JP2008306546A - Vehicle-periphery monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle-periphery monitoring system, capable of enhancing the viewability and reliability of a vehicle periphery monitoring image in a dark place, and thereby supporting safe and smooth drive operation in dark places. <P>SOLUTION: This monitoring system is provided with an identifying image display processor 31 for displaying, on the vehicle periphery monitoring image, an identifying image for identifying an effective irradiation part which is a part formed by using a photographed image of an effective irradiation range in the vehicle periphery monitoring image, after making the intensities by lighting devices 28, 29, 30 in a state of predetermined threshold or higher, when the system's own vehicle travels in a dark place, and acquiring the effective irradiation range which is a range being irradiated effectively with the lights of the lighting devices 28, 29, 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle periphery monitoring device, and more particularly to an on-vehicle device suitable for supporting a safe and smooth driving operation by displaying a vehicle periphery monitoring image for monitoring a predetermined monitoring range around the host vehicle. The present invention relates to a navigation device.

  Conventionally, an automobile has a safety for avoiding a collision with an obstacle such as another vehicle by displaying a vehicle periphery monitoring image for monitoring a predetermined monitoring range around the host vehicle on a display inside the vehicle. In addition, a vehicle periphery monitoring device that supports smooth driving operation was installed.

  Such a vehicle periphery monitoring device uses a vehicle-mounted camera attached to a predetermined mounting position of the host vehicle to capture a predetermined shooting area around the host vehicle, and uses the captured video, for example, the host vehicle and its surroundings. Various vehicle periphery monitoring images such as a bird's-eye view looking down from above the vehicle and a side view image for monitoring the front side of the vehicle are generated and displayed on the display.

  As an in-vehicle camera used for generating such a vehicle periphery monitoring image, an in-vehicle camera having a wide-angle lens such as a fisheye lens has been used. Therefore, the imaging region has an angle of view around the optical axis of the in-vehicle camera. It was a very wide area of about 190 °. For this reason, not all parts of the captured image of the in-vehicle camera are used for generating the vehicle periphery monitoring image, but only the captured image of a preset monitoring range (for example, road surface) in the imaging region is cut out. Thus, the vehicle periphery monitoring image is generated by performing coordinate conversion from the image of the coordinate system defined on the imaging surface of the camera to the image of the coordinate system defined on the display.

  In this type of vehicle periphery monitoring device, in a dark place such as on the road at night, the brightness of the monitoring range in front of the own vehicle is monitored by visible light emitted from the headlight of the own vehicle. As for the monitoring range behind the host vehicle, the brightness of the rear monitoring range is ensured by the visible light emitted from the tail lamp of the host vehicle or the reverse lamp when the host vehicle is moving backward. It was.

  On the other hand, regarding the monitoring range on the side of the vehicle, there are restrictions on the irradiation of visible light even in the dark due to safety standards, etc., and the side part of the vehicle (for example, door mirror) is outside the visible region such as near infrared light An auxiliary illumination device such as an LED that irradiates the light is attached, and the auxiliary illumination device is irradiated with the light. Note that an in-vehicle camera that captures the side of the vehicle in a dark place using the light of such an auxiliary lighting device is also required to support the display of a vehicle periphery monitoring image in a bright place such as on the road during the daytime. Therefore, at the time of shooting in a dark place, the sensitivity of the image sensor, that is, the sensor (CCD or the like) is changed from the visible light band at the time of shooting in a bright place to the wavelength band of light of the auxiliary illumination device (for example, the near infrared band) Changes were made.

JP 2005-271836 A

  However, it is difficult from the viewpoint of safety standards, cost, power consumption, etc., to illuminate the entire lighting range of the lighting device such as the headlight, the taillight, the reverse light and the auxiliary lighting device described above, It was forced to irradiate light limited to a part of the monitoring range predetermined by design.

  Thereby, in the vehicle periphery monitoring image, the part generated using the captured video in the range in which the light of the illumination device in the monitoring range is effectively irradiated, and the light of the illumination device in the monitoring range. A portion generated using a captured image in a range not effectively irradiated was mixed.

  Here, since the luminance of the lighting device continuously changes as the position of the lighting device with respect to the lighting device changes, the illumination in the monitoring range is not always necessary when the vehicle periphery monitoring image is viewed. It is not always possible to clearly distinguish a part generated using a captured image in a range where the light of the apparatus is effectively irradiated from a part that is not.

  In addition, dark objects such as road surfaces at night (especially those with no white lines) can be obtained as vehicle periphery monitoring images even when the illumination device is effectively illuminated. Since it was only a dark color image, it is more difficult to identify a site generated using a captured image in a range where the light of the illumination device in the monitoring range is effectively irradiated from the vehicle periphery monitoring image. It was.

  For example, FIG. 10 shows a left front camera attached to the left front portion of the own vehicle, a right front camera attached to the right front portion of the own vehicle, a left side camera attached to the left side portion of the own vehicle, and a right side portion of the own vehicle. A monitoring screen 1 generated on the basis of images taken around the vehicle on the road at night taken by a total of five in-vehicle cameras, a right side camera attached to the vehicle and a back camera attached to the rear of the vehicle. Is shown.

  The monitoring screen 1 is formed by the above-described bird's-eye view image 2 as a vehicle periphery monitoring image, a left side view image 3 for monitoring the left front of the host vehicle as a vehicle periphery monitoring image, and a background image 4. ing.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the bird's-eye view image 2 has a left front monitoring image 5a for monitoring the left front of the host vehicle. The left front monitoring image 5a is generated based on a video image taken by the left front camera. It has become so. The bird's-eye view image 2 has a right front monitoring image 5b for monitoring the right front of the host vehicle at a position adjacent to the left front monitoring image 5a on the right side in FIG. 10, and this right front monitoring image. 5b is generated based on a video image taken by the right front camera. Furthermore, the bird's-eye view image 2 has a left side monitoring image 5c at a position adjacent to the left front monitoring image 5a in the lower part of FIG. 10, and the left side monitoring image 5c is a video image taken by the left side camera. It is generated based on. Furthermore, the bird's-eye view image 2 has a right side monitoring image 5d at a position adjacent to the right front monitoring image 5b in the lower part of FIG. 10, and this right side monitoring image 5d is captured by the right side camera. It is generated based on the video. The overhead image 2 has a rear monitoring image 5e for monitoring the rear of the host vehicle at a position adjacent to the left side monitoring image 5c and the right side monitoring image 5d in the lower part of FIG. The rear monitoring image 5a is generated based on a video image taken by the back camera. Furthermore, the bird's-eye view image 2 has an illustration image 6 showing the own vehicle at positions surrounded by the monitoring images 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, and 5e from four directions. It is generated separately.

  On the other hand, the left side view image 3 is generated based on a video image taken by the left side camera. As shown in FIG. 10, the left side view image 3 includes a reflected image 3a in which the left side portion of the host vehicle is reflected.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 10, in the overhead image 2, the headlamp light is effective when the luminance of the headlamp viewed from the monitoring range in the monitoring range (the road surface in FIG. 10) is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold. A part (hereinafter referred to as a headlamp effective irradiation part 7) generated using a captured image of a range to be irradiated (hereinafter referred to as a headlamp effective irradiation area) is included. However, since the headlamp effective irradiation portion 7 is generated based on a dark-colored captured image (road surface), even if the headlamp light is effectively irradiated, the overhead view image 2 was difficult to distinguish from other parts.

  In addition, the overhead image 2 includes a range in which the tail lamp light is effectively irradiated in a state where the luminance of the tail lamp viewed from the monitoring range in the monitoring range (road surface) is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold (hereinafter, the tail lamp effective irradiation range) A portion (hereinafter, referred to as a taillight effective irradiation portion 8) generated using a captured video of the above-described portion is included. However, since the rear lamp effective irradiation portion 8 is also generated based on a dark-colored captured image (road surface), it is difficult to identify even if the tail lamp light is effectively irradiated. there were.

  Further, the overhead image 2 has a range in which the light of the auxiliary lighting device is effectively irradiated with the luminance of the auxiliary lighting device viewed from the monitoring range in the monitoring range (road surface) being equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold (hereinafter referred to as auxiliary lighting effective). A portion (hereinafter referred to as an auxiliary illumination effective irradiation portion 9) generated using a captured image of the irradiation range) is included. However, since the auxiliary illumination effective irradiation site 9 is also generated based on a dark-colored captured image (road surface), it is difficult to identify.

  Although not shown, when the host vehicle is moving backward, the overhead view image 2 is effectively irradiated with the light of the backward light when the brightness of the backward light viewed from the monitoring range in the monitoring range (road surface) is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold. A region (hereinafter, referred to as a reverse light effective irradiation region) generated using a captured image of a range (hereinafter referred to as a reverse light effective irradiation region) is included.

  On the other hand, the left side view image 3 also includes a part (hereinafter referred to as an auxiliary illumination effective irradiation part 10) generated using a captured image of the auxiliary illumination effective irradiation range, as in the overhead view image 2. Since the auxiliary illumination effective irradiation region 10 is also generated based on a dark-colored captured image (road surface), it is difficult to identify.

  Therefore, conventionally, it is not possible to determine which part of the vehicle periphery monitoring image in the dark place accurately reflects the situation of the monitoring range, for example, the presence or absence of an obstacle, and the vehicle periphery in the dark place There has been a problem that the reliability of the surveillance image is low.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and can improve the visibility and reliability of a vehicle periphery monitoring image in a dark place. As a result, a safe and smooth driving operation in a dark place is achieved. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle periphery monitoring device that can support the vehicle.

  In order to achieve the above-described object, a vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention uses a photographing device for photographing a predetermined photographing region around the own vehicle and a photographed image photographed by the photographing device. A vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing device for generating a vehicle periphery monitoring image, which is an image for monitoring a predetermined monitoring range in the periphery, and displaying the generated vehicle periphery monitoring image on a display unit, and light for the monitoring range The illumination device that irradiates and the range in which the light of the illumination device is effectively irradiated when the brightness of the illumination device in the monitoring range is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold luminance when traveling in the dark place of the host vehicle After the effective irradiation range is grasped, an effective irradiation site that is a site generated by using a video image of the effective irradiation range in the vehicle periphery monitoring image is identified on the vehicle periphery monitoring image. Is characterized in that an identification image display processing apparatus for displaying an identification image for.

  Further, in another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, the identification image display processing device has a boundary line indicating a boundary between the effective irradiation region and the other region in the vehicle periphery monitoring image as the identification image. It is characterized by being formed so as to display an image.

  Furthermore, in another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, the vehicle periphery monitoring image includes a host vehicle image indicating at least a part of the host vehicle, and the identification image display processing device includes the identification image. And a mask image for making the portion other than the effective irradiation portion and the vehicle image in the vehicle periphery monitoring image invisible together with the boundary line image.

  Furthermore, another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention uses a photographing device for photographing a predetermined photographing region in the vicinity of the own vehicle and a photographing image photographed by the photographing device. A vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing device that generates a vehicle periphery monitoring image that is an image for monitoring the monitoring range of the vehicle and displays the generated vehicle periphery monitoring image on a display unit, and illumination that irradiates light to the monitoring range A brightness detecting device that detects brightness around the host vehicle, and the brightness of the lighting device in the monitoring range is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold brightness when traveling in a dark place of the host vehicle. After grasping an effective irradiation range that is an effective irradiation range of the light from the lighting device, the brightness around the host vehicle detected by the brightness detection device is less than a predetermined threshold brightness. In this case, a first identification image for identifying an effective irradiation part that is a part generated by using a captured image of the effective irradiation range in the vehicle periphery monitoring image is displayed on the vehicle periphery monitoring image. When the brightness around the host vehicle detected by the brightness detection device is equal to or greater than the threshold brightness, the effective irradiation site and the surrounding site are added to the vehicle periphery monitoring image. And an identification image display processing device for displaying a second identification image for identifying a complex part that is a part.

  Further, in the other vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, the identification image display processing device shows a boundary between the effective irradiation region and the other region in the vehicle periphery monitoring image as the first identification image. An image of a first boundary line is displayed, and an image of a second boundary line indicating a boundary between the complex part and the other part in the vehicle periphery monitoring image is displayed as the second identification image. It is characterized by being formed.

  Furthermore, in another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, the vehicle periphery monitoring image includes a host vehicle image indicating at least a part of the host vehicle, and the identification image display processing device includes the first image display processing device. As the identification image, a first mask image for making the portion other than the effective irradiation portion and the vehicle image in the vehicle periphery monitoring image invisible is displayed together with the image of the first boundary line. As the second identification image, a second mask image for making the portion other than the composite portion and the vehicle image in the vehicle periphery monitoring image invisible is displayed together with the image of the second boundary line. It is characterized by being formed.

  Furthermore, another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention is characterized in that the brightness detection device is an illuminance meter.

  In the other vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, the imaging device performs photometry on the imaging area, determines an exposure based on a result of the photometry, and determines the exposure area based on the determined exposure. The brightness detection device is formed so as to perform photographing, and is configured to detect the brightness of the periphery of the host vehicle using a result of the photometry by the photographing device.

  Furthermore, in another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, the identification image display treatment device increases an excess amount of brightness around the vehicle detected by the brightness detection device with respect to the threshold brightness. Therefore, the peripheral portion is formed so as to be gradually or stepwisely increased.

  Furthermore, another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention includes an effective irradiation range storage device in which information on the effective irradiation range uniquely set according to the design of the vehicle periphery monitoring device is stored, and the identification The image display processing device is configured to obtain the effective irradiation range by acquiring information stored in the effective irradiation range storage device.

  In another vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus according to the present invention, the threshold luminance is a value that gradually or stepwise increases with an increase in the traveling speed of the host vehicle, and the effective irradiation range is the host vehicle. It is characterized in that the range is reduced gradually or stepwise as the threshold luminance increases as the travel speed increases.

  Furthermore, in the other vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, the identification image display processing device recognizes that the host vehicle is traveling in a dark place based on the lighting device being lit. It is characterized by being formed.

  Furthermore, another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention is characterized in that the vehicle periphery monitoring image includes an overhead view image in which the host vehicle and the periphery thereof are looked down from above the host vehicle.

  Another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention is characterized in that the vehicle periphery monitoring image includes a side view image that is an image for monitoring the front side of the host vehicle.

  According to the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus according to the present invention, an identification image for identifying an effective irradiation site can be displayed on the vehicle periphery monitoring image, so that the visibility and reliability of the vehicle periphery monitoring image in a dark place can be improved. Thus, safe and smooth driving operation in a dark place can be supported.

  In addition, according to another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, as an identification image, it is possible to display an image of a boundary line indicating a boundary between the effective irradiation region and the other region in the vehicle periphery monitoring image. Although it is a simple image, an effective irradiation site can be reliably identified, and the visibility and reliability of a vehicle periphery monitoring image in a dark place can be reliably improved.

  Furthermore, according to another vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to make the effective irradiation region in the vehicle periphery monitoring image and a region other than the own vehicle image invisible, so that the effective irradiation region is further clearly identified. It is possible to further improve the visibility of an important part of the vehicle periphery monitoring image in a dark place and to further improve the reliability.

  Furthermore, according to another vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus according to the present invention, a first identification image for identifying an effective irradiation region or a second identification image for identifying a composite region is displayed on the vehicle periphery monitoring image. Since it can be displayed, the visibility and reliability of the vehicle periphery monitoring image in the dark place can be improved, and as a result, a safe and smooth driving operation in the dark place can be supported.

  According to another vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus according to the present invention, the first boundary image is displayed as the first identification image, and the second boundary image is displayed as the second identification image. Therefore, although it is a simple image, an effective irradiation part or a composite part can be reliably identified, and the visibility and reliability of a vehicle periphery monitoring image in a dark place can be reliably improved.

  Furthermore, according to the other vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus according to the present invention, when displaying the image of the first boundary line, the effective irradiation region, the region other than the own vehicle image, and the second boundary line image are displayed. Since the parts other than the composite part and the vehicle image in the vehicle can be made invisible, the effective irradiation part or the composite part can be more clearly identified, and the visibility and reliability of the vehicle periphery monitoring image in the dark place can be improved. Further improvement can be achieved.

  Furthermore, according to another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, the brightness around the host vehicle can be easily and reliably detected by the illuminance meter, so that the visibility of the vehicle periphery monitoring image in the dark place is visible. In addition, the reliability can be improved more easily and reliably.

  In addition, according to another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, the brightness around the own vehicle can be detected using the result of photometry on the imaging region by the imaging device, so that the existing function is effectively used. It can be used and the cost can be reduced.

  Furthermore, according to the other vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus according to the present invention, the peripheral part can be enlarged as the brightness of the periphery of the host vehicle increases, so that the second identification image can be further enlarged. , Can support safer and smoother driving.

  Furthermore, according to another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, the identification image display process is simplified by uniformly determining the effective irradiation region based on the effective irradiation range preset according to the design. Therefore, a prompt display of the identification image can be realized and the cost can be reduced.

  Moreover, according to the other vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus according to the present invention, the identification image can be reduced with an increase in the traveling speed of the host vehicle, and thus the safety can be further improved.

  Furthermore, according to the other vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, based on the fact that the lighting device is lit, the vehicle recognizes that the host vehicle is traveling in a dark place and performs processing for displaying an identification image. Therefore, the control can be simplified.

  Furthermore, according to another vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus according to the present invention, an identification image for identifying an effective irradiation site or a composite site can be displayed on the overhead view image, so that the overhead image visibility in a dark place is visible. In addition, the reliability can be improved, and as a result, a safe and smooth driving operation in a dark place can be supported.

  Furthermore, according to another vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, an identification image for identifying an effective irradiation site or a composite site can be displayed on the side view image, so that the side view image in the dark place can be displayed. Visibility and reliability can be improved, and as a result, safe and smooth driving operation in a dark place can be supported.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

  Note that portions having the same or similar basic configuration as those in the related art will be described using the same reference numerals.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus 11 in this embodiment has five in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 as photographing devices, and these in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 are all wide-angle cameras including a wide-angle lens such as a fish-eye lens, and digital cameras including a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD or a CMOS.

  One of these in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 is a left front camera 12 attached to the left front portion of the vehicle (for example, near the left headlight). The left front camera 12 captures an imaging region around the left front of the host vehicle around the host vehicle. One of the other four in-vehicle cameras 13, 14, 15, 16 is a right front camera 13 attached to the right front portion of the vehicle (for example, near the right headlight). The front camera 13 captures a photographing area around the right front of the host vehicle around the host vehicle. One of the other three in-vehicle cameras 14, 15, 16 is a left side camera 14 attached to the left side of the host vehicle (for example, the left door mirror). A shooting area centered on the left side of the host vehicle is shot. One of the other two in-vehicle cameras 15 and 16 is a right side camera 15 attached to a right side portion (for example, a right door mirror) of the host vehicle, and the right side camera 15 is a host vehicle. The shooting area is centered on the right side of. The remaining one in-vehicle camera 16 is a back camera 16 attached to the rear portion (for example, a rear license garnish portion) of the host vehicle, and the back camera 16 has a photographing region centered on the rear of the host vehicle. Is supposed to shoot.

  Further, each of the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 performs photometry on each imaging region based on the amount of light incident on the sensor surface of the solid-state imaging device through the lens. Each of the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 automatically determines the exposure based on the photometric result, and performs shooting of the shooting area under the determined exposure.

  A camera video acquisition unit 18 is connected to each of the vehicle-mounted cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and the camera video acquisition unit 18 is connected to each of the vehicle-mounted cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 from the shooting region. It is supposed to get the shooting video.

  A monitoring screen display processing unit 19 as a vehicle periphery monitoring image display processing device is connected to the camera image acquisition unit 18, and each in-vehicle state is connected to the monitoring screen display processing unit 19 from the camera image acquisition unit 18. Shooting images of the shooting areas by the cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 are input.

  A mapping table storage unit 20 is connected to the monitoring screen display processing unit 19, and a mapping table 21 as shown in FIG. 2 is stored in the mapping table storage unit 20, for example.

  This mapping table 21 describes the correspondence between the video captured by the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and the vehicle periphery monitoring image 2 included in the monitoring screen 1 similar to that shown in FIG. Has been.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the mapping table 21 includes coordinate points (Xc _i ) in a coordinate system (hereinafter referred to as an imaging plane coordinate system) defined on the imaging plane, that is, the sensor plane of the solid-state imaging device. , Yc _j ) (i, j: natural number), one pixel in the captured image by the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 is represented by a coordinate point (Xt) in a coordinate system defined on the display 23 described later. _m , Yt _n ) (m, n: natural number) is described to be used for generating one pixel in the overhead image 2 displayed.

  Here, in the mapping table 21, not all the coordinate points of the imaging plane coordinate system, that is, the coordinate points corresponding to all of the imaging region (all viewing angles) are described, but the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, Only coordinate points corresponding to a unique monitoring range (for example, a road surface) are described for each of 15 and 16. As a result, among the captured images in the imaging region by the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, only the captured image in the monitoring range is actually used for generating the vehicle periphery monitoring image, and the sky and the like are unnecessary. The captured video outside the monitoring range where the object is captured is discarded.

  Note that the mapping table 21 describes that two or more pixels in a video image taken by one on-vehicle camera 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 are used to generate one pixel on the monitoring screen 1. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1, paragraphs 0041 and 0044). Further, the mapping table 21 may be accompanied by coordinate conversion in consideration of correcting the distortion of the captured video caused by the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 using a wide-angle lens as a lens.

  The monitoring screen display processing unit 19 uses the mapping table 21 so that the video captured by the left front camera 12 is displayed on the left front monitoring image 5a and the video captured by the right front camera 13 is displayed on the right front monitoring image 5b. The video captured by the left side camera 14 is displayed on the left side monitoring image 5c, the video captured by the right side camera 15 is displayed on the right side monitoring image 5d, and the video captured by the back camera 16 is displayed on the rear monitoring image 5e. Each is to be converted.

  The monitoring screen display processing unit 19 generates the bird's-eye view image 2 by synthesizing the monitoring images 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, and 5e with the illustration image 6 of the host vehicle.

  In addition, the monitoring screen display processing unit 19 generates the left side view image 3 by performing processing such as trimming on the video image taken by the left side camera 14.

  Then, the monitoring screen display processing unit 19 generates the monitoring screen 1 by synthesizing the overhead image 2 and the left side view image 3 generated in this way with the background image 4. .

  A display 23 is connected to the monitoring screen display processing unit 19, and the monitoring screen 1 is displayed on the display 23 by the monitoring screen display processing unit 19.

  The vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus 11 includes an input operation unit 24, and the user can input an instruction for displaying the monitoring screen 1 by using the input operation unit 24. Yes.

  A vehicle information acquisition unit 25 is connected to the monitoring screen display processing unit 19, and this vehicle information acquisition unit 25 receives vehicle information about the host vehicle such as a traveling speed (vehicle speed) and a gear position from the vehicle side. To get.

  The monitoring screen display processing unit 19 may generate the monitoring screen 1 when the traveling speed of the host vehicle obtained from the vehicle information acquisition unit 25 is equal to or lower than a predetermined speed.

  In the present embodiment, the vehicle information acquisition unit 25 has a headlamp 28 that irradiates light (visible light) to the left front and front right monitoring ranges of the host vehicle as a lighting device, and the rear of the host vehicle. Are connected to the rear lamp 29 for irradiating light (visible light) to the monitoring range and the auxiliary lighting device 30 for irradiating light (for example, near infrared light) to the monitoring range on the left side of the host vehicle. Yes. The vehicle information acquisition part 25 acquires the lighting information which shows the presence or absence of lighting of these illuminating devices 28, 29, and 30 as vehicle information.

  In the present embodiment, an identification image display processing unit 31 as an identification image display processing device is connected to the monitoring screen display processing unit 19, the display 23, and the vehicle information acquisition unit 25.

  The identification image display processing unit 31 acquires lighting information of the lighting devices 28, 29, and 30 from the vehicle information acquisition unit 25, and the acquired lighting information indicates that the lighting devices 28, 29, and 30 are turned on. On the basis of the fact that the vehicle is traveling, it is recognized that the vehicle is traveling in a dark place such as on the road at night.

  The identification image display processing unit 31 is connected to an effective irradiation range storage unit 33 as an effective irradiation range storage device. The effective irradiation range storage unit 33 includes the luminance of the illumination device as viewed from the monitoring range in the monitoring range. Is stored as information on an effective irradiation range, which is a range in which the light of the illumination device is effectively irradiated in a state where is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold luminance.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the effective irradiation range information includes the types of the effective irradiation ranges according to the types of the illumination devices 28, 29, and 30 and the direction of the monitoring range to which the effective irradiation ranges belong (in other words, in-vehicle The information may be in the form of a table 34 divided for each type of camera 12, 13, 14, 15, 16).

  Here, the table 34 in FIG. 3 shows a set of predetermined coordinate points (pixels) in the imaging plane coordinate system of the left front camera 12 (imaging plane coordinate point group A) as information on the effective irradiation range of the headlamp. Information and information indicating a set of predetermined coordinate points (pixels) (imaging plane coordinate point group C) in the imaging plane coordinate system of the right front camera 13 are described. In addition, information indicating a set of predetermined coordinate points (pixels) in the imaging plane coordinate system of the back camera 16 (imaging plane coordinate point group E) is described in the table 34 as information on the rear lamp irradiation range. Further, the table 34 includes information indicating a set of predetermined coordinate points (pixels) (imaging plane coordinate point group B) in the imaging plane coordinate system of the left front camera 12 as information on the auxiliary illumination irradiation range, and the left side camera. Information indicating a set of predetermined coordinate points (pixels) (imaging plane coordinate point group D) in 14 imaging plane coordinate systems is described.

  Further, the column described as “none” in the table 34 indicates that there is no effective irradiation range corresponding to this column. For example, “None” is described in the column corresponding to the headlamp effective irradiation range and the rear (back camera). This is because the headlamp effective irradiation is within the monitoring range behind the host vehicle. Indicates that the range does not exist.

  As can be seen from the definition of the effective irradiation range described above, the effective irradiation range corresponds to the predetermined threshold luminance of the lighting devices 28, 29, and 30, and therefore the information on the effective irradiation range in the table 34 is as follows. Although the predetermined threshold luminance is used as a reference, the threshold luminance may be different for each of the lighting devices 28, 29, and 30.

  Such an effective irradiation range is uniquely set according to the design of the vehicle periphery monitoring device 11 such as the positions, postures, and dimensions of the lighting devices 28, 29, and 30 and the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16. It is said that

  Returning to FIG. 1, the identification image display processing unit 31 has an effective irradiation range acquisition unit 36, and the identification image display processing unit 31 recognizes that the host vehicle is traveling in a dark place. The effective irradiation range is obtained by acquiring information on the effective irradiation range stored in the effective irradiation range storage unit 33 by the effective irradiation range acquisition unit 36.

  And the identification image display process part 31 uses the imaging | photography image | video of the effective irradiation range in a vehicle periphery monitoring image from each vehicle periphery monitoring image 2 and 3 in the monitoring screen 1 based on the grasped effective irradiation range. The effective irradiation site, which is the site generated in this way, is extracted.

  Specifically, the identification image display processing unit 31 performs the headlamp effective irradiation generated from the overhead image 2 using the captured image of the headlamp effective irradiation range, as shown in FIG. The part 7, the tail lamp effective irradiation part 8 generated using the captured image of the tail lamp effective irradiation range, and the auxiliary illumination effective irradiation part 9 generated using the image of the auxiliary illumination effective irradiation range are extracted. It is like that.

  Further, the identification image display processing unit 31 displays the auxiliary illumination effective irradiation part 10 generated from the left side view image 3 using the captured image of the auxiliary illumination effective irradiation range, as shown in FIG. It comes to extract.

  And as shown in FIG. 4, the identification image display process part 31 is the identification image for identifying the headlamp effective irradiation site | part 7 based on an extraction result, as shown in FIG. An image of a broken line indicating a boundary with a part (hereinafter referred to as a headlamp effective irradiation part boundary line image 37) is generated, and the generated headlamp effective irradiation part boundary line image 37 is obtained as an overhead image 2 It is designed to be superimposed on the top.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the identification image display processing unit 31 uses a broken line indicating the boundary between the taillight effective irradiation site 8 and other sites as an identification image for identifying the taillight effective irradiation site 8. An image of a boundary line (hereinafter referred to as a tail lamp effective irradiation region boundary line image 38) is generated, and the generated tail lamp effective irradiation region boundary line image 38 is superimposed and displayed on the overhead image 2. .

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the identification image display processing unit 31 uses the boundary between the auxiliary illumination effective irradiation part 9 and other parts as an identification image for identifying the auxiliary illumination effective irradiation part 9 in the overhead image 2. Is generated (hereinafter referred to as a first auxiliary illumination effective irradiation region boundary image 39), and the generated first auxiliary illumination effective irradiation region boundary image 39 is displayed on the overhead image 2. Superimposed display.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, the identification image display processing unit 31 uses the auxiliary illumination effective irradiation part 10 and other parts as identification images for identifying the auxiliary illumination effective irradiation part 10 in the left side view image 3. A boundary line image of a broken line indicating the boundary between the first auxiliary illumination effective irradiation region boundary line image 40 and the generated second auxiliary illumination effective irradiation region boundary line image 40 is generated on the left side. The image is superimposed on the view image 3.

  As described above, when the host vehicle is moving backward, the overhead view image 2 includes the reverse light effective irradiation region. In this case, the other effective irradiation regions 7, 8, 9, In the same manner as the method used to display the boundary images 37, 38, 39, and 40 for identifying 10, the boundary image for identifying the back-light effective irradiation site is displayed on the other boundary lines. What is necessary is just to display together with the image 37,38,39,40. In FIG. 1, the backward light is omitted.

  Next, the main operation of this embodiment will be described.

  In the present embodiment, when a user inputs an instruction to display the monitoring screen 1 using the input operation unit 24 in a dark place such as a night road, the lighting devices 28, 29, and 30 are turned on. The monitoring screen display processing unit 19 acquires the captured video by the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 via the camera video acquisition unit 18, and the mapping table 21 stored in the mapping table storage unit 20. Read out.

  Then, the monitoring screen display processing unit 19 generates a bird's-eye view image 2 based on the mapping table 21 and the video images taken by the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, and is shot by the left side camera 14. The left side view image 3 is generated based on the trimming information for the video.

  Further, the monitoring screen display processing unit 19 generates the monitoring screen 1 by combining the overhead image 2 and the left side view image 3 with the background image 4, and the generated monitoring screen 1 is displayed on the display 23. Is done.

  At this time, lighting information is acquired from the vehicle information acquisition unit 25 by the identification image display processing unit 31, and the acquired lighting information indicates that the lighting devices 28, 29, and 30 are turned on. Based on this, it is recognized that the host vehicle is traveling in a dark place.

  Then, after the identification image display processing unit 31 recognizes that the host vehicle is traveling in a dark place, the identification image display processing unit 31 stores the information on the effective irradiation range stored in the effective irradiation range storage unit 33. The effective irradiation range is grasped by being acquired through the effective irradiation range acquisition unit 36.

  Next, based on the information on the effective irradiation range acquired by the effective irradiation range acquisition unit 33 by the identification image display processing unit 31, the headlamp effective irradiation region 7 and the rear lamp effective irradiation region 8 are selected from the overhead image 2. The auxiliary illumination effective irradiation site 9 is extracted, and the auxiliary illumination effective irradiation site 10 is extracted from the left side view image 3.

  Next, the identification image display processing unit 31 generates a headlamp effective irradiation region boundary line image 37, a rear lamp effective irradiation region boundary line image 38, and a first auxiliary illumination effective irradiation region boundary line image 39 based on the extraction result. As a result, the second auxiliary illumination effective irradiation region boundary line image 40 is generated and superimposed on the left side view image 3 while being superimposed on the overhead image 2.

  By displaying such boundary line images 37, 38, 39, and 40, the user can easily determine which part in the overhead view image 2 and the left side view image 3 accurately reflects the situation of the monitoring range. Can be determined.

  As a modification of the present embodiment, the above-described threshold luminance that defines the effective irradiation range is a value that increases gradually or stepwise as the traveling speed of the host vehicle increases. You may make it use the range which reduces gradually or in steps as the threshold brightness | luminance increases with the increase in driving speed.

  Such a modification can be realized by using, for example, the following two tables as the simplest example. That is, first, as the first table, the above-described table 34 has a threshold brightness for defining an effective irradiation range in the table 34, and a predetermined traveling speed range (for example, more than 0 km / h and 15 km / h). A traveling speed range having a certain spread of less than h) is prepared as a state having a corresponding relationship. Next, as the second table, as another table of the same format as the first table 34 (hereinafter referred to as another table), threshold brightness for defining an effective irradiation range in the other table. Is prepared higher than the first table 34. At this time, the threshold brightness for defining the effective irradiation range in the separate table is faster than the travel speed range corresponding to the threshold brightness in the first table 34 (for example, 15 km / h or more and 30 km). / H or less).

  Here, the information on the effective irradiation range in the separate table (second table) is that the threshold luminance for defining the effective irradiation range is higher than that on the first table 34 side, so It can be information indicating an effective irradiation range whose area is smaller than the effective irradiation range on the eye table 34 side.

  For example, when the effective irradiation range of the headlamp in the first table 34 is the imaging surface coordinate point group A of the left front camera 12, as shown in FIG. The headlamp effective irradiation range in () is an imaging plane coordinate point group A ′ whose area is smaller than that of the imaging plane coordinate point group A of the left front camera 12, although not shown.

  When the host vehicle is traveling at a traveling speed (low speed side) within the traveling speed range corresponding to the first table 34 side, the effective irradiation range on the first table 34 side is set. The boundary line images 37, 38, 39, and 40 are used to generate a boundary line image 37, 38, 39, and 40. A boundary image may be generated using the effective irradiation range on the table side.

  In this way, the range of the boundary line image, that is, the range identified by the boundary line image can be reduced with an increase in the traveling speed of the host vehicle, so that safety can be further enhanced.

  As a modification of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the identification image display processing unit 31 performs effective irradiation on the overhead image 2 together with the boundary line images 37, 38, and 39 as the identification image on the overhead image 2. A mask image 45 for making parts other than the parts 7, 8, 9 and the illustration image 6 (own vehicle image) invisible is displayed, and a boundary line image 40 as an identification image is displayed on the left side view image 3. At the same time, a mask image 46 may be displayed for making the portions other than the effective irradiation portion 10 and the reflected image 3a (own vehicle image) in the left side view image 3 invisible.

  In this way, the effective irradiation sites 7, 8, 9, and 10 can be more clearly identified.

  In FIG. 5, for convenience of explanation, the mask images 45 and 46 are outlined, but actually, it is preferable to use a dark color such as black from the viewpoint of use in a dark place.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  Note that portions having the same or similar basic configuration as the first embodiment will be described using the same reference numerals.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the vehicle periphery monitoring device 48 according to the present embodiment has a configuration similar to that of the first embodiment, and is provided between the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 and the identification image display processing unit 31. In addition, a brightness detection unit 49 as a brightness detection device is provided.

  The brightness detection unit 49 acquires the photometric result of each of the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and uses the acquired photometric result to detect the brightness around the host vehicle. It has become. In addition, the brightness around the host vehicle detected by the brightness detection unit 49 may be an average value of the brightness of the shooting areas of the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16. As a unit of brightness detected by the brightness detection unit 49, for example, illuminance [lx] can be used.

  Further, in the present embodiment, a peripheral range storage unit 50 is connected to the identification image display processing unit 31, and the peripheral range storage unit 50 includes a range around the effective irradiation range in the monitoring range (hereinafter referred to as the peripheral range). Information) is stored.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the peripheral range information includes the type of the peripheral range corresponding to the type of the effective irradiation range and the direction of the monitoring range to which the peripheral range belongs (in other words, the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, The information may be in the form of a table 52 divided into 16 types). This table 52 may be considered to be used together when the table 34 shown in FIG. 3 is used as information on the effective irradiation range.

  Here, the table 52 in FIG. 7 includes a set of predetermined coordinate points (pixels) in the imaging plane coordinate system of the left front camera 12 (imaging plane coordinate point group) as information on the peripheral range of the headlamp effective irradiation range. Information indicating a) and information indicating a set of predetermined coordinate points (pixels) (imaging plane coordinate point group c) in the imaging plane coordinate system of the right front camera 13 are described. Further, in the table 52, information indicating a set of predetermined coordinate points (pixels) (imaging plane coordinate point group e) in the imaging plane coordinate system of the back camera 16 is described as peripheral range information about the rear lamp irradiation range. Has been. Further, the table 52 includes information indicating a set of predetermined coordinate points (pixels) in the imaging plane coordinate system of the left front camera 12 (imaging plane coordinate point group b) as peripheral range information about the auxiliary illumination irradiation range. And information indicating a set of predetermined coordinate points (pixels) (imaging plane coordinate point group d) in the imaging plane coordinate system of the left side camera 14 is described.

  Further, the column described as “none” in the table 52 indicates that there is no peripheral range corresponding to this column. For example, “None” is described in the column corresponding to the headlamp effective irradiation range and the rear (back camera), which is within the monitoring range behind the host vehicle. It shows that there is no surrounding range for.

  Such a peripheral range depends on the design of the vehicle periphery monitoring device 48 such as the positions, postures and dimensions of the lighting devices 28, 29, 30 and the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and the setting range of the effective irradiation range. Are set in advance.

  Returning to FIG. 6, the identification image display processing unit 31 includes a peripheral range acquisition unit 53, and the identification image display processing unit 31 has the brightness of the periphery of the host vehicle detected by the brightness detection unit 49. When the brightness is equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold brightness, the peripheral range information stored in the peripheral range storage unit 50 is acquired by the peripheral range acquisition unit 53.

  The identification image display processing unit 31 includes a composite range calculation unit 54. The composite range calculation unit 54 includes information on the effective irradiation range acquired by the effective irradiation range acquisition unit 33 and a peripheral range acquisition unit. The composite range is calculated by adding the peripheral range information acquired by 53.

  When the identification image display processing unit 31 calculates such a composite range, the identification image display processing unit 31 in the vehicle periphery monitoring image as a composite part from the monitoring screen 1 acquired from the monitoring screen display processing unit 19. A part generated using a captured image of the composite range is extracted.

  The composite part is a part formed by adding the effective irradiation part described in the first embodiment and its peripheral part, and the peripheral part of the effective irradiation part is a peripheral range in the vehicle periphery monitoring image. This corresponds to the part generated using the captured video.

  More specifically, the identification image display processing unit 31 extracts each of the following composite parts as composite parts. That is, the identification image display processing unit 31 generates from the bird's-eye view image 2 using a captured video of a composite range (hereinafter referred to as a headlamp-side composite range) including the headlamp effective irradiation range and its peripheral range. The combined part (hereinafter referred to as the headlamp side composite part) is extracted. In addition, the identification image display processing unit 31 is generated from the overhead image 2 using a captured image of a composite range (hereinafter referred to as a rear lamp side composite range) including the rear lamp effective irradiation range and its peripheral range. A composite part (hereinafter referred to as a rear light side composite part) is extracted. Furthermore, the identification image display processing unit 31 is generated from the overhead image 2 using a captured image of a composite range including the auxiliary illumination effective irradiation range and its peripheral range (hereinafter referred to as the auxiliary illumination side composite range). A complex part (hereinafter, referred to as an auxiliary illumination side first complex part) is extracted. Furthermore, the identification image display processing unit 31 uses a captured image of a composite range (hereinafter referred to as an auxiliary illumination side composite range) including the auxiliary illumination effective irradiation range and its peripheral range from the left side view image 3. The generated composite part (hereinafter referred to as auxiliary illumination side second composite part) is extracted.

  And the identification image display process part 31 is an image of the boundary line which shows the boundary of a composite region and another site | part as an identification image (2nd identification image) for identifying a composite region based on an extraction result. Is generated, and the generated boundary image is superimposed and displayed on the vehicle periphery monitoring image.

  More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, the identification image display processing unit 31 uses the headlamp-side composite part 57 and the other parts as an image of the boundary line for identifying the headlamp-side composite part 57. An image of a boundary line of a broken line indicating a boundary with a part (hereinafter referred to as a headlamp-side composite part boundary line image 62) is generated, and the generated headlamp-side composite part boundary line image 62 is represented as an overhead image 2 It is designed to be superimposed on the top.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the identification image display processing unit 31 shows the boundary between the rear light side composite part 58 and other parts as an image of the boundary line for identifying the rear light side composite part 58. A broken border image (hereinafter referred to as a tail lamp-side composite part border line image 63) is generated, and the tail lamp-side composite part border line image 63 generated is superimposed on the overhead image 2. ing.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, the identification image display processing unit 31 uses the auxiliary illumination side first composite part 59 and other parts as an image of the boundary line for identifying the auxiliary illumination side first composite part 59. An image of a boundary line of a broken line indicating the boundary (hereinafter referred to as an auxiliary illumination side first composite part boundary line image 64) is generated, and the generated auxiliary illumination side first composite part boundary line image 64 is referred to as an overhead image 2. It is designed to be superimposed on the top.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, the identification image display processing unit 31 uses the auxiliary illumination side second composite part 60 and other parts as an image of the boundary line for identifying the auxiliary illumination side second composite part 60. A boundary line image of a broken line indicating the boundary between the first and second composite part boundary line images 65 (hereinafter referred to as auxiliary illumination side second composite part boundary line image 65) is generated. The image is superimposed on the view image 3.

  On the other hand, the identification image display processing unit 31 does not calculate the composite range when the brightness around the host vehicle detected by the brightness detection unit 49 is less than the threshold brightness, and the first embodiment ( As in the case of FIG. 4), an effective irradiation site is extracted, and boundary image 37, 38, extracted for the effective irradiation site is extracted as an identification image (first identification image) for identifying the extracted effective irradiation site. 39 and 40 are generated and displayed.

  Also in this embodiment, when the host vehicle is moving backward, the overhead view image 2 includes a reverse light effective irradiation site (not shown). The reverse lamp side in which the reverse lamp effective irradiation part and its peripheral part are added together by the same method as that used for displaying the border images 62, 63, 64, 65 for identifying 58, 59, 60 The boundary line image for identifying the complex part may be displayed together with the other boundary line images 62, 63, 64, 65.

  Next, operations unique to the present embodiment will be described.

  In the present embodiment, when a user inputs an instruction to display the monitoring screen 1 using the input operation unit 24 in a dark place such as a night road, the lighting devices 28, 29, and 30 are turned on. The monitoring screen display processing unit 19 acquires the captured images of the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 through the camera image acquisition unit 18, and the mapping table 21 stored in the mapping table storage unit 20. Read out.

  At this time, the brightness detection unit 49 detects the brightness around the host vehicle based on the photometric results of the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16.

  Next, the overhead screen image 2 is generated by the monitoring screen display processing unit 19 based on the mapping table 21 and the video images taken by the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, and is shot by the left side camera 14 The left side view image 3 is generated by trimming the video.

  Furthermore, the monitoring screen display processing unit 19 generates the monitoring screen 1 by synthesizing the generated overhead image 2 and the left side view image 3 with the background image 4, and the generated monitoring screen 1 is displayed. 23.

  At this time, lighting information is acquired from the vehicle information acquisition unit 25 by the identification image display processing unit 31, and the acquired lighting information indicates that the lighting devices 28, 29, and 30 are turned on. Based on this, it is recognized that the host vehicle is traveling in a dark place.

  Then, after the identification image display processing unit 31 recognizes that the host vehicle is traveling in a dark place, the identification image display processing unit 31 stores the information on the effective irradiation range stored in the effective irradiation range storage unit 33. The effective irradiation range is grasped by being acquired through the effective irradiation range acquisition unit 36.

  Further, at this time, the peripheral brightness of the subject vehicle detected by the brightness detection unit 49 by the peripheral range acquisition unit 53 of the identification image display processing unit 31 is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold brightness. The information on the peripheral range stored in the peripheral range storage unit 50 is acquired.

  Next, the composite range calculation unit 54 of the identification image display processing unit 31 adds the information of the effective irradiation range and the information of the peripheral range as the composite range, and the headlamp side composite range, the rear lamp side composite range, and the auxiliary illumination Each side composite range is calculated.

  Next, based on the composite range calculated by the composite range calculation unit 54 by the identification image display processing unit 31, the headlight side composite part 57, the rear lamp side composite part 58, and the auxiliary illumination side are selected from the overhead image 2. The first composite part 59 is extracted, and the auxiliary illumination side second composite part 60 is extracted from the left side view image 3.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the identification image display processing unit 31 performs the headlamp-side composite part boundary image 62, the rear lamp-side composite part boundary image 63, and the auxiliary illumination side first composite based on the extraction result. A part boundary line image 64 is generated and superimposed on the overhead image 2, and an auxiliary illumination side second composite part boundary line image 65 is generated and superimposed on the left side view image 3.

  By displaying such boundary line images 62, 63, 64, and 65, the user can easily determine which part in the overhead view image 2 and the left side view image 3 accurately reflects the status of the monitoring range. Can be determined. Moreover, since the range identified by the boundary line image can be expanded as compared with the first embodiment in accordance with the brightness around the actual host vehicle, the status of the monitoring range can be more clearly determined.

  As a modification of the present embodiment, the identification image display processing unit 31 gradually or gradually determines the peripheral parts in the composite part according to the increase of the excess amount of brightness detected by the brightness detection part 49 with respect to the threshold brightness. You may make it take large.

  Such a modification is realized by storing the peripheral range that increases as the excess amount of brightness detected by the brightness detection unit 49 with respect to the threshold brightness increases in the peripheral range storage unit 50 described above. can do.

  More specifically, as the simplest example, the following two tables may be used. That is, as the first table, the above-described table 52 is the predetermined brightness of the brightness detected by the brightness detection unit 49 in the peripheral range (see FIG. 7) in the table 52. It is prepared as a state having a correspondence relationship with the range. However, the brightness range corresponding to the peripheral range in the first table 52 is a predetermined brightness range in which the threshold brightness is a lower limit value.

  Next, as the second table, as another table of the same format as the first table 52 (hereinafter referred to as another table), the peripheral range including the peripheral range shown in FIG. In addition, a table is prepared in which information on the peripheral range in which the area is expanded is described. At this time, the peripheral range in the separate table has a correspondence relationship with a predetermined brightness range of the brightness detected by the brightness detection unit 49. However, the brightness range corresponding to the peripheral range in the separate table is slightly smaller than the upper limit value in the brightness range corresponding to the peripheral range in the first table 52 (for example, 1 [lx] minutes). ) Is set to a predetermined brightness range in which the predetermined brightness is a lower limit.

  If the brightness detected by the brightness detection unit 49 is equal to or greater than the threshold brightness and is within the brightness range corresponding to the peripheral range in the first table 52, The composite range is calculated, the composite part is extracted, and the boundary line image is displayed using the peripheral range of the first table 52.

  On the other hand, if the brightness detected by the brightness detection unit 49 is not less than the threshold brightness and is within a brightness range corresponding to the peripheral range in the separate table, the separate table is used. The composite range may be calculated, the composite part may be extracted, and the boundary line image may be displayed using the peripheral range.

  In this way, the range of the boundary line image can be expanded as the brightness around the host vehicle increases, so that safety can be further enhanced.

  Further, as a modification of the present embodiment, the identification image display processing unit 31 includes a boundary image 62, 63, 64, 65 as an identification image (second identification image) as shown in FIG. Mask images 67 and 68 for making the parts other than the composite parts 57, 58, 59 and 60 and the own vehicle images 3a and 6 in the monitoring images 2 and 3 invisible can be generated and displayed.

  In this way, the composite parts 57, 58, 59, 60 can be more clearly identified.

  Furthermore, the brightness detection unit 49 need not be limited to detecting the brightness around the host vehicle as one detection result (brightness) as described above. For example, the in-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14 , 15, 16 may be used to detect individual brightness for each of the imaging regions.

  When the individual brightness is detected for each photographing area as described above, the identification image display processing unit 31 determines that the brightness is a predetermined threshold brightness among the brightness detection results for each photographing area. When there is an imaging region as described above, information about the peripheral range for the effective irradiation range belonging to the imaging region may be acquired from the peripheral range storage unit 50.

  At this time, one effective irradiation range may belong to the imaging region of two or more on-vehicle cameras 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16. In such a case, any one of the imaging regions may be an imaging region. If the brightness detection result is equal to or greater than the threshold brightness, information on the peripheral range of the effective irradiation range may be acquired.

  And about the effective irradiation range from which the information of the peripheral range was acquired, after calculating the composite range and extracting the composite part subsequent thereto, an identification image (second identification image) for identifying the composite part On the other hand, an identification image (first identification image) for identifying the effective irradiation range may be displayed for the effective irradiation range for which the peripheral range information is not acquired.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the boundary line image 37 for identifying the effective irradiation parts 7, 8, 9, 10 or the composite parts 57, 58, 59, 60 on the vehicle periphery monitoring images 2, 3. , 38, 39, 40, 62, 63, 64, 65 can be displayed, so that the visibility and reliability of the vehicle periphery monitoring images 2 and 3 in the dark place can be improved. Safe and smooth driving operation can be supported.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, A various change is possible as needed.

  For example, the vehicle periphery monitoring images 2 and 3 may be generated by a method other than the mapping table as long as the method can perform coordinate conversion from the imaging plane coordinate system to the display coordinate system.

  Moreover, you may make it use the external illuminometer which detects the illumination intensity around the own vehicle as a brightness detection apparatus.

The block diagram which shows 1st Embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention. The schematic diagram which shows a mapping table in 1st Embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention. The figure which shows the table in which information of the effective irradiation range was described in 1st Embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention. The figure which shows the display state of the boundary line image as an identification image in 1st Embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention. The figure which shows the display state of the boundary line image and mask image as a modification in 1st Embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention. The block diagram which shows 2nd Embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention. The figure which shows the table in which the information of the periphery range was described in 2nd Embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention. The figure which shows the display state of the boundary line image as a 2nd identification image in 2nd Embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention. The figure which shows the display state of the boundary line image and mask image as a modification in 2nd Embodiment of the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention. The figure which shows the display state of the conventional vehicle periphery monitoring image

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus 12 Left front camera 13 Right front camera 14 Left side camera 15 Right side camera 16 Back camera 19 Monitoring screen display process part 28 Headlamp 29 Rear lamp 30 Auxiliary illumination apparatus 31 Identification image display process part

Claims (14)

A photographing device for photographing a predetermined photographing region around the own vehicle;
A vehicle that generates a vehicle periphery monitoring image, which is an image for monitoring a predetermined monitoring range around the host vehicle, using a captured image captured by the imaging device, and displays the generated vehicle periphery monitoring image on a display unit A peripheral monitoring image display processing device;
An illumination device that emits light to the monitoring range;
When traveling in a dark place of the host vehicle, the effective irradiation range, which is a range in which the light of the lighting device is effectively irradiated as the luminance of the lighting device in the monitoring range is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold luminance, is grasped. In addition, on the vehicle periphery monitoring image, an identification image display process for displaying an identification image for identifying an effective irradiation part that is a part generated using a captured image of the effective irradiation range in the vehicle periphery monitoring image And a vehicle periphery monitoring device. The identification image display processing device is configured to display an image of a boundary line indicating a boundary between the effective irradiation site and the other site in the vehicle periphery monitoring image as the identification image. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 1. The vehicle periphery monitoring image includes a host vehicle image indicating at least a part of the host vehicle,
The identification image display processing device displays, as the identification image, a mask image for making the portion other than the effective irradiation portion and the vehicle image in the vehicle periphery monitoring image invisible together with the boundary line image. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle periphery monitoring device is formed as follows. A photographing device for photographing a predetermined photographing region around the own vehicle;
A vehicle that generates a vehicle periphery monitoring image, which is an image for monitoring a predetermined monitoring range around the host vehicle, using a captured image captured by the imaging device, and displays the generated vehicle periphery monitoring image on a display unit A peripheral monitoring image display processing device;
An illumination device that emits light to the monitoring range;
A brightness detection device for detecting brightness around the vehicle;
When traveling in a dark place of the host vehicle, the effective irradiation range, which is a range in which the light of the lighting device is effectively irradiated as the luminance of the lighting device in the monitoring range is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold luminance, is grasped. In addition, when the brightness around the vehicle detected by the brightness detection device is less than a predetermined threshold brightness, the effective irradiation in the vehicle periphery monitoring image is displayed on the vehicle periphery monitoring image. A first identification image for identifying an effective irradiation site that is a site generated using a captured video of a range is displayed, and brightness around the vehicle detected by the brightness detection device is the threshold value. An identification image for displaying a second identification image for identifying a composite part that is a part obtained by adding the effective irradiation part and the peripheral part on the vehicle periphery monitoring image when the brightness is equal to or higher than the brightness Vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus characterized by comprising a display processor. The identification image display processing device displays, as the first identification image, an image of a first boundary line indicating a boundary between the effective irradiation site and the other site in the vehicle periphery monitoring image, and the second image The image of the 2nd boundary line which shows the boundary of the said composite part and other site | part in the said vehicle periphery monitoring image as an identification image of this is formed so that it may be displayed. Vehicle periphery monitoring device. The vehicle periphery monitoring image includes a host vehicle image indicating at least a part of the host vehicle,
The identification image display processing device is configured to make the first identification image invisible in the vehicle periphery monitoring image other than the effective irradiation region and the vehicle image as the first boundary image. The first mask image is formed so as to be displayed, and the second identification image cannot be seen with the second boundary line image and the complex part and the vehicle image other than the host vehicle image in the vehicle periphery monitoring image. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle periphery monitoring device is formed so as to display a second mask image to be used. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the brightness detection device is an illuminance meter. The photographing device performs photometry on the photographing region, determines an exposure based on a result of the photometry, and is configured to photograph the photographing region under the determined exposure.
7. The brightness detection device is configured to detect the brightness of the surroundings of the host vehicle using a result of the photometry performed by the photographing device. 8. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 1. The identification image display treatment device gradually or gradually increases the peripheral portion in accordance with an increase in the amount of excess brightness around the host vehicle detected by the brightness detection device with respect to the threshold brightness. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle periphery monitoring device is formed as follows. An effective irradiation range storage device in which information of the effective irradiation range uniquely set according to the design of the vehicle periphery monitoring device is stored;
10. The identification image display processing device is formed so as to grasp the effective irradiation range by acquiring information stored in the effective irradiation range storage device. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to any one of the above. The threshold brightness is a value that gradually or stepwise increases as the traveling speed of the host vehicle increases.
11. The effective irradiation range is a range that gradually or gradually decreases as the threshold luminance increases as the traveling speed of the host vehicle increases. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 1. The identification image display processing device is formed so as to recognize that the host vehicle is traveling in a dark place based on the lighting device being turned on. The vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus according to claim 11. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the vehicle periphery monitoring image includes an overhead image obtained by looking down the host vehicle and the periphery thereof from above the host vehicle. . The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the vehicle periphery monitoring image includes a side view image that is an image for monitoring a front side of the host vehicle.

Images