Image processor, storage medium storing an image processing program and vehicle-mounted terminal
An image processor ( 3 ) includes: an image input unit ( 7 ) that obtains an image captured by an imaging device ( 2 ) installed on a vehicle; a vehicle information input unit ( 8 ) that obtains the distance between the vehicle and a road junction or curve from a navigation system ( 5 ); a recording unit ( 15 ) in which imaging information and driver information are pre-stored; a magnifying object recognition unit ( 9 ) that recognizes a certain magnifying object in the obtained captured image; and a composing unit ( 11 ) that produces, when a magnifying object is recognized, a composite image of an magnified image and the captured image. The composing unit ( 11 ) uses the distance obtained by the vehicle information input unit ( 8 ) as well as the imaging information and the driver information stored in the recording unit ( 15 ) to calculate an area in the captured image that is not an image of a blind spot for the driver, and produces the composite image such that the magnified image is superimposed on the non-blind spot area. This allows the driver to perceive information on the blind spot area and on the magnified image through a single action.
1. An image processor comprising:
an image input unit that obtains an image captured by an imaging device installed on a vehicle;
a vehicle information input unit that obtains a distance between the vehicle and a road junction or curve in a traveling direction of the vehicle based on information received from a vehicle-mounted device installed in the vehicle;
a recording unit in which imaging information indicating properties of the imaging device and driver information regarding a visual field of a driver of the vehicle are stored;
a magnifying object recognition unit that recognizes a certain magnifying object in the captured image; and
a composing unit that produces, when the magnifying object recognition unit recognizes the certain magnifying object, a composite image of a magnified image off of the magnifying object and the captured image,
wherein the composing unit uses the distance obtained by the vehicle information input unit as well as the imaging information and the driver information stored in the recording unit to determine a non-blind spot area in the captured image that does not include an image of a blind spot for the driver, and produces the composite image such that the magnified image is superimposed on the non-blind spot area.
2. The image processor according to claim 1 , wherein the composing unit uses the distance between the vehicle and the junction or the curve and the imaging information to calculate an imaging area to be captured by the imaging device in a vicinity of a position of the junction or the curve,
uses the distance between the vehicle and the junction or the curve and the driver information to calculate a visual field area to be in the visual field of the driver in the vicinity of the position of the junction or the curve, and
uses a positional relationship between the imaging area and the visual field to determine a position of the non-blind spot area in the captured image.
3. The image processor according to claim 1 , wherein the composing unit uses the distance obtained by the vehicle information input unit to determine a magnification level of the magnified image.
4. The image processor according to claim 2 , wherein the image input unit further obtains a horizontal rudder angle of the imaging device at a time of capturing the captured image, and
the composing unit uses the horizontal rudder angle to calculate the imaging area.
5. The image processor according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle information input unit further obtains a value representing a curvature of the curve in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and
the composing unit uses the curvature to determine a magnification level of the magnified image.
6. The image processor according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle information input unit further obtains information indicating a frequency of occurrence of accidents at the junction or the curve, and
the composing unit uses the frequency of occurrence of accidents to determine a magnification level of the magnified image.
7. The image processor according to claim 1 , wherein the image processor works in conjunction with a navigation system installed in the vehicle, and
the vehicle information input unit obtains the distance between the vehicle and the road junction or the curve in the traveling direction of the vehicle from the navigation system installed in the vehicle.
8. The image processor according to claim 7 , wherein the vehicle information input unit further obtains information indicating presence or absence of the magnifying object at the junction or the curve from the navigation system, and
the magnifying object recognition unit recognizes the certain magnifying object in the captured image when the certain magnifying object is present at the junction or the curve.
9. The image processor according to claim 1 , wherein the magnifying object recognition unit recognizes a certain magnifying object in the captured image when the distance becomes equal to or less than a certain distance.
10. A non-transitory recording medium storing an image processing program causing a computer to perform processing of:
obtaining an image captured by an imaging device installed on a vehicle;
obtaining a distance between the vehicle and a road junction or curve in a traveling direction of the vehicle based on information received from a vehicle-mounted device installed in the vehicle;
obtaining imaging information indicating properties of the imaging device and driver information regarding a visual field of a driver of the vehicle stored in a recording unit accessible to the computer;
recognizing a certain magnifying object in the captured image; and
producing, when the certain magnifying object is recognized in the magnifying object recognition, a composite image of a magnified image off of the magnifying object and the captured image,
wherein in the production of the composite image, the obtained distance as well as the obtained imaging information and driver information are used to determine a non-blind spot area in the captured image that does not include an image of a blind spot for the driver, and the composite image is produced such that the magnified image is superimposed on the non-blind spot area.
11. A vehicle-mounted terminal working in conjunction with an imaging device installed on a vehicle, the vehicle-mounted terminal comprising:
a navigation system having a function of identifying a position of the vehicle and including a map data recording unit in which road information including a position of each road junction or curve is stored;
an image input unit that obtains an image captured by the imaging device;
a vehicle information input unit that obtains a distance between the vehicle and a road junction or curve in a traveling direction of the vehicle with the use of the position of the vehicle identified by the navigation system and the road information;
a recording unit in which imaging information indicating properties of the imaging device and driver information regarding a visual field of a driver of the vehicle are stored;
a magnifying object recognition unit that recognizes a certain magnifying object in the captured image;
a composing unit that produces, when the magnifying object recognition unit recognizes the certain magnifying object, a composite image of a magnified image off of the magnifying object and the captured image; and
a display unit that displays the composite image produced by the composing unit,
wherein the composing unit uses the distance obtained by the vehicle information input unit as well as the imaging information and the driver information stored in the recording unit to determine a non-blind spot area in the captured image that does not include an image of a blind spot for the driver, and produces the composite image such that the magnified image is superimposed on the non-blind spot area.