Rendering device

• US 20020097170A1
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: IIsaka, Atsushi, Yoshida, Takashi, Ishida, Akira, Yasui, Nobuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 6,825,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/42 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

In a rendering device Urnd1, a processor 1 derives an estimated path to be traced by a left- and right-rear wheels of a vehicle based on a rudder angle θ provided by a rudder angle sensor 5. The processor 1 then determines positions for overlaying indicators on the derived estimated path. The processor 1 then renders the indicators on thus determined points in a captured image provided by an image capture device, and generates a display image. Here, in the display image, the indicators move along the estimated path in the heading direction of the vehicle. In this manner, the estimated path in the display image generated by the rendering device Urnd1 becomes noticeable for a driver of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A rendering device for generating a display image of around a vehicle for drive assistance, comprising:

a reception part for receiving a current rudder angle of a steering wheel of said vehicle from a rudder angle sensor fixed in the vehicle;

a derivation part for deriving an estimated path for said vehicle to take based on the rudder angle received by said reception part; and

an image generation part for generating said display image based on a captured image captured by an image capture device fixed in said vehicle, and the estimated path derived by said derivation part, wherein

in said display image, said estimated path is overlaid on an intermittent basis.

2. The rendering device according to claim 1, wherein said display image includes an indicator which moves along said estimated path in a heading direction of said vehicle.

3. The rendering device according to claim 1, wherein said image generation part overlays said estimated path on said captured image in a predetermined time period, but does not overlay the estimated path in other predetermined time periods.

4. A rendering device for generating a display image of around a vehicle for drive assistance, comprising:

a first reception part for receiving a distance to an obstacle located around said vehicle from a measuring sensor placed in the vehicle;

a first derivation part for deriving a farthest point for said vehicle to move based on the distance received by said first reception part;

a second reception part for receiving a current rudder angle of a steering wheel of said vehicle from a rudder angle sensor fixed in the vehicle;

a second derivation part for deriving an estimated path for said vehicle to take based on the rudder angle received by said second reception part; and

an image generation part for generating the display image based on a captured image captured by an image capture device fixed in said vehicle, the farthest point derived by said first derivation part, and the estimated path derived by said second derivation part.

5. A rendering method of generating a display image of around a vehicle for drive assistance, comprising:

a reception step of receiving a current rudder angle of a steering wheel of said vehicle from a rudder angle sensor fixed in the vehicle;

a derivation step of deriving an estimated path for said vehicle to take based on the rudder angle received in said reception step; and

an image generation step of generating the display image based on a captured image captured by an image capture device fixed in said vehicle, and the estimated path derived in said derivation step, wherein

in said display image, said estimated path is overlaid on an intermittent basis.

6. The rendering method according to claim 5, wherein said display image includes an indicator which moves along said estimated path in a heading direction of said vehicle.

7. The rendering method according to claim 5, wherein in said image generation step, said estimated path is overlaid on said captured image only in a predetermined time period, but does not overlay the estimated path in other predetermined time periods.

8. A rendering method of generating a display image of around a vehicle for drive assistance, comprising:

a first reception step of receiving a distance to an obstacle located around said vehicle from a measuring sensor placed in the vehicle;

a first derivation step of deriving a farthest point for said vehicle to move based on the distance received in said first reception step;

a second reception step of receiving a current rudder angle of a steering wheel of said vehicle from a rudder angle sensor fixed in the vehicle;

a second derivation step of deriving an estimated path for said vehicle to take based on the rudder angle received in said second reception step; and

an image generation step of generating the display image based on a captured image captured by an image capture device fixed in said vehicle, the farthest point derived in said first derivation step, and the estimated path derived in said second derivation step.

9. A recording medium with a program recorded for generating a display image of around a vehicle for drive assistance, said program comprising:

a reception step of receiving a current rudder angle of a steering wheel of said vehicle from a rudder angle sensor fixed in the vehicle;

a derivation step of deriving an estimated path for said vehicle to take based on the rudder angle received in said reception step; and

an image generation step of generating the display image based on a captured image captured by an image capture device fixed in said vehicle, and the estimated path derived in said derivation step, wherein

in said display image, said estimated path is overlaid on an intermittent basis.

10. The recording medium with the program recorded according to claim 9, wherein said display image includes an indicator which moves along said estimated path in a heading direction of said vehicle.

11. The recording medium with the program recorded according to claim 9, wherein in said image generation step, said estimated path is overlaid on said captured image only in a predetermined time period, but does not overlay the estimated path in other predetermined time periods.

14. The program according to claim 13, wherein said display image includes an indicator which moves along said estimated path in a heading direction of said vehicle.

15. The program according to claim 13, wherein in said image generation step, said estimated path is overlaid on said captured image only in a predetermined time period.

12. A recording medium with a program recorded for generating a display image of around a vehicle for drive assistance, said program comprising:

a first reception step of receiving a distance to an obstacle located around said vehicle from a measuring sensor placed in the vehicle;

a first derivation step of deriving a farthest point for said vehicle to move based on the distance received in said first reception step;

a second reception step of receiving a current rudder angle of a steering wheel of said vehicle from a rudder angle sensor fixed in the vehicle;

a second derivation step of deriving an estimated path for said vehicle to take based on the rudder angle derived in said second reception step; and

an image generation step of generating the display image based on a captured image captured by an image capture device fixed in said vehicle, the farthest point derived in said first derivation step, and the estimated path derived in said second derivation step.

13. A program for generating a display image of around a vehicle for drive assistance, comprising:

a reception step of receiving a current rudder angle of a steering wheel of said vehicle from a rudder angle sensor fixed in the vehicle;

a derivation step of deriving an estimated path for said vehicle to take based on the rudder angle received in said reception step; and

an image generation step of generating the display image based on a captured image captured by an image capture device fixed in said vehicle, and the estimated path derived in said derivation step, wherein

in said display image, said estimated path is overlaid on an intermittent basis.

16. A program for generating a display image of around a vehicle for drive assistance, comprising:

a first reception step of receiving a distance to an obstacle located around said vehicle from a measuring sensor placed in the vehicle;

a first derivation step of deriving a farthest point for said vehicle to move based on the distance received in said first reception step;

a second reception step of receiving a current rudder angle of a steering wheel of said vehicle from a rudder angle sensor fixed in the vehicle;

a second derivation step of deriving an estimated path for said vehicle to take based on the rudder angle received in said second reception step; and

an image generation step of generating the display image based on a captured image captured by an image capture device fixed in said vehicle, the farthest point derived in said first derivation step, and the estimated path derived in said second derivation step.