APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING DATA FOR A PANORAMIC IMAGE OF A STREET AND METHOD RELATED THERETO

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for ascertaining data for a panoramic image of a street with a camera and a fastening device. By means of the fastening device the camera can be positioned in or on the vehicle to record image data containing an angle of 90° to the direction of movement of the vehicle. In addition, the camera is designed to record a continuous film with a resolution of more than 1,920 by 1,080 pixels per frame. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for using the apparatus according to the invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for ascertaining data for a panoramic image of a street with a camera, with a fastening device to attach the camera in or on a vehicle, wherein the camera is fixed on the fastening device and can be positioned in or on the vehicle by means of the fastening device in order to record at least image data at an angle of 90° to a direction of movement of the vehicle when the vehicle is in motion, wherein the fastening device can be firmly connected to the vehicle, wherein the camera is designed to record a continuous film with a resolution of more than 1,920 pixels by 1,080 pixels per frame, the camera can be operated at least with a shutter speed of 1/3,000 seconds, and the camera has a light sensitivity of at least ISO 20,000.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening device is provided in the interior of the vehicle and in that the fastening device can be fastened at least by means of an Isofix fastening and/or a headrest on the seat of the vehicle.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening device has a camera arm, on which the camera is fixed, and in that the camera arm is designed to be pivotable in the horizontal.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the camera arm is of rocker-like design with two fastening points for the camera that are designed at remote ends.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that in the fixed state on the fastening device the camera has a height above a street level ranging between 0.8 m and 1.8 m, in particular between 1.0 m and 1.5 m, by preference around 1.2 m, wherein the fastening device is attached in or on the vehicle.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that in the fixed state of the camera on the fastening device the camera and the fastening device are designed to produce the continuous film in the upright format.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that in the fixed state of the camera the camera and the fastening device are designed to record the continuous film with a capture angle of at least 90° in the vertical (β) and/or at least 50° in the horizontal (α).

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that in the fixed state of the camera on the fastening device the camera and the fastening device are designed to record the continuous film with a capture angle (α.sub.1) of at least 45° horizontally in the direction of travel of the vehicle and a capture angle (α.sub.2) of at least 5° horizontally in a direction opposed to the direction of movement of the vehicle.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the camera can be operated at least with an aperture of 4.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the camera can be operated to record in focus in the range of a distance of at least 2 m to infinity.

11. A vehicle, characterized by an apparatus for ascertaining data for a panoramic image of a street according to claim 1.

12. A method for ascertaining data for a panoramic image of a street with a vehicle, characterized in that an apparatus according to claim 1 is installed in the vehicle, the vehicle is moved in road traffic, and in that by means of the apparatus a continuous film is produced during movement of the vehicle in road traffic.

Description

[0034] The invention is explained in greater detail hereinafter by way of a schematic exemplary embodiment with reference to the Figures, wherein show:

[0035] FIG. 1 a side view of a vehicle with an apparatus according to the invention;

[0036] FIG. 2 a front view of a vehicle with an apparatus according to the invention;

[0037] FIG. 3 a top view of a vehicle with an apparatus according to the invention;

[0038] FIG. 4 a schematic illustration of a fastening device of an apparatus according to the invention; and

[0039] FIG. 5 a highly simplified panoramic image of a street.

[0040] In the following the alignment of an apparatus 10 according to the invention with a camera 20 in a vehicle 40 is explained in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

[0041] In FIG. 1 the vehicle 40 is illustrated in a side view, in FIG. 2 in a front view and in FIG. 3 in a view from above.

[0042] The apparatus 10 according to the invention with a camera 20 is firmly fixed in the vehicle 40 by means of a fastening device 30 illustrated in FIG. 4. This means that it is attached in the most robust and secure way possible in the vehicle 40.

[0043] During travel of the vehicle 40 a continuous film is recorded with the camera 20, preferably at least in the 4K UHD standard, i.e. with at least 3,840 pixels by 2,160 pixels and 24 images per minute. The objective is to produce on the basis of this film a panoramic image of a street 60 in the most realistic and undistorted way possible, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0044] This panoramic image of a street 60 can be used to ascertain static data for a parking space management. For this purpose, what needs to be captured on the panoramic image of a street 60 is on the one hand the curbside and on the other hand also signs which are located relatively close to the curbside and on which information on parking times or the like may be displayed.

[0045] Therefore, the camera 20 is placed as close to the window of the vehicle 40 as possible using the fastening device 30. The camera is preferably arranged at a height h of approximately 1.2 meters, by preference at a height of 1.21 meters.

[0046] The camera can have a wide-angle lens. This can have a focal length of 20 mm for example.

[0047] As can be taken from FIGS. 2 and 3, the camera is arranged in upright format. This means that the camera angle β that constitutes the vertical capture angle is larger than the camera angle α that indicates the horizontal capture angle.

[0048] According to the invention a wide-angle lens is chosen that has e.g. a vertical capture angle of around at least 100°, preferably 107°, and a horizontal capture angle of over 55°, preferably 62°.

[0049] The camera 20 is arranged in such a way in the vehicle 40 that the vertical capture angle β is substantially evenly distributed. This means that the same part of the capture angle β lies in an area of over 90°, i.e. a parallel to the street surface, and under 90°.

[0050] In contrast, according to the invention the camera 20 is aligned differently for the horizontal capture angle α. It is essential that the area of 90° to the direction of travel 41 is included in the capture angle α. To facilitate the production of the panoramic image of a street 60 the camera 20 is arranged in such a way in the vehicle 40 that a major part of the capture angle α is arranged facing forwards in the direction of travel. For instance, the capture angle α.sub.1 that describes the area from the 90° line towards the front in the direction of travel can amount to 40°, preferably to over 45°. Accordingly, the capture area α.sub.2 that relates to the capture area of angle α aligned in a direction opposed to the direction of travel lies in an area of 17° with an entire capture area α amounting to 62°.

[0051] Such an arrangement proves to be advantageous as the vehicle moves in the direction of travel 41, as already outlined, and in this way the camera 20 is aligned in a forward-facing manner which also enables the capturing of traffic signs that are aligned transversely to the street for example.

[0052] As camera 20 use is preferably made of a camera having a high light sensitivity, for example in the range of ISO 51,200, a shutter speed of 1:4,000 seconds and an aperture of 5.6. The objective is that during recording an area from as close as possible to the vehicle 40, e.g. from 1.25 meters up to infinity is recorded as focused as possible so that these data can subsequently be evaluated as static data for a parking space management system.

[0053] In FIG. 4 a highly schematic illustration of a fastening device 30 is shown. The essential aspect of the fastening device 30 is that it can be attached in the vehicle 40 in the most firmly fixed way possible. For this purpose, it can emulate the contour of the back seat for example.

[0054] To ascertain sufficient data for static data of a parking space management it is necessary to film both on the right and on the left side from a vehicle 40. For this, the fastening device 30 has a camera arm 32. This is in turn fastened in such a way on the fastening device 30 that it can be pivoted or turned easily about its axis 36. This is necessary so that a camera 20 can be arranged in such a way at an end 33, 34 of the camera arm 32 that it has the previously described capture angle in the horizontal α that is directed towards the front.

[0055] If, for example, the left side of a street is filmed first by means of the camera 20, the fastening device 30 is initially located on the left side of the vehicle 40. Afterwards, it can be shifted to the right side of the vehicle 40 and the camera can be mounted at the other end 33 of the camera arm 32. Now, filming from the right window of the vehicle 40 is possible.

[0056] Finally, in FIG. 5 a highly schematic example of a produced panoramic image of a street 60 is illustrated. When preparing the data the continuous film data produced by means of the camera 20 are prepared and assembled to a panoramic image of a street 60 that has no or hardly any optical distortions where possible. On the panoramic image of a street 60 individual objects 64, such as cars or trucks located on parking spaces but also signs 65 can then be recognized. On these signs 65 parking information can be present for example. Likewise, complete streetlamps 66 or sections thereof are illustrated for example. What is important here is that the curbside is present in order to ascertain a sufficient amount of data for static information for the parking management system. The objects shown hatched in FIG. 5 are for example houses 67 located in the background.

[0057] By way of the apparatus according to the invention and the method according to the invention it is thus possible to produce a panoramic image of a street which constitutes the basis for static data in a parking management system.