PARKING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM

Abstract

The exemplary embodiments relate to a parking assistance system for a vehicle, designed to present surroundings of the vehicle. The parking assistance system can include at least one camera designed to record at least one image. The parking assistance system may use a grid structure to present the surroundings of the vehicle for a user. Additionally, the parking assistance system may have an image evaluation unit designed to determine the relative position and the orientation of another vehicle depicted in the image. Additionally, the image evaluation unit may be designed to adapt a grid structure on the basis of the determined orientation of the other vehicle, with the image being projected onto the adapted grid structure.

Claims

1. A parking assistance system for a vehicle, designed to present surroundings of the vehicle, having: at least one camera configured to record at least one image, wherein the parking assistance system uses a grid structure to present the surroundings of the vehicle for a user, and an image evaluation unit configured: to determine an orientation of another vehicle depicted in the at least one image, to adapt the grid structure on the basis of the determined orientation of the other vehicle, and to project the at least one image onto the adapted grid structure.

2. The parking assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the grid structure comprises a geometrical form.

3. The parking assistance system according to claim 2, wherein the image evaluation unit is configured to adapt the geometrical form, by bending, to the orientation of the other vehicle.

4. The parking assistance system according to claim 2, wherein the grid structure additionally comprises a generic vehicle model.

5. The parking assistance system according to claim 4, wherein the image evaluation unit is configured to adapt the generic vehicle model, by at least one of scaling, movement or rotation, to the orientation of the other vehicle.

6. The parking assistance system according to claim 4, wherein the image evaluation unit is configured to adapt the generic vehicle model in the geometrical form, by at least one of scaling, movement or rotation, to the orientation of the other vehicle.

7. The parking assistance system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the image evaluation unit for determining the orientation of the other vehicle is configured: to recognize a bottom surface in the at least one image, to identify at least two wheels of the other vehicle in the at least one image, to establish a circumferential contour of the wheels in each case, to form an intersection between the bottom surface and the circumferential contour in each case, by establishing a point on the circumferential contour of the wheel closest to the camera.

8. The parking assistance system according to claim 7, wherein the image evaluation unit is further configured to perform a plausibility check of at least one of the bottom surface, the wheels the circumferential contour, the intersections and/or the orientation of the other vehicle.

9. The parking assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the image evaluation unit is configured to establish at least one of a front region or a rear region of the other vehicle, and to orientate the grid structure on the basis of the at least one of the front region or the rear region.

10. A method for presenting the surroundings, of a vehicle, comprising: recording an image of the surroundings of the vehicle, presenting the surroundings of the vehicle using a grid structure, determining an orientation of another vehicle depicted in the image, adapting the grid structure on the basis of the orientation of the other vehicle, and projecting the image onto the adapted grid structure.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: recognizing a bottom surface in the image, identifying at least two wheels of the other vehicle in the image, establishing a circumferential contour for each of the at least two wheels, forming an intersection between the bottom surface and the circumferential contour by establishing a point on the circumferential contour of the wheel closest to the camera, and determining the orientation of the other vehicle on the basis of the intersection.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising: configuring a geometrical form, modifying the geometrical form on the basis of the orientation of the other vehicle in order to configure the adapted grid structure.

13. The method according to a claim 12, further comprising: forming a generic vehicle model, positioning the generic vehicle model in the geometrical form, adjusting the generic vehicle model by at least one of scaling, movement or rotation, on the basis of the orientation of the other vehicle in order to configure the adapted grid structure.

14. A program unit stored n nontransitory memory and which, when run in a parking assistance system, instructs the parking assistance system to perform the method according to claim 1.

15. (canceled)

16. The parking assistance system according to claim 2, wherein the geometrical from comprises a hemisphere.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the geometrical form comprises a hemisphere.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein modifying the geometrical from comprises reshaping or bending the geometrical form.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a parking assistance system according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of the parking assistance system according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0049] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of the parking assistance system according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0050] FIG. 4 shows a schematic embodiment of the parking assistance system according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0051] FIG. 5 shows a flow chart in order to illustrate steps of a method for presenting the surroundings of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0052] The figures are merely schematic and not to scale. In the figures, the same, similarly acting or similar elements can be provided with the same reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a parking assistance system 100 for a vehicle 200, designed to present surroundings of the vehicle, wherein the parking assistance system 100 has at least one camera 102 designed to record an image in particular of the other vehicle 300. The camera 102 comprises a detection region 103. The image evaluation unit 106 can be designed to predict, for example, the color of the other vehicle 300 on components of the other vehicle 300, which are located outside the detection region 103. The parking assistance system 100 uses a grid structure to present the surroundings of the vehicle 200 for a user. The parking assistance system 100 can further have an image evaluation unit 106 designed to determine an orientation 302 of another vehicle 300 depicted in the image. Furthermore, the image evaluation unit 106 can be designed to adapt the grid structure 104 on the basis of the determined orientation 302 of the other vehicle 300. The image evaluation unit 106 can also be designed to project the image onto the adapted grid structure 108. FIG. 1 further shows the parking assistance system 100 which is arranged in the vehicle 200. Another vehicle 300 is located next to the vehicle 200. The vehicle 200 comprises a camera 102 which records an image which can be utilized to present the surroundings 400 of the vehicle 200. Additionally, the vehicle 200 comprises an image evaluation unit 106 as well as a computer-readable medium 500. The other vehicle 300 comprises an orientation 302 which can in particular be established on the basis of the position of the vehicle 200.

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of the grid structure 104 which presents the surroundings 400 of the vehicle 200. The image recorded by the camera 102 can be projected onto the grid structure 104 and/or the adapted grid structure 108 and the resulting model can be displayed to a user on a display.

[0055] A schematic representation of an adapted grid structure 108 is shown in FIG. 3, wherein the adapted grid structure can be modified both in its form and a generic vehicle model 304 can be provided in the adapted grid structure 108. The orientation of the generic vehicle model 304 corresponds to the orientation 302 of the other vehicle 300.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of the establishment of an intersection 312. The parking assistance system 100, which can be provided in the vehicle 200, has a camera 102. Another vehicle 300 is located next to the vehicle 200. The vehicle 300 stands on a bottom surface 306. The other vehicle 300 stands in particular on its wheels 308. It can be assumed that the wheels 308 stand orthogonally on the bottom surface 306. The image evaluation unit 106 can be in a position to establish a circumferential contour 310 of the wheels 308. Likewise, the image evaluation unit 106 can be in a position to determine the orientation 302 of the other vehicle 300 by establishing the intersections 312. The intersections 312 can be established in that the point on the circumferential contour 310 of the wheels 308 closest to the camera 102 is established. In addition, the camera 102 can establish a front region 316 and a rear region 314 of the other vehicle 300. The generic vehicle model 304 can be adapted in its contour or appearance to the front region 316 and/or the rear region 314.

[0057] FIG. 5 shows a flow chart in order to illustrate steps of a method for presenting the surroundings 400 of a vehicle 200 according to an exemplary embodiment. The method 600 includes recording at S1 an image of the surroundings 400 of a vehicle. The surroundings 400 are presented at S2 using a grid structure. An orientation of another vehicle 300 depicted in the image is determined at S3. The grid structure is adapted at S4 on the basis of the orientation of the other vehicle 300. The image is projected at S5 onto the adapted grid structure. A bottom surface of the image is recognized at S6. Two wheels of the other vehicle 300 are identified at S7. At S8, a circumferential contour of the wheels is established. An intersection is formed at S9 between the bottom surface and the circumferential contour of the wheel closest to the camera. The orientation of the other vehicle 300 is determined at S10 on the basis of the intersection. A geometrical form, such as a hemisphere, is configured in S11. The geometrical form is modified at S12, which may be by bending or the like, on the basis of the orientation of the other vehicle 300 in order to configure the adapted grid structure. At S13, a generic vehicle model is formed, and the generic vehicle model is positioned in the geometrical form at S14. At S15, the generic vehicle model is adjusted by scaling, movement and/or rotation, on the basis of the orientation of the other vehicle 300 in order to configure the adapted grid structure.

[0058] Moreover, it is pointed out that “having” and “comprising” do not exclude any other elements and the indefinite article “a” does not exclude a plurality. It is further pointed out that features, which have been described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments, can also be used in combination with other features of other exemplary embodiments described above. Reference numerals in the claims are not to be deemed to be restrictions.