Virtual Viewpoint Image Visibility Control for On-Vehicle Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image processing technologies for vehicles only display virtual viewpoint images without effectively integrating assistive images, leading to reduced visibility and difficulty in grasping distance and location changes during viewpoint movement.
Innovation Solution
An image processing device that generates and synthesizes virtual viewpoint images with assistive images, such as guidelines or warnings, while adjusting visibility by selectively displaying or hiding these images based on viewpoint location changes, using an image generating unit and an image processing unit to manage coordinate transformations and chroma key synthesis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If assistive images are always displayed on virtual viewpoint images, then information completeness is improved, but visibility and sense of distance deteriorate during viewpoint movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the display state of assistive images changeable based on viewpoint movement detection. The system dynamically switches between displaying and hiding assistive images according to whether the viewpoint is moving or stationary, resolving the contradiction between information completeness and visibility reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the visibility parameter of assistive images based on viewpoint movement status. When viewpoint movement is detected, the assistive images are hidden; when stationary, they are displayed. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by adapting information display to the current operational state.
2Ease of operation
If assistive images are displayed on virtual viewpoint images, then driver convenience is improved, but processing load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selectively displaying assistive images only when the viewpoint is stationary rather than continuously displaying them during all operations. This reduces the processing load while maintaining driver convenience during the critical moments when the vehicle is stopped or maneuvering slowly.
3Loss of information
If multiple images are synthesized and displayed, then information completeness is improved, but image recognition speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and hides assistive images when viewpoint movement is detected, separating them from the virtual viewpoint image display. This extraction reduces the complexity of image recognition during movement while maintaining information completeness during stationary periods when detailed recognition is needed.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing device according to an aspect of the embodiment includes an image generating unit that generates an image at a virtual viewpoint based on a captured image of an image capturing unit, and an image processing unit that generates an image in which an image for synthesis is displayed on the image at the virtual viewpoint. The image processing unit performs a process for decreasing visibility of the image for synthesis when the image at the virtual viewpoint is an image at a viewpoint location of the virtual viewpoint while the viewpoint location is moving.