SURROUNDING AREA MONITORING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE
First Claim
1. A surrounding area monitoring apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
- an infrared camera mounted on a vehicle, that captures images of surrounding area around the vehicle;
a display unit that displays images based on image data captured by the infrared camera;
a controller including a processor and a memory that are configured to;
generate images to be displayed on the unit,calibrate output of the infrared camera with respect to a relation between pixels, based on image data produced by imaging a surface of a shutter that opens and closes an aperture introducing a light to the infrared camera;
estimate whether or not temperature of the infrared camera is stable; and
determine a possibility that a driver is looking at a image on the unit, based on a behavior of the vehicle,wherein, when the temperature of the infrared camera is estimated stable and the possibility that the driver is looking at the display unit is determined to be low, the controller executes the calibration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surrounding area monitoring apparatus for vehicle includes an infrared camera mounted on a vehicle for capturing images of surrounding area around the vehicle, a unit for generating and displaying images based on image data captured by the camera, and a controller for calibrating output of the camera with respect to a relation between pixels, based on image data produced by imaging a surface of a shutter that opens and closes an aperture introducing a light to the camera. The controller estimates whether a temperature of the camera is stable, based on an operation state of the vehicle, and determines a possibility that a driver is looking at the unit, based on a behavior of the vehicle. When the temperature of the camera is estimated stable and the possibility that the driver is looking at the unit is determined to be low, the means for calibrating executes the calibration.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surrounding area monitoring apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
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an infrared camera mounted on a vehicle, that captures images of surrounding area around the vehicle; a display unit that displays images based on image data captured by the infrared camera; a controller including a processor and a memory that are configured to; generate images to be displayed on the unit, calibrate output of the infrared camera with respect to a relation between pixels, based on image data produced by imaging a surface of a shutter that opens and closes an aperture introducing a light to the infrared camera; estimate whether or not temperature of the infrared camera is stable; and determine a possibility that a driver is looking at a image on the unit, based on a behavior of the vehicle, wherein, when the temperature of the infrared camera is estimated stable and the possibility that the driver is looking at the display unit is determined to be low, the controller executes the calibration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A surrounding area monitoring apparatus for a vehicle comprising:
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an infrared camera, mounted on a vehicle, for capturing images of surrounding area around the vehicle; means for generating and displaying images based on image data captured by the infrared camera; means for calibrating output of the infrared camera with respect to a relation between pixels, based on image data produced by imaging a surface of a shutter that opens and closes an aperture introducing a light to the infrared camera; means for estimating whether or not temperature of the infrared camera is stable; and means for determining a possibility that a driver is looking at a image on the means for displaying, based on a behavior of the vehicle, wherein, when the temperature of the infrared camera is estimated stable and the possibility that the driver is looking at the means for displaying is determined to be low, the means for calibrating executes the calibration. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for monitoring surroundings of a vehicle with an infrared camera and a display device, comprising:
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capturing images of surrounding area around the vehicle by the infrared camera; generating and providing images for the display device, based on image data captured by the infrared camera; calibrating output of the infrared camera with respect to a relation between pixels, based on image data produced by imaging a surface of a shutter that opens and closes an aperture introducing a light to the infrared camera; estimating whether or not temperature of the infrared camera is stable; and determining a possibility that a driver is looking at a image on the display device, based on a behavior of the vehicle, wherein, when the temperature of the infrared camera is estimated stable and the possibility that the driver is looking at the display device is determined to be low, the calibration is executed. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification