Device for displaying image outside vehicle

• US 20070030212A1
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Shibata, Hiroyuki
• Application Number:
  US10/576,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20070030212A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered

Abstract

A problem to be solved by the invention is to provide a vehicle outside-image display apparatus that is capable of visualizing a visual field blocked by an obstacle. A vehicle outside-image display apparatus includes a vehicle outside-image capturing unit (114) adapted to capture an image outside the vehicle by a camera (111), an image receiving unit (116) adapted to receive vehicle outside-image information from outside, an image combining unit (118) adapted to combine the vehicle outside-image information received by the image receiving unit (116) with an image captured by the vehicle outside-image capturing unit (114), and an image display device (141) adapted to display renewed vehicle outside-image information produced by the image combining unit (118).

Claims

1. A vehicle outside-image display apparatus, comprising:

a vehicle outside-image capturing unit that captures a vehicle'"'"'s outside image by a camera;

an image receiving unit that receives vehicle outside-image information from outside;

an image combining unit that combines the vehicle outside-image information received by the image receiving unit with the image captured by the vehicle outside-image capturing unit; and

an image display device that displays renewed vehicle outside-image information produced by the image combining unit.

2. The vehicle outside-image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image receiving unit receives the vehicle outside-image information from a vehicle ahead of a vehicle equipped with the vehicle outside-image display apparatus.

3. The vehicle outside-image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image combining unit combines a portion of the vehicle outside-image information received by the image receiving unit with the image captured by the vehicle outside-image capturing unit.

4. The vehicle outside-image display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an image transmitting unit that transmits the renewed vehicle outside-image information produced by the image combining unit to outside.

5. The vehicle outside-image display apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the image transmitting unit transmits the renewed vehicle outside-image information produced by the image combining unit to a rearward vehicle relative to a vehicle equipped with the vehicle outside-image display apparatus.

6. The vehicle outside-image display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a following distance measuring unit that measures a following distance between a vehicle equipped with the vehicle outside-image display apparatus and a vehicle ahead thereof; and

a field-of-vision condition determining unit that determines, with the following distance measuring unit, whether or not a forward field of vision is blocked,

wherein vehicle outside-image information is received from the image receiving unit when it is determined that the forward field of vision is blocked by the vehicle ahead.

7. The vehicle outside-image display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a measurement value receiving unit that receives a three-dimensional measurement value from outside; and

a viewpoint converting unit that converts the vehicle outside-image information to have a viewpoint from the camera based on the three-dimensional measurement value received by the measurement value receiving unit and supplies the converted information to the image combining unit.

8. The vehicle outside-image display apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a three-dimensional measuring unit that performs, by a three-dimensional measuring instrument, a three-dimensional measurement for an environment in a picture range captured by the vehicle outside-image capturing unit; and

a measurement value combining unit that combines the three-dimensional measurement value received by the measurement value receiving unit with the three-dimensional measurement value acquired by the three-dimensional measuring unit.

9. The vehicle outside-image display apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a measurement value transmitting unit that transmits a renewed three-dimensional measurement value produced by the measurement value combining unit to outside.

10. The vehicle outside-image display apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the measurement value transmitting unit transmits the renewed three-dimensional measurement value produced by the measurement value combining unit to a rearward vehicle relative to the vehicle equipped with the vehicle outside-image display apparatus.

11. The vehicle outside-image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image receiving unit receives vehicle outside-image information from an obstructive object that obstructs a field of view ahead of a vehicle equipped with the vehicle outside-image display apparatus.