Surroundings-monitoring device and computer program product

• US 9,956,913 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2014
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakasho, Takayuki, Watanabe, Kazuya, Maruoka, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): MOYER, DALE S
• Application Number:
  US14/769,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20160001704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• 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: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera

Abstract

A surroundings-monitoring device according to embodiments includes, as an example, a memory unit that stores therein captured image data output from an imaging unit imaging an area including a road surface in a forward direction of a vehicle and an area extending upward from the road surface and an output unit that outputs, to a display device, captured image data having been previously imaged by the imaging unit and including a road surface corresponding to a position of the current vehicle in the imaged road surface, from among the captured image data stored in the memory unit.

Claims

1. A surroundings-monitoring device comprising:

a memory unit that stores therein captured image data output from an imaging unit imaging an area including a road surface in a traveling direction of a vehicle and an area extending upward from the road surface; and

an output unit that outputs, to a display device, captured image data together with a current position of the vehicle, the captured image data having been previously imaged by the imaging unit and having an image of a road surface corresponding to a blind area existing around the current position of the vehicle in the imaged road surface, from among the captured image data stored in the memory unit, wherein

the output unit outputs only captured image data having been imaged from any position of the vehicle from among a plurality of pieces of the captured image data stored in the memory unit.

2. The surroundings-monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the output unit superimposes identification information from which a specific part of the vehicle is identifiable on the captured image data to be output.

3. The surroundings-monitoring device according to claim 2, wherein the output unit superimposes information for identifying a specific part placed under a floor of the vehicle as the identification information.

4. The surroundings-monitoring device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an acquiring unit that acquires an amount of travel of the vehicle, wherein

the memory unit further stores therein the captured image data and positional information on a position at which the imaging unit has imaged the captured image data in a manner associated with each other, and

the output unit outputs the captured image data that has been selected as captured image data including the current position of the vehicle in an imaged area based on the amount of travel acquired by the acquiring unit and the positional information stored in the memory unit.

5. The surroundings-monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein

the output unit outputs the captured image data having been imaged by the imaging unit with a direction in which the vehicle is moved and an optical axis of the imaging unit intersects with a road surface as an imaging direction.

6. The surroundings-monitoring device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a receiving unit that receives pressing of a certain button, wherein

the output unit outputs captured image data being currently imaged by the imaging unit and, when the receiving unit receives pressing of the certain button, outputs captured image data having been previously imaged by the imaging unit and including the current position of the vehicle in an imaged area from among the captured image data stored in the memory unit.

7. A computer program product including programmed instructions embodied in and stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform:

storing, in a memory unit, captured image data output from an imaging unit imaging an area including a road surface in a traveling direction of a vehicle and an area extending upward from the road surface; and

outputting, to a display device, captured image data together with a current position of the vehicle, the captured image data having been previously imaged by the imaging unit and including a road surface corresponding to a blind area existing around the current position of the vehicle in the imaged road surface, from among the captured image data stored in the memory unit, wherein

the outputting includes outputting only captured image data having been imaged from any position of the vehicle from among a plurality of pieces of the captured image data stored in the memory unit.

8. A surroundings-monitoring device comprising:

a memory unit that stores therein captured image data output from an imaging unit imaging an area including a road surface in a traveling direction of a vehicle and an area extending upward from the road surface;

an output unit that outputs, to a display device, captured image data having been previously imaged by the imaging unit and having an image of a road surface corresponding to a current position of the vehicle in the imaged road surface, from among the captured image data stored in the memory unit; and

an image selecting unit that selects one captured image data based on the current position of the vehicle from among a plurality of pieces of the captured image data stored in the memory unit, wherein

the output unit outputs only the selected one captured image data corresponding to the current position of the vehicle from among a plurality of pieces of the captured image data stored in the memory unit.

9. The surroundings-monitoring device according to claim 8, wherein the output unit superimposes identification information from which a specific part of the vehicle is identifiable on the captured image data to be output.

10. The surroundings-monitoring device according to claim 9, wherein the output unit superimposes information for identifying a specific part placed under a floor of the vehicle as the identification information.

11. The surroundings-monitoring device according to claim 8, further comprising:

an acquiring unit that acquires an amount of travel of the vehicle, wherein

the memory unit further stores therein the captured image data and positional information on a position at which the imaging unit has imaged the captured image data in a manner associated with each other, and

the output unit outputs the captured image data that has been selected as captured image data including the current position of the vehicle in an imaged area based on the amount of travel acquired by the acquiring unit and the positional information stored in the memory unit.

12. The surroundings-monitoring device according to claim 8, wherein

the output unit outputs the captured image data having been imaged by the imaging unit with a direction in which the vehicle is moved and an optical axis of the imaging unit intersects with a road surface as an imaging direction.

13. The surroundings-monitoring device according to claim 8, further comprising:

a receiving unit that receives pressing of a certain button, wherein

the output unit outputs captured image data being currently imaged by the imaging unit and, when the receiving unit receives pressing of the certain button, outputs captured image data having been previously imaged by the imaging unit and including the current position of the vehicle in an imaged area from among the captured image data stored in the memory unit.

14. A computer program product including programmed instructions embodied in and stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform:

storing, in a memory unit, captured image data output from an imaging unit imaging an area including a road surface in a traveling direction of a vehicle and an area extending upward from the road surface;

outputting, to a display device, captured image data having been previously imaged by the imaging unit and including a road surface corresponding to a current position of the vehicle in the imaged road surface, from among the captured image data stored in the memory unit; and

selecting one captured image data based on the current position of the vehicle from among a plurality of pieces of the captured image data stored in the memory unit, wherein

the outputting includes outputting the selected one captured image data corresponding to the current position of the vehicle from among a plurality of pieces of the captured image data stored in the memory unit.