Image processor and vehicle surrounding visual field support device

• US 7,974,444 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2007
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hongo, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, KANJIBHAI B
• Application Number:
  US11/842,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20080044061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 382/104, 382/276, 382294-296, 382/312, 382/284, 348/143, 348/148, 348/36, 348/207.99, 280/426, 280/656, 340/435, 340/426.17, 340/426.33, 359/841, 345/629
• 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 1/23 with a predetermined field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/102 using 360 degree surveillance camera system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images

Abstract

One camera having a horizontally wide view angle is installed at each of the left and right rear ends of a tractor. The visual field of the left camera includes the road surface located to the left side of the tractor and a trailer, and the like. The visual field of the right camera includes the road surface located to the right side of the tractor and the trailer, and the like. The left and right cameras have a common visual field at the rear side of the trailer. A panorama image obtained by synthesizing images respectively obtained by the left and right cameras is displayed on a display device located in the interior of the tractor.

Claims

1. An image processor receiving photographing signals from a first photographing part and a second photographing part installed at a first vehicle and having a common visual field in a direction of a second vehicle connected to the first vehicle, the image processor comprising:

an image synthesizer generating a synthetic image obtained by synthesizing a first image based on the photographing signal from the first photographing part and a second image based on the photographing signal from the second photographing part; and

a video signal output part outputting a video signal for displaying on a display device a display image based on the synthetic image.

2. The image processor according to claim 1,

wherein, when the first and second vehicles lie on a straight line, the first photographing part and the second photographing part are installed at the first vehicle so that a left side of the second vehicle and a wheel or tire of the second vehicle fall in a visual field of the first photographing part and also so that a right side of the second vehicle and the wheel or tire of the second vehicle fall in a visual field of the second photographing part,

wherein at least the wheel or tire of the second vehicle is included in the common visual field;

and

wherein the image synthesizer generates in the synthetic image at least an image of the wheel or tire of the second vehicle as a partial image corresponding to the common visual field.

3. The image processor according to claim 1,

wherein the image synthesizer compares luminance of each pixel in an image region corresponding to the common visual field in the first image and luminance of each pixel in an image region corresponding to the common visual field in the second image, and generates a partial image corresponding to the common visual field in the synthetic image by using a pixel signal of the pixel with the larger luminance.

4. The image processor according to claim 1,

wherein the image synthesizer comprises a portion detector detecting a position of a particular portion of the second vehicle on the first and second images, and synthesizes the first and second images based on a result of the detection made by the portion detector.

5. The image processor according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting angle detector for detecting a connecting angle formed by the first and second vehicles,

wherein the image synthesizer synthesizes the first and second images based on the detected connecting angle.

6. A vehicle surrounding visual field support device, comprising:

the image processor according to claim 1, and

at least one of a photographing unit having the first and second photographing parts, and the display device.

7. A vehicle comprising a first vehicle and a second vehicle connected to the first vehicle,

wherein the image processor according to claim 1 and the first and second photographing parts are installed.

8. An image processor receiving photographing signals from a first photographing part and a second photographing part installed at a first vehicle and having a common visual field in a direction of a second vehicle connected to the first vehicle, and also receiving a photographing signal from a third photographing part that photographs rear of the second vehicle, the image processor comprising:

an image synthesizer reflecting a third image based on the photographing signal from the third photographing part on an image portion of the second vehicle in a synthetic image obtained by synthesizing a first image based on the photographing signal from the first photographing part and a second image based on the photographing signal from the second photographing part and further synthesizing the synthetic image with the third image to thereby generate a multiple synthetic image; and

a video signal output part outputting a video signal for displaying on a display device a display image based on the multiple synthetic image.

9. A vehicle surrounding visual field support device, comprising:

the image processor according to claim 8,

at least one of a photographing unit having the first, second, and third photographing parts, and the display device.

10. A vehicle comprising a first vehicle and a second vehicle connected to the first vehicle,

wherein the image processor according to claim 8, and the first, second, and third photographing parts are installed.

11. The image processor according to claim 8,

wherein the image synthesizer compares luminance of each pixel in an image region corresponding to the common visual field in the first image and luminance of each pixel in an image region corresponding to the common visual field in the second image, and generates a partial image corresponding to the common visual field in the synthetic image by using a pixel signal of the pixel with the larger luminance.

12. The image processor according to claim 8,

wherein the image synthesizer comprises a portion detector detecting a position of a particular portion of the second vehicle on the first and second images, and synthesizes the first and second images based on a result of the detection made by the portion detector.

13. The image processor according to claim 8, further comprising a connecting angle detector for detecting a connecting angle formed by the first and second vehicles,

wherein the image synthesizer synthesizes the first and second images based on the detected connecting angle.

14. A vehicle surrounding visual field support method,

receiving photographing signals from a first photographing part and a second photographing part installed at a first vehicle and having a common visual field in a direction of a second vehicle connected to the first vehicle,

synthesizing a first image based on the photographing signal from the first photographing part and a second image based on the photographing signal from the second photographing part to thereby generate a synthetic image, and

displaying on a display device a display image based on the synthetic image.

15. The vehicle surrounding visual field support method according to claim 14,

wherein luminance of each pixel in an image region corresponding to the common visual field in the first image and luminance of each pixel in an image region corresponding to the common visual field in the second image are compared, and a partial image corresponding to the common visual field in the synthetic image is generated by using a pixel signal of the pixel with the larger luminance.

16. The vehicle surrounding visual field support method according to claim 14,

wherein a position of a particular portion of the second vehicle on the first and second images is detected, and the first and second images are synthesized based on the detected position.

17. The vehicle surrounding visual field support method according to claim 14,

wherein a connecting angle formed by the first and second vehicles is detected, and the first and second images are synthesized based on the detected connecting angle.

18. A vehicle surrounding visual field support method,

receiving photographing signals from a first photographing part and a second photographing part installed at a first vehicle and having a common visual field in a direction of a second vehicle connected to the first vehicle, and also receiving a photographing signal from a third photographing part that photographs rear of the second vehicle,

reflecting a third image based on the photographing signal from the third photographing part on an image portion of the second vehicle in a synthetic image obtained by synthesizing a first image based on the photographing signal from the first photographing part and a second image based on the photographing signal from the second photographing part and further synthesizing the synthetic image with the third image to thereby generate a multiple synthetic image;

and

displaying on a display device a display image based on the multiple synthetic image.

19. The vehicle surrounding visual field support method according to claim 18,

wherein luminance of each pixel in an image region corresponding to the common visual field in the first image and luminance of each pixel in an image region corresponding to the common visual field in the second image are compared, and a partial image corresponding to the common visual field in the synthetic image is generated by using a pixel signal of the pixel with the larger luminance.

20. The vehicle surrounding visual field support method according to claim 18,

wherein a position of a particular portion of the second vehicle on the first and second images is detected, and the first and second images are synthesized based on the detected position.

21. The vehicle surrounding visual field support method according to claim 18,

wherein a connecting angle formed by the first and second vehicles is detected, and the first and second images are synthesized based on the detected connecting angle.