {T} has the origin on the variable length axis. position and can be set in the same direction as {F }.

For example, the coordinate system of the front image is set to the tractor coordinate system {F}, the coordinate system of the rear image is set to the trailer reference coordinate system {B}, the origin is positioned on the variable length axis of the truck, and the direction of {F} and The length variable axis reference coordinate system {T} can be set to be the same.

In this case, it is assumed that the z-axis of all coordinate systems faces the ground direction.

And when the length of the variable length compensation coordinate system {T'} and the trailer compensation coordinate system {B'} is changed between the tractor V1 and the trailer V2, the variable length axis reference coordinate system {T} and the trailer reference coordinate system {B} It can be derived by correcting according to the length between the tractor (V1) and the trailer (V2).

For example, when the length between the tractor V1 and the trailer V2 is changed, the distance between the tractor V1 and the trailer V2 is changed through a distance sensor installed on the rear side of the tractor V1 or the front side of the trailer V2. After sensing (ΔD), it can be obtained by moving the length variable axis reference coordinate system {T} and the trailer reference coordinate system {B} as much as the distance sensing result.

[Equation 1]

{T‘} = {T‘} + △D

{B'} = {B'} + △D

However, since the truck has a characteristic that only the distance between the tractor V1 and the trailer V2 is changed and a separate rotation operation is not performed, separate correction of the tractor coordinate system {F} is not performed.

6 is a view for explaining a method for providing an AVM image for a variable length truck according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, the AVM image providing apparatus 100 generates a front image and a rear image by synthesizing a plurality of images obtained through a plurality of front and rear cameras in a state of minimizing the length of the truck, and then sets the coordinate system of the front image to the tractor coordinate system {F }, and the rear image coordinate system is acquired as the trailer reference coordinate system {B} (S1).

When the truck length is changed in the state in which step S1 is completed (S2), the AVM image providing apparatus 100 senses the distance between the tractor V1 and the trailer V2 through a distance sensor to calculate the distance change amount D (S3), by moving the trailer reference coordinate system {B} by reflecting the distance change amount (D), the trailer correction coordinate system {B'} is additionally obtained (S4).

And a front image and a rear image are generated by synthesizing a plurality of images obtained through a plurality of front and rear cameras (S4), and at least one image synthesis area of the front image and the rear image in consideration of the trailer correction coordinate system {B'} to adjust or enlarge the position (S5).

For example, by moving the image synthesis area of the rear image toward the tractor V1 according to the trailer correction coordinate system {B'} as shown in FIG. Make it possible to provide additional videos about it.

Alternatively, as in FIG. 8, by expanding the length of the image synthesis area of the front image according to the trailer correction coordinate system {B'}, an image for the length increase between the tractor V1 and the trailer V2 is additionally provided in the front image make it possible

And by overlaying the front image and the rear image, whose image synthesis area is sufficiently corrected according to the trailer correction coordinate system {B'}, according to the positional relationship between the tractor coordinate system {F} and the trailer correction coordinate system {B'}, image stitching, one An AVM image is finally generated (S6).

As described above, according to the present invention, the distance change amount between the tractor V1 and the trailer V2 is sensed through the distance sensor, and the trailer reference coordinate system {B} can be adjusted using this. Accordingly, the AVM image synthesizing operation can be performed in consideration of the change in the distance between the tractor V1 and the trailer V2, and thus, it is possible to stably generate and provide an AVM image without an image omission.

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical spirit of the present invention, and various modifications and variations will be possible without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical spirit of the present invention, but to explain, and the scope of the technical spirit of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The protection scope of the present invention should be construed by the following claims, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims (5)

A plurality of front cameras for acquiring and providing a plurality of images taken around the tractor;
A plurality of rear-view cameras for acquiring and providing a plurality of images taken around the trailer;
a front image providing unit generating a front image by synthesizing the images obtained through the plurality of front cameras;
a rear image providing unit for generating a rear image by synthesizing the images obtained through the plurality of rear cameras;
a distance sensor sensing and outputting a distance between the tractor and the trailer;
Obtain and store the tractor coordinate system and the trailer reference coordinate system in the minimum or maximum length of the truck, but whenever the truck length is changed, the trailer reference coordinate system is obtained based on the amount of change in the distance between the tractor and the trailer sensed through the distance sensor. a coordinate system controller for additionally acquiring a trailer correction coordinate system by moving the position;
and an AVM image generator for generating and providing an AVM image after correcting at least one image synthesis region of a front image and a rear image according to the trailer correction coordinate system. According to claim 1, wherein the coordinate system control unit
AVM image providing apparatus for variable-length truck, characterized in that the coordinate system of the front image acquired in the minimum or maximum length of the truck is acquired as the tractor coordinate system, and the coordinate system of the rear image is acquired as the trailer reference coordinate system. The method of claim 1, wherein the AVM image generator
An AVM image providing apparatus for a variable length truck, characterized in that the image synthesis area of at least one of the front image and the rear image is enlarged or moved according to the trailer correction coordinate system. According to claim 1, wherein the distance sensor is
AVM image providing apparatus for a variable length truck, characterized in that it is installed on the rear side of the tractor or the front side of the trailer. obtaining and storing a tractor coordinate system and a trailer reference coordinate system using images acquired through a plurality of front cameras and a plurality of rear cameras acquired in the minimum or maximum length of the truck;
when the length of the truck is changed, acquiring a distance change amount between the tractor and the trailer through a distance sensor installed on the rear side of the tractor or the front side of the trailer;
additionally acquiring a trailer correction coordinate system by moving the trailer reference coordinate system according to the amount of change in the distance between the tractor and the trailer;
and generating and providing an AVM image after correcting at least one image synthesis region of a front image and a rear image according to the trailer correction coordinate system.

Images