IP Library Granted Patent US 9,516,275
Granted Patent B2
US 9,516,275 · App. 13/985,014 · Granted Dec 6, 2016

Driving assistance device and towing vehicle

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,516,275
App. No.
13/985,014
Granted
Dec 6, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A driving support device outputs, to a display means ( 103 ), a superimposed image in which a pair of left and right planar predicted trajectory guide marks ( 405 ), ( 406 ) corresponding to steering of the vehicle are superimposed onto a captured vehicle-rearview image including the tow vehicle connector ( 402 ) and the towed-vehicle connector ( 404 ). An image superimposing unit ( 112 ) superimposes sides ( 405 a ), ( 406 a ) of the predicted trajectory guide marks ( 405 ), ( 406 ) that are on the vehicle-width-center side further towards the outer edge relative to the tow vehicle connector ( 402 ), and superimposes sides ( 405 b ), ( 406 b ) of the predicted trajectory guide marks ( 405 ), ( 406 ) that are on the outer-edge side in the vehicle-width direction as predicted trajectories of the side edges of the vehicle.

Claims (25)

1. A driving support apparatus comprising:

an image acquiring section that acquires a captured image of an area behind a vehicle supported by the apparatus, the area including a tow coupler at a rear portion of the vehicle and a tow-target coupler of a tow-target vehicle to be coupled to the tow coupler; and

a superimposing section that superimposes a pair of left and right planar predicted-trajectory guide marks in accordance with steering operation of the vehicle supported by the apparatus, on the captured image acquired by the image acquiring section and that outputs the superimposed image, wherein

each of the pair of left and right planar predicted-trajectory guide marks comprises at least a first line that forms a first side of the predicted-trajectory guide mark located on a center side of a vehicle width direction and a second line that forms a second side of the predicted-trajectory guide mark located on an outer edge side of the vehicle width direction, the first line being separated from the second line,

the superimposing section superimposes first lines of the predicted-trajectory guide marks respectively at positions in an outer edge direction from the tow coupler, the first lines being located on the center side of the vehicle width direction, and

the superimposing section superimposes second lines of the predicted-trajectory guide marks respectively as predicted-trajectories of both lateral edges of the vehicle supported by the apparatus, the second lines being located on the outer edge side of the vehicle width direction,

wherein

the superimposing section changes an image to be superimposed between a tow guide and a normal backward assistance other than the tow guide, and

in the case of the normal backward assistance, the superimposing section does not superimpose the first lines of the predicted-trajectory guide marks respectively at the positions in the outer edge direction from the tow coupler.

2. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a display section that displays a superimposed image provided by the superimposing section, wherein

the display section displays the tow coupler in a gap between the first line of the left predicted-trajectory guide mark and the first line of the right predicted-trajectory guide mark.

3. The driving support apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a backward imaging section that captures an image of the area behind the vehicle supported by the apparatus and that outputs the captured image to an image processing section.

4. A tow vehicle comprising:

a tow coupler installed at a rear portion of the tow vehicle;

a backward imaging section that is installed at a rear portion of the tow vehicle and that captures an image of an area behind the tow vehicle, the area including the tow coupler and a tow-target coupler of a tow-target vehicle to be coupled to the tow coupler;

a turning-angle detection section that is provided in the tow vehicle and that detects a steering turning angle of the tow vehicle;

a superimposing section that is provided in the tow vehicle and that superimposes, on a captured image acquired by the backward imaging section, a pair of left and right predicted-trajectory guide marks in accordance with the steering turning angle of the tow vehicle detected by the turning-angle detection section; and

a display section that is provided in the tow vehicle in such a way as to be viewable from a driving seat and that displays the superimposed image provided by the superimposing section, wherein

each of the pair of left and right planar predicted-trajectory guide marks comprises at least a first line that forms a first side of the predicted-trajectory guide mark located on a center side of a vehicle width direction and a second line that forms a second side of the predicted-trajectory guide mark located on an outer edge side of the vehicle width direction, the first line being separated from the second line,

the display section displays first lines of the pair of left and right predicted-trajectory guide marks respectively at positions in an outer edge direction from the tow coupler, the first lines being located on the center side of the vehicle width direction, and

the display section displays second lines of the pair of left and right predicted-trajectory guide marks respectively as predicted-trajectories of both lateral edges of the tow vehicle, the second lines being located on the outer edge side of the vehicle width direction,

wherein

the display section changes an image to be displayed between a tow guide and a normal backward assistance other than the tow guide, and

in the case of the normal backward assistance, the display section does not display the first lines of the pair of left and right predicted-trajectory guide marks respectively at the positions in the outer edge direction from the tow coupler.

5. The tow vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the display section displays the tow coupler in a gap between the first line of the left predicted-trajectory guide mark and the first line of the right predicted-trajectory guide mark.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066703/0223 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ERRONEOUSLY FILED APPLICATION NUMBERS 13/384239, 13/498734, 14/116681 AND 14/301144 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 034194 FRAME 0143. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056788/0362 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 10, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 034194/0143 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2013
From: OKANO, KENJI; KISHI, YASHIO
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 031236/0311 →