Vehicle vision system with accelerated object confirmation

A vision system for a vehicle includes a camera and an image processor. The camera has a forward field of view exterior of the vehicle. The image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera. At least one device is operable to detect objects that are present forward of the vehicle and outside of the forward field of view of the camera. The device may include at least one of (i) a sensor, (ii) an element of a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system and (iii) an element of a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication system. Responsive to detection of the object being indicative of the object about to enter the field of view of the camera, the image processor anticipates the object entering the field of view of the camera and, upon entering of the field of view of the camera by the object, the image processor detects the object.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to imaging systems or vision systems for vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a vision system or imaging system for a vehicle that utilizes one or more cameras to capture images exterior of the vehicle, and provides the communication/data signals, including camera data or image data, that may be displayed at a display screen that is viewable by the driver of the vehicle, such as when the driver is backing up the vehicle, and/or that may be processed and, responsive to such image processing, the system may detect an object at or near the vehicle and in the path of travel of the vehicle, such as when the vehicle is backing up or driving forward along a road. The system is operable to detect objects or receive information about objects that are outside of the field of view of the camera, such that, when the object or vehicle moves to within the field of view of the camera, the image processor may more quickly detect and confirm detection of the object or vehicle in the imaged scene.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a vision system for a vehicle includes a camera or image sensor disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle (such as a forward field of view in the forward direction of travel of the vehicle), and a processor operable to process data captured by the camera. At least one device or sensor or element (such as, for example, a radar sensor and/or an element of a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system and/or an element of a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication system or the like) is operable to detect objects that are present forward of the vehicle and outside of the forward field of view of the camera. Responsive to detection of the object by the at least one device being indicative of the object about to enter the forward field of view of the camera, the image processor anticipates the object entering the forward field of view of the camera and wherein, upon entering of the forward field of view of the camera by the object, the image processor detects the object.

Optionally, a vehicle interface processor may receive communication from the at least one device (such as via a serial data bus of the vehicle or the like) and may receive tracking information from the image processor, whereby the vehicle interface processor may communicate hypothesis information to the image processor for accelerated object confirmation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A vehicle vision system and/or driver assist system and/or object detection system and/or alert system operates to capture images exterior of the vehicle and may process the captured image data to display images and to detect objects at or near the vehicle and in the predicted path of the vehicle, such as to detect objects forward of the vehicle for a collision avoidance feature or to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuvering the vehicle in a rearward direction. The vision system includes a processor that is operable to receive image data from one or more cameras and may provide a displayed image.

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a vehicle10includes an imaging system or vision system12that includes a forward facing imaging sensor or camera14aat the front (or at the windshield) of the vehicle (and that optionally may include multiple exterior facing imaging sensors or cameras, such as a rearward facing imaging sensor or camera14b, and sidewardly/rearwardly facing cameras14c,14dat respective sides of the vehicle), which captures images exterior and forwardly of the vehicle, with the camera (or cameras) having a lens for focusing images at or onto an imaging array or imaging plane of the camera (FIG. 1). The fields of view of the multiple cameras (such as can be seen with reference toFIG. 3) thus may encompass the regions ahead of and rearward of and sideward of the vehicle, with overlapping regions at the corners of the vehicle, thus providing a surround view vision system for the vehicle having 360 degree sensing capability around the vehicle. The vision system12includes a control or processor18that is operable to process image data captured by the camera and may provide displayed images at a display device16for viewing by the driver of the vehicle (although shown inFIG. 1as being part of or incorporated in or at an interior rearview mirror assembly20of the vehicle, the control and/or the display device may be disposed elsewhere at or in the vehicle). Optionally, the vision system may process image data to detect objects, such as objects to the rear of the subject or equipped vehicle during a reversing maneuver, or such as approaching or following vehicles or vehicles at a side lane adjacent to the subject or equipped vehicle or the like.

As shown inFIG. 2, the automotive front facing camera system12comprises an image processor18which processes image data captured by a camera that is representative of a scene22in front of the vehicle10(and within the field of view of the forward facing camera). The image processor18processes the captured image data to detect objects or vehicles present within the imaged scene22, and reports tracks of detected objects or vehicles that are present within the imaged scene22. Optionally, and desirably, the reported tracks26may be filtered using a hypothesis and confirmation approach, such as, for example, by using a Kalman filter or the like.

Camera system12is in communication with devices or sensors28,29, such as through a serial data bus30or the like. These devices or sensors28,29may comprise any suitable sensing and/or communication means, such as, for example, an element of a vehicle-to-vehicle (v2v) communication system28(or a vehicle-to-infrastructure (v2x) or the like) and/or a radar sensor29and/or the like. The sensor or v2v communication system28and the radar sensor29are configured to provide information about vehicles24that are within an peripheral area22aoutside of scene22and outside of the field of view of the camera (including information pertaining to a direction of movement24aof any detected vehicles in the peripheral scene).

In vehicle-to-vehicle (v2v) and vehicle-to-infrastructure telematic systems, connected vehicles interact with each other (v2v), the roadside (v2i) and beyond (v2x) via wireless communications, such as, for example, a 3G/4G Cellular communication, a Wi-Fi communication and a 5.9 GHz Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) or the like, to provide the likes of situation awareness, collision avoidance and post-crash assistance to drivers of vehicles on the road or to other people or services or the like.

Information about a vehicle or vehicles or objects24present within the peripheral area22ais communicated to forward facing camera system12through a vehicle interface processor or microprocessor32. The vehicle interface processor32is in communication with image processor18, such as via any suitable communication means, such as, for example, through a UART or SPI interface or other serial interface or the like. To accelerate confirmation of tracks22, vehicle interface processor32communicates hypothesis information34to image processor18. Hypothesis information34is used to “prime” the filters in image processor18for accelerated object confirmation. Hypothesis information34is derived from information gleaned from v2v communication system28or radar sensor29.

For example, the radar sensor may have a field of sensing and range that encompasses a side and forward region ahead of the vehicle and that may or may not encompass or overlap at least a portion of the forward field of view of the camera, and the system may, responsive to an output of the radar sensor, determine if an object or vehicle is present in the radar sensor's sensing area and if the detected object or vehicle may enter the forward field of view of the forward facing camera. Similarly, a v2v communication system (or v2x communication system or the like) may communicate information about another vehicle that is outside of the forward field of view of the forward facing camera, particularly if the direction of travel of the other vehicle is towards the predicted path (and thus approaching the forward field of view of the forward facing camera) of the subject or host or equipped vehicle. The system may receive such information or communication from the radar and/or v2v system and/or other sensor or system, and the image processor may consider the information to provide enhanced or rapid confirmation of an object or vehicle that enters the camera's forward field of view.

Thus, the system (using auxiliary sensors or radar sensors or v2v communications or the like) may operate to detect or determine that a vehicle is present in a peripheral scene (outside of the field of view of the forward facing camera) and may determine that the detected vehicle is moving toward the field of view of the camera and may be an object of interest to the vision system and/or the driver of the vehicle. Optionally, the system may utilize navigation data (such as derived from a navigation system or device of the vehicle), to further optimize the performance of the system. The system may communicate such information to the image processor so that the image processor, when it first detects an object at a side or perimeter region of the field of view of the camera, may readily confirm that the detected object is the object or vehicle that was previously detected by the other sensors. The present invention thus provides enhanced confirmation of vehicles or objects of interest that are present in the forward field of view of the camera, based on an initial detection of the vehicles or objects before they enter the field of view of the camera. Although shown and described as a imaging system with a forward facing camera, aspects of the present invention are applicable to imaging systems with a rearward facing camera as well (such as a rear backup assist camera or the like).

Optionally, the vehicle imaging or vision system may utilize a recycling buffer or video recording device or storage device that may be operable to continuously store video captured by one or more cameras of the vehicle for a running loop of a predetermined amount of seconds or minutes (such as a continuous storing of video captured over the previous 30 seconds or the like, while overwriting or over-storing video over stored or recorded video from before the predetermined time period) while the vehicle is powered on. If the vehicle is involved in an accident, the vision system and camera may receive a signal (such as via a CAN or LIN bus of the vehicle) that would tell the camera or vision system to save video images that were captured over the last “x” seconds (such as at least about 10 seconds, more preferably at least about 20 seconds, or more or less) and to continue to record and save video images for another “y” seconds (such as at least about 10 seconds, more preferably at least about 20 seconds, or more or less).

The signal may be generated and communicated in response to any suitable triggering event, such as responsive to an airbag of the vehicle being deployed, or responsive to an output of an accelerometer of the vehicle (that may be indicative of a crash or sudden stop of the vehicle) or responsive to actuation of a user input by the driver, or responsive to any other triggering event or signal that may be indicative of a collision or accident detection. The system may also record (for example, responsive to an airbag deployment) other data, such as, for example, braking forces, steering wheel angle impact direction and/or the like. The video storage (such as, for example, at least around 20 seconds or thereabouts) thus may document accident circumstances in addition to the other data. Having such video images captured may, if evidence of the non-fault of the driver of the vehicle, help the driver avoid a ticket and points on their license, if involved in an accident.

Optionally, the video recording and storage function may operate as part of a vehicle security system, whereby video images may be captured and recorded responsive to certain triggers that are indicative of a security situation. For example, if the vehicle security system is triggered, the video recording may be activated and about 30 seconds (for example) of video may be recorded (or more or less time of recording). Optionally, for example, the video recording may start recording and storing video images responsive to a detection of a forced entry (or entry without use of the key fob or the like).

Optionally, the stored recording may be accessed via any suitable display device, such as via a smart phone or other technologies. Thus, if the vehicle is stolen, the owner of the vehicle may access the vision system remotely and determine how the vehicle was stolen. Such a system may also provide the option of accessing the video images in real time to determine where the stolen vehicle is at that time. The recorded video images or data may also or otherwise be transmitted to a remote receiver or device, such as a land based device. Optionally, when the vehicle security system is triggered, the vision system may communicate an alert or signal to the user's smart phone or other device to alert the owner of the vehicle that the vehicle is being stolen or the like.

Such a vehicular camera and vision system that has a circular video buffer and/or a wireless link to the outside world may have many applications, where a user can access the vision system remotely (such as via a wireless communication or remote communication device) and may cause the system to begin capturing and storing video images and/or may view images as they are captured by the vision system. Optionally, the system may utilize GPS-derived position data and time, whereby the current geographical location of the vehicle may be communicated or the last known vehicle location (such as the last known vehicle position in situations where the GPS system is deactivated or jammed otherwise not receiving a signal) such that the vehicle, if stolen, can be tracked by the user or owner or police or the like.

Optionally, for example, the vision system may provide a personal security function to allow a user to access the vision system remotely to view the area around the vehicle before approaching the vehicle. For example, a user may, using their smart phone or other remote device, activate a 360 degree camera system of the vehicle to view the surroundings of a vehicle (and optionally to view the interior cabin of the vehicle, such as via a cabin monitoring camera of the vehicle) before entering a parking lot where the vehicle is parked. For example, when a user is going to their parked vehicle late at night (such as at a shopping mall or night club or the like), the user may first access the vision system to determine whether or not it appears safe to enter the parking lot and to approach their vehicle.

Optionally, the vision system may provide a personal recording function, such that the user may actuate a user input to capture video images and/or still photo images of scenery or the like. Such a “tourist” feature may allow a user that, for example, is driving thru the mountains or along a coast line or any other scenic roadway or the like, to capture video of the drive or still photos of a specific scene or the like. Optionally, the video may include date and time information and/or geographical location information (such as responsive to a user input or a GPS system of the vehicle or navigation system of the vehicle or the like.

Other vehicle sensors may also be triggers to actuate the recording function, such as, for example, detection of a parking distance threshold (so that video is recorded when the vehicle is moved within a threshold distance of an object or other vehicle or the like when being parked), illumination and/or the like.

Optionally, in order to save on memory usage, the vision system may adjust the number of frames that are captured per second when operating in a post-accident recording mode or in a post-forced entry recording mode or the like.

Optionally, and with respect to the technology of sign recognition, adaptive cruise control and the like, it is envisioned that these technologies may be adapted to both driven and autonomous vehicles in industrial plants (such as for delivery of components to a station along an assembly line or the like).

The camera module and circuit chip or board and imaging sensor may be implemented and operated in connection with various vehicular vision-based systems, and/or may be operable utilizing the principles of such other vehicular systems, such as a vehicle headlamp control system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 7,004,606; 7,339,149; and/or 7,526,103, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a rain sensor, such as the types disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392; 6,313,454; 6,320,176; and/or 7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a vehicle vision system, such as a forwardly, sidewardly or rearwardly directed vehicle vision system utilizing principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978; and/or 7,859,565, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a trailer hitching aid or tow check system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,005,974, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, a reverse or sideward imaging system, such as for a lane change assistance system or lane departure warning system or for a blind spot or object detection system, such as imaging or detection systems of the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/239,980, filed Sep. 30, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,881,496, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser. No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30, 2004; Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14, 2004; Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a video device for internal cabin surveillance and/or video telephone function, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 6,690,268; and/or 7,370,983, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a traffic sign recognition system, a system for determining a distance to a leading or trailing vehicle or object, such as a system utilizing the principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,396,397 and/or 7,123,168, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, and/or the like.

Optionally, the circuit board or chip may include circuitry for the imaging array sensor and or other electronic accessories or features, such as by utilizing compass-on-a-chip or EC driver-on-a-chip technology and aspects such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451 and/or U.S. Pat. No. 7,480,149; and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0061008, and/or Ser. No. 12/578,732, filed Oct. 14, 2009, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the vision system may include a display for displaying images captured by one or more of the imaging sensors for viewing by the driver of the vehicle while the driver is normally operating the vehicle. Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a video display device disposed at or in the interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the video mirror display systems described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,268 and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The video mirror display may comprise any suitable devices and systems and optionally may utilize aspects of the compass display systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,370,983; 7,329,013; 7,308,341; 7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593; 4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305; 5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851; 5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727; 5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508; 6,222,460; 6,513,252; and/or 6,642,851, and/or European patent application, published Oct. 11, 2000 under Publication No. EP 0 1043566, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0061008, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Optionally, the video mirror display screen or device may be operable to display images captured by a rearward viewing camera of the vehicle during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle (such as responsive to the vehicle gear actuator being placed in a reverse gear position or the like) to assist the driver in backing up the vehicle, and optionally may be operable to display the compass heading or directional heading character or icon when the vehicle is not undertaking a reversing maneuver, such as when the vehicle is being driven in a forward direction along a road (such as by utilizing aspects of the display system described in PCT Application No. PCT/US2011/056295, filed Oct. 14, 2011 and published Apr. 19, 2012 as International Publication No. WO 2012/051500, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).

Optionally, the vision system (utilizing the forward facing camera and a rearward facing camera and other cameras disposed at the vehicle with exterior fields of view) may be part of or may provide a display of a top-down view or birds-eye view system of the vehicle or a surround view at the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described in PCT Application No. PCT/US10/25545, filed Feb. 26, 2010 and published on Sep. 2, 2010 as International Publication No. WO 2010/099416, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US10/47256, filed Aug. 31, 2010 and published Mar. 10, 2011 as International Publication No. WO 2011/028686, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2011/062834, filed Dec. 1, 2011 and published Jun. 7, 2012 as International Publication No. WO2012/075250, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/048993, filed Jul. 31, 2012, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US11/62755, filed Dec. 1, 2011 and published Jun. 7, 2012 as International Publication No. WO 2012-075250, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/CA2012/000378, filed Apr. 25, 2012, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov. 27, 2012, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/068331, filed Dec. 7, 2012, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2013/022119, filed Jan. 18, 2013, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, a video mirror display may be disposed rearward of and behind the reflective element assembly and may comprise a display such as the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240; 6,329,925; 7,855,755; 7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,446,650; 7,370,983; 7,338,177; 7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187 and/or 6,690,268, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/091,525, filed Apr. 25, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,855,755; Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0061008; and/or Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The display is viewable through the reflective element when the display is activated to display information. The display element may be any type of display element, such as a vacuum fluorescent (VF) display element, a light emitting diode (LED) display element, such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED) or an inorganic light emitting diode, an electroluminescent (EL) display element, a liquid crystal display (LCD) element, a video screen display element or backlit thin film transistor (TFT) display element or the like, and may be operable to display various information (as discrete characters, icons or the like, or in a multi-pixel manner) to the driver of the vehicle, such as passenger side inflatable restraint (PSIR) information, tire pressure status, and/or the like. The mirror assembly and/or display may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190; 7,255,451; 7,446,924 and/or 7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The thicknesses and materials of the coatings on the substrates of the reflective element may be selected to provide a desired color or tint to the mirror reflective element, such as a blue colored reflector, such as is known in the art and such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854; 6,420,036; and/or 7,274,501, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the display or displays and any associated user inputs may be associated with various accessories or systems, such as, for example, a tire pressure monitoring system or a passenger air bag status or a garage door opening system or a telematics system or any other accessory or system of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle or of an accessory module or console of the vehicle, such as an accessory module or console of the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 6,877,888; 6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,672,744; 6,386,742; and 6,124,886, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.