JP5408482B2 - Peripheral recognition support device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a periphery recognition support device, and more particularly to a technique for displaying an image obtained by capturing a surrounding image of a vehicle captured by an in-vehicle camera on a monitor.

  As related to the peripheral recognition support apparatus configured as described above, Patent Document 1 includes a plurality of CCD cameras that capture an area that becomes a blind spot from a driver's position, and the driver's position is within the vehicle. A vehicle periphery display device equipped with an infrared camera for photographing a face is shown. This vehicle periphery display device includes an ECU that determines the direction of the driver's gaze by determining the direction of the driver's face from an image captured by an infrared camera, and the ECU determines the direction of the determined face. Control is performed to display an image captured by the camera on the monitor.

  As related to the peripheral recognition assisting device, Patent Document 2 discloses a vehicle monitoring system having a configuration similar to that of Patent Document 1, in which a face orientation detection ECU detects the orientation of the driver's face taken by the driver's camera. And an enlarged display means for enlarging and displaying an image of a specific area matching the face orientation.

JP 2007-142724 A (paragraph numbers [0016] to [0076], FIGS. 1 to 4) JP, 2007-15663, A (paragraph numbers [0027], [0059], FIGS. 1 to 7)

  For example, the driver's operation when the vehicle is parked backwards, when driving the vehicle backwards, the driver looks back at the back of the vehicle to twist the upper body and directly checks the back of the vehicle Or, in some cases, open the door window of the driver's seat and check the rear of the vehicle directly from this open part, or check the rear of the vehicle through the mirror by looking at the side mirror To be done. Further, in the case of a camera equipped with a camera that captures the rear of the vehicle, the rear of the vehicle is confirmed by displaying an image from the camera on a display near the driver's seat.

  Thus, when the vehicle is moved backward, it is important to confirm the rear of the vehicle, and as described in Patent Document 1, control for displaying on the monitor the area where the driver is blind spot is effective, As described in Patent Document 2, it is also effective to display an image in the direction required by the driver on the monitor.

  However, when introducing a vehicle into a narrow parking space or when introducing a vehicle into an area where there are obstacles, it may not be sufficient to check only a partial area behind the vehicle. If there is an obstacle in the area near the front end of the vehicle, there is a possibility that the front end of the vehicle may come into contact with the obstacle when the front end of the vehicle swings laterally as a result of the steering operation. It was necessary to check the obstacles at the same time.

  Considering such a situation, as described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, although the effectiveness of automatically displaying information on the monitor from the state of the driver is recognized, the region that the driver is viewing It is possible that there is room for improvement because it may be insufficient to simply display the image on the monitor.

The objective of this invention exists in the point which comprises rationally the apparatus which can confirm the area | region different from the area | region which a driver | operator visually observes from a driver | operator's state.

The features of the present invention include an in-vehicle camera that captures the periphery of the vehicle, and a monitor that displays an image captured by the in-vehicle camera,
Visual direction estimating means for estimating the direction viewed by the driver from the posture of the driver seated on the driver's seat of the vehicle;
Display target setting means for displaying, on the monitor, a photographed image around the vehicle body in a direction different from the visual direction estimated based on the visual direction estimating means among the photographed images around the vehicle body photographed by the in-vehicle camera. There is in point.

According to this configuration, since the viewing direction is estimated from the driver's posture based on the viewing direction estimation means , it is possible to configure without using cameras for identifying the direction of the line of sight. Of the photographed images around the vehicle body, an image around the vehicle body that is different from the estimated viewing direction is displayed on the monitor by the display target setting means. And it becomes possible to call a driver | operator's attention by displaying this display object on a monitor. In other words, the driver does not actively check the situation around the vehicle body in the direction that the driver is not viewing, so by displaying the area that the driver does not see on the monitor, the driver overlooks obstacles, etc. Can be reduced.
As a result, an apparatus that can confirm a region different from the region in which the driver confirms from the state of the driver is rationally configured.

The present invention includes an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle existing outside the vehicle body, and the display target setting unit captures an area in which the obstacle detection unit detects an obstacle in a direction different from the viewing direction. An image may be set as a display target.
According to this, when the obstacle detection means detects an obstacle in a direction different from the direction in which the driver sees, the area where the obstacle is detected is displayed on the monitor. When an object is not detected, a captured image of the traveling direction of the vehicle body, a so-called top view, etc. is displayed, and when an obstacle is detected, the area is displayed to alert the driver. It is also possible.

In the present invention, the visual direction estimating means may include a load sensor for acquiring load information of a driver seated on the driver seat.
According to this, a driver | operator's attitude | position can be discriminate | determined from the load information of the load sensor with which the driver's seat was equipped.

In the present invention, the visual direction estimating means may include a proximity sensor formed on the door so as to acquire distance information between a driver seated on the driver's seat and a door near the driver.
According to this, a driver | operator's attitude | position can be discriminate | determined from the distance information of the proximity sensor with which the door was equipped.

In the present invention, the visual direction estimating means may include a pressure sensor that acquires, as pressure information, a grip position and a grip force at which the driver grips the steering wheel.
According to this, it is possible to identify the gripping position and gripping force at which the driver grips the steering wheel from the pressure information of the pressure sensor provided on the steering wheel, and to determine the driver's posture based on this.

The present invention may further include a display area extracting unit that cuts out an image in a direction different from the viewing direction from the captured image to be displayed set by the display target setting unit and displays the image on the monitor.
According to this, an image to be displayed on a monitor can be cut out and enlarged from a captured image without providing a plurality of in-vehicle cameras.

The present invention is provided with a plurality of such in-vehicle cameras to capture different areas around the vehicle body, and the display target setting means includes an area in a direction different from the viewing direction in the captured image captured by the in-vehicle camera. You may select the image from the vehicle-mounted camera to image | photograph, and may display on a monitor.
According to this, since an image from one of the plurality of in-vehicle cameras is selected and displayed on the monitor, the image quality of the image displayed on the monitor is not deteriorated.

It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a vehicle. It is a perspective view which shows the panel part in a vehicle. It is a top view which shows the imaging region of a camera. It is a block circuit diagram which shows a control system. It is a flowchart of a display control routine. It is a figure which shows a driver | operator's visual direction. It is a top view which shows the positional relationship of a parking area and a vehicle body. It is a figure which shows the monitor on which the picked-up image of the rear camera was displayed. It is a figure which shows the monitor on which the picked-up image of the front camera was displayed. It is a figure which shows the monitor on which the picked-up image of the left side camera and the picked-up image of the right side camera were displayed. It is a figure which shows the monitor on which the obstruction was displayed.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[Body configuration]
1 to 3 show a passenger car as an example of a vehicle. The vehicle body A of this passenger car is provided with a pair of left and right front wheels 1 and a pair of left and right rear wheels 2, a driver seat 3 and a passenger seat 4 are provided in the room, and a steering wheel 5 is positioned in front of the driver seat 3. Is arranged. A panel 6 having meters is provided at a position in front of the driver's seat 3, and a monitor 7 for displaying various information is provided at a position adjacent to the panel 6. An accelerator pedal 8 and a brake pedal 9 are provided below the panel 6, and a shift lever 10 that realizes a shifting operation is disposed on the side of the driver seat 3.

  A room mirror 11 is provided at the front of the room. A left door mirror 13 is provided outside the left door 12 at the front of the vehicle body, and a right door mirror 15 is provided outside the right door 14 at the right side of the front of the vehicle body.

  A front camera 16 is provided at the front end of the vehicle body A for photographing a peripheral region including a road surface in front of the vehicle body, and a rear camera 17 is provided at a rear end of the vehicle body A for photographing a peripheral region including a road surface behind the vehicle body. . The housing of the left door mirror 13 is provided with a left side camera 18 for photographing a peripheral area including the road surface on the left side of the vehicle body A. Similarly, the housing of the right door mirror 15 includes a periphery including the road surface on the right side of the vehicle body. A right side camera 19 for photographing a region is provided.

  The front camera 16, the rear camera 17, the left side camera 18, and the right side camera 19 are specific examples of an in-vehicle camera, and are each configured as a digital camera incorporating an image sensor such as a CCD or CIS. These digital cameras have a wide-angle lens with an imaging angle of 180 degrees in the horizontal direction, and output captured images in real time as moving image information. In FIG. 3, the front shooting area Fa of the front camera 16, the rear shooting area Ba of the rear camera 17, the left shooting area La of the left side camera 18, and the right shooting area Ra of the right side camera 19 are different. The areas are hatched, and these areas are acquired as captured images by the corresponding cameras.

  There are an ultrasonic type, an infrared reflection type, etc. for detecting obstacles in a total of four places, two places on the left and right ends of the bumper at the front end of the vehicle body A and two places on the left and right ends of the bumper at the rear end of the vehicle body A. Distance sensor DS (an example of an obstacle detection means) is provided.

  The passenger car includes a navigation system 21 (see FIG. 4) that acquires position information including the position of the vehicle body A including the longitude and latitude of the earth by receiving radio signals from a plurality of GPS satellites. . The navigation system 21 displays a map of an area corresponding to the acquired position information on the monitor 7 and also displays a position where the vehicle body A exists on the map, and a route on which the vehicle body A should travel is displayed on the map. Processing such as displaying and displaying a route already traveled is realized.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, in this passenger car, peripheral recognition capable of displaying captured images from the front camera 16, rear camera 17, left side camera 18, and right side camera 19 described above on the monitor 7. A control unit 30 is provided. The peripheral recognition control unit 30 includes a microprocessor, a DSP (digital signal processor), and the like, and is configured as a display ECU that executes predetermined software (a control form will be described later).

  The monitor 7 includes a touch panel on the display surface and is configured in a liquid crystal type including a backlight. Of course, a plasma display type or a CRT type may be used. The touch panel is a pressure-sensitive or electrostatic instruction input device that can output a contact position by a finger or the like as location data. A manual switch 22 for artificially setting an image to be displayed on the monitor 7 is provided below the monitor 7, and a speaker 23 is provided in the vicinity thereof.

  The passenger car can travel in either forward or backward direction by setting the shift lever 10 in the same manner as a general vehicle. The travel speed is adjusted by operating the accelerator pedal 8, the deceleration is realized by operating the brake pedal 9, and the steering operation of the front wheel 1 that functions as a steering wheel is realized by operating the steering wheel 5.

  The driver's seat 3 includes a seat cushion 3A and a seat back 3B, and a plurality of pressures detected by the driver D (see FIG. 6) are detected on the seat cushion 3A and the seat back 3B. A load sensor WS is provided. The plurality of load sensors WS are arranged in at least four locations including a front portion, a rear portion, a left portion, and a right portion so that the load in the left-right direction and the front-rear direction of the driver D can be measured in the seat cushion 3A. The seat back 3B is also arranged at least at two locations, the left part and the right part, so that the load in the left-right direction of the driver D can be measured.

  The inner wall surface of the right door 14 includes a plurality of proximity sensors 24 that measure the distance to the driver D, and the steering wheel 5 includes a plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors 25 that measure the gripping position and gripping force of the driver D. It has.

  The proximity sensor 24 is a non-contact type sensor such as a capacitance type sensor or a reflection type distance measuring sensor using infrared rays, and measures the distance between the door inner surface and the driver D. The pressure sensor 25 is composed of a pressure-sensitive rubber, a strain gauge, or the like, and outputs information on the gripping force and gripping position at which the driver D grips the wheel portion.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 7, when the vehicle body A is stopped in the vicinity of the parking area P and the vehicle body is introduced into the parking area P, the surrounding recognition control unit 30 of the driver D sitting on the driver seat 3 Estimate the viewing direction. Based on this estimation, a photographed image from any of the front camera 16, the rear camera 17, the left side camera 18, and the right side camera 19 is displayed on the monitor 7, so that the driver D can assist in recognition of the periphery of the vehicle body. The control configuration and control form of the peripheral recognition control unit 30 will be described below.

[Control configuration]
As shown in FIG. 4, a control system for displaying an image on the monitor 7 is configured. In this control system, an information acquisition system in which navigation information from the navigation system 21 and setting information of the manual switch 22 are input to the peripheral recognition control unit 30 is formed. Further, information acquisition is performed in which shift position information from the shift position sensor 10S that detects the shift position of the shift lever 10 and captured images from the front camera 16, the back camera 17, the left side camera 18, and the right side camera 19 are input. A system is formed. Furthermore, load information from a plurality of load sensors WS, distance information from a plurality of proximity sensors 24, pressure information including gripping positions from a plurality of pressure sensors 25, and a plurality of distances functioning as obstacle detection means. An information acquisition system for inputting distance information from the sensor DS is formed.

  The peripheral recognition control unit 30 acquires load information with a plurality of load sensors WS, acquires measurement information of the proximity sensor 24, and acquires pressure information of the pressure-sensitive sensor 25. The surrounding recognition control unit 30 determines the posture of the driver D seated on the driver seat 3 from the acquired information, further estimates the direction viewed by the driver from this posture, and a direction different from the viewing direction of the driver D Is displayed on the monitor 7.

  The peripheral recognition control unit 30 includes a captured image acquisition unit 31, a visual direction estimation unit 32, an obstacle position determination unit 33, a display target setting unit 34, a display image acquisition unit 35, a display area extraction unit 36, A display target determining unit 37, a timer 38, a display image output module 39, and an audio processing module 40 are provided.

  The captured image acquisition means 31 acquires captured images from the front camera 16, the back camera 17, the left side camera 18, and the right side camera 19, respectively. The visual direction estimating means 32 acquires at least one of information from each of the plurality of load sensors WS, the plurality of proximity sensors 24, and the plurality of pressure sensors 25 to estimate the driver's visual direction. In addition, a visual direction determination table 32T is provided for giving information such as load distribution and threshold values as reference for estimation to the visual direction estimating means 32.

  Although not shown in the drawing, the vehicle body A is provided with a rotation angle sensor for acquiring the rotation operation angle of the steering wheel 5, and the visual direction estimation means 32 has the rotation operation angle of the steering wheel 5 specified by the rotation angle sensor. Based on the pressure information of the plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors 25, a process for specifying the gripping position and gripping force at which the driver D grips the wheel portion is performed.

  The obstacle position determination means 33 determines the position of the obstacle based on distance information from the plurality of distance sensors DS. The display target setting unit 34 sets a target to be displayed on the monitor 7 based on information from the outside or information generated inside. The display image acquisition means 35 acquires a captured image to be displayed. The display area extracting unit 36 performs a process of cutting out a partial area where the obstacle B (see FIG. 7) exists from the captured image.

  The display target determining unit 37 performs processing for displaying a captured image acquired by the display image acquiring unit 35 or a captured image cut out by the display area extracting unit 36. The display image output module 39 performs processing for outputting an image to the monitor 7. The display image output module 39 includes a layout table 39T for acquiring information for setting an image display form on the monitor 7. The sound processing module 40 outputs an alarm sound from the speaker 23 when the distance between the obstacle B and the vehicle body A detected by the obstacle position determination means 33 decreases to a value less than the set value.

  These captured image acquisition means 31, visual direction estimation means 32, obstacle position determination means 33, display target setting means 34, display image acquisition means 35, display area extraction means 36, and display target determination means 37. Is constituted by software, but each may be constituted by hardware, and each may be constituted by a combination of hardware and software.

  The peripheral recognition control unit 30 realizes automatic setting of an image to be displayed on the monitor 7 based on the viewing direction of the driver D regardless of the traveling direction and traveling speed of the vehicle body A. Display control when the vehicle body A is moved backward while the vehicle body A is stopped near the parking area P as shown in FIG. 7 will be described.

〔Display control〕
As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5, when the traveling direction of the vehicle body A is not reverse (forward) from the information from the shift position sensor 10 </ b> S, the navigation acquired from the navigation system 21 based on the setting information of the manual switch 22. Information or a captured image acquired from any of the front camera 16, the back camera 17, the left side camera 18, and the right side camera 19 is set as a display target (steps # 101 and # 102).

  When the shift position is reverse (reverse), the captured image from the rear camera 17 is set as a display target. The viewing direction is estimated in this set state, and the distance information of the distance sensor DS is acquired only when the estimated viewing direction is maintained for a set time or more, and exists in a direction different from the estimated viewing direction. Only when it is determined that the obstacle B (see FIG. 7) has approached the vehicle body A to less than the set distance, an enlarged image of the area where the obstacle B is detected is set as a display target (steps # 103 to # 108). ).

  Next, when the obstacle B is already displayed, if the change time in the viewing direction is less than the set value, the obstacle B is set as a display target. The display object set in this way is displayed on the monitor 7 (steps # 109 to # 111).

  Although not shown in the flowchart, when the obstacle B is detected, the electronic sound generated by the voice processing module 40 is output from the speaker 23, so that the driver D can grasp the presence of the obstacle B also by voice. . In particular, since the voice processing module always outputs a voice when the obstacle B is detected, the presence of the obstacle B can be grasped from the voice even when the obstacle B is not displayed on the monitor 7.

  That is, as a process of steps # 101, # 102, and # 111, when the vehicle body A is not moved backward, the display target setting unit 34 sets a display target based on the setting information of the manual switch 22.

  Specifically, navigation screens generated by the navigation system 21 and captured images taken by a plurality of cameras are set as display targets, and the display image acquisition means 35 should display based on this set. A captured image is acquired, and the display image output module 39 displays it on the monitor 7. When such display is performed, the display position can be set based on the layout table 39T. For example, the display surface of the monitor 7 is divided, and the captured images captured by a plurality of cameras are displayed. It can be displayed on the divided display surface.

  In addition, as a process of step # 103, when the vehicle body A is in a situation of moving backward, the basic setting for displaying the captured image of the rear imaging region Ba captured by the rear camera 17 on the monitor 7 is the display target. This is performed in the setting means 34. If the obstacle B is not detected in the set state as described above, in step # 111, the captured image of the rear camera 17 is acquired by the display image acquiring means 35, and the captured image is displayed on the monitor 7 as shown in FIG. Is displayed.

  Note that the photographed image shown on the monitor 7 as shown in FIG. 8 is an image in which the left and right are switched in order to match the image when the rear is confirmed by the mirror. The captured image displayed on the monitor 7 includes a pair of left and right vehicle width lines Yw and a guide indicator composed of predicted course lines Y1, Y2, and Y3 corresponding to 5 m (meters), 3 m, and 1 m. Is displayed.

  In particular, as a process of steps # 104 and # 105, in a situation where a captured image of the rear of the vehicle body is set as a display object in step # 103, the load sensor WS, the proximity sensor 24, and the pressure-sensitive sensor 25 are at least one. Based on the information, the visual direction estimating means 32 estimates the visual direction based on the posture of the driver D.

  As an example of this estimation, when the vehicle body A is introduced into the parking area P, as shown in FIG. 6, the driver D sitting on the driver seat 3 looks at the right door mirror 15 or directly the vehicle body A. When the right rear is visually observed, the center of gravity of the body of the driver D moves to the right, and the body also tilts. For this reason, it is possible to determine the posture of the body from the load information of the load sensor WS and estimate the viewing direction. For the same reason, the posture of the driver D is discriminated from the detection value of the proximity sensor 24 and the pressure information of the pressure-sensitive sensor 25, and the visual direction is estimated.

  The visual direction determination table 32T includes the relationship between the load information of the plurality of load sensors WS and the visual direction, the relationship between the measurement values of the plurality of proximity sensors 24 and the visual direction, and the pressure information and the visual direction of the multiple pressure sensors 25. Each of these relationships is stored as data. The visual direction determination table 32T not only estimates the visual direction when the driver D directly looks outside the vehicle, but also when the driver D visually observes the rear of the vehicle body A through a mirror. In addition, the positions of the room mirror 11, the left door mirror 13, and the right door mirror 15 are recorded so as to estimate that the rear side of the vehicle body A is viewed.

  That is, when the estimated viewing direction is toward the rearview mirror 11, the driver D considers that the rear side of the vehicle body A is viewed. Similarly, when the estimated viewing direction is toward the left door mirror 13, it is considered that the driver D visually enters the left rear side of the vehicle body A. Further, when the estimated viewing direction is toward the right door mirror 15, the driver D considers that the right rear side of the vehicle body A is visually entered as described above.

  Thereby, based on the information of the visual direction determination table 32T, the visual information is based on at least one of the load information of the plurality of load sensors WS, the distance information of the plurality of proximity sensors 24, and the pressure information of the plurality of pressure sensors 25. Direction estimation is realized.

  In particular, based on the load information of the load sensor WS, the accuracy of the estimation of the viewing direction can be improved by referring to at least one of the distance information of the proximity sensor 24 and the pressure information of the pressure sensor 25 together. Is possible.

  In the situation where the visual direction estimated by the visual direction estimating means 32 is maintained based on the information from the timer 38 as in the step # 105 based on the information from the timer 38, the steps # 106 and # 107 In this process, the obstacle position determination means 33 acquires distance information of the distance sensor DS. When an obstacle B in a direction different from the viewing direction is detected, a partial enlarged image of the captured image in the area where the obstacle B is detected is set as a display target.

  In the present embodiment, a process of enlarging and displaying a part of the captured image is shown, but the display target setting unit 34 displays the captured image from one of the plurality of in-vehicle cameras on the monitor 7 without enlarging. A processing form may be set.

  As a specific situation, when the driver D is viewing the right door mirror 15 as shown in FIG. 6 or when viewing the right rear side of the vehicle body A, as shown in FIG. 11 is displayed on the monitor 7 when the obstacle B is detected in the section. That is, the captured image acquisition means 31 acquires the captured image shown in FIG. 9 from the front camera 16, and acquires the captured image shown in FIG. 10 (displayed on the left side of the monitor 7) from the left side camera 18. Yes. In the figure, the right side camera 19 is also displayed in parallel on the monitor 7.

  Here, when the driver D is viewing the right rear side of the vehicle body A as a direction different from the viewing direction, an example in which the obstacle B existing at the left front portion of the vehicle body A is set as a display target as a different direction. As mentioned above, the obstacle B present at that position is displayed on the monitor 7 regardless of whether the vehicle A is in the right front portion or the left rear portion of the vehicle body A as different directions.

  Among these captured images, the display target setting unit 34 sets a region E indicated by a broken line in FIGS. 9 and 10 as a display target, so that an enlarged image becomes a display target. The two enlarged images set in this way are displayed in parallel on the monitor 7 as shown in FIG. Such parallel display is realized by the display image output module 39 based on the layout information from the layout table 39T.

  Obstacles B are not limited to non-moving objects installed on the ground, but include moving objects such as motorcycles and persons approaching the vehicle body A.

  In steps # 109 and # 110, when the obstacle B is set as a display target and the obstacle B is already displayed on the monitor 7, the viewing direction change time is less than the set value. In other words, even if the line of sight may be diverted from the viewing direction, if the time for diverting is short, it means that the state where the enlarged image of the obstacle B is set as the display target is maintained. ing.

  That is, even if the monitor 7 is viewed for a short time or the room mirror 11 is viewed for a short time, the display of the obstacle B is continued.

  In the surrounding recognition control unit 30, when the vehicle body A is moved backward and introduced into the parking area P, the monitor 7 displays a photographed image (see FIG. 8) from the rear camera 17 unless the obstacle B is detected. Is done. However, the visual direction of the driver D is estimated, and when the obstacle B is detected in a direction different from the estimated direction, the obstacle B is displayed on the monitor 7 so that the driver D is displayed. Thus, the presence of the obstacle B is visually recognized so that contact can be avoided in advance.

[Another embodiment]
The present invention may be configured as follows in addition to the embodiment described above.

(A) The display target setting means may set the processing form so as to perform a simple process so as to display a direction opposite to the driver's viewing direction in a situation where no obstacle is detected. In this case, a display form that always displays the direction opposite to the viewing direction may be used. For example, when the viewing direction is the rear, the display form may be set so that the display direction such as right front or left front can be set in advance. good.

(B) For example, when an on-vehicle camera having a zoom lens is freely movable around the vertical axis, and the display object setting means sets an area where an obstacle exists as an object to be displayed on the monitor, the on-vehicle camera Is configured so that the focal length is set so that the center of the imaging area is directed to the area where the obstacle exists and the imaging target is enlarged by the zoom lens. By configuring in this way, it is possible to enlarge and display a wide range of objects without providing a large number of in-vehicle cameras.

(C) The obstacle detection means is configured to extract a three-dimensional object by image processing of images taken by a plurality of in-vehicle cameras, recognize the three-dimensional object as an obstacle, and measure the distance from the vehicle body. There may be. In such a configuration, since the distance from the obstacle can be grasped only by image processing, it is not necessary to provide an ultrasonic sensor or the like, which leads to a reduction in the number of parts.

(D) A pressure sensor for detecting pressure from the driver's feet (shoes) is provided on the floor or the like in the vehicle, and pressure information of this pressure sensor is also used for processing for estimating the viewing direction. By comprising in this way, a driver | operator's attitude | position can be determined clearly and it becomes possible to raise the estimation precision of a visual direction.

  The present invention is not provided with a navigation system, and can be used for a simple system that displays only a photographed image of a vehicle-mounted camera on a monitor.

3 Driver's seat 5 Steering wheel 7 Monitor 14 Door (right door)
16 In-vehicle camera (front camera)
17 In-vehicle camera (rear camera)
18 On-board camera (left side camera)
19 In-vehicle camera (right side camera)
25 Pressure-sensitive sensor 32 Visual direction estimation means 34 Display target setting means 36 Display area extraction means D Driver DS Obstacle detection means (distance sensor)
WS load sensor

Claims (7)

In-vehicle camera that captures the periphery of the vehicle, and a monitor that displays an image captured by the in-vehicle camera,
Visual direction estimating means for estimating the direction viewed by the driver from the posture of the driver seated on the driver's seat of the vehicle;
Display target setting means for displaying, on the monitor, a photographed image around the vehicle body in a direction different from the visual direction estimated based on the visual direction estimating means among the photographed images around the vehicle body photographed by the in-vehicle camera. Peripheral recognition support device.   An obstacle detection unit for detecting an obstacle present outside the vehicle body, wherein the display target setting unit is a display target for a captured image of an area where the obstacle detection unit is detected in a direction different from the viewing direction; The peripheral recognition support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein   The periphery recognition assistance apparatus of Claim 1 or 2 with which the said visual direction estimation means is provided with the load sensor which acquires the load information of the driver | operator who seated on the said driver's seat.   The said visual direction estimation means is provided with the proximity sensor formed in the said door so that the distance information of the driver | operator seated on the said driver's seat and the door of a driver | operator's vicinity may be acquired. Peripheral recognition support device.   The periphery recognition assistance apparatus of Claim 1 or 2 with which the said visual direction estimation means is provided with the pressure sensor which acquires the holding position and holding force which a driver | operator holds a steering wheel as pressure information.   The display area extraction means which cuts out and displays the image of the direction different from the said visual direction among the picked-up images of the display object set by the said display object setting means is displayed on the said monitor. Peripheral recognition support device according to item.   A plurality of the in-vehicle cameras are provided so as to shoot different areas around the vehicle body, and the display target setting unit shoots an area in a direction different from the viewing direction among the photographic images taken by the in-vehicle camera. The periphery recognition assistance apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-5 which select the image from and display on a monitor.

Images