Surrounding conditions display apparatus

• US 7,126,460 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2002
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Chuo Kenkyusho (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamada, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US10/145,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20020171739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,623 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/901, 340/903, 340/995, 340/937, 348/135, 348/148, 348/149, 348/169, 701/208
• US Class Current: 340/435
• 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 1/26 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 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning

Abstract

A surrounding conditions display apparatus captures an image of an area surrounding a movable body and displays the captured image. The apparatus includes a CCD camera for capturing an image of the surrounding are, ultrasonic sensors for detecting a distance to an obstacle present in the surrounding area, and a liquid crystal display for displaying the image captured by the image capturing unit. A color image representing an area including the obstacle is superposed on the displayed image in such a manner that the brightness of the color image decreases with increasing distance from the origin of the area.

Claims

1. A surrounding conditions display apparatus for capturing and displaying an image of an area surrounding a movable body, comprising:

an image capturing unit for capturing an image of an area surrounding the movable body;

a distance detecting unit for detecting a distance between the movable body and an obstacle present in the area surrounding the movable body;

a display unit for displaying the image captured by the image capturing unit; and

a superposing unit for superposing, on the image of the surrounding area displayed on the display unit, an image of an area including the obstacle in such a manner that the area including the obstacle can be distinguished from the remaining image area and that the superposed image changes in accordance with the distance to the obstacle as detected by the distance detection unit,

wherein the superposing unit superposes an image in such a manner that the boundary of the area including the obstacle is displayed while being faded off.

2. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the superposing unit superposes on the captured image a modulation image modulated in accordance with a distance from an origin of the area including the obstacle.

3. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the modulation image is a color image whose brightness decreases with increasing distance from the origin of the area.

4. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the modulation image is an image whose characteristics remain substantially constant inside the area including an obstacle but change greatly in the vicinity of the boundary of the area.

5. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the superposing unit superposes the modulation image while changing at least one of the brightness of the modulation image at the origin of the area, the rate of variation in brightness with distance from the origin of the area, and the size of the area, in accordance with the distance detected by the distance detection unit.

6. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the superposing unit superposes the modulation image while changing the hue of the modulation image in accordance with the distance detected by the distance detection unit.

7. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the modulation image is a monochrome image whose brightness decreases with increasing distance from the origin of the area.

8. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the modulation image is a color image whose brightness increases with increasing distance from the origin of the area.

9. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the modulation image is an image whose characteristics remain substantially constant inside the area including an obstacle but change greatly in the vicinity of the boundary of the area.

10. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the superposing unit superposes the modulation image while changing at least one of the brightness of the modulation image at the origin of the area, the rate of variation in brightness with distance from the origin of the area, and the size of the area, in accordance with the distance detected by the distance detection unit.

11. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the superposing unit superposes the modulation image while changing the hue of the modulation image in accordance with the distance detected by the distance detection unit.

12. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the modulation image is a monochrome image whose brightness increases with increasing distance from the origin of the area.

13. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the modulation image is an image whose characteristics remain substantially constant inside the area including the obstacle but change greatly in the vicinity of the boundary of the area.

14. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the superposing unit superposes the modulation image while changing at least one of the brightness of the modulation image at the origin of the area, the rate of variation in brightness with distance from the origin of the area, and the size of the area, in accordance with the distance detected by the distance detection unit.

15. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the superposing unit superposes the modulation image while changing at least one of the brightness of the modulation image, the rate of variation in brightness with distance from the origin of the area, and the size of the area, in accordance with the distance detected by the distance detection unit.

16. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the superposing unit superposes the modulation image while changing the hue of the modulation image in accordance with the distance detected by the distance detection unit.

17. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the superposing unit superposes the image in such a manner that the superposed image appears and disappears at intervals which change in accordance with the distance detected by the distance detection unit.

18. A surrounding conditions display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the superposing unit superposes the image in such a manner that the superposed image appears and disappears at intervals which change in accordance with the distance detected by the distance detection unit.

19. A surrounding conditions display apparatus for capturing and displaying an image of an area surrounding a movable body, comprising:

an image capturing unit for capturing an image of an area surrounding the movable body;

a distance detecting unit for detecting a distance between the movable body and an obstacle present in the area surrounding the movable body;

a display unit for displaying the image captured by the image capturing unit; and

a superposing unit for superposing, on the image of the surrounding area displayed on the display unit, an image of an area including the obstacle in such a manner that the area including the obstacle can be distinguished from the remaining image area and that the superposed image changes in accordance with the distance to the obstacle as detected by the distance detection unit,

wherein the superposing unit superposes the image in such a manner that the superposed image appears and disappears at intervals which change in accordance with the distance detected by the distance detection unit.