JP4321258B2 - Display control device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a display control device mounted on a vehicle, and more particularly to a display control device having a blind corner monitor function used when an intersection with poor visibility is reached.

  Conventionally, a so-called blind corner monitor has been used to ensure safety when passing an intersection with poor visibility. This blind corner monitor is activated when the user switches on and the vehicle speed is low when the vehicle approaches an intersection with poor visibility.

  And the image which reflected the condition of the road which cross | intersects the road where a vehicle is located is acquired from the camera turned to the left-right direction in front of a vehicle, and the image is displayed on the display in a vehicle. Such a device is used in places where intersections and roads are bent, and obstacles such as fences make it difficult to visually recognize the situation in the direction of travel from the driver's seat.

  Usually, a mirror called a curve mirror is installed at a corner portion at such an intersection with poor visibility. A vehicle that enters the intersection from an intersecting road can grasp the situation of the road that is about to enter via the curve mirror.

Further, the shape of the curve mirror is a convex mirror, and the image projected on the curve mirror is projected in a curved shape as compared with the normal image.
JP 2003-127772 A

  However, in the conventional blind corner monitor typified by Patent Document 1, as shown in FIG. 7, the image captured by the camera is displayed on the monitor as it is. That is, the images l0 and r0 displayed on the monitor are different from images recognized directly with the naked eye because images captured from the camera viewpoint are displayed. As a result, there has been a problem that it is difficult for the driver to intuitively grasp the sense of distance and direction from a moving object or an obstacle displayed on the monitor until he / she gets used to the display screen.

  In addition, a blind corner monitor that acquires an external image using a fisheye lens has the advantage of being able to acquire a wide range of video information. On the other hand, because of the large distortion, image processing that corrects distortion called normal image conversion is required. Become.

  Furthermore, it is necessary to switch on the blind corner monitor every time an intersection with poor visibility is reached, and there is a disadvantage that the operation is troublesome.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a display control device that displays an image that allows the user to more intuitively understand an external situation in a blind corner monitor that displays a blind spot such as an intersection.

  The present invention for solving the above problems has the following configuration.

(1) imaging means for capturing an image in front of the vehicle;
An image processing unit that performs image processing on an image captured by the imaging unit in correspondence with a curved shape of a curve mirror;
A display control apparatus comprising: display means for displaying an image image-processed by the image processing means on a mirror portion in a figure simulating a curve mirror.

  (2) The display control apparatus according to (1), wherein the image captured by the imaging unit is an image captured by a fisheye lens.

( 3 ) current position detecting means for detecting the current position of the vehicle;
Map data storage means for storing map data and pre-registered points for displaying the display means;
Vehicle speed detecting means for detecting the speed of the vehicle,
The display means displays the captured image on a mirror portion in the figure when the detected current position matches the registered location and the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined value. The display control device according to (1) or (2) .

According to the invention described in claim 1, the image of the outside conditions acquired by the imaging means, since the curved mirror that is displayed on the mirror portion in the figure that imitates the outside situation is shown in the image, the curve It can be grasped with the same feeling as when looking at the mirror. For this reason, the sense of direction and distance to the object obtained through the image is similar to the case of grasping through the curve mirror, and the sense of distance and direction from the object projected on the image is more accurately represented. Obtainable.
In particular , since the acquired image is processed by image processing so as to match the image displayed on the curve mirror, the same image as when the curve mirror is viewed is displayed on the display screen. Accordingly, the distance and direction from the target object can be grasped from the display image with the same feeling as when viewing the curve mirror.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the image captured by the imaging unit is an image captured by the fisheye lens, the image displayed on the display screen is curved similarly to the image displayed on the curve mirror, It will be close to the image of the curve mirror. For this reason, it is not necessary to perform image processing with a large processing load on the apparatus such as normal image conversion. In addition, the user can grasp the sense of distance and the sense of direction with respect to the object projected on the image more accurately.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the point where the image has been extracted and displayed in advance is stored in advance, and when the current position is detected by the current position detecting means, the point is automatically displayed. There is no need to perform an activation operation of the image display device, and the troublesomeness is reduced.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a display control apparatus 1 of the present invention. The display control device 1 includes an arithmetic processing device 12 that performs image processing, a camera 13 that is attached to a vehicle body as an imaging unit, a vehicle speed sensor 11 that is a vehicle speed detection unit, and a display device 14 that is a display unit that displays an image. And a main storage device 16 as a storage means for images and the like, and a fluid force means 18, which are connected to each other via a system bus 17. As shown in FIG. 2, the camera 13 functioning as an imaging unit is directed forward in this embodiment so that the optical axis of the lens coincides with the center line of the vehicle at the center of the front end of the vehicle. Has been placed. The camera 13 has a fisheye lens 130 and acquires an image in front of the vehicle via the fisheye lens 130. The angle of view of the fisheye lens 130 is 180 °, and a wide range of images can be acquired, including images in the left-right direction on the front side of the vehicle. The camera 13 is connected to the system bus 17 via the A / D converter 131. The image signal output from the camera 13 is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 131 for image processing. Further, when the connected camera 13 is capable of outputting a digital signal, the A / D converter 131 is not necessary. The camera 13 may be provided at each of the left and right ends of the vehicle front end. In this case, it is not always necessary to use a fisheye lens. For example, a CCD element or a CMOS element is used for the camera 13, and an image is acquired as an electric signal.

  In addition, image information from the navigation device 3 is supplied to the system bus 17 via the interface 15, and the image information is displayed on the display device 14.

  The display device 14 as a display means is configured by a liquid crystal display, for example, and displays a composite image stored in the display image data memory 166. If necessary, the display device 14 performs D / A conversion and outputs an image to the screen.

  The vehicle speed sensor 11 detects the vehicle speed of the host vehicle and supplies the detected value to the arithmetic processing device 12 via the interface 111 and the system bus 17.

  The main storage device 16 is a device that stores an image projected by the camera 13, and includes, for example, a hard disk drive device, a memory chip, or the like. The main storage device 16 has an image data memory 16A for recording image data and a spot data memory 16B as spot data storage means. The image data memory 16A includes a camera image data memory 161 that records an image acquired by the camera 13 as it is, an extraction data memory 162 that records an image extracted by cutting out a part of the image captured by the camera 13, and extracted data. An image conversion data memory 164 for recording an image obtained by performing image processing on an image recorded in the memory 162, a mask image data memory 165 for recording a mask image of a figure (shape) imitating a curve mirror, and a figure imitating a curve mirror And a display image data memory 166 for recording a display image in which the image captured by the camera is superimposed.

  The registered point data memory 16B as map data storage means is a device that stores map data and a point input from the input device 18 or a point at which the user uses the display control device, and stores latitude and longitude. . As this map data, map data included in the navigation device 3 may be used.

  The input device 18 is composed of, for example, a keyboard and a mouse, and mainly functions as a switch for starting up the device. Moreover, it is also for inputting the point data for starting this apparatus automatically, and making it memorize | store in the registration point data memory 16B. The input device 18 may function as a combination touch panel with the display device 14.

  The arithmetic processing unit 12 includes a central processing unit [CPU (Central Processing Unit)] 121, a read-only memory [ROM] 122, and a random access memory [RAM] 123. The central processing unit 121 performs processing such as image processing of an image acquired by the camera 13 and determination of whether or not the current position acquired from the navigation device 3 matches the registered position stored in the registered spot data 16B. As the image processing, for example, an image obtained by the fisheye lens acquired by the camera 13 is stored in the fisheye lens image data memory 161, and an image along the curve mirror shape stored in the mask image data 165 is cut out and extracted from this image. This image is stored in the extracted data memory 162, and image processing is performed on the extracted image. This image processing is a distortion correction process that corrects distortion so that the image matches the curved image of the curve mirror, and the entire image is rotated so that it matches the posture of the curve mirror. There is a display angle correction process to be displayed.

  Furthermore, the image of the image processed in this way is combined with the frame of the curve mirror, and the image displayed on the display is combined with the image so that it looks like the image of the curve mirror. Done.

  Further, the arithmetic processing device 12 receives the image data from the navigation device 3 and displays it on the display device 14. Further, when displaying the image-processed image on the display device 14 by turning on the activation switch from the input device 18, the arithmetic processing device 12 processes the camera image without displaying the image data from the navigation device 3. Act as a blind corner monitor. At this time, the spot used as the blind corner monitor is stored as registered spot data, and when the vehicle passes through the same spot next time, it automatically functions as a blind corner monitor only when the vehicle speed is low. Is turned on, and the imaged camera image is displayed on the display screen of the display device 14.

  The navigation device 3 includes a current position detecting device (current position detecting means) for detecting the current position of the vehicle by a GPS device, a geomagnetic sensor, a steering sensor, a distance measuring sensor, a map data memory storing map data, a current value It has a route search device that searches for a route from to the set destination, extracts map data (image data) including the current position from the stored map data, and the current position on the map data A mark symbolizing the own vehicle is displayed at a point corresponding to, and image data to be displayed on the display device 14 is generated. The data supplied from the navigation device 3 includes image data to be displayed on the display device 14 and latitude / longitude data regarding the current position.

  The operation of the display control apparatus 1 of the present invention configured as described above will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG.

  The arithmetic processing unit 12 determines whether the start switch of the input device 18 is turned on (step S101). Although not shown, when the start switch is turned on, the current position (latitude / longitude) is acquired from the navigation device 3, the acquired current position is stored in the registration point data 16B, and the process proceeds to step S107. If it is not turned on, the current position information is acquired from the navigation device 3 (step S103). It is determined whether or not the acquired current position information matches the point stored in the registration point data memory 16B (step S105). If they match, or if the start switch is turned on, it is determined whether the vehicle speed is low based on the value supplied from the vehicle speed sensor 11 (step S107). The criterion for determining whether the vehicle is at a low speed is, for example, a criterion for determining whether the vehicle is lower than a safe speed for entering an intersection and changing the course. If it is greater than this speed, it is expected to go straight through the intersection and there is no need to use a blind corner monitor. In this case, it is returned.

  The low speed is, for example, a case where the speed is 5 km / h or less. In addition, after step S105, it may be determined whether the turn signal is turned on. This is because it is determined that the probability of changing the course is high.

  If it is determined that the vehicle is traveling at a low speed, a display process is performed (step S109). FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the display process. Imaging of the camera 13 is started, and in this embodiment, an image G0 captured with a fisheye lens as shown in FIG. 5 is acquired and stored in the camera image data memory 161. In the fisheye lens image, the left area reflects the situation on the left side of the vehicle centered on the center line of the vehicle (the center of the image), and the image on the right area shows the situation on the right side of the vehicle. Then, the left region image is extracted as the left monitor image, and the right region image is extracted as the right monitor image (step S203). At this time, as indicated by a broken line in FIG. 5, the images are extracted in advance as elliptical images L1 and R1 so as to follow the curved mirror shape stored in the mask image data 165. Although the curve mirror shape in this embodiment is an ellipse, when the curve mirror shape is a rectangle, for example, it may be extracted as a rectangular image along the shape. These images are stored in the extracted data memory 162, respectively.

  Further, image processing for rotating the entire extracted image is performed (step S205). Since the curve mirror in this embodiment is arranged downward from a high position, the entire curve mirror is directed obliquely downward. In addition, in order to visually recognize the intersecting road using the curve mirror, it is necessary to see the projected image from an oblique side of the curve mirror. The image seen from such a position is inclined toward the side farther from the side closer to the viewer's position. Therefore, in order to bring the image acquired with the fisheye lens closer to the image of the curve mirror, the entire image is rotated so that the acquired image is tilted downward toward the image far from the image near the camera position. To perform the process.

  Specifically, the left image is rotated to the left, and the right image is rotated to the right. Although the rotation angle varies depending on the road shape and the vehicle position, a range of 0 to 45 ° is practical in the present embodiment.

  Further, when the curve mirror shape stored in the mask image data 165 is not arranged downward from a high position and is directed parallel to the screen (ground), this step S205 is not necessary.

  In this embodiment, a camera using a fisheye lens is used. However, if a camera using a normal lens that does not use a fisheye lens is used, the acquired image is rotated along a curved mirror. Image correction is performed on the image (step S207). The fisheye lens image has a large distortion at the periphery of the image and a small distortion at the center. Due to the difference in distortion, the image itself is an image that approximates the image projected on the convex mirror. Accordingly, since the fisheye lens image itself approximates an image projected on a curved mirror that is a convex mirror, this step S207 is not necessary when a fisheye lens is used. However, the image projected on the curve mirror and the image taken with the normal lens do not match, so image correction is performed to make the image match the image projected on the curve mirror, and the curve mirror Close to the image. When a fisheye lens is used, this correction process is not necessary, so that the burden on the arithmetic processing unit 12 is suppressed. The images L 2 and R 2 that have undergone these processes are stored in the image conversion data memory 164. The processing from step S203 to step S207 constitutes the image processing means of the present invention.

  Next, a mask image is synthesized (step S209). The mask image is an image of the curve mirror frames 52L and 52R stored in advance in the mask image data memory 165. In this frame, the images L2 and R2 stored in the converted image data memory 164 subjected to the image processing are superimposed to create a final display image as shown in FIG. 6 (step S209). ). The created display image is stored in the display image data memory 166.

  Image data is read from the display image data memory 166 and displayed on the display screen 141 of the display device 14 (step S211).

  The display process as described above is continuously performed, and the left image L2 and the right image R2 of the front portion of the vehicle are displayed on the display device 14 as moving images.

  After such processing (step S109), it is determined whether there is an end trigger (step S111). Examples of the end trigger include switching off by the user, the case where the vehicle speed is higher than the speed determined in step S107, and the case where the predetermined distance from the registration point is set. If there is such an end trigger, the process returns. If there is no end trigger, the process returns to step S107.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a display control apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a display control apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the effect | action of a display control apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows a display process. It is a top view which shows the image by a fisheye lens. It is a top view which shows the display screen on which the processed image was displayed. It is a top view which shows the image structure of the conventional blind corner monitor.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display control apparatus 12 Arithmetic processing apparatus 13 Camera 130 Fisheye lens 14 Display apparatus 16 Main memory

Claims (3)

Imaging means for capturing an image in front of the vehicle;
An image processing unit that performs image processing on an image captured by the imaging unit in correspondence with a curved shape of a curve mirror;
A display control apparatus comprising: display means for displaying an image image-processed by the image processing means on a mirror portion in a figure simulating a curve mirror. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image captured by the imaging unit is an image captured by a fisheye lens. Current position detecting means for detecting the current position of the vehicle;
Map data storage means for storing map data and pre-registered points for displaying the display means;
Vehicle speed detecting means for detecting the speed of the vehicle,
The display means displays the captured image on a mirror portion in the figure when the detected current position matches the registered location and the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined value. The display control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 .

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