Field watch apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A field watch apparatus for use by a subject vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of road image acquisition units, each being disposed at respective predetermined intervals from each other on respectively associated structures fixedly situated with respect to the earth along a vehicle roadway and being configured to acquire at least a first road image that includes the subject vehicle from a first of said road image acquisition units and a second road image, different from the first road image, that includes a front or a rear field view relative to the subject vehicle from a second of said road image acquisition units;
an overhead view generation unit configured to generate an overhead view of the subject vehicle with a viewpoint from above the subject vehicle, wherein the overhead view of the subject vehicle is generated as a view of a real image of a nearby area of the subject vehicle by composing at least the first road image and the second road image; and
a display unit disposed in the subject vehicle and configured to display the overhead view of the subject vehicle, wherein a position of the subject vehicle is represented in an identifiable manner in the overhead view.
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Abstract
A field watch apparatus for use in a subject vehicle acquires a road image from a roadside capture unit located around the subject vehicle on a road and, based on the acquired image, generates an overhead view of a field around the subject vehicle in an intuitively recognizable manner by including a distant surrounding vehicle in the view, thereby providing a precisely understandable view of the field around the subject vehicle for the ease of satisfactorily identifying the distant surrounding vehicle without being compromised by the position of the roadside capture unit.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A field watch apparatus for use by a subject vehicle comprising:
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a plurality of road image acquisition units, each being disposed at respective predetermined intervals from each other on respectively associated structures fixedly situated with respect to the earth along a vehicle roadway and being configured to acquire at least a first road image that includes the subject vehicle from a first of said road image acquisition units and a second road image, different from the first road image, that includes a front or a rear field view relative to the subject vehicle from a second of said road image acquisition units; an overhead view generation unit configured to generate an overhead view of the subject vehicle with a viewpoint from above the subject vehicle, wherein the overhead view of the subject vehicle is generated as a view of a real image of a nearby area of the subject vehicle by composing at least the first road image and the second road image; and a display unit disposed in the subject vehicle and configured to display the overhead view of the subject vehicle, wherein a position of the subject vehicle is represented in an identifiable manner in the overhead view. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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5. A field watch apparatus for use in a subject vehicle comprising:
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a plurality of road image acquisition units that are predisposed at predetermined intervals on a road on which a subject vehicle is traveling and a vehicle camera disposed on another vehicle traveling around the subject vehicle, wherein the plurality of road image acquisition units are on respectively associated structures fixedly situated with respect to the earth; a first of said road image acquisition units configured to acquire a first road image that includes the subject vehicle and another vehicle from said first roadside capture unit, a second of said roadside capture units configured to acquire a second road image, different from the first road image, that includes a front or a rear field view relative to the subject vehicle, and the vehicle camera disposed on another vehicle configured to acquire a first vehicle image, different from the first and the second road images, that includes the subject vehicle; an overhead view generation unit configured to generate an overhead view of the subject vehicle with a viewpoint from above the subject vehicle, wherein the overhead view of the subject vehicle is generated as a view of a real image of a nearby area of the subject vehicle by composing at least the first and second road images and the first vehicle image; and a display unit disposed in the subject vehicle and configured to display the overhead view of the subject vehicle, wherein a position of the subject vehicle is represented in an identifiable manner in the overhead view.
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Specification