DRIVING ASSISTANCE DEVICE AND DRIVING ASSISTANCE METHOD

• US 20170028917A1
• Filed: 01/26/2015
• Published: 02/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: TAUCHI, Makiko
• Granted Patent: US 10,099,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/171 Vehicle or relevant part thereof displayed
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/179 Distances to obstacles or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• 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 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/31 providing stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30241 Trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30261 Obstacle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

A driving assistance device displaying a condition around a vehicle on a display unit includes: a storage device storing an external shape of the vehicle; an object detection device detecting a position of an object around the vehicle and an external shape of a vehicle side of the object; a movement information acquiring device acquiring movement information relating to a direction and an amount of movement of the vehicle; a relative position estimating device estimating a relative position of the object to the vehicle based on the position of the object and the movement information; an image generating device generating a top-view image of the vehicle and the object viewed from above the vehicle based on the external shape of the vehicle, the external shape of the object, and the relative position of the object to the vehicle; and a display device displaying the top-view image on the display unit.

Claims

1. A driving assistance device mounted on a vehicle and displaying a condition around the vehicle on a display unit, the driving assistance device comprising:

a storage device that stores an external shape of the vehicle;

an object detection device that detects a position of an object disposed around the vehicle and an external shape of at least a vehicle-facing side of the object;

a movement information acquiring device that acquires movement information relating to a direction and an amount of movement of the vehicle;

a relative position estimating device that estimates a relative position of the object to the vehicle based on the position of the object acquired in the object detecting device and the movement information acquired in the movement information acquiring device;

an image generating device that generates a top-view image of the vehicle and the object viewed from above the vehicle based on the external shape of the vehicle, the external shape of the object, and the relative position of the object to the vehicle; and

a display device that displays the top-view image on the display unit.

2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an object generating device that generates an object image indicative of the external shape of the object based on the external shape of the object detected in the object detecting device, wherein;

the storage device stores a vehicle image indicative of the external shape of the vehicle; and

the image generating device generates the top-view image including the object image and the vehicle image.

3. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a narrow interval place detecting device that detects a narrow interval place, in which an interval between the vehicle and the object is equal to or smaller than a predetermined distance, based on the relative position of the object to the vehicle, the external shape of the vehicle, and the external shape of the object, wherein;

the image generating device generates the top-view image indicative of the narrow interval place when the narrow interval place is detected.

4. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of photographing devices that photograph the object from different positions, wherein;

the object detecting device detects the position of the object disposed around the vehicle and the external shape of the vehicle-facing side of the object.

5. A driving assistance method provided in a vehicle for displaying a condition around the vehicle on a display unit, the driving assistance method comprising:

detecting a position of an object disposed around the vehicle, and an external shape of at least a vehicle-facing side of the object;

acquiring movement information relating to a direction and an amount of movement of the vehicle;

estimating a relative position of the object to the vehicle based on the position of the object and the movement information;

generating a top-view image of the vehicle and the object viewed from above the vehicle based on the external shape of the vehicle, the external shape of the object, and the relative position of the object to the vehicle; and

displaying the top-view image on the display unit.