Image processing system for vehicle

• US 20030108222A1
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushikikaisha Equos Research
• Original Assignee: Kabushikikaisha Equos Research
• Inventors: Mori, Toshihiro, Sato, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 7,212,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30264 Parking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/12 Edge-based segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A camera for imaging the periphery of a vehicle is provided, images imaged by the camera are stored, and a processed image obtained by processing a past image which has been imaged before reaching a current position is overlaid on a part of a current image, which is currently imaged, being a blind spot region by being hidden by a car body or the like so that a combination image is created. A contour line symbolizing the car body is combined with the combination image and the image is displayed.

Claims

1. An image processing system for a vehicle, comprising:

an imaging means for imaging images in a moving direction of the vehicle;

a car body region specifying means for specifying a car body region hidden by a car body part in an image imaged by said imaging means;

a car body image region obtaining means for obtaining an image region corresponding to the car body region which is assumed to be seen if the car body part were transparent;

an image creating means for creating an image by replacing the car body region in the image imaged by said imaging means with the image region obtained by said car body image region obtaining means; and

a display means for displaying the image created by said image creating means.

2. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein an image region previously imaged by said imaging means is used as the image region which is assumed to be seen if the car body part were transparent.

3. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle speed detecting means for detecting the vehicle speed of the vehicle,

wherein the image created by said image creating means is displayed when the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detecting means is equal to or lower than a predetermined vehicle speed.

4. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a moving distance detecting means for detecting the moving distance of the vehicle,

wherein said car body image region obtaining means obtains the image region corresponding to the car body region when the detected distance is equal to or longer than a predetermined distance.

5. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising:

a car body data storage means for storing car body data of the vehicle,

wherein the predetermined distance is determined based on the data stored in the car body data storage means.

6. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a car body data storage means for storing car body data,

wherein said car body region specifying means specifies the car body region hidden by the car body part based on the car body data.

7. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a car body form image combination means for creating a combination image by further adding a contour line of a car body form including at least one of a car body, a bumper, a light, a wiper, an instrument panel, a steering wheel, a mirror, a tire, a seat, and a form of a window

to the image created by said image creating means.

16. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a different imaging means arranged outside the vehicle, for imaging images in the same direction as said imaging means,

wherein an image imaged by the different imaging means is used as the image assumed to be seen if the car body part were transparent.

17. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 16,

wherein the image imaged by the different imaging means is conversion-processed to an image seen from a position of the driver'"'"'s viewpoint.

18. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 16,

wherein the image imaged by said imaging means is conversion-processed to an image seen from a position of the driver'"'"'s viewpoint.

19. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 16, further comprising:

a vehicle speed detecting means for detecting the vehicle speed,

wherein the image created by said image creating means is displayed when the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detecting means is equal to or lower than a predetermined vehicle speed.

8. An image processing system for a vehicle, comprising:

an imaging means for imaging images in a moving direction of the vehicle;

an imaged image converting means for converting the viewpoint of an imaged image as if it were an image seen from the driver'"'"'s viewpoint;

a car body region specifying means for specifying a car body region hidden by a car body part in the image imaged by said imaging means;

a car body image region obtaining means for obtaining an image region corresponding to the car body region which is assumed to be seen if the car body part were transparent;

an image creating means for creating an image by replacing the car body region part in the image whose viewpoint has been converted by said imaged image converting means with the image region obtained by said car body image region obtaining means whose viewpoint has been converted by said imaged image converting means; and

a display means for displaying the image created by said image creating means.

9. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 8,

wherein an image region previously imaged by said imaging means is used as the image region which is assumed to be seen if the car body part were transparent.

10. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 8, further comprising:

a vehicle speed detecting means for detecting the vehicle speed of the vehicle,

wherein the image created by said image creating means is displayed when the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detecting means is equal to or lower than a predetermined vehicle speed.

11. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 8, further comprising:

a moving distance detecting means for detecting the moving distance of the vehicle,

wherein said imaged image converting means converts the viewpoint of the image when the moving distance detecting means detects that the vehicle has moved from a position of a driver to a position in which said imaging means is installed.

12. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 8, further comprising:

a moving distance detecting means for detecting the moving distance of the vehicle,

wherein said car body region specifying means specifies the car body region when the detected distance is equal to or longer than a predetermined distance.

13. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 12, further comprising:

a car body data storage means for storing car body data of the vehicle,

wherein the predetermined distance is determined based on the data stored in the car body data storage means.

14. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 8, further comprising:

a car body data storage means for storing car body data of the vehicle,

wherein said car body region specifying means specifies the car body region hidden by the car body part based on the car body data.

15. The image processing system for the vehicle according to claim 8, further comprising:

a car body form image combination means for creating a combination image by further adding a contour line of a car body form including at least one of a car body, a bumper, a light, a wiper, an instrument panel, a steering wheel, a mirror, a tire, a seat, and a form of a window to the image created by said image creating means.