In-vehicle mount display controller, in-vehicle mount display device, display control method, control program and recording medium

• US 20070040910A1
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Kuwata, Hideki
• Granted Patent: US 7,990,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 1/008 allowing the driver to see passengers, e.g. for busses combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/23 with a predetermined field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same display
• 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: B60R 2300/804 for lane monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic

Abstract

The state of a vehicle rear portion such as the state of a rear seat or the like and the state of a vehicle rear side are allowed to be easily grasped at a driver'"'"'s seat, and also the state of a vehicle front side is allowed to be easily grasped at a rear seat.

An in-vehicle display device 10 is equipped with a camera 13, plural monitors 12, 21, an image pickup direction detector 24 for detecting the image pickup direction of the camera 13 and outputting an image pickup direction signal, and a controller 22 for selecting any one of plural monitors 12, 21 on the basis of the image pickup direction signal, and displaying the pickup image of the camera 13 on the selected monitor.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle mount display control device for controlling plural monitors on which pickup images of a camera can be displayed, characterized by comprising a display controller for selecting some of the plural monitors on the basis of the image pickup direction of the camera and displaying the pickup image of the camera on the selected monitor concerned.

2. The in-vehicle mount display control device according to claim 1, wherein the display controller is equipped with a signal switching portion for switching the monitor of the output destination of the image pickup signal of the camera on the basis of the image pickup direction signal corresponding to the image pickup direction of the camera.

3. The in-vehicle mount display control device according to claim 1, wherein the display controller selects the monitor on the basis of whether the image pickup direction is any one of at least two directions of a forward direction of the vehicle, a direction to the rear seat and a rearward direction of the vehicle.

4. The in-vehicle mount display control device according to claim 1, wherein the camera is secured to the neighborhood of a ceiling portion in the vehicle.

5. An in-vehicle mount display device comprising:

a camera;

plural monitors;

an image pickup direction detector for detecting an image pickup direction of the camera and outputting an image pickup direction signal; and

a display controller for selecting some of the plural monitors on the basis of the image pickup direction signal, and displaying a pickup image of the camera on the selected monitor concerned.

6. The in-vehicle mount display device according to claim 5, wherein the display controller is equipped with a signal switching portion for switching the monitor of the output destination of the image pickup signal of the camera on the basis of the image pickup direction signal.

7. The in-vehicle mount display control device according to claim 5, wherein the display controller selects the monitor on the basis of at least two directions of a forward direction of the vehicle, a direction to the rear seat and a rearward direction of the vehicle as the image pickup direction.

8. A method of controlling an in-vehicle mount display device having a camera and plural monitors on which pickup images of the camera can be displayed, comprising:

an image pickup direction identifying step of identifying an image pickup direction of the camera; and

selecting some of the plural monitors on the basis of the image pickup direction thus identified and displaying the pickup images of the camera are displayed on the selected monitor concerned.

9. A control program for making a computer control an in-vehicle mount display device having a camera and plural monitors on which pickup images of the camera can be displayed, characterized in that the control program makes the computer:

identify an image pickup direction of the camera; and

select some of the plural monitors on the basis of the image pickup direction thus identified, and display the pickup images of the camera on the selected monitor concerned.

10. The control program according to claim 9, wherein the control program makes the computer select the monitor on the basis of whether the image pickup direction is any one of at least two directions of a forward direction of the vehicle, a direction to the rear seat and a rearward direction of the vehicle.

11. A computer-readable recording medium stored with a control program for making a computer control an in-vehicle mount display device having a camera and plural monitors on which pickup images of the camera can be displayed, characterized in that the control program makes the computer identify an image pickup direction of the camera, select some of the plural monitors on the basis of the image pickup direction thus identified, and display the pickup images of the camera on the selected monitor concerned.