DRIVE ASSIST DEVICE AND DRIVE ASSIST METHOD

• US 20180061102A1
• Filed: 01/28/2016
• Published: 03/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: GOTO, Hiroaki
• Application Number:
  US15/551,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20180061102A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/36 for facilitating connection, e.g. hitch catchers , visual guide means, signalling aids B60D1/465 takes precedence; vehicle signalling in general B60Q; optical arrangements specially adapted for viewing trailer-hitches B60R1/003
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/808 for facilitating docking to a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/021 Determination of steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0295 by overlaying a vehicle path based on present steering angle over an image without processing that image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A drive assist device acquires an image captured by a rear camera that captures an image in a range behind the towing vehicle, including a hitch, and superimposes a pair of left and right predicted course lines and a plurality of distance indicator lines upon the image acquired for every distance increment from the towing vehicle, for display on a display device. The drive assist device produces a superimposed display in which each distance indicator line is divided into left and right segments so as not to be superimposed upon a region corresponding to a predicted trajectory of the hitch, and end segments of the left and right segments of the distance indicator line are tilted in a zenith direction until reaching the level of the hitch for indication of the level thereof.

Claims

1. A drive assist device mounted to a towing vehicle which is provided with a hitch at a rear to establish a connection with a connector of a towed vehicle, the device comprising:

an image acquisition means acquiring an image captured by a camera that captures an image within a predetermined range behind the towing vehicle, including the hitch; and

a display processing means superimposing at least one distance indicator line upon the image acquired by the image acquisition means for every distance increment from the towing vehicle, for display on a display device, the distance indicator line extending in a vehicle width direction with respect to a predicted course of the towing vehicle to indicate an index of a distance from the towing vehicle, wherein

the display processing means produces a superimposed display in which the distance indicator line is divided into left and right segments so as not to be superimposed upon a region corresponding to a predicted trajectory of the hitch, with part or all of the left and right segments indicating a level of the hitch.

2. The drive assist device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of display patterns of a superimposed image with different indications in the level of the hitch; and

a selection means selecting a display pattern indicating the level of the hitch from among the plurality of display patterns, according to an operation input of a user, wherein

the display processing means produces the superimposed display in which the superimposition image is superimposed upon the image, according to the display pattern selected by the selection means.

3. The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the display processing means indicates the level of the hitch by tilting end segments of the respective left and right segments of the distance indicator line in the same higher-level direction.

4. The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the display processing means indicates the level of the hitch by tilting the entire left and right segments of the distance indicator line in the same higher-level direction.

5. The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the left and right face-to-face ends of the distance indicator line have a width therebetween which is displayed on the display device so as to appear wider at points further from the towing vehicle.

6. The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the level of the hitch indicated by the distance indicator lines is displayed on the display device so as to appear higher at point closer to the towing vehicle.

7. The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the display processing means produces the superimposed display in which a pair of left and right predicted course lines indicating the predicted course of the towing vehicle is superimposed upon the image acquired by the image acquisition means.

8. The drive assist device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a distance specifying means specifying a distance from the towing vehicle to the towed vehicle using a sensor, wherein

the display processing means allows the superimposed display, in which the distance indicator lines are superimposed upon the image acquired by the image acquisition means, to fall within a range of the distance specified by the distance specifying means.

9. The drive assist device according to claim 8, wherein, as the distance specified by distance specifying means becomes shorter, the display processing means sequentially hides the distance indicator lines, starting from one located further from the towing vehicle, so that the superimposed display, in which the distance indicator lines are superimposed upon the image, falls within the range of the distance specified by the distance specifying means.

10. A drive assist method for a drive assist device mounted to a towing vehicle which is provided with a hitch at a rear to establish a connection with a connector of a towed vehicle, the method comprising:

an image acquisition step acquiring an image captured by a camera that captures an image within a predetermined range behind the towing vehicle, including the hitch; and

a display processing step superimposing at least one distance indicator line upon the image acquired in the image acquisition step for every distance increment from the towing vehicle, for display on a display device, the distance indicator line extending in a vehicle width direction with respect to a predicted course of the towing vehicle to indicate an index of a distance from the towing vehicle, wherein

the display processing step produces a superimposed display in which the distance indicator line is divided into left and right segments so as not to be superimposed upon a region corresponding to a predicted trajectory of the hitch, with part or all of the left and right segments indicating a level of the hitch.