VEHICLE PERIPHERY MONITORING DEVICE AND VEHICLE PERIPHERY MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20150191119A1
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Published: 07/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hikita, Toshiro
• Granted Patent: US 10,046,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/23 with a predetermined field of view
• 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 2300/50 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 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A vehicle periphery monitoring device includes a location information acquisition unit configured to acquire a current location of the vehicle; a vehicle-mounted camera configured to capture an image of the exterior of the vehicle; a display device configured to display the image; a caution point information storage unit configured to store information relating to a caution point, which is a location where use of the vehicle-mounted camera is recommended; and a control unit configured to carry out vehicle exterior image display to output the image acquired by the vehicle-mounted camera to the display device, wherein the control unit carries out the vehicle exterior image display when it is determined that the caution point is present near the acquired current location.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A vehicle periphery monitoring system comprising a vehicle and a server device, wherein

the vehicle comprises:

a location information acquisition unit configured to acquire location information on the vehicle;

a vehicle-mounted camera configured to capture an image of the exterior of the vehicle;

a display device configured to display the image;

a server communication unit configured to send the acquired location information to the server device; and

a control unit configured to determine whether or not to carry out vehicle exterior image display to output the image acquired from the vehicle-mounted camera to the display device, on the basis of information received from the server device, and

the server device comprises;

a caution point information storage unit configured to store information relating to a caution point, which is a location where use of the vehicle-mounted camera is recommended;

a camera recommendation level determination unit configured to acquire location information on the vehicle, and to determine a camera recommendation level, which is information relating to the extent to which use of the vehicle-mounted camera is recommended at a caution point corresponding to the acquired position information; and

a vehicle communication unit configured to send the determined camera recommendation level to the vehicle.

24. The vehicle periphery monitoring system according to claim 23, wherein

the caution point information storage unit stores map information;

and

the camera recommendation determination unit determines a caution point on the basis of information included in the map information.

25. The vehicle periphery monitoring system according to claim 24, wherein the camera recommendation determination unit determines a caution point on the basis of information included in the map information treats a narrow street defined in the map information, as a caution point.

26. The vehicle periphery monitoring system according to claim 24, wherein the camera recommendation level determination unit treats an intersection defined in the map information, as a caution point.

27. The vehicle periphery monitoring system according to claim 23, wherein

the caution point information storage unit stores a caution point and a camera recommendation level for the caution point in association with each other;

and

the control unit carries out vehicle exterior image display, when the camera recommendation level is greater than a prescribed value.

28. The vehicle periphery monitoring system according to claim 27, wherein the camera recommendation level corresponding to the caution point is determined on the basis of the number of times a driver of a vehicle has carried out vehicle exterior image display manually at the caution point.

29. The vehicle periphery monitoring system according to claim 28, wherein the server communication unit sends location information on the vehicle to the server device, when the driver has carried out vehicle exterior image display manually.

30. The vehicle periphery monitoring system according to claim 29, wherein

the vehicle further comprises a vehicle speed acquisition unit configured to acquire the speed of the vehicle;

and

the server communication unit sends the acquired speed of the vehicle, together with location information on the vehicle, to the server device, when the driver has carried out vehicle exterior image display manually.

31. The vehicle periphery monitoring system according to claim 30, wherein

the camera recommendation level is a value obtained by multiplying the number of times the driver of the vehicle has carried out vehicle exterior image display manually at the corresponding caution point, by a coefficient determined in accordance with the speed of the vehicle;

and

the coefficient is larger at a slow speed than at a fast speed.

32. The vehicle periphery monitoring system according to claim 23, wherein

the vehicle further comprises a vehicle speed acquisition unit configured to acquire the speed of the vehicle;

and

the control unit carries out vehicle exterior image display, when the speed of the vehicle is lower than a prescribed value.

33. The vehicle periphery monitoring system according to claim 23, wherein

the caution point information storage unit stores the camera recommendation level and a type of vehicle-mounted camera or a display method used by a driver in association with each other;

and

the control unit carries out vehicle exterior image display by using a vehicle-mounted camera of the type or the display method stored in association with the camera recommendation level.

34. A server device, comprising:

a caution point information storage unit configured to store information relating to a caution point, which is a location where use of a vehicle-mounted camera capturing an image of the exterior of a vehicle is recommended;

a camera recommendation level determination unit configured to acquire current location information on the vehicle, and to determine a camera recommendation level, which is information relating to the extent to which use of the vehicle-mounted camera is recommended at a caution point corresponding to the acquired position information; and

a vehicle communication unit configured to send the determined camera recommendation level to the vehicle.

35. A vehicle configured to communicate with the server device according to claim 34, comprising:

a location information acquisition unit configured to acquire location information on the vehicle;

a vehicle-mounted camera configured to capture an image of the exterior of the vehicle;

a display device configured to display the image;

a server communication unit configured to send the acquired location information to the server device; and

a control unit configured to determine whether or not to carry out vehicle exterior image display to output the image acquired from the vehicle-mounted camera to the display device, on the basis of a camera recommendation level received from the server device.

36. A vehicle periphery monitoring method performed by:

a vehicle provided with a vehicle-mounted camera configured to capture an image of the exterior of the vehicle, and a display device; and

a server device configured to store information relating to a caution point, which is a location where use of the vehicle-mounted camera is recommended,

the method implemented by the vehicle comprising;

a step of acquiring location information on the vehicle;

a step of sending the acquired location information to the server device; and

a step of determining whether or not vehicle exterior image display to output an image acquired from the vehicle-mounted camera to the display device is necessary, on the basis of information received from the server device, and

the method implemented by the server device comprising;

a step of acquiring location information on the vehicle, and determining a camera recommendation level, which is information relating to the extent to which use of the vehicle-mounted camera is recommended at a caution point corresponding to the acquired position information; and

a step of sending the determined camera recommendation level to the vehicle.