JP2003125396A - Apparatus and method for displaying vehicle circumference as well as vehicle circumference display program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely grasp the circumference state of a vehicle. SOLUTION: The apparatus for displaying the vehicle circumference comprises an all direction camera 4 having an optical system 4a for reflecting a light incident from a visual field range of the maximum circumference of 360 deg. in a predetermined direction and an imaging unit 4b for imaging the reflected light reflected by the system 4a to acquire all direction image data and provided at the side of the vehicle, an image data converter 6 for converging the all direction image data imaged by the camera 3 into the image data of a preset display state, and a display unit 9 provided near a vehicle's driver to display the converted image data converted by the converter 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle surrounding display device, and more specifically, in addition to visual information obtained by directly visually observing side mirrors or fender mirrors provided on both sides of a vehicle such as an automobile, The present invention relates to a vehicle surroundings display device capable of grasping the surroundings of a vehicle over a wide range based on image information acquired by an image pickup means such as a small CCD camera incorporated in a side mirror or a fender mirror.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In vehicles such as automobiles, side mirrors are provided on the left and right sides of the vehicle so that the driver of the vehicle can understand the condition of both sides of the vehicle. An interior rearview mirror is provided in the center of the vehicle to keep track of the rear situation.

FIG. 11 shows such a side-view mirror and a rear-view mirror that a driver sitting in a driver's seat of a vehicle can visually recognize a horizontal visual field and a blind spot of the vehicle, which cannot be visually recognized. It is a top view which shows each blind spot area of a horizontal direction.

As shown in FIG. 11, in front of the vehicle, a front visual field A obtained by direct visual inspection by the driver is formed with a predetermined visual angle. Further, on each of the left and right sides of the vehicle, a side view area B obtained by a side mirror provided on each of the left and right side portions of the vehicle is formed with a predetermined viewing angle. Further, behind the vehicle, a rear visual field C obtained by a rearview mirror provided at the front center of the vehicle is formed with a predetermined visual angle. These visual field regions A to
In contrast to C, the side between the front visual field A and the left and right lateral visual fields B does not enter the visual field when the driver is facing forward, and does not enter the visual field of the side mirror. A blind spot area D is formed. Also in the front visual field region A, front blind spot regions E formed by the side mirrors becoming obstacles are formed respectively diagonally to the left and right front of the vehicle. Further, between the left and right side visual field regions B and the rear visual field region C, there is a rear blind spot region F which is not reflected by either the left or right side mirrors or the rearview mirror.
Are formed respectively.

Similarly, FIG. 12 is a side view from the right side of the vehicle showing a vertical field of view that can be visually recognized by a driver in the driver's seat of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 12, in the front of the vehicle is formed a front view field G in the vertical direction which is obtained by a driver who rides the vehicle directly visually. Also,
In the rear of the vehicle, a rearward view field H in the vertical direction, which is obtained by a driver riding in the vehicle looking at a rearview mirror provided in the vehicle, is formed. Other areas are
It is a blind spot area that the driver cannot see.

As described above, in the surroundings of the vehicle, the front direction can be visually observed in a normal riding posture, or the side mirror,
A blind spot area that cannot be obtained by visually observing the rearview mirror is formed.For example, when a driver is driving to change the course to the left or right, he / she should be placed in the front in a normal driving posture. The line of sight is appropriately directed to the lateral blind spot region D formed in the lateral direction of the vehicle and the rear blind spot region F formed in the rear, paying attention to the blind spot region and aiming for its safety. However, it is necessary to control the traveling direction of the vehicle, which is a problem in terms of safety of vehicle operation.

As described above, there is a limit to the visual field obtained by the side mirror (or fender mirror) and the rearview mirror provided in the vehicle. However, if the side mirror is made large in order to reduce the blind spot area, the front blind spot area E generated due to the presence of the side mirror becomes large, and it is not preferable from the viewpoint of vehicle design. Therefore, the side mirror provided in the current vehicle is designed at a compromise point of conflicting requirements from safety and design, and does not provide sufficient safety.

As an example of improving the limit of the field of view of such a side mirror, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-223487.
In the publication, instead of mirrors such as side mirrors and room mirrors, a CCD camera is attached at a desired position outside and inside the vehicle, and a display means such as a display for displaying image data acquired by the CCD camera is disclosed. A configuration provided on the front side in the vehicle is disclosed. With such a configuration, the amount of projection of the CCD camera for obtaining an image of the side of the vehicle or the like can be formed smaller than that in the case where mirrors such as side mirrors are projected outside the vehicle. Since it is not necessary to shift the line of sight to the lateral direction of the vehicle, the information such as the side of the vehicle can be confirmed through the display means provided on the front side of the vehicle while maintaining the line of sight in the normal driving posture. The safety when driving the vehicle can be improved.

However, in this structure, the photographing range of the small CCD camera is limited, and in order to reduce the blind spot area,
It is necessary to provide a complicated and expensive structure such as a switching mechanism for switching between the standard lens and the wide-angle lens, and a rotation mechanism for rotating the small CCD camera to adjust the image pickup area. Further, by operating such a complicated mechanism while driving the vehicle, the driver is distracted by the operation, and further, there is a problem that it takes a long time to acquire a desired image, Safety is compromised.

Further, in order to mount the small CCD camera outside the vehicle, it is necessary to provide a waterproof structure so that rainwater does not enter, and because of the waterproof structure, the image pickup means itself becomes large, so that the design of the vehicle is reduced. It is impaired, and further, it becomes a problem in terms of cost.

As a structure for solving such a problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-127850 discloses a compact size in which side mirrors provided on both sides of a vehicle detect visual information of each side of the vehicle as an image. A configuration is disclosed in which a CCD camera is incorporated and the visual information detected by the CCD camera is displayed as an image on a display unit provided in front of the driver. In this configuration, the visual information obtained by visually observing the side mirrors and the visual information captured by the small CCD camera provide visual information on each of the left and right sides of the vehicle, and the visual information on the rear side of the vehicle. You can drive the vehicle while checking.

Further, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-186831, the mirror of the door mirror device is a half mirror, and a rear side monitoring in which a camera for monitoring the condition of the rear side of the vehicle is built in on the rear side of the half mirror. A device is disclosed.
In the rear side monitoring device of this publication, since the camera is built in on the rear side of the half mirror, no new protrusion is provided outside the vehicle, and there is a disadvantage in terms of size and cost. It does not become a structure.

[0014]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention
With the configurations described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6831 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-127850, it is possible to project visual information of the rear and side portions of the vehicle as an image. However, since such a small CCD camera has a limited shooting range, the visual area obtained by using this CCD camera is almost the same as the visual area obtained by the side mirrors, and the visual area on each side of the vehicle is small. Since it is not possible to obtain visual information regarding the existing side blind spot region and the rear blind spot region present behind the vehicle, and also it is not possible to obtain visual information regarding the lower side of the vehicle, the configuration of each of the publications described above There is a problem that it is not possible to fully confirm the surrounding conditions of.

Further, in order to solve the problem that the photographing range of the small camera provided on each side of the vehicle is limited, if the small CCD camera incorporated in the mirror body is configured to be rotatable, it becomes small. A rotation mechanism for enabling the CCD camera to rotate is newly required, the device becomes complicated and expensive, and safety is impaired by operating these rotation mechanisms during driving of the vehicle. There is also a problem.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and, for example, image information by two mirror devices by which a driver of a vehicle projects an image of the rear side of the vehicle and both sides of the vehicle and below the vehicle. Provided is a vehicle surrounding display device capable of accurately grasping a surrounding situation of a vehicle on the basis of image information obtained by two omnidirectional cameras capturing a side image.

[0017]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention is an optical system for reflecting light incident from a visual field area having a maximum circumference of 360 ° in a predetermined direction, and the optical system. An omnidirectional camera provided on the side of the vehicle, and an omnidirectional image data imaged by the omnidirectional camera. An image data conversion unit for converting the image data into a preset display form, and a display unit provided near the driver of the vehicle for displaying the converted image data converted by the image data conversion unit are provided. It is characterized by that.

In the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention,
The omnidirectional cameras are preferably provided on the left and right sides of the vehicle, respectively.

In the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention,
It is preferable that the omnidirectional camera is attached to a tip portion of a mirror device provided on each of left and right side portions of the vehicle.

In the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention,
It is preferable that the omnidirectional cameras are attached to the front end portions of side mirrors provided on both sides of the vehicle near the driver's seat and the passenger seat, respectively.

In the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention,
It is preferable that the omnidirectional cameras are attached to respective tip portions of fender mirrors provided on the vehicle side fenders.

In the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention,
The omnidirectional camera is preferably incorporated inside the mirror device.

In the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention,
It is preferable that the optical system of the omnidirectional camera is configured by a convex rotary mirror having a paraboloidal shape or a hyperboloidal shape.

In the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention,
It is preferable that the image data conversion unit converts the omnidirectional image data captured by the omnidirectional camera into panoramic image data or perspective image data.

In the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention,
A driving operation detection unit that detects a driving operation of the vehicle by detecting an operation of a steering wheel, a direction indicator, etc. provided on the vehicle, and a driving operation including a traveling direction of the vehicle based on a detection result by the driving operation detection unit. It is preferable to further include a driving information generation unit that generates information, and a display control unit that controls the image displayed on the display unit based on the driving information generated by the driving information generation unit.

In the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention,
It is preferable that, on the display unit, multi-purpose information including a road map is displayed on the screen together with the converted image data converted by the image data conversion unit.

In the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention,
The display unit further includes a display range designating unit that designates a desired display range in the converted image displayed on the screen of the display unit, and the display range of the display range designated by the display range designating unit is displayed on the screen of the display unit. It is preferable that the image data is enlarged and displayed.

In the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention,
An image data storage unit that sequentially updates and stores the omnidirectional image data captured by the omnidirectional camera in frame units, and the updated and stored omnidirectional image data that are sequentially stored in frame units in the image data storage unit. The moving speed of the moving body detected by the moving body detection unit is measured by referring to a moving body detection unit that detects a moving body approaching the vehicle by pattern matching and a vehicle speedometer provided in the vehicle. And a warning output unit that outputs a warning or warning information when the speed of the moving body measured by the moving body speed measuring unit approaches the vehicle at a speed equal to or higher than a predetermined value. And are preferably further provided.

In the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention,
The mobile unit detection unit further comprises a communication unit that communicates with an external terminal device designated in advance to transmit various information.
It is set to operate even after the vehicle is stopped,
When the moving body detection unit detects a moving body that has approached the vicinity of the vehicle for a predetermined time or longer, an alarm sound is output from the warning output unit, and the communication unit displays image data of the detected moving body. It is preferable that the included alarm information is transmitted to the terminal device, and the image data storage unit stores the image data transmitted to the terminal device.

Further, in the vehicle surroundings display method of the present invention, an omnidirectional image is obtained by imaging an optical system that reflects light incident from a visual field area having a maximum circumference of 360 ° in a predetermined direction and reflected light reflected by the optical system. An omnidirectional camera having an image capturing unit for acquiring data is provided on a side portion of the vehicle, and is preset by using omnidirectional image data including the side portion and the lower portion of the vehicle captured by the omnidirectional camera. It is characterized in that the converted image data is converted into converted image data in a display form, and the converted image data is displayed on a display unit provided near the driver of the vehicle.

The vehicle surroundings display program of the present invention executes the vehicle surroundings display method of the present invention.

[0032]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, a vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 shows a case where the vehicle surroundings display device of the present invention is attached to, for example, side mirrors which are mirror devices attached to both sides of the vehicle.
5A is a plan view and FIG. 5B is a front view.

As shown in FIG. 5, the vehicle periphery display device of the present invention is a periphery 360 mounted in a state where it is incorporated in a side mirror or a fender mirror which is a mirror device 5 provided on both sides of a vehicle 50 such as an automobile. The camera has an omnidirectional camera 4 capable of picking up an image of a visual field region of °, and a display unit 9 for displaying image information picked up by the omnidirectional camera 4. In this vehicle surrounding display device, the image information imaged by the omnidirectional camera 4 is displayed on the display unit 9 provided at a desired position such as the front side of the driver's seat in the vehicle. As a result, a driver driving the vehicle 50,
By visually recognizing a wide range of images presented on the display unit 9, it is possible to grasp the visual information of the both side portions of the vehicle 50 in detail and obtain a wide visual field range.

The schematic structure of the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention will be described with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG.

The vehicle surroundings display device 20 of the present invention is an omnidirectional camera 4 capable of picking up a visual field region of a maximum circumference of 360 °, and the components constituting the omnidirectional camera 4 and the following vehicle surroundings display device 20. Control unit 1 for controlling the whole of
And a program memory 2 for storing various control programs for controlling each configuration of the vehicle surroundings display device 20,
A buffer memory 3 for updating and storing various data controlled by the control unit 1, and an image data conversion unit 6 for converting the image data acquired by the omnidirectional camera 4 into an image of a desired display form such as a perspective conversion image or a panoramic image. And omnidirectional camera 4
The conversion information storage unit 7 that stores information such as relational expressions and constants for converting the image data captured by the image data into an image of a desired display form, the image data captured by the omnidirectional camera 4, and the image data An image data storage unit 8 for storing the converted image data created based on the image data; a display unit 9 for displaying on the screen the captured image captured by the omnidirectional camera 4 and the converted image converted based on the captured image. A display control unit 10 that controls the display unit 9, a driving operation detection unit 12 that detects a driving operation by an operation of a steering wheel, a direction indicator, and the like provided in the vehicle, and based on a detection result by the driving operation detection unit 12. Information generation unit 13 that generates driving information such as the traveling direction of the vehicle, and a display range specification that specifies the display range of the captured image data captured by the omnidirectional camera 4. 11, a moving body detection unit 14 for detecting a moving body approaching the vehicle from the imaged image data taken by the omnidirectional camera 4, and a moving body speed for measuring the speed of the moving body detected by the moving body detection unit 14. Measuring unit 15,
An alarm output unit 16 that outputs an alarm sound or alarm information, and a communication unit 17 that transmits the alarm information output by the alarm output unit 16
And a bus 18 for connecting each component.

Each configuration will be described below.

First, the omnidirectional camera 4 will be described in detail.

The omnidirectional camera 4 is, for example, an optical system 4a composed of a paraboloidal or hyperboloidal convex rotary mirror.
And an image pickup unit 4b having a protective glass, a CCD camera, an A / D conversion circuit, and an image processing circuit. The optical system 4a composed of a convex rotary mirror mirrors an image having an omnidirectional field of view covering the maximum circumference of 360 °, and the CC of the imaging unit 4b.
The image is projected onto the light receiving surface of the D camera, and the image capturing unit 4b captures the image projected from the optical system 4a as omnidirectional image data.

Omnidirectional camera 4 having such a configuration
Are incorporated in respective mirror devices such as side mirrors or fender mirrors provided on the left and right sides of the vehicle.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a state in which the omnidirectional camera 4 according to the present invention is incorporated in a mirror device 5 such as a side mirror, and FIG. 2A shows a mirror device 5 mounted on the right side of the vehicle. 2A is a plan view showing a state in which the omnidirectional camera 5 according to the present invention is incorporated, FIG. 2B is a side view seen from the right side of FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2) is a side view seen from the rear (lower side in FIG. 2A).

As shown in FIGS. 2 (a) to 2 (c), the mirror device 5 has a rectangular mirror 5a that projects visual information in a predetermined range, and has a rectangular parallelepiped casing 5b. It is attached so as to cover the rear surface of the car. The housing 5b is attached to a mounting portion 5c provided on the side of the vehicle so as to project to the left and right sides of the vehicle. A shaft portion 51c that rotatably supports one end side of the housing 5b is provided in the mounting portion 5c in a vertical state.
When the mirror device 5 is in use (when the vehicle is traveling), the housing 5b rotatably supported by the shaft portion 51c of c is fixed in a direction substantially orthogonal to the side portion of the vehicle. When the device 5 is not used (when the vehicle is parked or parked), the device 5 is folded in the direction along the side of the vehicle and is fixed at the stored position, and is rotated in a range of approximately 90 °. It is possible. A holder 5d for holding the omnidirectional camera 4 is provided at the tip of the housing 5b. A holding portion 5d that holds the omnidirectional camera 4 and the tip side of the housing 5b of the mirror device 5 is configured by covering the omnidirectional camera 4 with a transparent plastic or a light-transmitting substance that transmits light. With the configuration, the viewing angle of the omnidirectional camera 4 can be widely used and the waterproof structure can be formed so that rainwater does not enter.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an essential part showing a state in which the omnidirectional camera 4 is held by the holding portion 5d of the mirror device 5.
Here, the holder 5d that holds the omnidirectional camera 4 and the housing 5b are integrally formed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the holding portion 5d for holding the omnidirectional camera 4 is in a state of protruding upward,
The upper surface of the housing 5b is curved upward so as to cover the upper portion of the holding portion 5d protruding upward. This holding part 5
The omnidirectional camera 4 housed in d is an optical system 4 formed by a convex rotary mirror having a parabolic shape or a hyperboloid shape.
a is held on the upper side of the holding portion 5d with the convex portion facing downward. The image pickup section 4b having a protective glass, a CCD camera, an A / D conversion circuit, an image processing circuit and the like is held below the optical system 4a in the holding section 5d with its light receiving surface facing upward. In the example shown in FIG. 3, since the holding portion 5d that holds the omnidirectional camera 4 projects above a portion other than the upper surface of the housing 5b that covers the holding portion 5d, the holding portion 5d is located above the portion. , An optical system 4a such as a convex rotary mirror
By arranging, it is possible to acquire a wide visual field area as image information.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another example in which the omnidirectional camera 4 is held by the holding portion 5d of the mirror device 5. Here, as in the example of FIG. 3, the holding portion 5d that holds the omnidirectional camera 4 and the housing 5b are integrally formed.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, the height of the holding portion 5d for holding the omnidirectional camera 4 is formed to be the same as that of the housing 5b, and the convex rotating body mirror is provided above the holding portion 5d. The optical system 4a such as is held with the convex portion facing downward. Below the optical system 4a in the holding unit 5d, the imaging unit 4b is provided.
Is held with its light receiving surface facing upward. Further, in the example of FIG. 4, the entire holding portion 5d is formed of a transparent plastic that allows light to be sufficiently received by the optical system 4a.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, since the upper surface of the holding portion 5d and the upper surface of the housing 5b are formed at the same height,
Although the field of view obtained by the optical system 4a is slightly reduced by the housing 5b, a sufficiently wide field of view can be secured outside the mirror device 5 because the entire holding portion 5d is transparent. it can. Also, the holding portion 5d
Covers the entire omnidirectional camera 4, so that the waterproof structure prevents rainwater and the like from entering.

Since the mirror device 5 is preferably provided so as not to project excessively from the side of the vehicle from the standpoint of design, the mirror 5a attached to the rear surface of the housing 5b is constituted by a half mirror. The omnidirectional camera 4 may be arranged between the housing 5b and the mirror 5a.
In this case, it is stipulated in the industrial standard (JIS-D5797) that the mirror 5a has a reflectance of 35% or more. Therefore, the amount of light passing through the half mirror is 65%.
It becomes the following. However, even if the amount of light transmitted through the half mirror is limited in this way, the image pickup unit 4b of the omnidirectional camera 4 forms an image with sufficiently excellent visibility by adjusting the sensitivity and adjusting the image processing. can do.

Further, the omnidirectional camera 4 held by the holding portion 5d of the mirror device 5 may be configured to hold the optical system 4a slidably in the vertical direction so as to project upward from the upper end of the housing 5b. Good. By doing so, a wider range of surrounding images can be obtained.

FIG. 5 shows a field of view that can be obtained by a driver in a vehicle when the omnidirectional camera having the above-mentioned structure is attached to side mirrors which are mirror devices attached to both sides of the vehicle. There is.

In FIGS. 5A and 5B, a passenger car is shown as an example of the vehicle 50, and the driver in the vehicle 50 can directly obtain a front visual field through the front window 51, Further, a rear-view mirror (not shown) provided in the center of the front side of the vehicle can provide a field of view behind the rear window 52 at the rear of the vehicle. The image captured by the omnidirectional camera 4 can be visually recognized by the display unit 9 provided on the front side in the vehicle. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the side mirrors 5, which are mirror devices, are assumed to be attached to both sides in the vicinity of the front window 51.

In FIG. 5A, the visual field regions k obtained by the side mirrors 5 attached to both sides of the vehicle 50 are represented by the range surrounded by the one-dot chain line. Further, the visual field area m obtained by the omnidirectional camera 4 is represented by a range surrounded by a dotted line. Further, in FIG. 5B, the visual field area n obtained by the omnidirectional camera is represented by a range surrounded by a dotted line.

Referring to FIG. 5A, the omnidirectional camera 4
In the visual field obtained by the above, a visual field k having a wide viewing angle θ of 180 ° or more is obtained centering on the position where the omnidirectional camera 4 is arranged. Therefore, by visually recognizing the image data captured by the omnidirectional camera 4, it is possible to obtain a wide field of view region that cannot be obtained by the side mirror 5 alone.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), a wide field of view can be obtained in the vertical direction by the image data taken by the omnidirectional camera 4, which is 10 ° above and below the horizontal direction. Viewing area n with a viewing angle φ over 80 °
Can be obtained. Therefore, the omnidirectional camera 4 can expand the field of view not only on the left and right sides of the vehicle but also in the vertical direction. In particular, the field-of-view area below the field-of-view area n in the horizontal direction is a conventional CCD.
This is a field of view that cannot be obtained with a camera.

In this way, the omnidirectional image data obtained by the omnidirectional camera 4 is converted into a converted image desired by the driver, such as a panoramic image or a perspective image, and is displayed in front of the driver. Displayed in section 9.

Next, the optical system 4a such as the convex rotary mirror used in the omnidirectional camera 4 will be described.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the configuration of a hyperboloidal mirror as a convex rotary mirror that is the optical system 4a used in the omnidirectional camera 4.

The hyperboloidal mirror shown in FIG. 6 has an X axis and a Y axis which are orthogonal to each other on a horizontal plane and a Z axis which is orthogonal to the horizontal plane.
In two-dimensional hyperboloids obtained by rotating a hyperbola about the Z axis about the Z axis in a three-dimensional space about the axis, one of the two is represented by Z> 0, and (X ² + Y ² ) is represented by ^{/ a 2 -Z 2 / b 2} = -1 c 2 = a 2 + b 2. The hyperboloidal mirror 4a is configured by forming a mirror surface on the entire surface of the hyperboloidal surface thus represented.

In the above equation, a and b are constants determined by the shape of the hyperboloid of the hyperboloid mirror,
c shows the focal point of the biplane hyperboloid. Conversion information such as the above equation and constants related to this equation are stored in advance in a conversion information storage unit 7 described later.

In this hyperboloidal mirror, the origin O is sandwiched,
The light has two focal points F1 and F2 at the position of the distance c, and the light traveling from the outside of the hyperboloid to the focal point F1 on the hyperboloid side is reflected by the hyperboloid mirror and emitted from which direction. All of the light has the feature of going to the other focus F2.

Therefore, the light receiving surface of the image pickup lens 4b is
By aligning the rotation axis (Z-axis) of the hyperboloidal mirror with the optical axis of the image pickup lens of the image pickup unit 4b, and by arranging the first principal point of the image pickup lens at the position of the other focus F2, the projection An image similar to that in a state in which the one focus F1 is directed in the entire visual field direction is obtained on the image capturing unit 4b which captures the light reflected by the mold rotating body mirror.

In the image pickup section 4b, the image projected on the hyperboloidal mirror is picked up as omnidirectional image data by a solid-state image pickup device including a protective glass, a CCD camera, a CMOS and the like.

Next, the configuration of the vehicle periphery display device of the present invention will be sequentially described again with reference to FIG.

The control unit 1 is, for example, a CP of a computer.
It is composed of U, MPU and the like. The program memory 2 is composed of, for example, ROM, RPROM, flash memory, hard disk, and the like.

The program memory 2 uses two omnidirectional cameras 4 incorporated in two mirror devices 5 respectively provided on both sides of the vehicle so as to project the rear of both sides of the vehicle, An omnidirectional image captured by each omnidirectional camera 4 by an image data conversion unit 6 described later, as well as having a program for capturing left and right side and bottom images of the vehicle as omnidirectional image data. A program for converting data into image data of a preset display form, and a display control unit 10 described later.
And a program for displaying the converted converted image data on the screen of the display unit 9 provided in front of the driver's seat of the vehicle. The control unit 1 controls each configuration of the omnidirectional camera 4, the image data conversion unit 6, the display unit 9, and the like by executing such various programs.

The buffer memory 3 is composed of, for example, a RAM, and updates and stores various data controlled by the control unit 1.

The image data conversion section 6 stores, for example, an image data conversion program. The conversion information storage unit 7 is composed of, for example, a ROM, an EPROM, a flash memory, a hard disk, and the like, and converts the omnidirectional image data imaged by the optical system 4a such as a convex rotating body mirror into a converted image. The conversion information including the relational expressions and constants necessary for storing is stored.

Under the control of the control unit 1, the image data conversion unit 6 inputs the omnidirectional image data imaged by each omnidirectional camera 4 as input image data and stores the input image data in the conversion information storage unit 7. Based on the converted information, the image is converted into an image of a desired display form such as panoramic image data and perspective image data.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram for explaining a method of converting omnidirectional image data taken by the omnidirectional camera 4 into a panoramic image. FIG. 7A shows an omnidirectional image taken by the omnidirectional camera 4. The azimuth image data 31 is shown in FIG.
(B) shows the ring-shaped image data 3 during the process in which the image data conversion unit 6 cuts the omnidirectional image data into a panoramic image based on the conversion information stored in the converted image storage unit 7.
2 and FIG. 7C shows the ring-shaped image data 32.
Further, the rectangular panoramic image data 33 converted based on the conversion information stored in the converted image storage unit 7 is shown.

In FIG. 7A, the point P (r, θ) is
The pixel shown by the polar coordinate on the omnidirectional image data is shown. A point P (X, Y) in FIG. 7C indicates a pixel indicated by XY coordinates. This point P (X, Y) is
It corresponds to the point P (r, θ) indicated by the polar coordinates,
This indicates that when the point P (r, θ) on the omnidirectional image data is converted to the panoramic image, it is converted to the point P (X, Y) on the panoramic image. Also, P0 (r0, θ0)
Indicates a reference point when omnidirectional image data is cut into a panoramic image.

The omnidirectional image data photographed by the omnidirectional camera 4 is a circular image, which is actually difficult to see in order to obtain accurate visual information. Therefore, the circular image is displayed on the screen of the display unit 9. The omnidirectional image data which is an image is not displayed as it is, but this omnidirectional image data is converted into a converted image such as a panoramic image or a perspective image and displayed on the screen of the display unit 9. However, the details of the method for converting omnidirectional image data into perspective image data are described in JP-A-6-29.
As described in detail in Japanese Patent No. 5333, here,
Reference will be made to the conversion method described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-295333, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The panoramic image data converted by the image data conversion unit 6 is attached while the omnidirectional camera 4 is housed in the holding unit 5d adjacent to the casing 5b of the mirror device 5 such as a side mirror. In this case, the field of view imaged by the omnidirectional camera 4 is restricted by the housing 5b as an obstacle, and therefore the area actually imaged by the omnidirectional image data is substantially as shown in FIG. It becomes an area of 180 °. Therefore, the omnidirectional image data is actually semicircular image data having a field of view of about 180 ° centered on the coordinate O (X0, Y0), and the panorama converted by cutting the circular image is opened. The image data is image data whose horizontal axis is approximately half.

The image data storage section 8 is composed of, for example, a RAM. The image data storage unit 8 is an area for sequentially updating and storing the omnidirectional image data captured by each omnidirectional camera 4 driven by the control of the control unit 1 in a frame unit and a panoramic image converted by the image data conversion unit 6. An area for storing converted image data such as data and perspective image data is provided.

The display section 9 is composed of an image display device such as an LCD (liquid crystal display) or a PD (plasma display).

The display unit 9 is installed at a desired position such as a position close to the rearview mirror installed in front of the driver's seat, a position below the rearview mirror, or a position adjacent to the steering wheel.

The display unit 9 may be configured to be shared with the display unit of the car navigation system.
In this case, the map information obtained by the car navigation system can be displayed on the same screen as the image information taken by the omnidirectional camera 4.

When the display unit 9 is configured to share the display unit of the car navigation system,
The information displayed on the same screen as the image information of the display unit 9 is not limited to the above map information, and other multipurpose information can be displayed on the screen to further improve the convenience of the display unit 9. Can be improved.

The display control unit 10 stores, for example, a display control program. The display unit 9 displays converted images such as panoramic image data and perspective image data converted from omnidirectional image data based on a display control program stored in the display control unit 10.

The display range designating section 11 is provided with a structure capable of designating the display range from the image data displayed on the screen of the display section 9, for example, a key switch and a touch panel formed on the screen. When the display range is designated by the display range designating unit 11, the display control unit 10 enlarges and displays the image data of the designated display range.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an example of displaying image data on the display unit 9 installed in front of the driver's seat.

As shown in FIG. 8, the display section 9 has a screen section 90 formed by a liquid crystal display device or the like over substantially the entire width direction of the display section 9, and the screen section 90 is Left image area 90a and right image area 90
The two image areas of b are provided by dividing the screen portion 90 into two parts from the center portion thereof. In each of the image areas 90a and 90b, converted image data obtained by converting omnidirectional image data captured by the omnidirectional cameras 4 arranged on the left side and the right side of the vehicle into a panoramic image, a perspective image, etc. are displayed. It

A key switch, which is the display range designation unit 11, is provided below the screen unit 90. By operating this key switch, the screen is displayed on the screen unit 90 as necessary. It is possible to specify a desired area of the image, move the image data displayed on the display unit 9 vertically or horizontally, and enlarge and display a necessary portion of the display unit 9.

The driving operation detecting section 12 is a steering wheel of the vehicle,
It is provided to detect a change in the direction indicator or the like to detect the operation direction of the vehicle, and is configured by, for example, an encoder, a magnetic sensor, or the like.

The driving information generating section 13 includes the driving operation detecting section 1
The driving information such as the traveling direction of the vehicle is generated according to the detection result detected by 2. This driving information generation unit 13
Stores a driving information generation program for generating driving information and also has a driving information storage unit that stores the generated driving information.

The driving information generation unit 13 is the driving operation detection unit 12
When the driving information is generated based on the detection result of, the display control unit 10 that controls the display unit 9 displays the image data showing the left side and the lower side of the vehicle or the vehicle based on the generated driving information. Image data showing the right side and the lower side thereof is displayed on the screen of the display unit 9.

As a result, when the driver operates the steering wheel or the turn signal while driving, a desired field of view is displayed without performing an operation to instruct which field of view of the vehicle is displayed as image data. Since it is displayed on the section 9, it is possible to further improve safety.

Here, when the image data is displayed on the screen of the display unit 9 based on the driving information thus generated, the left side of the vehicle and the lower side of the vehicle are displayed on the entire screen of the display unit 9. The projected image may be enlarged and displayed.

For example, when the vehicle is being driven at high speed, when the right turn indicator is operated, the driving information generator 13 drives the vehicle to the right based on the detection result of the driving operation detector. The driving information is generated and the visual information of the right rear portion of the vehicle is displayed on the entire display unit 9 based on the driving information. Similarly, when the left turn indicator is operated, the visual information on the left rear is displayed on the display unit 9.
The rear lower side of the passenger seat side is projected on the display unit 9 when the driver puts it in the back gear.

Further, for example, when the driver pulls the vehicle toward the roadside or puts the vehicle in the garage, the driving information generation unit 13 determines the operation direction of the vehicle based on the detection result of the driving operation detection unit 12. Driving information is generated, and based on this driving information, visual information on the right rear or left rear of the vehicle is displayed on the entire display unit 9.

In this case, since the vehicle is not operated at a high speed, the driver may directly specify the display range by the display range specifying unit 11.

The moving body detecting section 14 stores a moving body detecting program for detecting a moving body. Under the control of the control unit 1, the moving body detection unit 14 pattern-matches the omnidirectional image data that is sequentially stored in the image data storage unit 8 and is sequentially updated on a frame-by-frame basis. Detects data misalignment,
A moving body approaching the vehicle is detected based on the detection result.

The operation of detecting the approach of the moving body will be described in more detail. When the omnidirectional image data is sequentially stored in the image data storage unit 8 on a frame-by-frame basis, the moving object detection unit 14 calculates an inter-frame difference binarized image for the omnidirectional image data, The presence or absence of the moving body is detected based on the calculation result. When the presence of the moving body is detected, pattern registration is performed for the moving body, and then the movement of the moving body is detected at the same time as the movement of the moving body is detected by performing pattern matching between the registered pattern and the frame sequentially. The registered patterns are sequentially updated in response to changes in the patterns accompanying the movement.

The moving body speed measuring unit 15 stores a moving body speed measuring program and has a structure for measuring the speed of the moving body, for example, an interface for taking in speed data of a speedometer provided in advance in the vehicle. is doing. In the moving body speed measuring unit 15, by the control of the control unit 1,
The speed of the moving body is measured with reference to the speed data of the speedometer.

The alarm output unit 16 is composed of, for example, a speaker, a voice signal conversion circuit, an alarm information storage unit, etc., and the moving body detecting unit 14 approaches a vehicle at a speed higher than a predetermined speed (for example, a moving body approaching from the rear). (Another vehicle that operates), an alarm sound and alarm information are output.

The communication section 17 is composed of, for example, an antenna for transmitting a radio signal, a modem (signal modulation / demodulation device), a radio signal conversion circuit, a communication circuit connection circuit and the like. The communication unit 17 is also operated while the vehicle detection unit 14 is stopped, and detects a moving body (for example, a suspicious person) that is abnormally approaching the vicinity of the stopped vehicle for a predetermined time. In this case, under the control of the control unit 1, the image data of the detected moving object is included in the alarm information and transmitted to the terminal device 30 of the vehicle owner via the communication line 40.

Next, the operation of the vehicle periphery display device 20 of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In the following description of the operation, the case where the vehicle surroundings display device 20 of the present invention is incorporated in the side mirrors on both sides of the vehicle will be described.

First, as shown in step S1 of FIG. 9, a power source (not shown) is turned on to display the vehicle surroundings display device 2
Start 0.

Next, in step S2, the image projected on the optical system 4a such as each convex rotary mirror is picked up by the image pickup section 4b of each of the left and right omnidirectional cameras 4 as omnidirectional image data.

Next, in step S3, the omnidirectional image data captured by each omnidirectional camera 4 is sequentially updated and stored in the image data storage unit 8 in units of frames.

Next, in step S4, the omnidirectional image data imaged by the omnidirectional camera 4 by the image data conversion unit 6 is converted into both sides of the vehicle and the omnidirectional image data based on the conversion information stored in the conversion information storage unit 7. It is converted into converted image data such as panoramic image data or perspective image data showing the lower side.

Next, in step S5, the driving operation detection unit 12 determines whether or not the vehicle is traveling. If it is determined that the vehicle is traveling, the next step S
If it is determined that the vehicle is not running, proceed to step 6.
The process proceeds to step S21 shown in FIG.

First, the case where the vehicle is traveling will be described.

When it is determined in step 5 that the vehicle is traveling, the driving information generating section 13 determines in step S6.
Driving information such as a course change is generated based on a detection result obtained by detecting a change in a steering wheel, a direction indicator, or the like by the driving operation detection unit 12.

Next, in step S7, it is determined from the driving information generated by the driving information generating section 13 whether the vehicle is traveling straight ahead. If the vehicle is traveling straight, step S
10. If the vehicle is not traveling straight ahead in step 10, step S8
Proceed to.

If the vehicle is not traveling straight, step S8
Then, the display control unit 10 determines which of the omnidirectional image data captured by the omnidirectional cameras 4 provided on both sides of the vehicle based on the driving information generated by the driving information generating unit 13. Whether to display the image data on the display unit 9 is determined based on the omnidirectional image data.

Next, in step S9, the display control unit 10
The converted image such as the panoramic image data and the fluoroscopic image data on the side determined by is enlarged and displayed on the entire screen of the display unit 9.

If the vehicle is traveling straight in step S7 or if the vehicle is not traveling straight in step S7, the converted image is displayed on the display unit 9 through steps S7 to S8.
If the entire screen is enlarged and displayed, step S
At 10, the display control unit 10 determines whether or not a desired display range is designated by the display range designation unit 11 that designates which part of the image data displayed on the display unit 9 is to be displayed. To do. If the display range is designated, the process proceeds to step S11, and if the display range is not designated, the process proceeds to step S12.

If the display range is specified, step S
At 11, the image data conversion unit 6 converts the specified display range into a converted image such as panoramic image data and perspective image data, and displays the converted image on the screen of the display unit 9.

Next, in step S12, other information such as multipurpose information including a road map is displayed on the screen of the display unit 9.

Next, in step S13, the moving body detection unit 14 detects whether there is a moving body approaching the vehicle at a speed higher than a predetermined speed. When the moving body which approaches is detected, it progresses to step S14, and when a moving body is not detected, it returns to step S2.

In this step S13, the moving body detection unit 1
5 detects the image data detected by the pattern matching of the omnidirectional image data updated and stored in the image data storage unit 8 before and after frame by frame, and further, based on the detection result, the moving body speed measuring unit 15
Measures the detected speed of the moving body with reference to a vehicle speedometer provided in the vehicle.

Next, in step S14, the alarm output unit 1
An alarm sound and alarm information are output by 6, and step S
Return to 2.

Next, the operation of the vehicle periphery display device of the present invention when the vehicle is not traveling in step S5 will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG.

If it is determined in step S5 in the slow chart shown in FIG. 9 that the vehicle is not running, the vehicle surroundings display device 20 is controlled in step S21 so as to continue the operation even when the vehicle is stopped. It is determined whether the control program of the section 1 is set. If the operation is set to continue even while the vehicle is driving, the process proceeds to step S22, and step S of the flowchart shown in FIG.
Return to 2.

Next, in step S22, the moving body detection unit 14 determines whether or not a moving body that has approached the vicinity of the vehicle for a predetermined time or longer is detected. When the moving body is detected, the process proceeds to step S23, and when the moving body is not detected, the process returns to step S2 shown in FIG.

Next, in step S23, the alarm output unit 16 outputs an alarm sound in order to inform the owner of the vehicle that the vehicle has approached the vicinity of the vehicle.

Next, in step S24, the communication unit 17 sends alarm information including the detected image data of the moving body to the external terminal device 30 which is connected in advance by the communication unit 17 to the terminal device 3.
Send to 0.

Next, in step S25, the detected image data of the moving body is stored in the image data storage unit 9, and the process returns to step S2 shown in FIG.

By performing the operations through the above-described steps, the driver in the vehicle can move the omnidirectional camera 4
With this, omnidirectional image data for projecting the rear sides of the vehicle can be acquired as image information. The omnidirectional image data is converted into a converted image such as a panoramic image or a fluoroscopic image desired by the driver of the vehicle by the image data conversion unit 6 and displayed on the display unit 9, and the image displayed on the display unit 9 is displayed. By visually recognizing the data, the driver of the vehicle can accurately grasp the situation around the vehicle.

Therefore, the driver of the vehicle can further improve the safety of running the vehicle by visually recognizing the image presented by the image surrounding display device 20 of the present invention. Further, since the vehicle surroundings display device 20 of the present invention can acquire a wide range of visual information about the surroundings of the vehicle, particularly the visual information of the lower portion of the vehicle, the display unit 9 of the vehicle surroundings display device 20 is visually recognized. This will prevent wheel loss when the vehicle is approaching the edge of the road, and
When the vehicle is put in the garage, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from coming into contact with the wall of the garage and the like, and also to prevent the vehicle from deviating from the running path when the vehicle is traveling.

The vehicle periphery display device 20 of the present invention is
With the omnidirectional camera 4, the maximum perimeter of the vehicle is 36
Since it is possible to capture an image of the field of view of 0 °, it is not necessary to provide a rotation mechanism for enabling rotation of the image capturing means that captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle, a control mechanism attached to the rotation mechanism, and the like. The configuration for capturing an image is simple, low cost, and excellent in durability.

[0122]

According to the vehicle periphery display device of the present invention, omnidirectional image data for projecting the rear sides of the vehicle can be obtained as image information by the omnidirectional camera provided on the side of the vehicle. This omnidirectional image data is converted by the image data conversion unit into a converted image such as a panoramic image or a perspective image desired by the driver of the vehicle and displayed on the display unit. By visually recognizing the image data displayed on, it is possible to accurately grasp the situation around the vehicle. Therefore, the driver of the vehicle can further improve the safety of vehicle traveling by visually recognizing the image presented by the image surrounding display device of the present invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a state in which an omnidirectional camera according to the present invention is incorporated in a mirror device, and FIG. 2A shows a state in which an omnidirectional camera is incorporated in a mirror device mounted on the right side of a vehicle. 2A is a plan view, FIG. 2B is a side view seen from the right side of FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2C is a side view seen from the rear of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which an omnidirectional camera is held by a holding unit of a mirror device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing another example in which an omnidirectional camera is held by a holding unit of a mirror device.

FIG. 5 shows a field of view that can be obtained by a driver in a vehicle when the omnidirectional camera according to the present invention is attached to side mirrors attached to both sides of the vehicle, and FIG. Shows a plan view, and FIG. 5 (b) shows a front view.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a configuration of a hyperboloidal mirror as a convex rotary mirror that is an optical system used in an omnidirectional camera.

7A is an omnidirectional image data imaged by an omnidirectional camera, FIG. 7B is a ring-shaped image data in the process of cutting the omnidirectional image data into a panoramic image, and FIG. c) shows panoramic image data.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing an example of displaying image data on a display unit installed in front of a driver's seat.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the vehicle surrounding display device of the present invention when the vehicle is not traveling.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a field-of-view area and a blind spot area which cannot be visually recognized as a blind spot of the vehicle by providing a side mirror and a rear-view mirror, respectively. .

FIG. 12 is a side view from the right side of the vehicle showing a field of view that can be visually recognized by a driver who is in a driver's seat of the vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 control unit 2 Program memory 3 buffer memory 4 Omnidirectional camera 4a Optical system 4b Imaging unit 5 mirror device 5a Fender mirror (side mirror) 5b housing 5c mounting part 5d holding part 6 Image data converter 7 Conversion information storage 8 Image data storage 9 Display 10 Display control unit 11 Display range specification section 12 Driving operation detector 13 Operation information generator 14 Moving object detector 15 Mobile body speed measurement unit 16 Alarm output section 17 Communications Department 18 bus

Front page continuation (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) G06T 3/00 400 G06T 3/00 400J 7/00 300 7/00 300E 7/20 7/20 A H04N 5/225 H04N 5/225 CDF Term (reference) 5B057 BA13 CA08 CA13 CA16 CB06 CB08 CB13 CB16 CD01 CD11 CE10 CH11 DA02 DA06 DA15 DB02 DB08 DC33 DC39 5C022 AA04 AC01 AC18 AC69 5C054 AA01 CA04 CG02 CH01 DA07 EA01 EA30 FE03 EA03 EA05 EA03 FC05 5L096 AA06 BA04 CA05 DA03 EA43 GA08 HA03 HA07 KA15 LA05

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. An optical system for reflecting light incident from a visual field area having a maximum circumference of 360 ° in a predetermined direction, and an image pickup section for picking up reflected light reflected by the optical system to obtain omnidirectional image data. And an omnidirectional camera provided on the side of the vehicle, an image data conversion unit that converts omnidirectional image data captured by the omnidirectional camera into image data in a preset display form, and A vehicle surrounding display device comprising: a display unit which is provided in the vicinity of a driver and which displays the converted image data converted by the image data conversion unit. 2. The vehicle surroundings display device according to claim 1, wherein the omnidirectional cameras are provided on each of left and right side portions of the vehicle. 3. The vehicle surrounding display device according to claim 1, wherein the omnidirectional camera is attached to a front end portion of a mirror device provided on each of left and right side portions of the vehicle. 4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the omnidirectional cameras are attached to respective tip portions of side mirrors provided on both sides of the vehicle near a driver's seat and a passenger's seat, respectively. Surrounding display device. 5. The vehicle surroundings display device according to claim 1, wherein the omnidirectional cameras are attached to respective front end portions of fender mirrors provided on a vehicle side fender. 6. The vehicle surrounding display device according to claim 1, wherein the omnidirectional camera is incorporated inside the mirror device. 7. The vehicle surrounding display device according to claim 1, wherein an optical system of the omnidirectional camera is configured by a convex rotating body mirror having a paraboloidal shape or a hyperboloidal shape. . 8. The image data conversion unit converts omnidirectional image data captured by the omnidirectional camera into panoramic image data or perspective image data.
7. The vehicle surrounding display device according to any one of to 7. 9. A driving operation detecting unit for detecting a driving operation of the vehicle by detecting an operation of a steering wheel, a turn signal indicator, etc. provided on the vehicle, and a driving operation detecting unit for the vehicle based on a detection result by the driving operation detecting unit. A driving information generation unit that generates driving information including a traveling direction, and a display control unit that controls an image displayed on the display unit based on the driving information generated by the driving information generation unit are further included. The vehicle surrounding display device according to any one of claims 1 to 8. 10. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the display section displays multi-purpose information including a road map on a screen together with the converted image data converted by the image data converting section. Surrounding display device. 11. A display range designating unit for designating a desired display range in the converted image displayed on the screen of the display unit, the display range designating unit designating on the screen of the display unit. The image data of the displayed range is enlarged and displayed,
The vehicle surroundings display device according to claim 1. 12. An image data storage unit for sequentially updating and storing the omnidirectional image data captured by the omnidirectional camera in frame units, and each of the image data storage units that are updated and stored sequentially in frame units. The moving body detected by the moving body detection unit is referred to by referring to the moving body detection unit that detects the moving body approaching the vehicle by pattern matching the omnidirectional image data and the vehicle speedometer provided in the vehicle. When a moving body speed measuring unit that measures the moving speed and a moving body speed measured by the moving body speed measuring unit approach the vehicle at a speed equal to or higher than a predetermined value, an alarm or warning information is displayed. The vehicle surrounding display device according to claim 1, further comprising: an alarm output unit that outputs the alarm output unit. 13. A communication unit is further provided, which communicates with a predetermined external terminal device to transmit various kinds of information, and the moving body detection unit is set to operate even after the vehicle is stopped. When the moving body detection unit detects a moving body that has approached the vicinity of the vehicle for a predetermined time or longer, an alarm sound is output from the alarm output unit and image data of the detected moving body is output by the communication unit. 13. The vehicle surroundings display device according to claim 12, wherein alarm information including is sent to the terminal device, and the image data storage unit stores the image data sent to the terminal device. 14. An optical system having an optical system for reflecting light incident from a visual field area having a maximum circumference of 360 ° in a predetermined direction, and an image capturing section for capturing reflected light reflected by the optical system to obtain omnidirectional image data. An omnidirectional camera is provided on the side of the vehicle, and the omnidirectional image data including the side and the lower part of the vehicle captured by the omnidirectional camera is used to convert to converted image data of a preset display form. Then, the converted image data is displayed on a display unit provided in the vicinity of the driver of the vehicle. 15. A vehicle surroundings display program for executing the vehicle surroundings displaying method according to claim 14.