DRIVING ASSIST APPARATUS

• US 20100289634A1
• Filed: 03/23/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: IKEDA, Keigo, NAGAMINE, Noboru
• Granted Patent: US 8,633,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/441
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/005 using a video camera
• 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 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• 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 2300/8086 for vehicle path indication
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0275 by overlaying a vehicle path based on present steering angle over an image without processing that image

Abstract

A driving assist apparatus includes: an image obtaining unit that obtains a peripheral image of a vehicle, which is captured by an image capturing device provided in the vehicle; a display device that is provided in the interior of the vehicle and displays the peripheral image; a display object generation unit that generates a display object including an index line serving as an index for assisting a driver who drives the vehicle; a vehicle state detection unit that detects at least one of behavior of the vehicle and a state of a driving operation; a display type determining unit that determines a transparent display type of the display object based on the detection result of the vehicle state detection unit; and a display control unit that superimposes and displays the display object on the peripheral image, which is displayed on the display device, based on the determined transparent display type.

Claims

1. A driving assist apparatus comprising:

an image obtaining unit that obtains a peripheral image of a vehicle, which is captured by an image capturing device provided in the vehicle;

a display device that is provided in the interior of the vehicle and displays the peripheral image;

a display object generation unit that generates a display object including an index line serving as an index for assisting a driver who drives the vehicle;

a vehicle state detection unit that detects at least one of behavior of the vehicle and a state of a driving operation;

a display type determining unit that determines a transparent display type of the display object based on the detection result of the vehicle state detection unit; and

a display control unit that superimposes and displays the display object on the peripheral image, which is displayed on the display device, based on the determined transparent display type.

2. The driving assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle state detection unit detects at least the behavior of the vehicle,

the behavior of the vehicle is defined based on the speed or acceleration of the vehicle, and

when the vehicle speed or the acceleration exceeds a setting value set in advance, the display type determining unit determines the transparent display type so as to increase transmittance of the display object.

3. The driving assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle state detection unit detects at least the state of the driving operation,

the state of the driving operation is defined based on the steering speed or steering acceleration of a steering,

when the steering speed or the steering acceleration exceeds a setting value set in advance, the display type determining unit determines the transparent display type so as to increase the transmittance of the display object.

4. The driving assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the index line includes at least one of a side portion and a shadow portion.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the index line includes at least one of a side portion and a shadow portion.

5. A driving assist method comprising:

obtaining a peripheral image of a vehicle, which is captured by an image capturing device provided in the vehicle;

displaying the peripheral image on a display device that is provided in the interior of the vehicle;

generating a display object including an index line serving as an index for assisting a driver who drives the vehicle;

detecting at least one of behavior of the vehicle and a state of a driving operation;

determining a transparent display type of the display object based on the detection result in the detecting step; and

superimposing and displaying the display object on the peripheral image, which is displayed on the display device, based on the determined transparent display type.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein

in the detecting step, at least the behavior of the vehicle is detected,

the behavior of the vehicle is defined based on the speed or acceleration of the vehicle, and

in the determining step, when the vehicle speed or the acceleration exceeds a setting value set in advance, the transparent display type in which transmittance of the display object is increased is determined.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein

in the detecting step, at least the state of the driving operation is detected,

the state of the driving operation is defined based on the steering speed or steering acceleration of a steering,

in the determining step, when the steering speed or the steering acceleration exceeds a setting value set in advance, the transparent display type in which the transmittance of the display object is increased is determined.