Driving support system

• US 7,365,653 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2006
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Changhui, Hongo, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US11/368,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20060202984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.17, 340/995.14, 340/995.5, 340435-437, 701300-302, 348/118, 382/104, 382/106
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/80 Geometric correction

Abstract

A driving support system includes a rotation amount setting means and a bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means. The rotation amount setting means sets a previously-set inclination angle of the image pickup device to a horizontal plane at a rotation angle during coordinate transformation for the image within a range where a distance from the vehicle is not more than a predetermined threshold in the taken image, while computing and setting the rotation angle during the coordinate transformation based on the previously-set inclination angle of the image pickup device to the horizontal plane and the distance from the vehicle for the image within a range where the distance from the vehicle is more than the predetermined threshold in the taken image. The bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates an extension bird'"'"'s eye view image by transforming a coordinate of the taken image into a coordinate of a bird'"'"'s eye view using the rotation angle set by the rotation amount setting means for the image corresponding to the coordinate.

Claims

1. A driving support system which generates a bird'"'"'s eye view image to display the bird'"'"'s eye view image on a display device based on an image taken by an image pickup device mounted on a vehicle, the image pickup device taking the image around the vehicle,

the driving support system comprising:

a rotation amount setting means for setting a previously-set inclination angle of the image pickup device with respect to a horizontal plane at a rotation angle during coordinate transformation for the image within a range in which a distance from the vehicle is not more than a predetermined threshold in the taken image, the rotation amount setting means which computes and sets the rotation angle during the coordinate transformation based on the previously-set inclination angle of the image pickup device with respect to the horizontal plane and the distance from the vehicle for the image within a range in which the distance from the vehicle is more than the predetermined threshold in the taken image;

a bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means for generating an extension bird'"'"'s eye view image by transforming a coordinate of the taken image into a coordinate of a bird'"'"'s eye view using the rotation angle to the image corresponding to the coordinate, the rotation angle being set by the rotation amount setting means; and

a means for displaying the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image on the display device, the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image being obtained by the bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means.

2. A driving support system according to claim 1, wherein the rotation amount setting means computes the rotation angle during the coordinate transformation such that the rotation angle during the coordinate transformation is decreased as the distance from the vehicle is increased, for the image within the range in which the distance from the vehicle is more than the predetermined threshold in the taken image.

3. A driving support system according to claim 1, wherein the rotation amount setting means includes:

a first means for computing the distance from the vehicle to each portion of the taken image using a transformation for transforming a coordinate of the taken image into a ground coordinate;

a second means for determining and setting the rotation angle during the coordinate transformation in each portion of the taken image based on the previously-set inclination angle of the image pickup device with respect to the horizontal plane, the distance computed by the first means, and the previously set predetermined threshold.

4. A driving support system which generates a bird'"'"'s eye view image to display the bird'"'"'s eye view image on a display device based on an image taken by an image pickup device mounted on a vehicle, the image pickup device taking the image around the vehicle,

the driving support system comprising:

a coordinate transformation table which transforms a coordinate of the taken image into a coordinate of an extension bird'"'"'s eye view image according to claim 1;

a bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means for generating the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image by transforming the coordinate of the taken image into the coordinate of the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image using the coordinate transformation table; and

a means for displaying the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image on the display device, the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image being obtained by the bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means.

5. A driving support system which generates a bird'"'"'s eye view image to display the bird'"'"'s eye view image on a display device based on an image taken by multiple image pickup devices, the image pickup devices being mounted on at least front and rear portions of a vehicle, the image pickup devices taking the image around the vehicle,

the driving support system comprising:

an all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means for generating plurality of kinds of all-round bird'"'"'s eye view images from the images taken by the image pickup devices according to a moving direction of the vehicle; and

a means for displaying an extension bird'"'"'s eye view image on the display device, the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image being obtained by the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means,

wherein the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image is generated by synthesizing the bird'"'"'s eye view images obtained from the images taken by the image pickup devices, and

the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates an extension bird'"'"'s eye view image according to claim 1 from the taken image in a direction corresponding to the moving direction of the vehicle, the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates a normal bird'"'"'s eye view image from the taken image in another direction, and the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image in which the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image and the normal bird'"'"'s eye view image are synthesized.

6. A driving support system which generates a bird'"'"'s eye view image to display the bird'"'"'s eye view image on a display device based on an image taken by multiple image pickup devices, the image pickup devices being mounted on at least front, rear, right and left portions of a vehicle, the image pickup devices taking the image around the vehicle,

the driving support system comprising:

an all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means for generating each kind of an all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image according to a case where the vehicle is driven forward or a case where the vehicle is driven in reverse; and

a means for displaying an extension bird'"'"'s eye view image on the display device, the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image being obtained by the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means,

wherein the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image is generated by synthesizing the bird'"'"'s eye view images obtained from the images taken by the image pickup devices,

the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates an extension bird'"'"'s eye view image according to claim 1 from the image taken by the front-side image pickup device, the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates normal bird'"'"'s eye view images from the images taken by the rear-side and both-side image pickup devices, and the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates a first all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image in which the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image and the normal bird'"'"'s eye view images are synthesized, when the vehicle is driven forward, and

the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image according to claim 1 from the image taken by the rear-side image pickup device, the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates the normal bird'"'"'s eye view images from the images taken by the front-side and both-side image pickup devices, and the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates a second all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image in which the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image and the normal bird'"'"'s eye view images are synthesized, when the vehicle is driven in reverse.

7. A driving support system according to claim 6, wherein the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means includes:

a first coordinate transformation table which transforms a coordinate of the image taken by each image pickup device into a coordinate of the first all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image;

a second coordinate transformation table which transforms the coordinate of the image taken by each image pickup device into a coordinate of the second all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image;

a first all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means for generating the first all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image by transforming the coordinate of the image taken by each image pickup device into the coordinate of the first all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image using the first coordinate transformation table, when vehicle is driven forward; and

a second all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means for generating the second all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image by transforming the coordinate of the image taken by each image pickup device into the coordinate of the second all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image using the second coordinate transformation table, when vehicle is driven in reverse.

8. A driving support system which generates a bird'"'"'s eye view image to display the bird'"'"'s eye view image on a display device based on an image taken by multiple image pickup devices, the image pickup devices being mounted on at least front, rear, right, and left portions of a vehicle, the image pickup devices taking the image around the vehicle,

the driving support system comprising:

an all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means for generating each kind of an all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image from images taken by each image pickup device according to, a case where the vehicle is stopped, a case where the vehicle is driven forward, or a case where the vehicle is driven in reverse; and

a means for displaying an extension bird'"'"'s eye view image on the display device, the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image being obtained by the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means,

wherein the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image is generated by synthesizing the bird'"'"'s eye view images obtained from the images taken by the image pickup devices,

the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates extension bird'"'"'s eye view images according to claim 1 from the images taken by the front-side and rear-side image pickup devices, the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates normal bird'"'"'s eye view images from the images taken by the both-side image pickup devices, and the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates a first all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image in which the extension bird'"'"'s eye view images and the normal bird'"'"'s eye view images are synthesized, when the vehicle is stopped,

the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image according to claim 1 from the image taken by the front-side image pickup device, the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates the normal bird'"'"'s eye view images from the images taken by the rear-side and both-side image pickup devices, and the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates a second all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image in which the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image and the normal bird'"'"'s eye view images are synthesized, when the vehicle is driven forward, and

the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image according to claim 1 from the image taken by the rear-side image pickup device, the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates the normal bird'"'"'s eye view images from the images taken by the front-side and both-side image pickup devices, and the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means generates a third all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image in which the extension bird'"'"'s eye view image and the normal bird'"'"'s eye view images are synthesized, when the vehicle is driven in reverse.

9. A driving support system according to claim 8, wherein the all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means includes:

a first coordinate transformation table which transforms a coordinate of the image taken by each image pickup device into a coordinate of the first all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image;

a second coordinate transformation table which transforms the coordinate of the image taken by each image pickup device into a coordinate of the second all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image;

a third coordinate transformation table which transforms the coordinate of the image taken by each image pickup device into a coordinate of the third all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image;

a first all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means for generating the first all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image by transforming the coordinate of the image taken by each image pickup device into the coordinate of the first all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image using the first coordinate transformation table, when vehicle is stopped;

a second all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means for generating the second all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image by transforming the coordinate of the image taken by each image pickup device into the coordinate of the second all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image using the second coordinate transformation table, when vehicle is driven forward; and

a third all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image generating means for generating the third all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image by transforming the coordinate of the image taken by each image pickup device into the coordinate of the third all-round bird'"'"'s eye view image using the third coordinate transformation table, when vehicle is driven in reverse.