vehicle

Abstract

The image projection device of the present application is capable of projecting information onto a road surface or the like based on information about a vehicle. The image projection device that projects an image includes an acquisition unit that acquires information to be displayed, and an image projection unit that projects an image based on the information to be displayed acquired by the acquisition unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to vehicles. Background Art

[0002] Image projection devices, typified by projectors, have been used in a wide range of fields as devices for projecting a desired image in an enlarged manner. In recent years, they have been widely used as display devices for personal computers and mobile phones.

[0003] As for such an image projection device, the following technologies are known in the related art, particularly those used in vehicles.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-43781

[0007] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-136838

[0008] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-26759

[0009] Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-247369

[0010] Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-153868 Summary of the Invention

[0011] Technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0012] Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses a projection-type display device that places a highly portable LCD projector, without a built-in light source, in front of a vehicle's headlights, which serve as an external light source. Patent Document 2 addresses this issue by implementing a first configuration in which the projector is pre-installed in front of the headlights, within the vehicle, and a second configuration in which the projector or headlights are moved so that the light beam from the headlights directly illuminates the exterior of the vehicle. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses an embodiment for displaying images on the road.

[0013] In addition, Patent Document 3 discloses a technology that, as a driving assistance device for a vehicle, displays information to encourage attention on the road in front of the vehicle using an illumination unit (laser) installed on the headlight part in front of the vehicle in order to effectively alert the driver of the vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle has left the driving lane.

[0014] Patent Document 4 discloses a technology in which a projector serving as a projection unit is mounted on the front of a vehicle. Based on route information retrieved by a navigation system, a route guidance image for guiding the driver toward a fork in the road is projected onto the road ahead of the vehicle at a set projection angle. Furthermore, Patent Document 5 discloses a vehicle driving assistance device that projects a pattern consisting of target marks and tracking lines onto the road ahead of the vehicle based on the vehicle's driving status, thereby enabling the driver to identify the vehicle's destination and perform appropriate driving.

[0015] However, the above-mentioned conventional technologies do not necessarily effectively display various information required for the driving of the vehicle.

[0016] Therefore, the present invention has been realized in view of the problems of the above-mentioned prior art, and its purpose is to provide an image projection device that can project various information onto the road surface, wall surface, vehicle, etc. (hereinafter referred to as road surface, etc.) for display based on information about the vehicle, such as the driving status of the vehicle (a mobile body represented by a car, etc.).

[0017] Technical solutions to the problem

[0018] To solve the above-mentioned problems, for example, the solutions described in the claimed scope are used. This application includes various technical solutions to solve the above-mentioned problems. For example, an image projection device for projecting an image includes an acquisition unit for acquiring information to be displayed, and an image projection unit for projecting an image based on the information to be displayed acquired by the acquisition unit.

[0019] Effects of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image projection device capable of projecting information on a road surface or the like based on information related to a vehicle for display. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a vehicle mounted with an image projection device according to one embodiment of the present invention and projecting an image on a road surface or the like, as viewed from the front.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a vehicle mounted with an image projection device according to one embodiment of the present invention and projecting an image on a road surface or the like, as viewed from the rear.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a light distribution control ECU included in the image projection device.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a block diagram showing a more detailed configuration example of the light distribution control ECU and its peripheral elements.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing an example of the structure of an image projection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 6 It is a ray diagram including the image plane of the projector.

[0027] Figure 7 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0028] Figure 8 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0029] Figure 9 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0030] Figure 10 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0031] Figure 11 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0032] Figure 12 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0033] Figure 13 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0034] Figure 14 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0035] Figure 15 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0036] Figure 16 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0037] Figure 17 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0038] Figure 18 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0039] Figure 19 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0040] Figure 20 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0041] Figure 21 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0042] Figure 22 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0043] Figure 23 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0044] Figure 24 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0045] Figure 25 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0046] Figure 26 It is a diagram showing specific examples of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0047] Figure 27 This is a diagram showing a more detailed example of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0048] Figure 28 This is a diagram showing a more detailed example of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0049] Figure 29 This is a diagram showing a more detailed example of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0050] Figure 30 This is a diagram showing a more detailed example of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0051] Figure 31 This is a diagram showing a more detailed example of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0052] Figure 32 This is a diagram showing a more detailed example of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0053] Figure 33 This is a diagram showing a more detailed example of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0054] Figure 34 This is a diagram showing a more detailed example of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0055] Figure 35 This is a diagram showing a more detailed example of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0056] Figure 36 This is a diagram showing a more detailed example of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0057] Figure 37 This is a diagram showing a more detailed example of various images projected from a projector onto a road surface in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] <Configuration of Image Projection Device>

[0060] First, in Figure 1 In (A) and (B), a passenger car is shown as an example of a vehicle 10 equipped with an image projection device according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in these figures, a pair of left and right headlights 11 are provided on the front of the main body of the passenger car 10.

[0061] exist Figure 1 In the example (A), a lamp as a light source is installed inside the pair of headlights 11, but it is not shown in detail here. Figure 1 In example (A), a pair of image projection devices, described in detail below, are mounted on the vehicle (passenger car) 10. Image light from these image projection devices is projected forward of the vehicle (passenger car) 10, for example, through a transparent window. In this example, the image projected onto the road surface is used to indicate the current or future direction of travel to pedestrians near the vehicle (passenger car) 10, thereby ensuring greater safety.

[0062] Figure 1(B) shows an example in which only one image projection device is mounted on the front end of the vehicle body. In this case, the image light from the image projection device is projected to the front of the vehicle (passenger car) 10 through a transparent window portion 12 provided at the front end of the vehicle body.

[0063] In addition, if Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1A , image projection devices are also mounted on the bottom and side surfaces of the vehicle (passenger car) 10 , thereby projecting desired images on the road surface or the like adjacent to both side surfaces of the vehicle (passenger car) 10 .

[0064] then, Figure 2 (A) and (B) show the rear of the vehicle (passenger car) 10 equipped with the image projection device according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in these figures, red taillights 13 and 13' are provided at the rear of the vehicle body. Figure 2 In the example of (A), a light as a light source is installed inside the taillights 13 and 13', but this is not shown in detail here. Figure 2 In the example (A), the image projection devices are mounted in a pair on the left and right, and the image light from the image projection devices is projected to the rear of the vehicle (passenger car) 10 through a transparent window, for example.

[0065] in addition, Figure 2 (B) shows an example in which the image projection device is mounted near the roof of a vehicle. Figure 2 In the example (B) above, Figure 1 (B) Similarly, the image light is projected to the rear of the vehicle 10 through the transparent window portion provided at the rear end of the vehicle body.

[0066] In addition, if Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1A , an image projection device is also mounted inside the side mirror 14 , thereby being able to project a desired image onto the road surface or the like adjacent to both side surfaces of the vehicle 10 .

[0067] In particular, the above description is based on an example in which one or more (for example, a pair) image projection devices are mounted on the front, rear, left, and right sides of the vehicle 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the image projection device can be mounted at any position of the vehicle 10 (for example, on the roof, etc.). In addition, the image projection device can also be integrally assembled into the interior of the headlights or taillights. That is, in the present invention, as long as the image projection device can be used to project the desired image onto the road surface, etc., it will suffice. In addition, when the image projection device is integrally assembled into the interior of the headlights or taillights, the light source of the headlights or taillights can be used as a light source for projection.

[0068] <Structure of Light Distribution Control ECU>

[0069] then, Figure 3 An example of the structure of an electronic control unit (light distribution control ECU) installed in the vehicle (passenger car) 10 is shown. As can be seen from the figure, the light distribution control ECU 40 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 41, RAM 42 and ROM 43 as storage units, and an input / output device (I / O unit 44). Information from various information acquisition units and communication units described below is input to the light distribution control ECU via the I / O unit 44, controlling the driving of the headlights 11 and the image projection of the image projection device 500.

[0070] Here, the information from the various information acquisition units mentioned above includes, for example, a speed signal indicating the driving speed of the vehicle 10, a signal indicating the state of the engine (ON / OFF), gear information indicating the position of the gear, a hazard warning signal to inform surrounding drivers of the existence of danger, a steering wheel steering angle signal indicating the steering angle of the steering wheel, a turn signal indicating the presence or absence of a turn signal (or also called a "turn signal") or indicating which of the left or right turn signals is lit / flashing, and indicator light information indicating the lighting / flashing status of the above-mentioned various lights.

[0071] In addition, the information from the various information acquisition units mentioned above also includes, for example, information from an external light sensor that detects light outside the vehicle (illuminance signal, chromaticity signal, etc.), image information from a camera installed on the vehicle, signals from a distance sensor that detects the distance between the vehicle 10 and the surrounding vehicles and other objects, such as those in front of the vehicle, and signals from an infrared sensor that detects the external conditions of the vehicle at night.

[0072] In addition, the above-mentioned information from the communication unit includes, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) signal for estimating the position of the vehicle 10, information from a navigation device for performing route guidance, etc., namely, so-called navigation information, and information on vehicle-to-vehicle communication between the vehicle and other vehicles and road-to-vehicle communication between the road and the vehicle.

[0073] Figure 4 The light distribution control ECU 40 and its peripheral elements are shown in more detail. Figure 4The light distribution control ECU 40 receives signals from a direction indicator sensor 51, a steering wheel angle sensor 52 that detects the steering wheel's operating angle (steering angle), a shift position sensor 53, a vehicle speed sensor 54, an accelerator sensor 55, a brake sensor 56, an illuminance sensor 57, a chromaticity sensor 58, an engine start sensor 59, and a hazard light sensor 60. Furthermore, the ECU 40 includes a door handle sensor 68 that detects whether the driver or a passenger is gripping a door handle, a door lock sensor 69 that detects the open or closed state of a door, including whether the door is ajar, a human body sensor 70 that detects the absence of a person in the vehicle based on, for example, the weight on a seat, and a transmission sensor 71 that detects the gear position of the transmission. Signals from the camera 61 are input to the ECU 40 via the image processing unit 62, while signals from the GPS signal receiving unit 63 and the map information output unit 64 are input to the ECU 40 via the computing unit 65.

[0074] In addition, the control signal from the above-mentioned light distribution control ECU40 and the signal from the projection signal output unit 110 (the image signal to be projected onto the road surface, etc.) are input into the projector 100 constituting the above-mentioned image projection device 500 through the control unit 120, thereby performing the projection of the image described below onto the road surface, etc.

[0075] Furthermore, signals from a headlight sensor 66 and a high / low sensor 67 are input to the light distribution control ECU 40 .

[0076] <Image Projection Device>

[0077] Next, the above Figure 4 A more detailed example of the structure of the image projection device 500 including the projector 100, the projection signal output unit 110, and the control unit 120 is shown below. Figure 5 Provide detailed explanation.

[0078] The projection optical system 501 is an optical system that projects images onto a road surface, etc., and includes lenses and / or reflectors. The display element 502 is an element that modulates transmitted or reflected light to generate an image. Examples include a transmissive liquid crystal panel, a reflective liquid crystal panel, or a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) panel. The display element driver 503 sends a drive signal to the display element 502, causing it to generate an image. The light source 505 generates light for image projection and uses a high-pressure mercury lamp, a xenon lamp, an LED light source, a laser light source, or the like. The power supply 506 supplies power to the light source 505. Furthermore, the power supply 506 also supplies the necessary power to other components. The illumination optical system 504 converges the light generated by the light source 505, further homogenizing it before irradiating it onto the display element 502. The cooling unit 515 cools any components that may become hot, such as the light source 505, the power supply 506, or the display element 502, using air cooling or liquid cooling as needed. The operation input unit 507 is a unit that receives signals from operation buttons or remote controllers, and receives operation signals from the user.

[0079] The video signal input unit 531 is connected to an external video output device to input video data. The audio signal input unit 533 is connected to an external audio output device to input audio data. The audio output unit 540 can output audio based on the audio data input to the audio signal input unit 533. Furthermore, the audio output unit 540 can also output built-in operation sounds or error alarm sounds. The communication unit 532 is connected to, for example, an external information processing device to input and output various control signals.

[0080] Non-volatile memory 508 stores various data used by the projector. This data also includes pre-prepared image data and video data for projection onto the road. Memory 509 stores projected video data and control parameters for various components of the device. Control unit 510 controls the operation of various connected components.

[0081] The image adjustment unit 560 performs image processing on the image data input through the image signal input unit 531 and the image data or image data stored in the non-volatile memory 508. Examples of such image processing include scaling processing for enlarging, reducing, or deforming an image, brightness adjustment processing for changing the brightness, contrast adjustment processing for changing the contrast curve of an image, and Retinex processing (retinal cortex processing) for decomposing an image into light components and changing the weight of each component.

[0082] The storage unit 570 stores images, pictures, sounds, and various data. For example, these images, pictures, sounds, and various data can be pre-recorded when the product is shipped, or they can be obtained from an external device or server via the communication unit 532. The images, pictures, and various data stored in the storage unit 570 can be output as a projected image via the display element 502 and the projection optical system 501. Sounds stored in the storage unit 570 can be output as audio via the audio output unit 540.

[0083] As described above, the image projection device 500 can realize various functions. However, the image projection device 500 does not necessarily need all of the above-mentioned structures. As long as it has the function of projecting an image, it can have any structure.

[0084] Figure 6 This is a ray diagram of the projector, including the image plane. In the figure, image light emitted from a light source (not shown), such as an LED, passes through the image display element, passes through filters and other components, is refracted by various lens systems, and then, depending on the structure, is reflected before being projected onto image plane 8 (such as the road surface).

[0085] As described above, in the image projection device 500 , the length of the long side of the projected image range is 10061-542=9519≈9520 mm relative to the projection distance of 700 mm, so the projection ratio is 700 / 9520=0.07, achieving an unprecedented wide angle.

[0086] The above description is about one image projection device 500 and its projection optical system. However, as mentioned above, the present invention can also be carried out by mounting one or more (e.g., a pair) projectors on a vehicle (or integrating them with headlights or taillights) to project the desired image onto the road surface. In this case, especially as mentioned above, Figure 1 (A) and Figure 2 As shown in (A), when a plurality of (for example, a pair of) image projection devices 500 are used, the same image can be projected onto the road surface etc. from each image projection device 500 (in this case, Figure 5 Alternatively, different images may be projected from the left and right image projection devices 500 and synthesized on the road surface, etc. (in this case, Figure 5 An image obtained by dividing the desired image into left and right images is displayed on the display element 502).

[0087] Furthermore, while the above description describes an image projection device 500 that projects an image onto a road surface, etc., using a transmissive liquid crystal image display element, the present invention is not limited thereto. Various other image projection devices 500 may be used as the image projection device 500, such as a reflective image projection device 500 using micromirrors, such as a DLP (digital light processing) device, or an image projection device 500 that projects image light from a planar light-emitting diode capable of optical modulation via a projection optical system. In other words, the present invention suffices as long as the image projection device 500 can project a desired image onto a road surface, etc.

[0088] <Projected images of various information displayed on the road surface, etc.>

[0089] Next, refer to Figures 7 to 26 A specific example will be described in detail in which the image projection device 500 described in detail above is mounted on the front and / or rear of a vehicle body, and various images are projected onto a road surface or the like in accordance with the relationship with vehicle information.

[0090] By using the image projection devices 500 provided at various locations of the vehicle 10 as described above, it is possible to display not only the state of the vehicle 10 as described above but also the thoughts of the driver of the vehicle 10 .

[0091] Figure 7 The example shown is a case where a message is displayed to other nearby vehicles when the vehicle 10 is stopped at an intersection, etc. Here, for another oncoming vehicle 10' that has turned right by lighting the turn signal, a projected image 203 such as "Please turn right first" is displayed in front of the vehicle 10.

[0092] The display is performed by the image projection device 500 in such a manner that the image to be displayed is stored in advance in the storage unit 509 (refer to FIG. Figure 5 ), for example, by using a switch set on the instrument panel, etc. to call the image for display. Figure 10 As shown, in order to make it easier for the driver of the other oncoming vehicle 10' to understand the display content, it is preferable to display it in the direction opposite to the normal situation.

[0093] In addition, when the above message is displayed, in order to make it easy for people to understand which vehicle is displaying the message, such as Figure 8 As shown, the message display area can be trapezoidal or triangular, or an arrow 204 indicating the direction of the vehicle displaying the message or a license plate number 205 of the vehicle can be included in a portion of the displayed projected image 203. Alternatively, animation can be used for display, although this is not shown in the figure.

[0094] Or, as Figure 9 As shown, in addition to displaying the projected image 203, its contents may be pronounced as sound 250 for composite display.

[0095] Furthermore, if Figure 10 As shown, the projected image 203 may also be displayed in front of another vehicle 10 ′.

[0096] In addition, if Figure 11 As shown, the above-mentioned message etc. can also be displayed to pedestrians who want to cross the road in front of the vehicle 10 in the same manner as in the above-mentioned case. In addition, in this case, the message 203 etc. can be displayed not only by an image but also by a sound prompt using a loudspeaker etc. provided on the vehicle 10, so that the message etc. can be conveyed to the other party more effectively. In addition, in this case, the message etc. can be transmitted to the other party more effectively by using, for example, a pre-stored image in the above-mentioned memory 509 (refer to Figure 5 ) or the voice 250 of the driver of the vehicle 10 may be transmitted through a microphone arranged on a dashboard, etc.

[0097] In addition, regarding the display of the above message, such as Figure 12 As shown, especially when the vehicle 10 is a taxi, it is also possible to display a message 206 showing advertising content on the road surface adjacent to the rear door. Alternatively, for vehicles providing public services such as buses and trains, it is possible to display advertising content messages 206 at their entrances and exits, although this is not shown in the figure here.

[0098] In addition, regarding the display of the message 206 of the above-mentioned advertising content, for example Figure 13 As shown in (A), when Figure 4 When the vehicle speed sensor 54 receives a stop signal, the ECU 40 selects a plurality of advertisements stored in the RAM 42 and displays them via the image projection device 500. A different advertisement or a predetermined number of advertisements may be displayed each time the vehicle stops, or multiple advertisements may be displayed sequentially for a predetermined period of time.

[0099] Alternatively, you can Figure 13 As shown in (B), by further providing a router 1000, the ECU 40 acquires advertisement information from outside the vehicle 10 via WiFi and displays the acquired advertisement content.

[0100] In addition, especially when an advertisement is displayed as message 206, it is also possible to Figure 14 As shown, for example, using Figure 13The structure shown in (B) receives advertisements from advertisers such as a shopping mall near the vehicle 10 via WiFi, and displays the contents as a message 206 on the road surface or the like.

[0101] In addition, if Figure 15 As shown, you can also replace the above advertisements, etc., using Figure 3 The navigation information of the communication unit of the host vehicle 10 is displayed as a message 206 on the sidewalk, roadside strip, road surface, etc., such as "15 km to the destination" that the driver of the host vehicle 10 wants to know (so-called navigation information). By displaying it on the sidewalk, roadside strip, road surface, etc., it is possible to prevent misunderstanding by drivers of vehicles other than the host vehicle 10.

[0102] In addition, regarding the information that the above-mentioned drivers want to know, such as Figure 16 As shown, the message 206 to be displayed can also simultaneously display so-called navigation information (the direction of travel of the vehicle 10, the distance to the destination), vehicle information or alarms such as the driving speed and remaining fuel amount of the vehicle 10, and information about portable terminals such as smart phones held by the driver, such as received emails.

[0103] In addition, if Figure 17 As shown in FIG, for example, a warning message such as “Attention! This vehicle is faulty” can also be displayed as a message 206. Figure 23 As shown, since the information is a reminder to the driver of the other vehicle 10' in the opposite direction, the message 206 is preferably displayed in front of the other vehicle 10' in the opposite lane. For this purpose, it is possible to consider using the wide-angle display of the image projection device 500, or changing the direction of the image projection device 500, etc.

[0104] In addition, the following contents can also be considered as the contents projected and displayed by the above-mentioned image projection device 500.

[0105] The driver visually performs various measurements while driving, and as an example of a display to assist in such measurements, Figure 18 An example is shown in which a ruler is displayed in front of the vehicle 10 as a projected image 207. Specifically, in this example, the ruler 207 displayed in front of the vehicle 10 allows the driver of the vehicle 10 to easily measure the distance (inter-vehicle distance) between the vehicle 10 and the other vehicle 10′ traveling ahead, thereby contributing to safe driving.

[0106] in addition, Figure 19 The display image 207 ' shows that when a person passes under a building (bridge-shaped object S) with a height restriction, such as a bridge or a tunnel, the height of the building (bridge-shaped object S) can be easily measured. Figure 19This shows the state of the vehicle 10 traveling towards the object S as observed from the rear.

[0107] In this height measurement display, from the image projection devices 500 provided on the headlights on both sides (left and right) in the front of the vehicle 10 (refer to (A) of Figure 1 ), a substantially "卜" - shaped bar image 207' composed of vertical bars and horizontal bars is projected upward onto the road surface in the traveling direction respectively. And this pair of bar images 207' is preset such that at a distance farther than the set specified distance (distance > d), the backs of the vertical bars are separated from each other, and its horizontal bar is set to be at a specified height (for example, the height at which the vehicle 10 can safely pass) at this specified distance (d).

[0108] As a result, when the vehicle 10 is at a distance farther than the set specified distance (distance > d), as shown in (A) of Figure 19 , the above - mentioned pair of bar images 207' are displayed separated from each other. After that, when the vehicle 10 coincides with the set specified distance (distance = d), as shown in (B) of Figure 19 , the pair of "卜" - shaped bar images 207' are closely together, forming a cross - shaped. And at this time, the horizontal bar of the "卜" - shaped bar image 207' represents the height at which the vehicle 10 can safely pass. By the driver confirming the position of the horizontal bar of the cross - shaped bar image 207', the driver can know whether the vehicle can safely pass. In addition, after that, as shown in (C) of Figure 19 , the pair of "卜" - shaped bar images 207' are displayed overlapping each other.

[0109] In addition, it is also possible to consider such a situation. For example, the road surface and the like on which the vehicle 10 displays various information as images is an Figure 20 unpaved road surface with unevenness as shown. In this case, as shown in Figure 20 , a road surface sensor 15 such as a camera (for example, an infrared stereo camera, etc.) is installed in the front (traveling direction) of the vehicle 10. The state (shape, reflectivity, etc.) of the road surface and the like is obtained from the image plane captured by this camera, and based on the result, the image to be projected onto this road surface and the like is corrected. Thus, an image that is easy to observe and has excellent recognition performance, which is corrected based on the shape and reflectivity of the road surface and the like, can be displayed.

[0110] In addition, by using the above - mentioned camera and other road surface sensors 15, the above - mentioned ECU 40 can also judge whether to display the image according to the process shown in Figure 21 . Among them, in Figure 21In the example, the image projection device 500 is started (step 210), the left and right lanes of the vehicle 10 are read from the image from the camera and the lane width is measured, the road width is detected (step 211), and it is determined whether the road width is sufficient for displaying the image (step 212). If it is determined in step 212 that the road width is sufficient to display the image, the image is displayed (step 213). If it is determined in step 212 that the road width is not sufficient to display the image, the image is not displayed (step 214).

[0111] Alternatively, by utilizing the road surface sensor 15 such as the camera, Figure 22 As shown, in narrow alleys, the distance between the vehicle and the projected image 206 is set to be smaller (refer to Figure 22 (A)), and on a wide road, the distance between the vehicle and the projected image 206 is set to be larger (refer to Figure 22 (B)). Thus, it is possible to display an image with excellent visibility. In addition, the halftone dot portion in the figure represents the projection area of ​​the image projection device 500.

[0112] In addition, if Figure 23 As shown, the camera can also be installed behind the vehicle 10, and the image of another vehicle 10' behind the vehicle 10 obtained by the camera can be projected and displayed in front of the vehicle 10. This allows the driver to easily check the situation behind the vehicle 10 without looking back when the vehicle 10 is stopped, which is very convenient.

[0113] In addition, if Figure 24 As shown, based on the image of the following vehicle 10' obtained from the camera installed behind the vehicle 10, the ECU 40 can also display a warning to the following vehicle based on the vehicle distance, driving speed, and threshold value. That is, when the vehicle distance between the two vehicles is too close based on the driving speed, for example, a red arrow is displayed behind the vehicle 10 (see Figure 24 (A)), if it is determined that the vehicle is not too close but is at a distance that requires attention, a yellow arrow (see Figure 24 (B)). If it is determined that the inter-vehicle distance is sufficient, no display is made (refer to Figure 24 (C)).

[0114] In the above-described various examples, the image light from the image projection device 500 is projected onto the road surface around the vehicle 10. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, a portion of an object may be highlighted in the projection area of ​​the image projection device 500.

[0115] As an example, Figure 25As shown, based on the image signal from the road surface sensor such as the camera installed in front of the vehicle 10, the ECU 40 detects obstacles (trees in this example) in the direction of travel (see Figure 25 (A) and (B)). When the image projection device 500 projects the image light, the obstacle (the trunk of the tree in this example) is highlighted by flashing, for example, to selectively display the obstacle and alert the driver (refer to Figure 25 (C)). Among them, Figure 25 In (B), the display range in the longitudinal direction of the image light 206 projected from the image projection device 500 near the trees is represented by lighter dots, while Figure 25 In (C), the area where the flash is ON is represented by darker dots. And, if the ECU 40 does not determine that it is an obstacle, the flash is turned OFF (refer to Figure 25 (D)).

[0116] In addition, if Figure 26 As shown, for pedestrians and oncoming vehicles 10' detected by infrared irradiation, the vehicle 10 can change the display color (for example, red) of the corresponding part in the area of ​​the image light 206 in a precisely positioned manner to emphasize the display. In addition, as a method of emphasizing the display, it is also possible to consider modulating the brightness of the image light projected onto the obstacle and / or its surroundings or making it flash. And animation, etc. can also be used. In addition, the display position of the objects (such as trees, etc.) for emphasizing the obstacles mentioned above does not move even when the vehicle 10 moves. In addition, not limited to obstacles, the same display can be performed on dangerous objects such as manhole covers or wheel stops of inspection wells.

[0117] Here, in the above description, the image projection device 500 (refer to Figure 5 The display of the various information described above is performed as needed. In particular, information displayed in front of and behind the vehicle 10 cannot be effectively displayed if the inter-vehicle distance to the vehicle in front or behind is not sufficiently large. Therefore, although not shown here, the inter-vehicle distance can be detected using the aforementioned camera or sensor, and the projected image can be displayed only when a sufficient inter-vehicle distance is ensured. Display can be stopped when the inter-vehicle distance exceeds the specified distance.

[0118] In addition, with the above Figure 20 In this regard, the following describes details of a technique for correcting the shape and reflectivity of a road surface, etc., to display an image that is easily visible and highly recognizable.

[0119] First, for the deviation (concavity) of the road surface shape, for example Figure 27As shown in (A) and (B) of FIGURE 1, an image projection device mounted in front of the vehicle 10 projects an image 201 with a grid pattern inserted into the projected image 200 onto the road surface. Meanwhile, a camera 61 mounted on the vehicle 10 captures an image in front of the vehicle. The ECU 40 performs predetermined image processing on this image to detect road surface inclination. The projected image is then corrected based on the detected road surface inclination. This allows for an easily visible, highly recognizable image without inclination, regardless of road surface inclination. However, this processing requires a predetermined amount of time, making it difficult to perform in real time.

[0120] For this reason, Figure 28 As shown in the flowchart, the above-mentioned deflection correction process is switched on and off appropriately according to the vehicle's driving speed. Furthermore, the type of projected image is also used as a switching condition. This is because, for example, if the displayed information is text, the driver's attention may be drawn to understanding the text, which is not ideal for safe driving.

[0121] Specifically, as shown in the figure, when the road projection ON signal (S2801) is received, it is determined whether the vehicle is stopping (S2802). If the result is that the vehicle is stopping ("Yes"), the above-mentioned skew correction process is performed (details will be described later). On the other hand, if the vehicle is not stopping ("No"), it is further determined whether the vehicle's driving speed is less than the set speed (S2803). If the result is that the vehicle is less than the set speed ("Yes"), the above-mentioned skew correction process is performed. If the speed is greater than the set speed ("No"), it is determined whether the projected image is text (or whether it contains text) (S2804). If the result is that the projected image is text ("Yes"), the above-mentioned road projection ON signal is switched to OFF (S2805). If the projected image is not text ("No"), the above-mentioned road projection ON signal is not switched (S2806).

[0122] If the result of the above determination (S2802) is that the vehicle is parked ("Yes") or if the result of the above determination (S2802) is that the driving speed is less than the set speed ("Yes"), the skew correction process is performed by first projecting a skew detection image, i.e., the aforementioned image 201 with the grid pattern inserted into the projected image 200 (S2807). Then, the camera captures the image, and the grid pattern inserted into the projected image 200 is compared with the grid pattern in the image captured by the camera (S2808). Then, through a determination (S2809), if the skew of the grid pattern in the camera-captured image is determined to be greater than a predetermined value (threshold) ("Yes") (i.e., the skew is too large to be corrected), the road surface projection ON signal is switched OFF (S2810), thereby stopping the road surface projection. If the skew is determined to be less than the specified value (threshold value) ("No"), the road projection image is corrected (S2811), and the road projection is performed without switching the road projection ON signal (S2812). Figure 4 The CPU (central processing unit) 41 of the light distribution control ECU 40 shown in the figure may be used for implementation.

[0123] As is clear from the above description, in the above embodiment, image projection is essentially performed only at speeds sufficient to ensure safe driving, including while the vehicle is parked. Furthermore, image display is suppressed, particularly when the projected image contains text. Furthermore, if the skew on the road surface where the image is projected is excessive (skew > threshold), image projection onto the road surface is stopped. This is because a large skew increases the skew of the corrected image for a viewer (observer) with a different viewpoint, so image display is intentionally stopped.

[0124] Furthermore, the brightness or color of the projected image may deviate from the intended color due to the color of the road surface or the pattern of a crosswalk. In this case, the driver's intention in projecting the image onto the road may not be accurately conveyed to the surrounding environment. To this end, in the embodiments described in detail below, by detecting the uneven distribution of color and illumination (so-called unevenness) of the projected image on the road surface, brightness correction and color balance correction are performed at each position on the road surface of the projected image, thereby obtaining an easily observable and highly recognizable image, thereby allowing the image intended (wanted) by the driver to be projected onto the road surface.

[0125] Regarding the above-mentioned deviation (concavity and convexity) of the road surface shape, specifically, in addition to the above-mentioned Figure 27 The image for deflection detection shown is an image 201 with a grid pattern inserted therein, which is projected onto the road surface from an image projection device installed in front of the vehicle 10 (see FIG. Figure 29In addition to (A), a completely white image (an image containing R, G, and B colors) can also be projected onto the road surface, although this is not shown here. This completely white image can also be intermittently projected onto the road surface along with the image 201 with the grid pattern inserted, and used for brightness correction as described later.

[0126] Thus, it is possible to see the Figure 27 ) in the captured image, the brightness distribution is detected based on the uneven illumination on the road surface, and the illumination balance of each color is detected based on the uneven color. Based on these detection results, brightness correction and color balance correction are performed at each position on the road surface where the image is projected, thereby achieving the image intended by the driver on the road surface. Furthermore, the above description relates to the case of intermittently displaying a completely white image along with the image 201 with the grid pattern inserted. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, even if R, G, and B light are inserted sequentially or intermittently, the same effect can be achieved, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0127] Furthermore, when the image projection device displays an image by tilting the road surface, i.e., projecting the image obliquely, the image projection device can cause significant size changes and skew in the projected image due to the relationship between the image projection device and the road surface, i.e., the relative angle (tilt angle) between the image projection device and the road surface. Therefore, the image projection device and the road surface are preferably parallel to each other.

[0128] For example, when the vehicle 10 is parallel to the road surface, Figure 29 As shown in (A), the grid pattern inserted into the projected image is displayed without any deviation (original shape). Figure 29 As shown in (B), when the vehicle 10 is tilted relative to the road surface, especially tilted to the left in the lateral direction relative to the driving direction, the image projected from the image projection device onto the road surface deviates from its original shape and becomes deformed and skewed. Figure 29 In addition, although a grid pattern is described here as an image inserted into the projected image, it is needless to say that the deviation of the road surface can also be detected by using a rectangular image or a simple rectangular frame instead.

[0129] In addition, if Figure 30 As mentioned above, the vehicle 10 is usually required to be arranged parallel to the road surface in the direction of travel (refer to Figure 30 However, it is also possible to consider, for example, tilting forward (refer to Figure 30 (B)) or tilted backward (reference Figure 30In the case of (C)). In this way, when the vehicle body tilts forward or backward, the image projected from the image projection device onto the road surface will be smaller at the rear or larger at the front relative to its original shape (rectangular), that is, it will also be skewed due to deformation.

[0130] For this purpose, for example, at the stage before the image is displayed when the vehicle is started, the rectangular or grid-shaped image pattern is inserted, and the camera 61 (see the above) is used to display the image. Figure 27 ) captures an image projected onto the road surface and performs prescribed image processing, thereby detecting the tilt of the image projection device—and, by extension, the vehicle—relative to the road surface (in both the traveling and lateral directions). Based on the detected tilt relative to the road surface (in both the traveling and lateral directions), the image projection device is corrected for tilt relative to the road surface, thereby producing an image that is free of skew, easily visible, and highly recognizable. Furthermore, the detected tilt relative to the road surface (in both the traveling and lateral directions) can be used, similar to the automatic leveling function of the headlights, for vehicle posture control by actuators installed within the vehicle.

[0131] In addition, the above Figure 21 The following describes a flow for determining whether to display or not display an image, executed by the ECU 40, using road sensors such as cameras. The example described herein determines whether the road width is sufficient for displaying an image. If the road width is sufficient, the image is displayed, while if the road width is insufficient, the image is not displayed. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment; the following display may also be performed.

[0132] In more detail, before projecting the desired image onto the road, e.g. Figure 31 As shown in (A), when the road width is wide enough, an image 201 with a grid pattern inserted is projected, and the projected image is compared with the real image using a camera, so that the presence of walls or obstacles on the left and right sides of the road can be detected. However, in reality, for the size of the image to be projected, in the case of Figure 31 As shown in (B), when the image display overlaps with the detected wall or other obstacles, you can consider not displaying the image, or Figure 31 (C) reduces the projected image.

[0133] also, Figure 32 The figure shows a situation in which an oncoming vehicle 10' (obstacle) is approaching in a narrow alley, etc. Here, as indicated by the arrow in the figure, the area of ​​the image projected and displayed by the image projection device (see the bold line in the figure) is limited to the area that can be displayed on the road (see the dotted line in the figure), or the display is reduced.

[0134] Figure 33 An example of the processing flow in the above situation is shown below. First, upon receiving a road projection ON signal (S3301), a so-called road width / obstacle detection image, such as the aforementioned grid pattern, is inserted into the projection image and projected onto the road surface from the image projection device (S3302). The image projected onto the road surface is then captured by the aforementioned camera, and a determination is made as to whether the width of the projected image is greater than the width of the road (S3303). If the result indicates that the width of the projected image is greater than the width of the road ("Yes"), projection of the image onto the road surface is stopped (OFF) (S3304).

[0135] On the other hand, when it is determined that the width of the projected image is smaller than the width of the road ("No"), the image captured by the above-mentioned camera is used to determine whether there is an obstacle on the road surface (S3305). When the result is that there is no obstacle on the road surface ("No"), the road surface projection of the image is performed (ON) (S3306). When there is an obstacle ("Yes"), it is further determined whether the obstacle can be avoided to display the image (S3307). When the obstacle can be avoided to display ("Yes"), the projection position on the road surface is corrected (S3308), and then the road surface projection (ON) (S3309) is performed. In addition, the above-mentioned processing is performed by the above-mentioned Figure 4 The CPU (central processing unit) 41 of the light distribution control ECU 40 shown in the figure may be used for implementation.

[0136] In addition, the above Figure 24 In the above description, the technology for displaying a warning to a following vehicle based on the vehicle distance, driving speed, and threshold value to the following vehicle is described, and its details are further described below.

[0137] Generally speaking, a safe distance between vehicles is defined as the vehicle's speed minus 15 meters, allowing for stopping upon detecting danger, at speeds below 60 km / h. To achieve this, the vehicle's speed is calculated based on vehicle speed pulses, and a camera mounted behind the vehicle calculates the distance to the following vehicle. If the distance between vehicles falls short of the required distance, a red arrow is projected to warn the following vehicle. Furthermore, if the distance between vehicles is only 10% of the required distance, a yellow arrow is used to warn the driver. Furthermore, the distance between vehicles and the following vehicle can be detected using a lidar (lidar) in place of the camera.

[0138] In addition, the stopping distance of the vehicle will also change depending on the state of the road surface. Generally speaking, when it rains, a distance between vehicles that is 1.5 times the normal distance is required, while when the road surface is icy, a distance between vehicles that is 3 times the normal distance is required. Therefore, the setting of the necessary vehicle distance calculated based on the driving speed is preferably changed according to the surrounding environment. For example, the detection of rain can usually be performed using an infrared sensor. Specifically, the detection of rain can be achieved by detecting the change in reflection caused by raindrops adhering to the window glass. As for the icing of the road surface, it can be detected based on the mirror reflection intensity of the road surface. That is, on a normal road surface, the diffuse reflection component caused by the unevenness of the surface is strong, but when it is icy, the mirror reflection component is enhanced due to the formation of an ice film on the surface. As a result, for example, the mirror reflection of the headlights of the oncoming vehicle is enhanced, so the icing state can be detected by detecting the amount of light reflected from the road surface. In addition, the data of these safety / caution vehicle distances are pre-stored as a table in the memory.

[0139] The above description describes that, in particular, when the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle behind the vehicle is not sufficiently far away, effective display cannot be performed, so the vehicle distance is detected and the projected image is displayed only when a sufficient distance between the vehicles is ensured, and the display is stopped when the distance between the vehicles is closer than the specified distance. However, this is not limited to this. Figure 34 As shown, if there is not enough inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle 10 and the other vehicle 10' in front, effective display cannot be performed. Figure 34 (A) indicates that the distance between vehicles is sufficient. Figure 34 (B) indicates that the distance between vehicles is not enough. Figure 34 (C) indicates a situation where there is almost no distance between vehicles.

[0140] Here, in Figure 35 An example of a process flow for implementing the above-mentioned warning to the following vehicle is shown in the figure. In the figure, the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle is first detected (S3501). Next, the driving speed of the vehicle is detected (S3502). Then, the presence of rainfall is detected using the above-mentioned rain sensor (S3503). In addition, ice on the road surface is detected using a road icing sensor based on the above-mentioned principle (S3504). Afterwards, based on these detection results, the necessary safety / caution inter-vehicle distance is searched from the above-mentioned table and set respectively (S3505).

[0141] Next, a determination is made as to whether the detected inter-vehicle distance is less than the previously set safe inter-vehicle distance (S3506). If the determination is that the distance is greater than the safe inter-vehicle distance ("No"), a further determination is made as to whether the distance is less than the cautionary distance (S3507). On the other hand, if the determination (S3506) is that the distance is less than the safe inter-vehicle distance ("Yes"), the projection of the warning image for the following vehicle onto the road surface is activated (S3510).

[0142] In the above judgment (S3506), if it is judged to be greater than the safe vehicle distance ("No"), but in the judgment (S3507), if it is judged to be less than the attention vehicle distance ("Yes"), the attention image for the following vehicle is projected (ON) on the road surface instead of the above warning image (S3508). In addition, in the above judgment (S3506), if it is judged to be greater than the safe vehicle distance ("No"), and in the judgment (S3507), if it is also judged to be greater than the attention vehicle distance ("No"), the display of the above safety / reminder information for the following vehicle is stopped (OFF) (S3509). In addition, the above-mentioned processing is performed by the above-mentioned Figure 4 The CPU (central processing unit) 41 of the light distribution control ECU 40 shown in the figure may be used for implementation.

[0143] In order to project images in addition to the above-mentioned warnings to the following vehicles, if there is no space larger than at least one vehicle body, it will not be possible to fully display the images to be displayed. Therefore, it can be seen that when the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle in front and the vehicle behind is narrow for the image to be displayed, it is preferable not to display the image. For example, when a 4m wide image is displayed on the road surface 10m away, for example, from the perspective of a subject with a height of 170cm, the image is observed as a 600mm square image 10m away. At this time, if the naked eye's visual acuity is 0.1 or above, a size of 30mm or more 10m away can be recognized, so it can be seen that a display with a fineness of 16×16 or more required for text display can be achieved.

[0144] Figure 36 An example of a process flow for implementing image projection on the road surface based on the above viewpoint is shown. In the figure, first, when a road projection ON signal is received (S3601), it is determined whether the image to be projected is displayed in front of the vehicle (S3602).

[0145] If the result of the above judgment is that the image to be displayed is an image displayed in front of the vehicle ("Yes"), the inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the vehicle is then detected (S3603). Then, it is determined whether the size of the image to be projected in front of the vehicle is greater than the inter-vehicle distance detected above (S3604). If the result is that the image size is greater than the inter-vehicle distance ("Yes"), the road projection of the image is stopped (OFF) (S3605). If it is less than the inter-vehicle distance ("No"), the road projection of the image is executed (ON) (S3606).

[0146] On the other hand, if the result of the above determination (S3602) is that the image to be displayed is an image displayed behind the vehicle ("No"), the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle behind and the vehicle is detected (S3607). Then, a determination is made as to whether the size of the image to be projected behind the vehicle is greater than the inter-vehicle distance detected above (S3608). If the result is that the image size is greater than the inter-vehicle distance ("Yes"), the projection of the image on the road surface is stopped (OFF) (S3609). If it is less than the inter-vehicle distance ("No"), the projection of the image on the road surface is continued (ON) (S3510).

[0147] In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiments, as an image inserted into the projected image for detecting the deflection of the road surface or for detecting obstacles, a grid pattern, a rectangular image, or a simple rectangular frame is described. In this case, it is preferable to use light in a wavelength band centered around a wavelength of 1.4 μm in the light of the spectral intensity called "AM1.5". This is because a portion of the wavelength components of sunlight outside the atmosphere are absorbed by components in the atmosphere and cannot reach the ground. In the spectral intensity called "AM1.5", a portion of its spectral components are reduced or removed, and in particular, the intensity of light in a wavelength band centered around a wavelength of 1.4 μm in the near-infrared region is approximately zero (0). That is, on the ground where the vehicle is traveling, the sunlight does not contain the above-mentioned AM1.5 light. That is, by using this light, it is possible to stably obtain road surface condition information without being affected by sunlight.

[0148] In addition, for the correction of the brightness of the projected image described above, the following reference Figure 37 In addition, similarly to the above, the processing of the flowchart of this figure is performed by the above Figure 4 The CPU (central processing unit) 41 of the light distribution control ECU 40 shown in the figure may be used for implementation.

[0149] First, after receiving a road projection ON signal (S3701), an image for detecting road illumination is projected onto the road surface (S3702). This image for detecting road illumination is the aforementioned all-white display image (an image containing R, G, and B colors). Furthermore, during this all-white display, the unevenness (so-called deviation) of road illumination is detected based on the image captured by the camera (S3703). The detected deviation (or individual values) of illumination are then compared with a predetermined threshold (S3704).

[0150] If the comparison results in a deviation in illuminance greater than the threshold ("YES"), a further determination is made as to whether the deviation in illuminance is greater than a limit value (S3705). The limit value is the limit of the range within which the light source of the image projection device can be corrected. If the deviation is greater than the limit value ("YES"), projection of the image onto the road surface is stopped (OFF) (S3706).

[0151] When it is judged that the value is less than the limit value ("No"), the illumination correction of the image to be projected onto the road surface is performed (S3707), and then the road surface projection of the image is performed (ON) (S3708) in the same way as when the illumination deviation is less than the threshold value in the above comparison (S3704).

[0152] According to the above embodiments, an image that is easily visible and highly recognizable can be obtained, thereby reliably and clearly projecting the image intended by the driver onto the road surface. Furthermore, by using solid color patterns of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) instead of the previously described image for road illumination detection, brightness correction of the projected image (e.g., sequentially) can be performed. This allows for the detection of color deviations in each color, thereby also enabling color correction.

[0153] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments but also includes various variations. For example, the aforementioned embodiments describe the entire system in detail to facilitate understanding of the present invention, but are not limited to the entirety of the described configuration. Furthermore, a portion of the configuration of one embodiment may be replaced with a configuration of another embodiment, and a configuration of another embodiment may be added to a configuration of one embodiment. Furthermore, a portion of the configuration of each embodiment may be added, deleted, or replaced with another configuration.

[0154] Description of Reference Numerals

[0155] 10...Own vehicle (passenger car), 10'...Other vehicle, 11...Headlight, 12...Window, 13, 13'...Taillight, 14...Sideview mirror, 40...Light distribution control ECU, 51...Direction indicator sensor, 52...Steering wheel angle sensor, 53...Shift position sensor, 54...Vehicle speed sensor, 55...Accelerator operation sensor, 56...Brake operation sensor, 57...Illumination sensor, 58...Chroma sensor, 59...Engine start sensor, 60...Hazard warning light sensor, 61...Camera, 62...Image processing unit, 63...GPS signal Receiving unit, 64…map information output unit, 66…headlight sensor, 67…high / low sensor, 68…door handle sensor, 69…door lock sensor, 70…human body sensor, 71…transmission sensor, 100…projector, 110…projection signal output unit, 120…control unit, 500…image projection device, 501…projection optical system, 502…display element, 503…display element driving unit, 504…illumination optical system, 505…light source, 531…image signal input unit, 533…sound signal input unit, 532…communication unit.

Claims

1. A vehicle, characterized in that: include: an information acquisition unit for acquiring information to be displayed; and an image projection unit that projects an image based on the information to be displayed acquired by the information acquisition unit, The image projection unit detects the state of the road surface by performing image processing based on the image output obtained from the camera installed on the vehicle. The image projection unit switches the skew correction processing of the projected image ON and OFF according to the speed of the vehicle. When the speed of the vehicle is above a set speed, the skew correction processing of the image is turned OFF. When the vehicle is stopped or the driving speed is lower than the set speed, the image is skew corrected according to the detected road surface state.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The image projection unit displays an image corrected based on the shape and / or reflectivity of the road surface detected from the imaging output.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The image projection unit projects a projection image into which an image for detecting the road width is inserted, and the projection image is photographed by a camera installed on the vehicle. The image is projected when it is determined, based on a comparison between the width of the projection image and the width of the driving lane, that the road width is sufficient to display the projection image; and the image is not projected when it is determined that the road width is insufficient to display the projection image.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that: The image projection unit sets a shorter distance between the vehicle and the image projection position in a narrow alley and a longer distance between the vehicle and the image projection position in a wide road based on the detection result of the imaging output.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that: The image projection unit detects the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and other vehicles traveling ahead of the vehicle using the camera, projects the image when it is determined that a sufficient inter-vehicle distance is ensured, and does not project the image when it is determined that a sufficient inter-vehicle distance cannot be ensured.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that: The image projection unit projects an image with a grid pattern inserted therein, compares the projected image with an actual image using a camera to detect whether there is an obstacle, and hides or reduces the image display according to the detected obstacle.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: The image projection unit inserts the road width / obstacle detection image into the projection image and projects it onto the road surface. Using the camera to shoot an image projected onto the road surface, determining whether the width of the projected image is greater than the width of the road, If it is determined that the width of the projected image is smaller than the width of the road, the image captured by the camera is used to determine whether there is an obstacle on the road surface. When it is determined that there is no obstacle on the road surface, the image is projected onto the road surface. When it is determined that an obstacle exists on the road surface, and when it is determined that the display can be performed while avoiding the obstacle, the projection position on the road surface is changed, and the image is projected onto the road surface.

Images