Vehicle periphery display control system

• US 20050240342A1
• Filed: 04/21/2005
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshida, Ichirou, Ishihara, Nobuaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,643,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• 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 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/60 characterised by monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior scenes from a transformed perspective
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/804 for lane monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A vehicle periphery display control system displays peripheral images of a vehicle which are captured by a plurality of cameras mounted on the vehicle in respective different positions thereon. A storage medium stores road configuration information of a road. A positioning unit identifies the present position of the vehicle on the road. A image switching decision unit selects either one of images captured by the cameras based on specific road configuration information of a peripheral area around the vehicle, which includes the present position identified by the present position identifying unit, of the road configuration information stored in the storage medium. The image switching decision unit controls a display unit to display the image selected by the selecting unit.

Claims

1. A vehicle periphery display control system for displaying peripheral images of a vehicle which are captured by a plurality of cameras mounted on the vehicle in respective different positions thereon, comprising:

a storage medium for storing road configuration information;

a present position identifying unit for identifying the present position of the vehicle;

a selecting unit for selecting either one of images captured by the cameras based on specific road configuration information of a peripheral area around the vehicle, which includes the present position identified by said present position identifying unit, said specific road configuration information being retrieved from the road configuration information stored in said storage medium; and

a display unit for displaying the image selected by said selecting unit.

2. A vehicle periphery display control system according to claim 1, wherein said selecting unit identifies the number of lanes of a road on which the vehicle is traveling based on said present position and said specific road configuration information of the peripheral area around the vehicle, and selects either one of the images captured by the cameras based on the identified number of leans, to be displayed by said display unit.

3. A vehicle periphery display control system according to claim 1, wherein said selecting unit identifies a lane of a road in which the vehicle is traveling based on said present position and said specific road configuration information of the peripheral area around the vehicle, and selects either one of the images captured by the cameras based on the identified lane and said specific road configuration information, to be displayed by said display unit.

4. A vehicle periphery display control system according to claim 1, wherein said selecting unit selects either one of the images captured by the cameras based on a planned route along which said vehicle is to travel.

5. A vehicle periphery display control system according to claim 1, wherein the images captured by the cameras include an image captured by a front camera mounted on a front end of the vehicle and having a field of view including lateral areas of the vehicle, and said selecting unit selects the image captured by the front camera to be displayed by said display unit when the vehicle enters an intersection.

6. A vehicle periphery display control system according to claim 1, wherein said display unit produces a warning sound each time the image displayed by said display unit changes to another image.

7. A vehicle periphery display control system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an input unit for entering a user'"'"'s action;

wherein said selecting unit changes an image display format of the image displayed by said display unit based on the user'"'"'s action entered by said input unit.

8. A system for controlling the display of peripheral images of a vehicle which are captured respectively by a plurality of cameras mounted in respective different positions on the vehicle, comprising:

a positioning unit for identifying the present position of the vehicle on a road;

a display unit for selectively displaying the peripheral images captured by the cameras for being observed by the driver of the vehicle; and

an image switching controller for controlling said display unit for displaying either one of the peripheral images captured by the cameras based on road configuration information of the road around the vehicle which includes the present position identified by said positioning unit.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said road configuration information includes the number of lanes of the road and the lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said road configuration information further includes a merging road joined to said road.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein said road configuration information further includes a turn to be made by the vehicle.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein said road configuration information further includes a planned route along which the vehicle is to travel.

13. A system according to claim 8, further comprising:

a storage unit for storing said road configuration information.