VEHICLE PERIPHERAL IMAGE DISPLAYING SYSTEM

• US 20110043632A1
• Filed: 02/19/2009
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Satoh, Noriyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,624,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/25 to the sides of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• 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 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/304 using merged images, e.g. merging camera image with stored images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A vehicle-peripheral image displaying system (a side view monitor system A1) comprises a side camera 1, a monitor 3 and an image processing controlling unit 2, wherein the image processing controlling unit 2 includes an image processor 43 configured to perform a viewpoint conversion of the actually shot camera image input from the side camera 1 into a virtual camera image which is to be converted as if it is viewed from the driver'"'"'s eye position, an image memory 44 configured to store a vehicle interior image which is previously shot from the driver'"'"'s eye position as a vehicle interior image, and a superimposing circuit 46 configured to make the vehicle interior image translucent to form a translucent vehicle interior image, to perform an image composition such that the translucent vehicle interior image is superimposed on the virtual camera image, and to produce a composite image which represents the virtual camera image transparently through the translucent vehicle interior image.

Claims

1. A vehicle-peripheral image displaying system comprising:

a vehicle-mounted external camera mounted on a vehicle and configured to shoot an image of a vehicle-periphery;

a monitor provided in a vehicle interior at a position to cause the monitor to be visible for a driver; and

a monitor-image producing unit configured to produce an image to be displayed on the monitor based on an actually shot camera image input from the vehicle-mounted external camera, wherein;

the monitor-image producing unit includes;

an image processor configured to perform a viewpoint conversion of the actually shot camera image input from the vehicle-mounted external camera into a virtual camera image which is to be converted as if it is viewed from the driver'"'"'s eye position;

an image memory configured to store a vehicle interior image, being previously shot from the driver'"'"'s eye position, as a vehicle interior image; and

an image composition circuit configured

to make the vehicle interior image output from the image memory translucent to form a translucent vehicle interior image,

to perform an image composition such that the translucent vehicle interior image is superimposed on the virtual camera image output from the image processor,

to produce a composite image representing the virtual camera image transparently through the translucent vehicle interior image.

2. The vehicle-peripheral image displaying system according to claim 1, wherein

the image composition circuit displays, of an entire area of the vehicle interior image being previously shot from the driver'"'"'s eye position, an area in which dimensions and a form of the vehicle are vertically projected on a road surface as a shadow.

3. The vehicle-peripheral image displaying system according to claim 2, wherein

the image composition circuit includes a blending circuit configured to set, of the vehicle interior image, the shadow area in which the vehicle is projected on the road surface as an opaque part having a transmissivity of 0% of the vehicle interior image, and set an area corresponding to a window glass of the vehicle as a transparent part having a transmissivity of 100% of the vehicle interior image, also set areas other than the shadow and the window glass as a translucent part having an arbitrary transmissivity.

4. The vehicle-peripheral image displaying system according to claim 3, wherein

the blending circuit sets a border frame to be displayed on an outer circumference of the opaque part having the transmissivity of 0% of the vehicle interior image.

5. The vehicle-peripheral image displaying system according to claim 3, wherein

the blending circuit includes a blending ratio manual adjuster configured to arbitrarily adjust by a manual operation the transmissivity of the translucent part set on the vehicle interior image.

6. The vehicle-peripheral image displaying system according to claim 3, wherein

the blending circuit includes a blending ratio sensor conjunction adjuster configured to automatically adjust the transmissivity of the translucent part set on the vehicle interior image based on vehicle information and external environmental information obtained by an external sensor so as to enhance visibility of the composite image displayed on the monitor.

7. The vehicle-peripheral image displaying system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a lighting condition detector configured to detect lighting/light-out of an illumination lamp in the vehicle interior; and

a luminance detector configured to detect a luminance of the actually shot camera image input from the vehicle-mounted external camera, wherein

the image composition circuit includes a composite image luminance controller configured to invert the luminance of the composite image along with displaying a line with a white line instead of a black line when both of conditions where the illumination lamp is lighting and where a detected luminance value is lower than a set value are met.

8. The vehicle-peripheral image displaying system according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle-mounted external camera is a side camera used for a side view monitoring system configured to display on the vehicle interior monitor a front lateral part, being a blind area from the driver, of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle-peripheral image displaying system according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle-mounted external camera is a back camera used for a back view monitoring system configured to display on the vehicle interior monitor a back part, being a blind area from the driver, of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle-peripheral image displaying system according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle-mounted external camera is one or more front cameras used for a front view monitoring system configured to display on the vehicle interior monitor a front part, being a blind area from the driver, of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle-peripheral image displaying system according to claim 4, wherein

the blending circuit includes a blending ratio manual adjuster configured to arbitrarily adjust by a manual operation the transmissivity of the translucent part set on the vehicle interior image.

12. The vehicle-peripheral image displaying system according to claim 4, wherein

the blending circuit includes a blending ratio sensor interlocking adjuster configured to automatically adjust the transmissivity of the translucent part set on the vehicle interior image based on vehicle information and external environmental information obtained by an external sensor so as to enhance visibility of the composite image displayed on the monitor.