Blind-spot image display system for vehicle, and blind-spot image display method for vehicle

• US 8,886,023 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Satoh, Noriyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADAMS, EILEEN M
• Application Number:
  US13/383,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20120113261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 386/362
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/25 to the sides of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/202 displaying a blind spot scene on the vehicle part responsible for the blind spot
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/304 using merged images, e.g. merging camera image with stored images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/60 characterised by monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior scenes from a transformed perspective
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8026 in addition to a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-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 see-through side view monitor system includes a camera, an external monitor, and an image processing controller having an image deformation unit configured to perform point-of-view conversion on a real camera image signal inputted from the camera into a blind-spot image that is viewed from the position of the driver'"'"'s point of view. A vehicle cabin image formation unit is configured to form a vehicle cabin image that is viewed from the position of the driver'"'"'s point of view. An image composition device is configured to generate a transparent display image showing a blind-spot image transmitted through a semi-see-through vehicle cabin image, and an image composition device is configured to generate an animation display image showing the blind-spot image to be shifted stepwise from the vehicle cabin image.

Claims

1. A blind-spot image display system for a vehicle, said blind-spot image display system comprising:

a camera configured to capture surroundings of a vehicle, the surroundings being a blind spot from a driver;

a monitor set at a location in a cabin of the vehicle; and

an image processing controller configured to generate a monitor image signal for the monitor by image processing based on a real camera image signal inputted from the camera, the image processing controller including;

a blind-spot image formation unit configured to perform point-of-view conversion on the real camera image signal inputted from the camera into a blind-spot image that is viewed from a position of the driver'"'"'s point of view;

a vehicle cabin image formation unit configured to form a vehicle cabin image that is viewed from the position of the driver'"'"'s point of view;

a see-through display image generation unit configured to render the vehicle cabin image to be superimposed on the blind-spot image into a semi-transparent vehicle cabin image; and

an animation display image generation unit configured to generate an animation display image in which the vehicle cabin image to be superimposed on the blind-spot image is shifted stepwise from a non-transparent image to a see-through image;

wherein said camera, said monitor, and said image processing controller are configured and interconnected such that, upon starting an animation display, the animation display image generation unit generates a display image for the monitor by image composition on the blind-spot image which is acquired based on the real camera image signal inputted from the camera, and the vehicle cabin image which is shifted from a non-transparent image at start to a semi-transparent image stepwise by adding a preset transparency to a transparency of the vehicle cabin image for every elapse of a preset time.

2. The blind-spot image display system for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the animation display image generation unit is configured to generate a display image for the monitor by using the blind-spot image acquired by reading pre-stored memory information, until an initial stabilization time elapses since the time of the camera power ON.

3. The blind-spot image display system for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the animation display image generation unit is configured to prepare a plurality of layers containing the vehicle cabin image and the blind-spot image, and to set, as a source image, a layer structure obtained by combining the layers stepwise, from the vehicle cabin image to the blind-spot image, and then upon starting an animation display, to generate a display image by image composition using varied transparencies for the respective layers, the display image being changed stepwise from a non-transparent vehicle cabin image at start to a blind-spot image seen through the vehicle cabin image.

4. The blind-spot image display system for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the animation display image generation unit is configured to render three-dimensional information to the vehicle cabin image, and to set a virtual planar or curved screen to cut off the three-dimensional vehicle cabin image with the screen being moved from an inner side to an outer side of the cabin of the vehicle, and

the animation display image generation unit is further configured to, upon starting an animation display, start to move the screen from an inner side to an outer side stepwise while respectively making semi-transparent and non-transparent an inner image and an outer image which are cut off by the screen during the movement, thereby generating a display image which is changed stepwise from a non-transparent vehicle cabin image at start to a blind-spot image seen through the vehicle cabin image.

5. The blind-spot image display system for a vehicle according to claim 1,

further comprising an external operation unit having a system activation switch, and

the animation display image generation unit is configured to start an animation display upon turning on the system activation switch with an intention of see-through display of the blind-spot image.

6. The blind-spot image display system for a vehicle according to claim 1,

further comprising an external operation unit having a mode select switch configured to switch between at least an animation display prohibited position and an animation manual display position, and

the animation display image generation unit is configured to start an animation display upon switching from the animation display prohibited position to the animation manual display position by the mode select switch.

7. The blind-spot image display system for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein in a process of incrementing a transparency of the vehicle cabin image stepwise, the animation display image generation unit is configured to terminate the animation display when the transparency of the vehicle cabin image reaches an initially set transparency, with which a semi-transparent vehicle cabin image is obtained in the see-through display image generation unit, and

subsequent to the termination of the animation display, the see-through display image generation unit is configured to automatically start see-through display.

8. A blind-spot image display method for a vehicle, for displaying a blind-spot image on a monitor based on a real camera image signal inputted from a camera to capture surroundings of a vehicle, the surroundings being a blind spot from a driver, the method comprising:

a system activation operation procedure of performing system activation operation with an intention of displaying a blind-spot image to the monitor;

an animation display procedure of displaying an animation image on the monitor, the animation display procedure being triggered by the system activation operation, the animation image showing a flow of the blind-spot images that appears stepwise with a passage of time, through a vehicle cabin image which is initially in a non-transparent state;

an animation display image generation procedure of generating, upon starting an animation display, a display image for the monitor by image composition on the blind-spot image which is acquired based on the real camera image signal inputted from the camera, and the vehicle cabin image which is shifted from a non-transparent image at start to a semi-transparent image stepwise by adding a preset transparency to a transparency of the vehicle cabin image for every elapse of a preset time; and

a see-through display procedure of displaying a see-through blind-spot image on the monitor, the see-through display procedure being triggered by a termination of the display of the animation image, the see-through blind-spot image being viewed from the position of the driver'"'"'s point of view through a semi-transparent vehicle cabin image.

9. A blind-spot image display system for a vehicle, said blind-spot image display system comprising:

a camera configured to capture surroundings of a vehicle, the surroundings being a blind spot from a driver;

a monitor set at a location in a cabin of the vehicle; and

an image processing controller configured to generate a monitor image signal for the monitor by image processing based on a real camera image signal inputted from the camera, the image processing controller including;

a blind-spot image formation unit configured to perform point-of-view conversion on the real camera image signal inputted from the camera into a blind-spot image that is viewed from a position of the driver'"'"'s point of view;

a vehicle cabin image formation unit configured to form a vehicle cabin image that is viewed from the position of the driver'"'"'s point of view;

a see-through display image generation unit configured to render the vehicle cabin image to be superimposed on the blind-spot image into a semi-transparent vehicle cabin image; and

an animation display image generation unit configured to generate an animation display image in which the vehicle cabin image to be superimposed on the blind-spot image is shifted stepwise from a non-transparent image to a see-through image;

wherein the animation display image generation unit is configured to prepare a plurality of layers containing the vehicle cabin image and the blind-spot image, and to set, as a source image, a layer structure obtained by combining the layers stepwise, from the vehicle cabin image to the blind-spot image, and then upon starting an animation display, to generate a display image by image composition using varied transparencies for the respective layers, the display image being changed stepwise from a non-transparent vehicle cabin image at start to a blind-spot image seen through the vehicle cabin image.