IMAGING DEVICE, IMAGING DISPLAY APPARATUS, AND VEHICLE

• US 20170237882A1
• Filed: 08/07/2015
• Published: 08/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: SHIOHARA, Ryuichi
• Granted Patent: US 10,389,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/31 Virtual images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/77 Instrument locations other than the dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/213 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• 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 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/306 using a re-scaling of images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/22 Cropping
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4007 based on interpolation, e.g. bilinear interpolation image demosaicing G06T3/4015; edge-driven or edge-based scaling G06T3/403
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 : Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/08 : Details of image data interface between the display device controller and the data line driver circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 : Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 : Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/006 : Details of the interface to the display terminal specific for a display terminal using a CRT G09G1/167; using a flat panel G09G3/2096; circuits for interfacing with colour displays G09G5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 : Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/18 : Timing circuits for raster scan displays specially adapted for television H04N ; synchronisation between the display unit and other display units, videodisc player G09G5/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 : Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 : by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/843 : Demosaicing, e.g. interpolating colour pixel values
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 : Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/04 : Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An imaging device that includes an imaging unit included K imaging elements, a display unit included K display areas, an image signal generation unit that generates partial image signals based on imaging signals output from the imaging unit, and outputs image signals to the display unit, and a timing control unit that outputs a timing when the image processing generation unit outputs the image signal based on display output line information and image processing line information, and the image processing generation unit outputs an image signal indicating an image to be displayed in a display target line in a case where the display output line information and the image processing line information indicate the display target line.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

an imaging unit that includes K imaging elements (K is a natural number which is equal to or greater than

     2) which image subject to output imaging signals;

a display unit that has K display areas in a one-to-one correspondence with the K imaging elements of the imaging unit;

an image signal generation unit that generates partial image signals indicating images to be displayed in the respective lines of a j-th display area (j is a natural number which satisfies 1≦

j≦

K) of the display unit based on imaging signals output from the j-th imaging element of the imaging unit, and outputs image signals which include K partial image signals corresponding to the K display areas and indicate images to be displayed in the respective lines of the display unit to the display unit; and

a timing control unit that controls a timing when the image processing generation unit outputs the image signal based on display output line information indicating a line corresponding to an image signal which has been output to the display unit from the image signal generation unit and image processing line information indicating a line in which an image is displayed last, among the lines corresponding to the partial image signals generated by the image signal generation unit,

wherein the timing control unit controls the image signal generation unit to output an image signal indicating an image to be displayed in a display target line in a case where the display output line information indicates a line in which an image is displayed earlier than the display target line and the image processing line information indicates a line in which an image is displayed after a timing when an image is displayed in the display target line.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1,

wherein the display unit is able to display images in the respective lines for every period determined by a display horizontal synchronization pulse output at a predetermined cycle,

the image signal generation unit outputs the image signal in synchronization with the display horizontal synchronization pulse, and

the timing control unit controls the image signal generation unit to stop outputting the image signal indicating the image to be displayed in the display target line in a case where the display output line information indicates the line in which the image is displayed earlier than the display target line and the image processing line information indicates a line in which an image is displayed earlier than the display target line, and controls the image signal generation unit to output the image signal indicating the image to be displayed in the display target line in synchronization with the display horizontal synchronization pulse output after the line indicated by the image processing line information becomes the display target line.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1,

wherein the display unit is able to display images in the respective lines for every period determined by a display horizontal synchronization pulse,

the image signal generation unit outputs the image signal in synchronization with the display horizontal synchronization pulse, and

the timing control unit is able to output the display horizontal synchronization pulse at a variable cycle, controls the image signal generation unit to stop outputting the display horizontal synchronization pulse and to stop outputting the image signal indicating the image to be displayed in the display target line in a case where the display output line information indicates the line in which the image is displayed earlier than the display target line and the image processing line information indicates a line in which an image is displayed earlier than the display target line, and controls the image signal generation unit to output the display horizontal synchronization pulse and to output the image signal indicating the image to be displayed in the display target line in synchronization with the output display horizontal synchronization pulse in a case where the line indicated by the image processing line information becomes the display target line.

8. The imaging device according to claim 1,

wherein the display unit is provided within a vehicle, and

the imaging elements image the outside of the vehicle.

9. The imaging device according to claim 8,

wherein the K imaging elements included in the imaging unit include a first imaging element that images a subject in the rear of the vehicle, a second imaging element that images a subject on a rear left side of the vehicle, and a third imaging element that images a subject on a rear right side of the vehicle, and

the K display areas of the display unit include a first display area that corresponds to the first imaging element, a second display area that corresponds to the second imaging element and is formed on a left side of the first display area, and a third display area which corresponds to the third imaging element and is formed on a right side of the first display area.

10. A vehicle imaging display system comprising:

the imaging device according to claim 1.

11. A vehicle comprising the imaging display system according to claim 10.

4. An imaging device comprising:

an imaging unit that includes K imaging elements (K is a natural number which is equal to or greater than

     2) which image subjects and output imaging signals indicating imaging results in synchronization with an imaging synchronization signal;

a display unit that includes K display areas in a one-to-one correspondence with the K imaging elements of the imaging unit, and is able to display an image at a frame rate higher than that of the imaging unit in synchronization with a display synchronization signal;

an image signal generation unit that generates a partial image signal indicating an image to be displayed in a j-th display area is a natural number which satisfies 1≦

j≦

K) of the display unit based on an imaging signal output from the j-th imaging element of the imaging unit, and outputs an image signal which includes K partial image signals corresponding to the K display areas and indicates an image to be displayed on the display unit to the display unit in synchronization with the display synchronization signal; and

a timing control unit that controls a timing when the image signal generation unit outputs the image signal,

wherein, when a time from starting of a frame of the imaging synchronization signal to starting of a frame of the display synchronization signal is a phase difference, a frame rate of the imaging unit is a first frame rate, and a highest frame rate at which the display unit is able to display is a second frame rate, the timing control unit is able to perform first timing control for gradually decreasing the phase difference in a case where the phase difference is greater than a predetermined time by causing the image signal generation unit to output the image signal such that a frame rate of the display unit is the second frame rate, and second timing control for causing the image signal generation unit to output the image signal such that the frame rate of the display unit is the first frame rate after the phase difference is equal to or less than the predetermined time.

5. The imaging device according to claim 4,

wherein, in a case where the phase difference is greater than the predetermined time, the timing control unit generates the K partial image signals, waits until the image indicated by the K partial image signals is able to be displayed on the display unit, and outputs the image signal including the K partial image signals to the display unit.

6. The imaging device according to claim 4,

wherein the display synchronization signal includes a display horizontal synchronization pulse having a predetermined cycle, and

the timing control unit outputs the image signal including the K partial image signals to the display unit in synchronization with a first display horizontal synchronization pulse output after an image signal generation time when the generation of the K partial image signals is completed in a case where the image signal generation time is equal to or less than a display available time when the image indicated by the K partial image signals is able to be displayed on the display unit after the phase difference is equal to or less than the predetermined time.

7. The imaging device according to claim 4,

wherein the timing control unit outputs the display synchronization signal including a display horizontal synchronization pulse having a variable cycle, stops outputting the display horizontal synchronization pulse and stops outputting the image signal including the K partial image signals until an image signal generation time when generation of the K partial image signals is completed, in a case where the image signal generation time is equal to or less than a display available time when the image indicated by the K partial image signals is able to be displayed on the display unit after the phase difference is equal to or less than the predetermined time, and outputs the display horizontal synchronization pulse and outputs the image signal including the K partial image signals in synchronization with the output display horizontal synchronization pulse after the image signal generation time.

12. An imaging display device comprising:

an imaging unit that includes K imaging elements (K is a natural number which is equal to or greater than

     2) which image subject to output imaging signals;

a display unit that has K display areas in a one-to-one correspondence with the K imaging elements of the imaging unit;

an image signal generation unit that generates partial image signals indicating images to be displayed in the respective lines of a j-th display area (j is a natural number which satisfies 1≦

j≦

K) of the display unit based on imaging signals output from the j-th imaging element of the imaging unit, and outputs image signals which include K partial image signals corresponding to the K display areas and indicate images to be displayed in the respective lines of the display unit to the display unit; and

a timing control unit that outputs a timing when the image processing generation unit outputs the image signal based on display output line information and image processing line information, the display output line information indicating a line corresponding to an image signal which has been output to the display unit from the image signal generation unit, and the image processing line information indicating a line corresponding to the partial image signals generated by the image signal generation unit,

wherein the image processing generation unit outputs an image signal indicating an image to be displayed in a display target line in a case where the display output line information and the image processing line information indicate the display target line.

13. A vehicle imaging display system comprising:

the imaging device according to claim 12.

14. A vehicle comprising the imaging display system according to claim 13.