Image pickup apparatus and method of controlling the apparatus

• US 20030214576A1
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Koga, Yuji
• Application Number:
  US10/439,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20030214576A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/47
• 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 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/101 using cameras with adjustable capturing direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3647 Guidance involving output of stored or live camera images or video streams
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635

Abstract

An image of an object outside a vehicle is picked up by a left camera and a right camera under the control of a CPU based on current position information of the vehicle whose position is measured, vehicle state information of slow speed, running, etc., and road information concerning the road where the vehicle is positioned, such as a narrow street, and is supplied through a selector to a display, so that the need for the user to perform burdensome work is eliminated and the user can check the circumstances outside the vehicle.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup adapted to pick up an image of an object outside a vehicle;

a position detector adapted to detect a vehicle position;

an information storage adapted to store road information concerning roads; and

a controller adapted to control said image pickup based on the road information and the vehicle position.

4. The image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the road information is obtained from said information storage based on the vehicle position.

5. The image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the road information includes road information concerning a road where the vehicle is positioned and road information concerning a road connected to the road where the vehicle is positioned.

2. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup adapted to pick up an image of an object outside a vehicle;

a position detector adapted to detect a vehicle position;

a state detector adapted to detect a vehicle state;

an information storage adapted to store road information concerning roads; and

a controller adapted to control said image pickup based on the road information and the vehicle state.

6. The image pickup apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said state detector comprises a speed detection section for detecting traveling speed of the vehicle, and

wherein said controller determines whether or not the vehicle state is a run state based on the speed information from the speed detection section, and controls said image pickup apparatus.

3. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup adapted to pick up an image of an object outside a vehicle;

a position detector adapted to detect a vehicle position;

a state detector adapted to detect a vehicle state;

an information storage adapted to store road information concerning roads; and

a controller adapted to control said image pickup based on the road information, the vehicle position and the vehicle state.

7. An image pickup apparatus control method comprising:

a road information acquisition step of acquiring road information concerning a road where a vehicle is positioned;

a run state information acquisition step of acquiring state information indicating a run state of the vehicle; and

a control step of controlling image pickup based on the road information and the state information from said steps.