Vehicle Surrounding Image Display Device
First Claim
1. A vehicle surrounding image display device mounted on a vehicle, the device comprising:
- a first camera for taking a first image behind the vehicle from a central position in the width direction of the vehicle;
a second camera for taking a second image behind the vehicle from a position off the center in the width direction of the vehicle;
image deformation means for deforming the second image taken by the second camera such that at least a portion of the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the second image lower than the vanishing point in the second image is inclined to make the lower portion of the inner side located more outward in the vehicle width direction than the upper portion of the inner side, and that the inclination is gradually increased toward the lower end of the inner side;
image synthesis means for adjusting the second image deformed by the image deformation means and the first image taken by the first camera such that the scale of an object matches between the first and second images, and for generating a synthetic image combining the first and second images such that the vanishing point in the first image and the vanishing point in the second image are at the same height in the vertical direction; and
a display device for displaying the synthetic image generated by the image synthesis means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle surrounding image display device according to the present invention combines an image obtained by reducing in size an image taken by a camera provided at the center of the rear side of a vehicle, and images obtained by deforming images taken by cameras provided at the left and right sides of the vehicle such that the outward inclination of the inner side in the vehicle width direction of each of the left and right side images is gradually increased toward the lower end of the inner side. The vehicle surrounding image display device then generates a single image simulating the circumstances behind the user'"'"'s own vehicle as observed from a single virtual viewpoint in a realistic form, and displays the generated image on a display device.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A vehicle surrounding image display device mounted on a vehicle, the device comprising:
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a first camera for taking a first image behind the vehicle from a central position in the width direction of the vehicle;
a second camera for taking a second image behind the vehicle from a position off the center in the width direction of the vehicle;
image deformation means for deforming the second image taken by the second camera such that at least a portion of the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the second image lower than the vanishing point in the second image is inclined to make the lower portion of the inner side located more outward in the vehicle width direction than the upper portion of the inner side, and that the inclination is gradually increased toward the lower end of the inner side;
image synthesis means for adjusting the second image deformed by the image deformation means and the first image taken by the first camera such that the scale of an object matches between the first and second images, and for generating a synthetic image combining the first and second images such that the vanishing point in the first image and the vanishing point in the second image are at the same height in the vertical direction; and
a display device for displaying the synthetic image generated by the image synthesis means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A vehicle surrounding image display device mounted on a vehicle, the device comprising:
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a first camera for taking a first image behind the vehicle from a central position in the width direction of the vehicle;
a second camera for taking a second image behind the vehicle from a left side position in the width direction of the vehicle;
a third camera for taking a third image behind the vehicle from a right side position in the width direction of the vehicle;
image deformation means for deforming the second image taken by the second camera such that at least a portion of the right side in the vehicle width direction of the second image lower than the vanishing point in the second image is inclined to make the lower portion of the right side located more leftward in the vehicle width direction than the upper portion of the right side, and that the inclination is gradually increased toward the lower end of the right side, and for deforming the third image taken by the third camera such that at least a portion of the left side in the vehicle width direction of the third image lower than the vanishing point in the third image is inclined to make the lower portion of the left side located more rightward in the vehicle width direction than the upper portion of the left side, and that the inclination is gradually increased toward the lower end of the left side;
image synthesis means for adjusting the second and third images deformed by the image deformation means and the first image taken by the first camera such that the scale of an object matches among the first to third images, and for generating a synthetic image combining the first to third images such that the vanishing point in the first image, the vanishing point in the second image, and the vanishing point in the third image are at the same height in the vertical direction; and
a display device for displaying the synthetic image generated by the image synthesis means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A vehicle image display method for displaying an image showing the circumstances behind a vehicle in a vehicle surrounding image display device mounted on the vehicle and including a first camera for taking a first image behind the vehicle from a central position in the width direction of the vehicle, and a second camera for taking a second image behind the vehicle from a position off the center in the width direction of the vehicle, the method comprising:
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deforming the second image taken by the second camera such that at least a portion of the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the second image lower than the vanishing point in the second image is inclined to make the lower portion of the inner side located more outward in the vehicle width direction than the upper portion of the inner side, and that the inclination is gradually increased toward the lower end of the inner side;
adjusting the sizes of the deformed second image and the first image taken by the first camera such that the scale of an object matches between the first and second images, and generating a synthetic image combining the first and second images such that the vanishing point in the first image and the vanishing point in the second image are at the same height in the vertical direction; and
displaying the generated synthetic image.
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19. A vehicle image display method for displaying an image showing the circumstances behind a vehicle in a vehicle surrounding image display device mounted on the vehicle and including a first camera for taking a first image behind the vehicle from a central position in the width direction of the vehicle, a second camera for taking a second image behind the vehicle from a left-side position in the width direction of the vehicle, and a third camera for taking a third image behind the vehicle from a right-side position in the width direction of the vehicle, the method comprising:
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deforming the second image taken by the second camera such that at least a portion of the right side in the vehicle width direction of the second image lower than the vanishing point in the second image is inclined to make the lower portion of the right side located more leftward in the vehicle width direction than the upper portion of the right side, and that the inclination is gradually increased toward the lower end of the right side;
deforming the third image taken by the third camera such that at least a portion of the left side in the vehicle width direction of the third image lower than the vanishing point in the third image is inclined to make the lower portion of the left side located more rightward in the vehicle width direction than the upper portion of the left side, and that the inclination is gradually increased toward the lower end of the left side;
adjusting the sizes of the deformed second and third images and the first image taken by the first camera such that the scale of an object matches among the first to third images, and generating a synthetic image combining the first to third images such that the vanishing point in the first image, the vanishing point in the second image, and the vanishing point in the third image are at the same height in the vertical direction; and
displaying the generated synthetic image.
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Specification