Image display device and image display method

• US 9,296,336 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2011
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sobue, Yuka, Okamura, Ryuji, Morimoto, Chika, Hiei, Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US14/347,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20140225723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,643 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 340/439, 340/932.2, 340/937, 138/142, 138/148
• 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 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

In a driving support display device 1 that includes a rear view wide angle camera 11, and an ECU 20 and a display 30 that display a rearward image captured by the rear view wide angle camera 11, a display control section 25 of the ECU 20 and the display 30 is capable of displaying a moving object approaching detection frame 210 that supports driving of a driver of a host vehicle 100 and a pedestrian detection frame 212 while dividing the rearward image into plural screens for display, and changes the number of the screens to be displayed between when the moving object approaching detection frame 210 is displayed and when the moving object approaching detection frame 210 is not displayed. Thus, the driver can easily recognize operation and non-operation of a system that displays the moving object approaching detection frame 210.

Claims

1. An image display device comprising:

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

an image display unit configured to display the image of the surrounding area obtained by the image obtaining unit; and

a display control section configured to divide the image of the surrounded area into a plurality of screens for displaying a driving support to a driver of the vehicle,

wherein the image display unit displays right and left rear lateral screens and a central rearward screen when an approaching object is detected and displays only the central rearward screen when the approaching object is not detected.

2. The image display device according to claim 1,

wherein the image display unit is configured to divide the image of the surrounding area into a left lateral screen, a central screen and a right lateral screen for display,

wherein the image display unit is configured to display the left lateral screen, the central screen and the right lateral screen when the driving support display is displayed, and

wherein the image display unit is configured to display only the central screen when at least the part of the driving support display is not displayed.

3. The image display device according to claim 1,

wherein the image display unit is configured to display, when an object included in the image of the surrounding area of either of the left lateral screen and the right lateral screen approaches the vehicle, the driving support display indicating the approach of the object.

4. The image display device according to claim 3,

wherein the image display unit is configured not to display, when either of a speed and the steering angle of the vehicle is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, at least the part of the driving support display.

5. An image display method comprising:

obtaining an image of a surrounding area of a vehicle; and

displaying the image of the surrounding area obtained in the obtaining of the image of the surrounding area,

wherein displaying a driving support display indicating approach of an object included in the image of the surrounding area while dividing the image of the surrounding area into a plurality of screens to be displayed is possible in the displaying of the image of the surrounding area, and

wherein a number of the screens to be displayed between when the driving support display is displayed and when at least a part of the driving support display is not displayed, is changed, in the displaying of the image of the surrounding area.