Surroundings monitoring device for a vehicle

• US 8,866,905 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2010
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Kinji, Watanabe, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Woolcock, Madhu
• Application Number:
  US12/728,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20100245577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,674 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148, 348/36, 348/116
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• 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 2300/8006 for monitoring and displaying scenes of vehicle interior, e.g. for monitoring passengers or cargo
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8086 for vehicle path indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning

Abstract

A surroundings monitoring device for a vehicle, includes a pair of side cameras, each of which is provided at a side mirror, obtaining capture images capturing views extending to left and right of the vehicle including views below the side mirrors, respectively, an image graphic generating portion generating an image graphic of the vehicle from a view point above a rear portion thereof towards a front lower portion thereof, or from a view point above a front portion of the vehicle towards a rear lower portion thereof in order to include at least a portion of the vehicle and the side mirrors on the image graphic, and a side image generating portion generating left and right side images on the basis of the capture images so as to correspond to images shown at left and right portions of the image graphic displayed on a monitor, respectively.

Claims

1. A surroundings monitoring system for a vehicle, comprising:

a front camera provided at a front portion of the vehicle, the front camera capturing a forward view relative to the vehicle;

a rear camera provided at a rear portion of the vehicle, the rear camera capturing a rearward view relative to the vehicle;

a forward image generator generating a forward image based on the forward view captured by the front camera;

a rearward image generator generating a rearward image based on the rearward view captured by the rear camera;

a pair of side cameras provided at a left side mirror and a right side mirror of the vehicle, respectively, for obtaining capture images capturing views extending to left and right of the vehicle including views below the left and right side mirrors in a vertical direction, respectively;

an image graphic generator generating an image graphic of the vehicle based on a viewpoint set based on a detected position of a gear lever of the vehicle and including at least a portion of the vehicle and the left and right side mirrors on the image graphic;

a side image generator generating a left side image based on the capture image capturing the view extending to the left of the vehicle so as to correspond to an image shown at a left portion of the image graphic, and generating a right side image based on the capture image capturing the view extending to the right of the vehicle so as to correspond to an image shown at a right portion of the image graphic; and

a first image comprising the forward image or the rearward image, and a second image comprising the image graphic of the vehicle, the left side image and the right side image, wherein the image graphic of the vehicle, the left side image and the right side image are shown so that a moving direction of the vehicle coincides between the image graphic of the vehicle, the left side image and the right side image;

wherein, in the case where the gear lever of the vehicle is detected to be positioned at a forward moving shift position, the viewpoint is set such that the forward image is read out as the first image and the image graphic generator generates the image graphic of the vehicle showing the vehicle being viewed obliquely downward from above a rear portion of the vehicle downward towards a front portion of the vehicle; and

in the case where the gear lever of the vehicle is detected to be positioned at a rearward moving shift position, the viewpoint is set such that the rearward image is read out as the first image and the image graphic generator generates the image graphic of the vehicle showing the vehicle being viewed obliquely downward from above a front portion of the vehicle downward towards a rear portion of the vehicle; and

displaying on a monitor, which is provided within a compartment of the vehicle, the read out first image displayed above the second image such that the first image and the second image are provided spaced apart from one another on the monitor so that the first image and the second image are respectively displayed independently wherein an upper end portion of the left side image and an upper end portion of the right side image are overlapped with at least an area existing closest to the vehicle on the first image and a moving direction of the first image and the second image coincide to move in accordance with a direction of movement of the vehicle.

2. The surroundings monitoring system for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the image graphic generated in the case where the gear lever is positioned at the rearward moving shift position is displayed on the monitor as a mirror image.

3. The surroundings monitoring system for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an angle of vision of the left side image and the right side image is set so as to coincide with an angle of vision of the rearward image.

4. The surroundings monitoring system for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the left side image, the right side image and the forward image to be displayed on the monitor are generated so that an upper end portion of the left side image and an upper end portion of the right side image, which are displayed on the monitor, are overlapped with, at least, an area existing the closest to the vehicle on the forward image.

5. The surroundings monitoring system for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the left side image, the right side image and the rearward image to be displayed on the monitor are generated so that an upper end portion of the left side image and an upper end portion of the right side image, which are displayed on the monitor, are overlapped with, at least, an area existing the closest to the vehicle on the rearward image.

6. The surroundings monitoring system for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the pair of the side cameras, each of which is provided at a corresponding side mirror, is arranged so as to face downward in a vertical direction.

7. The surroundings monitoring system for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein an image indicating a user is included in the image graphic of the vehicle.