Driving support method and driving support apparatus

• US 20080239527A1
• Filed: 03/12/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Okabe, Hidefumi, Takagi, Minoru
• Granted Patent: US 8,035,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/843
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• 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 1/25 to the sides of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0019 Side or rear panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0028 Ceiling, e.g. roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/202 displaying a blind spot scene on the vehicle part responsible for the blind spot
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• 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 2300/306 using a re-scaling of images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/404 triggering from stand-by mode to operation mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/605 the adjustment being automatic
• 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 2300/8026 in addition to a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic

Abstract

A driving support method and apparatus for displaying, on a medial side of a pillar of the vehicle, an image of an area which is hidden as a blind spot in a rear-view mirror mounted on or in a vehicle, when looking in the mirror from the driver'"'"'s position and which is created by the pillar. The apparatus detects a head position of a driver, detects the angle of the rear-view mirror, calculates the area which is hidden as the blind spot on the basis of the detected driver'"'"'s head position and the detected angle of the rear-view mirror, and projects an image of the area corresponding to the blind spot onto the pillar, the projected image being formed from image data which is obtained from a blind spot camera mounted on the vehicle.

Claims

1. A driving support method for displaying an image of an area which is hidden as a blind spot in a mirror mounted on or in a vehicle, when looking in the mirror from the driver'"'"'s position, which blind spot is created by a pillar of the vehicle, using an imaging device which is mounted on or in the vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting a position of the driver;

detecting an angle of the mirror;

calculating the area which is hidden as a blind spot in the mirror, when looking in the mirror from the driver'"'"'s position, which blind spot is created by the pillar, on the basis of the detected position of the driver and the detected angle of the mirror; and

displaying an image, corresponding to the calculated blind spot area, onto a medial side of the pillar, which image is formed by image data captured by the imaging device.

2. The driving support method according to claim 1 wherein the mirror is an interior rear-view mirror.

3. The driving support method according to claim 1 further comprising:

calculating a range of view which the driver is able to see in the mirror, on the basis of the detected position of the driver and the detected angle of the mirror;

identifying a pillar located within the calculated range of view; and

displaying the image of the blind spot on the identified pillar.

4. The driving support method according to claim 3 further comprising:

determining that the driver intends a change in traffic lanes; and

wherein responsive to a determination that the driver intends a change in traffic lanes, the image of the blind spot is output onto the pillar.

5. The driving support method according to claim 1 further comprising:

determining that the driver intends a change in traffic lanes; and

wherein responsive to a determination that the driver intends a change in traffic lanes, the image of the blind spot is output onto the pillar.

6. The driving support method according to claim 1 further comprising:

detecting an obstacle located behind or to the rear side of the vehicle; and

wherein

responsive to detection of an obstacle which is located behind or to the rear side of the vehicle, the image synthesis means sets a virtual flat surface at a position of the detected obstacle to convert the image data into coordinate values.

7. The driving support method according to claim 3 further comprising:

detecting an obstacle located behind or to the rear side of the vehicle; and

wherein

responsive to detection of an obstacle which is located behind or to the rear side of the vehicle, the image synthesis means sets a virtual flat surface at a position of the detected obstacle to convert the image data into coordinate values.

8. A driving support apparatus for displaying an image of an area which is hidden as a blind spot in a mirror mounted on or in the vehicle, when looking in the mirror from the driver'"'"'s position, which blind spot is created by the presence of a pillar of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an imaging device mounted on or in the vehicle, for capturing an image including the blind spot;

driver'"'"'s position detecting means for detecting a position of the driver;

mirror position detecting means for detecting an angle of the mirror;

blind spot calculating means for calculating the area which is hidden as a blind spot in the mirror, when looking in the mirror from the driver'"'"'s position, which blind spot is created by the pillar, on the basis of the detected position of the driver and the detected angle of the mirror;

image synthesis means for generating an image of the blind spot in the mirror, using image data provided by the imaging device; and

image outputting means for outputting the image of the blind spot onto a medial side of the pillar of the vehicle.

9. The driving support apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

range of view calculating means for calculating a range of view which the driver is able to see in the mirror, on the basis of the detected position of the driver and the detected angle of the mirror, wherein;

the blind spot calculating means determines which pillar is located within the range of view and calculates the area which is hidden as the blind spot by the determined pillar; and

the image outputting means displays the image of the blind spot on the determined pillar.

10. The driving support apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

vehicle condition determining means for determining that the driver intends a change in traffic lanes, wherein, responsive to a determination that a traffic lane change is intended, the image of the blind spot corresponding to the area hidden as a blind spot is output onto the pillar.

11. The driving support apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the mirror is an interior rear-view mirror.

12. The driving support apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

vehicle condition determining means for determining that the driver intends a change in traffic lanes, wherein, responsive to a determination that a traffic lane change is intended, the image of the blind spot corresponding to the area hidden as a blind spot is output onto the pillar.

13. The driving support apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

obstacle detecting means for detecting an obstacle which is located behind the vehicle or to the rear side of the vehicle, wherein;

responsive to detection of an obstacle which is located behind or to the rear side of the vehicle, the image synthesis means sets a virtual flat surface at a position of the detected obstacle to convert the image data into coordinate values.

14. The driving support apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

obstacle detecting means for detecting an obstacle which is located behind the vehicle or to the rear side of the vehicle, wherein;

responsive to detection of an obstacle which is located behind or to the rear side of the vehicle, the image synthesis means sets a virtual flat surface at a position of the detected obstacle to convert the image data into coordinate values.