Image positional relation correction apparatus, steering supporting apparatus provided with the image positional relation correction apparatus, and image positional relation correction method

An image positional relation correction apparatus for correcting relative positional relation between a real image taken by a camera and a virtual image to be superimposed to be displayed on a monitor screen together with the real image comprising:

• real target providing means provided in an object area of the camera for causing the camera to photograph a plurality of real targets;
• virtual target providing means for providing a plurality of virtual targets logically led respectively from coordinates of the plurality of the real targets to the same coordinate system as the virtual image;
• and
• correcting means for correcting the relative positional relation between the real image and the virtual image based on deviation between the real targets and the virtual targets respectively corresponding to the real targets, wherein
• said correcting means calculates the coordinates of the real target photographed by the camera in the same coordinate system as the virtual image, stores in advance standard parameters including a standard position and angle of a camera mounted on a vehicle, calculates the coordinates of the virtual target logically led from the real target by the standard parameters, calculates real mounting parameters including the real position and angle of the camera based on the deviation between the coordinates of the virtual target and the coordinates of the real target and the standard parameters, and corrects the relative positional relation between the real image and the virtual image based on the real mounting parameters.