A CAMERA VIEW SYSTEM DETECTING BLIND SPOTS IN

TRAFFIC

The invention is a system for reducing the damage of traffic accidents and for turning accidents with injury into accidents with material damage and relates to a method for increasing angle of sight by transmitting the images acquired from cameras mounted on front and rear bumper of vehicles to certain locations inside the vehicle and for reducing the severity of accidents.

While there are precautions taken by the automotive manufacturers for reducing the number of traffic accidents in the state of the art, there are several patent and utility model applications regarding current problem. In said applications, solutions such as reducing death and injury rates due to traffic accidents by means of increasing safety belt usage, preventing accidents by means of preventing the headlights from disturbing the drivers on highways and urban areas by a system sensitive to headlights, and a device aiming to warn the drivers of the moving vehicles against possible crashes and to minimize the number and severity of accidents involving frontal collision are disclosed.

In accordance with the data acquired by taking into consideration the studies and expert reviews, it is seen that in various types of traffic accidents, depending on the collision speed, death risk increases from 10% to 70% in the conditions given below.

For pedestrians from 30 km/h to 50 km/h

In lateral collisions from 50 km/h to 70 km/h

In head-on collisions from 70 km/h to 90 km/h

The 20 km/h difference in speed may become an accident resulting in death. These results show the importance of speed.

The higher the velocity is in a collision, the higher the amount of mechanical (kinetic) energy that must be absorbed at the moment of crash. The velocity modifications which affect road safety are directly related to the change in kinetic energy which is generated at the moment of crash. The kinetic energy of a moving vehicle is directly proportional to the mass of the vehicle and to the square of its velocity. (e _k =l/2m*v2) In high speeds, the velocity at the moment of crash is increased and thus, the force applied to the vehicle and the passengers is also increased. Therefore, it is much more probable for high speed to cause important losses.

In roads sectors, the speed limit of which variates between 25km/h and 120 km/h, there is a strong statistical correlation between speed and risk of crash. If the average speed is reduced in traffic, number of crashes and serious injuries is pretty much reduced; if the average speed is increased, number of crashes and serious injuries is generally increased. The formula stating the correlation between speed modifications and crash risk is given below.

CMF= (V _a /V _b )X

CMF= Crash modification factor

V _a : Average speed after speed change

V _t ,: Average speed before speed change

X= 3.6 (Crashes involving death)

2.0 (Crashes involving injury)

1.0 (Crashes resulting in material damage)

4.5 (Deaths)

2.7 (Injuries)

It is seen that a 5% increase in average speed results in a 10% increase in crashes involving injury and a 20% increase in crashes involving death.

For instance;

For vehicle A travelling at 50 km/h (13.88 m/s);

Stopping distance: 10.4 meters

Braking distance: 16.4 meters Total stopping distance: 10.4+16.4=26.8 meters.

The distance Y (the distance between the driver and the front point of the vehicle): 2.2 meters (differs in accordance with the brand, model and type of the vehicle.)

In how many seconds does a vehicle speeding up from 0 km/h cover 2.2 meters?

V _f : 20 km h=5.55 m/s Vi: 0 V _f : 2.2 meters

Y _f : 0

Although it differs in accordance with vehicle type and reflexes V=V _f -Vi=5.55-0=5.55 m/s Y=Y _f -Yi=2.2-0=2.2 meters

T= Y/V = 2.2/5.55=0.396=0.4 seconds (approximately)

Distance covered by a vehicle travelling at 50 km/h = 13.88 m/s is Y=V*T=13.88*0.4=5.6 meter (approximately)

In this case, the stopping distance of the same vehicle: 26.8+5.6= 32.4 meter In this case,

• As the vehicle A will see the vehicle B which gets on the road later, the stopping distance will increase.

• Vehicle B will get on the way of vehicle A.

• Due to the fact that its stopping distance increases, the crash impact and speed of vehicle A to vehicle B will increase.

• If a crash occurs, the crashing point of vehicle A to vehicle B will be in a position which will do more harm to the people in vehicle B.

When we increase the angle of sight which is low in accordance with the seating point inside the vehicle by means of the cameras we place on front bumpers of vehicles, vehicle B will not get on the road because it sees vehicle A beforehand and even if it gets on the road, it will stop earlier as it sees vehicle A. In this case, vehicle A will continue safely or it chance of a maneuver will increase. If a crash occurs despite this, vehicle A will hit vehicle B from the front. This way, the damage in accidents will be reduced from death and injury to material damage. Possible crash scenarios depending on angle of sight are explained below with examples.

 A

B

CARPARK etc.

With the method according to the invention, it is aimed to increase angle of sight by transmitting the images acquired from cameras mounted on front and rear bumper of vehicles to certain locations inside the vehicle and to reduce the severity of accidents.

In the method according to the invention, in-vehicle angle of sight is increased by installing to the right and left side of front and rear bumpers four cameras with a 140 degree or above angle of sight, which provide image day and night, which have maximum angle of sight and which are impact resistant. The images received from these cameras are transmitted to displays mounted on several locations inside the car. These locations, for example locations on the inner section of vehicle side mirrors or the in-vehicle sections therein where there is a small glass, must be suitable for human ergonomics and vehicle designs. Depending on the OLED displays becoming widespread, in-vehicle camera applications will have a much aesthetical form.

Moreover, these displays may be united at the middle of the vehicle. However, instinctually, a human will have the urge to turn his/her head towards the direction where the danger, vehicle etc. is approaching from.

These cameras may transmit image to the displays continuously, or alternatively front cameras may be activated in forward movement and rear cameras may be activated in backward movement. Moreover, transmitting the image to the displays from the front cameras, the rear cameras or the right side and the left side cameras may be conducted by means of a signal or a button. These systems may be capable of both recording the images and transmitting the camera image to the display without recording. The next step will be adding a distance measuring equipment and a warning system along with cameras to the bumpers of the vehicles, calculating the distance and speed of vehicle A approaching vehicle B and notifying the movement of vehicle B by means of warning and alarm or stopping the movement of vehicle B. The camera view system detecting blind spots in traffic which is created in order to realize the object of the invention is illustrated in the attached figures, in which;

Figure 1 shows in-vehicle displays application view,

Figure 2 shows front left and rear left camera application view,

Figure 3 shows front right and rear right camera application view.

The parts involved in the figures of the method according to the invention are numerated and what these numbers correspond to are stated below.

1- Front left bumper camera

2- Left inner display

3- Front right bumper camera

4- Right inner display

5- Vehicle dashboard display

6- Rear left bumper camera

7- Rear right bumper camera For the front right bumper camera (3), the cables of the camera installed to the front right section of the bumper of the vehicle are transferred into the engine section through the inner section of the bumper. Said cables are transferred into the cabin with other cables coming from the engine and transferred to the rear section of the front right side mirror through the dashboard section.

The right inner display (4) is mounted to the inner section of front right side mirror of the vehicle in a manner to avoid disturbing the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle and in compliance with human ergonomics.

For the front left bumper camera (1), the cables of the camera installed to the front left section of the bumper of the vehicle are transferred into the engine section through the inner section of the bumper. Said cables are transferred into the cabin with other cables coming from the engine and transferred to the rear section of the front left side mirror through the dashboard section. The left inner display (2) is mounted to the inner section of front left side mirror of the vehicle in a manner to avoid disturbing the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle and in compliance with human ergonomics.

For the rear right bumper camera (7), the camera installed to the rear right section of the bumper of the vehicle can be connected to the front right camera (3) by means of transfer cables which are transferred to the cabin with other electric cables through the trunk section of the vehicle.

For the rear left bumper camera (6), the camera installed to the rear left section of the bumper of the vehicle can be connected to the front left camera (1) by means of transfer cables which are transferred to the cabin with other electric cables through the trunk section of the vehicle. The images received from four cameras mounted on right and left sides of front and rear bumpers may be put together on the vehicle dashboard display (5).

Front left bumper camera (1) transmits image only to the inner left display (2) and front right bumper camera (3) transmits image only to the inner right display (4) and thus, only the dangers approaching from the front is seen. This provides only front view. The images from the front left bumper camera (1) and the front right bumper camera (3) may be put together on the vehicle dashboard display (5) without using the inner left display (2) and inner right display (4). This provides only front view.

The images from the front left bumper camera (1) and the rear left bumper camera may be put together on inner left display (2) and the images from the front right bumper camera (3) and the rear right bumper camera (7) may be put together on inner right display (4). This provides full front and rear view.

The images from the front left bumper camera (1), front right bumper camera (3), rear left bumper camera (6) and the rear right bumper camera (7) may be put together on the vehicle dashboard display (5) without using the inner left display (2) and inner right display (4). This provides full front and rear view.

The image from the rear left bumper camera (6) may be transmitted to inner left display (2) and the image from rear right bumper camera (7) may be transmitted to inner right display (4). This provides only rear view.

The images from the rear left bumper camera (6) and the rear right bumper camera (7) may be put together on the vehicle dashboard display (5) without using the inner left display (2) and inner right display (4). This provides only rear view. The connection between the cameras and the displays may be via cables or alternatively, with the technological development, image transfer between the camera and the display may be conducted via bluetooth technology.

In accordance with the expectations, only the front cameras or only the rear cameras may be activated. With regard to the aesthetic appearance of the vehicles, some vehicle manufacturers may want to put all images together on a single display. In an alternative application of the method according to the invention, such cameras may be installed also on the side sections of right and left rear bumpers. This may be advantageous especially while exiting parking areas and while moving backwards. The images from these cameras may also be transmitted to the displays to be installed on right and left inner sections. All of these applications shall be considered within the scope of the method according to the invention.