Image display method and apparatus for rearview system

• US 6,970,184 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takata, Masahiro, Miyama, Kazuki, Masuda, Satoru, Mimura, Hidetoshi, Hirama, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/109,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20020149673A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N00.7/00, 348148-151, 348 11-120, 348/735, 348/207.99, 348/233.01, 348/239, 340/431, 340/687, 340/438, 340/686, 340/932.2, 304/305, 280/477, 414/333, 701/41
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 1/003 for viewing trailer hitches
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/808 for facilitating docking to a trailer
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/80 Geometric correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An image display method for a rearview camera for displaying an image shot by a rearview camera mounted on a vehicle on a screen that can be viewed from a driver'"'"'s seat, the method includes the step of displaying an auxiliary line image indicating the straight rear direction of the vehicle superimposed on the image shot by the vehicle on the screen. When the vehicle has approached the trailer within a predetermined range, an image from the rearview camera is converted to an image from a virtual overhead viewpoint then displayed on the screen. The driver easily back the vehicle to bring the hitch in the blind spot at the rear of the vehicle to coincide with a coupling member on the trailer while watching the screen display.

Claims

1. An image display method for a rearview camera for displaying an image shot by a rearview camera mounted on a vehicle on a screen that is viewed from a driver'"'"'s seat, comprising the step of:

displaying an auxiliary line image indicating the straight rear direction of the vehicle superimposed on the image shot by the camera on the screen,

wherein said auxiliary line image extends from the position of a hitch attached at the rear of the vehicle.

2. The image display method for a rearview camera according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary line image has a distance marker.

3. The image display method for a rearview camera according to claim 1, wherein a portion where said auxiliary line image overlaps a rearward obstacle is hidden.

4. The image display method for a rearview camera according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary line image is discriminated from other images.

5. The image display method for a rearview camera according to claim 4, wherein said auxiliary line image is displayed by blinking.

6. The image display method for a rearview camera according to of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

converting the image shot by said rearview camera to an image from an overhead viewpoint,

wherein the resulting image is displayed in said screen when the distance between the vehicle and the rearward obstacle has become within a predetermined range.

7. The image display method for a rearview camera according to claim 6, wherein said auxiliary line image is superimposed on said image from said overhead viewpoint.

8. The image display method for a rearview camera according to claim 6, further comprising the step of displaying a zoomed image from said overhead viewpoint.

9. The image display method for a rearview camera according to claim 6, further comprising the step of:

superimposing a horizontal line image crossing said auxiliary line image at a right angle and passing through the center of said hitch on said image from the overhead viewpoint.

10. The image display method for a rearview camera according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying the auxiliary line image to blink at predetermined intervals when said image of the hitch and an image of the coupling counterpart have approached each other within a predetermined distance.

11. The image display method for a rearview camera according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying a horizontal line image crossing said auxiliary line image at a right angle and passing through the center of said hitch by illustration data.

12. The image display method for a rearview camera according to claim 11, wherein the vertical position of said horizontal line image in the screen is able to be adjusted.

13. The image display method for a rearview camera according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying a horizontal line image of the coupling counterpart crossing said auxiliary line image at a right angle and passing through the predetermined section of said coupling counterpart of the hitch by using illustration data so that said horizontal line image of said coupling counterpart and said auxiliary line image can be discriminated from each other.

14. An image display apparatus for a rearview camera for displaying an image shot by a rearview camera mounted on a vehicle on a screen that is viewed from a driver'"'"'s seat, comprising:

a display unit for superimposing an auxiliary line image indicating the straight rear direction of the vehicle on the image shot by the camera on the screen,

wherein said auxiliary line image extends from the position of a hitch attached at the rear of the vehicle.

15. The image display apparatus for a rearview camera according to claim 14, wherein said auxiliary line image has a distance marker.

16. The image display apparatus for a rearview camera according to claim 14, wherein the portion where said auxiliary line image overlaps a rearward obstacle is hidden.

17. The image display apparatus for a rearview camera according to claim 14, wherein said auxiliary line image is discriminated from other images.

18. The image display apparatus for a rearview camera according to claim 17, wherein said auxiliary line image is blinking.

19. The image display apparatus for a rearview camera according to claim 14, further comprising:

a converting unit for converting an image shot by said rearview camera to an image from an overhead viewpoint,

wherein the resulting image is displayed in said screen when the distance between the vehicle and the rearward obstacle has become within a predetermined range.

20. The image display apparatus for a rearview camera according to claim 19, wherein said auxiliary line image is superimposed on said image from said overhead viewpoint.

21. The image display apparatus for a rearview camera according to claim 19, wherein the image from said overhead viewpoint is displayed to be zoomed.

22. The image display apparatus for a rearview camera according to claim 19, wherein a horizontal line image crossing said auxiliary line image at a right angle and passing through the center of said hitch is superimposed on said image from the overhead viewpoint.

23. The image display apparatus for a rearview camera according to claim 14, the auxiliary line image is displayed to blink at predetermined intervals when said image of the hitch and an image of the coupling counterpart have approached each other within a predetermined distance.

24. The image display apparatus for a rearview camera according to claim 14, wherein a horizontal line image crossing said auxiliary line image at a right angle and passing through the center of said hitch is displayed by using illustration data.

25. The image display apparatus for a rearview camera according to claim 24, further comprising:

an operating unit for adjusting the vertical position of said horizontal line image in the screen.

26. The image display apparatus for a rearview camera according to claim 14, wherein a horizontal line image of the coupling counterpart crossing said auxiliary line image at a right angle and passing through the predetermined section of said coupling counterpart of the hitch is displayed by using illustration data so that said horizontal line image of said coupling counterpart and said auxiliary line image can be discriminated from each other.

27. The image display apparatus for a rearview camera according to claim 14, further comprising:

a calculating unit for calculating the position of said hitch based on the difference between the length of a reference axis in an image shot by a shooting unit and a predetermined length of a reference check unit.

28. The image display apparatus for a rearview camera according to claim 27, further comprising:

an adjusting unit for adjusting the position of a horizontal line image based on the calculation result calculated by a calculating unit when a horizontal line image crossing said auxiliary line image at a right angle and passing through the center of said hitch is displayed by using illustration data.