IMAGE IRRADIATION SYSTEM AND IMAGE IRRADIATION METHOD

• US 20110187844A1
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Inaba, Hitoshi, Hagiwara, Tsuyoshi, Ogawa, Masatoshi, Matsubayashi, Toshiaki, Nagahara, Osamu, Horiuchi, Kazuo, Sasaki, Takashi, Okumura, Haruhiko, Hotta, Aira, Okada, Naotada
• Application Number:
  US13/063,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20110187844A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/78
• 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 2300/20 characterised by the type of display used
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• 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 2300/60 characterised by monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior scenes from a transformed perspective
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays

Abstract

To provide an image irradiation system and an image irradiation method which can make an image information in an outdoor side of a vehicle be recognized by a driver precisely without widely moving a view point of the driver.

An image irradiation system includes a first photographing module photographing a driver of a vehicle, a position calculation module calculating a single eye position of the driver from an image photographed by the first photographing module, an image information generating module creating an outdoor image information of the vehicle, and an irradiation module irradiating the outdoor image information to the single eye position calculated by the position calculation module.

Claims

1. An image irradiation system comprising:

a first photographing module configured to photograph a driver of a vehicle;

a position calculation module configured to calculate a single eye position of the driver from an image photographed by the first photographing module;

an image information generating module configured to create outdoor image information of the vehicle; and

an irradiation module configured to irradiate the outdoor image information to the single eye position calculated by the position calculation module.

2. The image irradiation system according to claim 1, wherein the image information generating module includes:

a memory module in which position information of fender poles virtually installed in the vehicle is stored; and

an image creation module configured to create a projection image of the fender poles at the single eye position, based on a corresponding relationship between the single eye position calculated by the position calculation module and the position information of the fender poles stored in the memory module.

3. The image irradiation system according to claim 2, wherein the image creation module creates a projection image of the fender poles projected so as to converge to the singe eye position, on a virtual screen which is set between the virtually installed fender poles and the single eye position.

4. The image irradiation system according to claim 2, wherein position information of a plurality of fender poles having different installed positions is stored in the memory module, and

wherein the image creation module creates a projection image of a plurality of fender poles at the single eye position based on a corresponding relationship between the single eye position which is calculated by the position calculation module and the position information of a plurality of fender poles which is stored in the memory module.

5. The image irradiation system according to claim 4, further comprising a selection reception module accepting which fender poles are selected from the plurality of fender poles,

wherein the image creation module creates an image of the fender poles which accepted their selection by the selection reception module.

7. The image irradiation system according to claim 1, wherein the image information generating module includes:

a second photographing module configured to photograph a rear side of the vehicle; and

an image sampling module configured to sample at least a part of the image which is photographed by the second photographing module.

8. The image irradiation system according to claim 7, wherein the image sampling module changes a sampling position of the image which is photographed by the second photographing module corresponding to the single eye position which is calculated by the position calculation module.

12. The image irradiation system according to claim 7, further comprising a display position adjustment module configured to adjust a display position of the image which is sampled by the image sampling module,

wherein the irradiation module irradiates an image in which its display portion is adjusted by the display position adjustment module to the single eye position which is calculated by the position calculation module.

13. The image irradiation system according to claim 12, further comprising a second operation reception module configured to accept an adjustment operation of a display position of the image which is sampled by the image sampling module,

wherein the display position adjustment module changes a display position of the image which is sampled by the image sampling module, corresponding to the operation accepted by the second operation reception module.

15. The image irradiation system according to claim 1, wherein the image information generating module includes:

a memory module configured to store map information;

a direction detection module configured to detect a traveling direction of the vehicle; and

an image creation module configured to create an image of the vehicle in the traveling direction based on the map information, and the position and the traveling direction which are detected by the position calculation module and the direction detection module.

26. The image irradiation system according to claim 1, further comprising a control module controlling an irradiation direction of an irradiation module in such a manner that the image irradiated from the irradiation module is irradiated to the single eye position calculated by the position calculation module.

27. The image irradiation system according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation of the image by the irradiation module is carried out via a front glass of the vehicle or a reflection member attached to the front glass, and

wherein the image information generating module includes a correction module correcting a distortion of the image caused by a shape distortion of the front glass.

28. The image irradiation system according to claim 3, wherein position information of a plurality of fender poles having different installed positions is stored in the memory module, and

wherein the image creation module creates a projection image of a plurality of fender poles at the single eye position based on a corresponding relationship between the single eye position which is calculated by the position calculation module and the position information of a plurality of fender poles which is stored in the memory module.

29. The image irradiation system according to claim 28, further comprising a selection reception module accepting which fender poles are selected from the plurality of fender poles,

wherein the image creation module creates an image of the fender poles which accepted their selection by the selection reception module.

30. The image irradiation system according to claim 2, further comprising a control module controlling an irradiation direction of an irradiation module in such a manner that the image irradiated from the irradiation module is irradiated to the single eye position calculated by the position calculation module.

31. The image irradiation system according to claim 7, further comprising a control module controlling an irradiation direction of an irradiation module in such a manner that the image irradiated from the irradiation module is irradiated to the single eye position calculated by the position calculation module.

32. The image irradiation system according to claim 15, further comprising a control module controlling an irradiation direction of an irradiation module in such a manner that the image irradiated from the irradiation module is irradiated to the single eye position calculated by the position calculation module.

33. The image irradiation system according to claim 2, wherein the irradiation of the image by the irradiation module is carried out via a front glass of the vehicle or a reflection member attached to the front glass, and

wherein the image information generating module includes a correction module correcting a distortion of the image caused by a shape distortion of the front glass.

34. The image irradiation system according to claim 7, wherein the irradiation of the image by the irradiation module is carried out via a front glass of the vehicle or a reflection member attached to the front glass, and

wherein the image information generating module includes a correction module correcting a distortion of the image caused by a shape distortion of the front glass.

35. The image irradiation system according to claim 15, wherein the irradiation of the image by the irradiation module is carried out via a front glass of the vehicle or a reflection member attached to the front glass, and

wherein the image information generating module includes a correction module correcting a distortion of the image caused by a shape distortion of the front glass.

6. An image irradiation method comprising:

photographing a driver of a vehicle;

calculating a single eye position of the driver from the photographed image;

creating an image of fender poles at the single eye position, based on a corresponding relationship between position information of the fender poles which are virtually installed in the vehicle and the calculated single eye position; and

irradiating the created image to the calculated single eye position.

9-11. -11. (canceled)

14. An image irradiation method comprising:

photographing a driver of a vehicle;

photographing a rear side of the vehicle;

calculating a single eye position of the driver from the photographed driver image;

sampling at least a part of the photographed vehicle rear side image; and

irradiating the sampled image to the calculated single eye position.

16-24. -24. (canceled)

25. An image irradiation method comprising:

detecting a position of a vehicle;

detecting a traveling direction of the vehicle;

creating an image of the vehicle in the traveling direction based on map information stored in a memory module and the detected position and traveling direction; and

irradiating the created image to a single eye of a driver of the vehicle.