Vehicle Surrounding Image Display Device

• US 20070165108A1
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kubotani, Shigeji, Yuasa, Mizuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,018,490 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 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• 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 2300/804 for lane monitoring

Abstract

A vehicle surrounding image display device according to the present invention combines an image obtained by reducing in size an image taken by a camera provided at the center of the rear side of a vehicle, and images obtained by deforming images taken by cameras provided at the left and right sides of the vehicle such that the outward inclination of the inner side in the vehicle width direction of each of the left and right side images is gradually increased toward the lower end of the inner side. The vehicle surrounding image display device then generates a single image simulating the circumstances behind the user'"'"'s own vehicle as observed from a single virtual viewpoint in a realistic form, and displays the generated image on a display device.

Claims

1. A vehicle surrounding image display device mounted on a vehicle, the device comprising:

a first camera for taking a first image behind the vehicle from a central position in the width direction of the vehicle;

a second camera for taking a second image behind the vehicle from a position off the center in the width direction of the vehicle;

image deformation means for deforming the second image taken by the second camera such that at least a portion of the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the second image lower than the vanishing point in the second image is inclined to make the lower portion of the inner side located more outward in the vehicle width direction than the upper portion of the inner side, and that the inclination is gradually increased toward the lower end of the inner side;

image synthesis means for adjusting the second image deformed by the image deformation means and the first image taken by the first camera such that the scale of an object matches between the first and second images, and for generating a synthetic image combining the first and second images such that the vanishing point in the first image and the vanishing point in the second image are at the same height in the vertical direction; and

a display device for displaying the synthetic image generated by the image synthesis means.

2. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 1,

wherein the image deformation means deforms the second image in the synthetic image such that, at the boundary between the first and second images on the lower end of the first image, a line virtually set in the first image incorporated in the synthetic image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from a boundary in the width direction of the vehicle is connected with a line virtually set in the second image incorporated in the synthetic image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the boundary in the width direction of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 2,

wherein the image deformation means further deforms the second image such that the inclination of the line virtually set in the first image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the boundary in the width direction of the vehicle matches the inclination of the line virtually set in the second image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the boundary in the width direction of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 3,

wherein the image deformation means deforms the second image by reducing, in the horizontal direction, the sizes of respective horizontal lines forming the second image with greater reduction ratios for the lower horizontal lines, while keeping the position of the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the second image unchanged.

5. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 1,

wherein the image deformation means divides the second image into a first divided image above a line passing through the vanishing point of the second image and extending in the horizontal direction, a second divided image below the first image incorporated in the synthetic image within the synthetic image, and a third divided image sandwiched between the first and second divided images, and

wherein the image deformation means deforms the second image such that, at the boundary between the first image and the second divided image of the second image on the lower end of the first image, a line virtually set in the first image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from a boundary in the width direction of the vehicle is connected with a line virtually set in the second divided image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the boundary in the width direction of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 5,

wherein the image deformation means further deforms the second divided image such that the inclination of the line virtually set in the first image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the boundary in the width direction of the vehicle matches the inclination of the line virtually set in the second divided image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the boundary in the width direction of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 6,

wherein the image deformation means deforms the second divided image by reducing, in the horizontal direction, the sizes of respective horizontal lines forming the second divided image with greater reduction ratios for the lower horizontal lines, while keeping the position of the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the second divided image unchanged.

8. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 5,

wherein the image deformation means divides the third divided image of the second image in the vertical direction at equal intervals into a plurality of divided regions, and

wherein the image deformation means deforms images of the respective divided regions such that the length of the upper side of the uppermost divided region matches the length of the lower side of the first divided image, the length of the lower side of the lowermost divided region matches the length of the upper side of the second divided image, and that the inclination of the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the respective divided regions is gradually increased toward the lower divided regions.

9. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 1,

wherein the image synthesis means arranges the first and second images by partially overlapping the images such that an end position of the first image on a line passing through the vanishing point in the first image and extending in the horizontal direction is overlapped with a position on the second image including the same object or landscape as an object or landscape included at the end position.

10. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 9,

wherein the image synthesis means arranges the first image in front of the second image at the overlapped portion of the first and second images.

11. A vehicle surrounding image display device mounted on a vehicle, the device comprising:

a first camera for taking a first image behind the vehicle from a central position in the width direction of the vehicle;

a second camera for taking a second image behind the vehicle from a left side position in the width direction of the vehicle;

a third camera for taking a third image behind the vehicle from a right side position in the width direction of the vehicle;

image deformation means for deforming the second image taken by the second camera such that at least a portion of the right side in the vehicle width direction of the second image lower than the vanishing point in the second image is inclined to make the lower portion of the right side located more leftward in the vehicle width direction than the upper portion of the right side, and that the inclination is gradually increased toward the lower end of the right side, and for deforming the third image taken by the third camera such that at least a portion of the left side in the vehicle width direction of the third image lower than the vanishing point in the third image is inclined to make the lower portion of the left side located more rightward in the vehicle width direction than the upper portion of the left side, and that the inclination is gradually increased toward the lower end of the left side;

image synthesis means for adjusting the second and third images deformed by the image deformation means and the first image taken by the first camera such that the scale of an object matches among the first to third images, and for generating a synthetic image combining the first to third images such that the vanishing point in the first image, the vanishing point in the second image, and the vanishing point in the third image are at the same height in the vertical direction; and

a display device for displaying the synthetic image generated by the image synthesis means.

12. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 11,

wherein the image deformation means deforms the second image in the synthetic image such that, at the boundary between the first and second images on the lower end of the first image, a line virtually set in the first image incorporated in the synthetic image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the left-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle is connected with a line virtually set in the second image incorporated in the synthetic image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the left-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle, and

wherein the image deformation means deforms the third image in the synthetic image such that, at the boundary between the first and third images on the lower end of the first image, a line virtually set in the first image incorporated in the synthetic image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the right-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle is connected with a line virtually set in the third image incorporated in the synthetic image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the right-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 12,

wherein the image deformation means further deforms the second image such that the inclination of the line virtually set in the first image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the left-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle matches the inclination of the line virtually set in the second image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the left-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle, and

wherein the image deformation means further deforms the third image such that the inclination of the line virtually set in the first image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the right-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle matches the inclination of the line virtually set in the third image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the right-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle.

14. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 13,

wherein the image deformation means deforms the second image by reducing, in the horizontal direction, the sizes of respective horizontal lines forming the second image with greater reduction ratios for the lower horizontal lines, while keeping the position of the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the second image unchanged, and

wherein the image deformation means deforms the third image by reducing, in the horizontal direction, the sizes of respective horizontal lines forming the third image with greater reduction ratios for the lower horizontal lines, while keeping the position of the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the third image unchanged.

15. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 11,

wherein the image deformation means divides the second image into a first divided image above a line passing through the vanishing point of the second image and extending in the horizontal direction, a second divided image below the first image incorporated in the synthetic image within the synthetic image, and a third divided image sandwiched between the first and second divided images,

wherein the image deformation means deforms the second divided image of the second image such that, at the boundary between the first image and the second divided image of the second image on the lower end of the first image, a line virtually set in the first image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the left-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle is connected with a line virtually set in the second divided image of the second image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the left-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle,

wherein the image deformation means divides the third image into a first divided image above a line passing through the vanishing point of the third image and extending in the horizontal direction, a second divided image below the first image incorporated in the synthetic image within the synthetic image, and a third divided image sandwiched between the first and second divided images, and

wherein the image deformation means deforms the second divided image of the third image such that, at the boundary between the first image and the second divided image of the third image on the lower end of the first image, a line virtually set in the first image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the right-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle is connected with a line virtually set in the second divided image of the third image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the right-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 15,

wherein the image deformation means further deforms the second divided image of the second image such that the inclination of the line virtually set in the first image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the left-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle matches the inclination of the line virtually set in the second divided image of the second image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the left-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle, and

wherein the image deformation means further deforms the second divided image of the third image such that the inclination of the line virtually set in the first image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the right-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle matches the inclination of the line virtually set in the second divided image of the third image and extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the right-side boundary in the width direction of the vehicle.

17. The vehicle surrounding image display device according to claim 16,

wherein the image deformation means deforms the respective second divided images of the second and third images by reducing, in the horizontal direction, the sizes of respective horizontal lines forming the respective second divided images of the second and third images with greater reduction ratios for the lower horizontal lines, while keeping the position of the outer side in the vehicle width direction of each of the second divided images unchanged.

18. A vehicle image display method for displaying an image showing the circumstances behind a vehicle in a vehicle surrounding image display device mounted on the vehicle and including a first camera for taking a first image behind the vehicle from a central position in the width direction of the vehicle, and a second camera for taking a second image behind the vehicle from a position off the center in the width direction of the vehicle, the method comprising:

deforming the second image taken by the second camera such that at least a portion of the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the second image lower than the vanishing point in the second image is inclined to make the lower portion of the inner side located more outward in the vehicle width direction than the upper portion of the inner side, and that the inclination is gradually increased toward the lower end of the inner side;

adjusting the sizes of the deformed second image and the first image taken by the first camera such that the scale of an object matches between the first and second images, and generating a synthetic image combining the first and second images such that the vanishing point in the first image and the vanishing point in the second image are at the same height in the vertical direction; and

displaying the generated synthetic image.

19. A vehicle image display method for displaying an image showing the circumstances behind a vehicle in a vehicle surrounding image display device mounted on the vehicle and including a first camera for taking a first image behind the vehicle from a central position in the width direction of the vehicle, a second camera for taking a second image behind the vehicle from a left-side position in the width direction of the vehicle, and a third camera for taking a third image behind the vehicle from a right-side position in the width direction of the vehicle, the method comprising:

deforming the second image taken by the second camera such that at least a portion of the right side in the vehicle width direction of the second image lower than the vanishing point in the second image is inclined to make the lower portion of the right side located more leftward in the vehicle width direction than the upper portion of the right side, and that the inclination is gradually increased toward the lower end of the right side;

deforming the third image taken by the third camera such that at least a portion of the left side in the vehicle width direction of the third image lower than the vanishing point in the third image is inclined to make the lower portion of the left side located more rightward in the vehicle width direction than the upper portion of the left side, and that the inclination is gradually increased toward the lower end of the left side;

adjusting the sizes of the deformed second and third images and the first image taken by the first camera such that the scale of an object matches among the first to third images, and generating a synthetic image combining the first to third images such that the vanishing point in the first image, the vanishing point in the second image, and the vanishing point in the third image are at the same height in the vertical direction; and

displaying the generated synthetic image.