Peripheral image processor of vehicle and recording medium

• US 20030165255A1
• Filed: 01/29/2003
• Published: 09/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Tetsuri, Imanishi, Masayuki, Yanagawa, Hirohiko, Ogiso, Haruhiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,317,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• 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 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/10 Automatic or semi-automatic parking aid systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/00 Geometric image transformations in the plane of the image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/30 Determination of transform parameters for the alignment of images, i.e. image registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus and a recording medium capable of deducing a scene having left the field of vision of a camera mounted on the rear of a vehicle and drawing an image of the area behind the vehicle which includes this deduced part. An image-processing unit 5 first coordinate-converts a picked-up image to create a bird'"'"'s-eye view image. Two chronologically consecutive bird'"'"'s-eye view images are created as the bird'"'"'s-eye view image, and a matching area of the two images is extracted. On the basis of this matching area, a moved area which has left the present field of vision of the camera 1 is extracted. An image of the matching area and the moved area is then drawn on a monitor 3. By this means, it is possible to draw an image including a scene which has left the present field of vision of the camera 1.

Claims

1. A vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus which is applied to a vehicle having image pick-up means for picking up an image of a vehicle vicinity and display means for displaying an image, and which processes the image picked up by said image pick-up means and displays the processed image on said display means, the vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus comprising:

bird'"'"'s-eye view image creation means for creating a bird'"'"'s-eye view image by converting the image picked up by said image pick-up means into data of a ground surface coordinate system projected with said image pick-up means as a view point;

area distinguishing means for comparing a first bird'"'"'s-eye view image created by said bird'"'"'s-eye view image creation means and a second bird'"'"'s-eye view image which is picked up and created thereafter to distinguish a matching area and a non-matching area thereof;

composite image making means for making a composite image by adding the non-matching area distinguished by said area distinguishing means to the second bird'"'"'s-eye view image; and

display processing means for displaying the composite image on said display means.

2. A vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image picked up by said image pick-up means is an image of an area behind a vehicle.

3. A vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bird'"'"'s-eye view image creation means extracts an image showing a lane marking to create the bird'"'"'s-eye view image.

4. A vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first bird'"'"'s-eye view image and the second bird'"'"'s-eye view image are chronologically consecutive bird'"'"'s-eye view images.

5. A vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display processing means performs coordinate conversion for displaying image data of the composite image on said display means.

6. A vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image showing the vehicle is added to the composite image when the composite image is displayed on said display means.

7. A vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said area distinguishing means compares the composite image made by said composite image making means and a third bird'"'"'s-eye view image picked up and created thereafter and distinguishes a matching area and a non-matching area thereof, and said composite image making means makes a composite image by adding the distinguished non-matching area to the composite image.

8. A recording medium storing means for executing a processing of a vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus which is applied to a vehicle having image pick-up means for picking up an image of a vehicle vicinity and display means for displaying an image, and which processes the image picked up by said image pick-up means and displays the processed image on said display means, the vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus comprising:

bird'"'"'s-eye view image creation means for creating a bird'"'"'s-eye view image on the basis of the image picked up by said image pick-up means;

vehicle movement amount detecting means for detecting an amount of vehicle movement on the basis of vehicle signals obtained from the vehicle;

bird'"'"'s-eye view image moving means for moving a first bird'"'"'s-eye view image created by said bird'"'"'s-eye view image creation means in correspondence with the amount of vehicle movement and thereby creating a moved bird'"'"'s-eye view image;

composite bird'"'"'s-eye view image creation means for creating a composite bird'"'"'s-eye view image to be displayed on said display means by combining a second bird'"'"'s-eye view image which is picked up and created later than the first bird'"'"'s-eye view image with the moved bird'"'"'s-eye view image.

10. A vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the composite bird'"'"'s-eye view image is an image in which the moved bird'"'"'s-eye view image is added to a display area displaying the second bird'"'"'s-eye view image.

11. A vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein latest bird'"'"'s-eye view image is used as the second bird'"'"'s-eye view image used in creating the composite bird'"'"'s-eye view image.

12. A vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

memory A for storing the bird'"'"'s-eye view image created by said bird'"'"'s-eye view image creation means; and

memory B for storing the composite bird'"'"'s-eye view image created by said composite bird'"'"'s-eye view image creation means.

13. A vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the composite bird'"'"'s-eye view image stored in said memory B is displayed on said display means.

14. A vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an image showing the vehicle is added to the composite bird'"'"'s-eye view image when the composite bird'"'"'s-eye view image is displayed on said display means.

15. A recording medium storing means for executing a processing of a vehicle vicinity image-processing apparatus described in any one of claims 9 to 14.