JP2005278040A - Display device and method for indicating display direction - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display device and display direction indicating method for displaying a scene around a vehicle in an indicated direction by indicating the display direction without using an operation member, a switch or the like. <P>SOLUTION: This display device for displaying a scene around the vehicle by photographing a scene of 360° around the vehicle, acquires the image of the hands of a driver 11 by an image acquiring means 13, detects the direction of fingers from the image of the hands and segments a scene image in the direction of the fingers to display the scene image on a display device 10c. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a display device and a display direction instruction method, and more particularly to a display device that captures and displays a landscape around a vehicle and a display direction instruction method in the display device.

Display device for displaying the desired direction captures an image of vehicle surroundings 360 ⁰ has been proposed. Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram of a display device of the first prior art has been such proposed (see Patent Document 1), 360 ⁰ camera 2 captures 360 ⁰ images the roof portion of the vehicle 1 as shown in (A) And an image in the direction instructed by the driver is displayed. That is, an instruction via the constitute 360 ⁰ camera 2 to capture images in a predetermined direction, the image processing unit 4 by rotating the motor 2b of the camera 2a by operating the operation unit 3, as shown in (B) The image in the specified direction is displayed on the display unit 5.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the display device of the second prior art proposed above (see Patent Document 2). As shown in FIG. 8 (A), a plurality of cameras (six cameras in the figure) are arranged in the periphery of the vehicle 1. ) is provided 6 a to 6 f, by synthesizing the images captured by the plurality of cameras to capture images of 360 ^0, the display unit 9 by cutting the image in the direction in which the display range designation unit 8 in the image processing section 7 instructs indicate.
JP-A-5-97000 JP-A-6-321011

In the conventional vehicle peripheral display device, it is possible to capture an image of the vehicle periphery 360 ^0, so that can be displayed by selecting the image of the designated direction. However, the display direction instruction means of the first prior art changes the image display direction by operating the operation unit 3 and rotating the camera 2, and rotates the camera when a desired image is obtained while viewing the display image. Is to stop. Further, the display direction instruction means of the second prior art is provided with a switch corresponding to the display direction and displays an image in the instructed direction.
However, since the prior art indicates the direction using an operation member or a switch, there is a problem that it is difficult for the driver to determine the position in the desired direction and that the landscape in the desired direction cannot be displayed instantaneously. .
Further, since it is necessary to use an operation member or a switch to change the display direction during traveling, there is a problem in safe driving.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to be able to indicate a display direction without using an operation member or a switch.
Another object of the present invention is to make it possible to display a landscape in a desired direction instantly and to indicate the display direction without danger even when the vehicle is running.

According to the present invention, in the display device for photographing and displaying the scenery around the vehicle, the above-described problem is based on the photographing means for photographing the scenery around the vehicle, the image obtaining means for obtaining the image of the driver's hand, and the image of the hand. This is achieved by a display device including fingertip direction detecting means for detecting the fingertip direction and image processing means for cutting out and displaying a landscape image in the fingertip direction.
Further, according to the present invention, in the display direction indicating method in the display device that captures and displays the scenery around the vehicle, the image of the driver's hand is acquired using an image acquisition sensor, and the image of the hand is obtained. This is achieved by a display direction instruction method that detects the fingertip direction and determines the fingertip direction as the display direction.

  According to the present invention, the display direction is indicated by pointing the display direction, the fingertip direction is detected and determined as the display direction, and therefore the display direction can be determined without using an operation member or a switch. In addition, it is possible to instantly display a landscape in a desired direction, and to indicate the display direction without danger even during traveling.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a display direction instruction method according to the present invention. As shown in (A), an image acquisition device (spatial distance) that measures the distance to each surface position of the target object on the vehicle ceiling portion 12 above the driver 11 and acquires the image of the target object based on the distance. (Using a measurement sensor) 13 is provided, and an image of the hand 11a of the driver 11 is acquired by the image acquisition device 12 as shown in (B), and the fingertip direction of the finger 11b is detected by image processing. (B) is a partial schematic view of the interior of the vehicle, where 10 is a vehicle, 10a is a windshield, 10b is a dashboard, and 10c is a display device. A three-dimensional space 14 indicated by a dotted line is a range in which the distance measurement sensor of the image acquisition device 13 can detect a distance. In the three-dimensional space, the driver 11 indicates an arbitrary direction of 360 ^{0 with} a fingertip. The display unit 10c displays the detected landscape image in the fingertip direction.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the three-dimensional image acquisition apparatus 13, which is proposed in US Pat. No. 6,515,740. The light source 21 is configured by an LED or a laser diode, and is excited by a driving signal having a frequency of 200 MHz generated from the driving unit 22 to generate light having energy (cosωt) at the frequency toward the target object 24 through the lens 23. To do. The light energy reflected at each point on the surface of the target object 24 is focused on each pixel detector 26a to 26n of the sensor array 26 via the lens 25, and each pixel detector 26a to 26n reaches each point on the surface of the target object 24. Measure the distance. The three-dimensional image generation unit 27 acquires and outputs a three-dimensional image using the distances to the respective points on the surface of the target object 24 detected by the pixel detectors 26a to 26n.

In each of the pixel detectors 26a to 26n, the photosensor 31 generates an electrical signal corresponding to the focused light energy. This electric signal can be expressed by A · (cosωt + φ) having a phase difference φ corresponding to the distance with respect to the optical energy of cosωt emitted by the light source 21. The amplifier 32 amplifies the output signal of the photosensor 31, and the demodulator 33 multiplies the output signal A · (cosωt + φ) of the photosensor 31 by the light energy cosωt of the light source, and outputs a signal including the direct current component A · cosφ. . The low-pass filter 34 extracts the direct current component A · cos φ, and the phase difference detection unit 35 integrates the low-pass filter output to detect and output the phase difference φ. This phase difference φ is a phase difference corresponding to the distance Z from the light source to the target object 24. The distance Z is expressed by the following equation: Z = φC / 2ω = φC / 4πf
Can be calculated. C is the speed of light.

Figure 3 is a block diagram of a display device for displaying photographed scene of the vehicle around the present invention, 360 ⁰ camera 51 is prior art (FIG. 7, FIG. 8) the scenery of the vehicle 360 ⁰ in an equivalent way and The image is captured and input to the image processing unit 52. The three-dimensional image acquisition device 13 acquires a three-dimensional image of the driver's hand by the method described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 and inputs it to the fingertip direction detection processing unit 53. The fingertip direction detection processing unit 53 performs image processing using the three-dimensional image of the hand, detects the fingertip direction, and inputs it to the image processing unit 52. The image processing unit 52 a scenery image corresponding to the input direction, and displays the input to the display device 10c is cut out from the vehicle 360 ⁰ scenery image.

4 to 7 are direction instructions and display examples of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a case where the left front direction is pointed with the finger 11b as shown in FIG. This fingertip direction is detected instantaneously, and an image in the diagonally forward left direction, for example, an image of a cat running away is displayed on the display device 10c as shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 shows a case where the user points forward with the finger 11b as shown in FIG. This fingertip direction is detected instantaneously, and as shown in (B), an image in front of the vehicle, for example, an image of a ball rolling, is displayed on the display device 10c.
FIG. 6 shows a case where the backward direction is pointed with the finger 11b as shown in FIG. This fingertip direction is detected instantaneously, and an image behind the vehicle, for example, an image of a parking lot, is displayed on the display device 10c as shown in (B).
As described above, according to the present invention, it is only necessary to point the display direction, the direction of the fingertip direction can be detected and the scenery in the desired direction can be displayed instantaneously. The direction can be indicated.

It is explanatory drawing of the display direction instruction | indication method of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of a three-dimensional image acquisition apparatus. It is a block diagram of the display apparatus which image | photographs and displays the scenery around the vehicle of this invention. It is a direction instruction | indication and display example (left diagonally forward direction) of this invention. It is a direction instruction | indication and display example (front direction) of this invention. It is the direction instruction | indication and display example (backward direction) of this invention. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a display device of the first conventional technique. It is explanatory drawing of the display apparatus of a 2nd prior art.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle 10c Display apparatus 11 Driver 12 Vehicle ceiling part 13 Image acquisition apparatus 14 which acquires the image of a target object The range which an image acquisition apparatus can detect

Claims (2)

In the display device that captures and displays the scenery around the vehicle,
Photography means for photographing the scenery around the vehicle,
Image acquisition means for acquiring the image of the driver's hand,
Fingertip direction detection means for detecting the fingertip direction from the image of the hand,
Image processing means for cutting out and displaying a landscape image in the fingertip direction;
A display device comprising: In the display direction indication method in the display device that captures and displays the scenery around the vehicle,
Use the image acquisition sensor to acquire the image of the driver's hand,
Detect fingertip direction from the image of the hand,
Determining the fingertip direction as the display direction;
A display direction indicating method characterized by the above.

Images