Image display apparatus, method, and program for automotive vehicle

An image display apparatus for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• a photographing section that photographs a field near the vehicle;
• a display image generating section that generates a plurality of display images based on photographed data supplied from the photographing section, each of the plurality of display images having a different viewing point and a looking down angle;
• a display section configured to display one of the display images generated by the display image generating section;
• a display image switching section that switches the displayed image to another one of the display images;
• a surrounding vehicle detecting section that detects a surrounding vehicle near the vehicle based on the photographed data;
• and
• a pseudo vehicular image drawing section configured to draw a pseudo vehicular image,
• wherein at least one of the display images is synthesized with the pseudo vehicular image,
• wherein:
• the display image generating section comprises a perspective view transforming section that transforms a respective display image into a perspective view image, and
• the surrounding vehicle detecting section detects a wheel of another vehicle based on at least one of a vehicular surrounding image generated by the perspective view transforming section and a vehicular surrounding image photographed by the photographing section to detect a position of the other vehicle.

An image display apparatus for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• photographing means for photographing a field near the vehicle, the photographing section including a plurality of cameras disposed to photograph respective fields near the vehicle;
• display image generating means including an image synthesizing section configured to synthesize video images photographed by the plurality of cameras, for generating a top view display image looking down a whole part of the vehicle through an approximately vertical angle from a first viewing point on an upper sky of the vehicle and bird's eye view display images looking down the whole part of the vehicle through a predetermined looking-down angle from a second viewing point at which the first viewing point is moved toward a front portion of a vehicular running direction and from a third viewing point at which the first viewing point is moved toward a backward portion of the vehicular running direction;
• display means through which one of the display images generated by the display image generating means is displayed;
• display image switching means for switching the displayed image generated by the display image generating means and displayed through the display means to another one of the display images;
• and
• a running information receiving section that receives running information of the vehicle, the display image switching section switches the displayed image in accordance with the received information of the vehicle;
• wherein:
• the running information receiving section is configured to receive the running information related to a detected direction toward which the vehicle moves;
• and
• the display image switching section is configured to switch the displayed image from a bird's eye view image when the vehicle is running in a forward direction, to a top view image when the vehicle is running in a backward direction.

An image display method for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• generating images of respective fields near the vehicle by using a plurality of cameras disposed to photograph the respective fields near the vehicle;
• synthesizing the video images;
• receiving running information related to a running status of the vehicle;
• generating a top view display image looking down a whole part of the vehicle through an approximately vertical angle from a first viewing point on an upper sky of the vehicle and bird's eye view display images looking down the whole part of the vehicle through a predetermined looking-down angle from a second viewing point at which the first viewing point is moved toward a front portion of a vehicular running direction and from a third viewing point at which the first viewing point is moved toward a backward portion of the vehicular running direction;
• and
• switching the displayed image to another one of the generated display images in accordance with the running information;
• wherein:
• the running information relates to a detected direction toward which the vehicle moves;
• and
• the displayed image is switched from a bird's eye view image when the vehicle is running in a forward direction, to a top view image when the vehicle is running in a backward direction.

An image display method for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• generating images of respective fields near the vehicle using a plurality of cameras disposed to photograph the respective fields near the vehicle;
• synthesizing the video images;
• generating a top view display image looking down a whole part of the vehicle through an approximately vertical angle from a first viewing point on an upper sky of the vehicle and bird's eye view display images looking down the whole part of the vehicle through a predetermined looking-down angle from a second viewing point at which the first viewing point is moved toward a front portion of a vehicular running direction and from a third viewing point at which the first viewing point is moved toward a backward portion of the vehicular running direction;
• displaying one of the generated images;
• switching the displayed image to another one of the generated images, wherein the displayed image is switched from a bird's eye view image when the vehicle is running in a forward direction, to a top view image when the vehicle is running in a backward direction;
• detecting a surrounding vehicle near the vehicle from the photographed data;
• drawing a pseudo vehicular image;
• and
• synthesizing the pseudo vehicle image with one of the images.

An image display program for a computer of an automotive vehicle, when executed by the computer, controlling the computer to:

• receive images of respective fields near the vehicle obtained by a plurality of cameras disposed to photograph the respective fields near the vehicle;
• synthesize images obtained by the plurality of cameras;
• receive running information related to a vehicular running status, wherein the running information relates to a detected direction toward which the vehicle moves;
• generate a top view display image looking down a whole part of the vehicle through an approximately vertical angle from a first viewing point on an upper sky of the vehicle and bird's eye view display images looking down the whole part of the vehicle through a predetermined looking-down angle from a second viewing point at which the first viewing point is moved toward a front portion of a vehicular running direction and from a third viewing point at which the first viewing point is moved toward a backward portion of the vehicular running direction;
• display the generated display image;
• and
• switching the displayed image from a bird's eye view image when the vehicle is moving in a forward direction, to a top view image when the vehicle is moving in a backward direction.

An image display apparatus for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• a plurality of cameras disposed to photograph respective fields near the vehicle;
• a vehicular running state obtaining section that obtains a vehicular running state;
• a display image generating section that generates a top view display image looking down a whole part of the vehicle through an approximately vertical angle from a first viewing point on an upper sky of the vehicle and bird's eye view display images looking down the whole part of the vehicle through arbitrary looking-down angles and from arbitrary viewing points at which the first viewing point is moved toward front and backward portions of a vehicular running direction in accordance with the vehicular running state;
• a display section configured to display one of the images generated by the display image generating section in accordance with the vehicular running state;
• and
• a display image switching section that switches the displayed image to another one of the generated display images, wherein the displayed image is switched from a bird's eye view image when the vehicle is moving in a forward direction, to a top view image when the vehicle is moving in a backward direction.