Driving support device, driving support method, and driving support program

• US 8,675,070 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2010
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ooshita, Yuuichi, Mori, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afolabi, Mark O
• Application Number:
  US12/700,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20100245575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 340900-936, 348120-150, 701 36- 50
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/60 characterised by monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior scenes from a transformed perspective
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20092 Interactive image processing based on input by user
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/80 Analysis of captured images to determine intrinsic or extrinsic camera parameters, i.e. camera calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road

Abstract

In a driving support device and method, images of a vicinity of a vehicle are captured and recorded. Movement information relating to movement of the vehicle is acquired and a movement status of the vehicle based on the acquired movement information is determined. Based on (i) the determined movement status and (ii) a parameter associated with the determined movement status, the recorded image data is composited to create a composite image of an area including a position of the vehicle. The composite image is displayed on a display unit. The parameter is calibrated based on (a) a position of a reference marker included in the composite image created according to the movement status and (b) a predicted position of the reference marker superimposed and displayed on the composite image according to the movement status.

Claims

1. A driving support device, comprising:

an imaging unit for capturing images of a vicinity of a vehicle;

an overhead image creating unit for creating an overhead image of an area including a position of the vehicle based on the images captured by the imaging unit;

a recording unit for recording image data of the overhead image created by the overhead image creating unit;

a movement status determining unit for acquiring movement information relating to movement of the vehicle and determining a movement status of the vehicle based on the acquired movement information;

a composite image creating unit for, based on (i) the movement status determined by the movement status determining unit and (ii) a parameter associated with the movement status, compositing the image data of the overhead image recorded in the recording unit and creating a composite image of the area including the position of the vehicle;

a displaying unit for displaying the composite image created by the composite image creating unit; and

a calibrating unit for calibrating the parameter based on (a) a position of a reference marker included in the composite image created by the composite image creating unit according to the movement status and (b) a predicted position of the reference marker superimposed and displayed on the composite image according to the movement status, wherein

the movement status includes a turn made by the vehicle;

the parameter associated with the movement status includes a turn parameter being used by the composite image creating unit for creating the composite image; and

the calibrating unit is configured for calibrating the turn parameter based on (a) the position of the reference marker included in the composite image that the composite image creating unit created according to the turn and (b) the predicted position of the reference marker superimposed and displayed on the composite image according to the turn.

2. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein

the movement status includes a straight movement made by the vehicle;

the parameter associated with the movement status includes a distance parameter being used by the composite image creating unit for creating the composite image; and

the calibrating unit is configured for calibrating the distance parameter based on (a) the position of the reference marker included in the composite image that the composite image creating unit created according to the straight movement and (b) the predicted position of the reference marker superimposed and displayed on the composite image according to the straight movement.

3. The driving support device according to claim 2, wherein

the overhead image creating unit is configured for, using an overhead parameter, performing an overhead conversion on the images captured by the imaging unit to create the overhead image of the area including the position of the vehicle, and

the calibrating unit is configured for calibrating the overhead parameter based on (a) the position of the reference marker included in the overhead image that the overhead image creating unit created and (b) the predicted position of the reference marker superimposed and displayed on the overhead image according to the overhead conversion.

4. The driving support device according to claim 3, wherein the calibrating unit is configured for calibrating the distance parameter after the overhead parameter.

5. The driving support device according to claim 4, wherein the calibrating unit is configured for calibrating the turn parameter after the distance parameter.

6. The driving support device according to claim 2, wherein the calibrating unit is configured for calibrating the turn parameter after the distance parameter.

7. A driving support method, comprising the steps of:

capturing, by an imaging unit, images of a vicinity of a vehicle;

creating, by an overhead image creating unit, an overhead image of an area including a position of the vehicle based on the images captured by the imaging unit;

recording, in a recording unit, the overhead image created by the overhead image creating unit;

acquiring movement information relating to movement of the vehicle and determining a movement status of the vehicle based on the acquired movement information;

based on (i) the determined movement status and (ii) a parameter associated with the determined movement status, compositing the image data of the overhead image recorded in the recording unit and creating a composite image of the area including the position of the vehicle;

displaying, on a display unit, the composite image created by the composite image creating unit; and

calibrating the parameter based on (a) a position of a reference marker included in the composite image created by the composite image creating unit according to the movement status and (b) a predicted position of the reference marker superimposed and displayed on the composite image according to the movement status, wherein

the movement status includes a turn made by the vehicle;

the parameter associated with the movement status includes a turn parameter being used for creating the composite image; and

the calibrating step comprises calibrating the turn parameter based on (a) the position of the reference marker included in the composite image created according to the turn and (b) the predicted position of the reference marker superimposed and displayed on the composite image according to the turn.

8. The driving support method according to claim 7, wherein

the movement status includes a straight movement made by the vehicle;

the parameter associated with the movement status includes a distance parameter being used for creating the composite image; and

the calibrating step comprises calibrating the distance parameter based on (a) the position of the reference marker included in the composite image created according to the straight movement and (b) the predicted position of the reference marker superimposed and displayed on the composite image according to the straight movement.

9. The driving support method according to claim 8, wherein

the step of creating comprises, using an overhead parameter, performing an overhead conversion on the images captured by the imaging unit to create the overhead image of the area including the position of the vehicle, and

the calibrating step comprises calibrating the overhead parameter based on (a) the position of the reference marker included in the overhead image and (b) the predicted position of the reference marker superimposed and displayed on the overhead image according to the overhead conversion.

10. The driving support method according to claim 9, wherein the distance parameter is calibrated after the overhead parameter.

11. The driving support method according to claim 10, wherein the turn parameter is calibrated after the distance parameter.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing thereon a driving support program that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the driving support method according to claim 7.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing thereon a driving support program that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the driving support method according to claim 10.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing thereon a driving support program that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the driving support method according to claim 8.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing thereon a driving support program that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the driving support method according to claim 9.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing thereon a driving support program that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the driving support method according to claim 11.

17. The driving support method according to claim 7, wherein the overhead image comprises (i) recorded image data of an image previously captured by the imaging unit and (ii) current image data of an image currently captured by the imaging unit.

18. The driving support method according to claim 7, further comprising:

adjusting the predicted position of the reference marker superimposed and displayed on the composite image according to the calibrated turn parameter.

19. The driving support method according to claim 7, further comprising:

recreating the overhead image according to the calibrated turn parameter; and

displaying the recreated overhead image on the display unit.

20. The driving support method according to claim 19, wherein the position of the reference marker included in the recreated composite image after calibrating the turn parameter is different from the position of the reference marker included in the composite image before calibrating the turn parameter.