Vehicle peripheral observation device

• US 9,919,650 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Miyoshi, Hidehiko, Nagamine, Noboru, Miura, Kenji, Yamamoto, Kinji, Goto, Kenjiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Aghevli, Reza
• Application Number:
  US15/057,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20160176349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 1/002 specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like integrated in the windows B60R1/001; combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• 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 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• 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: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

Provided is a device whereby it is possible to accurately recognize which area has been enlarged when part of an overhead image displayed on a monitor is displayed as enlarged. When any one area of a plurality divided areas (D1-D4) is indicated, the divided areas being a result of dividing an overhead image displayed on a monitor (21), an image of the indicated divided area (D1-D4) is set as an image to be enlarged, and an auxiliary display area (21B) is set as an enlarged display area. Enlarged display unit forms a plurality of intermediate images (M) of an intermediate size between the size of the indicated divided area (D2) and the size of the enlarged display area, and the intermediate images are sequentially displayed beginning with the smallest intermediate image (M), using the indicated divided area (D2) as an origin point.

Claims

1. A vehicle peripheral observation device comprising:

a plurality of cameras for imaging an area including a road surface of a vehicle periphery,

a monitor, for displaying the images captured using the plurality of cameras; and

an image processor for processing the images for display on the monitor in the following manner

a primary display area on which an image captured by any one of the plurality of cameras is displayed; and

an overhead image display area on which an overhead image of a bird'"'"'s-eye view of the vehicle periphery is displayed, the overhead image comprising a plurality of images captured using the plurality of cameras, the overhead image display area being divided into a plurality of divided areas; and

wherein the image processor enlarges and displays, in the overhead image display area, an image of the divided area which has been indicated in the overhead image display area as an image to be enlarged;

wherein, when the image processor enlarges and displays the image of the divided area indicated as being the image to be enlarged in the overhead image display area, the enlarged and displayed image includes at least a part of an icon of the vehicle and the at least a part of the icon of the vehicle is enlarged and displayed.

2. The vehicle peripheral observation device according to claim 1, wherein the overhead image display area is sectioned by sectioning lines into the plurality of divided areas.

3. The vehicle peripheral observation device according to claim 1, wherein the image is enlarged up to a size of the overhead image display area.

4. The vehicle peripheral observation device according to claim 1, wherein a captured image of an area around the vehicle in its moving direction is displayed on the primary display area.

5. The vehicle peripheral observation device according to claim 1,

wherein a plurality of intermediate images of an intermediate size between a size of the indicated divided area and a size of the overhead image display area are generated, and a process of sequentially displaying the intermediate images beginning with the smallest size is executed, and

wherein a display-position relationship is set at the start of the process so that the indicated divided area is included in the display area of the next intermediate image to be displayed.

6. The vehicle peripheral observation device according to claim 5, wherein a borderline clarifying the border in the outer periphery of each displayed intermediate image is displayed.

7. The vehicle peripheral observation device according to claim 1, wherein the image of the divided area has been indicated by a touching operation.

8. The vehicle peripheral observation device according to claim 1, wherein the image in the primary display area and the image in the overhead image display area are displayed at the same time.

9. The vehicle peripheral observation device according to claim 3, wherein the image in the primary display area and the image in the overhead image display area are displayed at the same time.

10. The vehicle peripheral observation device according to claim 7, wherein, after the enlarged image is displayed, the display of the overhead image is resumed by performing another touching operation on the enlarged, displayed image.

11. The vehicle peripheral observation device according to claim 1, wherein the image processor enlarges and displays the image without changing the viewpoint.