Display device for vehicle and display method for vehicle

• US 10,596,966 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2018
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Original Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Inventors: Tabata, Kiyofumi, Ogawa, Shuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Sosanya, Obafemi O
• Application Number:
  US15/867,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20180126905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 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 2300/605 the adjustment being automatic
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• 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

A display device for a vehicle includes an imaging unit configured to capture a video around a vehicle, a generation unit configured to generate a bird'"'"'s eye view video obtained by converting a viewpoint of the captured video so it seems as if the vehicle is seen from above, a horizontally long display unit disposed in front of a driver'"'"'s seat in the vehicle, an information acquisition unit configured to acquire information on a steering angle of the vehicle, an orientation determination unit configured to determine as to whether a steering orientation of the vehicle is left or right based on the information on the steering angle of the vehicle, and a display control unit configured to perform control in such a way that a display mode of the bird'"'"'s eye view video displayed on the display unit is changed according to the steering orientation of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A display device for a vehicle comprising:

an imaging unit configured to capture a video around a vehicle;

a bird'"'"'s eye view video generation unit configured to generate a bird'"'"'s eye view video obtained by converting a viewpoint of the video captured by the imaging unit so it seems as if the vehicle is seen from above;

a horizontally long display unit disposed in front of a driver'"'"'s seat in the vehicle;

an information acquisition unit configured to acquire information on a steering angle of the vehicle;

an orientation determination unit configured to determine as to whether a steering orientation of the vehicle is left or right based on the information on the steering angle of the vehicle acquired by the information acquisition unit; and

a display control unit configured to perform control in such a way that a display mode of the bird'"'"'s eye view video on the display unit is changed according to the steering orientation of the vehicle determined by the orientation determination unit and the bird'"'"'s eye view video is displayed,

wherein

the display control unit performs control in such a way that the bird'"'"'s eye view video is displayed in a tilted manner on the display unit so that a front of the vehicle in the bird'"'"'s eye view video is oriented to the steering orientation of the vehicle according to the steering orientation of the vehicle determined by the orientation determination unit or the display control unit performs control in such a way that the bird'"'"'s eye view video is displayed in a left or right direction on the display unit according to the steering orientation of the vehicle determined by the orientation determination unit.

2. The display device for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the orientation determination unit further determines a steering angle of the vehicle based on the information on the steering angle of the vehicle acquired by the information acquisition unit, and

when the display control unit performs control in such a way that the bird'"'"'s eye view video is tilted so that the front of the vehicle in the bird'"'"'s eye view video is oriented to the steering orientation of the vehicle, the display control unit performs control in such a way that the bird'"'"'s eye view video is displayed on the display unit in a tilted manner at an angle corresponding to the steering angle of the vehicle.

3. The display device for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the orientation determination unit measures a time during which the steering orientation of the vehicle is maintained, and

when the steering orientation of the vehicle is maintained for a predetermined time or longer, the display control unit performs control in such a way that the bird'"'"'s eye view video is displayed on the display unit in the same orientation as the steering orientation of the vehicle.

4. The display device for the vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a travel determination unit configured to measure a traveling distance traveled by the vehicle while the steering orientation of the vehicle is maintained, wherein the display control unit performs control in such a way that, when the vehicle has traveled for a predetermined distance or longer while the steering orientation of the vehicle is maintained, the bird'"'"'s eye view image is displayed on the display unit in the same orientation as the steering orientation of the vehicle.

5. The display device for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when the display control unit performs control in such a way that the bird'"'"'s eye view video is displayed in the left or right direction on the display unit, the display control unit performs control in such a way that that a lower part of the bird'"'"'s eye view video is closer to a center in the left and right direction of the display unit than an upper part of the bird'"'"'s eye view video.

6. The display device for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when the display control unit performs control in such a way that the bird'"'"'s eye view video is displayed in the left or right direction on the display unit, the bird'"'"'s eye view video generation unit generates the bird'"'"'s eye view video in which the vehicle in the bird'"'"'s eye view video is displayed close to an upper part and close to the center in the left and right direction of the display unit.

7. A display method for a vehicle performed by a display device for a vehicle including a horizontally long display unit disposed in front of a driver'"'"'s seat in a vehicle, the display method comprising:

capturing a video around the vehicle;

generating a bird'"'"'s eye view video obtained by converting a viewpoint of the video captured so it seems as if the vehicle is seen from above;

acquiring information on a steering angle of the vehicle;

determining as to whether a steering orientation of the vehicle is left or right based on the information on the steering angle of the vehicle; and

changing a display mode of the bird'"'"'s eye view video on the display unit according to the steering orientation of the vehicle, wherein

the bird'"'"'s eye view video is displayed in a tilted manner on the display unit so that a front of the vehicle in the bird'"'"'s eye view video is oriented to the steering orientation of the vehicle according to the steering orientation of the vehicle or the bird'"'"'s eye view video is displayed in a left or right direction on the display unit according to the steering orientation of the vehicle.