VEHICLE SURROUNDINGS MONITORING APPARATUS

• US 20170282797A1
• Filed: 02/28/2017
• Published: 10/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Inventors: SAITO, Hirotaka, SUZUKI, Kazufumi, SEKI, Junya
• Granted Patent: US 10,556,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 1/31 providing stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• 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 2300/80 characterised by the intended use of the viewing arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus is configured to be provided in an own vehicle and to perform image display related to information on a situation of surroundings of the own vehicle. The own vehicle includes a windshield. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus includes an image generator and an image display. The image generator is configured to generate an image expressing an environment of the surroundings of the own vehicle. The image includes an own vehicle forward image having a view substantially equivalent to a view of a forward region of the own vehicle that is viewable by an occupant of the own vehicle through the windshield at a time of normal driving of the own vehicle. The image display is configured to be disposed on forward side of the occupant of the own vehicle and faces the occupant, and to display the image generated by the image generator.

Claims

1. A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus configured to be provided in an own vehicle and to perform image display related to information on a situation of surroundings of the own vehicle, the own vehicle comprising a windshield, the vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus comprising:

an image generator configured to generate an image expressing an environment of the surroundings of the own vehicle, the image including an own vehicle forward image having a view substantially equivalent to a view of a forward region of the own vehicle that is viewable by an occupant of the own vehicle through the windshield at a time of normal driving of the own vehicle; and

an image display configured to be disposed on forward side of the occupant of the own vehicle and faces the occupant, and to display the image generated by the image generator.

2. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the own vehicle further comprises a rear monitoring unit configured to monitor a rearward region of the own vehicle, and

the image further comprises an own vehicle rearward image having a view substantially equivalent to a view of the rearward region of the own vehicle that is viewable by the occupant with the rear monitoring unit at the time of the normal driving of the own vehicle.

3. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

an imaging unit configured to capture an actual image of an exterior of the own vehicle, wherein

the image comprises includes the actual image captured by the imaging unit.

4. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

an imaging unit configured to capture an actual image of an exterior of the own vehicle, wherein

the image comprises includes the actual image captured by the imaging unit.

5. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

an environment recognizer configured to recognize the environment of the surroundings of the own vehicle, wherein

the image comprises a computer graphics that schematically expresses the environment of the surroundings of the own vehicle recognized by the environment recognizer.

6. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising

an environment recognizer configured to recognize the environment of the surroundings of the own vehicle, wherein

the image comprises a computer graphics that schematically expresses the environment of the surroundings of the own vehicle recognized by the environment recognizer.

7. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image display displays, in middle in a lateral direction of the image, a region included in the own vehicle forward image and corresponding to a forward region of the occupant.

8. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image display displays, in middle in a lateral direction of the image, a region included in the own vehicle forward image and corresponding to a forward region of the occupant.

9. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image display displays, in middle in a lateral direction of the image, a region included in the own vehicle forward image and corresponding to a forward region of the occupant.

10. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the image display displays, in middle in a lateral direction of the image, a region included in the own vehicle forward image and corresponding to a forward region of the occupant.

11. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the image display displays, in middle in a lateral direction of the image, a region included in the own vehicle forward image and corresponding to a forward region of the occupant.

12. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image display displays, in middle in a lateral direction of the image, a region included in the own vehicle forward image and corresponding to a forward region of the occupant.

13. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image display displays, in middle in a lateral direction of the image, a region included in the own vehicle forward image and corresponding to a forward region in middle of the own vehicle in a widthwise direction of the own vehicle.

14. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the image display displays, in middle in a lateral direction of the image, a region included in the own vehicle forward image and corresponding to a forward region in middle of the own vehicle in a widthwise direction of the own vehicle.

15. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image display displays, in middle in a lateral direction of the image, a region included in the own vehicle forward image and corresponding to a forward region in middle of the own vehicle in a widthwise direction of the own vehicle.

16. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the image display displays, in middle in a lateral direction of the image, a region included in the own vehicle forward image and corresponding to a forward region in middle of the own vehicle in a widthwise direction of the own vehicle.

17. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the image display displays, in middle in a lateral direction of the image, a region included in the own vehicle forward image and corresponding to a forward region in middle of the own vehicle in a widthwise direction of the own vehicle.

18. The vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image display displays, in middle in a lateral direction of the image, a region included in the own vehicle forward image and corresponding to a forward region in middle of the own vehicle in a widthwise direction of the own vehicle.