SURROUNDINGS MONITORING DEVICE FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20100245577A1
• Filed: 03/22/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Kinji, Watanabe, Kazuya
• Granted Patent: US 8,866,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• 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 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8006 for monitoring and displaying scenes of vehicle interior, e.g. for monitoring passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8086 for vehicle path indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning

Abstract

A surroundings monitoring device for a vehicle, includes a pair of side cameras, each of which is provided at a side mirror, obtaining capture images capturing views extending to left and right of the vehicle including views below the side mirrors, respectively, an image graphic generating portion generating an image graphic of the vehicle from a view point above a rear portion thereof towards a front lower portion thereof, or from a view point above a front portion of the vehicle towards a rear lower portion thereof in order to include at least a portion of the vehicle and the side mirrors on the image graphic, and a side image generating portion generating left and right side images on the basis of the capture images so as to correspond to images shown at left and right portions of the image graphic displayed on a monitor, respectively.

Claims

1. A surroundings monitoring device for a vehicle, comprising:

a pair of side cameras, each of which is provided at a side mirror of the vehicle, obtaining capture images capturing views extending to left and right of the vehicle including views below the side mirrors in a vertical direction, respectively;

an image graphic generating portion generating an image graphic of the vehicle showing the vehicle being viewed from above a rear portion thereof towards a front lower portion thereof in order to include at least a portion of the vehicle and the side mirrors on the image graphic, or an image graphic of the vehicle showing the vehicle being viewed from above a front portion thereof towards a rear lower portion thereof in order to include at least a portion of the vehicle and the side mirrors on the image graphic; and

a side image generating portion generating a left side image on the basis of the capture image capturing the view extending to the left relative to the vehicle so as to correspond to an image shown at a left portion of the image graphic displayed on a monitor, which is provided within a compartment of the vehicle, and generating a right side image on the basis of the capture image capturing the view extending to the right relative to the vehicle so as to correspond to an image shown at a right portion of the image graphic displayed on the monitor.

2. The surroundings monitoring device for the vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising a front camera for obtaining a capture image capturing a view extending forward relative to the vehicle, wherein a forward image, which is generated on the basis of the capture image obtained by the front camera, is displayed above the image graphic, the left side image and the right side image on the display in a case where a gear lever of the vehicle is positioned at, at least, a forward moving shift position.

3. The surroundings monitoring device for the vehicle according to claim 1 further comprising a rear camera for obtaining a capture image capturing a view extending rearward relative to the vehicle, wherein a rearward image, which is generated on the basis of the capture image obtained by the rear camera, is displayed above the image graphic, the left side image and the right side image on the display in a case where a gear lever of the vehicle is positioned at, at least, a rearward moving shift position.

4. The surroundings monitoring device for the vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the image graphic generated in the case where the gear lever is positioned at the rearward moving shift position is displayed on the monitor as a mirror image.

5. The surroundings monitoring device for the vehicle according to claim 3, wherein an angle of vision of the left side image and the right side image is set so as to substantially coincide with an angle of vision of the rearward image.

6. The surroundings monitoring device for the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the left side image, the right side image and the forward image to be displayed on the monitor are generated so that an upper end portion of the left side image and an upper end portion of the right side image, which are displayed on the monitor, are overlapped with, at least, an area existing the closest to the vehicle on the forward image.

7. The surroundings monitoring device for the vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the left side image, the right side image and the rearward image to be displayed on the monitor are generated so that an upper end portion of the left side image and an upper end portion of the right side image, which are displayed on the monitor, are overlapped with, at least, an area existing the closest to the vehicle on the rearward image.

8. The surroundings monitoring device for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the pair of the side cameras, each of which is provided at the corresponding side mirror, is arranged so as to face downward in the vertical direction.

9. The surroundings monitoring device for the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the pair of the side cameras, each of which is provided at the corresponding side mirror, is arranged so as to face downward in the vertical direction.

10. The surroundings monitoring device for the vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the pair of the side cameras, each of which is provided at the corresponding side mirror, is arranged so as to face downward in the vertical direction.

11. The surroundings monitoring device for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an image indicating a user is included in the image graphic of the vehicle.