Image display system, image processing apparatus, and image display method

• US 9,073,482 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Sawada, Yasuyoshi, Yamamoto, Chiharu, Imu, Sunja
• Primary Examiner(s): ELAHI, SHAN E
• Application Number:
  US13/475,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20120300075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

An image display system is configured to display an image. An obtaining unit is configured to obtain a surrounding image indicating surroundings of a vehicle. A plurality of detecting units are disposed on the vehicle at different positions and configured to detect an object existing around the vehicle, respectively. If one of the detecting units detects the object, the one of the detecting units is referred to as specific detecting unit. An overlapping unit is configured to overlap an indicator represented in the form of a frame with the surrounding image. The indicator indicates the object and the specific detecting unit which has detected the object. A display unit is configured to display the surrounding image with which the indicator is overlapped.

Claims

1. An image display system configured to display an image, comprising:

an obtaining unit configured to obtain a surrounding image indicating surroundings of a vehicle;

a plurality of detectors disposed on the vehicle at different positions and configured to detect an object existing around the vehicle and to detect a distance between each of the detectors and the object, respectively;

a specifying unit configured to specify a specific detector which has detected the object from among the plurality of detectors, and to specify a specific distance between the specific detector and the object;

an indicator selection unit configured to select an indicator in the form of a frame based on the specific detector and the specific distance;

an overlapping unit configured to overlap the indicator with the surrounding image, the indicator indicating the object and the specific detector; and

a display configured to display the surrounding image with which the indicator is overlapped.

2. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein if there are a plurality of specific detectors which have detected the object, the overlapping unit overlaps an indicator represented in the form of a single frame with the surrounding image, the indicator indicating the object and the plurality of specific detectors.

3. The image display system according to claim 1,

wherein the overlapping unit is configured to change a size of the indicator according to the distance.

4. The image display system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of detectors are a plurality of sonars.

5. The image display system according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of sonars comprises:

a first sonar disposed in a proximity of a front left corner of the vehicle;

a second sonar disposed in a proximity of a front center of the vehicle;

a third sonar disposed in a proximity of a front right corner of the vehicle;

a fourth sonar disposed in a proximity of a rear left corner of the vehicle;

a fifth sonar disposed in a proximity of a rear center of the vehicle; and

a sixth sonar disposed in a proximity of a rear right corner of the vehicle.

6. An image processing apparatus configured to process an image, comprising:

an obtaining unit configured to obtain a surrounding image indicating surroundings of a vehicle;

a specifying unit configured to specify, from among a plurality of detectors which are disposed on the vehicle at different positions and configured to detect an object existing around the vehicle, respectively, a specific detector which has detected the object, and to specify a specific distance between the specific detector and the object;

an indicator selection unit configured to select an indicator in the form of a frame based on the specific detector and the specific distance;

an overlapping unit configured to overlap the indicator with the surrounding image, the indicator indicating the object and the specific detector; and

an outputting unit configured to output the surrounding image with which the indicator is overlapped to a display.

7. An image display method for displaying an image, comprising:

obtaining a surrounding image indicating surroundings of a vehicle;

detecting an object existing around the vehicle using a plurality of detectors which are disposed on the vehicle at different positions and configured to detect the object existing around the vehicle, and detecting a distance between each of the detectors and the object, respectively;

specifying a specific detector which has detected the object from among the plurality of detectors, and specifying a specific distance between the specific detector and the object;

selecting an indicator in the form of a frame based on the specific detector and the specific distance;

overlapping the indicator with the surrounding image, the indicator indicating the object and the specific detector; and

displaying the surrounding image with which the indicator is overlapped.

8. An image display system configured to display an image, comprising:

an obtaining unit configured to obtain a surrounding image indicating surroundings of a vehicle;

a detector configured to detect an object existing around the vehicle and a distance between the detector and the object;

a specifying unit configured to specify a specific detector which has detected the object and to specify a specific distance between the specific detector and the object;

an indicator selection unit configured to select an indicator in the form of a frame based on the specific detector and the specific distance;

an overlapping unit configured to overlap the indicator with the surrounding image, the indicator indicating the object and the detector which has detected the object; and

a display configured to display the surrounding image with which the indicator is overlapped.