IN-VEHICLE APPARATUS

• US 20120140073A1
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: OHTA, Mitsuru, SASAKI, Yoshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,199,607 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 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/50 characterised by the display information being shared, e.g. external display, data transfer to other traffic participants or centralised traffic controller
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1012 Zone surveillance means, e.g. parking lots, truck depots

Abstract

An in-vehicle apparatus includes an image-capturing part that is installed on a vehicle and captures an image of a periphery of the vehicle, an image generator that generates a bird'"'"'s-eye image including the vehicle and the periphery of the vehicle viewed from a virtual viewpoint based on the image captured by the image-capturing part, and a transmitter that transmits the bird'"'"'s-eye image to a terminal. The image generator changes the virtual viewpoint based on a change request from the terminal and generates the bird'"'"'s-eye image viewed from the virtual viewpoint after changing the virtual viewpoint.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle apparatus that is installed in a vehicle, the in-vehicle apparatus comprising:

an image-capturing part that is installed on the vehicle and captures an image of a periphery of the vehicle;

an image generator that generates a bird'"'"'s-eye image including the vehicle and the periphery of the vehicle viewed from a virtual viewpoint based on the image captured by the image-capturing part; and

a transmitter that transmits the bird'"'"'s-eye image to a terminal,

wherein

the image generator changes the virtual viewpoint based on a change request from the terminal and generates the bird'"'"'s-eye image viewed from the virtual viewpoint after changing the virtual viewpoint.

2. The in-vehicle apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor that detects a target in the periphery of the vehicle,

wherein

the image generator starts generating the bird'"'"'s-eye image when the sensor has detected the target in the periphery of the vehicle.

3. The in-vehicle apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the transmitter transmits the image captured by the image-capturing part based on a transmit request from the terminal.

4. The in-vehicle apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second-image-capturing part that is installed in the vehicle and captures an image including a part of a vehicle cabin of the vehicle and a part of the periphery of the vehicle,

wherein

the transmitter transmits the image captured by the second-image-capturing part to the terminal based on a transmit request from the terminal.

5. The in-vehicle apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the image generator starts generating the bird'"'"'s-eye image when a target in the periphery of the vehicle is approaching the vehicle.

6. The in-vehicle apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the terminal is a mobile terminal that is carried by a user of the vehicle and is located externally of the vehicle.

7. An image providing method for providing an image from a vehicle to a terminal, the method comprising the steps of

(a) capturing an image of a periphery of the vehicle from the vehicle;

(b) generating a bird'"'"'s-eye image including the vehicle and the periphery of the vehicle viewed from a virtual viewpoint based on the image captured in the step (a); and

(c) transmitting the bird'"'"'s-eye image generated in the step (b) to the terminal,

wherein

the step (b) changes the virtual viewpoint based on a change request from the terminal and generates the bird'"'"'s-eye image viewed from the virtual viewpoint after changing the virtual viewpoint.

8. The image providing method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

(1) detecting a target in the periphery of the vehicle,

wherein

the step (b) starts generating the bird'"'"'s-eye image when the step (1) has detected the target in the periphery of the vehicle.

9. The image providing method of claim 7, wherein

the step (c) transmits the image captured in the step (a) based on a transmit request from the terminal.

10. The image providing method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

(1) capturing an image including a part of a vehicle cabin of the vehicle and a part of the periphery of the vehicle,

wherein

the step (c) transmits the image captured in the step (1) to the terminal based on a transmit request from the terminal.

11. The image providing method of claim 7, wherein

the step (b) starts generating the bird'"'"'s-eye image when a target in the periphery of the vehicle is approaching the vehicle.

12. The image providing method of claim 7, wherein

the terminal is a mobile terminal that is carried by a user of the vehicle and is located externally of the vehicle.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that stores a program executable by a computer included in an in-vehicle apparatus that is installed in a vehicle, the program allowing the computer to execute the steps of:

(a) capturing an image of a periphery of the vehicle from the vehicle;

(b) generating a bird'"'"'s-eye image including the vehicle and the periphery of the vehicle viewed from a virtual viewpoint based on the image captured in the step (a); and

(c) transmitting the bird'"'"'s-eye image generated in the step (b) to a terminal,

wherein

the step (b) changes the virtual viewpoint based on a change request from the terminal and generates the bird'"'"'s-eye image viewed from the virtual viewpoint after changing the virtual viewpoint.

14. The recording medium of claim 13,

the program allowing the computer to further execute the step of:

(1) detecting a target in the periphery of the vehicle,

wherein

the step (b) starts generating the bird'"'"'s-eye image when the step (1) has detected the target in the periphery of the vehicle.

15. The recording medium of claim 13, wherein

the step (c) transmits the image captured in the step (a) based on a transmit request from the terminal.

16. The recording medium of claim 13,

the program allowing the computer to further execute the step of:

(1) capturing an image including a part of a vehicle cabin of the vehicle and a part of the periphery of the vehicle, wherein

the step (c) transmits the image captured in the step (1) to the terminal based on a transmit request from the terminal.

17. The recording medium of claim 13, wherein

the step (b) starts generating the bird'"'"'s-eye image when a target in the periphery of the vehicle is approaching the vehicle.

18. The recording medium of claim 13, wherein

the terminal is a mobile terminal that is carried by a user of the vehicle and is located externally of the vehicle.