Vehicle Surround View Image Generation with Rotating Virtual Perspective
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image generation technologies for vehicles struggle to effectively display the surrounding environment in a way that allows occupants to easily grasp the spatial relationships between the vehicle and its surroundings.
Innovation Solution
An image generation apparatus that acquires images from multiple cameras around a vehicle, generates multiple images from a virtual viewpoint above the vehicle in various line-of-sight directions, and outputs these images to a display, ensuring that the vehicle model is appropriately sized and positioned to maintain a balanced display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a virtual viewpoint is arranged outside the vehicle and surrounding images are generated from this viewpoint, then the surrounding environment can be displayed, but the spatial relationship between the vehicle and surroundings becomes difficult to grasp
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single external viewpoint to multiple virtual viewpoints positioned above the vehicle, rotating around it in different line-of-sight directions. This dimensional change in viewpoint positioning enables the display of surrounding environments from multiple angles simultaneously, allowing occupants to intuitively grasp spatial relationships between the vehicle and surroundings without leaving the vehicle interior.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple images are generated from different line-of-sight directions, then the surrounding environment is comprehensively displayed, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a single virtual viewpoint positioned above the vehicle that can rotate to multiple line-of-sight directions, allowing one viewpoint to serve multiple display functions. This universal viewpoint design enables comprehensive surrounding environment display without requiring multiple separate imaging systems or complex processing pipelines, thus reducing overall device complexity while maintaining versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
An image generation apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a processor that acquires a first image in which a surrounding environment of a vehicle imaged by an imaging apparatus provided in the vehicle is shown, generates, based on the first image, a plurality of second images corresponding to horizontal components viewed from a virtual viewpoint provided above the vehicle in a plurality of line-of-sight directions that are shifted in a direction of rotation around the vehicle and are different from each other, and switches and outputs the plurality of second images to a display device.