Television – Special applications – Observation of or from a specific location
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-10
2003-07-15
Rao, Andy (Department: 2613)
Television
Special applications
Observation of or from a specific location
C348S142000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06593960
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a multi-functional on-vehicle camera system which comprises a plurality of monitoring cameras mounted on a vehicle and a display unit for displaying a monitored image. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an image display method for this multi-functional on-vehicle camera system. More specifically, the present invention provides a monitor image display letting a driver easily know circumferential conditions surrounding the vehicle. Moreover, the present invention displays such images at an appropriate timing according to driving conditions.
For the safety driving of automotive vehicles, a small camera is mounted on a vehicle and directed to a specific direction to take an image not directly viewed by a driver's eye. The taken image is displayed on a monitor in a passenger compartment of the vehicle. Furthermore, it is possible to take an image of white lines on a road and guide or control the vehicle based on the mutual position between the vehicle and the detected white lines.
Moreover, the published unexamined Japanese patent application No. 7-215130, as shown in
FIG. 16
, discloses a vehicle monitoring system comprising a plurality of cameras
1
,
2
,
3
and
4
mounted on a vehicle, a turning direction detecting section
5
for detecting a turning direction of the vehicle based on a winker signal, a steering direction detecting section
6
for detecting a steering direction of a steering wheel, an instruction input section
7
for allowing a driver to enter driver's instructions, a switching control section
8
for selecting an appropriate one of images taken by the plurality of cameras
1
,
2
,
3
and
4
based on information obtained from the associated sections
5
,
6
and
7
, and an image display section (i.e., monitor)
9
for displaying the image selected by the switching control section
8
.
However, in ordinary driving conditions of an automotive vehicle, a driver often applies a brake or steers a steering wheel to avoid a possible accident based on a quick judgement on an image displayed on the monitor. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide an easy-to-grasp monitor display so as to prevent the driver from being puzzled or making an erroneous judgement. In this respect, the above-described conventional system should be more improved.
For example, the images taken by cameras mounted on a front side of a vehicle may be selectively displayed in accordance with a turning of the vehicle to the right or to the left. In such a case, it is important for the driver to promptly understand the displayed image without taking a time to judge whether this image is a right side view seen from the vehicle or a left side view seen from the vehicle. Such a prompt judgement is essentially important for a skillful driving operation.
For example, it may be desirable to display a word indicating the direction, e.g., “right” or “left”, together with the displayed image. However, this forces the driver to carry out two thinking steps; i.e., one step of recognizing characters and another step of understanding the direction of the displayed image. A relatively long time is required for these steps. It may be unable to avoid an accident due to delay in grasping information obtained from the displayed image. Furthermore, the driver may not be able to quickly discriminate “right” from “left” or vice versa.
Furthermore, when the vehicle moves backward to a vacant space in a parking lot, the driver may rely on an image taken by a camera mounted on a rear side of the vehicle. However, the intended vacant space may not be clearly displayed on the monitor due to presence of another vehicles already in this parking lot. In such a case, the driver cannot rely on the displayed image and will hesitate in steering the vehicle to a target place while avoiding obstacles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above-described conventional problems, the present invention has an object to provide a multi-functional on-vehicle camera system capable of displaying an image for assisting the safety driving at an appropriate timing according to driving conditions in such a manner that the driver can easily grasp the displayed image.
Furthermore, the present invention has an object to provide an image display method for such a multi-functional on-vehicle camera system.
In order to accomplish the above and other related objects, the present invention provides a multi-functional on-vehicle camera system comprising a plurality of cameras mounted on a vehicle and a display unit displaying at least one camera image, wherein image processing means is provided for processing images taken by the plurality of cameras, and system control means is provided for selecting at least one camera image to be processed in the image processing means from the images taken by the plurality of cameras based on vehicle conditions, and for controlling a type of image processing performed in the image processing means.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the multi-functional on-vehicle camera system further comprises graphic superimposing means for superimposing a graphic pattern on the image processed by the image processing means. The system control means controls both a type and a position of the graphic pattern superimposed by the graphic superimposing means.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the plurality of cameras include at least two cameras selected from the group consisting of a rear camera taking a rear view seen from the vehicle, right and left pillar cameras taking right and left rear side views seen from the vehicle, right and left door mirror cameras taking right and left door mirror views seen from the vehicle via right and left door mirrors, right and left lateral cameras taking front side views seen from the vehicle, and a front camera taking a front view seen from the vehicle.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the display unit includes a right monitor displaying an image taken by a right door mirror camera, and a left monitor displaying an image taken by a left door mirror camera.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the image processing means produces a plan view image based on images of a plurality of cameras so that the plan view image includes an image of the vehicle seen from above.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the image processing means produces a panorama image based on images of a plurality of cameras.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the image processing means produces a joint image by combining images of a plurality of cameras.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the image processing means produces a surrounding image representing a surrounding view seen from the vehicle by successively connecting images of all of the plurality of cameras mounted on the vehicle.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the image processing means produces an image formed by using part of image data obtained from the plurality of cameras.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the image processing means produces an image including a moving object approaching or leaving with respect to the vehicle so that the moving object is emphasizing by a different color.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the system control means designates the camera image to be used in the image processing and designates the type of image processing performed in the image processing means based on at least one signal representing vehicle conditions selected from the group consisting of a steering angle signal, a vehicle speed signal, gear position information and winker information.
According to t
Hirama Yuichi
Masuda Satoru
Sugimoto Miki
Sugimoto Mitsuyoshi
Rao Andy
Sugimoto Miki
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