Vehicle periphery monitor

• US 7,248,283 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Takagi, Makoto, Konno, Kazushi, Kakinami, Toshiaki, Katsuno, Toshiyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Villecco; John M.
• Application Number:
  US10/291,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20030090570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,715 Days
• Field of Search: 348/188, 348/119, 348/148, 348/115, 348/116, 348/211.11, 348/211.13, 348/333.01, 348/333.05, 348/373, 348/118, 396/378, 396/429, 701/28, 352/132, 340/937
• US Class Current: 348/118
• 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 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• 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 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A front camera for filming an area stretching forwards is disposed in a front portion of a vehicle. A side camera for filming an area stretching laterally and diagonally forwards is disposed in a lateral-left portion of the vehicle. An indicator display that can be visually recognized by a driver is disposed in a compartment of the vehicle. An amount of change in the direction of the vehicle, that is, a deflection angle of the vehicle is detected on the basis of a vehicle speed and a steering angle of a steering wheel, which have been detected by means of various sensors. After the indicator display has started displaying a lateral photo image filmed by the side camera, the photo image displayed by the indicator display is shifted from the lateral photo image filmed by the side camera to a front photo image filmed by the front camera if the deflection angle has reached a predetermined angle.

Claims

1. A vehicle periphery monitor comprising:

an indicator display that can selectively display a first photo image representing an area beside a vehicle or a second photo image representing an area different from the area beside the vehicle; and

a controller that automatically shifts the display of one of the first and second photo images on the indicator display to the other upon fulfillment of a predetermined condition,

wherein the controller causes the indicator display to temporarily display the first photo image if it is determined that the vehicle has become ready to take off and that the steering angle is equal to or larger than a predetermined angle,

wherein the controller determines that the vehicle has become ready to take off, if a braking operation has been performed with the vehicle being stopped.

2. The vehicle periphery monitor according to claim 1, wherein

the second photo image is a photo image representing an area in front of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle periphery monitor according to claim 1, wherein

the first photo image is a photo image representing an area beside the vehicle on the other side of a driver seat of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle periphery monitor according to claim 1, wherein

the second photo image is filmed by a first camera that is disposed in a front portion of the vehicle and that has an optical axis oriented toward an area in front of the vehicle, and

the first photo image is filmed by a second camera that is disposed in a lateral portion of the vehicle and that has an optical axis oriented toward an area beside the vehicle.

5. The vehicle periphery monitor according to claim 1, wherein

the second photo image is a photo image representing an area in front of or behind the vehicle.

6. The vehicle periphery monitor according to claim 1, wherein

the controller determines that the vehicle has become ready to take off, if a shift position of the vehicle has shifted from a non-drive position to a drive position or has shifted from one forward or backward drive position to the other forward or backward drive position.

7. A vehicle periphery monitor comprising:

an indicator display; and

a controller that causes the indicator display to temporarily display a first photo image representing an area beside a vehicle if it is determined that the vehicle has become ready to take off and that a steering angle of the vehicle is equal to or larger than a predetermined angle,

wherein the controller determines that the vehicle has become ready to take off, if a braking operation has been performed with the vehicle being stopped.

8. The vehicle periphery monitor according to claim 7, wherein

the controller determines that the vehicle has become ready to take off, if a shift position of the vehicle has shifted from a non-drive position to a drive position or has shifted from one forward or backward drive position to the other forward or backward drive position.

9. A method of monitoring a periphery of a vehicle having an indicator display and that selectively displays a first photo image representing an area beside the vehicle or a second photo image representing an area different from the first photo image, comprising the step of:

automatically causing the indicator display to shift from displaying one of the first and second photo images to the other upon fulfillment of a predetermined condition,

wherein the indicator display temporarily displays the first photo image if it is determined that the vehicle has become ready to take off and that the steering angle of the vehicle is equal to or larger than a predetermined angle,

wherein it is determined that the vehicle has become ready to take off, if a braking operation has been performed with the vehicle being stopped.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein

the second photo image is a photo image representing an area in front of the vehicle.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein:

the second photo image is filmed by a first camera that is disposed in a front portion of the vehicle and that has an optical axis oriented toward an area in front of the vehicle, and

the first photo image is filmed by a second camera that is disposed in a lateral portion of the vehicle and that has an optical axis oriented toward an area beside the vehicle.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein:

the second photo image represents one of an area in front of the vehicle and an area behind the vehicle.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein

it is determined that the vehicle has become ready to take off, if a shift position of the vehicle has shifted from a non-drive position to a drive position or has shifted from one forward or backward drive position to the other forward or backward drive position.

14. A method of monitoring a periphery of a vehicle having an indicator display that displays a first photo image representing an area beside the vehicle, comprising the steps of:

determining whether or not that the vehicle has become ready to take off; and

causing the indicator display to temporarily display the first photo image representing the area beside the vehicle if it is determined that a steering angle of the vehicle is equal to or larger than a predetermined angle in the event of completion of a preparation for takeoff,

wherein it is determined that the vehicle has become ready to take off, if a braking operation has been performed with the vehicle being stopped.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein

it is determined that the vehicle has become ready to take off, if a shift position of the vehicle has shifted from a non-drive position to a drive position or has shifted from one forward or backward drive position to the other forward or backward drive position.