Camera unit and apparatus for monitoring vehicle periphery

• US 20050083427A1
• Filed: 09/08/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd. (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Imoto, Masayoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,605,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/335
• 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 1/23 with a predetermined field of view
• 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 2300/40 characterised by the details of the power supply or the coupling to vehicle components
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

In a camera unit, with respect to a relationship between an image height of respective image portion on an image formed on the pickup element and an image angle of the light lays made incident into the respective image portions, the lens system is configured so that an amount of change in the image height with respect to a change in the image angle is greater at a peripheral portion of the image than at a center part of the image.

Claims

1. A camera unit comprising:

a pickup element; and

a lens system in which light rays from a prescribed range of a visual field is imaged onto the pickup element, wherein

with respect to a relationship between an image height of respective image portion on an image formed on the pickup element and an image angle of the light lays made incident into the respective image portions, the lens system is configured so that an amount of change in the image height with respect to a change in the image angle is greater at a peripheral portion of the image than at a center part of the image.

2. A camera unit according to claim 1, wherein

the lens system is configured so that an image height Y of respective image portions shifted from an image center of the image formed on the pickup element into a horizontal direction and an image angle θ

of light rays made incident into the respective image portions meets the relationship of

Y<

f·

θ

,

where a focal distance of the lens system in the horizontal direction is f.

3. A camera unit according to claim 1, wherein

the lens system is configured so that an image height Y of respective image portions shifted from an image center of the image formed on the pickup element into a horizontal direction and an image angle θ

of light rays made incident into the respective image portions meets the relationship of

Y<

2f·

tan(θ

/2),

where a focal distance of the lens system in the horizontal direction is f.

4. A camera unit according to claim 1, wherein

the lens system is configured so that an image height Y of respective image portions shifted from an image center of the image formed on the pickup element into a horizontal direction and an image angleθ

of light rays made incident into the respective image portions meets the relationship of

Y=pf·

tan(θ

/p),

using a parameter p of 1<

p<

4 where a focal distance of the lens system in the horizontal direction is f.

5. A camera unit according to claim 4, wherein

the parameter p is set to 2.

6. A camera unit according to claim 1, wherein

a visual field angle of the lens system in the horizontal direction is 180 degrees or more and 270 degrees of less.

7. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery, installed in a vehicle comprising:

a camera unit according to claim 1, which picks up the peripheries of the vehicle; and

a display unit which displays an image picked up by the camera unit.

8. A camera unit comprising:

a pickup element;

a lens system in which light rays incoming from a prescribed range of visual field onto the pickup element are imaged;

the lens system including;

a wide-angle lens system whose visual field angle in the horizontal direction is 120 degrees or more; and

an anamorphic lens system whose anamorphic ratio is 1.5 or more.

9. A camera unit according to claim 8, wherein

the visual field angle in the horizontal direction is 180 degrees or more and 270 degrees or less.

10. A camera unit according to claim 8, wherein with respect to a relationship between an image height of respective image portion on an image formed on the pickup element and an image angle of the light lays made incident into the respective image portions, the lens system is configured so that an amount of change in the image height with respect to a change in the image angle is greater at a peripheral portion of the image than at a center part of the image.

11. A camera unit according to claim 10, wherein

the lens system is configured so that an image height Y of the respective image portions deviated from an image center in the image formed on the pickup element in the horizontal direction and an image angleθ

of the light rays made incident into the respective image portions meet a relationship of

Y=pf·

tan(θ

/p),

using a parameter p of 1 p. 4, where a focal distance of the lens system in the horizontal direction is assumed to be f.

12. A camera unit according to claim 11, wherein

the parameter p is set to be 2.

13. A camera unit according to claim 12, wherein

the anamorphic lens system contracts in the horizontal direction the image formed on the pickup element.

14. A camera unit according to claim 8, wherein

the anamorphic lens system enlarges in the vertical direction the image formed on the pickup element.

15. A camera unit according to claim 8, wherein

an optical the of the lens system is eccentric in a vertical direction with respect to a center of the pickup element.

16. An apparatus monitoring a vehicle periphery, which is incorporated in a vehicle, comprising:

the camera unit according to claim 8 which picks up the vehicle periphery;

a display unit which displays an image picked up by the camera unit;

an image processing portion which carries out at least one image process with respect to at least one part of an image picked up by the camera unit, and which displays the at least one part of the image, and which simultaneously synthesizes a prescribed overlapping image, and which overlaps the prescribed overlapping image onto the picked up image after carrying the at least one image process; and

a changeover controlling unit which controls display timing on which the picked up image of the camera unit is displayed on the display unit, and which selects a display range to be displayed in the display unit in a field range of the camera unit, and which selects a content of the at least one image process on the basis of at least one signal.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

an optical axis of the lens system of the camera unit is inclined to a ground surface side with respect to the horizontal direction.

18. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery, which is installed in a vehicle, comprising:

a camera unit according to claim 8, which picks up the vehicle periphery;

a display unit which displays an image picked up by the camera unit;

a changeover controlling portion which changes over a plurality of display modes with respect to a display pattern to display the image picked up by the camera unit in the display unit; and

an image processing portion which carries out at least one of the image processes including enlargement, contraction, movement, rotation and deformation with respect to an image of at least one partial portion of the picked up image in at least one of the display modes in the changeover controlling portion.

19. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 18, wherein

the display modes include a normal display mode which sets so that the image picked up by the camera unit, which is not subjected to any image process by the image processing portion, is displayed in the display unit.

20. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 18, wherein

the display modes include an enlargement display mode which enlarges a part, which includes a central portion of the image picked up by the camera unit, by the image processing portion.

21. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to according to claim 18, wherein

the display modes includes a multi-direction image synthesizing display mode which enlarges at least one of left and right parts of the image picked up by the camera unit by the image processing portion, and which displays the at least one of left and right parts of the image by overlapping and synthesizing the at least one of left and right parts of the image on a prescribed partial area of the image of the display unit.

22. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to according to claim 21, wherein

the multi-direction image synthesizing display mode displays at least one of an image picked up by the camera unit, which is not subjected to any of the image processes in the image processing portion, and the image which is obtained by enlarging a part including a central part of the picked-up image by the image processing unit, by overlapping and synthesizing only on partial area.

23. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 18, further comprising:

an operating element which changes over at least one of the plurality of display modes.

24. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery to according to claim 18, wherein

the changeover controlling portion controls a display timing of displaying the image picked up by the camera unit in the display unit,

the changeover controlling portion selects a displaying range in which the image picked up by the camera unit is to be displayed in the display unit, and

the changeover controlling portion selects a content of the at least one of the display processes which are carried out with respect to the picked up image by the image processing portion, on the basis of at least one signal.

25. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 18, wherein

the image processing portion displays, in the display unit, prescribed vehicle information including at least one of information regarding a vehicle width, advancing course, and a distance by synthesizing as an overlapping picture.

26. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 18, wherein

the camera unit is installed from the rear part of a vehicle toward the rearward middle part.

27. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 26, wherein

the changeover controlling portion selects the multi-direction image synthesizing display mode, when it is judged on the basis of the vehicle speed signal that the vehicle is driven at a low speed which is a prescribed speed or less and the shift position signal is changed over to a signal indicating reverse of vehicle in low speed drive.

28. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 26, wherein

the changeover controlling portion selects the normal display mode, when it is detected that a shift position signal is changed over to a signal indicating reverse of the vehicle after starting an engine.

29. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 18, wherein

the camera unit is installed from a front part of a vehicle toward a forward middle part.

30. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 18, wherein

the camera unit is installed from a side part of a vehicle toward a side.

31. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 18, wherein

the camera unit is installed at a corner part of the vehicle.

32. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 18, wherein

the display unit displays the picked up image which is made anamorphic by the image processing portion by the normal display mode.

33. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 18, wherein

the display unit displays the picked up image which is made anamorphic by the image processing portion by overlapping and synthesizing the picked up image which is made anamorphic on the partial area.

34. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 16, wherein

the at least one image process includes enlargement, contraction, movement, rotation and deformation.

35. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 16, wherein

the at least one signal includes a vehicle speed signal, a shift position signal, a steering rotation angle signal, a direction-indicator signal, an illumination signal and an obstacle detection signal given from an obstacle detection sensor.

36. An apparatus which monitors a vehicle periphery according to claim 24, wherein

the at least one signal includes a vehicle speed signal, a shift position signal, a steering rotation angle signal, a direction-indicator signal, an illumination signal and an obstacle detection signal given from an obstacle detection sensor.