VEHICLE IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20120069182A1
• Filed: 09/14/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sumi, Shogo, Sugawara, Daisuke
• Granted Patent: US 9,106,842 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 1/23 with a predetermined field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• 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 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A vehicle image display apparatus and method acquires captured images of an area around a vehicle captured by cameras at a plurality of positions on an outer portion of the vehicle, generates a single image based on the captured images and displays a composite image including the single image superposes with a first image showing boundary regions of the captured images in the single image and a second image showing end regions of the vehicle. When the composite image is displayed for the first time after an input operation is given to an ignition key of the vehicle, the first and second images are highlighted for a time period after the composite image starts to be displayed. After the time period elapses, the first image is non-highlighted and the second image is highlighted.

Claims

1. A vehicle image display apparatus, comprising:

a control unit configured to;

acquire a plurality of captured images of an area around a vehicle, the plurality of captured images being captured by a plurality of cameras that are mounted on the vehicle at a plurality of positions;

generate a single image that shows a state of the vehicle and a state around the vehicle using the plurality of captured images so acquired;

display a composite image on a monitor after an input operation is given to an ignition switch of the vehicle, the composite image including the single image superposed with a first image showing boundary regions between the plurality of captured images in the single image and superposed with a second image showing end regions of the vehicle;

highlight the first and second images for a time period after a start of display of the composite image; and

non-highlight the first image and highlight the second image after the time period elapses.

2. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to highlight the second image in a first form during the time period and to highlight the second image in a second form that is different from the first form after the time period elapses.

3. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to highlight the second image in a first form and to highlight the first image in a second form during the time period, the first form being different from the second form.

4. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to non-highlight the first image and highlight the second image from the start of display of the composite image if the composite image is being displayed for a second time or more after the input operation is given to the ignition switch of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to highlight at least one of the first image or the second image by blinking the at least one of the first image or the second image and to non-highlight the first image by non-blinking the first image.

6. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to highlight at least one of the first image or the second image by displaying the at least one of the first image or the second image with an advancing color and to non-highlight the first image by displaying the first image with a receding color.

7. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to highlight at least one of the first image or the second image by displaying the at least one of the first image or the second image with a first luminance and to non-highlight the first image by displaying the first image with a second luminance that is lower than the first luminance.

8. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to display of the composite image while non-highlighting the first image and highlighting the second image until a vehicle speed is at or above a predetermined value.

9. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to, during the time period, perform a transition of the first image from being highlighted to being non-highlighted.

10. The vehicle image display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to display a captured image from a single camera of the plurality of cameras simultaneously with the composite image.

11. A vehicle image display apparatus, comprising:

means for acquiring a plurality of captured images of an area around a vehicle using a control unit, the plurality of captured images being captured by a plurality of cameras that are mounted on the vehicle at a plurality of positions;

means for generating a single image that shows a state of the vehicle and a state around the vehicle using the plurality of captured images so acquired;

means for displaying a composite image on a monitor after an input operation is given to an ignition switch of the vehicle, the composite image including the single image superposed with a first image showing boundary regions between the plurality of captured images in the single image and superposed with a second image showing end regions of the vehicle;

means for highlighting the first and second images for a time period after a start of display of the composite image; and

means for non-highlighting the first image and for highlighting the second image after the time period elapses.

12. A vehicle image display method, comprising:

acquiring a plurality of captured images of an area around a vehicle using a control unit, the plurality of captured images being captured by a plurality of cameras that are mounted on the vehicle at a plurality of positions;

generating a single image that shows a state of the vehicle and a state around the vehicle using the plurality of captured images so acquired;

displaying a composite image on a monitor after an input operation is given to an ignition switch of the vehicle, the composite image including the single image superposed with a first image showing boundary regions between the plurality of captured images in the composite image and superposed with a second image showing end regions of the vehicle;

highlighting the first and second images for a time period after a start of display of the composite image; and

non-highlighting the first image and highlighting the second image after the time period elapses.

13. The vehicle image display method according to claim 12,

wherein highlighting the second image for the time period comprises displaying the second image in a first form;

and wherein highlighting the second image after the time period elapses comprises displaying the second image in a second form that is different from the first form.

14. The vehicle image display method according to claim 13,

wherein the first form is displaying the second image by blinking the second image and the second form is displaying the second image without blinking.

15. The vehicle image display method according to claim 12,

wherein highlighting the first image for the time period comprises displaying the first image in a first form;

and wherein non-highlighting the first image after the time period elapses comprises displaying the second image in a second form that is different from the first form.

16. The vehicle image display method according to claim 15,

wherein the first form is displaying the first image with lines having a color other than black and the second form is displaying the first image with black lines.

17. The vehicle image display method according to claim 12, further comprising:

ending display of the composite image responsive to one of switching off the ignition switch of the vehicle, increasing a speed of the vehicle to or above a predetermined value, or turning off an image capture switch.

18. The vehicle image display method according to claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a request to capture an image from the image capture switch;

checking whether the request is a first request or a subsequent request; and

when the request is a subsequent request, displaying the composite image on the monitor for a second time after the input operation is given to the ignition switch of the vehicle while non-highlighting the first image and highlighting the second image beginning from the start of display of the composite image.