Abstract: Provided are a power generation method and a power generating element capable of obtaining an electromotive force by utilizing humidity variation in an environment and having excellent operation stability. An aqueous solution of an ionic compound having deliquescence is separated by an ion permeable membrane, electrodes are inserted into the aqueous solution on both sides of the ion permeable membrane, one is blocked from outside air and sealed, and the other is connected to the outside air, and a difference in ion concentration derived from the ionic compound in the aqueous solution is generated across the ion permeable membrane due to a change in humidity in the outside air to generate an electromotive force between the electrodes.

Abstract: When multiple cameras (CAM1) to (CAM8) for shooting the periphery of a local vehicle are mounted on the vehicle, and when obtained camera images are to be synthesized to display a synthesized image on the screen of a display device (16), the pixel data for the camera images constituting the synthesized image are compensated for, so that differences in the pixel data for adjacent camera images is reduced. For example, the pixel data are corrected so their values equal the average values of the pixel data for the adjacent camera images. Therefore, an easily viewed image, produced by synthesizing the images obtained by the multiple vehicle cameras, can be displayed on the monitor device (16).

Abstract: The image processing system includes: an image pickup apparatus (10) including image pickup elements of a color difference line sequential system that outputs, as video signals, a luminance signal (Y) and a line sequential, color difference signal (U/V); and an image processing apparatus (20) which includes a signal interpolator (21) for interpolating the line sequential color difference signal (U/V) to separate the line sequential color difference signal (U/V) into two color difference signals (V) and (U). With this configuration, only two video signal lines are required to connect the image pickup apparatus (10) and the image processing apparatus (20), and even though the number of signal lines is reduced, image quality deterioration is suppressed.

Abstract: Parking assistance apparatus that displays on a screen an image shot by image picking-up apparatus mounted on a vehicle. The parking assistance apparatus superimposes a guide line that is parallel to the line tangent to the predicted outer locus of the vehicle assumed when the vehicle is backed with the wheel at the maximum steering angle. This allows the driver to drive the vehicle so that the guide line will not overlap the image of another vehicle thus allowing parking that avoids any contact.

Abstract: A driving aiding system includes a displaying section arranged at a position that can be looked at from a driver's seat of a vehicle, an image picking-up section for picking up an image of a rear portion of the vehicle containing at least a part of a hitch that is provided to the rear portion of the vehicle, and an image processing section for causing the displaying section to display a synthesized image that is obtained by image-processing an image picked up by the image picking-up section. A hitch image of own vehicle in addition to an image of a trailed vehicle and an image of a destination coupler are displayed on a screen of the displaying section. As a result, the relative positional relationship between the hitch and the destination coupler can be checked on the screen and thus the hitch coupling operation can be facilitated.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a parking assistance system capable of intuitively and easily deciding operation points in the parallel parking. In the parking assistance system according to the present invention, a guide line (43), which is extended from a vehicle (20) in an oblique backward direction and indicates a boundary line used to decide whether or not the vehicle touches other vehicle (31) existing in front of a parking space (30) when parallel parking operations are started, and a guide line (51), which is separated backward from the guide line (43) and indicates another boundary line used to decide whether or not the vehicle touches other vehicle (53) existing at rear of the parking space (30) when the parallel parking operations are completed, are decided previously, and these guide lines as well as a backward picked-up image are displayed on a monitor screen in the parallel parking.

Abstract: An image display method for a rearview camera for displaying an image shot by a rearview camera mounted on a vehicle on a screen that can be viewed from a driver's seat, the method includes the step of displaying an auxiliary line image indicating the straight rear direction of the vehicle superimposed on the image shot by the vehicle on the screen. When the vehicle has approached the trailer within a predetermined range, an image from the rearview camera is converted to an image from a virtual overhead viewpoint then displayed on the screen. The driver easily back the vehicle to bring the hitch in the blind spot at the rear of the vehicle to coincide with a coupling member on the trailer while watching the screen display.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a parking assistance system capable of intuitively and easily deciding operation points in the parallel parking.

Abstract: In a driving aiding system for displaying a picked-up image of a rear-view camera equipped onto a rear portion of a vehicle on a screen of a displaying means arranged at a position which can be viewed from a driver's seat when the vehicle is to be backed, a locus estimated line 10 of a hitch which is equipped onto a rear portion of the vehicle is superposed on the picked-up image of the rear-view camera to display when a predetermined instruction input is received.

Abstract: A multi-functional on-vehicle camera system comprises a plurality of cameras mounted on a vehicle and monitors each displaying a camera image. An image processing section is provided for processing images taken by the plurality of cameras. A system control means is provided for selecting a camera image to be processed from a plurality of images obtained from the plurality of cameras based on signals representing vehicle conditions, and for designating a type of image processing performed in the image processing section. The image for assisting the safety driving is displayed at an appropriate timing according to driving conditions in such a manner that the driver can easily grasp the circumferential conditions from the displayed image.

Abstract: The image processing system includes: an image pickup apparatus (10) including image pickup elements of a color difference line sequential system that outputs, as video signals, a luminance signal (Y) and a line sequential, color difference signal (U/V); and an image processing apparatus (20) which includes a signal interpolator (21) for interpolating the line sequential color difference signal (U/V) to separate the line sequential color difference signal (U/V) into two color difference signals (V) and (U) . With this configuration, only two video signal lines are required to connect the image pickup apparatus (10) and the image processing apparatus (20), and even though the number of signal lines is reduced, image quality deterioration is suppressed.

Abstract: When multiple cameras (CAM1) to (CAM8) for shooting the periphery of a local vehicle are mounted on the vehicle, and when obtained camera images are to be synthesized to display a synthesized image on the screen of a display device (16), the pixel data for the camera images constituting the synthesized image are compensated for, so that differences in the pixel data for adjacent camera images is reduced. For example, the pixel data are corrected so their values equal the average values of the pixel data for the adjacent camera images. Therefore, an easily viewed image, produced by synthesizing the images obtained by the multiple vehicle cameras, can be displayed on the monitor device (16).

Abstract: Parking assistance apparatus that that displays on a screen an image shot by image picking-up means mounted on a vehicle, characterized in that said parking assistance apparatus superimposes a guide line that is parallel to the line tangent to the predicted outer locus of the vehicle assumed when the vehicle is backed with the wheel at the maximum steering angle. This allows the driver to drive the vehicle so that the guide line will not overlap the image of another vehicle thus allowing parking that avoids any contact.

Abstract: An image display method for a rearview camera for displaying an image shot by a rearview camera mounted on a vehicle on a screen that can be viewed from a driver's seat, the method includes the step of displaying an auxiliary line image indicating the straight rear direction of the vehicle superimposed on the image shot by the vehicle on the screen. When the vehicle has approached the trailer within a predetermined range, an image from the rearview camera is converted to an image from a virtual overhead viewpoint then displayed on the screen. The driver easily back the vehicle to bring the hitch in the blind spot at the rear of the vehicle to coincide with a coupling member on the trailer while watching the screen display.

Abstract: In a driving aiding system for displaying a picked-up image of a rear-view camera equipped onto a rear portion of a vehicle on a screen of a displaying means arranged at a position which can be viewed from a driver's seat when the vehicle is to be backed, a locus estimated line 10 of a hitch which is equipped onto a rear portion of the vehicle is superposed on the picked-up image of the rear-view camera to display when a predetermined instruction input is received.

Abstract: There are provided a displaying means arranged at a position that can be looked at from a driver's seat of a vehicle, an image picking-up means for picking up an image of a rear portion of the vehicle containing at least a part of a hitch that is provided to the rear portion of the vehicle, and an image processing means for causing the displaying means to display a synthesized image that is obtained by image-processing an image picked up by the image picking-up means, wherein a hitch image 35a of own vehicle in addition to an image 41a of a trailed vehicle and an image 42a of the coupler are displayed on a screen of the displaying means. As a result, the relative positional relationship between the hitch and the destination coupler can be checked on the screen and thus the hitch coupling operation can be facilitated.