JPH11220726A - Vehicle surrounding monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle which surrounds monitoring device that sufficiently covers the dead angle of a driver, selects an image picture by switching to an optimal camera in accordance with running state and surrounding state, and can composite information on a name of the camera and obstruction detection. SOLUTION: Six video cameras 1a to 1f are switched by a switching means 2, and a single selected video is displayed in a display device 3. Vehicle state signals of detection means 5 to 7 are inputted to a microcomputer of a control means 4 and controls the switching means 2, so that the optimal video is selected in accordance with vehicle running state and its surrounding state. In this case, names of the switched cameras 1a to 1f and obstruction information are composited into the video and displayed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention assists a driver's field of view by selectively switching a plurality of in-vehicle imaging devices such as a video camera according to the situation around the vehicle and monitoring images around the vehicle. Of a vehicle surroundings monitoring device for the vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional vehicle periphery monitoring device using an on-vehicle video camera for assisting a driver's visual field has the following configuration. (I) attaching one or two video cameras to the vehicle,
The output video is displayed on a monitor screen. (Ii) Using two video cameras, the video camera displayed on the monitor screen is switched by operating a manual switch, or the rear camera is switched in conjunction with the switching of the reverse gear. (Iii) As disclosed in JP-A-63-54699, four video cameras mounted on the front, rear, left and right of the vehicle are switched and displayed.

[0003]

The above (i) or (i)
According to the configuration i), the number of video cameras is insufficient to cover the blind spot of the driver. Further, the switching of the image is performed only manually or in conjunction with the driving operation, and the image is not switched according to the situation around the vehicle.

[0004] On the other hand, the configuration (iii) is improved over the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, but is insufficient in covering the blind spot of the driver. In addition, although the video of the video camera is switched manually or by a microcomputer, even when using a microcomputer, the vehicle speed is only input and the surrounding conditions are not sufficiently determined.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and to provide a vehicle capable of completely covering a driver's blind spot and automatically monitoring an optimal image in consideration of surrounding conditions. An object of the present invention is to provide an ambient monitoring device.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, a vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus according to the present invention comprises a plurality of image pickup devices for outputting images around a vehicle, and a switch for selecting at least one image of the image pickup devices. Means, a display means for displaying the image, a detecting means for detecting a situation relating to the vehicle, and an optimal image pickup apparatus is determined from the image pickup apparatus based on the vehicle state signal detected by the detecting means, and the switching means And control means for controlling the control.

In the above invention, the control means may include means for synthesizing information representing the name of the imaging device of the selected video and a detected situation with the video.

In each of the above inventions, the plurality of imaging devices are two video cameras provided on the left and right sides of the front of the vehicle.
It may be composed of two video cameras provided on the left and right sides of the vehicle, one video camera provided on the rear surface of the vehicle, and one video camera provided to monitor under the floor of the vehicle.

Further, in each of the above inventions, the detecting means may include a detector for detecting a traveling state of the vehicle, a detector for detecting an obstacle around the vehicle, and a detector for detecting approach of a preceding vehicle.

[0010]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a plurality of imaging devices mounted on a vehicle, for example, six video cameras, 1a is a left side camera, 1b is a right side camera, 1c is a left front camera, 1d is a right front camera, 1e. Is the rear camera, 1
f is an under camera.

2 is switching means such as a video switch unit;
Reference numeral 3 denotes a display device such as a monitor (CRA), 4 denotes a control means including a microcomputer and an OSD unit, and 5 to 7 denote detection means for detecting a situation relating to the vehicle.
Reference numeral 5 denotes a detector for detecting a running state of the vehicle, such as a vehicle speed sensor (tachometer), a turn signal switch,
Back gear switch, etc. Reference numeral 6 denotes a detector for detecting obstacles around the vehicle, for example, front, rear, left and right sonar sensors. 7 is a detector for detecting approach of a preceding vehicle,
For example, a front vehicle start alarm device.

The vehicle status signals of the detecting means 5 to 7 are inputted to the microcomputer of the control means 4. For example, when the reverse gear switch of the detector 5 is turned on, the control means 7 controls the switching means 7. The rear camera 1e is selected, and the image of the rear side of the vehicle is displayed on the screen of the display device 3. In this case, when the rear left sonar sensor is turned on, obstacle detection is displayed at the center of the screen. At this time, the name “REAR” of the rear camera 1e is displayed on the screen.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawings will be described below.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of the vehicle periphery monitoring device of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 20 denotes a vehicle, 22 denotes a front R camera, and 23 denotes a front L camera, which are attached to the front right and left sides of the vehicle 20, respectively, and ranges 22 'and 23' shown in the figure.
Has an imageable area. Reference numeral 24 denotes a front R-corner sensor, 25 denotes a front L-corner sensor, which is installed near the camera.
A sonar sensor for detecting the 5 'obstacle is used.

Reference numeral 26 denotes a side R camera, and 27 denotes a side L camera. The side L camera is mounted on the left and right sides in front of the vehicle 20, and has image pickup areas in the ranges 26 'and 27' shown respectively. Reference numeral 28 denotes an under camera, which is attached to the vehicle 20 so as to image a vertical lower surface. Reference numeral 29 denotes a rear camera, which is attached substantially at the center of the rear surface of the vehicle 20, and has an imageable area in a range 29 'shown in the figure.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a rear R-corner sensor, and 31 denotes a rear L-corner sensor, which are installed at the left and right angles on the rear surface of the vehicle 20 and use sonar sensors for detecting obstacles in the illustrated ranges 30 'and 31'. .

Numeral 32 is a vehicle speed sensor, numeral 33 is a front vehicle start alarm, numeral 34 is a reverse gear switch, numeral 35 is a manual switch, numerals 36 and 37 are left and right turn signal switches for detecting the turning direction (steering angle) of the steering wheel, and 38. Is a sensor unit corresponding to four corner sensors,
39 is a processing unit for processing the signal of the front camera,
40 is a monitor television, 41 is an image control unit.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic configuration of the image control unit 41. In the figure, an image control unit 41 includes a microcomputer 41a, a video switch unit 41b, and an O.
It consists of an SD unit 41c.

Reference numerals 42 to 44 denote processing units for processing signals from the side cameras 26 and 27, the under camera 28, and the rear camera 29, each of which is connected to the video switch section 41b. Each corner sensor 24, 25, 30, 31,
Output signals of the vehicle speed sensor 32, the front vehicle start alarm device 33, the reverse gear switch 34, the manual switch 35, and the turn signal (T / S) switches 36 and 37 are input to the microcomputer 41a.

The video switch section 41b switches between the cameras to select one output image. OSD part 4
1c combines the selected video with character information and the like, sends it to the monitor TV 40, and displays it. Microcomputer 4
1a controls the video switch unit 41b and the OSD unit 41c based on detection signals from the sensors and switches.

Six video cameras 22, 23, 26, 27, 2 attached to each position of the vehicle 20 shown in FIG.
8 and 29 output a video signal to the image control unit 41 at all times while the engine is on. The image control unit 41 determines the surroundings of the vehicle based on the detection signals from the sensors and the switches, and determines an optimal video camera for assisting the driver's view according to the determination. It is preferable to set the video camera switching criteria based on the above-described situation determination as shown in Table 1 in advance.

[0021]

[Table 1]

FIG. 4 shows an operation flow of the microcomputer 41a based on the switching criteria shown in Table 1. In the figure, first, in step S1, the reverse gear switch 34
Is turned on / off, and if it is off, step S2
A speed determination based on the detection signal of the vehicle speed sensor 32 is performed. If the speed is high, the ON / OFF of the right turn signal switch 36 is determined in step S3. If the speed is ON, the side R camera 26 is selected in step S10. Is done. If it is determined to be off in step S3, the on / off state of the left turn signal switch 37 is determined in step S4, and if it is on, the side L camera 27 is selected in step S11. However, if it is off, it is determined in step S5 whether the front vehicle start alarm device 33 is on or off. If it is on, the front R camera 22 and the front L camera 23 are selected in step S12 and their output images are synthesized. However, if it is off, the rear camera 29 is selected in step S16.

If it is determined in step S1 that the backgear switch 34 is on, then in step S9 it is determined whether the front L-corner sensor 25 is on or off. The camera 28 is switched, for example, every one second, but if it is off, the rear camera 29 is selected in step S16.

Further, if it is determined in step S2 that the speed is low, it is determined in step S6 whether the front vehicle start alarm device 33 is on or off. If it is on, the camera is switched in step S12 but it is off. Then, the on / off of the front R corner sensor 24 is determined. As a result, if on, the front R camera 22 is selected in step S13, but if off, the front L camera 22 is selected in step S8.
It is determined whether the corner sensor 25 is on or off. If it is on, the under camera 28 is selected in step S14. If it is off, the camera is switched in step S12.

As described above, a control signal is sent from the microcomputer 41a in the image control unit 41 to the video switch unit 41b so as to select the determined video camera, and the selected camera image is output to the monitor television 40. .

Further, in this case, the image control unit 41 combines the character image information indicating the name of the camera outputting the image with the obstacle detection information by the corner sensor and outputs the image to the monitor television 40. The content of the displayed information is determined by the microcomputer 41a, and is combined with the image of the camera by the OSD control unit 41c.

As a display example described above, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, a case where the vehicle 50 enters the parking space 51 at the back is considered. When the gear goes into reverse, the rear camera 29
Is selected, and the image of the rear camera 29 is displayed on the screen of the monitor television 40, and, for example, as shown in FIG. When the rear left corner sensor 31 is turned on while the vehicle 50 is backing, obstacle detection information is displayed at the center of the image as shown in FIG. 6 to notify the driver of danger. In the case of forward movement, a composite screen (left and right split screen) of the images of the front R camera 22 and the front L camera 23 is displayed as described above.

FIG. 7 shows the details of the configuration of the image control unit 41. As is clear from the figure, the microcomputer 41a includes a counter section 41a-1, a switching control section 41a-
2. It comprises an OSD control unit 41a-3 and a judgment control unit 41a-4. The counter section 41a-1 counts the vehicle speed pulse from the vehicle speed sensor 32 to detect the vehicle speed, and together with detection signals from other sensors and switches, the judgment control section 41a-1.
Added to 4. The judgment control unit 41a-4 controls the switching control unit 41a-2 based on each of the detection signals to give a video switch switching signal to the video switch unit 41b, and controls the OSD control unit 41a-3 to control the OSD display data ( The character information and the like are given to the OSD control unit 41c.

The video switch section 41b comprises, for example, video switches SW0 to SW5, and switches each video camera in response to a video switch switching signal to select one video. The OSD control unit 41c includes a sync separation IC circuit 41c-1 and an OSDIC circuit 41c-2.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, 1
By simply checking the images on the two monitor screens, all the visual information necessary to assist the driver's visibility can be obtained, and safety during vehicle operation can be improved.However, the following effects can be obtained in practical use. It is advantageous. (1) By mounting the required number (six) of video cameras on the vehicle, all blind spots of the driver can be assisted. (2) Since the camera is automatically switched to a camera capable of obtaining an optimal image according to the driving situation and the surrounding situation, no manual switching operation is required. (3) Since the image of the selected camera is combined with text information such as the name of the camera and obstacle detection information and output to and displayed on the monitor television, the driver's visual assist function is significantly improved. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image control unit.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation flow of the microcomputer.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an operation example of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram exemplifying a composite screen of a monitor television.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating details of a configuration of an image control unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 imaging device (video camera) 2 switching means (video switch) 3 display device (monitor television) 4 control means (microcomputer) 5 vehicle speed sensor 6 sonar sensor 7 front vehicle start alarm

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of image pickup devices for outputting an image around a vehicle, a switching unit for selecting at least one image of the image pickup device, a display unit for displaying the image, and a detection unit for detecting a situation related to the vehicle. And a control means for determining an optimal imaging device from the imaging device based on the vehicle status signal detected by the detection means and controlling the switching means. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes means for synthesizing information representing a name of an imaging device of a selected video and a detected situation with said video. A monitor around the vehicle. 3. The video camera according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of imaging devices include two video cameras provided on the front and left sides of the vehicle, two video cameras provided on the left and right sides of the vehicle, one video camera provided on the rear surface of the vehicle, and The vehicle surroundings monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising a single video camera provided to monitor under the floor of the vehicle. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detecting means includes a detector for detecting a traveling state of the vehicle, a detector for detecting an obstacle around the vehicle, and a detector for detecting approach of a preceding vehicle. The vehicle surroundings monitoring device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.