IP Library Granted Patent US 9,393,908
Granted Patent B2
US 9,393,908 · App. 13/483,828 · Granted Jul 19, 2016

Obstacle alarm device

Inventors: Tetsuya Maruoka (Anjo, JP); Akira Kadoya (Kitanagoya, JP); Keigo Ikeda (Anjo, JP)
Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B60R1/00B60W30/08B60W50/14G01S11/12H04N7/183B60R2300/8093B60W2050/146
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,393,908
App. No.
13/483,828
Granted
Jul 19, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

An obstacle alarm device having a captured image acquisition unit, an attention-prioritized captured image generation unit, an object presence determination unit, a movement direction determination unit, and a clear indication image output unit for causing a frame sign to be displayed at sequentially varying positions centerward from an outer edge part of the attention-prioritized captured image, and for repeatedly performing such displaying, in a case where the movement direction determination unit has determined that the object is moving toward the center of the attention-prioritized captured image.

Claims (20)

1. A method for an obstacle alarm, the method comprising:

acquiring a captured image in which an image of a visual scene of a periphery of a vehicle has been captured;

generating an attention-prioritized captured image on the basis of the captured image, the captured image being the image of the visual scene of a rearward periphery of the vehicle;

determining whether or not an object is present in the periphery of the vehicle;

determining a movement direction of the object; and

causing a frame sign, which has a smaller outer shape than an outline of the attention-prioritized captured image and is to be displayed at sequentially varying positions from an outer edge part of the attention-prioritized captured image toward a center of the attention-prioritized captured image, and for repeatedly performing displaying the frame sign as the frame sign at varying centerward positions, so as to gradually become smaller, where it is determined that the object is moving toward the center of the attention-prioritized captured image,

wherein the outer shape of the frame sign is similar to the outline of the attention-prioritized captured image.

2. The method for an obstacle alarm according to claim 1 , wherein:

generating the attention-prioritized captured image comprises generating a center portion of the captured image as the attention-prioritized captured image, and

determining whether or not an object is present in the periphery of the vehicle comprises determining whether or not the object is present in an outside region of the exterior of the attention-prioritized captured image.

3. The method for an obstacle alarm according to claim 1 , wherein:

generating the attention-prioritized captured image comprises generating the entirety of the captured image as the attention-prioritized captured image, and

determining whether or not an object is present in the periphery of the vehicle comprises determining whether or not the object is present in a region corresponding to the attention-prioritized captured image.

4. The method for an obstacle alarm according to claim 1 , characterized in that:

in a case where there are a plurality of frame signs, a frame sign displayed later is of smaller size than a frame sign displayed immediately prior.

5. The method for an obstacle alarm according to claim 1 , characterized in that:

in a case where there are a plurality of frame signs, a frame sign displayed later is of lower transparency than a frame sign displayed immediately prior.

6. The method for an obstacle alarm according to claim 1 , wherein:

the displaying of the frame sign is discontinued in a case where the object has entered a region corresponding to the attention-prioritized captured image.

7. The method for an obstacle alarm according to claim 1 , wherein the attention-prioritized captured image corresponds to a part or an entirety of the captured image.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2012
From: MARUOKA, TETSUYA; KADOYA, AKIRA; IKEDA, KEIGO
To: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 028295/0216 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation In Part PCTJP2012060397 · Apr 18, 2012
Continuation In Part PCTJP2011075125 · Nov 1, 2011
Related Publication 20130107051A1 · May 2, 2013