BACKGROUND

A "Third-person” view is a computer video game terminology refers to a graphical perspective rendered from a fixed distance behind and slightly above the player character. In this invention the "Third- person” view means a virtual camera capture image from a fixed distance and slightly above the car.

Human beings are more superior than computer when it come to recognize and classify objects. So represent a "Third-Person” view during driving to the driver in a more meaningful way will make the driving more easy and comfortable. In most cars,the driver is limited to a fixed position,which make it almost impossible to change position of the driver during driving. Steering wheel,brake,gas pedal are mechanical control devices,which make it difficult for beginners to learn how to coordinate it. And it will cost many time for beginners to master how to drive a car safely. This invention is trying to make this process more easier,which not only give a new way to display and control the car,but also make it as easy as playing a video game.

SUMMARY

By presenting a "Third-person” view to the driver during driving which is similar to the third person view in video game could help the driver watch the road condition more intuitively and comfortably.

This invention basically provide two methods to archive this goal. One method is set a pole with camera or cameras at the end of it on the roof of the car to capture the road condition and then presenting this view to the driver at realtime. The other method is set cameras at the sides or top of the car without poles stick high above the roof,using image processing unit to generate a virtual third person view at realtime and then presenting this view on the display terminal.

When driving at night or raining or snowing or fog days,it is hard for the driver to recognize objects or cars on the road. This invention also introduced an enhanced vision of the road condition view to remove the outdoor scene shadow when driving at sunny day.

By adding an wireframe from a high precision 3D map to the view could help the driver to identity the road more clearly. The image processing unit also generate estimated depth of the view,using the high precision 3d map could provide correct depth occlusion of other cars and objects on the road.

Conventional cars usually have steering wheel,brake and gas pedal which are mechanical control device,which need a lot of time for human to learn how to coordinate with it. Even a proficient driver couldn't guarantee to operate it correctly all the time. While this invention introduce new control device such as game pad,tablet,mobile phone or other similar custom control device,which will make it easy to learn. And driving a car is as easy as playing a video game.

The display terminal would be tablet,VR-headset,mobile phone or other similar custom display device instead of a direct human sight will liberate the the driver and the driver could stay at any place in the car while in the conventional car driver is limited at a fixed position. The display terminal and control device will make it easier for other ones to take over the car in emergence situation.

According to one embodiment disclosed herein,a display system for driving assistance is provided. The display system includes a pole with camera or cameras at the end of it installed on the roof of the car, an image processing unit and a display terminal to present a “Third-person” view of the road condition to the driver.

According to one embodiment disclosed herein, a display system for driving assistance is provided. The display system includes cameras installed at the sides and top of the car but without poles stick high above the roof,an image processing unit and a display terminal to present a “Third-person” view of the road condition to the driver.

According to one embodiment disclosed herein, a control system for driving assistance is provided. This control system includes an interactive input device and an action processing unit to operate the car.

According to one embodiment disclosed herein,a car with a display system and a control system for driving assistance is provided. The display system includes a pole with camera or cameras at the end of it installed on the roof of the car, an image processing unit and a display terminal to present a “Third-person” view of the road condition to the driver. The control system for driving assistance is provided. This control system includes an interactive input device and an action processing unit to operate the car.

According to one embodiment disclosed herein,a car with a display system and a control system for driving assistance is provided. The display system includes cameras installed at the sides and top of the car but without without poles stick high above the roof,an image processing unit and a display terminal to present a “Third-person” view of the road condition to the driver. The control system for driving assistance is provided. This control system includes an interactive input device and an action processing unit to operate the car.

According to one embodiment disclosed herein,a special “snap” mode is include in the action processing unit,which will prevent the car collide with other objects when driving on a narrow street. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG.l is a side-up view of a car with a pole installed at the top of the roof,and cameras set at the end of the pole in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

FIG.2 is a side-up view of the car with cameras installed at the sides of the car in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

FIG.3 is a realtime “Third-person” view generated from the image processing unit at sunny daytime in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

FIG.4 is a realtime “Third-person” view generated from the image processing unit at night/raining/snowing/fog day in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

FIG.5 is an example of the display terminal as tablet,VR-Headset, and an example of the input device as gamepad in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Although computer vision has been made many progress these days, human being are still have some advantage especially for objects recognize and classification,hich is important for car driver to watch out the road condition during driving. By presenting a special “Third-person” view of the car will give the driver a more meaningful representation of the road condition. And this let the driver drive the car in a more intuitive way.

One method to archive this goal is installed a pole with camera or cameras at the end of it on the roof of the car.

FIG.l is a side-up view of a car with a pole 102 installed at the roof of the car and cameras 101 at the end of the pole 102.

There is a image processing unit generate a “Third-person” view of the car at realtime from the images captured by the cameras 101.

Since there might be a shake for the cameras 101 during driving, the image processing unit also contains an image stabilizer to register images from frame to frame and remove possible motion blur.

The pole 102 will fold automatically when traveling in a tunnel or there is a limitation of the height of the car. During this period,the image processing unit will generate a convertible mode of the view for the driver to operate the car. Such convertible mode is using computer vision algorithm to generate a virtual camera located at the front of the car just like the driver is driving a convertible car. FIG.2 is another method to archive the same goal. This method only using camera 201 and camera 202 without poles stick high above the roof.

An image processing unit will generate a “Third-person” view of the car at realtime by using computer vision algorithm.

This computer vision algorithm is the technical core of this invention. Most automaker such as tesla use simple symbol model to present the car while this invention generate a “Third-person” view which is synthesized from real image just like special effects in the sci-fi movies. The road side scene and the cars in the “Third- person” view are generated from real image. The virtual view generated from the image processing unit is just like a real camera capture the whole scene at realtime. All of this is depend on an advanced computer vision algorithm to make it work.

The image processing unit generate such “Third-person” view of the car at realtime and sent it to the display terminal to present it to the driver. The display terminal could be a mobile phone,tablet,VR-Headset or other similar display device.

When driving at sunny day, the image processing unit could also remove the outdoor scene shadow when generated the “Third-person” view.

FIG.3 is a sunny day view generated from the image processing unit at realtime. The generated view will be registered in a high precision 3D map. Additional information could be optionally showed in the view such as road lines,navigation guide info,hint info of the building at road sides or even advertisement info. The image processing unit also generate estimated depth of the view,this depth image will be used when show the additional information to get correct depth occlusion. All this information could also be showed to other non-driver passengers on the car or even transmitting via internet connection for remote viewing or even for remote controlled driving.

When driving at night or raining or snowing or fog day,it is hard for the driver to recognize objects on the road. The image processing unit might use IR image of the scene to generate an enhanced version of the “Third-person” view of the car when driving in the above conditions.

By adding an wireframe from the high precision 3D map to the “Third-person” view could help the driver to identify the objects and cars on the road more clearly.

FIG.4 is a “Third-person” view of the car generated by the image processing unit when driving at night or raining or snowing or fog day. A wireframe with distinguishing color to the view is added to the view with other information similar in the FIG.3 can also be showed optionally.

Conventional cars usually have steering wheel,brake and gas pedal which are mechanical control device,which need a lot of time for human to learn how to coordinate with it. Even a proficient driver couldn't guarantee to operate it correctly all the time. While this invention introduce new control device such as gamepad,tablet,mobile phone or other similar custom control device,which will make it easy to learn. And driving a car is as easy as playing a video game. The display terminal would be tablet,VR-headset,mobile phone or other similar custom display device instead of a direct human sight will liberate the the driver and the driver could stay at any place in the car while in the conventional car driver is limited at a fixed position. The display terminal and control device will make it easier for other ones to take over the car in emergence situation.

FIG.5 is an example display terminal device which are tablet and a VR-Headset. The control system includes a interactive input device and a action processing unit. The interactive input device could be a gamepad,tablet,mobile phone or similar input device. The action processing unit will translate the input action into commands. These commands control the car to execute the operation of the driver.

The action processing unit also contains a “snap” mode,when the car driving on a narrow road or narrow street. The action processing unit will try to keep a minimum distance to other cars or obstacles automatically. The car will just go through the street without worrying about scratching something.

The subject matter described above is provided by way of illustration only and should not be constructed as limiting various modifications and changes maybe made to the subject matter described herein without following the example embodiments and applications without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure which is also covered by this invention.