Patent ID: 8854466

Claim:
A rearward view assistance apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: an imaging device that takes an image rearward from the vehicle to acquire a vehicle rearward image; a control circuit that sets a cropped image by cropping part of the vehicle rearward image in response to a state of the vehicle; a display device that is provided in a passenger compartment of the vehicle and displays the cropped image; and a blinker detection device that detects a state of a blinker of the vehicle, the blinker indicating (i) a left turn, (ii) a right turn, or (iii) no signal indicating no turn; wherein: the control circuit sets a first position of the cropped image in the vehicle rearward image when the blinker indicates the no turn, sets a second position of the cropped image in the vehicle rearward image when the blinker indicates the right turn, the second position being more rightward in the vehicle rearward image than the first position, and sets a third position of the cropped image in the vehicle rearward image when the blinker indicates the left turn, the third position being more leftward in the vehicle rearward image than the first position; the control circuit performs transition of the cropped image in response to a change of the state of the blinker by gradually transferring the cropped image displayed on the display device between the first position, the second position, and the third position; and a speed of transferring the cropped image from the second position or the third position to the first position when the blinker stops indicating the right turn or the left turn, respectively, is higher than a speed of transferring the cropped image from the first position to the second position or the third position when the blinker starts indicating the right turn or the left turn, respectively.