Method for determining object information relating to an object in a vehicle environment, control unit and vehicle

A control unit for determining object information of an object in an environment of a vehicle having a camera, the control unit comprising:

• a processor;
• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon;
• said program code being configured to capture the environment with said camera from a first position and, in dependence thereon, generate a first image having first pixels;
• said program code being configured to change the position of the camera and to capture the environment via the camera from a second position and, in dependence thereon, generate a second image having second pixels;
• said program code being configured to determine the object information in the captured environment by
• selecting at least one first pixel in the first image and at least one second pixel in the second image, the at least one first pixel and the at least one second pixel being selected such that they are assigned to a same object point of the object in the captured environment, and
• determining object coordinates of the assigned object point from first image coordinates of the at least one first pixel and from second image coordinates of the at least one second pixel by triangulation assuming a base length between the two positions of the camera;
• wherein the changing the position of said camera via the control unit is brought about by controlling an active actuator system in the vehicle, wherein the active actuator system adjusts said camera by an adjustment distance without changing a driving condition of the vehicle in all operating conditions of the vehicle including movement and non-movement of the vehicle,
• wherein an active air suspension system with air springs or a chassis adjustment system is controlled as the active actuator system, wherein by controlling the active air suspension system or the chassis adjustment system, a vehicle body is adjusted in height by the adjustment distance so that the at least one camera fixed to the vehicle body is adjusted indirectly by the adjustment distance to change the position of the at least one camera, and
• wherein said changing the position of the camera is performed while the vehicle is moving.

A vehicle comprising:

• a camera defining a position;
• a control unit for determining object information of an object in an environment of the vehicle;
• said control unit being configured to capture the environment with said camera from a first position and, in dependence thereon, generate a first image having first pixels;
• said control unit being configured to change the position of the camera and to capture the environment via the camera from a second position and, in dependence thereon, generate a second image having second pixels;
• said control unit being further configured to determine the object information in the captured environment by
• selecting at least one first pixel in the first image and at least one second pixel in the second image, the first pixel and the second pixel being selected such that they are assigned to a same object point of the object in the captured environment, and
• determining the object coordinates of the assigned object point from first image coordinates of the at least one first pixel and from second image coordinates of the at least one second pixel by triangulation assuming a base length between the two positions of the camera;
• and,
• wherein the changing the position of said camera via the control unit is brought about by controlling an active actuator system in the vehicle, wherein the active actuator system adjusts said camera by an adjustment distance without changing a driving condition of the vehicle in all operating conditions of the vehicle including movement and non-movement of the vehicle,
• wherein an active air suspension system with air springs or a chassis adjustment system is controlled as the active actuator system, wherein by controlling the active air suspension system or the chassis adjustment system, a vehicle body is adjusted in height by the adjustment distance so that the at least one camera fixed to the vehicle body is adjusted indirectly by the adjustment distance to change the position of the at least one camera, and
• wherein said changing the position of the camera is performed while the vehicle is moving.