Display control device and method for generating an image of a rear view of a vehicle

A display control system for a vehicle, comprising:

• a display unit having a rectangular display area;
• and
• a display control device for the vehicle, the display control device being configured to:
• generate a non-rectangular image from a rectangular image of an area located rearward of the vehicle such that a width of the non-rectangular image in a vehicle vertical direction is reduced from near to far with respect to a vehicle body of the vehicle and toward a horizontal axis of the display unit, the rectangular image being captured by a capturing unit mounted on the vehicle, the rectangular image having a horizontal axis that is tilted, and the non-rectangular image having a horizontal axis that has a same tilt as the horizontal axis of the rectangular image, and
• display the non-rectangular image in the rectangular display area, wherein
• an upper edge of the non-rectangular image includes an upper curved portion where no point on the upper curved portion has a tangent that is parallel to the upper edge,
• a lower edge of the non-rectangular image, which opposes the upper edge, includes a lower curved portion where no point on the lower curved portion has a tangent that is parallel to the lower edge,
• the upper curved portion and the lower curved portion both curve towards an imaginary line passing through the non-rectangular image between the upper edge and the lower edge,
• the non-rectangular image is generated such that a width of the non-rectangular image in the vehicle vertical direction is larger in a first part of the non-rectangular image compared with a second part of the non-rectangular image,
• the upper curved portion of the non-rectangular image and the lower curved portion of the non-rectangular image are curved in opposite directions such that an amount of decrease in the vehicle vertical direction image width of the non-rectangular image increases from the first part to the second part, and
• the non-rectangular image at the second part is compressed at a ratio of (i) a sum of (a) a first length in the vehicle vertical direction between a highest point of the upper edge and a first point on the second part and (b) a second length in the vehicle vertical direction between a lowest point of the lower edge and a second point on the second part to (ii) a third length between the first point and the second point.

A display control method for a vehicle, comprising:

• generating a non-rectangular image from a rectangular image of an area located rearward of the vehicle such that a width of the non-rectangular image in a vehicle vertical direction is reduced from near to far with respect to a vehicle body of the vehicle and toward a horizontal axis of a display unit of the vehicle, the rectangular image being captured by a capturing unit mounted on the vehicle, the rectangular image having a horizontal axis that is tilted, and the non-rectangular image having a horizontal axis that has a same tilt as the horizontal axis of the rectangular image;
• and
• displaying the non-rectangular image in a rectangular display area of the display unit mounted on the vehicle, wherein
• an upper edge of the non-rectangular image includes an upper curved portion where no point on the upper curved portion has a tangent that is parallel to the upper edge,
• a lower edge of the non-rectangular image, which opposes the upper edge, includes a lower curved portion where no point on the lower curved portion has a tangent that is parallel to the lower edge,
• the upper curved portion and the lower curved portion both curve towards an imaginary line passing through the non-rectangular image between the upper edge and the lower edge,
• the non-rectangular image is generated such that a width of the non-rectangular image in the vehicle vertical direction is larger in a first part of the non-rectangular image compared with a second part of the non-rectangular image,
• the upper curved portion of the non-rectangular image and the lower curved portion of the non-rectangular image are curved in opposite directions such that an amount of decrease in the vehicle vertical direction image width of the non-rectangular image increases from the first part to the second part, and
• the non-rectangular image at the second part is compressed at a ratio of (i) a sum of (a) a first length in the vehicle vertical direction between a highest point of the upper edge and a first point on the second part and (b) a second length in the vehicle vertical direction between a lowest point of the lower edge and a second point on the second part to (ii) a third length between the first point and the second point.