Method and System for Representing Vehicle Surroundings of a Motor Vehicle on a Display Device Located in the Motor Vehicle

Abstract

A method is for representing vehicle surroundings on a display device arranged in a motor vehicle, which has a first camera for detecting a first surrounding region of the motor vehicle and a second camera for detecting a second surrounding region of the motor vehicle. The first and second surrounding regions have an overlapping area. The method involves: receiving an activation signal to represent the first surrounding region on the display device; upon receiving the activation signal, detecting whether there is a malfunction of the first camera; representing the first surrounding region on the display device when there is no malfunction of the first camera; and representing at least part of the second surrounding region on the display device as an alternative when there is a malfunction of the first camera.

Claims

1. A method for representing vehicle surroundings of a motor vehicle on a display device located in the motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle has at least one first camera for detecting a first surrounding region of the motor vehicle and one second camera for detecting a second surrounding region of the motor vehicle, wherein the first surrounding region and the second surrounding region have B an overlapping region and wherein the method (30) has the following steps: receiving an activation signal to represent the first surrounding region on the display device (31); upon receiving the activation signal, detecting whether there is a malfunction of the first camera (32); representing the first surrounding region on the display device, if there is no malfunction of the first camera (33), and representing at least part of the second surrounding region on the display device as an alternative if there is a malfunction of the first camera (34).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the alternatively represented part of the second surrounding region comprises the overlapping region.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method (30) further has the following step: outputting an indication to a driver of the motor vehicle, that alternatively at least a part of the second surrounding region is being represented on the display device, if there is a is a malfunction of the first camera.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of outputting an indication for a driver of the motor vehicle, that alternatively at least a part of the second surrounding region is being represented on the display device, if there is a malfunction of the first camera, comprises a coloring of the alternatively represented part of the second surrounding region.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first camera is arranged on a lateral exterior area of the motor vehicle and the first surrounding region is a lateral rear area of the motor vehicle, and the second camera is arranged on a rear end of the motor vehicle and the second surrounding region is a rear area of the motor vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle also has a third camera for detecting a third surrounding region, wherein the first surrounding region and the third surrounding region have a second overlapping region, and wherein the method (30) also has the following steps: merging of the second surrounding region and the third surrounding region into a fused representation; representing the fused representation on the display device, if there is a malfunction of the first camera.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first camera is arranged on the rear end of the motor vehicle and the first surrounding region is the rear area of the motor vehicle, the second camera is arranged on a left lateral exterior area of the motor vehicle and the second surrounding region is a left lateral rear area of the motor vehicle, and the third camera is arranged on a right lateral exterior area of the motor vehicle and the third surrounding region is a right lateral rear area of the motor vehicle.

8. A system for representing vehicle surroundings of a motor vehicle on a display device (3) arranged in the motor vehicle (2), wherein the motor vehicle (2) has at least one first camera (4) for detecting a first surrounding region (5) of the motor vehicle (2) and one second camera (6) for detecting a second surrounding region (7) of the motor vehicle (2), wherein the first surrounding region (5) and the second surrounding region (7) have an overlapping region (8) and wherein the system (1,20) has a computer unit (9) for converting the first surrounding region (5) detected by the first camera (4) into a first image data sequence and the second surrounding region (7) detected by the second camera (6) into a second image data sequence, a transmission unit (10) for transmitting the first image data sequence and the second image data sequence for representation on the display device (3), a receiver unit (11) for receiving an activation signal to represent the first surrounding region (5) on the display device (3), and a detection unit (12) for detecting if there is a malfunction of the first camera (4) in response to the receipt of the activation signal, and wherein the transmission unit (10) transmits the first image data sequence for representation to the display device (3), if there is no malfunction of the first camera (4), and transmits at least part of the second image data sequence for representation as an alternative on the display device (3), if there is a malfunction of the first camera (4).

9. The system according to claim 8, comprising image data on the overlapping region (8), through the part of the second image data sequence transmitted by the transmission unit (10) to the display device (3) for alternative representation.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the system (1, 20) also has a signal generator (13) for outputting an indication for a driver of the motor vehicle (2), that alternatively at least a part of the second image data sequence will be represented on the display device (3), if there is a malfunction of the first camera (4).

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the indication comprises a coloring of the alternatively represented part of the second image data sequence.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein the first camera (4) is arranged on a lateral exterior area (14) of the motor vehicle (2) and the first surrounding region (5) is a lateral rear area of the motor vehicle (2), and the second camera (6) is arranged on a rear end (15) of the motor vehicle (2) and the second surrounding region (7) is a rear area of the B motor vehicle (2).

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein the motor vehicle (2) also has a third camera (21) for detecting a third surrounding region (22) of the motor vehicle (2), wherein the first surrounding region (5) and the third surrounding region (22) have a second overlapping region (23), wherein the computer unit (9) converts the third surrounding region (22) detected by the third camera (21) into a third image data sequence and the system (20) also has a processing unit (24) for merging the second image data sequence and the third image data sequence into a fused representation and wherein the transmission unit (10) transmits the fused representation for representation to the display device (3), if there is a malfunction of the first camera (4).

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the first camera (4) is arranged on the rear end (15) of the motor vehicle (2) and the first surrounding region (5) is a rear area of the motor vehicle (2), the second camera (6) is arranged on a left lateral exterior area (25) of the motor vehicle (2) and the second surrounding region (7) is a left lateral rear area of the motor vehicle (2), and the third camera (21) is arranged on a right lateral exterior area (26) of the motor vehicle (2) and the third surrounding region (22) is a right lateral rear area of the motor vehicle (2).

15. A combination comprising a system (1, 20) according to claim 8 provided on a motor vehicle.

Description

[0031] The invention is explained in more detail using the attached figures.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system for representing vehicle surroundings of a motor vehicle on a display device arranged in the motor vehicle according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0033] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a system for representing vehicle surroundings of a motor vehicle on a display device arranged in the motor vehicle according to a second embodiment of the invention;

[0034] FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method for representing vehicle surroundings of a motor vehicle on a display device arranged in the motor vehicle according to embodiments of the invention.

[0035] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system 1 for representing vehicle surroundings of a motor vehicle 2 on a display device 3 arranged in the motor vehicle 2 according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1, the motor vehicle 2 has one first camera 4 for detecting a first surrounding region 5 of the motor vehicle 2 and one second camera 6 for detecting a second surrounding region 7 of the motor vehicle 2, wherein the first surrounding region 5 and the second surrounding region 7 have an overlapping region 8.

[0037] A computer unit 9 for converting the first surrounding region 5 detected by the first camera 4 into a first image data sequence and the second surrounding region 7 detected by the second camera 6 into a second image data sequence, and a transmission unit 10 for transmitting the first image data sequence and the second image data sequence for representation on the display device 3, can also be identified.

[0038] Since cameras for detecting a surrounding region of a motor vehicle are usually arranged outside of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, however, they are necessarily exposed to environmental influences, which can lead to the cameras malfunctioning or becoming defective, by way of example, due to dirt or ice.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 1, here the represented system 1 also has a receiver unit 11 for receiving an activation signal for representing the first surrounding region on the display device 3 and a detection unit 12 for detecting if there is a malfunction of the first camera 4 in response to the receipt of the activation signal. The transmission unit 10 is also configured to transmit the first image data sequence for representation on the display device 3, if there is no malfunction of the first camera 4, and to transmit at least part of the second image data sequence to the display unit 3 for alternative representation, if there is a malfunction of the first camera 4.

[0040] Since, in the event of a malfunction of the first camera 4, the transmission unit 10 alternatively transmits at least part of the second image data sequence, which is based on data detected by the second camera 6 on a second surrounding region 7 of the motor vehicle 2, which again has an overlapping region 8 with the first surrounding region 5, for representation on the display device 3, in this case areas of the desired vehicle surroundings can also be represented on the display device 3 and a driver of the motor vehicle 2 can thus see these. Here a malfunction of the first camera 4 is understood to be a temporary dysfunction of first camera 4, a temporary functional failure of the first camera 4 or a defect of the first camera 4, such that the camera temporarily or permanently delivers no or only defective data. Here the detection unit 12 can be configured to detect whether there is a malfunction of the first camera 4 as a one-off following receipt of the activation signal or also repeatedly over the length of time for which the first surrounding region 5 is intended to be represented on the display device 3, by way of example at regular intervals of time.

[0041] According to the embodiment of FIG. 1, here the part of the second image data sequence 8 transmitted by the transmission unit 10 for alternative representation on the display device 3 can comprise image data on the overlapping region 8. In this way, it can be ensured that even in the event of a malfunction of the first camera 4, the first surrounding region 5 is represented at least partially on the display device 3.

[0042] A signal generator 13 can also be identified, configured for outputting an indication to a driver of the motor vehicle 2, that alternatively at least a part of the second image data sequence is being represented on the display device 3, if there is a malfunction of the first camera 4. Here, by outputting the indication the driver of the motor vehicle 2 can be made aware that there is a malfunction of the first camera 4, and so the full first surrounding region 5 is not represented on the display device 3, since the first surrounding region 5 and the represented part of the second surrounding region 7 are not identical, so that the latter is made aware that the part of the second surrounding region 7 represented on the display device 3 does not contain all information on the first surrounding region 5.

[0043] According to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the indication thereby comprises coloring of the alternatively represented part of the second surrounding region. The signal generator can also be configured, however, to generate further information signals suitable for making the driver aware that the entire first surrounding region is not being represented on the display device, by way of example a pop-up window appearing on the display device, a corresponding text output, or an acoustic or haptic signal.

[0044] Here the first camera 4 is arranged on a lateral exterior area 14 of the motor vehicle 2 and the first surrounding region 5 is a lateral rear area of the motor vehicle 2, and the second camera 6 is arranged on a rear end 15 of the motor vehicle 2 and the second surrounding region 7 is a rear area of the motor vehicle 2. Since in normal motor vehicles the function of the external mirrors is increasingly assisted by cameras and associated display units or the external mirrors of the motor vehicle are completely replaced by cameras and associated display devices, even in the event of a malfunction of these cameras, a driver of the motor vehicle can see the lateral rear area at least partially, in that alternatively at least partially data detected by a reversing camera are represented on the display device 3. Here the display device 3 can, by way of example, be a display device of such an external mirror alternative system of the motor vehicle 2.

[0045] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a system 20 for representing vehicle surroundings of a motor vehicle 2 on a display device 3 arranged in the motor vehicle 2 according to a second embodiment of the invention. Components and parts with the same function or design as in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals and no further explanation is given.

[0046] According to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the motor vehicle 2 also has a third camera 21 for detecting a third surrounding region 22 of the motor vehicle 2, wherein the first surrounding region 5 and the third surrounding region 22 have a second overlapping region 23 and wherein the computer unit 9 converts the third surrounding region 22 detected by the third camera 21 into a third image data sequence.

[0047] As can be seen from FIG. 2, here the system 20 also has a processing unit 24 for merging the second image data sequence and the third image data sequence into a fused representation, wherein the transmission unit 10 transmits the fused representation for representation on the display device 3 if there is a malfunction of the first camera 4. Here, the merging of the second 7 and the third surrounding region 22 by the processing unit 24 into a fused representation, again, includes performing an object correction.

[0048] Here the first camera 4 can be arranged on the rear end 15 of the motor vehicle 2 and the first surrounding region 5 can be the rear area of the motor vehicle 2, the second camera 6 can be arranged on a left lateral exterior area 25 of the motor vehicle 2 and the second surrounding region 7 can be a left lateral rear area of the motor vehicle, and the third camera 21 can be arranged on a right lateral exterior area 26 of the motor vehicle 2 and the third surrounding region 22 can be a right lateral rear area of the motor vehicle 2. In this way, if there is a malfunction of the reversing camera of the motor vehicle 2, in this case as well, the driver of the motor vehicle 2 can infer information on the rear area of the motor vehicle 2 from the fused representation represented on the display device 3 of merged data from the cameras replacing the function of external mirrors on opposite sides of the vehicle 2. Here the display device 3 can, by way of example, be a display device of an interior mirror system of the motor vehicle 2.

[0049] FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method 30 for representing vehicle surroundings of a motor vehicle on a display device located in the motor vehicle according to embodiments of the invention.

[0050] FIG. 3 specifically shows a method 30 for representing vehicle surroundings of a motor vehicle on a display device located in the motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle has at least one first camera for detecting a first surrounding region of the motor vehicle and one second camera for detecting a second surrounding region of the motor vehicle, and wherein the first surrounding region and the second surrounding region have an overlapping region.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 3, here the method 30 has the following steps: in a first step 31 an activation signal for representing the first surrounding region on the display device is first received and, following receipt of the activation signal, in step 32 it is detected if there is a malfunction of the first camera. If it is detected in step 32 that there is no malfunction of the first camera, in step 33 the first surrounding region is represented on the display device. If it is detected in step 33 that there is a malfunction of the first camera, in step 34 alternatively at least a part of the second surrounding region is represented on the display device. Here a malfunction of the first camera is understood to be a temporary dysfunction of the first camera, a temporary functional failure of the first camera or a defect of the first camera, such that the camera temporarily or permanently delivers no or only defective data.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0052] 1 System [0053] 2 Motor vehicle [0054] 3 Display device [0055] 4 First camera [0056] 5 First surrounding region [0057] 6 Second camera [0058] 7 Second surrounding region [0059] 8 Overlapping region [0060] 9 Computer unit [0061] 10 Transmission unit [0062] 11 Receiver unit [0063] 12 Detection unit [0064] 13 Signal generator [0065] 14 Lateral exterior area [0066] 15 Rear end [0067] 20 System [0068] 21 Third camera [0069] 22 Third surrounding region [0070] 23 Second overlapping region [0071] 24 Processing unit [0072] 25 Left lateral exterior area [0073] 26 Right lateral exterior area [0074] 30 Method [0075] 31 Method step [0076] 32 Method step [0077] 33 Method step [0078] 34 Method step