Driving aiding system

• US 6,765,607 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizusawa, Kazufumi, Yoshida, Takashi, Okamoto, Shusaku, Miwa, Michio, Iida, Ryosuke, Hirama, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Tung T
• Application Number:
  US10/115,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20020145662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.718, 348/118, 348/119, 348/143, 348/144, 348/147, 348/148, 348/150, 348/151, 348/735, 348/207.99, 348/233.01, 348/239, 340/431, 340/687, 340/305, 340/438, 340/686.1, 280/477, 332/86, 404/94, 345/156, 700/115, 700/116, 700/224, 700/225
• US Class Current: 348/118
• 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 1/00 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 1/003 for viewing trailer hitches
• 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 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same display
• 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 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/808 for facilitating docking to a trailer

Abstract

In a driving aiding system for displaying a picked-up image of a rear-view camera equipped onto a rear portion of a vehicle on a screen of a displaying means arranged at a position which can be viewed from a driver'"'"'s seat when the vehicle is to be backed, a locus estimated line 10 of a hitch which is equipped onto a rear portion of the vehicle is superposed on the picked-up image of the rear-view camera to display when a predetermined instruction input is received.

Claims

1. A driving aiding system for displaying a picked-up image of a rear-view camera equipped onto a rear portion of a vehicle on a screen of a displaying means arranged at a position, that can be viewed from a driver'"'"'s seat, when the vehicle is to be backed, comprising:

a locus superposing means for superposing a locus estimated line of a hitch which is equipped onto a rear portion of the vehicle on the picked-up image of the rear-view camera to display when a predetermined instruction input is received.

2. A driving aiding system according to claim 1, wherein the locus superposing means has a means for superposing a line, which is obtained by projecting the locus estimated line onto a road surface, simultaneously on the screen to display when the locus estimated line of the hitch is superposed on the screen to display.

3. A driving aiding system according to claim 2, wherein the locus superposing means has a means for superposing vertical lines indicating a height of a coupler as a coupling destination of the hitch at a proper interval onto the locus estimated line and a road-surface projected locus estimated line to display.

4. A driving aiding system according to claim 2, wherein the locus superposing means has a means for superposing a curved line indicating a height of a coupler as a coupling destination of the hitch along the locus estimated line on the screen to display.

5. A driving aiding system according to claim 1, wherein the locus superposing means has a means for changing the locus estimated line in response to change in a steering angle of the vehicle.

6. A driving aiding system according to claim 1, wherein the locus superposing means has a means for changing the locus estimated line in response to change in a height.

7. A driving aiding system for displaying a processed image obtained by processing a picked-up image of a rear-view camera equipped onto a rear portion of a vehicle on a screen of a displaying means arranged at a position, which can be viewed from a driver'"'"'s seat, when the vehicle is to be backed, comprising:

a locus superposing means for superposing a processed locus estimated line of a hitch, that is equipped onto a rear portion of the vehicle, on the processed image to display when a predetermined instruction input is received.

8. A driving aiding system according to claim 7, wherein the locus superposing means has a means for superposing a line, which is obtained by projecting the locus estimated line onto a road surface, simultaneously on the screen to display when the locus estimated line of the hitch is superposed on the screen to display.

9. A driving aiding system according to claim 8, wherein the locus superposing means has a means for superposing vertical lines indicating a height of a coupler as a coupling destination of the hitch at a proper interval onto the locus estimated line and a road-surface projected locus estimated line to display.

10. A driving aiding system according to claim 8, wherein the locus superposing means has a means for superposing a curved line indicating a height of a coupler as a coupling destination of the hitch along the locus estimated line on the screen to display.

11. A driving aiding system according to claim 7, wherein the locus superposing means has a means for changing the locus estimated line in response to change in a steering angle of the vehicle.

12. A driving aiding system according to claim 7, wherein the locus superposing means has a means for changing the locus estimated line in response to change in a height.

13. A driving aiding system for displaying a picked-up image of a rear-view camera equipped onto a rear portion of a vehicle on a screen of a displaying means arranged at a position, that can be viewed from a driver'"'"'s seat, when the vehicle is to be backed, comprising:

a locus superposing means for superposing a locus estimated line of a hitch, that is equipped onto a rear portion of the vehicle, at a maximum steering angle on the picked-up image of the rear-view camera to display.

14. A driving aiding system according to claim 13, wherein the image processing means has a means for superposing the locus estimated line of the hitch at a steering angle of 0 degree on the screen to display.

15. A driving aiding system for displaying a processed image obtained by processing a picked-up image of a rear-view camera equipped onto a rear portion of a vehicle on a screen of a displaying means arranged at a position, that can be viewed from a driver'"'"'s seat, when the vehicle is to be backed, comprising:

a locus superposing means for superposing a processed locus estimated line of a hitch, that is equipped onto a rear portion of the vehicle, at a maximum steering angle on the processed image to display when a predetermined instruction input is received.

16. A driving aiding system according to claim 15, wherein the image processing means has a means for superposing the locus estimated line of the hitch at a steering angle of 0 degree on the screen to display.