Image generating apparatus and image display system

An image generating apparatus that generates an image to be displayed on a display apparatus mounted on a vehicle, the image generating apparatus comprising:

• a synthetic image generating section that generates a synthetic image around the vehicle based on a plurality of images of the periphery of the vehicle taken by a plurality of cameras, the synthetic image being viewed from a virtual viewpoint which is disposed behind the vehicle and is directed to the front side of the vehicle, and including a right side area and a left side area of the vehicle;
• a display image generating section that generates a display image including a front image taken by a camera provided at the front side of the vehicle and the synthetic image generated by the synthetic image generating section;
• and
• an output section that outputs the generated display image to the display apparatus such that the front image and the synthetic image are displayed on the display apparatus simultaneously.

An image generating apparatus that generates an image to be displayed on a display apparatus mounted on a vehicle, the image generating apparatus comprising:

• a synthetic image generating section that generates a synthetic image being viewed from a virtual viewpoint based on a plurality of images of the periphery of the vehicle taken by a plurality of cameras;
• and
• an output section that outputs the generated synthetic image to the display apparatus,
• wherein when changing the virtual viewpoint of the synthetic image from a first position to a second position, the synthetic image generating section moves the virtual viewpoint from the first position to the second position in a stepwise manner to generate a plurality of synthetic images and continuously displaying the plurality of synthetic images while moving the virtual viewpoint in a continuous manner, thereby creating an animation.