Patent ID: 7734417

Claim:
An image display device for a vehicle, comprising: plural cameras for capturing images in different directions surrounding the vehicle; an image processing device operable to use plural images acquired with the plural cameras to form a bird's-eye view showing the entire view surrounding the vehicle; a display device operable to provide the bird's-eye view to a driver of the vehicle; a selector operable to allow selection of a desired view from the vehicle; wherein the image processing device is operable to switch from the bird's-eye view to an image corresponding to the desired view when the desired view is selected by the selector; and an obstacle detector operable to generate a signal indicative of an obstacle approaching the vehicle; wherein the image processing device is operable to switch to the bird's-eye view from the image corresponding to the desired view when the obstacle detector indicates a first obstacle approaching the vehicle; wherein the image processing device is operable to switch from the bird's-eye view to an obstacle image in a direction of the first obstacle in response to indication of the first obstacle by the obstacle detector; and wherein the image processing device is operable to switch from the obstacle image in the direction of the first obstacle to the bird's-eye view in response to indication of a second obstacle by the obstacle detector.