Driving support apparatus

• US 7,688,221 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Oshida, Kei, Watanabe, Takashi, Sugimoto, Yoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US11/821,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20080007428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/903, 340/425.5
• US Class Current: 340/901
• 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 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• 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 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/306 using a re-scaling of images
• 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 2300/8026 in addition to a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8033 for pedestrian protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A driving support apparatus includes: an image sensing device that photographs side region of a vehicle and rearward region of a vehicle while altering an angle of view; a display unit that displays video images photographed by the image sensing device so as to be visible to a driver of the vehicle; a display determination device that determines a running state of the vehicle, and determines whether or not an alteration of the display angle of view is required; and an angle of view adjustment device that switches the angle of view of the image sensing device, in accordance with a display method decided by the display determination device, between either one of a wide angle that enables the side region and the rearward region to be photographed, and a narrow angle that only allows the rearward region to be photographed.

Claims

1. A driving support apparatus comprising:

an image sensing device that photographs side region of a vehicle and rearward region of a vehicle while altering an angle of view, said image sensing device including only two cameras disposed respectively on opposite sides of said vehicle;

a display unit that displays video images photographed by the image sensing device so as to be visible to a driver of the vehicle;

a display determination device that determines a running state of the vehicle, and determines whether or not an alteration of the angle of view is required; and

an angle of view adjustment device that switches the angle of view of the image sensing device, in accordance with a determination of the display determination device, between either one of a wide angle that enables the side region and the rearward region to be photographed, and a narrow angle that only allows the rearward region to be photographed.

2. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the display determination device determines the running state based on the degree of a turn of the vehicle, that is predicted or detected, and

the angle of view adjustment device sets the angle of view to a wide angle when the degree of the turn is determined by the display determination device to be large.

3. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the display determination device determines the running state based on the degree of a turn of the vehicle, that is predicted or detected, and

the angle of view adjustment device sets the angle of view to a narrow angle when the degree of the turn is determined by the display determination device to be small.

4. The driving support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the display determination device determines that the degree of the turn is large when a left or right turn or a U-turn of the vehicle is predicted or detected.

5. The driving support apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the display determination device determines that the degree of the turn is small when a lane change or fork or merge of the vehicle is predicted or detected.

6. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a speed measuring device that measures a speed of the vehicle, wherein

the display determination device determines the running state based on the speed that is measured by the speed measuring device.

7. The driving support apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the angle of view adjustment device sets the angle of view to the wide angle when the speed is less than a predetermined speed.

8. The driving support apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the angle of view adjustment device sets the angle of view to the narrow angle when the speed is greater than a predetermined speed.

9. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising road map data;

and a route setting device that sets a route of the vehicle based on the road map data, wherein

the display determination device determines the running state based on the route that is set by the route setting device.

10. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an intention prediction device that predicts a driving intention of the driver of the vehicle, wherein

the display determination device determines the running state based on the driving intention that is predicted by the intention prediction device.

11. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an object detection device that detects an object that has a possibility of coming into contact with the vehicle in the video images photographed by the image sensing device, wherein

the display unit provides a display that enables the visibility of the object detected by the object detecting device to be improved.

12. The driving support apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the display unit improves the visibility of the object by performing at least one of an enlarged display, a highlighted display, and a display in the center of the display unit, of the object.

13. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the display determination device determines the running state of the vehicle using preexisting data from a global positioning system and road map data.

14. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

one of the two cameras of the image sensing device is disposed with a driver'"'"'s side door rear view mirror and the other of said two cameras is disposed with a passenger'"'"'s side door rear view mirror.

15. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the display unit includes three monitors, wherein two of the monitors display the image taken from a camera located on a driver'"'"'s side of the vehicle and the third monitor displays the image taken from a camera located on a passenger'"'"'s side of the vehicle.

16. The driving support apparatus according to claim 15, wherein one of the two cameras of the image sensing device is disposed with a driver'"'"'s side door rear view mirror and the other of said two cameras is disposed with a passenger'"'"'s side door rear view mirror, and the two monitors displaying the image from the camera disposed with a driver'"'"'s side door rear view mirror include a side display unit and a heads-up display unit.