Obstacle alarm device

• US 9,396,401 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Maruoka, Tetsuya, Kadoya, Akira, Ikeda, Keigo
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baptiste, Jerry Jean
• Application Number:
  US13/483,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20130107050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

An obstacle alarm device for clearly indicating to a driver the presence of an obstacle approaching a vehicle. The obstacle alarm device has a captured image acquisition unit for acquiring a captured image; an attention-prioritized region setting unit for setting an attention-prioritized region to be the captured image; an outside region setting unit for setting an outside region to be outside the attention-prioritized region within the captured image; an object presence determination unit for determining whether or not an object is present in the outside region; a movement direction determination unit for determining a movement direction of the object; and a clear indication image output unit.

Claims

1. A method for an obstacle alarm, the method comprising:

acquiring a captured image in which an image of a visual scene of a rearward periphery of a vehicle has been captured;

setting an attention-prioritized region to be the captured image;

setting an outside region to be outside the attention-prioritized region in the captured image;

determining whether or not an object is present in the outside region;

determining a movement direction of the object; and

causing a sign to be displayed at sequentially varying positions centerward from a side of the outside region where the object is present, within the attention-prioritized region displayed together with the outside region, where it is determined that the object is moving toward the center of the attention-prioritized region, the sign configured to be arrow-shaped, comprising a convex part projecting toward the center of the attention-prioritized region,

wherein the sign is displayed at varying positions and enters a state of moving between two predetermined positions on the screen while flashing.

2. The method for an obstacle alarm according to claim 1, wherein the display of the sign is repeatedly performed.

3. The method for an obstacle alarm according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where there are a plurality of the signs, the plurality of the signs are partially superimposed onto each other, and a sign displayed later is superimposed on a sign displayed immediately prior for an overlapping portion between the sign to be displayed later and the sign displayed immediately prior.

4. The method for an obstacle alarm according to claim 1, wherein the sign is a part of a frame sign made of a frame shape for surrounding a predetermined region within the attention-prioritized region.

5. The method for an obstacle alarm according to claim 4, wherein the frame sign is caused to be displayed at sequentially varying positions centerward from an outer edge part of the attention-prioritized region in accordance with the movement of a part of the frame sign toward the center of the attention-prioritized region.

6. The method for an obstacle alarm according to claim 4, wherein, in a case where there are a plurality of the frame signs, a frame sign to be displayed later is of smaller size than a frame sign displayed immediately prior.

7. The method for an obstacle alarm according to claim 4, wherein, in the case where there are a plurality of the frame signs, a frame sign displayed later is of lower transparency than a frame sign displayed immediately prior.

8. The method for an obstacle alarm according to claim 1, wherein the displaying of the sign is discontinued in a case where the object has entered the attention-prioritized region.