Display system for shooting and displaying image around vehicle

• US 20100259615A1
• Filed: 04/13/2010
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Toshiaki
• Granted Patent: US 8,243,138 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 1/27 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 2300/40 characterised by the details of the power supply or the coupling to vehicle components
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8073 for vehicle security, e.g. parked vehicle surveillance, burglar detection

Abstract

An display system of an image around a vehicle includes: a shooting element; a controller including a processor and a memory; and a display device. The shooting element includes a bracket fixed to the vehicle, a camera in the bracket, a protrusion of the camera and a contact position sensor of the protrusion. The memory stores retrieved region information about a retrieved region defined by a display coordinate system and retrieved from the image. The display device displays the retrieved region. When the contact position of the protrusion is changed, the processor modifies the retrieved region information based on the contact positions before changing and after changing such that a region defined by a local coordinate system corresponding to the retrieved region after changing is equal to the region defined by the local coordinate system before changing.

Claims

1. An display system for shooting and displaying an image around a vehicle, the system comprising:

a shooting element mounted on the vehicle;

a controller including a camera port, a position sensor port, a processor and a memory; and

a display device,

wherein the shooting element includes a bracket, a camera, a protrusion and a contact position sensor,

wherein the bracket is fixed to the vehicle,

wherein the camera is accommodated in the bracket, and shoots an image around the vehicle;

wherein the protrusion is mounted on the camera,

wherein the contact position sensor mounted on the bracket, and detects a contact position of the protrusion,

wherein the camera includes an output terminal for outputting an image signal,

wherein the output terminal of the camera is coupled with the camera port via a cable,

wherein the contact position sensor includes an output terminal for outputting a detection result signal,

wherein the output terminal of the contact position sensor is coupled with the position sensor port via a cable,

wherein the memory stores retrieved region information, which is defined by a display coordinate system, and provides information of a retrieved region, which is retrieved from the image,

wherein the display coordinate system is fixed to the image,

wherein the processor retrieves the retrieved region defined by the display coordinate system from the image according to the retrieved region information,

wherein the processor controls the display device to display the retrieved region,

wherein, when the contact position of the protrusion is changed, the processor modifies the retrieved region information based on the contact position before changing and the contact position after changing in such a manner that a region defined by a local coordinate system corresponding to the retrieved region defined by the display coordinate system after changing is equal to the region defined by the local coordinate system before changing, and

wherein the local coordinate system is fixed to the vehicle.

2. The display system according to claim 1,

wherein the processor determines whether the contact position of the protrusion is changed when the display system turns on, and

wherein the processor modifies the retrieved region information when the contact position of the protrusion is changed.

3. The display system according to claim 1,

wherein the processor calculates a change amount of a position and an orientation of the camera with respect to the vehicle according to the contact position before changing and the contact position after changing when the processor modifies the retrieved region information,

wherein the processor calculates a modification amount for modifying the retrieved region information based on the change amount of the position and the orientation of the camera, and

wherein the processor modifies the retrieved region information according to the modification amount.

4. The display system according to claim 3,

wherein the contact position sensor includes a first contact position sensor and a second contact position sensor, which faces the first contact position sensor through the camera,

wherein the protrusion includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion, each of which protrudes from the camera in such a manner that a protruding direction of the first protrusion is opposite to a protruding direction of the second protrusion,

wherein the first protrusion contacts the first contact position sensor, and the second protrusion contacts the second contact position sensor,

wherein the shooting element further includes a bracket connector, a connection cable and a camera connector,

wherein the bracket connector is fixed to the bracket,

wherein the camera is coupled with the camera connector via the connection cable,

wherein the camera connector is coupled with the bracket connector,

wherein the processor calculates a shift of a first angle and a shift of a second angle based on a first contact position of the first protrusion detected by the first contact position sensor and a second contact position of the second protrusion detected by the second contact position sensor before changing and after changing,

wherein the processor calculates the modification amount based on the shift of the first angle and the shift of the second angle,

wherein the first angle is a rotation angle around an optical axis of the camera,

wherein the second angle is an angle around a fixation point as a center for showing a direction of the optical axis of the camera,

wherein the fixation point is a connection point between the camera connector and the connection cable, and

wherein the second angle is defined on a plane perpendicular to a line between the first contact position sensor and the second contact position sensor.