US8320628B2 — Method and system for assisting driver

Claim 1

Independent Claim 256 words

A driving assistance method, comprising the steps of: obtaining a surrounding image relating to the surrounding environment of a carrier while the carrier is moving; performing an image-based motion vector estimation based upon the variation of the surrounding image so as to determine a moving status of the carrier while the carrier is moving backward; constructing an assistant trajectory according to the moving status; making an evaluation to determine whether there is a feature object found in the varying surrounding image during the backward movement of the carrier; and if so, determining the distance between the carrier and the feature object; performing a first assistance process according to the distance between the moving carrier and the feature object; and performing a viewpoint switching operation while the distance is smaller than a first distance, wherein the viewpoint switching operation is performed for converting a coordinate (x,y,0) is real world into another coordinate (α,β) in the image space by the following formula: α ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) = ω _ ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) - ( γ - ϕ ) 2 ⁢ ϕ n - 1 ; β ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) = ϖ _ ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) - ( θ - ϕ ) 2 ⁢ ϕ m - 1 ; wherein , ω _ = arctan ⁡ ( x y ) ⁢ ⁢ and ⁢ ⁢ ϖ _ = arctan ⁡ ( h x 2 + y 2 ) .

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 256 words

A driving assistance method, comprising the steps of: obtaining a surrounding image relating to the surrounding environment of a carrier while the carrier is moving; performing an image-based motion vector estimation based upon the variation of the surrounding image so as to determine a moving status of the carrier while the carrier is moving backward; constructing an assistant trajectory according to the moving status; making an evaluation to determine whether there is a feature object found in the varying surrounding image during the backward movement of the carrier; and if so, determining the distance between the carrier and the feature object; performing a first assistance process according to the distance between the moving carrier and the feature object; and performing a viewpoint switching operation while the distance is smaller than a first distance, wherein the viewpoint switching operation is performed for converting a coordinate (x,y,0) is real world into another coordinate (α,β) in the image space by the following formula: α ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) = ω _ ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) - ( γ - ϕ ) 2 ⁢ ϕ n - 1 ; β ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) = ϖ _ ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) - ( θ - ϕ ) 2 ⁢ ϕ m - 1 ; wherein , ω _ = arctan ⁡ ( x y ) ⁢ ⁢ and ⁢ ⁢ ϖ _ = arctan ⁡ ( h x 2 + y 2 ) .

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 110 words

The driving assistance method of claim 1 , wherein the image-based motion vector estimation further comprises the steps of: obtaining a first image relating to the surrounding environment of a carrier at a first time point; selecting a datum area from the first image; obtaining a second image relating to the surrounding environment of the carrier at a second time point; performing a search in the second image for locating a comparison area that corresponds to the datum area in the first image so as to acquire an image space distance between the comparison area and the datum area; and determining an assistant trajectory according to the image space distance.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 81 words

The driving assistance method of claim 2 , wherein the search in the second image for locating a comparison area that corresponds to the datum area further comprises the steps of: calculating a first characteristic value relating to the datum area; and comparing every area in the second image with the datum area with regard to the first characteristic value so as to search and select an area whose sum of absolute differences is the smallest to be the comparison area.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 19 words

The driving assistance method of claim 3 , wherein the first characteristic value is a value of gray level.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 104 words

The driving assistance method of claim 3 , wherein the searching of the area whose sum of absolute difference (SAD) is the smallest to be used as the comparison area further comprises the steps of: designating an area in the second image to be a detection area; calculating the sum of absolute differences (SAD) between a second characteristic value of the detection area with the first characteristic value; designating another area in the second image to be a detection area; repeating the step (b) to step (c) so as to obtain a plurality of SADs accordingly; and selecting the minimum from the plural SADs.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 56 words

The driving assistance method of claim 5 , wherein the calculating of the SAD is proceeded by the following formula: SAD( p,q )=Σ X,YεA i |I ( t− 11, X,Y )− I ( t,X+p,Y+q )|; while the minimum of the plural SADs is selected according to the following formula: min p,q SAD i ( p,q ).

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 60 words

The driving assistance method of claim 2 , wherein the determining of the assistant trajectory of the carrier further comprises the steps of: determining a moving direction of the carrier according to the image space distance; and using the moving direction to search in a pre-established trajectory database for locating a moving trajectory as the assistant trajectory of the carrier.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 32 words

The driving assistance method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: Performing a second assistance process according to the moving speed of the carrier while the carrier is moving forward.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 64 words

The driving assistance method of claim 8 , wherein the second assistance process further comprises the steps of: performing a lane detection operation and an obstacle detection operation according to the surrounding image; and making an evaluation to determine whether or not it is required to generate an alert signal according to the results from the lane detection operation and the obstacle detection operation.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 31 words

The driving assistance method of claim 1 , wherein the first assistance process further comprises the step of: issuing the alert signal while the distance is smaller than a second distance.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 27 words

The driving assistance method of claim 1 , wherein the viewpoint switching operation is performed for converting the images captured from common viewing angle into bird-view images.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 65 words

The driving assistance method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the distance between the carrier and the feature object further comprises the steps of: building in advance a formula for transforming coordinates used for defining locations of features detected in the images into distances in real world; and using the coordinates of the identified feature to obtain the distance to the identified feature.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 254 words

A driving assistance system, comprising: an image sensing device, mounted on a moving carrier for capturing a surrounding image relating to the surrounding environment of the carrier; a control unit, coupled to the image sensing device for performing the following operations while the carrier is moving backward: determining a moving status of the carrier according to a motion vector relating to the movement of a specific block in the various surrounding images captured by the image sensing device at different time points; constructing an assistant trajectory according to the moving status; performing a detection/identification process relating to a first feature object so as to determine a distance between the moving carrier and the first feature object; and performing a viewpoint switching operation while the distance is smaller than a first distance, wherein the viewpoint switching operation is performed for converting a coordinate (x,y,0) is real world into another coordinate (α,β) in the image space by the following formula: α ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) = ω _ ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) - ( γ - ϕ ) 2 ⁢ ϕ n - 1 ; β ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) = ϖ _ ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) - ( θ - ϕ ) 2 ⁢ ϕ m - 1 ; wherein , ω _ = arctan ⁡ ( x y ) ⁢ ⁢ and ⁢ ⁢ ϖ _ = arctan ⁡ ( h x 2 + y 2 ) .

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 254 words

A driving assistance system, comprising: an image sensing device, mounted on a moving carrier for capturing a surrounding image relating to the surrounding environment of the carrier; a control unit, coupled to the image sensing device for performing the following operations while the carrier is moving backward: determining a moving status of the carrier according to a motion vector relating to the movement of a specific block in the various surrounding images captured by the image sensing device at different time points; constructing an assistant trajectory according to the moving status; performing a detection/identification process relating to a first feature object so as to determine a distance between the moving carrier and the first feature object; and performing a viewpoint switching operation while the distance is smaller than a first distance, wherein the viewpoint switching operation is performed for converting a coordinate (x,y,0) is real world into another coordinate (α,β) in the image space by the following formula: α ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) = ω _ ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) - ( γ - ϕ ) 2 ⁢ ϕ n - 1 ; β ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) = ϖ _ ⁡ ( x , y , 0 ) - ( θ - ϕ ) 2 ⁢ ϕ m - 1 ; wherein , ω _ = arctan ⁡ ( x y ) ⁢ ⁢ and ⁢ ⁢ ϖ _ = arctan ⁡ ( h x 2 + y 2 ) .

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 28 words

The driving assistance system of claim 13 , wherein the first feature object is an object selected from the group consisting of: an obstacle and a pavement marker.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 61 words

The driving assistance system of claim 13 , wherein the control unit is designed to convert the images captured by the image sensing device into bird-view images as soon as the distance between the carrier and the first feature object detected in the images is smaller than a first distance and thus provide an bird-view image signal to the display unit.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 47 words

The driving assistance system of claim 13 , wherein the control unit is enabled to direct an alarm module to issue an alert signal as soon as the distance between the carrier and the first feature object detected in the images is smaller than a second distance.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 30 words

The driving assistance system of claim 13 , further comprises: a radar detection unit, for generating a radar detection signal to be used by the control unit in obstacle detection.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 31 words

The driving assistance system of claim 13 , wherein the control unit is enabled to perform a detection/identification process relating to a second feature object while the carrier is moving forward.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 28 words

The driving assistance system of claim 18 , wherein the second feature object is an object selected from the group consisting of: an obstacle and a pavement marker.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 47 words

The driving assistance system of claim 18 , wherein the control unit is enabled to make an evaluation to determine the relationship between the moving carrier and the second feature object so as to determine whether to direct an alarm module to issue an alert signal accordingly.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2015-11-27	2016-05-28	2016-11-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2019-11-27	2020-05-28	2020-11-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2023-11-27	2024-05-28	2024-11-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and system for assisting driver

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