Vehicle vision system with positionable virtual viewpoint

Abstract

A vehicle vision system includes a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle and having respective exterior fields of view and a display screen for displaying images derived from captured image data in a surround view format where captured image data is merged to provide a single composite display image from a virtual viewing position. A gesture sensing device is operable to sense a gesture made by the driver of the vehicle. A control provides a selected displayed image for viewing by the driver to assist the driver during a particular driving maneuver. The control is responsive to sensing by the gesture sensing device, whereby the driver can adjust the displayed image by at least one of (a) touch and (b) gesture to adjust at least one of (i) a virtual viewing location, (ii) a virtual viewing angle, (iii) a degree of zoom and (iv) a degree of panning.

1 : A vehicle vision system comprising:
 a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vision system and having respective exterior fields of view, said plurality of cameras comprising a forward viewing camera at a front portion of the equipped vehicle, a rearward viewing camera at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle, a driver side sideward viewing camera at a driver side of the equipped vehicle and a passenger side sideward viewing camera at a passenger side of the equipped vehicle;   a display screen for displaying images derived from image data captured by said cameras in a surround view format where captured image data is merged to provide a single composite display image representative of a view from a virtual viewing position;   a control operable to adjust at least one of (i) a virtual viewing location of the displayed composite image, (ii) a virtual viewing angle of the displayed composite image, (iii) a degree of zoom of the displayed composite image and (iv) a degree of panning of the displayed composite image;   a gesture sensing device operable to sense a gesture made by a driver of the equipped vehicle; and   wherein said control is responsive to sensing by said gesture sensing device of a gesture made by the driver, and wherein, responsive at least in part to a determined gesture made by the driver, said control adjusts said at least one of (i) a virtual viewing location of the displayed composite image, (ii) a virtual viewing angle of the displayed composite image, (iii) a degree of zoom of the displayed composite image and (iv) a degree of panning of the displayed composite image.   
     
     
         2 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 1 , wherein said control is operable to discern a gesture made by a hand of the driver of the equipped vehicle. 
     
     
         3 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 1 , wherein said gesture sensing device is operable to determine a gesture made by the driver at a touch input and wherein said control is operable to discern a type of touch made by a hand of the driver of the equipped vehicle. 
     
     
         4 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 1 , wherein said control is operable to discern a type of gesture made by a hand of the driver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the type of gesture comprises at least one of (a) a tapping made by at least one finger of the hand of the driver and (b) a sliding motion made by at least one finger of the hand of the driver. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 1 , wherein said control is operable to discern a gesture movement made by fingers of a hand of the driver at or proximate a touch screen of said gesture sensing device. 
     
     
         7 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 6 , wherein said control is operable to discern gesture movements made by two or more fingers of the hand of the driver at or proximate said touch screen. 
     
     
         8 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 1 , wherein said control is operable to discern a gesture made by two or more fingers of a hand of the driver. 
     
     
         9 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 1 , wherein said control is operable to adjust the displayed images responsive to detection of one or more fingers of a hand of the driver touching and moving at a touch screen of said gesture sensing device. 
     
     
         10 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 1 , wherein said gesture sensing device comprises at least one of (i) a time of flight sensor, (ii) at least one camera having a field of view interior of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a single camera having a field of view interior of the equipped vehicle and comprising motion disparity detection, and (iv) two cameras having fields of view interior of the equipped vehicle and comprising stereo camera disparity detection. 
     
     
         11 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 1 , wherein said control comprises an image processor and wherein, responsive to image processing of captured image data by said image processor, said vision system is operable to highlight displayed images of one or more hazards detected in the field of view of at least one of said cameras. 
     
     
         12 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 1 , wherein, responsive to a determination of a head movement made by the driver of the equipped vehicle, said control is operable to adjust a virtual viewing location of the displayed image. 
     
     
         13 : A vehicle vision system comprising:
 a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vision system and having respective exterior fields of view, said plurality of cameras comprising a forward viewing camera at a front portion of the equipped vehicle, a rearward viewing camera at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle, a driver side sideward viewing camera at a driver side of the equipped vehicle and a passenger side sideward viewing camera at a passenger side of the equipped vehicle;   a display screen for displaying images derived from image data captured by said cameras in a surround view format where captured image data is merged to provide a single composite display image representative of a view from a virtual viewing position;   a control operable to adjust at least one of (i) a virtual viewing location of the displayed composite image, (ii) a virtual viewing angle of the displayed composite image, (iii) a degree of zoom of the displayed composite image and (iv) a degree of panning of the displayed composite image;   a gesture sensing device operable to sense a gesture made by a driver of the equipped vehicle, wherein said gesture sensing device comprises an interior camera having a field of view interior the equipped vehicle that encompasses at least a portion of an area typically occupied by a driver of the equipped vehicle; and   wherein said control is responsive to sensing by said gesture sensing device of a gesture made by the driver, and wherein, responsive at least in part to a determined gesture made by the driver, said control adjusts said at least one of (i) a virtual viewing location of the displayed composite image, (ii) a virtual viewing angle of the displayed composite image, (iii) a degree of zoom of the displayed composite image and (iv) a degree of panning of the displayed composite image.   
     
     
         14 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 13 , wherein said control is operable to discern a gesture made by a hand of the driver of the equipped vehicle. 
     
     
         15 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 13 , wherein said control is operable to discern a type of gesture made by a hand of the driver of the equipped vehicle, and wherein the type of gesture comprises at least one of (a) a tapping made by at least one finger of a hand of the driver and (b) a sliding motion made by at least one finger of a hand of the driver. 
     
     
         16 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 13 , wherein said control is operable to discern a gesture made by two or more fingers of a hand of the driver. 
     
     
         17 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 13 , wherein said control comprises an image processor and wherein, responsive to image processing of captured image data by said image processor, said vision system is operable to highlight displayed images of one or more hazards detected in the field of view of at least one of said cameras. 
     
     
         18 : A vehicle vision system comprising:
 a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vision system and having respective exterior fields of view, said plurality of cameras comprising at least a rearward viewing camera at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle, a driver side sideward viewing camera at a driver side of the equipped vehicle and a passenger side sideward viewing camera at a passenger side of the equipped vehicle;   a display screen for displaying images derived from image data captured by said cameras in a surround view format where captured image data is merged to provide a single composite display image representative of a view from a virtual viewing position;   a control operable to adjust at least one of (i) a virtual viewing location of the displayed composite image, (ii) a virtual viewing angle of the displayed composite image, (iii) a degree of zoom of the displayed composite image and (iv) a degree of panning of the displayed composite image;   a gesture sensing device operable to sense a gesture made by a hand of a driver of the equipped vehicle, wherein said gesture sensing device comprises an interior camera having a field of view interior the equipped vehicle that encompasses at least a portion of an area typically occupied by a driver of the equipped vehicle;   wherein said control is responsive to sensing of a driver's hand gesture by said gesture sensing device, and wherein, responsive at least in part to a determined hand gesture by the driver, said control adjusts said at least one of (i) a virtual viewing location of the displayed composite image, (ii) a virtual viewing angle of the displayed composite image, (iii) a degree of zoom of the displayed composite image and (iv) a degree of panning of the displayed composite image; and   wherein, responsive to a determination of a head movement made by the driver of the equipped vehicle, said control is operable to adjust a virtual viewing location of the displayed image.   
     
     
         19 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 18 , wherein said control is operable to discern a driver's hand gesture made by two or more fingers of the hand of the driver. 
     
     
         20 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 18 , wherein, responsive to image processing of captured image data, said vision system is operable to highlight displayed images of one or more hazards detected in the field of view of at least one of said cameras. 
     
     
         21 : The vehicle vision system of  claim 18 , wherein, responsive to a determination of a head movement made by the driver of the equipped vehicle that is indicative of the driver looking upward or downward, said control is operable to vertically adjust the virtual viewing location of the displayed image.