JP2000134608A - Rear monitoring device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently perform rear monitoring and parking support. SOLUTION: When moving a vehicle backward at a parking lot 2 and parking it, an image picked up by a camera unit 10 is displayed on an information display 4 and driving is supported. A visual field 10a of the camera unit 10 is turned to the downside of a rear car body part to become a dead angle from a driver. The picked-up image is processed by an image processing electronic control unit(ECU) 6 and the recognition of a white line 3 or display of predictive proceeding curve 5 corresponding to the operation of steering 1a are performed. Since the predictive proceeding curve 5 is displayed while overlapped with a real time to be picked up, guidance easy to comprehend can be performed. During ordinary traveling, a visual field 10b of the camera unit 10 is turned up and changed almost horizontal. Rear monitoring is performed similarly to a conventional room mirror.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for monitoring the rear of a vehicle, which monitors and assists the driver of the vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, it has been proposed to mount an image pickup device such as a video camera on a vehicle such as an automobile and use the image pickup device to pick up an image for assisting a driver. In particular, it is expected that accidental accidents and the like can be prevented by capturing an image of a field of view that would be a blind spot of the driver.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-101299 discloses a prior art in which a radar is provided in front of a vehicle, an obstacle on a road ahead in the traveling direction of the vehicle is detected, and an alarm is issued to avoid a collision. ing. If the imaging device is installed in front of the vehicle, instead of radar, it will take an image in front of the traveling direction,
It is expected that the same obstacle avoidance can be achieved by image processing. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-185591 discloses a prior art in which an object or the like existing around a vehicle is detected by a peripheral object sensor such as an infrared sensor, and a relationship with a predicted traveling trajectory of the vehicle is displayed on a display. Techniques are disclosed. It is also conceivable to replace this prior art peripheral object sensor with an imaging device and recognize the peripheral object in the image.

[0004] In a conventional in-vehicle image pickup apparatus, a field of view is set such that an image in a specific range is picked up and displayed in the vehicle, such as a video camera for picking up an image behind the vehicle. In the case where the imaging device is used to detect an obstacle in front of the traveling direction of the vehicle or the case where the imaging device is used to detect an obstacle around the vehicle, the field of view of the imaging range of the imaging device is fixed. .

[0005]

As described above, although an image pickup device such as a video camera is conventionally mounted on a vehicle, an image picked up by the mounted image pickup device has a fixed field of view. I will. Since the field of view of the image to be captured is fixed, the captured image often becomes useless depending on the driving condition of the vehicle. For example, an imaging device that captures an image behind the vehicle is used to eliminate the blind spot of the driver when the vehicle is moving backward and is parked, but it is not used very effectively in other driving situations. Can not. However, even for the rear image, an image for rear monitoring, which is usually monitored by a rearview mirror, can be effectively used in a normal driving situation such as forward driving. Since the space around the driver's seat of the vehicle is limited and the visibility ahead must be secured, it is practical to install multiple indicators to display parking and monitoring images separately. Sex is poor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle rear monitoring apparatus capable of effectively performing vehicle rear monitoring and parking assistance and assisting a driver by using efficient image information. .

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided parking assist means for capturing an image near the rear of a vehicle to form an assist image for the vehicle to reverse and park, and wherein the vehicle is in a normal running state. A rear monitoring unit that forms a rear monitoring image at the time, a display that displays an image captured by the camera in the vehicle interior, a driving state detection unit that detects a driving state of the vehicle, and a vehicle that is driven by the driving state detection unit. When it is detected that the vehicle is going to park backward, the image of the parking assisting means is displayed on the display. When the driving state detecting means detects that the vehicle is traveling normally, the image of the rear monitoring means is displayed. And control means for switching the display so as to cause the display to be displayed on a display device.

According to the present invention, when it is detected that the vehicle is going to reverse and park in accordance with the driving state of the vehicle detected by the driving state detecting means, the vicinity of the rear portion of the vehicle formed by the parking assist means is provided. Is displayed on the display, and when it is detected that the vehicle is traveling normally, the image for rearward monitoring formed by the rearward monitoring means is displayed on the display. The display can switch the image displayed according to the driving state of the vehicle, so that the rearward monitoring of the vehicle and parking assistance are effectively performed, and the assistance of the driver using the image information is efficiently performed. Can be planned.

[0009] Further, in the present invention, a camera is provided at the rear of the vehicle, the rear of the vehicle being imaged and the field of view is changeable, and the parking assist device lowers the field of view until the rear of the vehicle is visible.

[0010] According to the present invention, the vehicle is provided with a camera whose view can be changed, and it is possible to switch between capturing images for parking assistance and for monitoring the rear by changing the view based on detection of the driving state. Since the image of the parking assistance image is taken while lowering the field of view until the rear of the vehicle is visible, it is easy to check the image of the lower part of the rear of the vehicle that can not be seen from the driver's seat and stop accurately at a predetermined parking position etc. It becomes possible to do.

Further, in the present invention, a camera is provided at the rear of the vehicle, the rear of the vehicle being imaged and the field of view is changeable. The parking assist device lowers the field of view until the rear of the vehicle is visible. It is characterized by raising the field of view to a range where the following vehicle can be seen after parking is completed.

According to the present invention, the vehicle is provided with a camera capable of changing the field of view, and it is possible to switch between capturing images for parking assistance and for rearward monitoring by changing the field of view based on detection of the driving state. Since the image of the parking assistance image is taken while lowering the field of view until the rear of the vehicle is visible, it is easy to check the image of the lower part of the rear of the vehicle that can not be seen from the driver's seat and stop accurately at a predetermined parking position etc. It becomes possible to do. When parking is completed, the field of view is raised to a range where the following vehicle can be seen, and the rearward monitoring image is captured, so that the rearward monitoring can be performed similarly to the rearview mirror.

Further, in the present invention, the backward monitoring means is characterized in that the backward monitoring image is subjected to image processing for expanding the image in the horizontal direction and displayed on the display.

According to the present invention, the image for rearward monitoring is stretched in the lateral direction and is displayed on the display device, so that an easy-to-read display that allows easy confirmation of the following vehicle can be performed.

In the present invention, the backward monitoring means performs image processing for extending the backward monitoring image in a vertical direction,
The information is displayed on the display.

According to the present invention, the image for rearward monitoring is stretched in the direction and displayed on the display, so that an easy-to-read display in which the inter-vehicle distance and the like can be easily confirmed can be provided.

Further, in the present invention, the display is provided outside a display area for displaying an image for backward monitoring by the backward monitoring means.
It is characterized by displaying an image related to the in-vehicle electronic device.

According to the present invention, it is possible to display an image for rearward monitoring stretched in the horizontal or vertical direction on the display area of the display device, and to perform a display equivalent to that of rearward monitoring with a room mirror. In the remaining display area of the display, an image related to an in-vehicle electronic device such as an audio system, a navigation system, and a multimedia system is displayed, so that the area of the display area can be effectively used.

Further, the present invention is normally deployed in a vehicle cabin so as not to obstruct the front view, and is developed so that the rear monitor of the vehicle can be monitored when the rear monitor means or the indicator fails. A folding rearview mirror.

According to the present invention, when the rear monitoring means or the indicator fails and the rear monitoring cannot be performed, the rear view mirror can be expanded by deploying the folding room mirror, and the rear monitoring can be performed.
Fail safe can be achieved. If there is no failure in the rear monitoring means or indicator, the foldable rearview mirror is stored so as not to obstruct the front view, so in a small passenger car, etc., the front view is better than when a normal rearview mirror is provided. It can be widely used and safety can be ensured.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a determining means for determining whether or not a failure has occurred in the rear monitoring means or the display, and the determining means determines that a failure has occurred in the rear monitoring means or the display. Deployment means for deploying the foldable rearview mirror when the foldable rearview mirror is deployed.

According to the present invention, when it is determined by the determining means that a failure has occurred in the rearward monitoring means or the indicator, the folding rearview mirror is expanded by the expanding means, so that the rearward monitoring is automatically performed. Visibility can be secured.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a detecting means for detecting a following vehicle from a rear monitoring image picked up by the rear monitoring means, and a display position and a size as an image of the following vehicle detected by the detecting means. Calculation means for calculating the distance based on the information related to the size and the distance held in advance, and whether or not the distance to the succeeding vehicle calculated by the calculation means decreases more rapidly than a preset reference. And warning means for generating a warning when it is determined that the decrease in the distance decreases more rapidly than the criterion.

According to the present invention, when the following vehicle is detected by the detecting means in the image for rearward monitoring, the calculating means calculates the following position from the display position and size of the image of the following vehicle.
Based on the information related to the size and the distance held in advance,
The distance is calculated. The warning means generates an alarm when the calculated distance suddenly decreases, so that even if there is a danger such as a sudden collision, the driver performs driving to avoid a rear-end collision or protects the vehicle according to the alarm. By taking a posture, whiplash etc. can be prevented.

[0025]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a schematic system configuration of a rearward monitoring provided with a parking assist function as a first embodiment of the present invention. The parking assist function of the present embodiment provides assistance such that the driver of the vehicle 1 can operate the steering wheel 1a and the shift lever 1b to park at an appropriate position in the parking lot 2. In the parking lot 2, a parking space for the vehicle 1 is displayed by, for example, a white line 3 or the like. In the parking assist function of the present embodiment, the vehicle 1
When the vehicle attempts to park in a predetermined parking space of the parking lot 2 in reverse, the rear display of the vehicle 1 is displayed on the information display 4 and the progress prediction curve 5 is also displayed to assist the driver. An image displayed on the information display 4 is an electronic control unit (hereinafter, “E”) mounted on the vehicle 1.
CU ”) may be created by the image control ECU 6 as one of them.

The image processing ECU 6 inputs the steering operation of the driver of the vehicle 1 as an output of a steering angle sensor 7 for detecting the amount of angular displacement of the steering. Is input as an output from the shift position sensor 8 for detecting the When the shift lever is operated to the reverse R position, the shift position sensor 8 outputs a signal for turning on a back lamp SW, which is a switch for turning on the back lamp (hereinafter, may be abbreviated as “SW”). I do. Image processing EC
U6 is a progress prediction curve 5 predicted based on the outputs from the steering angle sensor 7 and the shift position sensor 8,
When the vehicle runs off the white line 3, a warning is issued through the speaker 9 to call attention of the driver. The image of the parking lot 2 behind the vehicle 1 is captured by the camera unit 10. The camera unit 10 is mounted above the rear part of the vehicle 1 and can change the imaging direction for the visual field 10a or the visual field 10b. The downward view 10a includes the rear portion of the vehicle 1 and can also capture an image of a portion directly below the rear of the vehicle body. In the field of view 10b that is substantially horizontal, it is possible to capture an image in a range in which a following vehicle or the like can be seen, as in a normal rearview mirror, for rearward monitoring.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the vehicle 1 is going into the parking space indicated by the white line 3 of the parking lot 2 while moving backward in the parking assist system of FIG. The camera unit 10 attached to the rear of the vehicle 1 has a field of view 10a.
Image of the inside. This field of view 10a includes many blind spots for the driver of the vehicle 1. Image processing E
The CU 6 responds to an NTSC video signal from the camera unit 10, a pulse corresponding to a steering angle operation from the steering angle sensor 7, and a back lamp SW signal from the shift position sensor 8, and On the other hand, display of a travel prediction curve of the vehicle 1 and clearance guidance are performed. The clearance guide displays an expected parking position when parking according to the travel prediction curve of the vehicle 1, and allows the information display 4 to confirm how much clearance is generated between the vehicle and the image of the white line 3.

A real image of the parking lot 2 captured by the camera unit 10 and a travel prediction curve corresponding to the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor 7 are displayed on the information display 4 in a superimposed manner, so that the steering operation at the time of reverse travel is performed. It is possible to inform the driver of the angle, the operation amount, and the effects associated therewith so that the driver can drive safely. Although the progress prediction curve 5 can be displayed as a line, if a range corresponding to the actual size of the vehicle 1 is filled and displayed as the progress prediction curve 5, it is displayed in a visually understandable expression. be able to.
In particular, as shown in FIG. 2, if the filling is performed in a translucent state, a real image of an obstacle included in the range of the progress prediction curve 5 is also displayed, and the safety can be further improved.

The information display 4 is arranged at a position that is easy for the driver to see. As the information display 4, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) is preferably used. The size of the screen is preferably as large as possible. However, the space near the driver's seat is limited, and it is inefficient to use the large-screen information display 4 exclusively for the parking assist function. Therefore, by using the vehicle in place of the rearview mirror and displaying the parking assist at the time of reverse travel, it is possible to support safe driving according to the driver's intention. The information display 4 can be used in connection with in-vehicle electronic devices such as a map display in a navigation system and a video display of television broadcast reception.

FIG. 3 shows an example of an image for parking assistance displayed on the information display 4 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 3A, when the driver operates the shift lever 1b to shift to the reverse R position, the back lamp SW is turned on to turn on the back lamp. The shift position sensor 8 detects a signal for turning on the back lamp SW, turns on the power of the camera unit 10, and starts imaging. In (2), when the driver operates the steering 1a, the steering angle sensor 7 detects the steering angle, and a pulse signal corresponding to the change in the steering angle is input to the image processing ECU 6. The image processing ECU 6
For example, a progress prediction curve 5 as shown in (3) is displayed on the display screen of the information display 4. In the state shown in (3), the traveling prediction curve 5 deviates from the parking space and the vehicle 1
May collide with a vehicle parked in an adjacent parking space. As described above, the predicted vehicle position of the vehicle 1 after the reverse travel is displayed, so that it is possible to express the steering operation direction and the operation amount in an easy-to-understand manner and assist driving.

Looking at the display of the progress prediction curve 5 shown in (3), the driver who judges that it is not likely to enter the parking space as it is, performs the steering operation, and for example, performs the progress prediction curve 5 as shown in (4). Is obtained, it is determined that the vehicle 1 can enter the parking space between the white lines 3 of the parking lot 2. Vehicle 1 moves backward,
As the vehicle enters the parking space, the image captured by the camera unit 10 changes. As shown in (5), even if the image is displayed centering on the parking position between the white lines 3, the progress prediction curve 5 based on the steering angle deviates from the white line 3 on one side. Such a display indicates that the traveling direction is unfavorable, and if the steering is operated to obtain the traveling prediction curve 5 as shown in (6), the vehicle 1 moves backward in that direction and parks the vehicle 1 in the predetermined parking position. It becomes possible to park correctly in the space. If a parking stop 2a or the like indicating the parking position is provided in the parking lot 2, the parking position can be predicted by recognizing the position by image processing.

FIG. 4 shows an image processing procedure of the image processing ECU 6 for parking assistance as shown in FIG. The process starts from step a1, and in step a2, the shift position sensor 8
Accordingly, it is determined whether or not the shift position of the transmission of the vehicle 1 is in the reverse gear input state. That is,
It is determined whether the parking operation is being performed by the back or the normal operation (or the completion of the parking operation by the back). Back lamp SW
Is ON and the back gear is in the input state, the reverse shift position for reverse = R, and the camera angle of the camera unit 10 is set to the back position in which the field of view 10a faces downward in the reverse direction of the vehicle 1 in step a3. Adjust to The configuration for adjusting the viewing angle of the camera unit 10 will be described later. Then step a
In step 4, the steering angle (θ) is acquired from the steering angle sensor 7. In step a5, a progress prediction curve corresponding to the steering angle (θ) is calculated and taken in as image data (θ) corresponding to the steering angle (θ).
In step a6, a drawing output corresponding to the image data captured as the image data (θ) is performed.

At step a2, the back lamp SW is turned off.
When the shift position is not in the reverse gear input state in F, it is determined that the shift position is ≠ R during normal traveling. At this time, in step a7, the camera angle of the camera unit 10 is changed to the normal position in the normal direction, facing the distant direction in the reverse direction, like the visual field 10b. Next, in step a8, image data for normal display is drawn and output. When step a6 or step a8 is completed, in step a9, the image data of the progress prediction curve is superimposed on the camera image picked up by the camera unit 10, and output as a display output to the information display 4, and the process returns to step a2. In the display of the progress prediction curve, it can be displayed as a line, or can be displayed as a solid, and further, can be displayed as a translucent fill. Also, if the predicted parking position is calculated based on the image of the vehicle stop 2a or the like shown in (5) or (6) of FIG. In addition, it is possible to perform driving assistance that is more easily understood. For example, the progress prediction curve and the predicted parking position are changed in color, the progress predicted curve is displayed as a line, and the predicted parking position is displayed in a solid color, so that both are displayed together in an easily understandable manner. Is preferred. Further, it is preferable that an alarm be generated from the speaker 9 or the like when the progress prediction curve protrudes from the white line or hits an obstacle such as another vehicle. Guidance and warning can also be performed by voice synthesis or the like.

As shown in step a3 of FIG. 4, when the camera angle is set to the field of view 10a in the back position, for example, the motor 21 is reversed from the reference position for 3 seconds, and the camera angle normal as shown in step a7 is set. The position is switched to the field of view 10b by rotating the motor 21 forward for one second from the reference position.
In addition, when the viewing angle is adjusted, if the limit position at which the viewing angle can be changed is set as a back position or a normal position, the drive is performed until the movement stops in the moving direction, and the configuration for adjusting the viewing angle is simplified. be able to. As described above, if the detection of the position of the viewing angle is not required, the cost can be reduced. Also, when the vehicle is moving backward, the view angle of the camera unit 10 cannot be manually operated by the operation unit 31 to prevent the display content for driving assistance from being shifted due to the screen angle adjustment by the manual operation. Is preferred.

In the normal position of the camera angle in step a7, for example, the field of view 1 is located farther behind the vehicle 1 than the camera angle back position in step a3.
It can be adjusted to point 0b and perform rearward monitoring to prevent a rear-end collision.

FIG. 5 shows the shape of the camera unit 10 of FIG. In the camera unit 10, a video camera 12 is housed in a waterproof casing 11. In a portion of the video camera 12 where the imaging lens 13 exists, a transparent window 14 is provided in the casing 11. Within the casing 11, the video camera 12 can change the imaging direction. A magnet for adsorption is fixed to the bottom of the casing 11, and can be attached to each part of the vehicle body of the vehicle 1 in FIG. The cord 16 is pulled out from the camera unit 10 and is used for supplying power for operation, adjusting an imaging direction, and transmitting an image signal obtained by imaging. In the part where the cord 16 is attached to the surface of the car body,
A magnet clamp or the like may be provided and held. The casing 11 is also provided with a microphone 17 for sound collection. The microphone 17 is preferably of a stereo type. This is because sound is collected with directionality, and the approach of a child, a bicycle, or another car can be detected as sound.

FIG. 6 shows an exploded state of the camera unit 10 of FIG. The casing 11 has an upper part 18 and a lower part 1.
9, the video camera 12 and the direction changing mechanism 20 for changing the imaging direction are stored. In a state where the upper part 18 and the lower part 19 are combined, it is possible to seal the inside so that rainwater or the like does not enter the inside and keep the inside waterproof.

FIG. 7 shows the structure of the direction changing mechanism of FIG. A motor 21 is attached to a lower portion 19 of the casing 11. The output shaft of the motor 21 is substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the casing 11, and a worm gear 22 is attached.
The worm gear 22 transmits the rotational driving force of the motor 21 to a spur gear 24 mounted on a support shaft 23 erected from the bottom of the lower portion 19. A worm gear 25 is mounted on the support shaft 23 together with the spur gear 24, and the rotational driving force transmitted to the spur gear 24 causes the worm gear 25 to rotate. The worm gear 25 transmits a rotational driving force to a spur gear 27 attached to one end of an angular displacement shaft 26 that angularly displaces the imaging direction of the video camera 12. The angular displacement shaft 26 is
1 is substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the lower portion 19 and is substantially horizontal. When the spur gear 27 is angularly displaced by the rotation driving force from the motor 21, the optical axis of the imaging lens 13 of the video camera 12 is angularly displaced around the substantially horizontal axis of the angular displacement axis 26.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic electrical configuration for changing the imaging direction of the camera unit 10 of FIG. The camera control unit 30 controls the rotation and the direction of the motor 21 according to a command input from the operation unit 31. The command from the operation unit 31 is input to the input circuit 32, and the processing circuit 33 interprets the content of the command. Motor 21
When the command is a command for driving the code 16, the processing circuit 33 controls the drive circuit 34 to
The motor 21 is supplied to the motor 21 via the. The image captured by the video camera 24 is displayed as an image on a display screen of the display unit 36 as the information display 4. The display unit 36
For example, it is also used for displaying map data of a navigation device mounted on a vehicle and for receiving a television broadcast. From the display unit 36 to the camera unit 10
The operator watching the image captured in step 1 stops driving the motor 21 in a state where a desired image is obtained, and keeps the imaging direction constant. Since the direction changing mechanism 20 of the present embodiment transmits the rotational driving force from the motor 21 using the worm gears 22 and 25, if the motor 21 is stopped, the rotational moment applied to the video camera 12 The driving force is not transmitted in the opposite direction, and the imaging direction of the video camera 12 can be maintained.

FIG. 9 shows a schematic shape of the operation unit 31 connected to the camera control unit 30 of FIG. The operation unit 31 is provided with a + rotation switch 37 and a − rotation switch 38 on the surface.
Rotates to one side, and if the -rotation switch 38 is pressed, the motor 2
1 rotates to the other. The operation result of the + rotation switch 37 or the − rotation switch 38 is given to the input circuit 32 of FIG. The operator manually operates the operation unit 31 and adjusts the imaging direction to an appropriate target while viewing the image on the display unit 36.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are a front view and a plan view, respectively, of the upper portion 18 of the casing 11 shown in FIG. FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line XI of FIG.
2 shows a cross-sectional view as viewed from -XI. The shape of the casing 11, particularly its upper part 18, is such that when the video camera 12 inside changes the imaging direction by the direction change mechanism 20, the shape follows the locus drawn by the imaging lens 13 at the distal end. 14 are formed. Imaging lens 13 and window 1
Since the distance from the imaging device 4 is minimized, a good external image can be captured even if the imaging direction changes.
Further, the window 14 is subjected to a water-repellent treatment (coating with a water-repellent substance) so that rainwater or the like is hardly attached thereto. In addition, due to the water repellency, the window 1
There is also an effect that the raindrops attached to 4 blow off. As a result, it is possible to cause the video camera 12 to capture an image in a favorable state. The other part of the window 14 in the casing 11 is formed into a curved surface that is as small as possible and does not cause air resistance. Moreover, such a casing 11
Is made of a lightweight synthetic resin, and is formed to be lightweight and small as a whole of the camera unit 10. Thus, in a state where the magnet 15 is attracted to the vehicle, the image can be captured without falling off due to vibration of the running vehicle.

FIG. 12 shows a schematic configuration of a camera unit 40 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The camera unit 40 of the present embodiment is substantially equivalent to the camera unit 10 shown in FIG. 5, and the corresponding portions are denoted by the same reference characters and redundant description will be omitted. In the camera unit 40 of the present embodiment, the lower part 1 of the casing 11 is used as an attachment mechanism.
The bracket 41 is attached to the bottom surface of 9. Bracket 41
The bottom surface 42 can be joined to any portion of the vehicle mounted on the vehicle using a double-sided adhesive tape or the like. At the attachment portion 43 of the bracket 41 to the casing 41, the attachment angle can be changed and the bracket 41 can be fixed by tightening with bolts 44 and nuts 45.

FIG. 13 shows the shape of the bottom surface of the bracket 41 of FIG. Since the bracket 41 has a plurality of notches 46, the bracket 41 can be easily deformed according to the curved shape of the vehicle body to be joined, and can be easily attached to the vehicle body via a double-sided adhesive tape or an adhesive. . Such a joining method to a vehicle body is also performed by mounting an antenna or the like, and has a sufficiently reliable track record. A camera unit 1 having a magnet 15 mounted on the bottom as shown in FIG.
0 can be attached to the bracket 41 by magnetic force.

FIG. 14 shows a schematic shape of a camera unit 50 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The casing 51 of the camera unit 50 of the present embodiment has a hemispherical shape, and the video camera 12 can change the imaging direction not only about a substantially horizontal axis but also about a substantially vertical axis. For this reason, the transparent window 52 is also hemispherical, and if the camera unit 50 is installed at one location, an image can be captured by changing the imaging direction in many directions. The direction changing mechanism 53 for changing the imaging direction of the video camera 12 in two axes is realized by, for example, angularly displacing the entire direction changing mechanism 20 shown in FIG. 7 about a substantially vertical axis.

FIG. 15 shows a schematic electrical configuration for controlling the direction of imaging by the camera unit 50 in the embodiment of FIG. The direction changing mechanism 53 shown in FIG. 14 includes a horizontal motor 5 for angularly displacing the imaging direction about a substantially horizontal axis.
4 and a vertical motor 55 that makes angular displacement about a substantially vertical axis. The horizontal motor 54 is a rotational force transmission mechanism similar to the motor 21 shown in FIG. 7 and causes the video camera 12 to perform angular displacement about a substantially horizontal axis. The vertical motor 55 angularly displaces the entire direction changing mechanism 20 shown in FIG. 7 around a substantially vertical axis. The horizontal motor 54 and the vertical motor 55 are electrically driven by drive circuits 56 and 57, respectively. The horizontal motor 54 and the vertical motor 55 are, for example, pulse motors.
57 is angularly displaced in accordance with the number of driving pulses. The number of pulses corresponding to a specific imaging direction is stored in the memory 58 as data. The driving state input circuit 59 inputs signals representing the driving state of the vehicle, for example, the vehicle speed, the traveling direction, the steering angle, and the like, from the steering angle sensor 7 and various on-vehicle electronic control units (ECUs).

The processing circuit 60 determines the driving state of the vehicle based on the signal input to the driving state input circuit 59,
8, the horizontal motor 54 and the vertical motor 55 are driven in accordance with the selected data, and the switching of the imaging direction can be automatically performed according to the operation state. When the horizontal motor 54 is driven to change the imaging direction beyond 90 °, for example, when switching from front imaging to rear imaging, the image is inverted by the inversion circuit 61 and displayed. When displayed on the display unit 36, the image is turned upside down and is difficult to see.
The concept of inverting an image whose imaging direction has been changed about a horizontal axis using such an inversion circuit 61 is based on a camera unit 10 that changes the imaging direction in one axis as shown in FIGS. 40 can also be applied.

FIG. 16 shows a schematic electrical configuration of the image processing ECU 6 of FIG. In the image processing ECU 6, a digital signal processor (hereinafter referred to as “DS”) for performing overall control is provided.
P), and performs control and signal processing via a bus 71. An NTSC signal as a video input from the camera unit 10 is input to an amplifier + filter circuit 72, and is converted from an analog signal to a digital signal by an analog-to-digital conversion (hereinafter, abbreviated as “ADC”) circuit 73, and is converted into a field buffer. 74 is stored. The video input is also supplied from the amplifier + filter circuit 74 to the synchronization separation circuit 75, and synchronization signals for horizontal synchronization and vertical synchronization are separated and input to the DSP 70. The DSP 70 has a steering angle sensor signal from the steering angle sensor 7 and a back lamp SW from the shift position sensor 8.
The signal is also input via the buffer 76. DSP70
Operates based on programs and data stored in a program memory 77 and a data memory 78 connected to the bus 71, respectively.

The DSP 70 recognizes the white line 3 and the like based on the input video signal, and generates the progress prediction curve 5 according to the steering angle and the back lamp SW signal. Field buffers 81 and 82 whose output can be switched by a switch (SW) circuit 80 are generated.
And a digital-to-analog conversion (hereinafter abbreviated as “DAC”) circuit 8 selected by the SW circuit 80.
3 to the information display 4 via the filter + amplifier circuit 84 as a video output. Image processing ECU 6
Are supplied with operating power from a power supply 85, a reset signal is supplied from a reset circuit 86, and C
A clock signal for adjusting the operation timing and a signal obtained by dividing the clock signal are supplied from the LK + divider circuit 87.

FIG. 17 shows a state in which the parking assist function of the present embodiment captures a rear front image and assists garage entry. Driving until the vehicle 1 reversely enters the parking area defined by the white line 3 in the parking lot 2 and is parked can be appropriately supported.

FIG. 18 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention, in which the parking assist function of FIG. 1 is extended to accommodate parallel parking. As a camera for imaging, FIG.
A camera unit 50 capable of changing the field of view in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. Back lamp SW signal is ON
And when the left turn signal lamp 88 is turned on,
By turning the field of view of the camera unit 50 to the rear left, parallel parking in the parking area 89 is supported. The back lamp S
If the left turn signal lamp 88 is OFF even when W is ON, the field of view is changed so that the camera unit 50 captures a rear front image, and parking assistance for garage parking is performed as in FIG.

FIG. 19 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention in which an image for rearward monitoring is displayed on the information display 4. In the present embodiment, a horizontally long half of the display area from the rectangular image display area of the information display 4 is allocated to the rearward monitoring image 100. Backward monitoring image 1
00 is expanded in the horizontal direction by analog image processing or the like, and displays an image equivalent to a normal room mirror. In the remaining image display area 101 of the information display 4, various other information such as, for example, route guidance information of a navigation system can be displayed. In addition, the information for parking assistance is displayed using the whole image display area of the information display 4, similarly to the first to fourth embodiments. In the present embodiment, the rearward monitoring image 100 can be displayed as a horizontally long image similar to a rearview mirror.
In addition, since the room mirror is usually a convex mirror, the visible image is reduced, but the captured image is less deformed by the reduction, and an easy-to-view display can be performed.

Further, the camera unit 10 captures a rear image, and the degree of approach of the following vehicle can be grasped based on the display position and the size of the following vehicle 102 included in the image to prevent a rear-end collision. . For example, the correlation between the display position and size and the inter-vehicle distance to the following vehicle 102 is simply calculated and held in advance. If the display position and the size of the following vehicle 102 are followed according to the held correlation, the approximate inter-vehicle distance can be calculated quickly. When the change in the inter-vehicle distance becomes larger than a preset reference value and a sudden approach is detected, a warning is issued, and driving to avoid a rear-end collision is performed. The occurrence of whiplash and the like due to a rear-end collision can be prevented.

FIG. 20 shows a sixth embodiment of the present invention in which a rearward monitoring image is displayed on the information display 4. In the present embodiment, a vertically long part of the display area from the rectangular image display area of the information display 4 is assigned to the rearward monitoring image 110. Backward monitoring image 1
Reference numeral 10 denotes a normal room mirror-equivalent image that is stretched in the vertical direction by analog image processing or the like. In the remaining image display area 111 of the information display 4, various other information such as, for example, route guidance information of a navigation system can be displayed. In addition, the information for parking assistance is displayed using the whole image display area of the information display 4, similarly to the first to fourth embodiments. In the present embodiment, since the rearward monitoring image 110 is displayed as a vertically long image, it can be displayed in a state where the following distance to the following vehicle 112 can be easily understood. In addition, since the room mirror is usually a convex mirror, the visible image is reduced, but the captured image is less deformed by the reduction, and an easy-to-view display can be performed.

FIG. 21 shows a schematic configuration of a parking assist function according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. As shown in (1) of FIG. 21, when the driver operates the shift lever 1b to shift to the R position for reverse driving, the back lamp SW is turned on to turn on the back lamp. In (2), the camera unit 10 and the image processing ECU 1
The automatic parking system including 30 is powered on and starts operating. The image processing ECU 130 includes the function of the image processing ECU 6 of the first embodiment, and can also determine whether or not automatic parking assistance is possible.

In (3) of FIG. 21, the possibility of parking assistance is indicated as "parking assistance" by providing an indicator light or the like.
When a parking assist switch for activating the parking assist function is provided, and the driver turns on the parking assist switch and releases the foot brake, driving control by the automatic parking assist function is started. Parking assistance is shown in FIG.
As shown in (5), the progress prediction curve 5 is displayed on the information display 4 while the camera angle is automatically adjusted according to the steering angle, and the vehicle 1 is guided to the parking area between the white lines 3. As shown in FIG. 21 (6), when an obstacle such as the car stop 2a is detected, the control is stopped, and the assist possible display is turned off. Further, as shown in FIG. 21 (7), when the driver who feels danger performs the foot brake operation,
The control of the parking support is stopped, and if the assist is possible, only the assist possible display is performed as shown in FIG. If assist is not possible, as shown in FIG. 21 (9), the progress prediction curve 5 and the room for parking are simply displayed on the information display 4, and as the parking assist function similar to the first embodiment, Operate.

In this embodiment, a triple fail-safe function is provided to enhance the safety of the automatic operation control.
The first is a supportable display as shown in FIGS. 21 (3) and (8), the second is an ON operation of the assist SW, and the third is a release of the foot brake. As shown in FIG. 21 (7), automatic operation can be canceled at any time by performing a foot brake operation.

FIG. 22 shows a schematic configuration of an automatic parking system according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention. The image processing ECU 140 of this embodiment is different from the image processing ECU 1 of FIG.
The control data is given to the steering control device 141, the throttle control device 142, and the brake control device 143 while displaying the possibility of the parking assistance as in the case of 30 and the vehicle is automatically parked at a predetermined position between the white lines 3 in the parking lot 2. To control.

FIG. 23 shows the image processing ECU 140 of FIG.
A control procedure will be described. When the power is turned on in step b1, it is determined in step b2 whether the shift position sensor 8 is on the reverse side. When the back lamp SW is determined to reverse the like being ON, the white line recognition and obstacle detection process is performed in step b3, the processing result is the parameter D ₀
Is stored in In step b4, it is determined whether white line recognition and obstacle detection are possible. If it is determined that parking is possible, the automatic parking display is turned on in step b5, and a parking assist possible display indicating that parking support is possible is performed. Next, in step b6, the progress prediction curve 5
And an image captured by the camera unit 10 is overlapped. In step b7, it is determined whether or not there is an overlapping portion. If it is determined that there is an overlapping portion in X ₀ ≠ 0, the process proceeds to step b8, and control according to the steering angle is performed.

[0059] In step b8, the steering angle theta _T is a steering control amount in a direction to avoid overlap is obtained by computation. At step b9, it controls the steering control device 141 so that the steering angle is theta _T.

When it is determined in step b7 that there is no overlapping portion, or when the control in step b9 is completed,
In step b10, the brake control is performed by controlling the brake control device 143, and the process shifts to creep running that can be stopped at any time. The actual stopping of the vehicle 1 is based on the foot brake operation by the driver.

When it is determined in step b2 that the vehicle is not moving backward, or when it is determined in step b4 that it is impossible to recognize the white line / obstacle, the brake device 143 is controlled in step b12 to stop the vehicle 1. . Step b13
Then, the automatic parking display such as “parking assist” is turned off and turned off. At step b14, the control procedure ends.

FIG. 24 shows a schematic procedure of the overlap processing performed as a subroutine in step b6 of FIG. The process is started from step c1, and in step c2, the steering angle θ is detected by the steering angle sensor 7. In step c3, it generates a progression prediction curve image for steering angle theta, incorporated in the parameter D ₁ as a parking assist data. In step c4, the parameters D ₀ and D ₁ are calculated, and the common part is taken into the parameter X ₀ . In step c5, the subroutine ends, and the process returns to the original processing.

FIG. 25 shows the processing procedure for calculating the steering control amount θ _T in step b8 of FIG. 24 and the range of the steering angle. As shown in FIG. 25A, in the process started in step d1, a minimum value -MAX is first set as the steering angle θ in step d2. At step d3, the overlap processing shown in FIG. 24 is performed. In step d4, whether the overlapping portion is the parameter X ₀ 0
Is determined according to whether or not. When it is determined that there is no overlapping portion at X ₀ = 0, the value of θ at that time is substituted for the steering control amount θ _T , and the process returns to the original process in step d6.

If it is determined in step d4 that there is an overlapping portion, the steering angle θ is increased by one step in step d7. A step d8 decides whether or not the steering angle θ is larger than the maximum value + MAX. If the steering angle θ is not larger than the maximum value + MAX, the process returns to step b3. Step d8
When it is determined that the steering angle θ is larger than the maximum value + MAX, the control is terminated, so that step b9 is performed.
Then, the process proceeds to step b12 in FIG. 23 to stop the vehicle by controlling the brake control device 143. As for the steering angle, as shown in FIG. 25B, the maximum value on the positive side is + MAX, the minimum value on the negative side is -MAX, and the center 0 point corresponds to the straight traveling state. The median can be adjusted by learning as described above.

FIG. 26 shows a schematic operation of the automatic parking function according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, when the vehicle 1 moves backward and parks, the viewing angle of the camera unit 50 is automatically adjusted according to a change in the steering angle, and a traveling direction image is captured. When the steering is operated from straight ahead to the left turn side after the start of the parking operation as shown in FIG. 26 (1), the visual field 50a when traveling straight backward changes to the visual field 50b from the rear left. As shown in FIGS. 26 (2) and (3), the field of view changes in accordance with the steering angle even in the process of the parking operation of the vehicle 1 progressing. As shown in FIG. 26 (4), the field of view 50a is fixed at the time of the last linear retreat. When such automatic adjustment of the visual field is performed, it is preferable that the manual adjustment of the visual angle of the camera unit 50 is invalidated. This is because there is a possibility that an image displayed on the information display 4 may look different or may not be compatible with the driving support information. Also in the present embodiment, when capturing the rearward monitoring image, the camera unit 50 directs the capturing direction to the rear of the vehicle 1 so that the following vehicle or the like enters the screen.

In each of the embodiments described above, it is possible to perform rearward monitoring on the information display 4 in the same manner as in the rearview mirror. Therefore, as shown in FIG. Can be widely secured. However, in order to avoid a situation in which rearward monitoring becomes impossible when a failure occurs in the image processing ECU 6 or the display unit 36 as a display, a foldable room mirror is housed in, for example, a ceiling portion, and is deployed when a failure occurs. Let it function as a room mirror. With such a fail-safe configuration, it is possible to ensure safe driving even in the event of an emergency. Furthermore, an ECU that automatically expands the folded room mirror from the failure detection can be provided. When a failure occurs, the rearview mirror is automatically extended, so that the same backward monitoring as in the related art can be reliably performed.

In addition, when the parking assist is performed, the image and the driver's driving operation are stored, and when parking is repeatedly performed in the same parking lot, the similarity is determined based on the image, and the stored driving operation is reproduced. It is also possible to provide parking assistance such as automatically parking and stopping.

Further, the information display 4 is provided at the position of the conventional rearview mirror, or the information display 4 is provided at the upper part of the front view of the driver by the head-up display method.
May be provided to display a rearward monitoring image or a parking assistance image. In addition, a plurality of video cameras 10, 40, 5
0 may be installed at different positions of the vehicle 1 and images may be switched and displayed on the same information display 4 according to driving conditions.

[0069]

As described above, according to the present invention, when it is detected that the vehicle is going to park backward and park,
An image near the rear of the vehicle is displayed on the display, and when it is detected that the vehicle is traveling normally, an image for rearward monitoring is displayed on the display. Can be switched according to It is possible to effectively switch between rear monitoring and parking assistance of the vehicle, and to efficiently provide assistance for the driver for safe driving using the image information.

Further, according to the present invention, parking assistance can be performed while lowering the field of view of the camera whose field of view can be changed and imaging the vicinity of the rear of the vehicle.

Further, according to the present invention, the vehicle can be provided with a camera whose field of view can be changed, and the field of view can be changed up and down to switch between parking assistance and rearward monitoring. Since one camera is multifunctional, safety can be improved at low cost.

Further, according to the present invention, the image for backward monitoring is stretched in the horizontal direction and displayed on the display device, so that a horizontally long and easy-to-view display similar to that of a room mirror can be performed.

Further, according to the present invention, since the image for rearward monitoring is stretched in the vertical direction and displayed on the display device, a vertically long image is displayed so that the distance between vehicles and the like can be easily checked. It can be carried out.

Further, according to the present invention, an image for rearward monitoring expanded in the horizontal or vertical direction is displayed in the display area of the display device, and a display equivalent to that of rearward monitoring with a room mirror can be performed. In the remaining display area of the display, an image related to an in-vehicle electronic device such as an audio system, a navigation system, and a multimedia system is displayed, so that the area of the display area can be effectively used.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fail-safe by using a folding rearview mirror, which is used when the rearward monitoring means or the indicator is broken and the rearward monitoring cannot be performed. If there is no failure in the rear monitoring means or indicator, the foldable rearview mirror is stored so as not to obstruct the view in front, so in small passenger cars, etc.
It is possible to obtain a wider field of view in front than when a normal rearview mirror is provided, and it is possible to enhance safety.

Further, according to the present invention, even if a failure occurs in the rear monitoring means or the display, the foldable rearview mirror is deployed, and the field of view for rear monitoring can be automatically secured.

Further, according to the present invention, an alarm is issued when a following vehicle detected from the image for rearward monitoring approaches suddenly, so that an unexpected collision is avoided or a protective posture is taken according to the alarm. Whiplash etc. can be prevented beforehand.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic system configuration of a rear monitoring device having a parking assist function according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the vehicle 1 is about to enter a parking space indicated by a white line 3 of a parking lot 2 while moving backward by the parking assist function of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an information display 4 using the parking assist function shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an image displayed in FIG.

4 is an image processing ECU 6 in the parking assist function of FIG.
5 is a flowchart showing the image processing procedure of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the shape of the camera unit 10 of FIG.

6 is an exploded perspective view of the camera unit 10 of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a simplified perspective view showing the configuration of the direction changing mechanism 20 of FIG.

8 is a block diagram showing a schematic electrical configuration for changing the imaging direction of the camera unit 10 of FIG.

9 is an operation unit 31 connected to the camera control unit 30 in FIG.
It is a perspective view which shows schematic shape of.

10 is a front view and a plan view of an upper portion 18 of the casing 11 shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XI-XI of FIG. 10B.

FIG. 12 shows a camera unit 4 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a reference numeral 0.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the shape of the bottom surface of the bracket 41 of FIG.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a schematic shape of a camera unit 50 according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a schematic electrical configuration for controlling a direction in which a camera unit 50 captures an image in the embodiment of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a schematic electrical configuration of the image processing ECU 6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 17 is a plan view showing a state in which a rear front image is captured by the parking assist function of the embodiment of FIG. 1 to assist garage entry.

FIG. 18 is a plan view showing a state in which the function of the parking assist function of FIG. 1 is expanded to correspond to parallel parking as a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating an example of a rearward monitoring image 100 displayed in a horizontally long manner as a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating an example of a rearward monitoring image 110 displayed in a vertically long manner according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a schematic operation procedure of a parking assist function according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an automatic parking system according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

23 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the image processing ECU 140 in FIG.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing a schematic procedure of an overlapping process performed as a subroutine in step b6 of FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for calculating a steering control amount θ _T in step b8 of FIG. 23.

FIG. 26 is a plan view illustrating a schematic operation of an automatic parking system according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 vehicle 1a steering 1b shift lever 2 parking lot 2a car stop 3 white line 4 information display 5 progress prediction curve 6,130,140 image processing ECU 7 steering angle sensor 8 shift position sensor 9 speaker 10,40,50 camera unit 10a, 10b, 50a Field of view 12 Video camera 20 Direction changing mechanism 30 Camera control unit 31 Operation unit 60 Processing circuit 61 Inverting circuit 70 DSP 88 Turn signal lamp 89 Parking area 100, 110 Backward monitoring image 101, 111 Remaining image display area 102, 112 Subsequent vehicle

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) B60R 21/00 621R 626G 628D (72) Inventor Tadamasa Yamashita 1-2-2 Goshodori, Hyogo-ku, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture No. 28 F-term in Fujitsu Ten Limited (reference) 5C022 AA04 AB62 AC01 AC27 AC69 AC74 5C054 AA01 AA04 CG00 CG02 FA02 FC11 FE21 FE28 FF06 HA26 HA30 5H180 AA01 CC04 CC11 CC24 FF27 FF33 FF38 LL02 LL04 LL07 LL17

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A parking assist means for capturing an image near the rear of a vehicle to form a support image for the vehicle to reverse and park, and forming a rearward monitoring image when the vehicle is in a normal running state. Rearward monitoring means, a display for displaying an image captured by a camera in the vehicle interior, a driving state detecting means for detecting a driving state of the vehicle, and the vehicle going backward and parking by the driving state detecting means. When an image is detected, the image of the parking assist means is displayed on the display, and when the driving state detection means detects that the vehicle is normally running, the image of the rear monitoring means is displayed on the display. And a control means for switching. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a rear view of the vehicle is provided with a camera capable of capturing an image of the rear of the vehicle and changing a visual field, and the parking assist device lowers the visual field until the rear of the vehicle is visible. The rear monitoring device for a vehicle according to claim 1. 3. A camera capable of capturing an image of the rear of the vehicle at a rear portion of the vehicle and changing a visual field, wherein the parking assist device lowers the visual field until the rear portion of the vehicle is visible,
The vehicle rear monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the rear monitoring unit increases the field of view to a range where a following vehicle can be seen after parking is completed. 4. The rear of the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the rear monitoring means performs image processing for expanding the rear monitoring image in a horizontal direction and displays the image on the display. Monitoring device. 5. The rear of a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the rear monitoring means performs image processing for stretching the rear monitoring image in a vertical direction and displays the image on the display. Monitoring device. 6. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the display unit displays an image related to the on-vehicle electronic device outside a display area for displaying an image for backward monitoring by the backward monitoring unit. A rear monitoring device for a vehicle according to any one of the above. 7. A foldable type which is normally housed in a vehicle cabin so as not to obstruct the view ahead, and is deployed so as to be able to monitor the rear of the vehicle when the rear monitoring means or the indicator is out of order. The vehicle rear monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: a rearview mirror. 8. A determination means for determining whether a failure has occurred in the rear monitoring means or the display, and when the determination means determines that a failure has occurred in the rear monitoring means or the display. The rearward monitoring device for a vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising: a deploying unit that deploys the foldable rearview mirror. 9. A detecting means for detecting a following vehicle from a rear monitoring image picked up by the rear monitoring means, and a display position and a size of the following vehicle detected by the detecting means as an image of the following vehicle. Determining whether or not the distance between the following vehicle calculated by the calculating means and the following vehicle calculated by the calculating means is reduced more rapidly than a predetermined reference based on the related information between the size and the distance. ,
The vehicle rear monitoring apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a warning unit that generates a warning when it is determined that the decrease in the distance decreases more rapidly than the reference.