Image display device, and image display method

• US 9,299,260 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:
  US14/347,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20140232538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,643 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 340/439, 340/932.2, 340/937, 438/142, 438/148
• 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 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/60 characterised by monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior scenes from a transformed perspective
• 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 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

In device 1 including rear view wide angle camera 11, and ECU 20 and display 30 displaying rearward image captured by the camera 11, display control section 25 of the ECU 20 and the display 30 divides the image into right and left rear lateral screens 204 and central rearward screen 202 for display, driver can determine which place is displayed. The section 25 and the display 30 do not display the same image on the screens 204, 202, the driver can understand the distance between object in the image and host vehicle 100. The section 25 performs distortion correction of correcting distortion of the image displayed on the screens 204, the driver can see the image viewable due to the distortion correction. The section 25 forms the screens 204 in shape based on the distortion correction, the driver can understand an approaching position of the object in the image.

Claims

1. An image display device comprising:

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

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

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, is configured to perform distortion correction of correcting distortion of the image of the surrounding area displayed on the left lateral screen and the right lateral screen, and is configured to form the left lateral screen and the right lateral screen in a shape based on the distortion correction, and is configured to display the left lateral screen and the right lateral screen being formed in the shape based on the distortion correction with the central screen.

2. The image display device according to claim 1,

wherein the image display unit is configured to perform the distortion correction of correcting distortion of the image of the surrounding area displayed on the left lateral screen and the right lateral screen due to aberration of a wide angle lens, and is configured to narrow a vertical height of the left lateral screen and the right lateral screen toward a left side of the left lateral screen and a right side of the right lateral screen, in which an outer edge of the left lateral screen has a shape having a portion going toward an upper left side and an outer edge of the right lateral screen has a shape having a portion going toward an upper right side.

3. The image display device according to claim 1,

wherein the image display unit is configured to perform the distortion correction of correcting distortion of the image of the surrounding area displayed on the left lateral screen and the right lateral screen due to aberration of a wide angle lens, and is configured to form the left lateral screen and the right lateral screen to have a size smaller than that of the central screen.

4. The image display device according to claim 1,

wherein the image display unit is configured to display the left lateral screen, the central screen and the right lateral screen, respectively, at intervals.

5. 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, a driving support display indicating the approach of the object.

6. 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 the displaying of the image of the surrounding area includes dividing the image of the surrounding area into a left lateral screen, a central screen and a right lateral screen for display, performing distortion correction of correcting distortion of the image of the surrounding area displayed on the left lateral screen and the right lateral screen, and forming the left lateral screen and the right lateral screen in a shape based on the distortion correction, and displaying the left lateral screen and the right lateral screen being formed in the shape based on the distortion correction with the central screen.