Rendering device

• US 20010048446A1
• Filed: 05/22/2001
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Takashi, Iisaka, Atsushi, Ishida, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,304,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/304 using merged images, e.g. merging camera image with stored images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/404 triggering from stand-by mode to operation mode
• 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 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

In a rendering device Urnd1, a processor 1 receives a front-left image Sfl and a front-right image Sfr at regular intervals, and therefrom, cuts out a partial front-left image and a partial front-right image for overlay onto a mask image. The processor 1 then overlays, with a predetermined timing, any one of vehicle model images varying in size onto the mask image. Here, the vehicle model image is overlaid in such manner as to create a moving picture as if the vehicle model image is moving forward. With such vehicle model image, a driver of a vehicle can instantaneously recognize that a drive assistant device is now showing the front side of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A rendering device for generating a display image for drive assistance, said device comprising:

a reception part for receiving, from an image capture device mounted in the vehicle, a surrounding image which covers an area surrounding around a vehicle; and

a first image overlay part for generating the display image by overlaying, onto the surrounding image, an indicator image to indicate which direction the surrounding image is covering.

2. The rendering device according to

claim 1

, further comprising:

a cutout part for cutting out, as a partial surrounding image, a predetermined region from the surrounding image received by said reception part; and

a second image overlay part for generating an intermediate image by overlaying, onto a mask region which is prepared in advance, the partial surrounding image cutout by said cutout part, wherein

said first image overlay part overlays said indicator image onto the intermediate image generated by said second image overlay part.

3. The rendering device according to

claim 1

wherein said indicator image is in the shape of a vehicle model, and

said first image overlay part overlays the indicator image onto the surrounding image in such manner as to create a moving picture as if the indicator image is moving.

4. The rendering device according to

claim 3

, wherein said indicator image is in the shape of the vehicle model viewed from back.

5. The rendering device according to

claim 1

, wherein

said indicator image is in graphic form, and

said first image overlay part overlays the indicator image in such manner as to create a moving picture as if the indicator image is moving.

6. The rendering device according to

claim 1

, wherein

said image capture device is at least placed on the front and rear sides of the vehicle,

said image capture device on the front side of the vehicle captures a front image as the surrounding image of the vehicle,

said image capture device on the rear side of the vehicle captures a rear image as the surrounding image of the vehicle,

a first operation button is externally provided for starting a front monitor mode,

a second operation button is externally provided for starting a rear monitor mode,

in response to a push on said first operation button, said reception part receives, from the image capture device placed on the front side of the vehicle, the front image as the surrounding image of the vehicle,

said first image overlay part generates a display front image wherein the indicator image is overlaid on the front image to show which direction the front image is covering,

in response to a push on said second operation button, said reception part receives, from the image capture device placed on the rear side of the vehicle, the rear image as the surrounding image of the vehicle, and

said first image overlay part generates a display rear image wherein the indicator image is overlaid on the rear image to show which direction the rear image is covering

7. The rendering device according to

claim 6

, wherein

said indicator image is in the shape of the vehicle model viewed from back, and

said first image overlay part overlays,

in response to the push on said first operation button, the indicator image on the surrounding image in such manner as to create a moving picture as if the indicator image is moving upward, and

in response to the push on said first operation button, the indicator image on the surrounding image in such manner as to create a moving picture as if the indicator image is moving downward.

8. The rendering device according to

claim 1

, wherein

said image capture device is at least placed on the front and rear sides of the vehicle,

said image capture device on the front side of the vehicle captures a front image as the surrounding image of the vehicle,

said image capture device on the rear side of the vehicle captures a rear image as the surrounding image of the vehicle,

an operation button is provided for starting a monitor mode, and a gear sensor is provided for detecting in what gear a gearshift of the vehicle is currently in,

when said operation button is pushed, and when the gear sensor detects that the vehicle is moving forward, said reception part receives the front image from the image capture device on the front side of the vehicle as the surrounding image of the vehicle, and

said first image overlay part generates a display front image wherein the indicator image is overlaid on the front image to show which direction the front image is covering,

when said operation button is pushed, and when the gear sensor detects that the vehicle is moving backward, said reception part receives the rear image from the image capture device on the rear side of the vehicle as the surrounding image of the vehicle,

said first image overlay part generates a display rear image wherein the indicator image is overlaid on the rear image to show which direction the rear image is covering.

9. The rendering device according to

claim 8

, wherein said indicator image is in the shape of a vehicle model viewed from back, and

said first image overlay part overlays,

when said operation button is pushed, and when said gear sensor detects that the vehicle is moving forward, the indicator image on the surrounding image in such manner as to create a moving picture as if the indicator image is moving upward, and

when said operation button is pushed, and when said gear sensor detects that the vehicle is moving backward, the indicator image on the surrounding image in such manner as to create a moving picture as if the indicator image is moving downward.

10. The rendering device according to

claim 1

, wherein

said indicator image is in graphic form, and

said first image overlay part overlays, on the surrounding image received by said reception part, both an image in the shape of a vehicle model and an indicator image indicating which direction the surrounding image is covering.

11. The rendering image according to

claim 10

, wherein said indicator image is in the shape of a vehicle model viewed from above.

12. The rendering device according to

claim 10

, wherein said indicator image is a rear view of around the driver'"'"'s seat.

13. A rendering method of generating a display image for assisting a driver of a vehicle in driving, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from an image capture device mounted in the vehicle, a surrounding image which covers an area surrounding around the vehicle; and

generating the display image by overlaying, onto the surrounding image, an indicator image to indicate which direction the surrounding image is covering.

14. A recording medium having a rendering program recorded thereon for generating a display image for assisting a driver of a vehicle in driving, said program comprising the steps of:

receiving, from an image capture device mounted in the vehicle, a surrounding image which covers an area surrounding around the vehicle; and

generating the display image by overlaying, onto the surrounding image, an indicator image to indicate which direction the surrounding image is covering.

15. A rendering program for generating a display image for assisting a driver of a vehicle in driving, said program comprising the steps of:

receiving, from an image capture device mounted in the vehicle, a surrounding image which covers an area surrounding around the vehicle; and

generating the display image by overlaying, onto the surrounding image, an indicator image to indicate which direction the surrounding image is covering.