Image generating apparatus

1. An image generating apparatus comprising:

an obtaining part that obtains a captured image captured by a camera mounted on a vehicle; and

a generator that generates a vicinity image including the vehicle and a vicinity of the vehicle viewed from a virtual viewpoint, based on the captured image, and that generates a combined image by superimposing a vehicle image of the vehicle on the vicinity image, wherein

the generator:

i) it generates the vehicle image in a frame style that shows in a three-dimensional manner one or more parts and a body frame which in combination, configure an outer shape of the vehicle by frame lines, wherein the one of more parts are different from the body frame of the vehicle and are components of the vehicle viewable from an outside of the vehicle, and wherein portions of the vehicle other than the body frame and the one or more parts are not shown in the frame style, and

ii) changes a style form of the vehicle image in the frame style in accordance with a predetermined condition.

2. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the generator generates the vehicle image in one style form selected in accordance with a user operation performed by a user of the vehicle, from amongst a plurality of the style forms which differ from each other in thickness of the frame lines.

3. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the generator generates the vehicle image in the frame style or in a real image style, in accordance with a location of the virtual viewpoint.

4. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the frame lines have a first side and a second side each of which is colored in a color different from each other; and

the generator changes the style form of the frame lines shown in the combined image viewed from the virtual viewpoint, in the frame style, depending on whether the first side or the second side is viewable from the virtual viewpoint.

5. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a detector that detects an object existing in the vicinity of the vehicle, wherein

the predetermined condition is a position of the object such that the generator generates the vehicle image in one style form selected in accordance with the position of the object, from amongst the plurality of style forms.

6. The image generating apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

as the position of the object gets closer to the vehicle, the generator makes the frame lines in the frame style thinner.

7. The image generating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a detector that detects an object existing in the vicinity of the vehicle, wherein

the predetermined condition is a position of the object such that the generator changes the style form of a portion of the frame lines in the frame style corresponding to the position of the object.

8. An image display system comprising:

the image generating apparatus according to claim 1 ; and

a display that displays the combined image output from the image generating apparatus.

9. An image generating method comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining a captured image captured by a camera mounted on a vehicle; and

(b) generating a vicinity image including the vehicle and a vicinity of the vehicle viewed from a virtual viewpoint, based on the captured image, and generating a combined image by superimposing a vehicle image of the vehicle on the vicinity image, wherein

the step (b) i) generates the vehicle image in a frame style that shows in a three-dimensional manner one or more parts and a body frame, which in combination, configure an outer shape of the vehicle by frame lines, wherein the one or more parts are different from the body frame of the vehicle and are components of the vehicle viewable from an outside of the vehicle, and wherein portions of the vehicle other than the body frame and the one or more parts are not shown in the frame style, and

ii) changes a style form of the vehicle image in the frame style in accordance with a predetermined condition.

10. The image generating method according to claim 9 , wherein

the step (b) generates the vehicle image in one style form selected in accordance with a user operation performed by a user of the vehicle, from amongst a plurality of the style forms which differ from each other in thickness of the frame lines.

11. The image generating method according to claim 9 , wherein

the step (b) generates the vehicle image in the frame style or in a real image style, in accordance with a location of the virtual viewpoint.

12. The image generating method according to claim 9 , wherein

the frame lines have a first side and a second side each of which is colored in a color different from each other; and

the step (b) changes the style form of the frame lines shown in the combined image viewed from the virtual viewpoint, in the frame style, depending on whether the first side or the second side is viewable from the virtual viewpoint.

13. The image generating method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

(c) detecting an object existing in the vicinity of the vehicle, wherein

the predetermined condition is a position of the object such that the step (b) generates the vehicle image in one style form selected in accordance with the position of the object, from amongst the plurality of style forms.

14. The image generating method according to claim 13 , wherein

as the position of the object gets closer to the vehicle, the step (b) makes the frame lines in the frame style thinner.

15. The image generating method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

(d) detecting an object existing in the vicinity of the vehicle, wherein

the predetermined condition is a position of the object such that the step (b) changes the style form of a portion of the frame lines in the frame style corresponding to the position of the object.