CAMERA MONITOR SYSTEM WITH ANGLED AWARENESS LINES

A method of displaying awareness lines in a camera monitor system for a vehicle includes detecting an adjacent lane marker to the vehicle, calculating an awareness line that is perpendicular to the adjacent lane marker, and displaying the awareness line in relation to a trailer end location.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to a camera monitor system (CMS) for use in a commercial truck or similar vehicle, and, in particular, to a CMS having displayed awareness lines relating to vehicle location.

BACKGROUND

Mirror replacement systems, and camera systems for supplementing mirror views, are utilized in commercial vehicles to enhance the ability of a vehicle operator to see a surrounding environment. Camera monitor systems (CMS) utilize one or more cameras to provide an enhanced field of view to a vehicle operator. In some examples, the CMS covers a larger field of view than a conventional mirror, or include views that are not fully obtainable via a conventional mirror.

In a typical CMS, there is a camera arm arranged on each of the left- and right-hand sides of the vehicle to provide Class II and Class IV views. A display is provided on the A-pillar on both driver and passenger sides to display the field of view for the camera arm on that side, simulating a conventional mirror.

Long trailers frequently are pulled by tractors in commercial trucking. It is difficult for the driver to accurately observe the location of the trailer end during maneuvers such as lane changes. To this end, it is desirable to provide a CMS that displays “awareness lines” that are calculated to indicate the trailer end location or a location aft of the trailer end in order to allow the driver to operate the vehicle more safely.

SUMMARY

In one exemplary embodiment, a method of displaying awareness lines in a camera monitor system for a vehicle includes detecting an adjacent lane marker to the vehicle, calculating an awareness line that is perpendicular to the adjacent lane marker, and displaying the awareness line in relation to a trailer end location.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the adjacent lane marker is at least one of a dashed line lane marker or a solid line lane marker in the roadway.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the adjacent line is immediately adjacent to a tractor trailer that is indicative of the trailer end location.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the method includes a step of capturing images with a camera, and the detecting step is performed using a line recognition algorithm based upon the captured images.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the method includes a step of mapping real world distance to pixel distance, and the displaying step includes displaying the pixel distance to illustrate the awareness line.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the displaying step includes illustrating the awareness line at the trailer end location.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the displaying step includes illustrating the awareness line aftward of the trailer end location to indicate a distance behind the trailer end location.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the displaying step includes illustrating the awareness line as a width corresponding to one lane in the roadway.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the adjacent lane marker is curved, and the awareness line is displayed perpendicular to a line tangent to the curved adjacent lane marker.

In another exemplary embodiment, a camera monitor system for a vehicle includes multiple cameras that include first and second cameras that respectively provide first and second fields of view. Multiple displays include first and second displays that are configured to respectively depict at least portions of the first and second fields of view. A controller is in communication with the first and second displays and the first and second cameras. The controller is configured to detect an adjacent lane marker to the vehicle based upon images that are captured by at least one of the first and second camera. The controller is configured to calculate an awareness line that is perpendicular to the adjacent lane marker and display the awareness line on at least one of the first and second displays in relation to a trailer end location of the vehicle.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the first and second fields of view respectively capture left and right sides of a vehicle. Each of the first and second fields of view include at least a portion of Class II and/or Class IV views.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the adjacent lane marker is at least one of a dashed line lane marker or a solid line lane marker in the roadway.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the adjacent line is immediately adjacent to a tractor trailer that is indicative of the trailer end location.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the controller is configured to perform a line recognition algorithm to identify the adjacent lane marker based upon the captured images.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the controller is configured to map real world distance to pixel distance, and the awareness line illustrates the pixel distance.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the controller is configured to illustrate the awareness line on the at least one of the first and second displays at the trailer end location.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the controller is configured to illustrate the awareness line aftward of the trailer end location to indicate a distance behind the trailer end location.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the controller is configured to illustrate the awareness line as a width corresponds to one lane in the roadway.

In a further embodiment of any of the above, the adjacent lane marker is curved, and the controller is configured to display the awareness line perpendicular to a line that is tangent to the curved adjacent lane marker.

The embodiments, examples and alternatives of the preceding paragraphs, the claims, or the following description and drawings, including any of their various aspects or respective individual features, may be taken independently or in any combination. Features described in connection with one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless such features are incompatible. Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A schematic view of a commercial vehicle10is illustrated inFIGS.1A and1B. The vehicle10includes a vehicle cab or tractor12for pulling a trailer14. It should be understood that the vehicle cab12and/or trailer14may be any configuration. Although a commercial truck is contemplated in this disclosure, the invention may also be applied to other types of vehicles. The vehicle10incorporates a camera monitor system (CMS)15(FIG.2) that has driver and passenger side camera arms16a,16bmounted to the outside of the vehicle cab12. If desired, the camera arms16a,16bmay include conventional mirrors integrated with them as well, although the CMS15can be used in some examples to entirely replace mirrors. In additional examples, each side can include multiple camera arms, each arm housing one or more cameras and/or mirrors. Each arm16a,16bmay also provide a housing that encloses electronics, e.g., a controller, that are configured to provide various features of the CMS15.

Each of the camera arms16a,16bincludes a base that is secured to, for example, the cab12. A pivoting arm is supported by the base and may articulate relative thereto. At least one rearward facing camera20a,20bis arranged respectively within camera arms16a,16b. The exterior cameras20a,20brespectively provide an exterior field of view FOVEX1, FOVEX2that each include at least one of the Class II and Class IV views (FIG.1B), which are legal prescribed views in the commercial trucking industry. The Class II view on a given side of the vehicle10is a subset of the class IV view of the same side of the vehicle10. Multiple cameras also may be used in each camera arm16a,16bto provide these views, if desired. Class II and Class IV views are defined in European R46 legislation, for example, and the United States and other countries have similar driver visibility requirements for commercial trucks. Any reference to a “Class” view is not intended to be limiting, but is intended as exemplary for the type of view provided to a display by a particular camera.

First and second video displays or monitors18a,18bare arranged on each of the driver and passenger sides within the vehicle cab12on or near the A-pillars19a,19b(generally, A-pillar19) to display Class II and Class IV views on its respective side of the vehicle10, which provide rear facing side views along the vehicle10that are captured by the exterior cameras20a,20b.

If video of Class V and/or Class VI views are also desired, a camera housing16cand camera20cmay be arranged at or near the front of the vehicle10to provide those views (FIG.1B). A third display18carranged within the cab12near the top center of the windshield can be used to display the Class V and Class VI views, which are toward the front of the vehicle10, to the driver. The displays18a,18b,18c(generally, display18) face a driver region24within the cabin22where an driver/operator is seated on a driver seat26. The location, size and field(s) of view streamed to any particular display may vary from the configurations described in this disclosure and still incorporate the disclosed invention.

If video of Class VIII views is desired, camera housings can be disposed at the sides and rear of the vehicle10to provide fields of view including some or all of the Class VIII zones of the vehicle10. In such examples, the third display18ccan include one or more frames displaying the Class VIII views. Alternatively, additional displays can be added near the first, second and third displays18a,18b,18cand provide a display dedicated to providing a Class VIII view.

Referring toFIG.2, each display18a,18b(and perhaps others, if desired) includes a housing mounted to its respective A-pillar19(i.e.,19a,19b) by a bracket, for example, or integrated into vehicle trim. A screen28(i.e.,28a,28b) is mounted in a front of the housing facing the driver. The screen28can be any suitable screen such as TFT, LCD, LED, OLED and others.

It is difficult for the driver to accurately observe the location of the trailer end during maneuvers such as lane changes due to the relatively long length of the trailer. To this end, it is desirable to provide “awareness lines” on at least one of the displays18a,18bthat are calculated to indicate the trailer end location or a location aft of the trailer end in order to allow the driver to operate the vehicle more safely. A method100of creating and displaying awareness lines is shown inFIG.3. Generally, the method includes the steps of detecting an adjacent lane marker to the vehicle (block102), calculating an awareness line that is perpendicular to the adjacent lane marker (block104), and displaying the awareness line in relation to a trailer end location (block106).

Referring toFIG.4, the screen28of one of the displays18a,18billustrates the vehicle and its trailer in a roadway40. A typical roadway40includes adjacent lane markers42defining lanes of travel. In one example, the adjacent lane markers42comprise individual, discrete markings44, such as painted dashes, which may communicate it is permissible to pass into the lane or communicate other information to drivers.

The line markers42can be identified using image processing of the images captured by the one or more cameras20. One example technique for detecting lines or lane markers using a line recognition algorithm is disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 17/504,648, entitled “CAMERA MIRROR SYSTEM DISPLAY FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES INCLUDING SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING ROAD MARKINGS”, filed on Oct. 19, 2021 and incorporated herewith in its entirety.

Calculating an awareness line that is perpendicular to the adjacent lane marker (block104) is performed with reference to the location of interest on the vehicle, for example, the trailer end. The trailer end is also used for determining awareness lines used to indicate a distance aft of the trailer end, e.g., a distance corresponding to an acceptable vehicle overtaking/passing distance. The location of interest is then used to determine the point on the lane marker at which the perpendicular awareness line is calculated. In cases in which the adjacent lane marker is curved, the awareness line is calculated perpendicular from a line tangent to the adjacent lane marker. The adjacent lane marker need not be the line immediately adjacent to the vehicle, but may be on the other side of the lane, based upon a curb, and/or a shoulder of the roadway.

For a location of interest such as the trailer end48, various techniques may be used to identify the trailer end. The trailer end48can be determined at least in part by identifying the trailer's wheels46, for example. One example technique of determining the trailer edge and displaying awareness lines is disclosed in provisional application Ser. No. 63/325,788, entitled “DYNAMIC LONGITUDINAL AND LATERAL ADJUSTMENT OF AWARENESS LINES FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLE CAMERA MIRROR SYSTEM”, filed on Mar. 31, 2022 and incorporated herewith in its entirety. However, this disclosed technique displays the awareness lines horizontally on the display.

Once the perpendicular line from the location of interest has been determined, this perpendicular line is mapped from real world distance to pixel distance to determine how this imaginary line should be illustrated on the display18to the driver as a useful awareness line. In one example, it is desirable to display the awareness line as a line that corresponds to the width58of one adjacent lane in the roadway.

In the example, multiple awareness lines50are displayed. For example, a first awareness line52corresponds to the trailer end48, a second awareness line54corresponds to a first distances aft of the trailer end48, and a third awareness line56aft of the trailer end48and the second awareness line54. Since the awareness lines50are displayed in such a way so as to correspond to the lane width58, the awareness lines50become smaller in the direction of the vanishing point of the displayed image.

In terms of hardware architecture, such a computing device can include a processor, memory, and one or more input and/or output (I/O) device interface(s) that are communicatively coupled via a local interface. The local interface can include, for example but not limited to, one or more buses and/or other wired or wireless connections. The local interface may have additional elements, which are omitted for simplicity, such as controllers, buffers (caches), drivers, repeaters, and receivers to enable communications. Further, the local interface may include address, control, and/or data connections to enable appropriate communications among the aforementioned components.

The controller30may be a hardware device for executing software, particularly software stored in memory. The controller30can be a custom made or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), an auxiliary processor among several processors associated with the controller, a semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chip set) or generally any device for executing software instructions.

The memory can include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, VRAM, etc.)) and/or nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive, tape, CD-ROM, etc.). Moreover, the memory may incorporate electronic, magnetic, optical, and/or other types of storage media. The memory can also have a distributed architecture, where various components are situated remotely from one another, but can be accessed by the processor.

The software in the memory may include one or more separate programs, each of which includes an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. A system component embodied as software may also be construed as a source program, executable program (object code), script, or any other entity comprising a set of instructions to be performed. When constructed as a source program, the program is translated via a compiler, assembler, interpreter, or the like, which may or may not be included within the memory.

The disclosed input and output devices that may be coupled to system I/O interface(s) may include input devices, for example but not limited to, a keyboard, mouse, scanner, microphone, camera, mobile device, proximity device, etc. Further, the output devices, for example but not limited to, a printer, display, etc. Finally, the input and output devices may further include devices that communicate both as inputs and outputs, for instance but not limited to, a modulator/demodulator (modem; for accessing another device, system, or network), a radio frequency (RF) or other transceiver, a telephonic interface, a bridge, a router, etc.

When the controller30is in operation, the processor can be configured to execute software stored within the memory, to communicate data to and from the memory, and to generally control operations of the computing device pursuant to the software. Software in memory, in whole or in part, is read by the processor, perhaps buffered within the processor, and then executed.

The disclosed method provides at least two benefits: (1) the awareness lines are confined to adjacent lane with the detection result of a lane maker and (2) the awareness lines are illustrated perpendicular to the lane marker. The displayed awareness lines help the driver to better estimate the distance of an object in the truck's blind spot near the trailer end, as they appear on the displays, to aid in making better judgement when maneuvering.