Image display method an apparatus for vehicle camera

• US 20020175999A1
• Filed: 04/23/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mutobe, Etsumi, Masuda, Satoru, Mimura, Hidetoshi, Miyama, Kazuki
• Application Number:
  US10/128,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20020175999A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/107 using stereoscopic cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/80 Geometric correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

When an image shot by a rear-view camera mounted on a vehicle (1a) is changed into an image viewed from the location of a virtual viewpoint, and the obtained image is displayed on a screen, warning lines (51) and (52), for conveying a warning to a driver of the presence of an object within range of the rear of a vehicle, are displayed by being superimposed on the image obtained by the viewpoint conversion. Thus, when an image obtained by the viewpoint conversion of an image shot by a rear-view camera is displayed on a screen, a driver can be apprised not only of the presence of an obstacle within range of a local vehicle but also of the erroneous image interpretation provided by the image obtained by the viewpoint conversion.

Claims

1. An image display method for a vehicle camera comprising the step of:

displaying a warning line, for delineating for a driver a presence range of a vehicle, that is superimposed on an image obtained by the viewpoint conversion of an image shot by a rear-view camera.

2. The image display method according to claim 1, wherein an image for said warning line is prepared in advance in storage means.

3. The image display method according to claim 1,

wherein, when a plurality of virtual viewpoint positions are present for said viewpoint conversion, and when a plurality of mapping tables for viewpoint conversion are respectively prepared in correlation with said virtual viewpoint positions, warning line data for each of said mapping tables are prepared in advance in said storage means.

4. The image display method according to claim 3, wherein said warning line data are provided for individual vehicle models.

5. An image display apparatus for a vehicle camera comprising:

a viewpoint conversion unit for generating an image obtained by the viewpoint conversion of an image shot by a rear-view camera; and

a warning line superimposition and display unit for displaying a warning line, for delineating for a driver a presence range of a vehicle, that is superimposed on said image.

6. The image display apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising storage means in which an image for said warning line is prepared in advance.

7. The image display apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein a plurality of virtual viewpoint positions are present for said viewpoint conversion,

wherein a plurality of mapping tables for viewpoint conversion are respectively prepared in said storage means in correlation with said virtual viewpoint positions,

wherein warning line data for each of said mapping tables are prepared in advance in said storage means.

8. The image display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said warning line data are provided for individual vehicle models.