IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,631,466
Granted Patent B2
US 12,631,466 · App. 17/994,828 · Granted May 19, 2026

Image processing device for notifying an approach of an emergency vehicle

Inventors: Toshiharu Shiratsuchi (Kariya-city, JP); Shiori Maneyama (Kariya-city, JP); Tetsuya Enokizaka (Kariya-city, JP); Kaneyasu Koide (Kariya-city, JP)
Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
G01C21/367G08G1/166
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,631,466
App. No.
17/994,828
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image processing device includes an information acquisition unit, a condition determination unit, and an image change unit. The information acquisition unit acquires information indicating a position of an emergency vehicle. The condition determination unit determines, based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit, (a) a first condition which is satisfied when the emergency vehicle is determined to be approaching the subject vehicle, and (b) a second condition which is satisfied when a distance from the emergency vehicle to the subject vehicle or an estimated reach time required for the emergency vehicle to reach the subject vehicle is equal to or less than a preset threshold. The image change unit changes the image in response to the first condition and the second condition being satisfied during an autonomous driving state of the subject vehicle. The image after change is an overhead view image.

Claims (22)

1 . An image processing device configured to control a display device mounted to a subject vehicle, the image processing device comprising:

an information acquisition unit acquiring information indicating a position of an emergency vehicle;

a condition determination unit determining, based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit, (a) a first condition which is satisfied in response to the emergency vehicle being determined to be approaching the subject vehicle, and (b) a second condition which is satisfied in response to (i) a distance from the emergency vehicle to the subject vehicle or (ii) an estimated reach time required for the emergency vehicle to reach the subject vehicle being equal to or less than a preset threshold; and

an image change unit configured to:

generate and display on the display device, in response to the condition determination unit determining that the first condition has been satisfied during an autonomous driving state of the subject vehicle, a first overhead view image that includes the subject vehicle and different vehicles existing around the subject vehicle viewed from a viewpoint on a rear side of the subject vehicle together with an approach notification indicating the emergency vehicle is approaching the subject vehicle, the first overhead view image having a first display range; and

generate and display on the display device, in response to the condition determination unit determining that the second condition has been satisfied after determining that the first condition has been satisfied, a second overhead view image having a display range enlarged in a direction toward a current position of the emergency vehicle compared with a display range of the first overhead view image, the second overhead view image including the subject vehicle and at least one of the emergency vehicle or a travel locus of the emergency vehicle displayed together on the display device, the second overhead view image having a second display range;

wherein the second display range includes a new area not displayed in the first overhead view image, the new area being within the direction toward the current position of the emergency vehicle, and the second overhead view image includes a planned travel locus of the emergency vehicle displayed within at least a portion of the new area.

2 . The image processing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a request display unit displaying, on the display device, a manual driving preparation request in response to the condition determination unit determining that the first condition and the second condition have both been satisfied during the autonomous driving state of the subject vehicle.

3 . The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the image change unit is further configured to generate the second overhead view image to include the position of the emergency vehicle.

4 . The image processing device according to claim 1 , wherein:

the display device displays a map including a periphery area of the subject vehicle, and

when the position of the emergency vehicle is included in a display range of the map, the emergency vehicle is displayed on the map.

5 . An image processing device configured to control a display device mounted to a subject vehicle, the image processing device comprising:

a computer-readable non-transitory storage medium; and

a microcomputer that, by executing a program stored in the computer-readable non-transitory storage medium, is configured to:

acquire information indicating a position of an emergency vehicle;

determine, based on the acquired information, (a) a first condition which is satisfied in response to the emergency vehicle being determined to be approaching the subject vehicle, and (b) a second condition which is satisfied in response to (i) a distance from the emergency vehicle to the subject vehicle or (ii) an estimated reach time required for the emergency vehicle to reach the subject vehicle being equal to or less than a preset threshold;

generate and display on the display device, in response to determining that the first condition has been satisfied during an autonomous driving state of the subject vehicle, a first overhead view image that includes the subject vehicle and different vehicles existing around the subject vehicle viewed from a viewpoint on a rear side of the subject vehicle together with an approach notification indicating the emergency vehicle is approaching the subject vehicle, the first overhead view image having a first display range; and

generate and display on the display device, in response to determining that the second condition has been satisfied after determining that the first condition has been satisfied, a second overhead view image having a display range enlarged in a direction toward a current position of the emergency vehicle compared with a display range of the first overhead view image, the second overhead view image including the subject vehicle and at least one of the emergency vehicle or a travel locus of the emergency vehicle displayed together on the display device, the second overhead view image having a second display range;

wherein the second display range includes a new area not displayed in the first overhead view image, the new area being within the direction toward the current position of the emergency vehicle, and the second overhead view image includes a planned travel locus of the emergency vehicle displayed within at least a portion of the new area.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 28, 2022
From: SHIRATSUCHI, TOSHIHARU; MANEYAMA, SHIORI; ENOKIZAKA, TETSUYA; KOIDE, KANEYASU
To: DENSO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 061891/0905 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-101593 · Jun 11, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2021022161 · Jun 10, 2021
Related Publication 20230168104A1 · Jun 1, 2023
References Cited (43)
US 9278689B1 · Delp · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9691278B2 · Poornachandran · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 10065503B2 · Tauchi · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 10800258B2 · Tauchi · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10960761B2 · Tachibana · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 11072343B2 · Emura · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20110293145A1 · Nogami · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20140297181A1 · Kondo · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20150258936A1 · Takaki · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20150286880A1 · Itou · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160098926A1 · Probert · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160284218A1 · Ejiri · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160311323A1 · Lee · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160332569A1 · Ishida · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170032670A1 · Poornachandran · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170106750A1 · Tauchi · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170113686A1 · Horita · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170330463A1 · Li et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20180088572A1 · Uchida · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180093676A1 · Emura · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180105186A1 · Motomura · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180233047A1 · Mandeville-Clarke · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180322413A1 · Yocam · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180354365A1 · Tauchi · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190004514A1 · Hiwatashi et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190049994A1 · Pohl · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190126942A1 · Goto · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190283758A1 · Arisa · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190315275A1 · Kim · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200120273A1 · Kazuyuki · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200180434A1 · Tachibana · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200400455A1 · Wakayanagi · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210070177A1 · Nitze-Nelson · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210166659A1 · Takata · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210209949A1 · Hisanaga · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220084458A1 · Sakuma · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220340130A1 · Motoyama · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230168104A1 · Shiratsuchi et al. · 2023 [cited by applicant]
JP 2017200812A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019010929A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019156144A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 7306333B2 · 2023 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2016084149A1 · 2016 [cited by applicant]