MANEUVERING ASSISTING APPARATUS

• US 20100092042A1
• Filed: 10/08/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: ASARI, Keisuke
• Application Number:
  US12/576,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20100092042A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/106
• 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 2300/102 using 360 degree surveillance camera system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 49/00 Arrangements of nautical instruments or navigational aids nautical measuring instruments G01C; radio navigation, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S

Abstract

A maneuvering assisting apparatus includes a plurality of cameras. Each camera is arranged in a downward attitude on a side surface of a ship hull, and captures surroundings of the ship. A CPU creates a whole-circumference bird'"'"'s eye view image representing in an aerially viewed manner the surroundings of the ship, based on outputs of these cameras. Also, the CPU transparently multiplexes a graphic image representing at least an extension of the aerially viewed ship, onto the whole-circumference bird'"'"'s eye view image. Moreover, the CPU non-transparently multiplexes a graphic image representing one portion of the aerially viewed ship, onto the whole-circumference bird'"'"'s eye view image.

Claims

1. A maneuvering assisting apparatus, comprising:

an imager, arranged in a downward attitude in a moving object, which captures surroundings of the moving object;

a creator which creates a surrounding image representing in an aerially viewed manner the surroundings of the moving object, based on output of said imager; and

a first multiplexer which transparently multiplexes a first moving-object image representing at least an extension of the aerially viewed moving object, onto the surrounding image created by said creator.

2. A maneuvering assisting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first moving-object image is equivalent to an image representing a whole of the aerially viewed moving object.

3. A maneuvering assisting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second multiplexer which multiplexes a second moving-object image representing one portion of the aerially viewed moving object, onto the surrounding image created by said creator.

4. A maneuvering assisting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said second multiplexer non-transparently multiplexes the second moving-object image.

5. A maneuvering assisting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the moving object is equivalent to a ship, and a size of one portion of the moving object represented by the second moving-object image is equivalent to a size of a cut-out surface obtained by cutting out the moving object with a draft line.

6. A maneuvering assisting apparatus according to claim 3, thither comprising:

an inclination detector which detects a change in inclination and/or altitude of the moving object; and

a corrector which corrects the size of one portion of the moving object represented by the second moving-object image, with reference to a detection result of said inclination detector.