Image synthesizer and a method for synthesizing an image

1. An image synthesizer for a driver assisting system, comprising:

a receiving module to receive a first image from a first camera and a second image from a second camera, the driver assisting system including the first camera to capture the first image from a first scene and the second camera to capture the second image from a second scene, wherein the first scene and the second scene partly overlap in an overlapping region; and

a combining module to combine the first image and the second image in the overlapping region using a binary mask;

wherein the binary mask includes a pattern with a first plurality of first portions and a second plurality of second portions, wherein the combining module is configured to depict in the first portions respective portions of the first image and in the second portions respective portions of the second image to obtain a combined image representing alternating views of the first image and the second image in the overlapping region along at least one direction, and

wherein, when following a path in the combined image from the first scene to the second scene, a density of first portions decreases in comparison to a density of second portions.

2. The image synthesizer of claim 1 , wherein, when going from the first scene to the second scene, the decreased density depends monotonically on an angle from 0 to 90° around a corner of the vehicle or a distance from an edge of the overlapping region.

3. An image synthesizer for a driver assisting system, comprising:

a receiving module to receive a first image from a first camera and a second image from a second camera, the driver assisting system including the first camera to capture the first image from a first scene and the second camera to capture the second image from a second scene, wherein the first scene and the second scene partly overlap in an overlapping region; and

a combining module to combine the first image and the second image in the overlapping region using a binary mask;

wherein the binary mask includes a pattern with a first plurality of first portions and a second plurality of second portions, wherein the combining module is configured to depict in the first portions respective portions of the first image and in the second portions respective portions of the second image to obtain a combined image representing alternating views of the first image and the second image in the overlapping region along at least one direction, and

wherein the first scene is adjacent to a first side of a vehicle and the second scene is adjacent to a second side of the vehicle, the first side and the second side being perpendicular to each other or being the same side of the vehicle, and wherein the combining module is configured to combine the first image and the second image so as to provide a bird's eye view of the first scene and the second scene.

4. An image synthesizer for a driver assisting system, comprising:

a receiving module to receive a first image from a first camera and a second image from a second camera, the driver assisting system including the first camera to capture the first image from a first scene and the second camera to capture the second image from a second scene, wherein the first scene and the second scene partly overlap in an overlapping region; and

a combining module to combine the first image and the second image in the overlapping region using a binary mask;

wherein the binary mask includes a pattern with a first plurality of first portions and a second plurality of second portions, wherein the combining module is configured to depict in the first portions respective portions of the first image and in the second portions respective portions of the second image to obtain a combined image representing alternating views of the first image and the second image in the overlapping region along at least one direction, and

wherein the pattern includes a third plurality of mixed portions and the combining module is further configured to blend respective portions of the first image with respective portions of the second image and to depict resulting blended portions at respective mixed portions.

5. The image synthesizer of claim 4 , wherein the combining module is configured to add in the blended portions respective pixel values of the first image and pixel values of the second image in a predetermined ratio.

6. A driver assisting system, comprising:

a first camera to capture a first image from a first scene;

a second camera to capture a second image from a second scene, wherein the first scene and the second scene partly overlap over in an overlapping region;

an image synthesizer, including a receiving module to receive the first image from the first camera and the second image from the second camera, and a combining module to combine the first image and the second image in the overlapping region using a binary mask, so as to provide a combined image; and

a display and a control unit configured to receive the combined image from the image synthesizer and to create a bird's eye view by combining the first image with the second image and the combined image, wherein the display is configured to display the bird's eye view;

wherein the binary mask includes a pattern with a first plurality of first portions and a second plurality of second portions, wherein the combining module is configured to depict in the first portions respective portions of the first image and in the second portions respective portions of the second image to obtain a combined image representing alternating views of the first image and the second image in the overlapping region along at least one direction, wherein at least part of the first portions and/or the second portions in the binary mask include a size, and wherein the size or a number of the first portions and/or second portions depends on a resolution of the display, and

wherein the first camera and the second camera are arranged along one side of the vehicle or on two adjacent sides of the vehicle.

7. A method for synthesizing an image using a driver assisting system, the method comprising:

receiving a first image from a first camera and a second image from a second camera, the driver assisting system including the first camera to capture the first image from a first scene and the second camera to capture the second image from a second scene, wherein the first scene and the second scene partly overlap in an overlapping region; and

combining the first image and the second image in the overlapping region using a binary mask;

wherein the binary mask includes a pattern with a first plurality of first portions and a second plurality of second portions, wherein the combining module is configured to depict in the first portions respective portions of the first image and in the second portions respective portions of the second image to obtain a combined image representing alternating views of the first image and the second image in the overlapping region along at least one direction, and

wherein, when following a path in the combined image from the first scene to the second scene, a density of first portions decreases in comparison to a density of second portions.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer program, which is executable by a processor, comprising:

a program code arrangement having program code for synthesizing an image using a driver assisting system, by performing the following:

receiving a first image from a first camera and a second image from a second camera, the driver assisting system including the first camera to capture the first image from a first scene and the second camera to capture the second image from a second scene, wherein the first scene and the second scene partly overlap in an overlapping region; and

combining the first image and the second image in the overlapping region using a binary mask;

wherein the binary mask includes a pattern with a first plurality of first portions and a second plurality of second portions, wherein the combining module is configured to depict in the first portions respective portions of the first image and in the second portions respective portions of the second image to obtain a combined image representing alternating views of the first image and the second image in the overlapping region along at least one direction, and

wherein, when following a path in the combined image from the first scene to the second scene, a density of first portions decreases in comparison to a density of second portions.