# US 12,183,030 B2 · Apparatus and method for processing an image of a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,183,030 B2 - Document ID: US12183030B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/940,627 - Filed: 2022-09-08 - Published: 2023-06-01 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-12-01 - Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Inventors: Kyung Soo Ha; In Mook Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12183030B2 ## CPC - G06T 7/73: using feature-based methods - G06V 20/586: {of parking space} - B60R 1/23: with a predetermined field of view - B60R 1/27: providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras - G06T 7/12: Edge-based segmentation - G06T 7/13: Edge detection - G06T 7/90: Determination of colour characteristics - G06V 20/56: exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle - H04N 23/71: Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation - H04N 23/76: by influencing the image signals - H04N 23/82: for controlling camera response irrespective of the scene brightness, e.g. gamma correction - H04N 23/90: Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums - B60R 2300/105: using multiple cameras - B60R 2300/20: characterised by the type of display used - B60R 2300/30: characterised by the type of image processing - B60R 2300/806: for aiding parking - G06T 2207/30252: Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle - G06T 2207/30264: Parking - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to a vehicle image processing device and a method therefor. A vehicle image processing apparatus may include a storage that stores optical property information of a first camera among a plurality of cameras for obtaining a vehicle periphery image, a processor that determines whether backlight is present in the vehicle periphery image and generates a display image based on whether the backlight is present, and a communication device controlled by the processor and communicating with a device in the vehicle. The processor may calculate location information of a light source for at least one of the first camera or the vehicle by using coordinates of a shadow object of the vehicle, which is recognized from the vehicle periphery image, and coordinates of the vehicle, and may determine whether the backlight is present, by comparing location information of the light source with the optical property information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image processing apparatus of a vehicle comprising: a storage configured to store optical property information of a first camera among a plurality of cameras for obtaining a vehicle periphery image; a processor configured to determine whether backlight is present in the vehicle periphery image and to generate a display image based on whether the backlight is present; and a communication device controlled by the processor and configured to communicate with a device in the vehicle, wherein the processor is further configured to: calculate location information of a light source for at least one of the first camera or the vehicle by using coordinates of a shadow object of the vehicle, which is recognized from the vehicle periphery image, and coordinates of the vehicle; and determine whether the backlight is present, by comparing location information of the light source with the optical property information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location information of the light source includes: a first altitude corresponding to an altitude of the light source; a first horizontal tilt angle formed between an optical axis of a second camera, which is positioned on a left side with respect to the light source, from among the plurality of cameras and the light source; and a second horizontal tilt angle formed between an optical axis of a third camera, which is positioned on a right side with respect to the light source, from among the plurality of cameras and the light source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the optical property information includes: a second altitude corresponding to a shooting range in an upward direction of the first camera with respect to an optical axis of the first camera; a third horizontal tilt angle corresponding to a shooting range in a left direction of the first camera with respect to the optical axis of the first camera; and a fourth horizontal tilt angle corresponding to a shooting range in a right direction of the first camera with respect to the optical axis of the first camera. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The image processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether the backlight is present, by using at least one comparison result of a first comparison result of comparing the first altitude and the second altitude, a second comparison result of comparing the first horizontal tilt angle and the third horizontal tilt angle, or a third comparison result of comparing the second horizontal tilt angle and the fourth horizontal tilt angle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The image processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine that the backlight is present, when at least one of a first backlight existence condition that the first altitude is not greater than the second altitude, a second backlight existence condition that the first horizontal tilt angle is not less than the third horizontal tilt angle, or a third backlight existence condition that the second horizontal tilt angle is not greater than the fourth horizontal tilt angle is satisfied. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The image processing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first altitude corresponds to an angle formed between a ground surface and an edge line of sight connecting a first edge point of the shadow object to a second edge point of the vehicle adjacent to the first edge point, wherein the first horizontal tilt angle is an angle between a first optical axis of the second camera, which is positioned on one side with respect to the second edge point, from among the plurality of cameras and a reference line obtained by projecting the edge line of sight onto the ground surface, and wherein the second horizontal tilt angle is an angle between a second optical axis of the third camera, which is positioned on the other side with respect to the second edge point, from among the plurality of cameras and the reference line obtained by projecting the edge line of sight onto the ground surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The image processing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second altitude corresponds to an angle formed between the optical axis of the first camera facing a center part of a two-dimensional (2D) image view, which is captured through the first camera among the plurality of cameras, and a first line of sight connecting between a top pixel of the 2D image view and the first camera, wherein the third horizontal tilt angle is an angle formed between the optical axis of the first camera and a second line of sight connecting a leftmost pixel of the 2D image view to the camera, and wherein the fourth horizontal tilt angle is an angle formed between the optical axis of the first camera and a third line of sight connecting a rightmost pixel of the 2D image view to the first camera. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: select a camera, which is positioned on an opposite side of the shadow object with respect to the vehicle, from among the plurality of cameras as a backlight determination camera; and compare the optical property information of the backlight determination camera with the location information of the light source. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine consistency of the location information of the light source based on whether an outermost line of the shadow object matches a skin surface line of the vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether a light bleed area is present in the vehicle periphery image when it is determined that the backlight is present in the vehicle periphery image; and generate the display image excluding the light bleed area in the vehicle periphery image when it is determined that the light bleed area is present. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image processing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether the light bleed area is present, by determining continuity of pixels having a predetermined color value from a location of a light source object generating the backlight. ### Claim 12 A vehicle image processing method, the method comprising: extracting coordinates of a shadow object of a vehicle based on information recognized from a vehicle periphery image obtained by using a plurality of cameras; calculating optical property information for a first camera of the plurality of cameras; calculating location information of a light source for at least one of the first camera or the vehicle by using coordinates of the shadow object and coordinates of the vehicle; and determining whether backlight is present in the vehicle periphery image, by comparing the optical property information and the location information of the light source. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the calculating of the location information of the light source includes: calculating the location information of the light source for the vehicle including a first altitude corresponding to an altitude of the light source; and calculating the location information of the light source for a second camera or a third camera among the plurality of cameras, which includes a first horizontal tilt angle formed between an optical axis of a second camera, which is positioned on a left side with respect to the light source, from among the plurality of cameras and the light source and a second horizontal tilt angle formed between an optical axis of a third camera, which is positioned on a right side with respect to the light source, from among the plurality of cameras and the light source. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the calculating of the optical property information includes: calculating a second altitude corresponding to a shooting range in an upward direction of the first camera with respect to an optical axis of the first camera; calculating a third horizontal tilt angle corresponding to a shooting range in a left direction of the first camera with respect to the optical axis of the first camera; and calculating a fourth horizontal tilt angle corresponding to a shooting range in a right direction of the first camera with respect to the optical axis of the first camera. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the determining of whether the backlight is present includes: determining whether the backlight is present, by using at least one of a first comparison result of comparing the first altitude and the second altitude, a second comparison result of comparing the first horizontal tilt angle and the third horizontal tilt angle, or a third comparison result of comparing the second horizontal tilt angle and the fourth horizontal tilt angle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the determining of whether the backlight is present includes: determining that the backlight is present when at least one of a first backlight existence condition that the first altitude is not greater than the second altitude, a second backlight existence condition that the first horizontal tilt angle is not less than the third horizontal tilt angle, or a third backlight existence condition that the second horizontal tilt angle is not greater than the fourth horizontal tilt angle is satisfied. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: selecting a camera, which is positioned on an opposite side of the shadow object with respect to the vehicle, from among the plurality of cameras as a backlight determination camera, wherein the determining of whether the backlight is present includes: comparing the optical property information of the backlight determination camera with the location information of the light source. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: determining consistency of the location information of the light source based on whether an outermost line of the shadow object matches a skin surface line of the vehicle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: determining whether a light bleed area is present in the vehicle periphery image when it is determined that the backlight is present in the vehicle periphery image; and generating the display image excluding the light bleed area in the vehicle periphery image when it is determined that the light bleed area is present. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the determining of whether the light bleed area is present includes: determining continuity of pixels having a predetermined color value from a location of a light source object generating the backlight.