JP2008149764A - Vehicle periphery monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle periphery monitoring device capable of sufficiently monitoring the periphery of a towing vehicle even when a towed vehicle is connected to a towing vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: A vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing means 6 is formed so as to perform processing for displaying a vehicle periphery monitoring image 26 having a portion where a display range is widely formed from a towing vehicle side toward the towed vehicle side on a display part 10 when the towed vehicle is connected to the towing vehicle compared to the vehicle periphery monitoring image 12 when the towed vehicle is not connected to the towing vehicle. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle periphery monitoring device, and more particularly, to a vehicle periphery monitoring device suitable for monitoring the periphery of a tow vehicle.

  In recent years, a vehicle periphery monitoring device has been adopted as a system that supports driving operation of a vehicle (automobile). This vehicle periphery monitoring device is a road around a vehicle by a plurality of cameras mounted on the vehicle. By using captured images of a surface, a parking scene, and the like, a vehicle monitoring image that is an image of the vehicle and its surroundings viewed from above the vehicle is generated and displayed on a display inside the vehicle.

  Such a vehicle periphery monitoring device can be applied to various vehicles, and when applied to a towing vehicle such as a tractor that pulls a trailer, the periphery of the towing vehicle can be monitored. It was.

Japanese Patent No. 3286306

  However, in the case of a towed vehicle, the towed vehicle is captured in the field of view of the camera that captures the rear of the towed vehicle in a state where the towed vehicle is connected to the towed vehicle. The photographed image of the road surface and the like that can actually be used for display has been reduced by the photographed image of the towed vehicle.

  As a result, when the towed vehicle is connected to the towed vehicle, the display range of the vehicle periphery monitoring image is narrower than in the unconnected state, and it is difficult to sufficiently monitor the periphery of the towed vehicle. The problem of becoming.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such problems, and a vehicle periphery monitoring device that can sufficiently monitor the periphery of a tow vehicle even when the tow vehicle is connected to the tow vehicle. Is intended to provide.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, a vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention is mounted on a tow vehicle, and a tow vehicle periphery photographing means for photographing the periphery of the tow vehicle and a towed vehicle are connected to the tow vehicle. If there is not, processing for displaying on the display unit a first vehicle periphery monitoring image, which is an image of the towed vehicle and its surroundings as viewed from above the towed vehicle, using the captured image of the towed vehicle periphery capturing means. Vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing means to perform, when the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing means is connected to the towed vehicle and the towed vehicle is connected, using the captured image of the towed vehicle periphery imaging means , A second vehicle periphery monitoring image having a portion in which a display range is wider from the towed vehicle side toward the towed vehicle side than the first vehicle periphery monitoring image is displayed on the display unit. It is characterized in that it is formed to perform Shimesuru process.

  Further, another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention includes a connection state determination unit that determines whether or not the towed vehicle is connected to the towed vehicle, and the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit includes: Depending on the determination result of the connection state determination means, either the first vehicle periphery monitoring image or the second vehicle periphery monitoring image is automatically selected and displayed. It is characterized by that.

  Furthermore, another vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus according to the present invention is configured to capture the periphery of the towed vehicle on the towed vehicle, and the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit can acquire the captured image. The vehicle surrounding monitoring image display processing means includes a photographing means mounting determination means for determining whether or not a towed vehicle periphery photographing means is mounted, and the vehicle surrounding monitoring image display processing means is connected to the towed vehicle by the connection state determining means. When it is determined that the vehicle is connected, and the imaging unit mounting determination unit determines that the towed vehicle periphery imaging unit is mounted on the towed vehicle, the traction Using the photographed image of the vehicle periphery photographing means and the photographed image of the towed vehicle periphery photographing means, the towed vehicle and its surroundings and the towed vehicle and its surroundings are referred to as the towed vehicle and the front. Is characterized in that it is formed to perform a process of displaying the third vehicle periphery monitoring image is an image looking down from above the towed vehicle on the display unit.

  According to the vehicle periphery monitoring device of the present invention, when the towed vehicle is connected to the towed vehicle, the display range of the towed vehicle is larger than that of the first vehicle periphery monitoring image by the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing means. By displaying a second vehicle periphery monitoring image having a part that is widely formed from the side toward the towed vehicle side, even when the towed vehicle is connected to the towed vehicle, the periphery of the towed vehicle is sufficiently Can be monitored. In addition, as long as the part where the display range is formed is formed wider toward the towed vehicle side, it can be used not only for the periphery of the towed vehicle but also for monitoring the periphery of the towed vehicle. it can.

  Further, according to another vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus according to the present invention, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit is configured to perform the first operation according to the determination result of whether the towed vehicle is connected to the towed vehicle by the connection state determining unit. Since it is possible to automatically select and display either the vehicle periphery monitoring image or the second vehicle periphery monitoring image, the burden on the user can be reduced and the convenience can be improved.

  Furthermore, according to another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, when the towed vehicle connected to the towed vehicle is equipped with the towed vehicle periphery photographing means, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing means, Since the third vehicle periphery monitoring image can be displayed, not only the tow vehicle but also the periphery of the towed vehicle can be sufficiently monitored.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus 1 in this embodiment has four cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5 as tow vehicle periphery photographing means mounted on a tractor as a tow vehicle. Each of the cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5 captures an image of an object by forming light incident from the object side through an ultra-wide-angle lens such as a fisheye lens on an imaging surface such as a CCD surface. It has become.

  One of the four cameras 2, 3, 4 and 5 is a front camera 2 for a tractor as a front photographing camera attached to a front portion (for example, an emblem portion) of the tractor. The tractor front camera 2 is adapted to take an image so that the front of the tractor is looked down obliquely. Also, one of the other three cameras 3, 4, 5 is a tractor back camera 3 as a rear photographic camera attached to the rear part (for example, rear license garnish part) of the tractor. The tractor back camera 3 shoots the back of the tractor so as to look down at an angle. Further, the other two cameras 4 and 5 are the right side camera 4 for the tractor as a side photographic camera attached to the right side portion (for example, the right door mirror portion) of the tractor. The camera 4 takes a picture so that the right side of the tractor is looked down diagonally. Furthermore, the remaining one camera 5 is a tractor left side camera 5 as a side photographic camera attached to the left side of the tractor (for example, the left door mirror), and this tractor left side camera. No. 5 shoots the left side of the tractor so as to look down diagonally. Therefore, these cameras 2, 3, 4 and 5 can photograph the periphery of the tractor.

  Each of the cameras 2, 3, 4 and 5 is connected to a vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 as vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing means. The captured images of 3, 4, and 5 are acquired from the cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively.

  The vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 is a pixel range actually used for displaying the vehicle periphery monitoring image from the acquired captured images of the cameras 2, 3, 4 and 5 (hereinafter referred to as a use pixel range). Only the image inside is extracted, and the image outside the use pixel range is deleted. Note that the operation of extracting only the image within the use pixel range can be realized by using the conversion table 11 described later.

  Here, for example, in the captured image 7 of the tractor back camera 3 shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of pixels are aligned vertically and horizontally, but in this tractor back camera 3, an image of a parking scene is formed. The pixel range within the bold line frame in FIG. 2 that is imaged is the use pixel range. Note that in a super-wide-angle lens such as a fisheye lens, the captured image 7 is distorted into a barrel shape. Therefore, the usable pixel range required to obtain a rectangular rear monitoring image 15 (see FIG. 4) by the conversion table 11 described later is as shown in FIG. As indicated by the bold line frame, the region is a barrel-shaped region corresponding to the characteristics of the lens. In FIG. 2, for the sake of convenience, in order to make it easy to grasp the approximate width and position of the use pixel range, for example, the captured image 7 for each pixel group 8 that is a set of pixels of 64 vertical pixels × 64 horizontal pixels. Is partitioned. The use pixel range shown in FIG. 2 is a use pixel range for a monitoring image 12 when disconnected, which will be described later.

A conversion table storage unit 9 is connected to the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6, and the conversion table storage unit 9 defines a use pixel range in the captured images of the cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5. A conversion table 11 illustrated in FIG. 3 for converting an image within the use pixel range into an image for a vehicle periphery monitoring image is stored. As shown in FIG. 3, the conversion table 11 includes coordinate points in the coordinate system (image coordinate system) of the imaging surfaces of the cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5, for example (x _c , y _c ), and the coordinate points (x _c , y _c ), which defines a correspondence relationship with a coordinate point in the display coordinate system, for example, (x _t , y _t ), which is a conversion destination of the pixel on the image, and the image described in the conversion table 11 The use pixel range is defined by each coordinate point in the coordinate system. The conversion table 11 may be individual for each of the cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5.

  The vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 uses the conversion table 11 to extract an image within the use pixel range from the photographed images 7 of the cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5 and extract them. The image within the use pixel range is converted into an image whose viewpoint is converted so that the image is looked down from a virtual viewpoint above the vehicle. Then, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 combines the images converted by the conversion table 11 with each other, and further generates and combines a plane image of the tractor to generate a vehicle periphery monitoring image. It has become.

  Note that the captured images 7 of the cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5 are more distorted from the center toward the periphery due to the influence of distortion (distortion) of the super-wide-angle lens. In order to prevent the influence of aberration, it is necessary to correct the distortion. This distortion correction may be performed immediately before the conversion by the conversion table 11, or the correspondence between the coordinate point of the image coordinate system and the coordinate point of the display coordinate system in consideration of the distortion in the conversion table 11 in advance. May be performed simultaneously with the conversion by the conversion table 11.

  A display 10 as a display unit is connected to the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6. The vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 displays the generated vehicle periphery monitoring image on the display 10 as shown in FIG.

  The vehicle periphery monitoring image shown in FIG. 4 is a first vehicle periphery monitoring image, that is, a vehicle periphery monitoring image in a state where a trailer as a towed vehicle is not connected to the tractor (hereinafter referred to as a non-connected monitoring image 12). ).

  The unconnected monitoring image 12 has a tractor plane image 18, and this image 18 is unique to the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 regardless of the images taken by the cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5. Has been generated. Further, the unconnected monitoring image 12 has an image (hereinafter referred to as a forward monitoring image 14) after conversion by the conversion table 11 for an image in the use pixel range in the captured image of the tractor front camera 2. The front monitoring image 14 is connected to the front end portion of the planar image 18 of the tractor. Further, the unconnected monitoring image 12 includes an image (hereinafter, referred to as a rear monitoring image 15) converted by the conversion table 11 for an image in the use pixel range in the image captured by the tractor back camera 3. The rear monitoring image 15 is connected to the rear end portion of the planar image 18 of the tractor. Further, the unconnected monitoring image 12 has an image (hereinafter, referred to as a right-side monitoring image 16) converted by the conversion table 11 for an image in the use pixel range in the captured image of the tractor right side camera 4. The right side monitoring image 16 is connected to the right end of the plane image 18 of the tractor, the front monitoring image 14 and the rear monitoring image 15. The unconnected monitoring image 12 includes an image (hereinafter, referred to as a left side monitoring image 17) converted by the conversion table 11 for an image in the use pixel range in the captured image of the tractor left side camera 5. The left side monitoring image 17 is connected to the left end of the tractor plane image 18, the front monitoring image 14, and the rear monitoring image 15.

  According to such an unconnected monitoring image 12, the periphery of the tractor can be sufficiently monitored when the trailer is disconnected.

  However, when the trailer is connected to the tractor, the trailer is captured in the field of view of the tractor back camera 3 that captures the rear of the tractor. The trailer image is included in the image 7. In such a case, for example, if the pixel range similar to that in FIG. 2 is used, the trailer image is used as an image within the use pixel range, and is not effective for monitoring the rear of the tractor. As a result, a rear monitoring image is obtained.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, even when a trailer is connected to the tractor, means for sufficiently monitoring the periphery of the tractor is taken.

  That is, returning to FIG. 1, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 is connected to a connection state determination unit 20 as a connection state determination unit. The connection state determination unit 20 includes a trailer connected to a tractor. Judgment is made as to whether or not. The connection state determination unit 20 may determine whether the trailer is connected or not by image recognition using images captured by the cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5.

  When the connection state determination unit 20 determines that the trailer is not connected to the tractor, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 displays the unconnected monitoring image 12 as described above. It is automatically generated and displayed on the display 10.

  On the other hand, when the connection state determination unit 20 determines that the trailer is connected to the tractor, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 is, for example, as shown in FIG. Such a second vehicle periphery monitoring image (hereinafter referred to as a first-type monitoring image 26 at the time of connection) is automatically generated and displayed on the display 10. However, in the present embodiment, the display of the first-type monitoring image 26 at the time of connection is conditional on the determination that the camera is not mounted on the trailer by the camera mounting determination unit 35 described later.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the connected first type monitoring image 26 includes a front monitoring image 14, a right side monitoring image 16, a left side monitoring image 17, and a tractor plane image 18. 16, 17, and 18 have the same display range as that of the unconnected monitoring image 12. This is because the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 in the present embodiment displays either the unconnected monitoring image 12 or the connected first type monitoring image 26, the tractor front camera 2, the tractor. This is because the same use pixel range is used for the right side camera 4 and the left side camera 5 for the tractor. This means that a part of the conversion table 11 used for generating the unconnected monitoring image 12 can be shared when generating the connected first type monitoring image 26.

  Further, the connected first-type monitoring image 26 has a rear monitoring image 27, and the rear monitoring image 27 has a display range different from that of the rear monitoring image 15 in the unconnected monitoring image 12.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the rear monitoring image 27 in the connected first type monitoring image 26 is more in the vehicle width direction than the rear monitoring image 15 (see the broken line portion in FIG. 6) in the non-connected monitoring image 12. The display range at the center is narrow in the vehicle overall length direction. This is because, as shown in FIG. 7, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 excludes the pixel range corresponding to the captured image of the trailer in the captured image 7 of the tractor back camera 3 from the use pixel range. It is.

  Further, as shown in a region surrounded by a triangular frame consisting of a one-dot chain line in FIG. 6, the rear monitoring image 27 in the connected first type monitoring image 26 has a display range on both end sides in the vehicle width direction. Compared to the rear monitoring image 15 in the unconnected monitoring image 12, it is formed wider from the tractor side toward the trailer side. For example, as shown in the area within the bold line frame in FIG. 7, in order to use more images of parking scenes that exist on the left and right of the tractor, the pixel range on the left and right end sides than in the case of FIG. This can be realized by using a use pixel range expanded in the vertical direction. More specifically, when generating the rear monitoring image 27 in the connected first type monitoring image 26, the conversion table 11 is the conversion table 11 that generated the rear monitoring image 15 in the unconnected monitoring image 12. Different descriptions will be used.

  Further, the first-type monitoring image 26 at the time of connection has a trailer plane image 28. The plane image 28 may be displayed as necessary.

  According to such a connected first type monitoring image 26, the center part in the vehicle width direction in the rear monitoring image 27 whose display range is narrowed by connecting the tractor is displayed in comparison with the non-connected monitoring image 12. Can be compensated by both ends in the vehicle width direction in the rear monitoring image 27 expanded from the tractor side toward the trailer side. Thereby, even when the trailer is connected to the tractor, the periphery of the tractor can be sufficiently monitored.

  Furthermore, if the display range of the both ends in the vehicle width direction in the rear monitoring image 27 is made wider toward the trailer side, it will be useful not only for the vicinity of the tractor but also for the periphery (front and side) of the trailer. Can do.

  As a modification of the connected first type monitoring image 26 shown in FIG. 6, for example, a connected first type monitoring image 30 shown in FIG. 8 may be adopted. In the first type monitoring image 30 at the time of connection in this modification, the display range of the planar image 18 of the tractor and the front monitoring image 14 is the same as that of the monitoring image 12 at the time of non-connection. However, the connection type first type monitoring image 30 in the modified example has a display range of the rear monitoring image 31 narrower in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle total length direction than the rear monitoring image 15 of the non-connection monitoring image 12. Yes. Further, the connected first type monitoring image 30 in the modified example has a display range of the right side monitoring image 32 wider from the tractor side to the trailer side than the right side monitoring image 16 of the unconnected monitoring image 12. It has become. Further, the connected first-type monitoring image 30 in the modified example has a display range of the left side monitoring image 33 wider than the left side monitoring image 17 of the non-connection monitoring image 12 from the tractor side to the trailer side. It has become.

  In the first type monitoring image 30 at the time of connection in such a modification, similarly to the first type monitoring image 26 at the time of connection shown in FIG. 6, the surroundings of the tractor when the trailer is connected to the tractor can be monitored. It is possible to perform sufficiently.

  Returning to FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 is connected to a camera mounting determination unit 35 as a photographing unit mounting determination unit. It is determined whether or not a camera as a towed vehicle periphery photographing means is mounted on the trailer. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the trailer side camera includes a trailer back camera 21 that captures the rear side of the trailer, a trailer right side camera 22 that captures the right side of the trailer, and a left side of the trailer. The left side camera 23 for trailer 23 is a camera, and the cameras 21, 22, and 23 are used for the vehicle images via wired (for example, in-vehicle LAN) or wirelessly. The peripheral monitoring image display processing unit 6 is configured to be able to transmit. The camera mounting determination unit 35 confirms that some kind of communication (for example, communication by wireless LAN or UWB (Ultra Wide Band)) has been performed between the trailer-side cameras 21, 22, and 23. By checking, it is determined that the cameras 21, 22, and 23 are mounted on the trailer.

  In this embodiment, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 determines that the trailer is connected by the connection state determination unit 20, and the cameras 21 and 22 are connected to the trailer by the camera mounting determination unit 35. , 23 is acquired, in addition to the captured images of the tractor-side cameras 2, 3, 4 and 5, the captured images of the trailer-side cameras 21, 22, 23 are acquired. It is like that. The vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 then uses the images within the use pixel range in the captured images of the tractor-side cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5 and the use pixels in the captured images of the trailer-side cameras 21, 22, 23. By using the image within the range, for example, a third vehicle periphery monitoring image as shown in FIG. 9 (hereinafter referred to as a connected second type monitoring image 36) is generated and displayed as the vehicle periphery monitoring image. 10 is displayed.

  Note that the usable pixel range for the trailer-side cameras 21, 22, and 23 is defined by a conversion table (not shown) stored in the conversion table storage unit 9. Using the conversion table, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 uses the image within the use pixel range in the captured images of the tractor-side cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5 and the captured images of the trailer-side cameras 21, 22, and 23. Are converted into images for the second type monitoring image 36 at the time of connection.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the second-type monitoring image 36 at the time of connection has a plane image 37 of the tractor, and this image 37 is around the vehicle regardless of the images taken by the cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5. The monitoring image display processing unit 6 is uniquely generated. If the display range does not change, it is also possible to use the tractor plane image 18 in the unconnected monitoring image 12 as the tractor plane image 37. Further, the second type monitoring image 36 at the time of connection has an image (hereinafter referred to as a tractor front monitoring image 38) after conversion according to a conversion table for an image in the use pixel range in the image captured by the tractor front camera 2. The tractor forward monitoring image 38 is connected to the front end portion of the tractor plane image 37. If the display range of the tractor front monitoring image 38 is not different from the display range of the front monitoring image 14 in the unconnected monitoring image 12, the tractor front is displayed when the second type monitoring image 36 is displayed. It is also possible to make the use pixel range in the photographed image of the camera 2 the same as the use pixel range in the photographed image of the tractor front camera 2 at the time of displaying the unconnected monitoring image 12. Further, the second type monitoring image 36 at the time of connection has an image (hereinafter referred to as a tractor rear monitoring image 39) after conversion by the conversion table for the image in the use pixel range in the captured image of the tractor back camera 3. The tractor rear monitoring image 39 is connected to the rear end portion of the tractor planar image 37. Furthermore, the second-type monitoring image 36 at the time of connection is an image after conversion according to a conversion table for an image in the use pixel range in the image captured by the tractor right side camera 4 (hereinafter referred to as a tractor right side monitoring image 40). The tractor right side monitoring image 40 is connected to the right end portion of the tractor plane image 37, the tractor front monitoring image 38, and the tractor rear monitoring image 39. Further, the second type monitoring image 36 at the time of connection is an image (hereinafter referred to as a tractor left side monitoring image 41) after conversion according to a conversion table for an image within the use pixel range in the image captured by the tractor left side camera 5. The tractor left side monitoring image 41 is connected to the left end portion of the tractor plane image 37, the tractor front monitoring image 38, and the tractor rear monitoring image 39. Furthermore, the second type monitoring image 36 at the time of connection has a trailer plane image 42, and this image 42 is generated by the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 regardless of the images taken by the cameras 21, 22, and 23. It has been generated independently. The trailer plane image 42 is connected to the tractor rear monitoring image 39. Furthermore, the second-type monitoring image 36 at the time of connection has an image (hereinafter referred to as a trailer rear monitoring image 43) after conversion according to a conversion table for an image in the use pixel range in the captured image of the trailer back camera 21. The trailer rear monitoring image 43 is connected to the rear end portion of the trailer planar image 42. In addition, the second type monitoring image 36 at the time of connection is an image (hereinafter referred to as a trailer right side monitoring image 44) after conversion according to a conversion table for an image in the use pixel range in the image captured by the trailer right side camera 22. The trailer right side monitoring image 44 is connected to the right end portion of the trailer plane image 42, the tractor rear side monitoring image 39, the tractor right side monitoring image 40, and the trailer rear side monitoring image 43. Further, the second type monitoring image 36 at the time of connection is an image (hereinafter referred to as a trailer left side monitoring image 45) after conversion according to a conversion table for an image in the use pixel range in the image captured by the trailer left side camera 23. The trailer left side monitoring image 45 is connected to the left end of the trailer plane image 42, the tractor rear side monitoring image 39, the tractor left side monitoring image 41, and the trailer rear side monitoring image 43.

  According to the second type monitoring image 36 at the time of connection, the periphery of the tractor and the trailer can be more sufficiently monitored when the trailer is connected.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

  In this embodiment, for example, in a parking lot or the like, when the display of the vehicle periphery monitoring image is instructed by an input operation by the user, is the trailer connected to the tractor by the connection state determination unit 20? Determine whether or not.

  When the connection state determination unit 20 determines that the trailer is not connected to the tractor, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 determines that the use pixel range for the unconnected monitoring image 12 is A prescribed conversion table 11 is prepared.

  Next, when the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 acquires the captured images of the cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5 from the respective cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5, the prepared conversion is performed on the acquired captured images. An image within the use pixel range is extracted using the table 11. Then, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 generates the unconnected monitoring image 12 by performing conversion and synthesis using the conversion table 11 on the extracted image within the use pixel range, and generates the generated unconnected The hour monitoring image 12 is displayed on the display 10.

  On the other hand, when the connection state determination unit 20 determines that the trailer is connected to the tractor, the cameras 21, 22, and 23 are attached to the trailer connected to the tractor by the camera mounting determination unit 35. It is determined whether or not it is installed.

  When the camera mounting determination unit 35 determines that the cameras 21, 22, and 23 are not mounted on the trailer connected to the tractor, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 At this time, a conversion table in which the use pixel range for the first type monitoring image 26 is defined is prepared. The conversion table at this time may be obtained by correcting the description content of the conversion table 11 used for generating the unconnected monitoring image 12.

  Next, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 extracts an image within the use pixel range from the captured images of the cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5 using a prepared conversion table. Then, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 generates the first type monitoring image 26 at the time of connection by performing conversion and synthesis using the conversion table for the extracted image within the use pixel range, and the generated connection The first type monitoring image 26 is displayed on the display 10.

  On the other hand, when the camera mounting determination unit 35 determines that the cameras 21, 22, and 23 are mounted on the trailer connected to the tractor, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 At this time, a conversion table in which the use pixel range for the second type monitoring image 36 is defined is prepared.

  Next, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 extracts the image within the use pixel range using the prepared conversion table for the image within the use pixel range in the captured images of the cameras 2, 3, 4, and 5. I do. Then, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 generates the second type monitoring image 36 at the time of connection by performing conversion and synthesis using a conversion table for the extracted image within the use pixel range, and the generated connection At this time, the second type monitoring image 36 is displayed on the display 10.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, when the trailer is connected to the tractor, the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 6 performs the first type monitoring image 26 when connected or the second type monitoring when connected. By displaying the image 36, even when the trailer is connected to the tractor, the periphery of the tractor or the periphery of the tractor and the trailer can be sufficiently monitored.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, A various change is possible as needed.

  For example, the number of each camera 2, 3, 4, 5 and 21, 22, 23 need not be limited to one, and may be two or more.

The block diagram which shows embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention In the embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, a diagram illustrating an imaging surface of a rear-view camera together with a captured image in a disconnected state of a trailer and a use pixel range for a disconnected monitoring image The figure which showed an example of the conversion table in embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention. The figure which shows an example of the monitoring image at the time of a disconnection in embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention. The figure which shows the image pick-up surface of a back camera and the picked-up image and unfavorable use pixel range in the trailer connection state The figure which shows an example of the 1st type monitoring image at the time of a connection in embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention. In the embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus according to the present invention, a diagram showing an imaging surface of a rear camera together with a captured image in a trailer connected state and a use pixel range for a first type monitoring image at the time of connection The figure which shows the modification with respect to FIG. 6 of the 1st type monitoring image at the time of a connection in embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention. The figure which shows the 2nd type monitoring image at the time of a connection in embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus 2 Front camera for tractors 3 Back camera for tractors 4 Right side camera for tractors 5 Left side camera for tractors 6 Vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing unit 10 Display 12 Monitoring image when disconnected 26 First type monitoring when connecting image

Claims (3)

A tow vehicle periphery photographing means mounted on the tow vehicle for photographing the periphery of the tow vehicle;
The first vehicle, which is an image of the tow vehicle and its surroundings looking down from above the tow vehicle when the tow vehicle is not connected to the tow vehicle using the photographed image of the tow vehicle periphery photographing means. Vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing means for performing processing for displaying the periphery monitoring image on the display unit,
When the towed vehicle is connected to the towed vehicle, the vehicle surroundings monitoring image display processing unit uses the captured image of the towed vehicle periphery imaging unit and compares it with the first vehicle periphery monitoring image. The display range is formed so as to perform processing for displaying a second vehicle periphery monitoring image on the display unit having a portion that is widely formed from the towed vehicle side toward the towed vehicle side. A vehicle periphery monitoring device. A connection state determination means for determining whether or not the towed vehicle is connected to the tow vehicle;
The vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing means automatically selects and displays either the first vehicle periphery monitoring image or the second vehicle periphery monitoring image according to the determination result of the connection state determination means. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle periphery monitoring device is configured to perform a process to perform. Determining whether or not the towed vehicle surrounding image capturing means that captures the periphery of the towed vehicle and is capable of acquiring the captured image by the vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing means is mounted. Equipped with photographing means mounting determination means for performing
The vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing means,
The connected state determining means determines that the towed vehicle is connected to the towed vehicle, and the towed vehicle surrounding image taking means is attached to the towed vehicle by the taking means mounting determining means. When it is determined that the vehicle is mounted, the towed vehicle and its surroundings, the towed vehicle, and the towed vehicle periphery photographing unit and the towed vehicle periphery photographing unit are used. The third vehicle periphery monitoring image, which is an image of the periphery of the tow vehicle and the towed vehicle as viewed from above, is displayed on the display unit. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 1.

Images