Magna Electronics Inc.

Thomas Wierich

Yuesheng Lu

Steven V Byrne

Sebastian Pliefke

Paul Jarmola

Manfred Fürsich

Christian Weber

Michael Junglas

A vehicular vision system includes a camera disposed at a side of a body of a vehicle equipped and having a field of view exterior and at least rearward of the vehicle. The camera includes a lens and a two-dimensional imaging array sensor. The lens of the camera has a center axis region and a peripheral region around the center axis region. The center axis of the lens is laterally offset from the center of the array of the imaging array sensor. A video display displays video images derived from image data captured by the camera, the displayed video images having (i) less distortion at displayed image portions representative of a region laterally closer to the side of the body of the vehicle and (ii) greater distortion at displayed image portions representative of a region further laterally outboard from the side of the body of the vehicle.

Vehicular vision system

A vehicular control system includes a rear backup camera viewing at least rearward of the vehicle. With a trailer hitched to the vehicle, and based at least in part on image processing of captured image data during a backing-up maneuver, the image processor determines a distance between an axle of the trailer and the hitch of the vehicle and determines a trailer angle of the trailer hitched to the vehicle. During the backing-up maneuver of the trailer hitched to the vehicle, the vehicular control system determines a path of the trailer responsive to (i) a steering angle of the vehicle, (ii) the determined trailer angle of the trailer and (iii) the determined distance between the axle of the trailer and the hitch of the vehicle. The vehicular control system displays information to assist the driver in backing up the trailer hitched to the vehicle.

Vehicular control system with trailering assist function

A vehicular vision system includes a driver-side camera and a passenger-side camera each having a lens and a two dimensional imaging array sensor. The cameras are disposed at respective sides of a body of a vehicle and each have a field of view exterior of the vehicle and at least rearward of the vehicle. Each imaging array sensor has a center region. Each lens is configured to focus light at the respective imaging array sensor, and the lens has a center axis. The lens is disposed at the respective imaging array sensor with the center axis of the lens laterally offset from the center region of the imaging array sensor in a direction away from the respective body side. A video display disposed in the vehicle and viewable by a driver of the vehicle displays video images derived from image data captured by the cameras.

A vision system of a vehicle includes a camera having a lens and a two dimensional imaging array sensor. The camera is disposed at a side of a body of a vehicle and has a field of view exterior of the vehicle and at least rearward of the vehicle. The camera captures image data. The imaging array sensor has a center region. The lens is configured to focus light at the imaging array sensor, and the lens has a center axis. The lens is disposed at the imaging array sensor with the center axis of the lens laterally offset from the center region of the imaging array sensor. A video display is disposed in the vehicle and is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle. The video display is operable to display video images derived from image data captured by the camera.

Vehicle vision system

A vehicular control system includes a camera having an exterior field of view at least forward of the vehicle. During a forward maneuver of the vehicle towing a trailer, the vehicular control system detects an object present exterior of the vehicle which ought not be impacted during the forward maneuver of the vehicle towing the trailer based at least in part on image processing by an image processor of image data captured by the camera. Responsive at least in part to detection of the object, the vehicular control system determines a forward driving path for the vehicle towing the trailer that avoids the detected object so that the trailer does not run over or contact the detected object. The vehicular control system determines the forward driving path at least in part responsive to (i) processing of captured image data and (ii) trailer data pertaining to physical characteristics of the trailer.

A vehicular control system includes a camera having an exterior field of view at least rearward of the vehicle and operable to capture image data. A trailer is attached to the vehicle and image data captured by the camera includes image data captured when the vehicle is maneuvered with the trailer at an angle relative to the vehicle. The vehicular control system determines a path of the trailer responsive at least to a steering angle of the vehicle. The vehicular control system detects an object present exterior of the vehicle during maneuvering of the vehicle and the trailer and based at least in part on image processing of captured image data. The vehicular control system plans a driving path for the vehicle that avoids the detected object so that the vehicle and the trailer do not run over or contact the detected object.

A display system for a vehicle includes a head-up display unit operable to display, at a display area at a windshield of the vehicle, information that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle. The head-up display unit includes a K&#xf6;hler illuminator having a light source and an optical element. A reconfigurable mask is backlit by K&#xf6;hler illumination generated by the K&#xf6;hler illuminator.

Display unit for vehicle head-up display system

A vision system of a vehicle includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The camera includes an imaging array having rows and columns of photosensing elements that may include red light sensing elements, green light sensing elements and blue light sensing elements. An image processor is operable to process image data captured by the camera. A display is disposed in the vehicle and viewable by a driver of the vehicle and is operable to display images derived from captured image data. Responsive to image processing of captured image data by the image processor, temporal noise in images derived from captured image data is reduced by determining a change in luminance of photosensing elements from a first frame of captured image data to a second frame of captured image data.

Vehicle vision system with reduction of temporal noise in images

A vehicular vision system includes a camera having an exterior field of view, an image processor that processes image data captured by the camera, a display for displaying images derived from captured image data, and a control. The control, at least in part responsive to processing of captured image data, determines presence of an object at least partially in the camera's field of view. Responsive to determination that a portion of the determined object is obstructed or outside of the camera's field of view, the control generates an augmented image that represents an augmented reality reproduction of at least that portion of the determined object. The display displays (i) video images derived from captured image data and (ii) the generated augmented image that represents the augmented reality reproduction of at least the portion of the determined object that is obstructed or outside of the camera's field of view.

Vehicular vision system with enhanced display functions

A method for processing color image data captured by a vehicular camera to correct for color error includes providing a color camera with an imaging array having a plurality of photosensors, disposing one or more spectral filters at or in front of photosensors of the imaging array, and disposing the color camera at a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle. An image processor is provided that processes image data captured by the color camera. The processing of image data includes processing image data in a color correction loop to correct color variation due to lighting conditions so that images derived from captured image data are color corrected. The color correction accounts for color of light emitted by an illumination source.

Vehicle vision system with color correction

A vision system for a vehicle includes at least one image sensor, a control and a display. The image sensor is disposed at a subject vehicle and has a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The control, at least in part responsive to image processing of image data captured by the image sensor, is operable to generate an avatar representative of at least one object or scene segment in the field of view of the image sensor. The display is operable to display the avatar. The vision system may display an avatar that is a representation of an object that is only partially viewed by the image sensor to enhance the display for viewing and understanding by the driver of the subject vehicle, and a portion of the avatar representing the non-viewed portion of the object may be displayed in phantom.

Vehicle vision system with enhanced display functions

A vehicular control system includes a camera having an exterior field of view at least rearward of the vehicle and operable to capture image data. A trailer is attached to the vehicle and image data captured by the camera includes image data captured when the vehicle is maneuvered with the trailer at an angle relative to the vehicle. The vehicular control system determines a trailer angle of the trailer and is operable to determine a path of the trailer responsive at least to a steering angle of the vehicle and the determined trailer angle of the trailer. The vehicular control system determines an object present exterior of the vehicle and the vehicular control system distinguishes a drivable surface from a prohibited space, and the vehicular control system plans a driving path for the vehicle that neither impacts the object nor violates the prohibited space.

A method for processing color image data captured by a vehicular camera includes providing a color camera having an imaging array having a plurality of photosensors, and disposing one or more spectral filters at or in front of photosensors of the plurality of photosensors of the imaging array. The color camera is disposed at a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The color camera captures image data that is provided to an image processor, which processes the image data captured by the color camera. The processing of image data includes processing via an algorithmic loop that corrects color variation due to lighting conditions so that images derived from captured image data are color corrected. The algorithmic loop includes processing image data in a color correction loop for color correction.

A vehicular vision system includes a camera and an image processor operable to process captured image data. When the vehicle is towing a trailer, and based at least in part on image processing of image data captured by the camera during maneuvering of the vehicle and the trailer, the vision system estimates a length of the trailer. Image data captured during maneuvering of the vehicle and the trailer includes image data captured when the vehicle is maneuvered with the trailer at an angle relative to the vehicle. The vision system, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data, determines a trailer angle of the trailer that is towed by the vehicle, and is operable to determine a path of the trailer responsive to a steering angle of the vehicle and the determined trailer angle of the trailer and the estimated length of the trailer.

Vehicle vision system with trailer angle detection

A vision system for a vehicle includes at least one image sensor, a control and a display. The image sensor is disposed at a subject vehicle and has a field of view exterior of the vehicle. The control, at least in part responsive to image processing of image data captured by the image sensor, is operable to generate an avatar representative of at least one object or scene segment in the field of view of the image sensor. The display is operable to display the avatar. The vision system may display an avatar that is a substantial representation of an object that is only partially viewed by the image sensor to enhance the display for viewing and understanding by the driver of the subject vehicle, and a portion of the avatar representing the non-viewed portion of the object may be displayed as a phantom image.

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Butzbach, Germany

Thomas Wierich