Image processor and camera

• US 20090059005A1
• Filed: 08/12/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Hattori, Kazushige, Hattori, Toshihiro, Wang, Bingchen
• Granted Patent: US 8,670,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/102 using 360 degree surveillance camera system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same 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 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/306 using a re-scaling of images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/406 using wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8033 for pedestrian protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads

Abstract

An image processor outputs an image containing relatively much information of a central area in the horizontal direction. A mask composed of an upper mask and a lower mask is superimposed on the image. The upper mask is concave on the lower side thereof and disposed along the upper side of the image. The lower mask is concave on the upper side thereof and disposed along the lower side of the image. When the image is masked with this mask, the peripheral portion of the image that is prone to be distorted becomes invisible. Therefore, discomfort a user feels because of distortion can be reduced. In addition, the user can view the image with the much information of the central area of the image in the horizontal direction.

Claims

1. An image processor comprising:

an image inputting means for inputting as an image signal an image of an area adjacent to a vehicle from a camera provided for the vehicle;

a mask information storing means for storing mask information, which is information on a mask;

a mask processing executing means for carrying out mask processing on the image inputted by the image inputting means based on the mask information stored in the mask information storing means; and

an outputting means for outputting an image subjected to mask processing by the mask processing executing means to a display device,

wherein a shape of the image outputted to the display device by the outputting means is substantially rectangular,

wherein a mask represented by the mask information stored in the mask information storing means includes an upper mask and a lower mask,

the upper mask being concave on a lower side thereof and being disposed along an upper side of the image when the image is displayed in the display device,

the lower mask being concave on an upper side thereof and being disposed along a lower side of the image when the image is displayed in the display device.

2. The image processor according to claim 1,

wherein a concave shape of at least either of the upper mask and the lower mask is along a distorted curve of an image inputted by the image inputting means.

3. The image processor according to claim 1,

wherein a concave shape of at least either of the upper mask and the lower mask is substantially V shape.

4. The image processor according to claim 1,

wherein a concave shape of the upper mask is along a distorted curve of an image inputted by the image inputting means, and

wherein a concave shape of the lower mask is substantially V shape.

5. The image processor according to claim 1,

wherein mask processing carried out by the mask processing executing means is at least any one of:

solidly shading a portion to be masked of the image;

varying a brightness of a portion to be masked of the image;

varying a chroma of a portion to be masked of the image;

varying a hue of a portion to be masked of the image; and

gradating a portion to be masked of the image.

6. The image processor according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operation receiving means for receiving operation by a user,

wherein the mask information storing means stores the mask information with respect to a plurality of masks, and

wherein the mask processing executing means carries out the mask processing based on any one piece of the mask information stored in the mask information storing means, identified according to the operation received by the operation receiving means.

7. The image processor according to claim 6,

wherein the mask information storing means holds the mask information with respect to the plurality of masks having different sizes.

8. The image processor according to claim 1, further comprising:

an operation receiving means for receiving operation by a user,

wherein the mask processing executing means does not carry out the mask processing with respect to at least either of the upper mask and the lower mask according to the operation received by the operation receiving means.

9. The image processor according to claim 6,

wherein the operation receiving means is a touch panel provided in a display surface of the display device to which the outputting means outputs the image.

10. The image processor according to claim 6,

wherein the operation receiving means is a steering wheel switch provided on the steering wheel of the vehicle.

11. The image processor according to claim 6,

wherein the mask processing executing means superimposes an operation icon for guiding a user in operation on a masked portion of the image that underwent the mask processing, and

wherein the outputting means outputs the image with the operation icon superimposed thereon to the display device.

12. The image processor according to claim 11,

wherein the operation receiving means is a touch panel provided in a display surface of the display device to which the outputting means outputs the image, and

wherein the mask processing executing means superimposes the operation icon when the touch panel is touched and causes the operation icon to disappear when a predetermined time has passed after the operation icon was superimposed.

13. The image processor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a reported information inputting means for inputting reported information to be reported to a user,

wherein the mask processing executing means superimposes at least either of a character and a graphic based on the reported information inputted by the reported information inputting means on a masked portion of the image that underwent the mask processing, and

wherein the outputting means outputs the image with at least either of the character and the graphic superimposed thereon to the display device.

14. The image processor according to claim 1, further comprising:

an obstacle information inputting means for inputting obstacle information which is information related to an obstacle from an obstacle detector,

wherein the mask processing executing means changes a color of a masked portion of the image that underwent the mask processing to a predetermined color when the obstacle information is inputted through the obstacle information inputting means, and

wherein the outputting means outputs the image with the color of the masked portion changed to the predetermined color to the display device.

15. The image processor according to claim 14,

wherein when a distance from the vehicle to the obstacle is inputted as the obstacle information, the mask processing executing means changes the color of the masked portion of the image that underwent the mask processing according to the distance.

16. The image processor according to claim 1, further comprising:

an obstacle information inputting means for inputting obstacle information which is information related to an obstacle from an obstacle detector,

wherein when the obstacle information is inputted through the obstacle information inputting means, the mask processing executing means superimposes at least either of a character and a graphic based on the obstacle information on a masked portion of the image, and

wherein the outputting means outputs the image with at least either of the character and the graphic superimposed thereon to the display device.

17. The image processor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a person detecting means for detecting a person from the image inputted by the image inputting means,

wherein when a person is detected by the person detecting means, the mask processing executing means changes a color of a masked portion of the image that underwent the mask processing to a predetermined color, and

wherein the outputting means outputs the image with the color of the masked portion changed to the predetermined color to the display device.

18. The image processor according to claim 17,

wherein the person detecting means is also capable of detecting a position of a person in an image, and

wherein the mask processing executing means determines whether or not the person detected by the person detecting means is hidden as a result of the mask processing and does not carry out the mask processing when it is determined that the person is hidden.

19. The image processor according to claim 1,

wherein the image inputting means inputs the image from the camera by wireless communication.

20. The image processor according to claim 1,

wherein the camera from which the image inputting means inputs the image is a camera equipped with a wide view angle lens.

21. The image processor according to claim 20,

wherein the lens of the camera from which the image inputting means inputs the image is 180 degrees or above in horizontal angle of view.

22. The image processor according to claim 20, further comprising:

a narrow view angle image generating means for generating a narrow view angle image which is a zoomed-in image obtained by clipping a portion from a wide view angle image acquired from the camera by the image inputting means; and

an image switching means that switches an image between a wide view angle image acquired from the camera by the image inputting means and a narrow view angle image generated by the narrow view angle image generating means and outputs the image to the outputting means,

wherein the mask processing executing means carries out the mask processing only when an image has been switched to the wide view angle image by the image switching means, and carries out the mask processing so that a masked portion of the image to be subjected to he mask processing and a portion of the wide view angle image corresponding to the narrow view angle image do not overlap each other.

23. A camera for picking up an image of an area adjacent to a vehicle and outputting a substantially rectangular image, the camera having a lens portion, the lens portion comprising:

an upper mask member implementing a mask that masks an upper part of the image when the image is displayed in a display device, the upper mask member being concave on a lower side thereof; and

a lower mask member implementing a mask that masks a lower part of the image when the image is displayed in the display device, the lower mask member being concave on an upper side thereof.