Image display control apparatus and image display system

• US 10,032,298 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Yoshikuni, Kameshima, Tamotsu, Higo, Takayuki, Kajigai, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Xiao, Ke
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu, Gordon
• Application Number:
  US14/778,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20160042543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 345629
• 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 2300/304 using merged images, e.g. merging camera image with stored images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/951 by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/957 Light-field or plenoptic cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

An image display control apparatus according to an embodiment includes, for example, includes a region identification portion distinguishing between a first region corresponding to a window in a vehicle inside image and a second region in the vehicle inside image excluding the first region, an image generation portion generating an image at least for a display range displayed at a display device, the image including a composite image where the vehicle inside image at the second region and a vehicle outside image conforming to the second region are superimposed on each other with a specified ratio and a vehicle outside image at the first region, a display range decision portion configured to change the display range, and a display control portion controlling the display device so that the image generated by the image generation portion is displayed at the display range which is decided by the display range decision portion.

Claims

1. An image display control apparatus comprising:

a region identification portion distinguishing between a first region corresponding to a window in a vehicle inside image and a second region in the vehicle inside image excluding the first region;

an image generation portion generating a composite image where a vehicle outside image is superimposed on the vehicle inside image at the second region with a specified ratio at least for a display range displayed at a display device;

a display range decision portion that determines the display range;

a display control portion controlling the display device so that the image generated by the image generation portion is displayed at the display range which is decided by the display range decision portion;

a ratio change portion changing the ratio; and

an object position determination portion determining whether an object identified as an image within a window frame in the vehicle inside image is positioned at an inside of the vehicle or an outside of the vehicle wherein

the ratio change portion changes the ratio in accordance with a position of a mobile object detected by an object detection portion that detects the mobile object at the vehicle exterior,

the ratio represents a transmission rate,

the composite image in the second region passes through a vehicle object within the vehicle inside image,

the vehicle object being a human body or luggage,

the ratio change portion increases a transmission rate of the image,

the region identification portion causes the image of the object within the frame of the vehicle window which has been determined by the object position determination portion as being positioned at the inside of the vehicle to be included in the second region, and

the region identification portion causes the image of the object which has been determined by the object position determination portion as being positioned at the outside of the vehicle to be included in the first region.

2. The image display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display range decision portion changes the display range based on a signal obtained by a driving operation of a vehicle.

3. The image display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display range decision portion changes the display range depending on a steering angle detected by a steering angle detection portion that detects the steering angle.

4. The image display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display range decision portion changes the display range depending on a vehicle position acquired by a vehicle position acquisition portion that acquires the vehicle position.

5. The image display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display range decision portion changes the display range depending on a position of the mobile object detected by the mobile object detection portion that detects the mobile object at a vehicle exterior.

6. The image display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ratio change portion changes the ratio based on a signal obtained by a driving operation of a vehicle.

7. The image display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ratio change portion changes the ratio depending on a steering angle detected by a steering angle detection portion that detects the steering angle.

8. The image display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ratio change portion changes the ratio depending on a vehicle position acquired by a vehicle position acquisition portion that acquires the vehicle position.

9. The image display control apparatus according to claim 1 comprising:

an image generation portion generating an image at least for a display range displayed at a display device, the image including a composite image where the vehicle inside image at the second region and a vehicle outside image conforming to the second region are superimposed on each other with a specified ratio and a vehicle outside image at the first region.

10. The image display control apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

the vehicle inside image is imaged by a first imaging portion, and

the vehicle outside image is imaged by the second imaging portion.

11. The image display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the ratio changing portion changes the transmission rate in accordance with a vehicle position acquired by a vehicle position acquisition portion that acquires the vehicle position.

12. The image display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

in response to the transmission rate being satisfied, the transmission rate is changed, and

in response to the display range being satisfied, the display range is changed.

13. An image display system comprising:

an image display control apparatus including;

a region identification portion distinguishing between a first region corresponding to a window in a vehicle inside image and a second region in the vehicle inside image excluding the first region;

an image generation portion generating a composite image where a vehicle outside image is superimposed on the vehicle inside image at the second region with a specified ratio at least for a display range displayed at a display device;

a display range decision portion that determines the display range;

a display control portion controlling the display device so that the image generated by the image generation portion is displayed at the display range which is decided by the display range decision portion;

a display device controlled by the image display control apparatus;

a first imaging portion imaging a vehicle inside image;

a second imaging portion imaging a vehicle outside image; and

an object position determination portion determining whether an object identified as an image within a window frame in the vehicle inside image is positioned at an inside of the vehicle or an outside of the vehicle, wherein

the region identification portion causes the image of the object within the frame of the vehicle window which has been determined by the object position determination portion as being positioned at the inside of the vehicle to be included in the second region,

the ratio represents a transmission rate,

the composite image in the second region passes through a vehicle object within the vehicle inside image,

the vehicle object being a human body or luggage,

the ratio change portion increases a transmission rate of the image, and

the region identification portion causes the image of the object which has been determined by the object position determination portion as being positioned at the outside of the vehicle to be included in the first region.

14. An image display control apparatus comprising:

a region identification portion distinguishing between a first region corresponding to a window in a vehicle inside image and a second region in the vehicle inside image excluding the first region;

an image generation portion generating a composite image where a vehicle outside image is superimposed on the vehicle inside image at the second region with a specified ratio at least for a display range displayed at a display device;

a display range decision portion that determines the display range;

a display control portion controlling the display device so that the image generated by the image generation portion is displayed at the display range which is decided by the display range decision portion; and

an object position determination portion determining whether an object identified as an image within a window frame in the vehicle inside image is positioned at an inside of the vehicle or an outside of the vehicle, wherein

the region identification portion causes the image of the object within the frame of the vehicle window which has been determined by the object position determination portion as being positioned at the inside of the vehicle to be included in the second region,

the ratio represents a transmission rate,

the composite image in the second region passes through a vehicle object within the vehicle inside image,

the vehicle object being a human body or luggage,

the ratio change portion increases a transmission rate of the image, and

the region identification portion causes the image of the object which has been determined by the object position determination portion as being positioned at the outside of the vehicle to be included in the first region.