Image processing apparatus

• US 10,035,458 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2016
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Sawada, Yasuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahi, Shan E
• Application Number:
  US15/202,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20170034454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 348148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8013 for child monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A display screen of a display apparatus of an image display system includes a one-way mirror on a front side of the display screen. In an image processing apparatus, an image signal input obtains a captured image signal representing a captured image captured by a camera that captures an image of surroundings of the vehicle; an image generator that generates the display image from the captured image signal; an image output that outputs the display image to the display apparatus to cause the display image to be displayed on the display screen of the display apparatus; and a processor that controls the image generator to cause a partial region of the display image to be a black image so that a portion of the display screen at which the black image is displayed functions as a mirror.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus that generates a display image to be displayed on a display screen of a display apparatus provided in a cabin of a vehicle, the display screen of the display apparatus including a one-way mirror, the image processing apparatus comprising:

an image signal input that obtains a captured image signal representing a captured image captured by a camera that captures an image of surroundings of the vehicle;

an image generator that generates the display image from the captured image signal;

an image output that outputs the display image to the display apparatus to cause the display image to be displayed on the display screen of the display apparatus; and

a processor that controls the image generator to cause a partial region of the display image to be a black image so that a portion of the display screen at which the black image is displayed functions as a mirror, wherein;

the processor accepts a region specified by a user on the display screen of the display apparatus as a specified region of the display image, and

the processor controls the image generator to cause the specified region of the display image to be the black image.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operation signal input that receives an operation signal corresponding to an input operation made by a user, wherein

the processor controls the image generator to select a region of the display image to be the black image according to the operation signal.

3. An image processing apparatus that generates a display image to be displayed on a display screen of a display apparatus provided in a cabin of a vehicle, the display screen of the display apparatus including a one-way mirror, the image processing apparatus comprising:

an image signal input that obtains a captured image signal representing a captured image captured by a camera that captures an image of surroundings of the vehicle;

an image generator that generates the display image from the captured image signal;

an image output that outputs the display image to the display apparatus to cause the display image to be displayed on the display screen of the display apparatus;

a processor that controls the image generator to cause a partial region of the display image to be a black image so that a portion of the display screen at which the black image is displayed functions as a mirror; and

a detector that detects a sound that occurs in the cabin of the vehicle;

wherein the processor determines an occurrence position of the sound in the cabin of the vehicle detected by the detector, and

in a case where the detector detected the sound in the cabin of the vehicle, the processor controls the image generator to cause a region of the display image corresponding to the occurrence position of the sound in the cabin of the vehicle to be the black image so that the position of the sound in the cabin of the vehicle can be viewed in the portion of the display screen that functions as the mirror.

4. An image processing method of generating a display image to be displayed on a display screen of a display apparatus provided in a cabin of a vehicle, the display screen of the display apparatus including a one-way mirror, the image processing method comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining a captured image signal representing a captured image captured by a camera that captures an image of surroundings of the vehicle;

(b) generating, with an image generator, the display image from the captured image signal; and

(c) outputting the display image to the display apparatus to cause the display image to be displayed on the display screen of the display apparatus, wherein

the step (b) includes a processor controlling the image generator to cause a partial region of the display image to be a black image so that a portion of the display screen at which the black image is displayed functions as a mirror, wherein;

the step (b) includes the processor accepting a region specified by a user on the display screen of the display apparatus as a specified region of the display image,

the step (b) includes the processor controlling the image generator to cause the specified region of the display image to be the black image.

5. The image processing method according to claim 4, further comprising the step:

(d) the processor receiving an operation signal corresponding to an input operation made by a user, wherein

the step (b) includes the processor controlling the image generator to select a region of the display image to be the black image according to the operation signal.

6. The image processing method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps:

(f) detecting, with a detector, a sound that occurs in the cabin of the vehicle; and

(g) determining, with the processor, an occurrence position of the sound detected by the detector, wherein

in a case where the step (f) detected the sound, the step (b) includes the processor controlling the image generator to cause a region of the display image corresponding to the occurrence position of the sound to be the black image.