Driving support system and method of producing overhead view image

• US 20060088190A1
• Filed: 10/24/2005
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Chinomi, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,684,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/104
• 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 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• 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 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A driving support system which includes: at least two cameras to take images of areas around a vehicle, whose ranges of field of view partially overlap with each other; a control unit performing a predetermined coordinate transformation on the images taken by the cameras and joining the transformed images together to produce an overhead view image; and a display unit to display the overhead view image. The control unit changes the position of the joint of the transformed images in the overhead view image.

Claims

1. A driving support system comprising:

a plurality of image taking devices taking images of areas around a vehicle, having ranges of field of view partially overlapping with each other;

an image processing unit performing a predetermined coordinate transformation on the images taken by the image taking devices to produce transformed images and joining the transformed images to each other at a joint to produce a virtual image viewed from a virtual viewpoint, wherein the image processing unit can change position of the joint in the virtual image; and

a display unit displaying the virtual image.

2. A driving support system according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit continuously changes the position of the joint independently of driver'"'"'s operation.

3. A driving support system according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit continuously changes the position of the joint while the vehicle is not being reversed, and stop changing the position of the joint while the vehicle is being reversed.

4. A driving support system according to claim 3 further comprising a determining unit for determining whether the vehicle is being reversed by detecting driver'"'"'s operation or vehicle behavior, wherein the image processing unit stops changing the position of the joint when the determining unit determines that the vehicle is being reversed.

5. A driving support system according to claim 3, wherein the image processing unit determines based on pixel data of the produced virtual image whether to stop changing the position of the joint, and stops changing the position of the joint when determining to stop even while the vehicle is not being reversed.

6. A driving support system according to claim 5, wherein the image processing unit finds the modes of color values of the pixels in predetermined areas of the virtual image, which are provided on both sides of the joint and bordered by the joint, while changing the position of the joint, and determines to stop changing the position of the joint at the moment when the modes of color values of the pixels in the respective areas become different from each other.

7. A driving support system according to claim 5, wherein the image processing unit finds the mode of color values of the pixels in a predetermined area of the virtual image bordered by the joint, and computes percentage of pixels with color value of the mode of color values with respect to the total number of pixels in the predetermined area, while changing the position of the joint, and determines to stop changing the position of the joint at the moment when the percentage stops increasing.

8. A driving support system according to claim 1, wherein, if the virtual image includes a plurality of the joints, the image processing unit changes the position of only a part of the joints.

9. A driving support system according to claim 8 further comprising a determining unit for determining a direction of movement of the vehicle in the longitudinal direction thereof by receiving a gear range signal indicating selected gear range, wherein the image processing unit changes the position of the joint lying forward in the direction of movement determined by the determining unit.

10. A driving support system according to claim 8 further comprising a determining unit for determining a direction of movement of the vehicle in the transverse direction thereof by receiving a steering signal indicating a steering-wheel operation, wherein the image processing unit changes the position of the joint lying forward in the direction of movement determined by the determining unit.

11. A method of producing a virtual image to be displayed in a driving support system, comprising:

taking images of areas around a vehicle partially overlapping with each other;

performing a predetermined coordinate transformation on the taken images to produce transformed images; and

joining the transformed images together at a joint on a position in the virtual image changed from a previous position thereof.

12. A driving support system comprising:

a plurality of image taking means for taking images of areas around a vehicle, having ranges of field of view partially overlapping with each other;

image processing means for performing a predetermined coordinate transformation on the images taken by the image taking means to produce transformed images and joining the transformed images to each other at a joint to produce a virtual image viewed from a virtual viewpoint, wherein the image processing means can change position of the joint in the virtual image; and

display means for displaying the virtual image.