JP2001239882A - Vehicular circumference viewing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular circumference viewing device capable of improving the visibility of the boundary between a photographed image and a mask image. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a photographing means 3 mounted in the outside of the vehicle and a display means 4 installed in the inside of the vehicle for displaying the image on both the left and right sides in the circumference of the vehicle photographed by the photographing means 3 along with a mask image 16 respectively partitioning into the left and right. The display color of the mask image 16 consists of black and light blue. The device is provided with a photodiode 7 for detecting the brightness outside the vehicle. The display color of the mask image 16 is controlled and switched so that the black mask image 16 is displayed when it is determined that the outside of the vehicule is bright by a luminance signal detected by the photodiode 7, and the light blue mask image 16 is displayed when it is determined that the outside of the vehicule is dark.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an on-vehicle perimeter recognition device that allows the user to visually recognize the scenery on both the left and right sides of a vehicle in a vehicle such as an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When an automobile approaches an intersection, it is necessary to confirm the safety of the left and right vehicles. However, at an intersection with poor left and right visibility, the driver slightly enters the vehicle into the intersection.
It was necessary to check the safety on the left and right. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the approach into the intersection, and it is necessary to directly visually check the left and right sides after the approach to confirm the safety, which is a mental burden on the driver.

Therefore, in order to reduce the above-mentioned burden, in recent years, image pickup means has been mounted on the hood, front grill, and bumper of an automobile, and the image pickup means has been installed inside the vehicle by simultaneously capturing left and right views on both sides of the vehicle. There has been proposed a visual recognition device that simultaneously displays left and right images on both sides of a vehicle on display means.

[0004] Further, when the left and right images are simultaneously displayed on the display means, in order to improve the discrimination between the left image and the right image, there is also an apparatus for simultaneously displaying a mask image or the like for dividing the left and right images. Has appeared.

For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-104765.

[0006]

According to the mask method disclosed in the above publication, the left and right images are partitioned and displayed by synthesizing a window frame type mask or the like with a trimmed image on each of the left and right images. And a method of restricting the imaging visual field range in accordance with the mask position, and conventionally, the mask area based on the mask image or the like is displayed in a single color such as black.

However, when the mask area is displayed in a dark color such as black, the left and right images are displayed brightly in the daytime when the outside of the vehicle is bright, so that the left and right images and the mask image are displayed. On the other hand, when the outside of the vehicle is dark at night,
The left and right images have many dark portions (black portions), and the boundary between the left and right images and the mask image cannot be clearly recognized, resulting in poor visibility.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an on-vehicle peripheral visual recognition device that improves the visibility of a boundary between a captured image and a mask image.

[0009]

A technical means for solving the above-mentioned problem is to take an image of the periphery of the vehicle by an image pickup means mounted on the outside of the vehicle, and to display the image on a display means provided inside the vehicle. And a mask image superimposed on the image, the vehicle-mounted peripheral visual recognition device is provided with a light / dark judgment means for determining brightness outside the vehicle, and the mask image The display color of the mask image can be switched to a plurality of colors, and the display color of the mask image is switched and controlled in accordance with the light / dark judgment signal from the light / dark judgment means.

[0010] Further, the left and right sides around the vehicle are imaged,
The left and right images captured on the display means may be displayed individually or simultaneously, and the mask image for specifying the left and right may be displayed.

Further, the display color of the mask image includes a plurality of colors of a light color and a dark color. When the outside of the vehicle is judged to be bright by the light / dark judgment signal, it is judged to be dark and the outside of the vehicle is judged to be dark. In such a case, the display color of the mask image may be switched to a bright color.

The light / dark judgment means comprises a light lighting circuit provided in the vehicle, wherein the light / dark judgment signal comprises a light on signal and a light off signal in the light lighting circuit, and the light off signal brightens the outside of the vehicle. And the display color of the mask image may be switched by determining that the outside of the vehicle is dark based on the light-on signal.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. An image pickup device 3 installed below the front bumper 2 and an LCD (liquid crystal display) provided at a position such as an instrument panel in a vehicle compartment that is easy for a driver to view, in order to display an image picked up by the image pickup device 3. )
A display unit 4 comprising an image signal and a CRT; an image signal processing unit 5 for converting an image signal captured by the imaging unit 3 into a predetermined display signal and supplying the display signal to the display unit 4;
A predetermined mask image 1 is added to the display signal converted by
A mask addition processing unit 6 that adds (so-called superimpose) 6 to the display means 4 and supplies it to the display means 4 and a photodiode 7 as light / dark judgment means for detecting brightness outside the vehicle.

The imaging means 3 includes a case 10 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the front-rear direction of the automobile 1, and a case 10.
And a pair of left and right transmission windows 11 and 12 made of transparent glass and the like mounted on rectangular openings formed at the front portions on both sides of the front and rear sides, respectively, and a single imaging unit disposed in the case body 10. A CCD camera 13 and each of the transmission windows 11,
A prism body for reflecting light entering from the light guide 12 and guiding the reflected light to the imaging surface of the CCD camera 13;

At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the light entering from the left transmission window 11 is reflected by the prism 14 and
The light that has been guided to the right half of the imaging surface of the CD camera 13 and that has entered through the transmission window 12 on the right side is reflected by the prism 14 and guided to the left half of the imaging surface of the CCD camera 13 to be a single CCD camera. 13 is configured so that the left and right scenes can be imaged simultaneously.

The image signal picked up by the CCD camera 13 is mirror-inverted by the image signal processing unit 5 and supplied to the display unit 4. During the supply from the image signal processing unit 5 to the display unit 4 side, a predetermined mask image 16 is further added by the mask addition processing unit 6 and supplied to the display unit 4. A window frame-type mask image 16 is displayed at the outer peripheral portion and the central portion, and a right view taken through the transmission window 12 is displayed as a right image in the right frame of the mask image 16, and a left frame of the mask image 16 is displayed. The left side scene captured through the transmission window 11 is displayed as a left image. Here, the left and right images are divided and displayed on the left and right by the mask image 16.

The mask addition processing section 6 has two kinds of display colors of a bright blue as a light color and a black as a dark color as display colors of the mask image 16 to be subjected to the addition processing.
The switching is controlled in accordance with a luminance signal from the photodiode 7 as a light / dark judgment signal.

For example, when a predetermined threshold value is set as the luminance signal and the luminance signal is equal to or higher than the threshold value, that is, when the outside of the vehicle has a certain level of brightness such as during the daytime. A black mask image 16 is added, and when the luminance signal is less than the threshold value, that is, when the outside of the vehicle does not have a certain brightness or more and is dark, such as at night, it is bright blue. It is set so that the mask image 16 is added.

The present embodiment is configured as described above. At the intersection where the left and right visibility is poor, only the front bumper 2 at the front end of the car 1 is allowed to enter the intersection, and each transmission window of the image pickup means 3 is provided. The left and right scenes in the intersection are simultaneously captured from 11 and 12, and the mask image 16 is displayed on the display section 4a of the display means 4 in the vehicle.
Since the left and right scenes are simultaneously projected in a state where the vehicle is divided into right and left, the driver can check the safety of the left and right in the intersection at a time by visually recognizing the display unit 4a, and can easily check the safety.

At this time, the mask image 16 has a plurality of display colors of bright blue and black, and the brightness is detected by the photodiode 7 so that the black mask image 16 is added when the image is bright in the daytime or the like. It is controlled so that it is displayed and, when it is dark at night or the like, a bright blue mask image 16 is added and displayed. Therefore, regardless of the brightness outside the vehicle, the captured left and right images and the mask image 16 are displayed. Can be clearly recognized, the left and right images are clearly partitioned by the mask image 16, the left and right images can be clearly identified, and the visibility can be improved.

In the above embodiment, the mask image 16 has two display colors, black and bright blue.
Although the structure of the stage switching is shown, the mask image 16
The display system may be provided with a number of colors of various light colors and various dark colors as display colors, and a switching method of automatically switching in three or more stages according to the brightness may be employed. A switching method for sequentially switching the brightness of the image 16 may be used. In these cases, from the viewpoint of visibility, a dark display color may be used when the outside of the vehicle is bright, and a bright display color may be used when the outside of the vehicle is dark.

Although a structure is shown in which bright blue is used as a light color and black is used as a dark color, the display is not limited to these colors, and visibility can be ensured in accordance with brightness outside the vehicle. Any color may be used as long as it is a color.

Further, although the photodiode 7 is provided as a light / dark judging means for detecting the brightness outside the vehicle, other illuminance detecting means may be used.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment.
Components similar to those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

That is, in the present embodiment, instead of the photodiode 7 in the first embodiment, a light of a head lamp or a small lamp mounted on the vehicle is used as a light / dark judgment means for detecting the brightness outside the vehicle. The lighting circuit 18 is used. The light-on / off state of the light-on in the light-on circuit 18, that is, the light-on signal and the light-off signal are used as light / dark judgment signals, and two kinds of display colors, bright blue as a light color and black as a dark color. The display color of the mask image 16 having
The switching is controlled by a light-on signal or a light-off signal.

In this embodiment, when the signal from the light lighting circuit 18 is a light-off signal,
If the outside of the vehicle has a certain level of brightness, such as during the daytime, and it is determined that the lighting of the lights is unnecessary, a black mask image 16 is added and a signal from the light lighting circuit 18 is turned on. In the case of an ON signal, that is, when it is determined that the outside of the vehicle is dark without having a certain level of brightness, such as at night, and it is determined that the light needs to be turned on, a bright blue mask image 16 is added. It is set to be.

The present embodiment is configured as described above, and is a switching system in which the display color of the mask image 16 is automatically switched according to a light-on signal or a light-off signal from the light lighting circuit 18. A black mask image 16 is added and displayed when the lighting is not necessary such as in the daytime when lighting is unnecessary, and a bright blue mask image 16 is added and displayed when the lighting is dark such as at night when the lighting is required. As in the first embodiment, the boundary between the captured left and right images and the mask image 16 can be clearly recognized regardless of the brightness outside the vehicle, and the visibility can be improved.

Further, in the present embodiment, the structure uses the light lighting circuit 18 provided in the vehicle without separately providing the photodiode 7 and the like, and has an advantage that the structure can be simplified.

Although the structure in which the image pickup means 3 is installed at the front of the vehicle is shown, a structure where it is installed at the rear of the vehicle may be used.

Further, although the structure in which the mask region by the mask image 16 is formed in a window frame type is shown, even if the mask region does not exist along the outer periphery of each of the left and right images, at least the right and left regions are located at the center. Any structure may be used as long as it has a mask area for partitioning an image.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, a so-called window frame type mask area is superimposed on the captured left and right images as a superimposed mask image 16 and displayed simultaneously on the display means 4. Although the structure is shown, the captured left and right images are individually displayed on the display means 4, and at this time, a left image (left image) for specifying the right and left images is superimposed on the displayed image as a mask image 16. L) and right (R) identification characters may be combined and displayed. In this case as well, it can be easily recognized whether the individually displayed image is the right image or the left image.

Also, a single CCD is provided on both left and right sides around the vehicle.
Although the structure for taking an image with the camera 13 is shown, the structure may be provided with separate image pickup means for taking images of the left and right.

[0033]

As described above, according to the on-vehicle peripheral visual recognition device of the present invention, the on-vehicle peripheral visual recognition device is provided with the brightness determining means for determining the brightness outside the vehicle, and the display color of the mask image is a plurality of colors. The display color of the mask image is switched in response to a light / dark judgment signal from the light / dark judgment means, and is displayed together with the image picked up on the display means in accordance with the brightness outside the vehicle. By switching the display color of the mask image, there is an advantage that the boundary between the captured image and the mask image can be clearly recognized, and the visibility can be improved.

Further, if the left and right sides of the periphery of the vehicle are imaged, and the left and right images captured on the display means are displayed individually or simultaneously, and a mask image for specifying the left and right is displayed, the displayed image can be displayed. There is an advantage that the right image or the left image around the vehicle can be easily recognized.

The display color of the mask image includes a plurality of colors of a light color and a dark color, and is dark when the outside of the vehicle is determined to be bright by the light / dark determination signal, and when the outside of the vehicle is determined to be dark. Is a bright color, and if the display color of the mask image is controlled to be switched, regardless of the brightness outside the vehicle,
The boundary between the captured left and right images and the like and the mask image can be more clearly recognized, and the visibility can be improved.

The light / dark judgment means comprises a light lighting circuit provided in the vehicle, and the light / dark judgment signal comprises a light on signal and a light off signal in the light lighting circuit.
If the exterior of the vehicle is determined to be bright by the light-off signal and the exterior of the vehicle is determined to be dark by the light-on signal, and the display color of the mask image is switched and controlled, regardless of the brightness of the exterior of the vehicle Further, there is an advantage that the boundary between the captured left and right images and the like and the mask image can be clearly recognized, the visibility can be improved, and the structure can be simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a state of being attached to an automobile according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the overall configuration.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an overall configuration according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Car 2 Front bumper 3 Imaging means 4 Display means 5 Image signal processing part 6 Mask addition processing part 7 Photodiode 16 Mask image 18 Light lighting circuit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Takayuki Tomita 1-7-10 Kikuzumi, Minami-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture Inside Harness Research Institute, Inc. (72) Inventor Tomoyuki Mishima 1, Kikuzumi, Minami-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture No. 7-10 Harness Research Institute, Inc. F-term (reference) 5C054 CC06 CE08 EA01 FE18 FE21 FE28 HA30

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An imaging device mounted outside a vehicle,
An image of the periphery of the vehicle is taken, and display means provided inside the vehicle,
In the vehicle-mounted peripheral visual recognition device that displays the captured image and a mask image superimposed on the image, the vehicle-mounted peripheral visual recognition device includes a light / dark determination unit that determines the brightness outside the vehicle, The display color of the mask image can be switched to a plurality of colors, and the display color of the mask image is switched and controlled according to a light / dark judgment signal from the light / dark judgment means. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein left and right sides of the periphery of the vehicle are imaged, and the left and right images captured on the display unit are displayed individually or simultaneously, and the mask image for specifying the right and left is displayed. 2. The on-vehicle peripheral visual recognition device according to 1. 3. The display color of the mask image includes a plurality of colors of a light color and a dark color. If the outside of the vehicle is determined to be bright by the light / dark determination signal, it is determined to be dark and the outside of the vehicle is determined to be dark. 3. The on-vehicle peripheral visual recognition device according to claim 1, wherein the display color of the mask image is controlled to be switched to a bright color in a case where the image is displayed. 4. The light / dark judgment means comprises a light lighting circuit provided in the vehicle, wherein the light / dark judgment signal comprises a light on signal and a light off signal in the light lighting circuit, and the light off signal brightens the outside of the vehicle. 4. The on-vehicle peripheral visual recognition device according to claim 3, wherein when the light-on signal is determined, the outside of the vehicle is determined to be dark, and the display color of the mask image is switched and controlled.