Patent Application
20190011564
The present invention relates to a night image display apparatus for a vehicle, with improved visibility of a far-distance object.
A night vision device for a vehicle is a device for assisting a driver during night driving or in bad weather such as snowing/raining. The night vision device also serves to transfer a situation or condition within a specific distance to the driver through visual data.
However, the night vision device provided with general sensors and lightings or lamps has a limitation in outputting all the objects at uniform brightness, irrespective of a distance from the vehicle, as a quantity of light reflected from an area far from the vehicle is drastically reduced.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a night image display apparatus for calculating information related to a distance while improving sharpness of a distant object, and a night image processing method thereof.
To achieve the aspect and other advantages of the present invention, a night image display apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention may include an optical pulse output unit to output optical pulses, a photographing unit provided with an image sensor forming a plurality of images using optical pulses reflected by an external object, a display unit to output a final image obtained by synthesizing the plurality of images, and a control unit to calculate distance information related to the object displayed in each pixel by using data associated with light quantity ratios of the plurality of images for each pixel of the final image and a light quantity ratio for a distance.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the controller may control the optical pulse output unit to output the optical pulses for a specific time at a first time interval, form a first gate image by activating a first gate for a first time at a second time interval during a pause period during which no optical pulses are output, and form a second gate image by activating a second gate for a second time at the second time interval during the pause period when the first gate is deactivated. The second time may be set to be shorter than the first time, so as to acquire a plurality of images of a far-distance area, thereby providing a clearer image.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the controller may calculate a light quantity ratio for each pixel using a first image formed of optical pulses of a first pattern and a second image formed of optical pulses of a second pattern, and calculate a distance of an image output in each pixel using data associated with a distance-related light quantity ratio, thereby acquiring distance information related to the image displayed in each pixel using the plurality of images.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus may further include a radar unit to detect an object by outputting electromagnetic waves. The controller may activate the display unit when the object is detected by the radar unit. Accordingly, when a danger is detected by the radar unit, an image related to this can be output and provided to the user.
According to the present invention, even if an object is relatively far away, a clear final image can be output and even distance information can be output together with the final image. This may allow the user to recognize not only an existence of the object but also more accurate position and distance of the object.
Further, when a danger is detected in driving of a vehicle, an image of an obstacle can be displayed on a display unit, so that the driver can immediately recognize the danger of the obstacle. Therefore, the driver can immediately take a measure to avoid the danger.
Description will now be given in detail according to exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the sake of brief description with reference to the drawings, the same or equivalent components may be provided with the same or similar reference numbers, and description thereof will not be repeated. In general, a suffix such as “module” and “unit” may be used to refer to elements or components. Use of such a suffix herein is merely intended to facilitate description of the specification, and the suffix itself is not intended to give any special meaning or function. In describing the present disclosure, if a detailed explanation for a related known function or construction is considered to unnecessarily divert the gist of the present disclosure, such explanation has been omitted but would be understood by those skilled in the art. The accompanying drawings are used to help easily understand the technical idea of the present disclosure and it should be understood that the idea of the present disclosure is not limited by the accompanying drawings. The idea of the present disclosure should be construed to extend to any alterations, equivalents and substitutes besides the accompanying drawings.
It will be understood that although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are generally only used to distinguish one element from another.
It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected with” another element, the element can be connected with the another element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected with” another element, there are no intervening elements present.
A singular representation may include a plural representation unless it represents a definitely different meaning from the context.
Terms such as “include” or “has” are used herein and should be understood that they are intended to indicate an existence of several components, functions or steps, disclosed in the specification, and it is also understood that greater or fewer components, functions, or steps may likewise be utilized.
Referring to
Referring to
During a pause period during which no optical pulses are output, a first gate of the image sensor 120 is activated for a first time t1 at a second time interval T2 (S320). Accordingly, a first gate image having a plurality of pixels is acquired through optical pulses reflected by an object. Referring to
After the first gate is activated the first preset number of times (N1), a second gate is activated. The second gate is activated for a second time t2 at a second time interval T2 during the pause period during which no optical pulses are output (S330). The second time t2 is shorter than the first time t2. The second gate is activated later by a time difference (delay time) between the first time t1 and the second time t2 after the output of the optical pulse is restricted, and periods of time from the time point when the output of the optical pulse is restricted to time points when the first and second gates are switched to an inactive state are the same as each other. That is, the first and second gates may detect optical pulses reflected by an object of the same maximum distance and the second gate cannot detect optical pulses reflected by an object located at a close distance during the delay time. Thus, an image of a far-distance area can be obtained by the second gate. For example, when the first gate forms an image for an environment between about 30 m and about 300 m, the second gate forms an image for an environment between about 75 m and about 300 m.
The second gate is activated at a second time interval T2 by a second number of times N2, and the first number of times N1 and the second number of times N2 may be the same as each other. However, since the degree of reflection and arrival of the optical pulses are lowered in the far-distance image, the second number of times N2 may be set to be greater than the first number of times N1 according to an output state of the optical pulses and a reflected state depending on an external environment.
Referring to
However, the first gate is activated first and the fourth gate is activated last based on the time point when the output of the optical pulse is restricted. The fourth gate additionally forms only an image of a far-distance area (for example, about 150 m to about 300 m) from the optical pulse output unit 110. That is, by the second to fourth gates, the night image display apparatus obtains an image plural times as the image corresponds to a far-distance image.
A light quantity ratio obtained by each of the plurality of gates is calculated for each pixel (S340). The controller 300 divides the detected quantity of light of each gate by a number of times of activating each gate. The light quantity ratio of each of the first to fourth gates for each pixel is calculated. For example, the light quantity ratio of the second gate with respect to the first gate, the light quantity ratio of the third gate with respect to the second gate, and the light quantity ratio of the fourth gate with respect to the third gate are calculated for each pixel.
As illustrated in
For example, when the light quantity ratios of the first and second gates correspond to 0.6 for one pixel, an object corresponding to an image of the pixel is calculated to be about 42 m away from the night image display apparatus 1000. Distance information on an image of an object located between about 20 m and about 75 m may be obtained by using the light quantity ratios of the first and second gates. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the activation time points of the first to fourth gates may be adjusted to acquire images and distance information related to objects which are located closer, or images and distance information related to objects located farther. The calculation of the light quantity ratio of each gate may be performed by the image sensor 120 or may be processed by a circuit end forming an image in the image sensor.
The controller 300 synthesizes the plurality of gate images to form a final image and controls the display unit 200 to output the final image (S360). Accordingly, since the image of the object located at a far distance is obtained a plural number of times by the first to fourth gates, the image of the object located at the far distance can be formed brighter even in the final image.
In addition, the distance calculation can be performed using the images obtained by the plurality of gates, and thus the distance information related to the object can be provided together with the images even without a separate detection sensor for detecting the distance.
The controller 300 may control the display unit 200 to output distance information 511 related to each object along with a final image 510. For example, the distance information 511 may be output in form of text adjacent to each object. The controller 300 calculates a light quantity ratio for a pixel from which the image of the object is acquired, and acquires distance information related to the image displayed on the pixel according to the data and the light quantity ratio.
That is, since the final image is output as a clear image even when the object is located at a relatively far distance and the distance information is also output together with the final image, the user can more accurately recognize not only the existence of the object but also the position and distance of the object.
A gate of the image sensor 210 is activated for a specific time t at a first time interval T1. (S410). The controller 300 controls an optical pulse output unit 220 to output optical pulses for the first time t1 at the second time interval T2 in a manner of outputting the output optical pulses in a first pattern in which a light quantity gradually changes for the first time t1 (S420). Referring to (a) of
When the optical pulses are output in the first pattern a first number of times N1 , the controller 300 outputs optical pulses in a second pattern, different from the first pattern, for a second time t2 at the second time interval T2 (S430). The second time t2 is set to be shorter than the first time t1. A time from a time point when the output of the optical pulses of the second pattern is restricted to a time point when the gate is activated is longer than a time from a time point when the output of the optical pulses of the first pattern is restricted to a time point when the gate is activated. Accordingly, optical pulses reflected by an object which is located at a relatively close distance are not detected when the optical pulses of the second pattern are output. The controller 300 controls the optical pulse output unit 110 to output the optical pulses by a second number of times N2, and the first number of times N1 and the second number of times N2 may be set to be the same as each other. Although not illustrated, the controller 300 may acquire an additional image by controlling the optical pulse output unit 220 to output the optical pulses in a third pattern, which is the same as the second pattern but is output for a third time t3 shorter than the second time t2.
As illustrated in
The controller 300 measures a distance using data related to the light quantity ratio and the distance and the calculated light quantity ratio (S450). The data related to the light quantity ratio and distance are as illustrated in
Meanwhile, referring to (b) of
However, the number and arrangement of lightings are not limited to those illustrated in the drawings.
Referring to (a) of
On the other hand, referring to
The controller 300 may set a pattern of outputting the optical pulses based on a distance up to an area to be photographed and an external environment.
Referring to (b) of
Referring to (c) of
The controller 300 adjusts a time at which each gate is activated in the embodiment of
A radar unit 400 outputs electromagnetic waves to detect an obstacle (or a target) while the vehicle is traveling, thereby providing information related to a distance up to the obstacle, a speed moving toward (or away from) the obstacle, an angle between the traveling direction and an area where the obstacle is located, and the like. The night image display apparatus 1000 according to this embodiment may be controlled using the information provided by the radar unit 400.
However, the radar unit may not be included in the night image display apparatus 1000. When the radar unit and the night image display apparatus 1000 are installed in a vehicle together, an object detected by the radar unit and information related to the object may be provided to the night image display apparatus 1000 through wired/wireless communication.
The controller 300 activates the radar unit 400 while the vehicle is traveling (S510). The radar unit 400 is preferably disposed adjacent to the photographing unit 100, or arranged to have the same detection range and photographing range as those of the photographing unit 100.
The controller 300 activates the photographing unit 100 when an obstacle (or a target) is detected by the radar unit 400. That is, the controller 300 outputs optical pulses by the optical pulse output unit 110 and activates the image sensor 120.
In addition, the controller 300 may set a distance range for acquiring image information by using the information related to the obstacle received from the radar unit 400. The controller 300 outputs an image of the distance range in which the obstacle is detected using the distance information (S530). The controller 300 may control the display unit 200 to be deactivated again when the obstacle is not detected by the radar unit after a final image including the image of the obstacle is output.
The controller 300 may control both the photographing unit 100 and the display unit 200 or switch only the display unit from the inactive state into the active state, based on whether or not an obstacle is detected by the radar unit 400.
Referring to
According to this embodiment, when a danger is detected in the driving of the vehicle, the image of the obstacle is output on the display unit 200, and thus the driver can immediately recognize the danger of the obstacle. Therefore, the driver can immediately take a measure to avoid the danger.
The foregoing detailed description should not be limitedly interpreted in all the aspects and should be understood to be illustrative. The scope of the present invention should be decided by reasonable interpretation and all changes and modifications that fall within an equivalent range are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.
The present invention provides an image processing method that provides an image of a relatively far-distance area more clearly, and thus can be utilized in various related industrial fields.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2015-0186740 | Dec 2015 | KR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/KR2016/001346 | 2/5/2016 | WO | 00 |
