JPH05300424A - Image pickup device with distance information display means - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simultaneously observe object distance information and an object image by constituting plural independent image formation systems by using plural convex mirrors and one photographic lens, and forming respective plural object images in various areas on the surface of an imaging device. CONSTITUTION:A first image formation system 101 is composed of a convex mirror 1 and a photographic lens 5, and a second image formation system 102 is composed of a convex mirror 2 and the photographic lens 5. The first image formation system 101 forms the image of object information concerning an entire circumference in a circular area 101a on the surface of an imaging device 6. The second image formation system 102 forms the image of the object information concerning the entire circumference in an annular area 102a different from the area 101a on the surface of the imaging device 6. Since the optical characteristics of these two object images are different, they are corrected by a correcting means 7. An arithmetic means 8 performs the correlative arithmetic of two image signals and calculates object distance information or object displacement information. A display means 9 displays the object images corrected by the correcting means 7 and the object distance information calculated by the arithmetic means 8 at a display part 10.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus having a distance information display means, and more particularly, an object image (surrounding information) of the entire circumference (omnidirectional) and object distance information are simultaneously displayed on a display section for observation. It is suitable for the case where the object information of the entire circumference is observed by mounting it on the vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a hemispherical convex mirror is arranged on the object side of a taking lens and is arranged so that its center of curvature is located on the optical axis of the taking lens and its reflecting surface faces the taking lens side. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 54-3526 proposes an image pickup device which reflects a light beam from an object in the direction of 360 degrees and guides it to a photographing lens to photograph object information on the entire circumference.

Further, as an observation system for observing a wide range of objects using a convex mirror, for example, a convex mirror is provided on a part of the T alley of a road so that a wide range of object information can be observed from one direction. There is something I did.

[0004]

Generally, when an object image is formed through a convex mirror, an object image having a wide angle of view can be easily obtained, but the object image becomes small and distorted, which makes observation difficult. Especially, it becomes very difficult to understand distance information about an object in terms of observation.

For this reason, how to grasp the object distance information becomes a big problem in the image pickup apparatus and the observation system using the convex mirror.

According to the present invention, a plurality of independent imaging systems are formed by using a plurality of convex mirrors and one taking lens, and a plurality of object images are formed in different areas on the surface of the image pickup device. The object distance information is detected using the object image, and the object distance information and the object image are displayed on the display unit so that they can be observed at the same time. For example, the object information is mounted on the vehicle and the object information of the entire circumference of the vehicle is observed. An object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup apparatus having a distance information display unit suitable for such cases.

[0007]

In an image pickup apparatus having distance information display means of the present invention, a plurality of convex mirrors are arranged on the object side of a taking lens so that the center of curvature thereof is located on the optical axis of the taking lens. The reflecting surface is arranged toward the photographing lens side, and one convex mirror is provided with the first imaging system including the photographing lens and the other imaging mirror.
An image pickup means for forming an object image in each of different areas on the image pickup device surface by two convex mirrors and a second image forming system including the taking lens is provided, and an object distance is obtained by using a plurality of object images from the image pickup means. Information is obtained, and the object distance information and the object image obtained by the image pickup means are displayed on the display unit.

In particular, the image pickup means is mounted on a part of the moving object, the speed information of the moving object is detected by the speed detecting means, and the image pickup means obtains it based on the output signal from the speed detecting means. It is characterized in that the obtained object image is recorded in the recording means, and that the plurality of convex mirrors reflect the light flux from the object on the entire circumference and guide it to the photographing lens.

[0009]

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the essential portions of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The present embodiment shows an example in which the image pickup device is provided inside the vehicle, and a part of the image pickup device is projected from the opening provided in the ceiling part of the vehicle to observe the object information of the entire circumference (all directions) of the vehicle. ing.

In the figure, 13 is a vehicle ceiling, and 12 is a transparent protective member. Reference numeral 1 is a convex mirror, 2 is a convex mirror having an opening at its center, 5 is a taking lens, and 6 is an image sensor. The figure shows the case where the convex mirrors 1 and 2 are projected from the opening of the ceiling 13 of the vehicle.

The convex mirrors 1 and 2 are arranged such that the center of curvature thereof is located on the optical axis 5a of the taking lens 5 and the reflecting surface thereof faces the taking lens 5 side. The convex mirror 1 and the taking lens 5 form a first image forming system 101, and the convex mirror 2 and the taking lens 5 form a second image forming system 102.

The first image forming system 101 and the second image forming system 102 form an image forming system which has independent optical operations.
The first image forming system 101, the second image forming system 102, and the image pickup device 6 constitute one element of the image pickup means.

The convex mirrors 1 and 2 reflect the light beams 3 and 4 from the object information having different heights on the outer circumference of the vehicle, that is, the object information having different heights on the entire circumference (omnidirectional) perpendicular to the paper surface. Thus, the virtual image is formed on substantially the same plane. Then, the light flux from the virtual image is made incident on the taking lens 5.

The first imaging system 101 forms an image of the object information of the entire circumference on an annular area 101a on the surface of the image pickup device 6. The second image forming system 102 forms an image of the object information of the entire circumference on an annular area 102a different from the area 101a on the surface of the image sensor 6.

Areas 101a and 10 on the surface of the image sensor 6
Since the two object images formed on 2a have different optical characteristics such as image forming magnification and distortion, they are electrically processed and corrected by the correcting means 7.

The calculation means 8 performs a correlation calculation of the two image signals from the correction means 7, and calculates the amount of deviation of the two object images in the height direction (optical axis 1a direction), that is, in the radial direction on the surface of the image sensor 6. Object distance information and object displacement information are calculated from the amount of deviation.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a display means for displaying the two object images corrected by the correcting means 7 or one of the object images and the object distance information obtained by the calculating means 8 on the display section 10. For example, the object information as if the object was observed from the sky and the distance information of the object are simultaneously displayed on the display unit.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the object information displayed on the display unit 30 at this time. As shown in the figure, the object information around the other vehicle 32, the white line 33 on the road, the marking line 34, and the like is shown for the own vehicle 31.

As described above, the side surface of the object information is displayed so that the object information is observed from a finite height so that the object information can be easily identified. This makes it possible to accurately know the operating state in consideration of the object information around the vehicle and the traveling speed of the own vehicle obtained by the speed sensor (not shown).

In this embodiment, for example, object displacement information such as whether another vehicle is approaching or moving away from the own vehicle is obtained by the speed detecting means described later and displayed on the display unit 10. You may do so.

In the present embodiment, the object distance information is detected by utilizing the amount of radial deviation of the object image formed on the image sensor 6.

That is, the light beam 3 (4) from the object is the convex mirror 1
It is reflected at (2) and a virtual image is formed near each focus. At this time, the focal lengths and arrangements of the convex mirrors 1 and 2 are set so that the virtual images formed on the convex mirrors 1 and 2 are located on the same plane.

The light flux from the virtual image formed on the convex mirrors 1 and 2 passes through the taking lens 5 and then enters the area 101a (102a) on the surface of the image pickup element 6 to form an object image.

At this time, the radial image forming position of the object image formed on the surface of the image pickup device 6 changes depending on the object distance.
Therefore, the object distance information is obtained by detecting the amount of change at this time by the calculating means 8.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a part of another embodiment according to the present invention. Reference numeral 23 is a speed detecting means, which has a speed sensor 20 and an acceleration sensor 21. The speed sensor 20 determines the speed of the own vehicle or / and other vehicle, and the acceleration sensor 21 determines the acceleration of the own vehicle or / and other vehicle.

Then, when an abnormal situation occurs based on the signal from the speed detection means, the object information of the entire circumference of the own vehicle obtained by the image pickup means is recorded in the continuous recording device.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of independent image forming systems are constructed by using a plurality of convex mirrors and one photographing lens, and a plurality of image forming elements are formed in different areas on the image pickup element surface. An object image is formed, object distance information is detected using the plurality of object images, and the object distance information and the object image are displayed on a display unit for simultaneous observation, for example, mounted on a vehicle. It is possible to achieve an imaging device having a distance information display unit suitable for observing object information around the entire circumference of a vehicle.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a main part of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a part of another embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment of object information displayed on a display unit according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2 Convex mirror 3, 4 Luminous flux 5 Photographing lens 6 Image sensor 7 Correction means 8 Calculation means 9 Display means 10 Display section

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Hideyuki Arai 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Shigeru Ogino 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Kya Non-Incorporated (72) Inventor Masaki Higashihara 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Koichi Omori 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. Within

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of convex mirrors on the object side of the taking lens,
A reflecting surface is arranged so that its center of curvature is located on the optical axis of the taking lens, the first imaging system including one convex mirror and the taking lens, and another convex mirror. An image pickup means for forming an object image in each of different areas on the image pickup element surface by means of a second image forming system including the image pickup lens and the image pickup lens is provided, and object distance information is obtained by using a plurality of object images from the image pickup means. An image pickup apparatus having distance information display means, characterized in that the object distance information and the object image obtained by the image pickup means are displayed on a display unit. 2. The image pickup means is mounted on a part of a moving object, the speed information of the moving object is detected by a speed detecting means, and the image pickup means is detected by the image pickup means based on an output signal from the speed detecting means. An image pickup apparatus having distance information display means, wherein the obtained object image is recorded in a recording means. 3. The image pickup apparatus having a distance information display unit according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of convex mirrors reflect a light flux from an object around the entire circumference and guide the light flux to the photographing lens. .