Image display device and method

• US 20060274147A1
• Filed: 06/06/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kawano, Tsutomu, Yanagi, Takura, Seguchi, Hidenori, Oizumi, Ken, Chinomi, Satoshi, Takano, Teruhisa
• Granted Patent: US 7,592,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/118
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/102 using 360 degree surveillance camera system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• 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 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9314 Parking operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A device and method that allows any differences between the relative position of an obstacle as it appears in a bird'"'"'s-eye view image and its actual relative position can be checked on the same screen. In order to display the vehicle surroundings to the driver, multiple direct images obtained from multiple pickup devices, preferably cameras, oriented in different directions are used to compose a bird'"'"'s-eye view image from which the vehicle surroundings can be known at a glance. The bird'"'"'s-eye view image and a direct image picked up in the direction of an obstacle with respect to the vehicle are simultaneously displayed when the obstacle is detected in the vicinity of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An image display device for a vehicle, comprising:

multiple image pickup devices operable to capture multiple images of the vehicle surroundings in different directions;

an image-processing device for composing a bird'"'"'s-eye view image using the multiple images;

a display device for providing the bird'"'"'s-eye view image to the driver; and

an obstacle detector operative to detect obstacles in the vicinity of the vehicle; and

wherein the image-processing device is operable to display simultaneously on the display device the bird'"'"'s-eye view image and a direct image picked up by one of the multiple image pickup devices in the direction of an obstacle detected by the obstacle detector.

2. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the display device is operable to display an obstacle alarm in the bird'"'"'s-eye view image to emphasize a portion of the vehicle approaching the obstacle.

3. The image display device according to claim 2 wherein the obstacle alarm is a display concealing the portion of the vehicle approaching the obstacle in the bird'"'"'s-eye view image using the direct image.

4. The image display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one guideline for indicating a positional relationship of the vehicle to vehicle surroundings, the at least one guideline displayed on at least one of the bird'"'"'s-eye view image and the direct image.

5. The image display device according to claim 4 wherein the at least one guideline has a first display state;

and wherein the display device is operable to change the first display state to a second display state of at least a portion of the at least one guideline when the obstacle is detected by the obstacle detector.

6. The image display device according to claim 4 wherein the at least one guideline has a first display state;

and wherein the display device is operable to erase a portion of the at least one guideline closest to the obstacle when the obstacle is detected by the obstacle detector.

7. The image display device according to claim 4 wherein the display device is operable to flash a portion of the at least one guideline closest to the obstacle when the obstacle is detected by the obstacle detector.

8. The image display device according to claim 4 wherein the display device is operable to change a color of a portion of the at least one guideline closest to the obstacle when the obstacle is detected by the obstacle detector.

9. The image display device according to claim 1 wherein the display device is operable to emphasize a portion of the direct image closest the obstacle when the obstacle is detected by the obstacle detector.

10. The image display device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a line enclosing and emphasizing the portion of the direct image closest the obstacle.

11. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein a display size of the bird'"'"'s-eye view image is larger than a display size of the direct image when the obstacle is no longer detected by the obstacle detector;

and wherein the display size of the direct image is larger than the display size of the bird'"'"'s-eye view image when the obstacle is detected by the obstacle detector.

12. The image display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first background color of at least one of the direct image and the bird'"'"'s-eye view image; and

wherein the display device is operable to change the first background color to a second background color when the obstacle is detected by the obstacle detector.

13. An image display device for a vehicle, comprising:

means for capturing vehicle surroundings from a plurality of directions;

means for composing a bird'"'"'s-eye view image from multiple images of the vehicle surroundings so captured;

means for displaying the bird'"'"'s-eye view image to the driver;

means for detecting a presence of any obstacles in the vicinity of the vehicle; and

means for simultaneously displaying the bird'"'"'s-eye view image and a direct image picked up in a direction of an obstacle when the obstacle is detected.

14. An image display method for a vehicle, comprising:

capturing vehicle surroundings from a plurality of directions;

composing a bird'"'"'s-eye view image from multiple images of the vehicle surroundings so captured;

displaying the bird'"'"'s-eye view image to the driver;

detecting a presence of any obstacles in the vicinity of the vehicle; and

simultaneously displaying the bird'"'"'s-eye view image and a direct image picked up in a direction of an obstacle when the obstacle is detected.

15. The image display method according to claim 14, further comprising:

displaying guidelines indicating a positional relationship between the vehicle and vehicle surroundings on at least one of the bird'"'"'s-eye view image and the direct image.

16. The image display method according to claim 15, further comprising:

changing a display state of the guidelines when the obstacle is detected.

17. The image display method according to claim 16 wherein changing the display state of the guidelines when the obstacle is detected further comprises at least one of erasing a portion of the guidelines closest to the obstacle when the obstacle is detected, flashing the portion of the guidelines closest to the obstacle when the obstacle is detected, and changing the color of a portion of the guidelines closest to the obstacle when the obstacle is detected.

18. The image display method according to claim 14, further comprising:

emphasizing at least a portion of the vehicle approaching the obstacle on at least one of the bird'"'"'s-eye view image and the direct image.

19. The image display method according to claim 18 wherein emphasizing at least the portion of the vehicle approaching the obstacle further comprises at least one of concealing the portion of the vehicle approaching the obstacle on the bird'"'"'s-eye view image using the direct image, enclosing the portion of the direct image closest the obstacle with a line, making a display size of the direct image larger than a display size of the bird'"'"'s-eye view image, and changing a background color of the display image.

20. The image display method according to claim 14, further comprising:

making a display size of the bird'"'"'s-eye view image larger than a display size of the direct image when the obstacle is no longer detected.