Vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus and method of switching images

• US 8,018,488 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yuasa, Mizuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh; John B.
• Application Number:
  US11/767,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20080007618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,541 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/118
• 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 1/27 providing all-round vision, e.g. using omnidirectional cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/102 using 360 degree surveillance camera system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• 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 2300/303 using joined images, e.g. multiple camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/607 from a bird's eye viewpoint
• 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 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means

Abstract

A vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus and an image switching method which provides a rear view image displayed additionally from a vehicle-periphery image is presented at an adequate timing with eye-friendliness. There are provided a parallel detector for detecting that a vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to a parking space, an approach detector for detecting that at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space, and a display controller for switching display of an image from a vehicle-periphery image to a rear view image when the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to the parking space and at least part of the vehicle is approaching into the parking space, so that the vehicle-periphery image and the rear view image are switched and displayed as needed according to the state of the vehicle with respect to the parking space and images optimal for respective scenes are displayed over the full screen.

Claims

1. A vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus that generates a vehicle-periphery image viewed from a virtual point of view above a vehicle and an additional image different from the vehicle-periphery image based upon one or more images of a periphery of the vehicle, the images of the periphery acquired by a plurality of image pickup devices installed at different positions on the vehicle comprising:

a parallel detector operable to detect that the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to a parking space; and

a display controller operable to switch an image displayed from the vehicle-periphery image to the additional image when the parallel detector detects that the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to the parking space.

2. The vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parallel detector comprises an image recognizer operable to (1) perform image recognition processing on the images of the periphery of the vehicle or the vehicle-periphery image generated therefrom and (2) detect that the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to the parking space through the image recognition processing.

3. The vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parallel detector comprises a distance sensor installed at a rear of the vehicle operable to determine that the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to the parking space when a first distance from the vehicle to a left wheel stop behind the vehicle and a second distance from the vehicle to a right wheel stop behind the vehicle are detected to be substantially the same.

4. The vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parallel detector comprises a distance sensor installed at a rear of the vehicle operable to determine that the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to the parking space when two distances between a left and a right wheel stop behind the vehicle and a given point on a straight line including a center axis of the vehicle in a fore-and-aft direction are detected to be substantially the same, and simultaneously, the distances between the left and right wheel stops and another given point on the straight line are detected to be substantially the same.

5. The vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parallel detector (1) comprises a map data storage unit operable to store map data including positional information associated with the parking space, and a vehicle position detector operable to detect a current position and orientation of the vehicle, and (2) determines that the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to the parking space by comparing the positional information associated with the parking space and the current position and orientation of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an approach detector operable to detect that at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space,

wherein the display controller switches the image displayed from the vehicle-periphery image to the additional image when the parallel detector detects that the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to the parking space and simultaneously, the approach detector detects that at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space.

7. The vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a steering angle detector operable to detect a steering angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle,

wherein the display controller switches the image displayed from the vehicle-periphery image to the additional image when the parallel detector detects that the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to the parking space and simultaneously, the steering angle detector detects that the steering angle is within a certain angular range.

8. The vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an approach detector operable to detect that at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space, and

a steering angle detector operable to detect a steering angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle,

wherein the display controller switches the image displayed from the vehicle-periphery image to the additional image when the parallel detector detects that the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to the parking space, the approach detector detects that at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space and, simultaneously, the steering angle detector detects that the steering angle is within a certain angular range.

9. A vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus that generates a vehicle-periphery image viewed from a virtual point of view above a vehicle and an additional image different from the vehicle-periphery image based upon one or more images of a periphery of the vehicle, the images of the periphery acquired by a plurality of image pickup devices installed at different positions on the vehicle comprising:

an approach detector operable to detect that at least part of the vehicle is entering a parking space; and

a display controller operable to switch a display of an image from the vehicle-periphery image to the additional image when the approach detector detects that at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space.

10. The vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the approach detector comprises an image recognizer operable to perform image recognition processing on an image of the periphery of the vehicle or the vehicle-periphery image generated therefrom for detecting that at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space.

11. The vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the approach detector (1) comprises a luminance detector operable to detect the luminance of the images of the periphery of the vehicle acquired by the plurality of image pickup devices, and (2) detects that at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space when a difference of at least a certain value in luminance among the images of the periphery of the vehicle is detected.

12. The vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the approach detector (1) comprises an exposure detector operable to detect the exposures of the plurality of the image pickup devices, and (2) detects that at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space when the difference of at least a certain value in exposure is detected among the plurality of image pickup devices.

13. The vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the approach detector (1) comprises a map data storage unit operable to store map data including positional information associated with the parking space, and a vehicle position detector operable to detect the current position of the vehicle, and (2) detects that at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space by comparing the positional information associated with the parking space and the current position of the vehicle.

14. The vehicle-periphery image generating apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising a steering angle detector operable to detect a steering angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle,

wherein the display controller switches the image displayed from the vehicle-periphery image to the additional image when the approach detector detects that at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space and, simultaneously, the steering angle detector detects that the steering angle is within a certain angular range.

15. An image switching method comprising:

generating a vehicle-periphery image viewed from a virtual point of view above a vehicle on the basis of images of a periphery of the vehicle acquired by a plurality of image pickup devices installed at different positions on the vehicle;

displaying the vehicle-periphery image on a display;

determining whether or not the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to a parking space; and

switching the display to an additional image different from the vehicle-periphery image when the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to the parking space, the additional image being based upon at least one of the images of the periphery of the vehicle.

16. The image switching method according to claim 15 comprising:

determining whether or not at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space; and

switching the display from the vehicle-periphery image to the additional image when the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to the parking space and, simultaneously, at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space.

17. The image switching method according to claim 15 comprising:

detecting a steering angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle; and

switching the display from the vehicle-periphery image to the additional image when the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to the parking space and, simultaneously, the steering angle is within a certain angular range.

18. The image switching method according to claim 15 comprising:

determining whether or not at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space;

detecting the steering angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle; and

switching the display from the vehicle-periphery image to the additional image when the vehicle is oriented substantially parallel to the parking space, at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space and, simultaneously, the steering angle is within a certain angular range.

19. An image switching method comprising:

generating a vehicle-periphery image viewed from a virtual point of view above the vehicle on the basis of images of the periphery of a vehicle acquired by a plurality of image pickup devices installed at different positions on the vehicle;

displaying the vehicle-periphery image on a display;

determining whether or not at least part of the vehicle is entering a parking space; and

switching the display to an additional image different from the vehicle-periphery image when at least part or the vehicle is entering the parking space, the additional image being based upon at least one of the images of the periphery of the vehicle.

20. The image switching method according to claim 19, comprising detecting a steering angle of a steering wheel of the vehicle,

wherein, the display is switched to the additional image different from the vehicle-periphery image when at least part of the vehicle is entering the parking space and, simultaneously, the steering angle is within a certain angular range.