In-vehicle image display system and image processing method

1. An in-vehicle image display system equipped in a vehicle to support driving of a driver, comprising:

a side camera installed to a lateral portion of an exterior of the vehicle to face outwardly and configured to take an image of an area lateral to the vehicle by using a wide-angle lens;

a processing unit configured to correct a wide-angle image taken by the side camera to generate a planar image, and process the planar image to generate a processed image; and

a display unit configured to display the processed image transmitted from the processing unit on a screen,

wherein the processing unit is operable to set a position of the vehicle at a predetermined setup vehicle speed, as a reference position,

wherein the processing unit is operable to set a position which is reached by a part of a contour of the vehicle located at a farthermost position with respect to a center of the vehicle in the reference position as a reachable position, in a position of vehicle where the vehicle has stopped by being decelerated from the reference position under a maximum steering angle and a predetermined braking force, and

wherein the processing unit is operable to execute a secondary processing of the planar image so as not to include an image region located outward from the reachable position in a vehicle-width direction, in order to generate the processed image.

2. The in-vehicle image display system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the reachable position is defined based on: a free running distance which is a traveling distance of the vehicle in the vehicle-width direction as measured based on the setup vehicle speed and the maximum steering angle during a time period from a time when the driver recognizes an object through until the driver starts a braking action; and a braking distance which is a traveling distance of the vehicle in the vehicle-width direction as measured based on the setup vehicle speed and the maximum steering angle during a time period from a time when the driver starts the braking action through until the vehicle is stopped.

3. The in-vehicle image display system as recited in claim 1 , wherein an optical axis of the wide-angle lens is set to extend toward a give position of a traveling road surface section, such that a contrast ratio in an image region of the traveling road surface section taken until the part of the contour of the vehicle reaches the reachable position becomes 30% or more.

4. An image processing method for an in-vehicle image display system for supporting driving of a driver, comprising the steps of:

receiving a wide-angle image taken by a side camera configured to take an image of an area lateral to a vehicle, through a wide-angle lens of the side camera;

correcting the wide-angle image to generate a planar image, and processing the planar image to generate a processed image;

setting a position of the vehicle at a predetermined setup vehicle speed, as a reference position;

setting a position which is reached by a part of a contour of the vehicle located at a farthermost position with respect to a center of the vehicle in the reference position as a reachable position, in a position of vehicle where the vehicle has stopped by being decelerated from the reference position under a maximum steering angle and a predetermined braking force; and

executing a secondary processing of the planar image so as not to include an image region located outward from the reachable position in a vehicle-width direction, in order to generate the processed image.