REARWARD VIEW ASSISTANCE APPARATUS

• US 20120169875A1
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Muneaki, Matsukawa, Norifumi, Utsu, Junshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,854,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• 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 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system

Abstract

A rearward view assistance apparatus in a vehicle includes an imaging device that acquires a vehicle rearward image by taking a rearview from the vehicle, a control circuit that sets a cropped image by cropping part of the vehicle rearward image in response to a state of a vehicle, and a display device that is provided in a passenger compartment and displays the cropped image. The control circuit preferably overlays a lower portion of the cropped image with a mask. The control circuit preferably displays an indication corresponding to a rear portion of the vehicle on the cropped image. The rearward view assistance apparatus is thus provided to view rearward from the vehicle even when passengers are present on the seats in the second and third rows.

Claims

1. A rearward view assistance apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an imaging device that takes an image rearward from the vehicle to acquire a vehicle rearward image;

a control circuit that sets a cropped image by cropping part of the vehicle rearward image in response to a state of the vehicle; and

a display device that is provided in a passenger compartment of the vehicle and displays the cropped image.

2. The rearward view assistance apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control circuit overlays a lower portion of the cropped image with a mask.

3. The rearward view assistance apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the control circuit provides an indication corresponding to a rear portion of the vehicle on the mask with which the lower portion of the cropped image is overlaid.

4. The rearward view assistance apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control circuit provides an indication corresponding to a rear portion of the vehicle in the cropped image.

5. The rearward view assistance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a vehicle speed detection device that detects a vehicle speed of the vehicle,

wherein the control circuit sets the cropped image smaller as the vehicle speed is higher.

6. The rearward view assistance apparatus according to claim 5, wherein:

the control circuit changes the cropped image in response to a change of the vehicle speed, and performs transition by morphing when transferring the cropped image displayed on the display device; and

a speed of the morphing is higher as the vehicle speed when the transition is performed is higher.

7. The rearward view assistance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a blinker detection device that detects a state of a blinker of the vehicle,

wherein the control circuit sets a position of the cropped image in the vehicle rearward image more rightward when the blinker indicates a right turn than when the blinker indicates no signal, and sets a position of the cropped image in the vehicle rearward image more leftward when the blinker indicates a left turn than when the blinker indicates no signal.

8. The rearward view assistance apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

the control circuit changes the cropped image in response to a change of a state of the blinker, and performs transition by morphing when transferring the cropped image displayed on the display device; and

a speed of morphing when the blinker stops indicating a right turn or a left turn is higher than that when the blinker starts indicating some turn signal.

9. The rearward view assistance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a hazard detection device that detects a state of a hazard light of the vehicle,

wherein the control circuit sets the cropped image larger when the hazard light is ON than when the hazard light is OFF.