Monitoring system

• US 7,266,219 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2001
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nobori, Kunio, Yoshida, Takashi, Nakagawa, Masamichi, Iisaka, Atsushi, Okamoto, Shusaku, Ishida, Akira, Morimura, Atsushi, Yasui, Nobuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Johns; Andrew W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACKOWEY, ANTHONY M
• Application Number:
  US10/088,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20030021490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,238 Days
• Field of Search: 382/104, 382/285, 348/113, 348/115, 348/118, 348/148, 348/561, 340/426.22, 340/426.23, 340/426.33, 340435-437, 340/901, 340/937, 340/932.2
• US Class Current: 382/104
• 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 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/404 triggering from stand-by mode to operation mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8086 for vehicle path indication
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 Geometric effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

For supporting a complicated driving operation, a synthesized image is presented to the driver. The driver can view this image and thus drive with a sense of security. The synthesized image may include an image of at least one tire and may have an enlargement/reduction ratio that is relatively higher in a nearby area of the vehicle, including a grounding portion of at least one tire of the vehicle, as compared with a peripheral area of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A monitoring system comprising:

one or more cameras for capturing surrounding state of a vehicle; and

an image processing unit for receiving a camera image of said one or more cameras and generating a synthesized image viewed from a virtual viewpoint to be displayed on a display device using said camera image and a perspective projection conversion method, the synthesized image viewed from a virtual viewpoint set above the one or more cameras in a downward direction,

wherein said synthesized image includes an enlargement ratio of a nearby area of the vehicle including grounding portion of the tire being relatively higher than an enlargement ratio of a peripheral area around the vehicle.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1,

wherein the enlargement ratio becomes lower in a direction from said nearby area of the vehicle to said peripheral area of the vehicle in said synthesized image.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1,

wherein said image processing unit generates said synthesized image in such a manner that an area along a side surface of the vehicle has linearity.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1,

wherein at least one camera out of said one or more cameras is installed to have a camera range at least including part of a body side surface and part of a front tire, and

said image processing unit generates, from a camera image of said at least one camera, said synthesized image in such a manner that said body side surface and said front tire are imaged therein.

5. A monitoring system comprising:

one or more cameras for capturing surrounding state of a vehicle; and

an image processing unit for receiving a camera image of said one or more cameras and generating a synthesized image to be displayed on a display device based on said camera image,

wherein said image processing unit is operable to project said camera image onto a bowl model and operable to generate said synthesized image viewed from a virtual viewpoint, and said synthesized image includes an enlargement ratio of a nearby area of the vehicle including grounding portion of the tire being relatively higher than an enlargement ratio of a peripheral area around the vehicle.

6. A monitoring system comprising:

one or more cameras for capturing surrounding state of a vehicle; and

an image processing unit for receiving a camera image of said one or more cameras and generating a synthesized image to be displayed on a display device based on said camera image,

wherein said synthesized image includes an enlargement ratio of a nearby area of the vehicle including grounding portion of the tire being relatively higher than an enlargement ratio of a peripheral area around the vehicle, and said synthesized image includes a vehicle image having a linearity of the side surface of the vehicle, the linearity of the side surface being parallel to and ahead in the moving direction of the vehicle.