JP2004350228A - Nighttime rear visual field support system for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a nighttime rear visual field support system for a vehicle in which a field of view on the rear side of the vehicle can be sharply secured over a wide range at nighttime. <P>SOLUTION: While driving a vehicle at nighttime, the rear side of the vehicle is irradiated with infrared rays from a back light, and the rear scenery irradiated with the infrared rays is imaged with an infrared camera 2. The captured image is projected on a rear window 8 by a head-up display device 3. A driver can watch the image which is projected on the rear window 8, through a room mirror 9. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a night vision support system for vehicles (Night Vision (registered trademark)).
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a night vision support system for a vehicle has been used in order to secure a view ahead of a vehicle at night. In this method, infrared rays are emitted in front of a vehicle, infrared rays from an object illuminated by the infrared rays, or infrared rays emitted by the object itself are imaged by an infrared camera, and a camera image of the object is displayed on a display. Things. With this device, the visibility ahead of the vehicle at night can be ensured clearly over a wide range.
[0003]
On the other hand, as a vehicle display device for confirming the background behind the vehicle, a head-up display in which information such as a distance to a rear object is displayed on a rearview mirror (room mirror) of an automobile so as to be superimposed on the rear background. There is a device (for example, see Patent Document 1). Further, as a similar display device, there is a display device that captures an image of a background behind a vehicle with a camera and displays the background in front of a driver with a head-up display (for example, see Patent Document 2).
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2-238427
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-7-290995
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In nighttime driving of the vehicle, it is necessary to ensure not only the field of view in front of the vehicle but also the field of view behind the vehicle for safe driving. However, as described above, conventionally, a nighttime distant view support system for a vehicle has been used for securing a view ahead of the vehicle at night. Further, the above-described display device that displays the background behind the vehicle does not particularly consider securing the rear view at night.
[0007]
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a nighttime rear view support system for a vehicle, which can ensure a wide and clear view behind the vehicle at night.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, an irradiating means (1) for irradiating infrared rays to the rear of the vehicle, and an imaging for imaging a background behind the vehicle irradiated with the infrared rays by the irradiating means (1) Means (2) and display means (3) for displaying an image picked up by the image pick-up means (2). The display means (3) displays the image on the rear window (8), and the rearview mirror (9) ), The driver can visually recognize the image projected on the rear window (8).
[0009]
By irradiating infrared rays to the rear of the vehicle in this way, an image of the background behind the vehicle picked up by the infrared camera is projected on the rear window, and the driver can see it through the rearview mirror, so that the driver can view the image at night. When the vehicle is driving the vehicle, the driver's rear view of the vehicle can be widely and clearly secured.
[0010]
Further, the invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the display area (13) of the image displayed on the rear window (8) is located at the periphery of the rear window (8).
[0011]
In this case, the angle of the rearview mirror is adjusted so that the driver can view the image projected on the rear window. Thereby, when the driver looks at the rearview mirror, it is possible to minimize visibility of the field of view behind the vehicle. As a result, glare of the headlights of the following vehicle can be reduced.
[0012]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the room mirror (9) is configured by a concave mirror.
[0013]
Thus, when the image displayed on the rear window is small, the driver can enlarge and view the image.
[0014]
It should be noted that reference numerals in parentheses of the above-described units are examples showing the correspondence with specific units described in the embodiments described later.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
(1st Embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a configuration of a nighttime rear view support system for a vehicle in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 shows a front view of the rear of the vehicle.
[0016]
The nighttime rear view support system for a vehicle according to the present embodiment has a configuration including a backlight 1 as infrared irradiation means, an infrared camera 2 as imaging means, and a head-up display device 3 as display means. .
[0017]
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the backlight 1 which is a rear lamp of the vehicle has a function of irradiating infrared rays. One infrared camera 2 is installed at the center of the rear bumper 4, captures an image of the background behind the vehicle, and outputs a video signal to the head-up display device 3. Thus, at the night, the backlight 1 irradiates the rear of the vehicle with infrared light, and the infrared camera 2 can capture the background behind the vehicle irradiated with the infrared light.
[0018]
The head-up display device 3 includes an image processing driver 5, a liquid crystal display panel 6, and a combiner unit 7, as shown in FIG. The liquid crystal display panel 6 is arranged near the rear window 8. The combiner 7 is formed by forming a reflection film on the rear window 8. The image processing driver 5 performs a predetermined process on an image obtained from the infrared camera 2. This predetermined process is, for example, a process of adjusting the contrast between light and dark, as described below.
[0019]
When a display device as described in the section of the related art is used, so-called halation occurs due to the headlight light of the following vehicle, and on the image displayed on the display, the driver views the background of the rear portion of the vehicle. There are times when it cannot be recognized. This is because when the object to be imaged has high luminance, the low-luminance object adjacent to the high-luminance object is hidden by the luminance of the high-luminance object on the display, and the high-luminance object This is because the display luminance difference between the object and the low-luminance target object is not sufficient, and it is difficult for a person to distinguish and recognize the two.
[0020]
Therefore, for example, when the signal level of the luminance signal separated from the video signal from the infrared camera 2 is set to 10 levels, the display luminance level is set to 100% with respect to the signal level in the range of the 10th level of the maximum luminance. With respect to the signal level in the ninth stage, the display luminance level is reduced to 70 to 90%.
[0021]
As a result, the luminance signal of the highest luminance (10th level) is not reduced in display luminance, is displayed with the same magnification characteristic, and the luminance signal of the ninth level which is lower than that in the high luminance range. , The display brightness can be reduced. As a result, in the image displayed on the display, the effect of halation occurring in the range of the highest luminance is reduced, and the low-luminance image adjacent to the high-luminance image is separated, so that the driver can recognize the image. .
[0022]
The image captured by the infrared camera 2 is image-processed by the image processing driver 5 in this manner, displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 6, and projected from the liquid crystal display panel 6 to the combiner unit 7. Then, when the driver views the rear window 8 through the room mirror 9, the driver can visually recognize the virtual image 10 displayed by being reflected by the combiner unit 7.
[0023]
In this embodiment, as described above, the rear window 8 is made into a screen, information from the infrared camera 2 is displayed on the rear window 8, and this image can be captured by the room mirror 9. The room mirror 9 is a general mirror mounted on a vehicle, and is configured by a plane mirror or a convex mirror.
[0024]
Here, FIG. 3 shows the rear window 8 as viewed through the room mirror 9. As shown in FIG. 3, when the driver looks at the rear background of the vehicle through the rearview mirror 9, the rear background 11 of the vehicle and the trunk portion 12 of the vehicle can be seen through the rear window 8.
[0025]
In the present embodiment, the image captured by the infrared camera 2 is displayed so as to overlap the trunk portion 12 of the vehicle when the driver looks at the rear background through the interior mirror 9. That is, the position of the display area 13 of the image projected on the rear window 8 is the lower center part of the rear window 8 and the position where the trunk 12 of the vehicle can be seen. The size of the display area 13 of the image projected on the rear window 8 is such that it overlaps the trunk portion 12 seen through the room mirror 9.
[0026]
Since the image captured by the infrared camera 2 is displayed in the lower portion of the rear window 8 in such a manner, when driving the vehicle at night, the rearview mirror 9 is positioned so that the lower portion of the rear window 8 is mainly visible. Adjust the angle.
[0027]
In the present embodiment, as described above, the infrared light is emitted from the backlight 1 to the rear of the vehicle during the nighttime driving of the vehicle, and the infrared-irradiated rear background is imaged by the infrared camera 2, and this image is taken. The image is projected on the rear window 8. Further, the image projected on the rear window 8 can be visually recognized by the driver through the rear-view mirror 9.
[0028]
This makes it possible to ensure a wide and clear rear view of the vehicle at night. As a result, it is possible to prevent an accident caused by poor visibility behind the vehicle during nighttime driving of the vehicle.
[0029]
According to the nighttime rear view support system for a vehicle according to the present embodiment, when the driver advances the vehicle forward and backward at night, the driver views the background behind the vehicle clearly through the room mirror 9 in a wide range. However, when the vehicle is made to travel backward, the driver can also drive directly while viewing the image displayed on the rear window 8 without using the rear-view mirror 9.
[0030]
In addition, since the image of the background behind the vehicle is displayed on the rear window 8, the fellow passenger can also see this image. Therefore, while the vehicle is driving, the passenger can see the information displayed on the rear window 8 by viewing the image displayed on the rear window 8, so that the passenger can encourage the driver to drive safely. Can be.
[0031]
Further, in the present embodiment, when the driver looks at the rear window 8 through the rearview mirror 9, the image captured by the infrared camera 2 is displayed so as to overlap the trunk of the vehicle. That is, the position of the image display area 13 in the rear window 8 is set to a position that does not overlap the rear background 11 when the driver looks at the rear window 8.
[0032]
Thus, by adjusting the angle of the rearview mirror 9 so that the image displayed on the rear window 8 can be mainly viewed, when the driver looks at the rearview mirror 9, it is possible to directly recognize the background behind the vehicle as much as possible. Can be suppressed. As a result, glare of the headlights of the following vehicle can be reduced.
[0033]
In addition, the position of the display area 13 of the image projected on the rear window 8 is not limited to the lower center of the rear window 8 but may be the peripheral portion of the rear window 8 from the viewpoint of suppressing the direct view of the background behind the vehicle. Any position may be used.
[0034]
(2nd Embodiment)
In the first embodiment, a case has been described in which a mirror constituted by a plane mirror or a convex mirror is used as the room mirror 9, but a mirror constituted by a concave mirror can also be used.
[0035]
Thereby, in the nighttime rear view support system for the vehicle in the first embodiment, the driver can view the virtual image 10 in an enlarged manner, and makes it easier to see the virtual image 10 as compared with the case where the room mirror 9 which is not a concave mirror is used. Can be.
[0036]
In addition, it is preferable to use the room mirror 9 constituted by the concave mirror as described above at night, but it is preferable to use the room mirror 9 constituted by a plane mirror or a convex mirror in the daytime so that the background behind the vehicle can be widely viewed. .
[0037]
Therefore, for example, a detachable concave mirror can be placed on the plane mirror or the convex mirror on the room mirror 9 composed of a plane mirror or a convex mirror. Alternatively, in a room mirror 9 composed of a plane mirror or a convex mirror, a mirror having a concave mirror on the back side of the plane mirror or the convex mirror is used. By rotating the room mirror 9, the state of the plane mirror or the convex mirror and the state of the concave mirror are obtained. And use them properly.
[0038]
(Other embodiments)
In each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the backlight 1 has an infrared irradiation function has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the backlight 1, and another vehicle rear lamp such as a rear fog may have an infrared irradiation function. Also, an infrared lamp can be separately mounted on the rear part of the vehicle.
[0039]
Further, in each of the embodiments described above, the case where one infrared camera 2 is installed at the center of the rear bumper 4 has been described. However, two infrared cameras 2 can be installed at both ends of the rear bumper 4. In addition, as long as the position behind the rear view of the vehicle can be captured, the infrared camera 2 can be arranged not only at the rear bumper 4 but also at another position such as an upper portion of the trunk portion 12.
[0040]
Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the size of the display area 13 of the image projected on the rear window 8 is large enough to overlap with the trunk unit 13 has been described. Is not limited to this, but can be larger. As an extreme example, an image may be displayed on the entire rear window 8.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a nighttime rear view support system for a vehicle.
FIG. 2 is a front view of a rear portion of the vehicle.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a rear window 8 as viewed from inside the vehicle.
[Explanation of symbols]
1. Backlight, 2. Infrared camera,
3: Head-up display device, 4: Rear bumper,
5 image processing driver, 6 liquid crystal display panel, 7 combiner section,
8 ... rear window, 9 ... room mirror, 10 ... virtual image,
11: Background behind the vehicle, 12: Trunk, 13: Image display area.

Claims (3)

Irradiating means (1) for irradiating infrared rays to the rear of the vehicle;
An imaging unit (2) for imaging a background behind the vehicle irradiated with infrared rays by the irradiation unit (1);
Display means (3) for displaying an image picked up by the image pickup means (2),
The image is displayed on a rear window (8) by the display means (3), so that a driver can visually recognize the image projected on the rear window (8) through a room mirror (9). Night vision support system for vehicles. The night rear view support system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the display area (13) of the image displayed on the rear window (8) is located in a peripheral portion of the rear window (8). . The night rear view support system for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the room mirror (9) is configured by a concave mirror.

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