Periphery monitoring device

Abstract

To provide a surroundings monitoring device that can easily identify the position of the periphery of a vehicle when a three-dimensional image of a gaze point outside the vehicle is displayed from a virtual viewpoint through the vehicle interior. [Solution] As an example, the perimeter monitoring device of the embodiment is a three-dimensional image based on an image obtained by capturing images of the surroundings of the vehicle using an imaging unit, viewed from a virtual viewpoint through the vehicle's cabin at a gaze point outside the vehicle, and includes a blind spot image corresponding to an area outside the imaging range of the imaging unit, and is equipped with a generation unit that generates a first image in which a two-dimensional image of a vehicle part is superimposed on the position where the part is located in the blind spot image, and a display unit that displays the first image generated by the generation unit.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a perimeter monitoring device. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a surroundings monitoring device that displays a three-dimensional image of the surroundings of a vehicle as a virtual viewpoint image seen from inside the vehicle. In this case, the surroundings monitoring device displays an image corresponding to the bottom of the vehicle as an opaque image (for example, a black image) in the virtual viewpoint image. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-88942 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in a surroundings monitoring device, parts inside the vehicle cabin are not displayed in the virtual viewpoint image, making it difficult for the driver of the vehicle to identify which position around the vehicle the virtual viewpoint image shows. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] As an example, the periphery monitoring device of the embodiment includes a generation unit that generates a first image, based on an image obtained by capturing an image of the surroundings of the vehicle by an imaging unit when a gaze point outside the vehicle is moving, the first image being a three-dimensional image of the vehicle viewed from a virtual viewpoint through the cabin of the vehicle, the first image including a blind spot image corresponding to an area outside an imaging range of the imaging unit, and projecting a three-dimensional tire image of the vehicle at a position where a tire of the vehicle is present in the blind spot image, the three-dimensional tire image being a three-dimensional image of the tire and viewed from the virtual viewpoint at the gaze point; and a display unit that displays the first image generated by the generation unit. and when the movement of the gaze point stops, the display of the three-dimensional tire image in the first image is terminated.Therefore, for example, when a first image in which a gaze point outside the vehicle is viewed from a virtual viewpoint through the vehicle interior is displayed, it is possible to easily identify the position of the first image in the vicinity of the vehicle.

[0006] In addition, in the surroundings monitoring device, as an example, the generating unit generates the first image including a three-dimensional outline of the frame of the vehicle, so that, as an example, it is possible to more easily identify the position of the first image in the surroundings of the vehicle.

[0007] In addition, as an example, the surroundings monitoring device has a generating unit that seamlessly moves the gaze point, regenerates the first image in accordance with the movement of the gaze point, includes a three-dimensional second image of the vehicle's tires in the first image when the gaze point is seamlessly moved, and ends display of the second image when an instruction to stop moving the gaze point is given. Thus, as an example, when the movement of the gaze point is stopped, it is possible to reduce the area of ​​the first image that becomes a blind spot due to the second image.

[0008] In addition, as an example, in the surroundings monitoring device, when the movement of the gaze point is instructed to be stopped, the generating unit increases the transparency of the second image for a predetermined time after the movement of the gaze point is instructed to be stopped, and then ends the display of the second image. Therefore, as an example, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the display of the second image ends at the same time as the movement of the gaze point is stopped, making it difficult to identify the position of the surroundings of the vehicle.

[0009] In addition, as an example, in the periphery monitoring device, the generating unit superimposes a tread pattern representing the front of the vehicle on a two-dimensional image of a tire of the vehicle among the two-dimensional images of the parts. Thus, as an example, it is possible to more easily identify the position of the first image in the periphery of the vehicle.

[0010] In addition, as an example, the periphery monitoring device is an image in which a two-dimensional image of a part inside the vehicle cabin is superimposed on a position corresponding to the part in the blind spot image, so that, as an example, it is possible to easily identify which position in the periphery of the vehicle the first image is located. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a state in which a part of a vehicle interior of a vehicle equipped with a periphery monitoring device according to a first embodiment is seen through. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an example of a vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of an ECU included in the vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of a surrounding image display process performed by the vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of a part image generation process performed by the vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a surrounding image displayed on the vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a surrounding image displayed on a vehicle according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a surrounding image displayed on a vehicle according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a surrounding image displayed on a vehicle according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be disclosed. The configurations of the embodiments shown below, as well as the actions, results, and effects brought about by the configurations, are merely examples. The present invention can be realized by configurations other than those disclosed in the following embodiments, and it is possible to obtain at least one of various effects based on the basic configurations and derivative effects.

[0013] A vehicle equipped with the surroundings monitoring device (surroundings monitoring system) according to this embodiment may be an automobile (internal combustion engine automobile) using an internal combustion engine (engine) as a driving source, an automobile (electric automobile, fuel cell automobile, etc.) using an electric motor (motor) as a driving source, or an automobile (hybrid automobile) using both of them as a driving source. The vehicle may also be equipped with various transmissions and various devices (systems, parts, etc.) required for driving the internal combustion engine or electric motor. The type, number, layout, etc. of the devices related to driving the wheels of the vehicle may be set in various ways.

[0014] (First embodiment) FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a state in which a part of a vehicle cabin equipped with a surroundings monitoring device according to a first embodiment is seen through. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 1 includes a vehicle body 2, a steering unit 4, an acceleration operation unit 5, a braking operation unit 6, a gear shift operation unit 7, and a monitor device 11. The vehicle body 2 has a cabin 2a in which an occupant rides. In the cabin 2a, the steering unit 4, the acceleration operation unit 5, the braking operation unit 6, the gear shift operation unit 7, and the like are provided in a state facing a driver's seat 2b as an occupant. The steering unit 4 is, for example, a steering wheel protruding from a dashboard 24. The acceleration operation unit 5 is, for example, an accelerator pedal located under the driver's feet. The braking operation unit 6 is, for example, a brake pedal located under the driver's feet. The gear shift operation unit 7 is, for example, a shift lever protruding from a center console.

[0015] The monitor device 11 is provided, for example, at the center of the dashboard 24 in the vehicle width direction (i.e., the left-right direction). The monitor device 11 may have functions such as a navigation system or an audio system. The monitor device 11 has a display device 8, an audio output device 9, and an operation input unit 10. The monitor device 11 may also have various operation input units such as switches, dials, joysticks, and push buttons.

[0016] The display device 8 is composed of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an OELD (Organic Electroluminescent Display), or the like, and is capable of displaying various images based on image data. The audio output device 9 is composed of a speaker, or the like, and outputs various sounds based on audio data. The audio output device 9 may be provided in a different position other than the monitor device 11 within the vehicle interior 2a.

[0017] The operation input unit 10 is composed of a touch panel or the like, and enables the occupant to input various pieces of information. The operation input unit 10 is also provided on the display screen of the display device 8, and is capable of transmitting images displayed on the display device 8. This allows the operation input unit 10 to allow the occupant to visually recognize images displayed on the display screen of the display device 8. The operation input unit 10 detects the occupant's touch operation on the display screen of the display device 8, thereby accepting input of various pieces of information by the occupant.

[0018] Fig. 2 is a plan view of an example of a vehicle according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the vehicle 1 is a four-wheeled vehicle or the like, and has two front wheels 3F on the left and right and two rear wheels 3R ​​on the left and right. All or some of the four wheels 3 are steerable.

[0019] The vehicle 1 is provided with, for example, four imaging units 15a to 15d as the multiple imaging units 15. The imaging units 15 are digital cameras having imaging elements such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CIS (CMOS Image Sensor). The imaging units 15 can capture images of the surroundings of the vehicle 1 at a predetermined frame rate. The imaging units 15 output captured images obtained by capturing images of the surroundings of the vehicle 1. The imaging units 15 each have a wide-angle lens or a fisheye lens, and can capture an image in a range of, for example, 140° to 220° in the horizontal direction. The optical axis of the imaging units 15 may be set diagonally downward.

[0020] Specifically, the imaging unit 15a is located, for example, at the rear end 2e of the vehicle body 2 and is provided on a wall below the rear window of the rear hatch door 2h. The imaging unit 15a can image the area behind the vehicle 1 among the surroundings of the vehicle 1. The imaging unit 15b is located, for example, at the right end 2f of the vehicle body 2 and is provided on the right door mirror 2g. The imaging unit 15b can image the area to the side of the vehicle 1 among the surroundings of the vehicle 1. The imaging unit 15c is located, for example, on the front side of the vehicle body 2, that is, at the end 2c on the front side in the front-rear direction of the vehicle 1, and is provided on the front bumper, front grill, or the like. The imaging unit 15c can image the area in front of the vehicle 1 among the surroundings of the vehicle 1. The imaging unit 15d is located, for example, on the left side of the vehicle body 2, that is, at the left end 2d in the vehicle width direction, and is provided on the left door mirror 2g. The imaging unit 15d is capable of capturing an image of the area around the vehicle 1, on the side of the vehicle 1.

[0021] Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a vehicle according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the vehicle 1 includes a steering system 13, a brake system 18, a steering angle sensor 19, an accelerator sensor 20, a shift sensor 21, a wheel speed sensor 22, an in-vehicle network 23, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 14. The monitor device 11, the steering system 13, the brake system 18, the steering angle sensor 19, the accelerator sensor 20, the shift sensor 21, the wheel speed sensor 22, and the ECU 14 are electrically connected via the in-vehicle network 23, which is an electric communication line. The in-vehicle network 23 is configured by a CAN (Controller Area Network) or the like.

[0022] The steering system 13 is an electric power steering system, a steer-by-wire (SBW) system, or the like. The steering system 13 has an actuator 13a and a torque sensor 13b. The steering system 13 is electrically controlled by an ECU 14 or the like, and operates the actuator 13a to apply torque to the steering unit 4 to supplement the steering force, thereby steering the wheels 3. The torque sensor 13b detects the torque applied to the steering unit 4 by the driver, and transmits the detection result to the ECU 14.

[0023] The brake system 18 includes an ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) that controls the locking of the brakes of the vehicle 1, an ESC (Electronic Stability Control) that suppresses skidding of the vehicle 1 when cornering, an electric brake system that enhances the braking force to assist the brakes, and a BBW (Brake By Wire). The brake system 18 has an actuator 18a and a brake sensor 18b. The brake system 18 is electrically controlled by the ECU 14 and the like, and applies a braking force to the wheels 3 via the actuator 18a. The brake system 18 detects signs of locking of the brakes, free spinning of the wheels 3, and skidding from the rotation difference between the left and right wheels 3, and executes control to suppress locking of the brakes, free spinning of the wheels 3, and skidding. The brake sensor 18b is a displacement sensor that detects the position of a brake pedal as a movable part of the brake operating unit 6, and transmits the detection result of the brake pedal position to the ECU 14.

[0024] The steering angle sensor 19 is a sensor that detects the steering amount of the steering unit 4 such as a steering wheel. In this embodiment, the steering angle sensor 19 is composed of a Hall element or the like, detects the rotation angle of the rotating part of the steering unit 4 as the steering amount, and transmits the detection result to the ECU 14. The accelerator sensor 20 is a displacement sensor that detects the position of an accelerator pedal as a movable part of the acceleration operation unit 5, and transmits the detection result to the ECU 14.

[0025] The shift sensor 21 is a sensor that detects the position of a movable part (a bar, an arm, a button, etc.) of the gear shift operation unit 7, and transmits the detection result to the ECU 14. The wheel speed sensor 22 has a Hall element or the like, and is a sensor that detects the amount of rotation of the wheel 3 and the number of rotations of the wheel 3 per unit time, and transmits the detection result to the ECU 14.

[0026] The ECU 14 generates a three-dimensional image of a gaze point outside the vehicle 1 seen from a virtual viewpoint through the cabin 2a of the vehicle 1 based on an image captured by the imaging unit 15 capturing an image of the surroundings of the vehicle 1, and displays the generated image on the display device 8. The ECU 14 is composed of a computer or the like, and performs overall control of the vehicle 1 by cooperation between hardware and software. Specifically, the ECU 14 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 14a, a read only memory (ROM) 14b, a random access memory (RAM) 14c, a display control unit 14d, a sound control unit 14e, and a solid state drive (SSD) 14f. The CPU 14a, the ROM 14b, and the RAM 14c may be provided on the same circuit board.

[0027] The CPU 14a reads out a program stored in a non-volatile storage device such as the ROM 14b, and executes various arithmetic processing in accordance with the program. For example, the CPU 14a executes image processing for an image to be displayed on the display device 8, calculation of the distance to an obstacle existing around the vehicle 1, and the like.

[0028] The ROM 14b stores various programs and parameters required for executing the programs. The RAM 14c temporarily stores various data used in the calculations in the CPU 14a. The display control unit 14d mainly performs image processing on the captured image acquired from the imaging unit 15 and output to the CPU 14a, and converts the image acquired from the CPU 14a into an image to be displayed on the display device 8, among the calculations in the ECU 14. The audio control unit 14e mainly performs audio processing acquired from the CPU 14a and output to the audio output device 9, among the calculations in the ECU 14. The SSD 14f is a rewritable non-volatile storage unit, and continues to store data acquired from the CPU 14a even when the power supply of the ECU 14 is turned off.

[0029] Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of an ECU included in a vehicle according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the ECU 14 includes a surrounding image generating unit 401. For example, a processor such as a CPU 14a mounted on a circuit board executes a surrounding monitoring program stored in a storage medium such as a ROM 14b or an SSD 14f, whereby the ECU 14 realizes the function of the surrounding image generating unit 401. A part or the whole of the surrounding image generating unit 401 may be configured by hardware such as a circuit.

[0030] The surrounding image generating unit 401 generates a surrounding image, which is a three-dimensional image of a gaze point outside the vehicle 1 seen from a virtual viewpoint through the vehicle interior 2a, based on an image captured by the imaging unit 15 capturing an image of the surroundings of the vehicle 1. At that time, the surrounding image generating unit 401 displays a blind spot image corresponding to an area outside the imaging range of the imaging unit 15 (for example, an area corresponding to the bottom of the vehicle 1) in the surrounding image as an opaque black image (hereinafter, referred to as a black area). In other words, the surrounding image generating unit 401 generates a surrounding image in which a blind spot image outside the imaging range of the imaging unit 15 is displayed as a black area. In this embodiment, the surrounding image generating unit 401 displays the blind spot image as an opaque black area, but is not limited thereto, and may display it as an image of a preset color (for example, white), for example.

[0031] Furthermore, the surrounding image generating unit 401 superimposes a two-dimensional image of a part of the vehicle 1 (for example, a part in the cabin 2a of the vehicle 1, a tire of the vehicle 1, or a frame of the vehicle 1) at a position where the part exists in a black region included in the surrounding image. The surrounding image generating unit 401 causes the display device 8 to display the surrounding image on which the part image is superimposed, via the display control unit 14d.

[0032] As a result, when a peripheral image of the gaze point outside the vehicle 1 viewed from a virtual viewpoint through the vehicle interior 2a is displayed, it is easy to identify the position of the peripheral image around the vehicle 1. Also, when a peripheral image of the gaze point outside the vehicle 1 viewed from a virtual viewpoint through the vehicle interior 2a is displayed, it is possible to reduce blind spots around the vehicle 1 by using part images of the vehicle 1. Also, by superimposing part images on black areas included in a three-dimensional image of the gaze point outside the vehicle 1 viewed from a virtual viewpoint through the vehicle interior 2a, it is possible to effectively utilize the black areas.

[0033] Next, an example of the flow of a surrounding image display process by the vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a surrounding image display process by the vehicle according to the first embodiment.

[0034] The surrounding image generating unit 401 judges whether the gear shift operation unit 7 is operated and the shift of the vehicle 1 is in the parking range (step S501). When it is judged that the shift of the vehicle 1 is in the parking range (step S501: Yes), the surrounding image generating unit 401 judges whether the camera button for instructing the display of the surrounding image is pressed (step S502). In this embodiment, when the surrounding image generating unit 401 judges that the shift of the vehicle 1 is in the parking range, it generates an overhead image of the surroundings of the vehicle 1 viewed from above the vehicle 1 based on the captured image obtained by capturing the surroundings of the vehicle 1 by the imaging unit 15. Then, the surrounding image generating unit 401 displays a screen including the generated overhead image and a camera button for instructing the display of the surrounding image on the display device 8. After that, the surrounding image generating unit 401 judges whether the operation input unit 10 detects the pressing of the camera button.

[0035] When it is determined that the camera button has been pressed (step S502: Yes), the surrounding image generating unit 401 generates a surrounding image based on a captured image obtained by capturing an image of the surroundings of the vehicle 1 by the imaging unit 15 (step S503). In this embodiment, the surrounding image generating unit 401 generates a three-dimensional virtual projection plane that represents the shape of the surroundings of the vehicle 1, and generates a three-dimensional image of the surroundings of the vehicle 1 by projecting the captured image obtained by capturing an image of the surroundings of the vehicle 1 by the imaging unit 15 onto the virtual projection plane.

[0036] Specifically, the peripheral image generating unit 401 generates a virtual projection plane including a first plane and a second plane. Here, the first plane is a plane within a preset distance range from the position of the vehicle 1 on the ground contact surface of the tires of the vehicle 1. For example, the first plane is an elliptical flat plane. The second plane is a plane that is continuous with the first plane and gradually rises from the ground contact surface as it moves away from the position of the vehicle 1 with the first plane as a reference. For example, the second plane is a plane that rises in an elliptical or parabolic shape from a position that contacts the first plane (the end of the first plane). That is, the peripheral image generating unit 401 generates a bowl-shaped or cylindrical virtual projection plane that surrounds the vehicle 1.

[0037] Next, the peripheral image generating unit 401 generates, as a peripheral image, an image that is within a person's field of view when looking at a gaze point outside the vehicle 1 from a virtual viewpoint (for example, the viewpoint of a driver seated in the seat 2b) through the vehicle interior 2a in the generated three-dimensional image. At that time, the peripheral image generating unit 401 displays an area corresponding to the bottom of the vehicle 1 as a black area in the peripheral image.

[0038] Furthermore, the surrounding image generating unit 401 seamlessly moves the gaze point that exists outside the vehicle 1. In this embodiment, the surrounding image generating unit 401 seamlessly rotates the gaze point that exists outside the vehicle 1 through 360° in the horizontal direction at a preset speed. Then, the surrounding image generating unit 401 regenerates the surrounding image in accordance with the movement of the gaze point.

[0039] Next, the surrounding image generation unit 401 superimposes a part image, which is a two-dimensional image of a part of the vehicle 1 (e.g., parts such as the dashboard 24, steering wheel, and seats inside the passenger compartment 2a) at the position where the part is located in the black area included in the generated surrounding image (step S504).

[0040] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an example of a part image generation process by a vehicle according to the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the peripheral image generation unit 401 generates a three-dimensional part image, which is a three-dimensional image of a part of the vehicle 1 and is viewed from a virtual viewpoint at a gaze point. Next, the peripheral image generation unit 401 generates an image by projecting the generated three-dimensional part image onto a two-dimensional plane as a part image 601. At that time, the peripheral image generation unit 401 may generate a tire image 602 by projecting a three-dimensional tire image, which is a three-dimensional image of a tire of the vehicle 1 and is viewed from a virtual viewpoint at a gaze point, onto a two-dimensional plane, and generate the part image 601 including the generated tire image 602. In this embodiment, the peripheral image generation unit 401 generates a two-dimensional part image by using a three-dimensional part image, but is not limited to this. For example, the surrounding image generation unit 401 stores two-dimensional part images in advance in a storage medium possessed by the ECU 14 or in an external storage device, and when displaying the surrounding image, reads out the two-dimensional part images from the storage medium or the external storage device and superimposes the read two-dimensional part images on the surrounding image.

[0041] Returning to FIG. 5, the surrounding image generating unit 401 causes the display device 8 to display the surrounding image on which the part image is superimposed via the display control unit 14d (step S505). FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a surrounding image displayed in the vehicle according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, in this embodiment, the surrounding image generating unit 401 superimposes the part image 601 on a position where the part in the passenger compartment 2a and the tires of the vehicle 1 are present in a black region 702 included in the surrounding image 701. Then, the surrounding image generating unit 401 causes the display device 8 to display the surrounding image 701 on which the part image 601 is superimposed. At this time, the surrounding image generating unit 401 may cause the display device 8 to display, in addition to the surrounding image 701, an overhead image 703 in which the surroundings of the vehicle 1 are viewed from above the vehicle 1, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0042] In this way, with the vehicle 1 of the first embodiment, when a three-dimensional image is displayed looking at a gaze point outside the vehicle 1 from a virtual viewpoint through the vehicle interior 2a, it is possible to easily identify which position around the vehicle 1 the three-dimensional image corresponds to.

[0043] Second Embodiment This embodiment is an example of generating a surrounding image including a three-dimensional outline of a vehicle frame. In the following description, the description of the same configuration as the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0044] 8 and 9 are diagrams showing an example of a surrounding image displayed on a vehicle according to the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the surrounding image generating unit 401 generates a three-dimensional outline of the frame of the vehicle 1 as shown in FIG. 802 Including surrounding images 801 This generates a three-dimensional outline of the frame of vehicle 1. 802 Therefore, it is possible to specify which position in the surroundings of the vehicle 1 the peripheral image corresponds to, making it easier to specify which position in the surroundings of the vehicle 1 the peripheral image corresponds to.

[0045] In this embodiment, when the gaze point is seamlessly moving as shown in FIG. 8, the surrounding image generating unit 401 generates a three-dimensional tire image 803, which is a three-dimensional image of the tire of the vehicle 1, as the surrounding image. 801 In this way, the position of the surroundings of the vehicle 1 can be specified from the 3D tire image 803 of the tire of the vehicle 1, so that the position of the surroundings of the vehicle 1 can be specified more easily. At this time, the surrounding image generating unit 401 generates the 3D tire image 803 when the gaze point is seen from the virtual viewpoint as the surroundings image, as shown in FIG. 801 shall be included in the

[0046] Thereafter, when an instruction to stop moving the gaze point is received, the surrounding image generating unit 401 ends the display of the three-dimensional tire image 803 as shown in Fig. 9. This makes it possible to reduce blind spots in the surrounding image due to the three-dimensional tire image 803 when the gaze point movement is stopped. In this embodiment, the surrounding image generating unit 401 ends the display of the three-dimensional tire image 803 as shown in Fig. 8. 801 Together with this, a pause button 804 for instructing to stop the seamless movement of the point of interest is displayed on the display device 8. Then, when the operation input unit 10 detects that the pause button 804 has been touched, the peripheral image generation unit 401 determines that an instruction to stop the seamless movement of the point of interest has been given, and ends the display of the three-dimensional tire image 803. In this embodiment, when the peripheral image generation unit 401 detects that the pause button 804 has been touched, it stops the seamless movement of the point of interest and ends the display of the three-dimensional tire image 803, but this is not limited thereto. For example, when a touch operation on a preset area on the screen of the display device 8 is detected, the peripheral image generation unit 401 may stop the seamless movement of the point of interest and end the display of the three-dimensional tire image 803.

[0047] In this case, the surrounding image generating unit 401 may not end the display of the three-dimensional tire image 803 at the same time that the seamless movement of the gaze point is instructed to stop, but may increase the transparency of the three-dimensional tire image 803 over a predetermined time period (e.g., several seconds) after the gaze point movement is instructed to stop, and then put the three-dimensional tire image 803 into a non-display state (i.e., a state in which the display of the three-dimensional tire image 803 has ended). This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which the display of the three-dimensional tire image 803 ends at the same time that the movement of the gaze point is stopped, making it difficult to identify which position in the surroundings of the vehicle 1 the surrounding image is.

[0048] In this way, according to the vehicle 1 according to the second embodiment, the three-dimensional contour of the frame of the vehicle 1 802 Therefore, it is possible to specify which position in the surroundings of the vehicle 1 the peripheral image corresponds to, making it easier to specify which position in the surroundings of the vehicle 1 the peripheral image corresponds to.

[0049] (Third embodiment) This embodiment is an example in which a part image including a tire image including a tread pattern representing the front of the vehicle 1 is superimposed on a black region. In the following description, description of the same configuration as in the above-described embodiment will be omitted.

[0050] In this embodiment, the surrounding image generating unit 401 generates a tire image including a tread pattern that enables identification of the area ahead of the vehicle 1. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a surrounding image displayed on a vehicle according to the third embodiment. In this embodiment, the surrounding image generating unit 401 generates a tire image 1002 including a tread pattern that shows the area ahead of the vehicle 1, as shown in Fig. 10. Then, the surrounding image generating unit 401 superimposes the generated tire image 1002 on a black region 702 of the surrounding image 1001.

[0051] In this way, according to the vehicle 1 of the third embodiment, the tread pattern contained in the tire image can also be used to identify the position of the surrounding image around the vehicle 1, making it easier to identify the position of the surrounding image around the vehicle 1. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1...vehicle, 8...display device, 14...ECU, 14a...CPU, 14b...ROM, 14c...RAM, 14d...display control unit, 14f...SSD, 15...imaging unit, 401...peripheral image generation unit.

Claims

1. a generation unit that generates a first image, based on an image obtained by capturing an image of the surroundings of the vehicle by an imaging unit when a gaze point outside the vehicle is moving, said first image being a three-dimensional image viewed from a virtual viewpoint through the cabin of the vehicle at the gaze point outside the vehicle, said first image including a blind spot image corresponding to an area outside the imaging range of said imaging unit, and projecting a three-dimensional tire image, which is a three-dimensional image of the tire of the vehicle and is viewed from the virtual viewpoint at the gaze point, at a position where the tire of the vehicle is present in the blind spot image; a display unit that displays the first image generated by the generation unit, and ends display of the three-dimensional tire image in the first image when the movement of the gaze point stops; A perimeter monitoring device comprising:

2. The surroundings monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein the display unit displays the first image and an overhead image of the surroundings of the vehicle viewed from above the vehicle in parallel.

3. The surroundings monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein the generating unit generates the first image including a three-dimensional outline of a frame of the vehicle.

Images