Vehicle image display apparatus and method

• US 9,106,842 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2011
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sumi, Shogo, Sugawara, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Hallenbeck-Huber, Jeremiah C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fereja, Samuel D
• Application Number:
  US13/232,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20120069182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148, 382103-104, 382/284, 340/435
• 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 1/23 with a predetermined field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A vehicle image display apparatus and method acquires captured images of an area around a vehicle captured by cameras at a plurality of positions on an outer portion of the vehicle, generates a single image based on the captured images and displays a composite image including the single image superposes with a first image showing boundary regions of the captured images in the single image and a second image showing end regions of the vehicle. When the composite image is displayed for the first time after an input operation is given to an ignition key of the vehicle, the first and second images are highlighted for a time period after the composite image starts to be displayed. After the time period elapses, the first image is non-highlighted and the second image is highlighted.

Claims

1. A vehicle image display apparatus, comprising:

a memory storing a program; and

a processor configured to execute the program to;

acquire a plurality of captured images of an area around a vehicle, the plurality of captured images being captured by a plurality of cameras that are mounted on the vehicle at a plurality of positions;

generate a single image that includes a representation of the vehicle and a virtual viewpoint image of the area around the vehicle formed by combining the plurality of captured images such that a linear boundary region is formed between adjacent ones of the plurality of captured images extending from the representation of the vehicle to outer edges of the single image;

display a composite image on a monitor after an input operation is given to an ignition switch of the vehicle, the composite image comprising;

a first image including markings representing each linear boundary region in the single image, the first image superposed on the single image; and

a second image including a plurality of markings, each of the plurality of markings spaced apart from an adjacent one of the plurality of markings, identifying a respective end region of the vehicle and having margins of a predetermined distance from an external surface of the vehicle in the representation of the vehicle, the second image superposed on the single image and the first image such that the plurality of markings of the second image is closer to the external surface of the vehicle in the representation of the vehicle than the markings of the first image;

highlight the first and second images superposed on the single image for a time period after a start of display of the composite image; and

change a level of highlighting of at least one of the first image or the second image after the time period has elapsed so that the second image has a greater level of highlighting than the first image after the time period elapses.

2. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processor is configured to highlight the second image in a first form during the time period and to highlight the second image in a second form that is different from the first form after the time period elapses.

3. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processor is configured to highlight the second image in a first form and to highlight the first image in a second form during the time period, the first form being different from the second form.

4. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processor is configured to highlight the second image relative to the first image from the start of display of the composite image if the composite image is being displayed for a second time or more after the input operation is given to the ignition switch of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processor is configured to highlight at least one of the first image or the second image by blinking the at least one of the first image or the second image and to non-highlight the first image by non-blinking the first image.

6. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processor is configured to highlight at least one of the first image or the second image by displaying the at least one of the first image or the second image with an advancing color and to change the level of highlighting by displaying the first image with a receding color.

7. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processor is configured to highlight at least one of the first image or the second image by displaying the at least one of the first image or the second image with a first luminance and to change the level of highlighting by displaying the first image with a second luminance that is lower than the first luminance.

8. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processor is configured to display the composite image while the second image has the greater level of highlighting than the first image until a vehicle speed is at or above a predetermined value.

9. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processor is configured to, during the time period, perform a transition of the first image from being highlighted to being at a lower level of highlighting.

10. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the processor is configured to display a captured image from a single camera of the plurality of cameras simultaneously with the composite image.

19. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the representation of the vehicle comprises an outline of the vehicle surrounded by a rectangular box;

and wherein the plurality of markings of the second image are within the rectangular box and between the outline of the vehicle and the markings of the first image.

11. A vehicle image display apparatus, comprising:

means for acquiring a plurality of captured images of an area around a vehicle, the plurality of captured images being captured by a plurality of cameras that are mounted on the vehicle at a plurality of positions;

means for generating a single image that includes a representation of the vehicle and a virtual viewpoint image of the area around the vehicle formed by combining the plurality of captured images such that a linear boundary region is formed between adjacent ones of the plurality of captured images extending from the representation of the vehicle to outer edges of the single image;

means for displaying a composite image on a monitor after an input operation is given to an ignition switch of the vehicle, the composite image comprising;

a first image including markings representing each linear boundary region in the single image, the first image superposed on the single image; and

a second image including a plurality of markings, each of the plurality of markings identifying a respective end region of the vehicle and having margins of a predetermined distance from an external surface of the vehicle in the representation of the vehicle superposed on the single image and the first image such that the plurality of markings of the second image is closer to the external surface of the vehicle in the representation of the vehicle than the markings of the first image;

means for highlighting the first and second images in the composite image for a time period after a start of display of the composite image; and

means for changing a level of highlighting of at least one of the first image or the second image after the time period has elapsed so that the second image has a greater level of highlighting than the first image after the time period elapses.

12. A vehicle image display method, comprising:

acquiring a plurality of captured images of an area around a vehicle, the plurality of captured images being captured by a plurality of cameras that are mounted on the vehicle at a plurality of positions;

generating a single image that includes a representation of the vehicle and a virtual viewpoint image of the area around the vehicle formed by combining the plurality of captured images such that a linear boundary region is formed between adjacent ones of the plurality of captured images extending from the representation of the vehicle to outer edges of the single image;

displaying a composite image on a monitor after an input operation is given to an ignition switch of the vehicle, the composite image comprising;

a first image including markings representing each linear boundary region in the single image, the first image superposed on the single image; and

a second image including a plurality of markings, each of the plurality of markings identifying a respective end region of the vehicle and having margins of a predetermined distance from an external surface of the vehicle in the representation of the vehicle, the second image superposed on the single image and the first image such that the plurality of markings of the second image is closer to the external surface of the vehicle in the representation of the vehicle than the markings of the first image;

highlighting the first and second images in the composite image for a time period after a start of display of the composite image; and

changing a level of highlighting of at least one of the first image or the second image after the time period has elapsed so that the second image has a greater level of highlighting than the first image after the time period elapses.

13. The vehicle image display method according to claim 12,

wherein highlighting the second image for the time period comprises displaying the second image in a first form;

and wherein changing the level of highlighting comprises displaying the second image in a second form that is different from the first form.

14. The vehicle image display method according to claim 13,

wherein the first form is displaying the second image by blinking the second image and the second form is displaying the second image without blinking.

15. The vehicle image display method according to claim 12,

wherein highlighting the first image for the time period comprises displaying the first image in a first form;

and wherein changing the level of highlighting comprises displaying the second image in a second form that is different from the first form.

16. The vehicle image display method according to claim 15,

wherein the first form is displaying the first image with lines having a color other than black and the second form is displaying the first image with black lines.

17. The vehicle image display method according to claim 12, further comprising:

ending display of the composite image responsive to one of switching off the ignition switch of the vehicle, increasing a speed of the vehicle to or above a predetermined value, or turning off an image capture switch.

18. The vehicle image display method according to claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a request to capture an image from the image capture switch;

checking whether the request is a first request or a subsequent request; and

when the request is a subsequent request, displaying the composite image on the monitor for a second time after the input operation is given to the ignition switch of the vehicle while highlighting the second image at the greater level of highlighting than the first image beginning from the start of display of the composite image.

20. The vehicle image display method according to claim 12,

wherein the representation of the vehicle comprises an outline of the vehicle surrounded by a rectangular box;

and wherein the plurality of markings of the second image are within the rectangular box and between the outline of the vehicle and the markings of the first image.