# US 12,179,783 B2 · Apparatus and method for providing extended function to vehicle

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- Number: US 12,179,783 B2
- Document ID: US12179783B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/753,421
- Filed: 2019-09-03
- Published: 2022-10-06
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2019-09-03
- Assignees: LG Electronics Inc.
- Applicants: LG Electronics Inc.
- Inventors: Nam Yong Park; Du Kyung Jung; Dong Kyu Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179783B2

## CPC

- B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
- G01C 21/3647: {Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams}
- B60R 11/04: Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
- B60W 40/02: related to ambient conditions
- G01C 21/36: Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
- G01C 21/365: {Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself}
- G06V 10/143: Sensing or illuminating at different wavelengths
- G06V 10/803: {of input or preprocessed data}
- G06V 20/56: exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
- B60W 2050/146: {Display means}
- B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
- B60W 2556/50: of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING

## Abstract

Provided may be a method for providing an extended function to a vehicle according to an embodiment, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining first image information required for providing an extended function, through a first photographing unit; obtaining predetermined running information related to the running of a vehicle; performing image processing for providing an extended function, through a first ECU on the basis of the running information and the first image information; and displaying a result of the image processing. Furthermore, provided may be an extended function providing apparatus capable of performing the extended function providing method, and a non-volatile computer-readable recording medium in which a computer program for performing the extended function providing method is contained.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for providing an extended function to a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
a first photographing part configured to acquire first image information necessary to provide an extended function; and
a first electronic control unit (ECU) configured to perform image processing so as to provide the extended function on the basis of driving information acquired in relation to driving of a vehicle and first image information photographed through the first photographing part or provide an existing function by receiving, from an external system, information for performing the existing function which is performed by the external system including a second ECU,
wherein:
the first photographing part includes a red, green, blue (RGB) camera and an infrared camera; and
when an amount of ambient light of the vehicle is less than or equal to a predetermined amount of light, the first ECU determines to display the first image information including at least partial infrared image information photographed through the infrared camera and when the amount of ambient light of the vehicle is greater than the predetermined amount of light, the first ECU determines to display the first image information including RGB image information photographed through the RGB camera.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first ECU is further configured to determine whether to provide the extended function on the basis of the first image information acquired through the first photographing part.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:
when the first ECU determines to not provide the extended function, the first ECU determines to display second image information acquired through at least one second photographing part for providing the existing function; and
when the first ECU determines to provide the extended function, the first ECU determines to display the first image information.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein, when the first ECU determines to provide the extended function, the first ECU performs image processing so as to provide the extended function using the first image information and the driving information including at least one among navigation route data, global positioning system (GPS) data, dead reckoning (DR)-GPS data, and controller area network (CAN) data.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the amount of ambient light of the vehicle is less than or equal to a predetermined amount of light, the first ECU determines to display the first image information including the infrared image information photographed through the infrared camera and the RGB image information photographed through the RGB camera.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first ECU determines to display the first image information which is synthesized such that the RGB image information is displayed around the infrared image information.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first ECU performs the image processing such that the infrared image information is displayed in a portion in which a driving route of the vehicle is displayed.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first ECU determines whether to perform the existing function or the extended function on the basis of a control signal received from the outside and determines to perform image processing for providing the extended function according to the determination on the basis of the driving information and the first image information photographed through the first photographing part or provide the existing function based on second image information acquired through at least one second photographing part.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the first image information is not acquired, the first ECU determines to display at least one of the driving information and the second image information acquired through the at least one second photographing part such that the existing function is performed.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first ECU provides the extended function on the basis of the first image information through at least one of a head-up display (HUD) and an infotainment display.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the extended function includes at least one among virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, vehicle to everything (V2X), and a monitoring function in an autonomous driving mode of the vehicle.

### Claim 12

A method of providing an extended function to a vehicle, the method comprising:
acquiring first image information necessary to provide an extended function through a first photographing part;
acquiring predetermined driving information related to driving of the vehicle;
performing image processing through a first ECU so as to provide an extended function on the basis of the driving information and the first image information or provide an existing function by receiving, from an external system, information for performing the existing function which is performed by the external system including a second ECU;
displaying a result of the image processing;
when the amount of ambient light of the vehicle is less than or equal to an amount predetermined of light, determining to display the first image information including at least partial infrared image information photographed through an infrared camera; and
when the amount of ambient light of the vehicle is greater than the amount predetermined of light, determining to display the first image information including RGB image information photographed through an RGB camera.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
determining, by the first ECU, whether to provide the extended function on the basis of the first image information acquired through the first photographing part.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the determining of whether to provide the extended function includes:
when the first ECU determines to not provide the extended function, determining, by the first ECU, to display second image information acquired through at least one second photographing part for providing the existing function; and
when the first ECU determines to provide the extended function, determining, by the first ECU, to display the first image information.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the determining of whether to provide the extended function includes, when the first ECU determines to provide the extended function, determining, by the first ECU, to display the first image information.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the determining of displaying the first image information including the infrared image information includes, when the amount of ambient light of the vehicle is less than or equal to a predetermined amount of light, determining to display the first image information including the infrared image information photographed through the infrared camera and the RGB image information photographed through the RGB camera.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the extended function includes at least one among virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, V2X, and a monitoring function in an autonomous driving mode of the vehicle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

A non-volatile computer-readable recording medium in which a computer program for performing a method of providing an extended function of claim 12 is recorded.