Device, method, and program for generating an overhead image around a vehicle relative to a target object

A control method by a control device, the method comprising steps executed by a processor of the control device of:

• generating an overhead image showing a space including a moving object and surroundings of the moving object using a plurality of pieces of imaging data acquired by a plurality of imaging devices including at least a first camera and a second camera in the moving object,
• causing a display device to display the generated overhead image,
• determining a blind spot area in the imaging data based on detection of a target object around the moving object, and
• when generating the overhead image,
• generating a first area in the overhead image based on the imaging data acquired by the first camera and generating a second area in the overhead image different from the first area based on the imaging data acquired by the second camera, and
• changing allocation of the first different from the first imaging data in the overhead image based on whether it is determined that the blind spot area exists in the first area,
• changing allocation of the first area and the second area based on at least one characteristic of the target object, and
• when it is determined that the blind spot area exists in the first area, decreasing the allocation of the first area in the overhead image and increasing the allocation of the second area in the overhead image than when it is determined that the blind spot area does not exist in the first area.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for a control device that causes a processor of the control device to execute processes of,

• generating an overhead image showing a space including a moving object and surroundings of the moving object using a plurality of pieces of imaging data acquired by a plurality of imaging devices including at least a first camera and a second camera in the moving object,
• causing a display device to display the generated overhead image,
• determining a blind spot area in the imaging data based on detection of a target object around the moving object, and
• when generating the overhead image,
• generating a first area in the overhead image based on the imaging data acquired by the first camera and generating a second area in the overhead image different from the first area based on the imaging data acquired by the second camera, and
• changing allocation of the first area and the second area in the overhead image based on whether it is determined that the blind spot area exists in the first area,
• change allocation of the first area and the second area based on at least one characteristic of the target object, and
• when it is determined that the blind spot area exists in the first area, decreasing the allocation of the first area in the overhead image and increasing the allocation of the second area in the overhead image than when it is determined that the blind spot area does not exist in the first area.

A control device comprising:

• an image processing unit configured to generate an overhead image showing a space including a moving object and surroundings of the moving object using a plurality of pieces of imaging data acquired by a plurality of imaging devices including at least a first camera and a second camera in the moving object, the first camera capturing an image of a rear direction of the moving object, and the second camera capturing an image of a lateral direction of the moving object;
• a display control unit configured to display the overhead image generated by the image processing unit on a display device;
• and
• a determination unit configured to determine whether the moving object is towing a trailer,
• wherein
• the image processing unit is configured to generate a first area in the overhead image based on the imaging data acquired by the first camera and to generate a second area in the overhead image different from the first area based on the imaging data acquired by the second camera,
• the image processing unit is configured to change allocation of the first area and the second area in the overhead image based on whether the moving object is towing the trailer, in which the image processing unit decreases the allocation of the first area and increases the allocation of the second area when the moving object is towing the trailer compared to those when the moving object is not towing the trailer.