Image display controller

• US 20050012685A1
• Filed: 03/04/2003
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Okada, Tsuyoshi, Mizusawa, Kazufumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,245,275 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/32
• 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 2300/105 using multiple 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 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/306 using a re-scaling of images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/397 Arrangements specially adapted for transferring the contents of two or more bit-mapped memories to the screen simultaneously, e.g. for mixing or overlay G09G5/02 takes precedence
• 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

An image display controlling system of the present invention has an image combining splitting means (2) for splitting a picked-up image input from an imaging means (1), which picks up surrounding images of a vehicle, into a plurality of images, an image deforming means (3) for executing a different deforming process to the plurality of images respectively, and an arrangement controlling means (5) for arranging the plurality of images at predetermined positions and displaying the images. According to this configuration, a wide-range image having a horizontal angle of view of 180 degree is separated into a rear center image positioned at a center of the image and side images separated from the center like a vanity with three mirrors, and a sense of depth is provided by distorting and deforming intentionally the side images in contrast to the rear center image such that the side images can look as if the side images are just looked at.

Claims

1. An image display controlling system comprising:

image combining splitting means for splitting a picked-up image input from imaging means into a plurality of images;

image deforming means for performing a different deforming process for each of the plurality of images; and

arrangement controlling means for arranging the plurality of images at predetermined positions to display.

2. The image display controlling system according to claim 1, further comprising:

rendering data generating means for generating rendering data to emphasize the plurality of images or assist in understanding the images,

wherein the arrangement controlling means arranges the plurality of images and the rendering data at predetermined positions to display.

3. The image display controlling system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a plurality of the imaging means; and

image combining means for combining a plurality of images input from the plurality of the imaging means,

wherein the image combining splitting means splits an image combined by the image combining means again into at least three images, and the image deforming means deforms the three images such that both side images out of the three images are viewed to be closed toward a center image at a predetermined angle.

4. The image display controlling system according to claim 3, wherein the rendering data generating means generates rendering data to have a thickness in such a manner that at least individual images on both sides look to be both side mirrors of a three-way mirrors in which the both side mirrors half open.

5. The image display controlling system according to claim 4, wherein the rendering data generating means generates rendering data to give three-dimensional effect by shading the thickness.

6. The image display controlling system according to claim 2, wherein the image display controlling system is installed into a vehicle, an object to be displayed is located on a rear side of the vehicle, the rendering data generating means generates a predictive route locus according to a steering angle when the vehicle backs, and the arrangement controlling means superposes the predictive route locus on a deformed image to display.