Vehicle periphery displaying apparatus

• US 8,462,210 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2010
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Katoh, Kouji
• Primary Examiner(s): Bengzon, Greg C
• Application Number:
  US12/656,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20100201817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 2300/20 characterised by the type of display used
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/60 characterised by monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior scenes from a transformed perspective

Abstract

A vehicle periphery displaying apparatus including an imaging device, a display device and a display controller is disclosed. The imaging device is configured to capture a vehicle periphery image with a wide horizontal filed of view. The display device includes a display screen, a dimension of the display screen in a vertical direction being larger than that in a horizontal direction. The display controller is configured to produce a predetermined-part image so that a part of the vehicle periphery image corresponds to the predetermined-part image. The display controller is further configured to cause the display device to display the vehicle periphery image and the predetermined-part image on the display screen such that the vehicle periphery image and the predetermined-part image are arranged one above the other in the vertical direction.

Claims

1. A vehicle periphery displaying apparatus comprising:

an imaging device configured to capture a vehicle periphery image with a wide horizontal field of view;

a display device including a display screen, a dimension of the display screen in a vertical direction being larger than that in a horizontal direction; and

a display controller configured to;

determine, based on input received from a user, a part of the vehicle periphery image to be presented in detail;

produce a predetermined-part image that is an enlarged image of the part of the vehicle periphery image to be presented in detail;

cause the display device to display the vehicle periphery image and the predetermined-part image on the display screen such that the vehicle periphery image and the predetermined-part image are arranged one above the other in the vertical direction; and

cause the display device to further display a guide image extending, with a reverse-tapered shape, from the part of the vehicle periphery image toward the predetermined-part image to indicate which part of the vehicle periphery image is enlarged as the predetermined-part image.

2. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle periphery image includes a right-side part, a center part, and a left-side part; and

the part of the vehicle periphery image that is to be the predetermined-part image is user-selectable from the right-side part, the center part and the left-side part.

3. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the display controller causes the display device to display the vehicle periphery image on the display screen such that the part of the vehicle periphery image is highlighted in the vehicle periphery image.

4. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the display controller causes the display device to further display a deformable mask image that partially masks the predetermined-part image in a manner that varies depending on location of the part of the vehicle periphery image.

5. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

when the location of the part of the vehicle periphery image is a right-side part of the vehicle periphery image, the mask image partially masks the predetermined-part image such that a dimension of the predetermined-part image in the vertical direction decreases from a right edge of the predetermined-part image toward a left edge of the predetermined-part image; and

when the location of the part of the vehicle periphery image is a left-side part of the vehicle periphery image, the mask image partially masks the predetermined-part image such that the dimension of the predetermined-part image in the vertical direction decreases from the left edge of the predetermined-part image toward the right edge of the predetermined-part image.

6. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the display controller performs image processing on the predetermined-part image, thereby producing a processed predetermined-part image.

7. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

the display controller causes the display device to display a mask image on the display screen so that a shape of the mask image corresponds to a shape of an area where the processed predetermined-part image is absent.

14. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle periphery image with a wide horizontal field of view is an image taken from a rear of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle periphery image with a wide horizontal field of view is an image taken from a front of the vehicle.

8. A vehicle periphery displaying apparatus comprising:

an imaging device configured to capture a vehicle periphery image with a wide horizontal field of view;

a display device including a display screen, a dimension of the display screen in a vertical direction being larger than that in a horizontal direction; and

a display controller configured to;

determine, based on input received from a user, a part of the vehicle periphery image to be presented in detail;

produce a predetermined-part image, the part of the vehicle periphery image to be presented in detail corresponding to the predetermined-part image;

cause the display device to display the vehicle periphery image and the predetermined-part image on the display screen such that the vehicle periphery image and the predetermined-part image are arranged one above the other in the vertical direction;

cause the display device to further display a guide image extending, with a reverse-tapered shape, from the part of the vehicle periphery image toward the predetermined-part image to indicate which part of the vehicle periphery image is the predetermined-part image, and

cause the display device to further display a deformable mask image that partially masks the predetermined-part image in a manner that varies depending on location of the part of the vehicle periphery image.

9. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the vehicle periphery image includes a right-side part, a center part, and a left-side part; and

the part of the vehicle periphery image, the part corresponding to the predetermined-part image, is user-selectable from the right-side part, the center part and the left-side part.

10. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the display controller causes the display device to display the vehicle periphery image on the display screen such that the part of the vehicle periphery image is highlighted in the vehicle periphery image.

11. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

when the location of the part of the vehicle periphery image is a right-side part of the vehicle periphery image, the mask image partially masks the predetermined-part image such that a dimension of the predetermined-part image in the vertical direction decreases from a right edge of the predetermined-part image toward a left edge of the predetermined-part image; and

when the location of the part of the vehicle periphery image is a left-side part of the vehicle periphery image, the mask image partially masks the predetermined-part image such that the dimension of the predetermined-part image in the vertical direction decreases from the left edge of the predetermined-part image toward the right edge of the predetermined-part image.

12. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the display controller performs image processing on the predetermined-part image, thereby producing a processed predetermined-part image.

13. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the mask image maps an area where the processed predetermined-part image is absent.

15. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the vehicle periphery image with a wide horizontal field of view is an image taken from a rear of the vehicle.

17. The vehicle periphery displaying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the vehicle periphery image with a wide horizontal field of view is an image taken from a front of the vehicle.