JPH09202180A - On-board camera device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To correct distortion of the image to be generated in photographing by a fisheye lens, and to cut out a part of the corrected image according to the traveling condition of a vehicle and perform the enlarged indication. SOLUTION: A fisheye camera 2 is connected to an image controller 3. The image controller 3 is provided with a coordinate transformation circuit 31, an image cut-out circuit 32, and an image enlargement circuit 33. The distorted image signal derived by the fisheye camera 2 is converted into a regular image signal by the coordinate transformation circuit 31. A condition detecting part 5 to detect the traveling condition of a vehicle is connected to the image cut-out circuit 32, and an arbitrary region in the distortion-corrected image is cut out according to the input signal from the condition detecting part 5. The image enlargement circuit 33 enlarges the cut-out image and indicates it on the whole display screen of a monitor 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an on-vehicle camera device for displaying an image outside a vehicle captured by a camera on a monitor inside the vehicle, and particularly to adopting a fish-eye camera for capturing a wide range of the outside of the vehicle. The present invention relates to an in-vehicle camera device that corrects distortion of an image that occurs when an image is captured, and cuts out a part of the corrected image according to a running state of a vehicle and displays the enlarged image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional technique of this kind is disclosed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 62-16.
There is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 073. In this conventional technology, a plurality of TV cameras with a wide-angle lens are installed in the upper part of the car, and the coordinates of the image captured by the lens are converted into the coordinates of the plane to correct the distortion of the image and make it a cathode ray tube in the driver's seat. It was supposed to be displayed.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, only the surrounding road surface centering around the host vehicle is imaged, and for example, the driver can automatically identify the portion that the driver wants to know according to the running state of the vehicle. It cannot be enlarged.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and provides an on-vehicle camera device capable of enlarging and displaying a part of a vehicle exterior image obtained by capturing a wide range with a fisheye camera according to the traveling state of the vehicle. This is the purpose.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, first, the invention according to claim 1 corrects a fish-eye camera mounted on a vehicle and a distorted image signal picked up and derived by the fish-eye camera. In an in-vehicle camera device equipped with an image controller having a coordinate conversion circuit for converting into an image signal and a monitor displaying an image outside the vehicle based on the image signal derived by the image controller, the image controller includes An in-vehicle camera device comprising: an image clipping circuit that clips an arbitrary area; and an image decompression circuit that decompresses the image outside the vehicle cut out by the image clipping circuit so as to be displayed on the entire display screen of the monitor. provide.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the image cutout circuit inputs a state detection unit for detecting a running state of the vehicle and cuts out a region corresponding to an input signal from the state detection unit. There is provided an in-vehicle camera device characterized by the above.

[0007]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Reference numeral 2 in FIG. 1 is a fisheye camera. The fish-eye cameras 2 are mounted on the left and right of the vehicle 1 as shown in FIG. 2, for example, and the imaging direction is set to the side of the vehicle. The fisheye camera 2 includes a fisheye lens 21 and a CCD element (not shown). When a light beam received through the fisheye lens 21 forms an image on the surface of the CCD element, an image corresponding to the formed image is formed. Generate a signal. By the way, the horizontal angle of view of the fish-eye lens 21 is 180 [deg.], And the formed image is a distorted image as illustrated in FIG. The fisheye camera 2 is connected to an image controller 3 described below.

The image controller 3 is a portion for processing an image signal input from the fisheye camera 2 and outputting it to the monitor 4, and has a coordinate conversion circuit 31, an image cutout circuit 32 and an image expansion circuit 33. Next, each circuit 31, 32,
33 will be described.

First, the coordinate conversion circuit 31 is a circuit for converting a distorted image signal, which is picked up and derived by the fisheye camera 2, into a positive image signal by using a coordinate conversion method. The coordinate conversion circuit 31
The distorted image illustrated in FIG. 3 is corrected to a normal image illustrated in FIG. The coordinate conversion circuit 31 has an input side connected to the fisheye camera 2 and an output side connected to an image cutout circuit 32.

Next, the image cutout circuit 32 is a circuit for cutting out an arbitrary region in the image corresponding to the input signal from the state detection unit 5 for detecting the running state of the vehicle. The fisheye camera 2 and the coordinates are provided on the input side. The conversion circuit 31 and the state detection unit 5 are connected, and the image expansion circuit 33 is connected to the output side.

Next, the image decompression circuit 33 is a circuit for decompressing the image outside the vehicle cut out by the image cutting circuit 32 so as to display the image outside the vehicle on the entire display screen of the monitor 4, and the image cutting out to the input side. The circuit 32 is connected and the monitor 4 is connected to the output side.

The monitor 4 also includes the image controller 3
Is a portion for displaying an image outside the vehicle based on the image signal derived by the above, and is arranged in the driver's seat of the vehicle 1. Further, the state detection unit 5 includes, for example, a turn signal switch 51 that operates a direction indicator lamp (not shown), a reverse switch 52 that detects that a shift lever (not shown) is operated to the backward side, and a vehicle 1 of the vehicle 1. Vehicle speed sensor 53 for detecting running speed
And a navigator 54 for detecting the traveling position of the vehicle 1 based on a signal from a GPS satellite or a sign post provided along the road.

Next, the operation of the above will be described. For example, when the turn signal switch 51 of the state detection unit 5 is operated to the right, the image cutout circuit 32 responds to the input signal from the turn signal switch 51, and outputs the coordinate-converted image signal input from the coordinate exchange circuit 31. An image signal showing an obliquely rearward right portion of the vehicle 1 is extracted and input to the image expansion circuit 33 in the subsequent stage. The image expansion circuit 33 expands the input image signal. As a result, the monitor 4 displays the diagonally right rear portion of the vehicle 1 on the entire screen.

When the shift lever is operated to the reverse position, the image cutout circuit 32 responds to the input signal from the reverse switch 52, and the coordinate-converted image signal input from the coordinate conversion circuit 31 is transmitted to the rear of the vehicle 1. And an image signal showing the front corners is extracted and input to the image expansion circuit 33. The image expansion circuit 33 expands the input image signal. As a result, the monitor 4 displays the rear and front corners of the vehicle 1 on the entire screen.

When a signal indicating that an intersection is approached is input from the navigator 54, the image cutout circuit 32 is input.
Responds to an input signal from the navigator 54, detects an image signal representing the front portion of the vehicle 1 from the coordinate-converted image signal input from the coordinate conversion circuit 31, and inputs it to the image expansion circuit 33. The image expansion circuit 33 expands the input image signal. As a result, the monitor 4 displays the front part of the vehicle 1 on the entire screen.

[0016]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION Since the present invention has the above-described structure and operation, it is possible not only to correct and display the distortion of the image generated when the image is picked up by the fisheye camera, but also to widen the range by the fisheye camera. A part of the captured image outside the vehicle can be automatically enlarged and displayed according to the running state of the vehicle, and the driver can accurately know the state outside the vehicle on the monitor, although the number of cameras mounted on the vehicle is small. There is an effect that can be.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an electrical block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a vehicle equipped with the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 and its surroundings.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram exemplifying a vehicle exterior image captured by the fisheye camera shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram exemplifying an outside-vehicle image in which distortion is corrected by coordinate conversion by the coordinate conversion circuit shown in FIG. 1.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Vehicle 2 Fisheye Camera 3 Image Controller 4 Monitor 5 State Detection Unit 31 Coordinate Conversion Circuit 32 Image Cutout Circuit 33 Image Decompression Circuit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A fisheye camera (2) mounted on a vehicle (1)
An image controller (3) having a coordinate conversion circuit (31) for converting a distorted image signal picked up and derived by the fisheye camera (2) into a positive image signal, and the image controller (3)
In a vehicle-mounted camera device equipped with a monitor (4) that displays an image outside the vehicle based on an image signal derived by the image controller (3), the image controller (3) includes an image cutout circuit (32) that cuts out an arbitrary region in the image outside the vehicle. An in-vehicle camera device comprising: an image decompression circuit (33) for decompressing the image outside the vehicle cut out by the image cutout circuit (32) so as to be displayed on the entire display screen of the monitor (4). 2. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the image cutout circuit (32) inputs and connects a state detection unit (5) for detecting a traveling state of the vehicle, and outputs the state detection unit (5) from the state detection unit (5). The in-vehicle camera device is characterized in that an area corresponding to the input signal is cut out.