JP2008157880A - Driving support device using on-board camera device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a driving support device capable of utilizing a landscape image photographed on a forward path for route selection or automobile guidance determination on a backward path, and solving the problem wherein, when a rolling shutter type CMOS area sensor is used for an on-board camera device, an image strain caused by a reading-out method is generated. <P>SOLUTION: A camera 110 loaded on the automobile images a backward landscape image in the traveling direction of the automobile by a global shutter type CMOS sensor 112. Each landscape image photographed by the camera 110 at each desired spot at a forward path traveling time of the automobile is recorded in a recording medium by a recorder 120. Thereafter, at a backward path traveling time of the automobile, a landscape image of a desired spot photographed at the forward path traveling time is reproduced from the recording medium at a fixed time before the desired spot, and displayed on a screen frame upper part 133a of a display 130, and upper surface chart information of a map of a traveling spot, a traveling position of the automobile or the like is displayed on a screen frame lower part 133b, to thereby enable comparison between both images, and to support driving. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a driving support device, and in particular, driving using an in-vehicle camera device that is useful for driving operations such as route selection and vehicle guidance using imaging information captured using an in-vehicle camera device using a CMOS area sensor. The present invention relates to a support device.

  FIG. 13 shows a schematic configuration diagram of an example of an in-vehicle camera device used in a conventional driving support device. In the figure, the in-vehicle camera device includes a camera 310 as an imaging device group and a processor 320 as a signal processing output device group. The camera 310 is a device that picks up an image of a subject such as a road and a landscape outside a car on which the vehicle camera device is mounted, and includes a lens 311, a mechanical shutter 312 and a rolling shutter type CMOS area sensor (hereinafter referred to as a rolling type CMOS sensor). ) 313.

  The lens 311 focuses incident light from the subject on a rolling CMOS sensor. The mechanical shutter 312 is provided to control the exposure time. The rolling CMOS sensor 313 photoelectrically converts incident light and outputs a video signal, which is an electrical signal obtained thereby, to the processor 320. The processor 320 performs predetermined signal processing on the input video signal and outputs it to the outside. This in-vehicle camera device is limited to uses such as garage monitoring.

  The camera 310 uses a rolling CMOS sensor 313 as a solid-state image sensor. This rolling type CMOS sensor is conventionally known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). For the sake of simplicity, this rolling COS sensor will be described together with a conceptual diagram including pixels P11 to P24 in 2 rows and 4 columns in FIG. 14A, for example, and pixels P11 to P14 in a certain row are sequentially turned from left to right. (Solid arrow I), when one line is read, the head returns to the beginning of the next line (broken line arrow II), and the pixels P21 to P24 in the next line are read again sequentially from left to right. The operation (solid arrow III) is repeated. Therefore, since the exposure process is performed for the first time when each pixel is selected, the signal acquisition times do not coincide with each other when all the pixels are read. When all the pixels of the CMOS sensor have been read, one picture has been read.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 14B, when a rectangular object 400 moving from left to right in the screen is photographed by a rolling CMOS area sensor, the photographed images have different photographing times in each row. As indicated by 401 in FIG. 3C, the rectangular object is distorted and becomes an image of a parallelogram. The example of FIG. 14 is a case where a moving subject (rectangular object 400) is photographed by a stationary rolling CMOS sensor, but a stationary subject is photographed by a moving CMOS sensor. In this case, the captured image is distorted as described above.

  Accordingly, as shown in the conceptual diagram of FIG. 15A, a rolling CMOS sensor mounted on an automobile that is traveling at high speed is a landscape image outside the vehicle (here, on the left side of the intersection in front of the tunnel frame 106). When a traffic signal 105s blinking, a road sign 105t on the right side of the intersection, a car 105c traveling from the left to the right at the intersection, and the like are captured, the captured image is as shown by a dotted line in FIG. The captured image is transformed into a diamond shape as shown in 105s ′, the captured image of the road sign 105t is transformed into 105t ′, and the photographed image of the automobile 105c is transformed into 105c ′.

  In particular, when the automobile 105c is traveling at a high speed or when a moving body that moves at high speed is a subject, the captured image is significantly distorted. In particular, when taking an image of a subject at a distant point with an enlarged zoom, the image is significantly distorted, so that the image information is not useful and clear for assisting vehicle guidance or driving operation. Therefore, it is difficult to provide a device that guides a car based on an image taken by a rolling CMOS sensor and supports a driving operation.

  Therefore, in the in-vehicle camera device used in the conventional driving support device, as shown in FIG. 13, the mechanical shutter 312 is provided in front of the incident light side of the rolling CMOS sensor 313, and the mechanical shutter 312 is provided for one frame period of all lines. The exposure process and the signal readout process are separated by sequentially reading out pixels one line at a time during the shutter open period and in the subsequent shutter close period, thereby reducing distortion of the captured image. Yes.

JP 2003-17677 A

  However, in a conventional in-vehicle camera device, for example, when a landscape with a large difference in brightness such as a point before and after a tunnel is photographed in bad weather, dusk or at night, the rolling CMOS sensor 313 constituting the in-vehicle camera device has a sufficient dynamic range. Recognizing traffic signs is a great deal of restriction because no photographic signal can be obtained, especially when moving at high speed, the focus blurring of the photographic image is significant, and an accurate photographic image of the subject cannot be obtained. There are problems such as.

  In addition, current on-vehicle multipurpose devices include a composite type of an audio device, a map device, and a display unit. However, the map device provides top view information on the map, but since the information is not three-dimensional information, it is insufficient as information for route selection or the like. Furthermore, the information of the map device is a ready-made medium, and it is difficult to immediately reflect the running information in the driving operation. As a result, the in-vehicle camera device has limited applications such as monitoring of garage entry, and is limited in incorporation into the driving support device.

  Further, since the in-vehicle camera device requires the mechanical shutter 312, the control is complicated, the number of parts is large, the entire device becomes large, and the power consumption is disadvantageous. For this reason, there is no example of a conventional driving support device in which a map device and a display unit are added to the in-vehicle camera device configured as shown in FIG.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an in-vehicle camera apparatus that can accurately support driving based on an accurate photographed image with almost no distortion and defocusing even in a place where a difference in light and darkness is large or a place where backlighting occurs. An object of the present invention is to provide a driving support device using the vehicle.

  Another object of the present invention is to record the image of the forward path such as the landmark of the designated point and the scenery photographed by the in-vehicle camera, and then reproduce and display it appropriately on the return path. It is to provide a driving support device using an in-vehicle camera device that supports driving operations such as route selection and vehicle guidance on the return path by interlocking.

  Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to make it possible to suitably perform recognition of traffic signs, selection of routes, and the like by comparing image information such as surrounding scenery and traffic signs previously captured with an in-vehicle camera with actual scenery. The object is to provide a driving support device using an in-vehicle camera device.

In order to achieve the above object, a driving support device using an in-vehicle camera device according to the present invention is mounted on an automobile, and a solid-state imaging device is used to detect a subject behind the automobile outside the automobile and in the direction opposite to the traveling direction. A driving support device using an in-vehicle camera device that performs driving support using a video signal output from at least a solid-state image sensor,
After the optical image of the subject is simultaneously exposed to the photoelectric conversion areas of a plurality of pixels and photoelectrically converted and accumulated in all the pixels, the charges accumulated during the exposure period are sequentially output as video signals from each pixel. With a global shutter type CMOS area sensor as a solid-state image sensor, an in-vehicle camera device that captures an object at one or more designated points in the rear of the vehicle while traveling on the road, and a global shutter type CMOS area sensor Recording / reproducing means for performing predetermined signal processing and outputting a video signal to a video signal of a photographed subject at a designated point and recording and reproducing the video signal subjected to the signal processing on a recording medium, and at least an automobile Map information that generates road map information between the travel point where the vehicle is currently traveling and the specified point, together with the image information of the travel point and the specified point The image of the video signal from the generating means and the recording / reproducing means is displayed in the first area, and the road map information generated by the map information generating means and the image information of the travel point and the designated point are displayed in the second area. The display means for displaying and the subject image of the designated point photographed by the in-vehicle camera device is reproduced from the recording medium by the recording / reproducing means when the vehicle is traveling in the reverse direction opposite to the outbound path and before reaching the designated point. Control means for displaying in the first area of the display means, and displaying the road map information in the vicinity of the designated point generated by the map information generating means and the image information of the driving point of the vehicle in the second area of the display means. And driving support in the return path is performed based on the imaging information of the forward path by the images displayed in the first and second areas of the display means.

  In the present invention, the subject image of the designated point taken by the in-vehicle camera device during the traveling of the automobile is recorded on the recording medium, and the above-mentioned recording medium is used to travel from the recording medium when traveling on the way before the designated point while the vehicle is traveling in the backward path. The image of the designated point is reproduced and displayed in the first area of the display means, and the road map information near the designated point generated by the map information generating means and the image information of the driving point of the vehicle are displayed on the display means. Since the information is displayed in the area 2, the driver can visually recognize the subject image of the designated point before the vehicle traveling on the return road reaches the designated point and can provide driving assistance.

  Further, in the present invention, since the global shutter type CMOS area sensor is used as the in-vehicle camera device, the subject image from the automobile traveling at a higher speed than in the case of using the rolling shutter type CMOS area sensor can be obtained with a wide dynamic range. In addition, it is possible to shoot without distortion due to movement.

  Further, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention acquires the latitude and longitude information of the designated point captured by the in-vehicle camera device from the map information generating unit while the vehicle is traveling on the road. The storage means for linking and storing the latitude and longitude information of the designated point and the recording location of the recording medium by the recording / reproducing means for the subject image at the designated point, and the vehicle information acquired from the map information generating means while the automobile is traveling on the return path Detecting means for detecting a point a predetermined distance before the traveling position of the vehicle reaches the designated point by comparing the latitude and longitude information during traveling with the longitude and latitude information of the designated point stored in the storage unit; The object image at the designated point is reproduced from the recording location of the recording medium stored in the storage means at the point detected by the detecting means and displayed in the first area of the display means. Characterized by being configured to have a means for displaying a road map information and the image information of the running point of the motor vehicle in the vicinity of the point detected by the detection means generated by the information generating means into a second region of the display means.

  In the present invention, when the vehicle is traveling in the backward direction, the traveling position is a point a predetermined distance before reaching the designated point where the subject image was captured during the forward traveling, and the road map information of the point and the image of the traveling point of the vehicle The information can be automatically displayed on the display unit together with the subject image near the designated point.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an on-vehicle camera device when the control means travels at a first point before reaching a designated point while the vehicle is traveling in a backward direction opposite to the forward path. The subject image of the designated point photographed by the above is reproduced from the recording medium by the recording / reproducing means and displayed in advance in the first area of the display means, and the road map information near the first point generated by the map information generating means and The image information of the travel point of the vehicle is displayed in advance in the second area of the display means, and when traveling on the second point after passing through the first point, before traveling to the designated point during the return trip A subject image of a designated point photographed by the camera device is reproduced from the recording medium by the recording / reproducing means and is displayed in the first area of the display means for confirmation, and the road map near the second point generated by the map information generating means. Information and self Characterized by confirmation display image information of the vehicle traveling location to a second region of the display means.

  In the present invention, the road map information near the first point is the first point a predetermined distance before the vehicle reaches the designated point where the subject image was taken during the forward trip while the vehicle is traveling in the backward direction. And the image information of the driving point of the car together with the subject image of the designated point in advance on the display means, and then a road near the second point at the second point between the first point and the designated point. The map information and the image information of the driving point of the car can be confirmed and displayed on the display means together with the subject image at the designated point.

  According to the present invention, the subject image of the designated point taken by the in-vehicle camera device during the traveling of the vehicle, the road map information near the designated point, and the image information of the traveling point of the vehicle are displayed on the designated point by the vehicle traveling on the return road. The driver was made to see the subject image at the designated point before reaching the location, so the driver captured the scenery image of the traffic signs, etc. around the designated point and the actual scenery near the designated point on the return trip. As a result, driving operation can be facilitated by giving the driver extra leeway, psychological burdens such as hesitation in route selection can be reduced, and traffic rules have been observed. Safe driving can be performed.

  Further, according to the present invention, when the route is selected near the intersection checkpoint where the route selection is easily mistaken as the designated point, the image of the surrounding scenery is displayed when approaching the intersection checkpoint. By comparing with the actual scenery near the designated point, the driver can make an accurate route selection.

  In addition, according to the present invention, by using a global shutter type CMOS area sensor as an in-vehicle camera device, a subject image can be captured from a vehicle traveling at a higher speed than in a case where a rolling shutter type CMOS area sensor is used. In addition, because it is possible to shoot without distortion due to movement, images that depend on the readout method, even when the car is traveling at high speed and the landscape behind the vehicle with a large difference in brightness is taken in bad weather, dusk or at night It is possible to obtain a bright and clear photographed image with almost no distortion and blurring, so that the driver can see the displayed photographed image accurately and comply with traffic rules by accurate identification of traffic signs. Safe driving and vehicle guidance can be performed accurately. In addition, since the on-vehicle camera device does not require a mechanical shutter, it is advantageous in terms of power consumption and downsizing of the device.

  Further, according to the present invention, when the vehicle is traveling in the backward direction, the traveling position is a first point a predetermined distance before reaching the designated point where the subject image was captured during the forward traveling, and the vicinity of the first point. The road map information of the vehicle and the image information of the driving point of the car are displayed in advance on the display means together with the subject image of the designated point, and then the second point between the first point and the designated point. Since the road map information in the vicinity of the point and the image information of the driving point of the car are confirmed and displayed on the display means together with the subject image of the designated point, the driver can be prepared and the vehicle can be guided accurately.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a driving support apparatus according to the present invention. The driving support device according to the present embodiment includes a camera 110 that is an in-vehicle camera device, a recorder 120 that is a recording / playback device, a display 130 that is a display device, and a map navigation 140, and supports driving. Installed in automobiles.

  The camera 110 is roughly composed of a lens 111 and a global shutter type CMOS area sensor (hereinafter referred to as a global type CMOS sensor) 112, and lenses incident light from scenery outside the automobile, roads, traffic signs and other subjects. The light is condensed at 111 and an optical image is formed on the imaging surface of the global CMOS sensor 112 which is a solid-state imaging device. The global CMOS sensor 112 has a known configuration described later, and outputs an imaging signal that is an electrical signal obtained by photoelectrically converting an optical image of a subject to the signal processing circuit 121 in the recorder 120. The camera 110 is characterized in that it has a global CMOS sensor 112 instead of a rolling CMOS sensor, and does not have a mechanical shutter.

Here, the configuration and operation of the global CMOS sensor 112 will be described. FIG. 2 shows an element structure diagram of one pixel of a global type CMOS sensor proposed by the applicant disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-1000076, and FIG. 2A is a top view and FIG. ) Shows a longitudinal sectional view along the line XX ′ in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the global type CMOS sensor 112 has a p ⁻ type epitaxial layer 42 grown on a p ⁺ type substrate 41 and an n well 43 on the surface of the epitaxial layer 42. . On the n-well 43, a gate electrode 45 having a ring shape as a first gate electrode is formed with a gate oxide film 44 interposed therebetween.

An n ⁺ -type source region 46 is formed on the surface of the n-well 43 corresponding to the center portion of the ring-shaped gate electrode 45, a source vicinity p-type region 47 is formed adjacent to the source region 46, and An n ⁺ -type drain region 48 is formed at a position apart from the source region 46 and the p-type region 47 near the source. Further, a buried p ⁻ -type region 49 is present in the n-well 43 below the drain region 48. The buried p ⁻ -type region 49 and the n-well 43 constitute the buried photodiode 50 shown in FIG.

  Between the embedded photodiode 50 and the ring-shaped gate electrode 45, there is a transfer gate electrode 51 which is a second gate electrode. The drain region 48, the ring-shaped gate electrode 45, the source region 46, and the transfer gate electrode 51 include a drain electrode wiring 52, a ring-shaped gate electrode wiring 53, a source electrode wiring (output line) 54, and a transfer gate electrode, which are metal wirings, respectively. A wiring 55 is connected. Further, as shown in FIG. 2B, a light shielding film 56 is formed above each of the above components, and an opening 57 is formed at a position corresponding to the embedded photodiode 50 in the light shielding film 56. Has been. The light shielding film 56 is formed of a metal or an organic film. The light reaches the embedded photodiode 50 through the opening 57 and is photoelectrically converted.

  Next, the pixel structure of the global CMOS sensor 112 and the entire structure of the image sensor will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, first, pixels are arranged in a pixel spread area 61 in m rows and n columns. In FIG. 3, one pixel 62 of s rows and t columns among these m rows and n columns pixels is represented by an equivalent circuit. The pixel 62 includes a ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63, a photodiode 64, and a transfer gate MOSFET 65. The drain of the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63 is the n-side terminal of the photodiode 64 and the drain electrode wiring 66 (corresponding to 52 in FIG. 2). , The source of the transfer gate MOSFET 65 is connected to the p-side terminal of the photodiode 64, and the drain is connected to the back gate of the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63.

In FIG. 2B, the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63 has a p-type region 47 near the source directly below the ring-shaped gate electrode 45 as a gate region, and an n ⁺ -type source region 46 and an n ⁺ -type drain region 48. An n-channel MOSFET. In FIG. 2B, the transfer gate MOSFET 65 includes the n-well 43 directly below the transfer gate electrode 51 as a gate region, the p ⁻ type region 49 embedded in the photodiode 50 as a source region, and the p-type region 47 near the source. A p-channel MOSFET serving as a drain.

  In FIG. 3, in order to read a signal for one frame from each pixel of m rows and n columns, there is a circuit 67 for generating a frame start signal for giving a signal to start reading. The frame start signal may be given from outside the image sensor. This frame start signal is supplied to the vertical shift register 68. The vertical shift register 68 outputs a signal indicating which row of pixels is read out from each pixel of m rows and n columns.

  The pixels in each row are connected to a control circuit that controls the potentials of the ring-shaped gate electrode, transfer gate electrode, and drain electrode, and these control circuits are supplied with the output signal of the vertical register 68. For example, the ring-shaped gate electrode of each pixel in the s-th row is connected to the ring-shaped gate potential control circuit 70 via the ring-shaped gate electrode wiring 69 (corresponding to 53 in FIG. 2), and the transfer gate electrode of each pixel is Are connected to the transfer gate potential control circuit 72 via the transfer gate electrode wiring 71 (corresponding to 55 in FIG. 2), and the drain electrode of each pixel is drained via the drain electrode wiring 66 (corresponding to 52 in FIG. 2). It is connected to the potential control circuit 73. Each control circuit 70, 72, 73 is supplied with an output signal from the vertical shift register 68.

  The source electrode of the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63 of the pixel 62 is branched into two via a source electrode wiring 74 (corresponding to 54 in FIG. 2), one of which is supplied to a source potential control circuit 75 that controls the source electrode potential via a switch SW1. The other is connected to the signal readout circuit 76 via the switch SW2. When reading the signal, the switch SW1 is turned off and the switch SW2 is turned on. When the source potential is controlled, the switch SW1 is turned on and the switch SW2 is turned off. Since the signal is output in the vertical direction, the wiring direction of the source electrode is set to be vertical.

  The signal readout circuit 76 is configured as follows. The output of the pixel 62 is performed from the source of the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63, and a load, for example, a current source 77 is connected to the output line 74. Therefore, it is a source follower circuit. One end of each of the capacitor C1 and the capacitor C2 is connected to the current source 77 via the switch sc1 and the switch sc2. One end of each of the capacitors C1 and C2 whose other ends are grounded is connected to the inverting input terminal and the non-inverting input terminal of the differential amplifier 78, and the potential difference between the capacitors C1 and C2 is output from the differential amplifier 78. It is like that.

  Such a signal readout circuit 76 is called a CDS circuit (correlated double sampling circuit), and various circuits other than the method described here have been proposed, and the circuit is not limited to this circuit. The signal output from the signal readout circuit 76 is output via the output switch swt. The output switches swt in the same column are subjected to switching control by a signal output from the horizontal shift register 79.

Next, a method for driving the global CMOS sensor 112 shown in FIG. 3 will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG. First, in the period shown in FIG. 4A, light is incident on the embedded photodiode (50 in FIG. 2A, 64 in FIG. 3, etc.), and an electron / hole pair is generated due to the photoelectric conversion effect. Holes are accumulated in the buried p ⁻ -type region 49 of the diode. At this time, the potential of the transfer gate electrode 51 is the same as the drain potential Vdd, and the transfer gate MOSFET 65 is off. These accumulations are performed at the same time as the previous frame read operation is being performed.

In the subsequent period shown in FIG. 4 (2), when the reading of the previous frame is completed, a new frame start signal is transmitted as shown in FIG.
First, all the pixels are performed simultaneously from the photodiode (50 in FIG. 2A, 64 in FIG. 3) to the p-type region (47 in FIG. 2) near the source of the ring-shaped gate electrode (45 in FIG. 2). It is to transfer the hole. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4B, the transfer gate control signal output from the transfer gate potential control circuit 72 falls from Vdd to Low2, the potential of the transfer gate electrode (41 in FIG. 2) becomes Low2, and the transfer gate MOSFET 65 Turns on.

  At this time, the potential of the ring-shaped gate electrode wiring 69 controlled by the ring-shaped gate potential control circuit 70 changes from Low to Low1 as shown in FIG. 4C, but Low2 is larger than Low1. Low1 may be the same as Low. Most simply, Low1 = Low = 0 (V) is set.

  On the other hand, the source potential of all the pixels including the source potential supplied from the source potential control circuit 75 to the source of the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63 from the source electrode wiring 74 through the switch SW1 is as shown in FIG. The potential is set to S1. S1> Low1, which keeps the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63 off and prevents current from flowing. As a result, charges (holes) accumulated in the photodiodes of all the pixels are transferred all at once under the ring-shaped gate electrodes of the corresponding pixels.

  In the region below the ring-shaped gate electrode 45 shown in FIG. 2 (B), the p-type region 47 near the source has the lowest potential, so the holes accumulated in the photodiode reach the p-type region 47 near the source. Accumulated in. As a result of the accumulation of holes, the potential of the p-type region 47 near the source rises.

Subsequently, in the period shown in FIG. 4C, the transfer gate electrode becomes Vdd again and the transfer gate MOSFET 65 is turned off as shown in FIG. As a result, in the photodiode (50 in FIG. 2A, 64 in FIG. 3, etc.), electron-hole pairs are generated again due to the photoelectric conversion effect, and holes start to be accumulated in the buried p ⁻ -type region 49 of the photodiode. This accumulation operation is continued until the next charge transfer.

  On the other hand, since the read operation is performed in units of rows, the potential of the ring-shaped gate electrode is low as shown in FIG. 4C in the period (3) in which the first to (s−1) th rows are read. In this state, a standby state is entered with holes accumulated in the p-type region 47 near the source. The source potential can take various values depending on the value of the signal from the pixel while the signal is read from another row. The ring-shaped gate electrode potential can take various values for each row, but is set to Low in the s-th row, and the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63 is in an off state.

  In the subsequent period shown in FIGS. 4 (4) to (6), pixel signal readout is performed. This signal readout operation will be described representatively for the pixel 62 in the s-th row and the t-th column. First, in the state where holes are accumulated in the p-type region 47 near the source, the vertical shift register 68 shown in FIG. In the period (4) in which the output signal is at a low level as shown in FIG. 5H, the ring-shaped gate electrode 45 is controlled by the control signal output from the ring-shaped gate potential control circuit 70 to the ring-shaped gate electrode wiring 69. Is raised from Low to Vg1, as shown in FIG.

Here, the potential Vg1 is between the potentials Low, Low1, and Vdd described above.
Low ≦ Low1 ≦ Vg1 ≦ Vdd (where Low <Vdd)
Is an electric potential that holds the inequality. In the period (4), the switch SW1 is turned off as shown in FIG. 4I, the switch SW2 is turned on as shown in FIG. 4J, and the switch sc1 is turned on as shown in FIG. The switch sc2 is turned off as shown in FIG.

  As a result, the source follower circuit connected to the source of the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63 works, and the source potential of the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63 is S2 (= Vg1-Vth1) in the period (4) as shown in FIG. Become. Here, Vth1 is a threshold voltage of the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63 in a state in which there is a hole in the back gate (p-type region 47 near the source). The source potential S2 is stored in the capacitor C1 through the switch sc1 that is turned on.

  In the subsequent period shown in FIG. 4 (5), the potential of the ring-shaped gate electrode 45 is set as shown in FIG. 4 (K) by the control signal output from the ring-shaped gate potential control circuit 70 to the ring-shaped gate electrode wiring 69. At the same time as raising to High1, the switch SW1 is turned on and the switch SW2 is turned off as shown in FIGS. 1I and 1J, and the source potential output from the source potential control circuit 75 is shown in FIG. Raise to Highs as shown. Here, High1 and Highs> Low1.

  The values of the potentials High1 and Highs may be the same or different, but High1 and Highs ≦ Vdd are desirable for simplicity of design. In a simple setting, High1 = Highs = Vdd. Further, it is desirable to set the potential so that the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63 is turned on and no current flows. As a result, the potential of the p-type region 47 near the source rises, and holes are discharged to the epitaxial layer 42 beyond the barrier of the n-well 43 (reset).

In the subsequent period shown in FIG. 4 (6), the same signal readout state as in the period (4) is set again.
However, unlike the period (4), as shown in FIGS. 4M and 4N, the switch sc1 is turned off and the switch sc2 is turned on. The ring-shaped gate electrode is set to Vg1 which is the same as that in the period (4) as shown in FIG. However, in this period (6), holes are discharged to the substrate in the immediately preceding period (5), and no holes are present in the p-type region 47 near the source. Therefore, the source potential of the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63 is as shown in FIG. L), the period (6) is S0 (= Vg1-Vth0). Here, Vth0 is the threshold voltage of the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63 in a state where there is no hole in the back gate (p-type region 47 near the source).

  The source potential S0 is stored in the capacitor C2 through the switch sc2 that is turned on. The differential amplifier 78 outputs the potential difference between the capacitors C1 and C2. That is, the differential amplifier 78 outputs (Vth0−Vth1). This output value (Vth0-Vth1) is a change in threshold value due to hole charge. Thereafter, among the pulses shown in FIG. 4F output from the horizontal shift register 79, the output switch swt in FIG. 3 is turned on based on the output pulse in the t-th column shown in FIG. During the ON period, as schematically shown by hatching in FIG. 4 (P), the threshold value change due to the Hall charge from the differential amplifier 78 is output to the outside of the sensor as the output signal Vout of the pixel 62.

  Subsequently, in the period indicated by (7) in FIG. 4, the potential of the ring-shaped gate electrode 45 is set to low again as shown in FIG. It waits until the signal processing of the next row is completed (until the readout of the pixels of the s + 1 row to the nth row is completed). During these readout periods, the photodiode 64 is accumulating holes due to the photoelectric conversion effect. Thereafter, the process returns to the period (1) and repeats from the hole transfer. As a result, the output signal shown in FIG. 4G is read from each pixel. When signals are read from all pixels, the next frame is started again.

  2A and 2B, the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63 having the ring-shaped gate electrode 45 is an amplifying MOSFET, and as shown in FIG. It is a kind of CMOS sensor in the sense that it has an amplifying MOSFET. In this CMOS sensor, the charge (hole) accumulated in the photodiode is transferred to the p-type region 47 in the vicinity of the source under the ring-shaped gate electrode of the corresponding pixel at the same time. Is realized.

  Note that there is a method other than the supply of the potential of the source electrode wiring 74 from the source potential control circuit 75 at the time of resetting in the period (5) of FIG. In the period (5), both SW1 and SW2 are turned off to make the source electrode wiring floating. Here, when the potential of the ring-shaped gate electrode wiring 69 is High1, the ring-shaped gate MOSFET 63 is turned on, current is supplied from the drain to the source potential, and the source electrode potential rises. As a result, the potential of the p-type region 47 in the vicinity of the source is raised, and holes are discharged to the p-type epitaxial layer 42 beyond the barrier of the n-well 43 (reset). The source electrode potential when the holes are completely discharged can be High1-Vth0, and the chip area can be reduced.

  That is, in the case of the same area as that of the conventional chip, this global CMOS sensor chip can increase the area of the photodiode that accumulates charges. As the area of the photodiode increases, the amount of accumulated signal increases and the dynamic range becomes wider. Therefore, when a subject with a large difference in brightness, such as a point before and after a tunnel or a place of backlight, or a subject is photographed with this global type CMOS sensor 112 in bad weather, dusk or night, compared with a rolling type CMOS sensor of a conventional in-vehicle camera device. In addition, since a photographing signal with a sufficient dynamic range can be obtained, the photographed image of the subject can be displayed brighter than before and can be accurately recognized.

  In the global shutter type CMOS sensor 112 having this structure, as described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4, the exposure is performed in the same one frame period without shifting the timing for each line, and after exposure for a certain period, The transfer gates (transfer gate MOSFET 65, etc. in FIG. 3) in the global shutter type CMOS sensor transfer the charges of all the pixels all at once to the readout circuit at the timing of the charge transfer period, and then sequentially in the readout period by the readout circuit. A signal from each pixel is read out. As a result, even when a subject such as a landscape outside the vehicle is imaged from an automobile that moves at high speed, image distortion hardly occurs in the captured image, so a mechanical shutter is unnecessary, and the camera 110 is compared with the conventional configuration. An inexpensive and small configuration can be obtained. In addition, the global CMOS sensor 112 has a power consumption of about 1/3 in the case of 1 million pixels, with a CCD of 350 mW compared to 831 mW.

  Returning again to FIG. The recorder 120 performs predetermined video processing such as gamma correction to generate a video signal, and records the video signal from the signal processing circuit 121 in a predetermined format on a recording medium or records it on a recording medium. A signal recording / reproducing circuit 122 that restores the recorded signal from a predetermined recording format to a video signal and outputs the video signal to the signal processing circuit 121, and an output terminal 123 connected to the display 130 are roughly configured. The video signal generated by the signal processing circuit 121 is output to the display 130 via the output terminal 123.

  The display 130 is mainly composed of a display processing unit 131 that performs signal processing suitable for display on an input video signal, and a display screen (display unit) 132 that displays an image of the video signal from the display processing unit 131. Yes. As will be described later, the display screen 132 displays predetermined images on the screen frame upper part 133a and the screen frame lower part 133b. The display 130 is installed at a position where the display screen 132 can be seen while the driver is driving.

  The map navigation 140 outputs information on the top view of the map accumulated in the map device 141 to the display 130 as necessary, and displays the screen via a predetermined processing unit (or the display processing unit 131) in the display 130. The information of the top view of the map is displayed on the frame lower part 133b.

  In the present embodiment, when the vehicle 100 moves to a preset point (designated point), a flash (instant) display of the position of the vehicle 100 is performed on the image of the top view of the map at that point, and driving When the vehicle 100 approaches the designated point where the route is selected and the vehicle is approaching the designated point for which the route is selected, an image of the surroundings of the designated point that was taken during the forward trip is displayed on the upper part 133a of the screen frame to the driver. Driving assistance is provided by contrasting with actual scenery. In the present embodiment, the captured image at the time of traveling forward is effectively used for driving support at the time of traveling backward.

  Next, the driving support process according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, the same components as those in FIG. In FIG. 5, as shown in FIG. 5B, the camera 110 mounted on the rear part of the roof of the automobile 100 shoots a real landscape 200 opposite to the traveling direction (rear of the automobile) while the automobile 100 is traveling. . As shown in FIG. 5A, the actual scenery 200 of the subject is composed of an intersection at an X point (hereinafter referred to as “X intersection”) 210, a tunnel at a Y point (hereinafter referred to as “Y tunnel”) 202, and the like. Has been. Further, as shown in FIG. 5A, the X intersection 210 includes another automobile 211c that moves at high speed from the left to the right in the figure, and the traffic light 211s is located behind the automobile 211c. And there is a traffic sign 211t on the left side. A point where the automobile 100 passes within a minute at a predetermined speed after passing through the X intersection 210 is a Y tunnel 202.

  In the display 130 mounted on the automobile 100 in this case, as shown in FIG. 5C, an image obtained by photographing the real landscape 200 shown in FIG. 5A is displayed on the screen frame upper portion 133a of the display screen 132. The monitor is displayed, and the top view information of the map from the map device 141 is displayed together with the current travel position of the automobile 100 in the lower part 133 b of the display screen 132.

  In the present embodiment, driving support is performed based on the reproduced captured image obtained by reproducing the captured image recorded on the recording medium by the recorder 120 and the image information obtained from the map navigation 140 as described above. Therefore, for example, while the automobile 100 is traveling in the direction of the Y tunnel 202 from the X intersection 210, immediately after entering the Y tunnel 202, the driver photographs the real landscape 200 shown in FIG. It is recorded on a recording medium. Then, while the vehicle 100 is traveling in, for example, the Y tunnel 202 just before entering the X intersection 210 from the Y tunnel 202 in the opposite direction, the driver performs the playback operation of the recorder 120 and records it on the recording medium. The captured image of the actual scenery 200 in FIG. 5A is reproduced, and as shown in FIG. 5C, an X intersection 210, a traffic light 201s, a traffic sign 201t, Reproduced images of the traveling vehicle 211c and the tunnel frame 202a are displayed.

  Also, the map navigation 140 is activated in cooperation with the playback operation of the recorder 120, and the top surface of the map near the latitude and longitude at the time of activation among the map top view information stored in the map device 141 of the map navigation 140. The graphic information indicating the current travel position of the automobile 100 is output to the display 130. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5C, the display 130 displays the top view information of the map near the frame 202a of the Y tunnel 202 and other X intersections and the current travel position of the automobile 100 in the lower part of the screen frame 133b. A displayed image 100a is displayed. The current traveling position of the automobile 100 can be acquired by using, for example, a known GPS (Global Positioning System) with the map navigation 140 or the like.

  Then, the driver of the automobile 100 selects a route between the reproduced image of the past actual scenery 200 in the upper part 133a of the screen frame shown in FIG. 5C and the surrounding map showing the current car position in the lower part 133b of the screen frame. By comparing them before the vehicle 100 enters the X intersection 210, which is a point, it is possible to appropriately determine route selection with a clear mind.

  In FIG. 5, for easy understanding, the camera 110 is installed on the roof of the automobile 100 on which the driving support device of the present embodiment is mounted. However, the present invention is not limited to this. If the image can be taken, the installation position may be anywhere, so the installation position of the camera 110 may be provided, for example, behind the rear seat in the vehicle 100.

  Next, the driving support process according to the present embodiment in which the shooting information of the forward path is used for the return path will be described in more detail. The feature of the driving support process of the present embodiment is that it supports route selection and vehicle guidance on the way back from the destination. The return route travels in the opposite direction on the route followed on the outward route. That is, a continuous image obtained by reversing and reproducing the landscape image recorded on the outward route becomes the route guidance on the return route. In the driving assistance device (car navigation system), there is no example in which a landscape image taken on the way to go (outward) is used for route guidance on the way home (return).

  FIG. 6 (A) shows an example of the total travel of the forward path from the starting point 201 to the destination point 203 and the passing time of the automobile 100 equipped with the driving support apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 1, and FIG. An example of the entire journey and the passing time of the return path from the destination point 203 to the departure point 201 of the automobile 100 is shown. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, between the departure point 201 and the destination point 203, an intersection at the X point (X intersection), a tunnel at the Y point (Y tunnel) 202, and a mail at the Z point. Station 204 exists.

  First, the operation of the present embodiment on the outbound path will be described together with the positional relationship between the car and the landscape, the landscape image of the screen frame upper part 133a of the display 130, the image of position information on the map of the screen frame lower part 133b, and the like. In FIG. 6A, the car 100 that departed from the departure point 201 at 17:00 passes the X intersection at 17:29. At that time, the camera 110 shoots a landscape 212 near the X intersection, and the recorder 120 Thus, the landscape image 212F is recorded on the recording medium.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 6A, the automobile 100 enters the Y tunnel 202 immediately after 17:30. When the automobile 100 is at the Y1 point near the entrance in the Y tunnel 202, the positional relationship between the automobile 100 and the periphery of the Y tunnel 202 is outside the Y tunnel 202 in the traveling direction of the automobile 100, as shown in FIG. There is a post office 204 at the Z point, and the scenery at the X point can be seen outside the Y tunnel 202 behind the automobile 100. At this time, the driver photographs the landscape 213 shown in FIG. 6A at the X intersection outside the Y tunnel 202 behind the automobile 100 with the camera 110 and records the landscape image 213F on the recording medium by the recorder 120. To do. This landscape image 213F is important in route selection on the return path.

  FIG. 8 shows the details of the landscape image 213F. As shown in FIG. 8, since this landscape image 213F is an image of the outside of the Y tunnel 202 taken from the Y1 point in the Y tunnel 202, the frame 202a of the front Y tunnel 202 is captured. In addition, a landscape of the X intersection is captured at the depth of the Y tunnel frame 202a. The scenery of the X intersection consists of a traffic light 211s on the upper left, a traffic sign 211t on the right, and a car 211c crossing the X intersection from the left to the right on the lower side. The landscape image 213F is recorded on the recording medium by the recorder 120 and at the same time displayed on the screen frame upper portion 133a of the display 130.

  At this time, the image shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the screen frame lower portion 133 b of the display 130. The image shown in the figure is an image of a top view showing the position of the automobile 100 at the Y1 point in the forward path. After the automobile 100 passes through the X intersection, it is located at the Y1 point in the Y tunnel, and the mail at the Z point. It is an image traveling on the road 205 in the direction of the station 204. The position of the automobile 100 is schematically shown by a rectangular image 100a.

  Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 6 (A), the automobile 100 passes in front of the post office 204 at the Z point immediately after passing through the Y tunnel 202 at 17:31. The landscape 214 is photographed, and the landscape image 214F is recorded on the recording medium by the recorder 120. Then, the automobile 100 arrives at the destination point 203 at about 18:00 after 29 minutes.

  Note that the landscape images 212F, 213F, and 214F of the respective points to be recorded are taken images in the rearward direction of the automobile 100, which are taken by the camera 110 mounted on the automobile 100. The point that the rear direction of the automobile 100 is photographed by the camera 110 is most advantageous in the driving support process of the present embodiment. At the same time, the captured image is recorded on the recording medium by the recorder 120 in real time. Images taken on the rear side of the forward path recorded on these recording media are utilized for route selection and vehicle guidance on the return path, and are used as driving support information.

  Next, the operation on the return path will be described. In FIG. 6B, assuming that the vehicle stays at the destination point 203 for 1 hour, the automobile 100 leaves the destination point 203 at 19:00. At 19:29, 29 minutes after departure, the automobile 100 passes in front of the post office 204 at the Z point. Subsequently, the automobile 100 enters the Y tunnel 202, reaches the X intersection side entrance point of the Y tunnel 202 at 19:30, and further reaches the X intersection immediately after exiting the Y tunnel 202 at 19:31. . The automobile 100 travels for 29 minutes after passing through the X intersection and returns to the departure point 201 at 20 o'clock.

  At each point on the return path, the landscape image recorded on the recording medium can be reproduced and displayed on the display 130 mounted on the automobile 100. For example, a landscape image 214F of a post office building recorded on the outbound route at a point Z in front of the post office 204 is displayed as a reproduced image 214R. A recorded landscape image 213F is displayed as a reproduced image 213R at the Y point of the Y tunnel 200. Further, a landscape image 212F recorded at the X intersection is displayed as a reproduced image 212R.

  As described above, the landscape images 212F, 213F, and 214F photographed and recorded on the forward path are reproduced in reverse on the time axis on the return path, so that the driver can reconstruct the reproduced images 214R, 213R, and 212R at the respective points. You can check the scenery. This is because the landscape image captured and recorded on the outward route is used for selection of a return route (return route) and determination of vehicle guidance. It is important that the driver visually recognizes (views) a landscape image at the route selection position in advance of the point where the route is selected.

  Next, the driving support operation useful for route selection and vehicle guidance on the return route according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail. When making a route selection at the X intersection on the return route shown in FIG. 6B, in order not to make a mistake in the selection of the route at the X intersection, the driver must make an X intersection before 19:31 passing the X intersection. It is important to view the scenery image of the spot in advance. For example, at 19:29, two minutes before 19:31 passing the X intersection, the automobile 100 passes in front of the post office 204 at the Z point.

  Therefore, when passing through this Z point, the driver uses the driving support device to reproduce the landscape image of the planned point passing at 19:31 two minutes later on the recorder 120, and the scenery near the X intersection. The image 213R is displayed in advance on the screen frame upper part 133a of the display 130. As a result, the driver of the automobile 100 can visually recognize the landscape image 213R scheduled to pass after 2 minutes.

  FIG. 10A shows the details of the landscape image 213R. As shown in FIG. 10 (A), this landscape image 213R is a reproduction image obtained by reproducing the landscape image 213F shown in FIG. 8 recorded on the recording medium by the recorder 120 by the recorder 120, and includes a frame 202a of the Y tunnel 202, An image of the traffic light 211s, the traffic sign 211t, and the automobile 211c crossing the X intersection from the left to the right is displayed in advance in the upper part 133a of the screen frame of the display 130. Since the reproduction landscape image 213R is an image photographed by the global CMOS sensor 112 described above, it is a clear image with no distortion.

  Also, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, when the above-mentioned landscape image 213R is displayed in advance in the upper part of the screen frame 133a of the display 130, the map navigation 140 is linked with the playback operation of the recorder 120. By being activated, image information from the map device 141 in the map navigation 140 is supplied to the display 130, and the lower part of the screen frame 133b includes a top view of the map as shown in FIG. 10B and FIG. An image showing the vehicle position is displayed. The image of the screen frame lower part 133b in FIG. 10B is an image of a top view showing the position of the automobile 100 at the Z point on the return path, and the position of the automobile 100 is shown by a rectangular image 100b. 11 is an image of a top view of a map showing that the automobile 100 is traveling at a Z point on the road 206 in front of the post office 204 in the direction of the X intersection just before entering the Y tunnel 202 as indicated by 100b. It is. That is, the image of this top view represents the relationship between the current car position and the point where it will pass and travel as a map.

  This point Z is a point in front of the post office 204 two minutes before the automobile 100 enters the X intersection as shown in FIG. 6B on the return path. At this time, the tunnel frame and the intersection shown in FIG. By displaying the images on the upper screen frame 133a of the display 130 and displaying the images on the map shown in FIG. 11 on the lower screen frame 133b, the driver visually recognizes these images, Be ready for the route selection at the upcoming X intersection. In some cases, the route selection is notified by voice together with the image display.

  Subsequently, when the automobile 100 travels to the Y1 point in the Y tunnel 202 at 19:30, one minute later, the driving support device again displays the reproduction scenery image 213R of the tunnel frame and the intersection shown in FIG. The image is displayed on the screen frame upper part 133a of the display 130, and the image on the map at that time is displayed on the screen frame lower part 133b. As a result, the driver can visually recognize the image of the tunnel frame and the intersection again. As a result, the driver compares the reproduced scenery image 213R with the actual scenery (actual scenery) of the X intersection, and based on the comparison result, the driver can select a route at the X intersection with a margin. Can do and guide the car.

  In this way, when the automobile 100 shown by 100A in FIG. 12 is traveling at the Z point on the return route, the driver can reproduce the reproduced image 213R near the X intersection to be selected on the route displayed on the screen frame upper portion 133a, By simultaneously viewing the top view information of the map at that point displayed in the lower part 133b of the screen frame, the positional relationship between the route selection point and the current point can be grasped with a margin. When the vehicle is traveling at the Y1 point in 202, the replayed image 213R near the X intersection is displayed again and compared with the actual scenery near the X intersection, so that the driver can drive with peace of mind and perform a judgment operation with a margin. This makes it possible to accurately guide the automobile 100. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent an error in route selection, oversight of road signs, unexpected encounters, and the like.

  Further, as in the above-described embodiment, when a landscape image with a contrast difference outside the Y tunnel 202 captured from inside the dark Y tunnel 202 is captured by the camera 110, the landscape image is bright outside the Y tunnel 202. And the darkness in the Y tunnel 202, a wide dynamic range is necessary for the performance of the image sensor of the camera 110 in order to make the captured image clearly visible. In this embodiment, since the camera 110 uses the global CMOS sensor 112 having a wider dynamic range than the conventional rolling CMOS sensor, the camera 110 is superior in capturing a landscape with a contrast difference from the conventional one. Furthermore, even if a landscape or the like is imaged from the automobile 100 moving at a high speed, the captured image has almost no deformation distortion and focus shift. Therefore, the captured image displayed on the screen frame upper portion 133a of the display 130 is It is brighter and clearer than in the past, and thus driving assistance such as reliable route selection and sign compliance can be performed.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and for example, a manual mode for manually turning on / off the operation by the driving support device and an auto mode for automatically turning on / off may be provided. Good. In the auto mode, the latitude and longitude of the location of the designated point acquired by the map navigation 140 during outward travel and the recording location of the recording medium of the captured image at the designated location are linked, for example, in the map navigation 140 or outside The latitude and longitude of the car on the return road acquired by the map navigation 140 when the vehicle is traveling on the return road reaches a point a predetermined distance before the designated point indicated by the latitude and longitude stored in the memory. When a point before a predetermined time is reached, playback of the recording medium is automatically started from the recording location stored in the memory with the recorder 120 as a playback mode, and the playback captured image is displayed on the display 130. And the map top view information and the vehicle position information acquired by the map navigation 140 at that point. Cause shown.

  Thereby, in the auto mode, even if the driver forgets to operate the driving support device, the image is automatically displayed on the display 130 and can be used for driving support. Also, at complex points such as roads where the designated point you want to select the route is complicated, you can set to manual mode, and the driver will operate the driving assistance device just before entering the designated point where you want driving assistance. , Driving assistance in line with the driver's will can be performed.

It is a block diagram of one embodiment of a driving support device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a top view of one pixel of a global shutter type CMOS area sensor proposed by the present applicant and used in the apparatus of the present invention, and a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line X-X ′. It is an electrical equivalent circuit diagram of a global shutter type CMOS area sensor proposed by the present applicant and used in the device of the present invention. It is a timing chart explaining operation | movement of the electrical equivalent circuit of FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the driving assistance process by one Embodiment of this invention apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the whole process and the transit time which were reciprocated from the starting point of the motor vehicle carrying this invention apparatus to the destination, subject imaging timing, and reproduction | regeneration timing. It is a figure which shows the positional relationship of the periphery of the motor vehicle and a tunnel in the outward path | route of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the landscape image image | photographed and recorded with the back camera in the outward path | route Y1 point of FIG. FIG. 7 is a top view of an automobile position and a surrounding map at a forward route Y1 point in FIG. 6. It is a figure which shows the reproduction | regeneration scenery image in the inbound route Z point of FIG. 6, and the display image of a display. FIG. 7 is a top view of a vehicle position and a surrounding map at a return route Z point in FIG. 6. It is a figure which shows the positional relationship of the vehicle position and surrounding scenery in the return route Z point of FIG. 6, and the return route Y1 point. It is a schematic block diagram of an example of the vehicle-mounted camera apparatus used for the conventional driving assistance apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the reading method by a rolling shutter type CMOS area sensor, a to-be-photographed object, and a captured image. It is a figure which shows an example of the to-be-photographed image and picked-up image of the vehicle-mounted camera apparatus used for the conventional driving assistance apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

110 Camera 112 Global shutter type CMOS area sensor (Global type CMOS sensor)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 120 Recorder 121 Signal processing circuit 122 Signal recording / reproducing circuit 130 Display 131 Display processing part 132 Display screen 133a Screen frame upper part 133b Screen frame lower part 140 Map navigation 141 Map apparatus 200 Real scenery subject 201 Departure point 202 Tunnel of Y point (Y tunnel)
203 Destination point 210 X point intersection (X intersection)
212F, 213F, 214F Outbound recording image 212R, 213R, 214R Inbound playback image

Claims (3)

The vehicle is mounted on a vehicle, and a subject behind the vehicle outside the vehicle and in the direction opposite to the traveling direction is imaged by a solid-state image sensor, and driving assistance is performed using at least a video signal output from the solid-state image sensor. A driving support device using an in-vehicle camera device to perform,
Charges obtained by photoelectric exposure by simultaneously exposing the optical image of the subject to the photoelectric conversion regions of all the pixels are accumulated in all the pixels, and then the charges accumulated during the exposure period are sequentially transmitted from each pixel as the video signal. An in-vehicle camera device that captures an object at one or more designated points in the rear of the vehicle during the forward travel of the vehicle by a global shutter type CMOS area sensor as the solid-state imaging device that outputs,
Predetermined signal processing is performed on the video signal of the subject at the designated point imaged by the global shutter type CMOS area sensor, and the video signal is output to the recording medium and recorded on the recording medium. Recording and reproducing means for reproducing
Map information generating means for generating road map information between at least a travel point where the vehicle is currently traveling and the designated point together with image information of the travel point and the designated point;
The image of the video signal from the recording / reproducing means is displayed in the first area, and the road map information generated by the map information generating means and the image information of the travel point and the designated point are displayed in the second area. Display means for displaying on,
When the vehicle is traveling in a backward direction opposite to the forward path, the subject image of the designated point photographed by the in-vehicle camera device is taken from the recording medium by the recording / reproducing means when traveling on a point just before reaching the designated point. Reproducing and displaying in the first area of the display means, the road map information in the vicinity of the designated point generated by the map information generation means and image information of the driving point of the car are displayed on the display means. Control means for displaying in the second area, and driving support in the return path is performed based on the imaging information of the forward path by the images displayed in the first and second areas of the display means. A driving support device using a camera device.   The control means acquires the latitude and longitude information of the designated point taken by the in-vehicle camera device while the vehicle is traveling on the outward path from the map information generation means, and acquires the latitude and longitude information of the obtained designated point and its Storage means for linking and storing a recording location of the recording medium by the recording / reproducing means for a subject image at a specified point, and the vehicle being traveled by the vehicle acquired from the map information generating means during traveling on the return path Detection means for comparing the latitude and longitude information with the longitude and latitude information of the designated point stored in the storage means and detecting a point a predetermined distance before the traveling position of the vehicle reaches the designated point And reproducing the subject image at the designated point from the recording location of the recording medium stored in the storage unit at the point detected by the detecting unit. The road map information in the vicinity of the point detected by the detection means generated by the map information generation means and the image information of the travel point of the automobile are displayed on the first area and the second information of the display means. The driving support device using the in-vehicle camera device according to claim 1, further comprising a means for displaying in a region.   The control means, when the vehicle is traveling in the reverse direction in the direction opposite to the outward path, when traveling at the first point before reaching the designated point, the subject image of the designated point taken by the in-vehicle camera device The information is reproduced from the recording medium by the recording / reproducing means and displayed in advance in the first area of the display means, and the road map information near the first point generated by the map information generating means and the vehicle The image information of the travel point is displayed in advance in the second area of the display means, and the second point travels before the designated point is reached during the return travel and after passing the first point. Sometimes, the subject image of the designated point photographed by the in-vehicle camera device is reproduced from the recording medium by the recording / reproducing means and confirmed and displayed in the first area of the display means, and the map 2. The road map information in the vicinity of the second point and the image information of the travel point of the automobile generated by the report generation unit are displayed in confirmation in the second area of the display unit. Driving support device using the in-vehicle camera device.

Images