Display control apparatus, display control method, and camera monitoring system

• US 10,460,703 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2018
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Katsuyama, Yoshihiro, Tatsumi, Ryosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Li, Grace Q
• Application Number:
  US15/878,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20180301122A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 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 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/304 using merged images, e.g. merging camera image with stored images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/306 using a re-scaling of images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/408 using a data bus
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/443 by matching or filtering
• 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: G09G 2340/125 wherein one of the images is motion video
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A display control apparatus configured to be connected to an imaging apparatus is provided. The display control apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain image data captured by the imaging apparatus by capturing an image behind a vehicle; an edge image generation unit configured to generate edge image data that clearly indicates a peripheral portion of the image data to be viewed via an electric mirror that is placed at a rear-view mirror position inside the vehicle; a display image generation unit configured to generate display image data by superimposing the generated edge image data onto the obtained image data; and a control unit configured to control the generated display image data to be viewed via the electric mirror.

Claims

1. A display control apparatus configured to be connected to an imaging apparatus, the display control apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein

the processor obtains image data captured by the imaging apparatus by capturing an image behind a vehicle,

generates edge image data that indicates a peripheral portion of the image data to be viewed via an electric mirror that is placed at a rear-view mirror position inside the vehicle,

generates display image data by superimposing the generated edge image data onto the obtained image data, and

controls the generated display image data to be viewed via the electric mirror, wherein

the edge image data indicates a boundary between a front view and the display image data,

and wherein

the processor detects an obstacle approaching from behind the vehicle with a speed equal to or greater than a predetermined speed, and

controls only the generated edge image data that indicates the peripheral portion to be viewed via the electric mirror without having the display image data displayed in a case where controlling for the display image data is stopped, but the obstacle is detected by the processor.

2. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor generates the edge image data with a display format corresponding to vehicle information.

3. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor generates the edge image data by changing a part or all of a display format of the peripheral portion in a case where predetermined information requiring a report has been detected from vehicle information.

4. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the processor identifies a position, of the obstacle detected by the processor, on the image data, and generates the edge image data in such a way that a display format of a portion, of the peripheral portion, corresponding to the identified position is different from the display format of the other portions.

5. A display control method of a display control apparatus, the display control method comprising:

obtaining image data obtained by capturing a view behind a vehicle;

generating edge image data that clearly indicates a peripheral portion of the image data to be viewed via an electric mirror that is placed at a rear-view mirror position inside the vehicle;

generating display image data by superimposing the generated edge image data onto the obtained image data; and

controlling the generated display image data to be viewed via the electric mirror, wherein

the edge image data indicates a boundary between a front view and the display image data,

and wherein the display control method further comprising

detecting an obstacle approaching from behind the vehicle with a speed equal to or greater than a predetermined speed, and

controlling only the generated edge image data that indicates the peripheral portion to be viewed via the electric mirror without having the display image data displayed in a case where controlling for the display image data is stopped, but the obstacle is detected by the processor.

6. A camera monitoring system comprising:

an imaging apparatus configured to capture an image behind a vehicle;

a display control apparatus configured to process image data captured by the imaging apparatus; and

an output apparatus connected to the display control apparatus, wherein the display control apparatus includes

a memory and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein

the processor obtains image data captured by the imaging apparatus by capturing an image behind a vehicle,

generates edge image data that clearly indicates a peripheral portion of the image data to be viewed via an electric mirror that is placed at a rear-view mirror position inside the vehicle,

generates display image data by superimposing the generated edge image data onto the obtained image data, and

controls the output apparatus in such a way that the generated display image data is viewed via the electric mirror, wherein

the edge image data indicates a boundary between a front view and the display image data, and wherein

the processor detects an obstacle approaching from behind the vehicle with a speed equal to or greater than a predetermined speed, and

controls only the generated edge image data that indicates the peripheral portion to be viewed via the electric mirror without having the display image data displayed in a case where controlling for the display image data is stopped, but the obstacle is detected by the processor.