A method of installing a camera unit including an imaging device and an optical system that forms an optical image on a light receiving surface of the imaging device, wherein the light receiving surface includes a first area and a second area on a peripheral side of the first area, wherein an increase in an image height with respect to a unit half angle of view in the first area is larger than an increase in an image height with respect to a unit half angle of view in the second area, wherein the optical system and the imaging device are disposed such that the gravity center of the first area deviates in a first direction from the center of the light receiving surface, and wherein the method includes installing the camera unit such that the first direction is directed to an area other than a predetermined targeted area.

In a mobile object, a camera unit including an optical system that forms an optical image having a high-resolution region and a low-resolution region on a light receiving surface of an image pickup element and is disposed on a side of the mobile object, wherein the camera unit is installed to meet the following conditions: A tan (h/(d1+x))−θv/2<φv<A tan (h/(d2+x))+θv/2, φh_limit=max (A tan ((w1−y)/(d1+x))−θh/2, A tan ((w2−y)/(d2+x))−θh/2), φh limit <φh <−A tan (y/(d1+x))+θh/2, where θv and θh denote a vertical and a horizontal field angle of the high-resolution region, φv and φh denote a vertical and a horizontal direction angle of the optical axis of the optical system, x, y, and h denotes offsets, and w1 and w2 denote predetermined widths on the ground at the distances d1 and d2.

A method of processing an image using a camera of a vehicle includes: a first operation of controlling a road wheel of the vehicle according to an imaging mode selected by a user from among a plurality of imaging modes, and a second operation of generating an image according to the imaging mode selected by the user by using the camera while the road wheel of the vehicle is controlled.

A vehicular vision system includes a plurality of cameras and an ECU. The cameras are in communication with one another via a vehicle network and image data captured by the cameras is provided to the ECU. Responsive to a type of driving maneuver of the vehicle, (i) the ECU generates a first control signal that enables automatic control of exposure, gain and white balance of one camera of the plurality of cameras and (ii) the ECU generates respective second control signals that disable automatic control of exposure, gain and white balance of at least one other camera of the plurality of cameras. Responsive to processing of captured image data, composite video images derived from image data captured by the plurality of cameras are synthesized, and composite images are displayed that provides bird's eye view video images derived from video image data captured by the cameras.

An image generating apparatus generates an image to be displayed on a display and includes at least one memory and a control circuit. The control circuit acquires a plurality of camera images captured by a plurality of cameras installed in a vehicle, calculates a distance between one of the cameras and a target to be projected in in the camera images, detects a position of a light-transmissive object or a reflective object in the camera images, and generates an image from a point of view that is different from points of view of the plurality of camera images by using the plurality of camera images and the distance, the generated image including a predetermined image that is displayed at the position of the light-transmissive object or the reflective object.

A multi-camera vehicle vision system and method. In one embodiment a map is generated about a moving vehicle. Frames of image data are provided with a series of cameras extending along a surface of the vehicle. The image data frames are processed to identify an object of interest. An object of interest is classified among a set of object types and location of an identified object of interest is determined. Object type and location information is provided to a control unit spaced apart from the cameras via a data link. Road map data is generated to illustrate changes in position of the moving vehicle along a roadway based on data other than the image data provided by the cameras. A display of the road map data is generated with the object type and location information overlaid on the road map data to indicate object location relative to the vehicle.

A parking assist apparatus includes an ECU. The ECU displays a first left support image on a predetermined display area of a touch panel display section so that an entire area of a tentative target parking space is displayed within the predetermined display area, based on a relative position of the tentative target parking space with respect to a vehicle.

Vehicle display device (10) including a display unit (50), installed in a cabin of a vehicle and having a display face oriented in a different direction from a direction of a driver (DR), configured to display an image depicting a surrounding area of the vehicle, and a mirror unit (55) installed in the cabin of the vehicle and configured to reflect some or all of an image area displayed on the display unit (50). A visible range of the surrounding area visible to the driver through an image of the display unit (50) reflected in the mirror unit (55) changes according to movement of a viewing position of the driver (DR) with respect to the mirror unit (55).

A system that facilitates collecting data is described herein. The system includes a digital camera that is configured to capture images in a visible light spectrum and a near-infrared camera that is configured to capture near infrared images, wherein a field of view of the digital camera and the field of view of the near-infrared camera are substantially similar. The system further includes a trigger component that is configured to cause the digital camera and the near-infrared camera to capture images at a substantially similar point in time, and also includes a mounting mechanism that facilitates mounting the digital camera and the near-infrared camera to an automobile.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a display method for use in vehicle, comprising obtaining information (step 210) associated with a vehicle or image data for a region ahead of the vehicle, and displaying (step 230) one or more of a graphical representation of at least one component of the vehicle having one or more characteristics based on the information associated with the vehicle, or a representation of the image data, wherein the representation is arranged to overlie a portion of the vehicle (320) to be indicative of a portion of the vehicle being at least partly transparent.