Vehicle display device

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle display device (100) for displaying information to a passenger in a driver's seat of a vehicle (1), comprising: a camera (5) for capturing a scene in front of the moving vehicle (1); a display (4) disposed opposite the driver's seat and extending in the vehicle width direction; and a display control unit (13) configured to display an image of the scene in front of the moving vehicle (1) on the display (4). The display control unit (13) controls the display (4) so that a predetermined element is removed from the image of the scene in front of the moving vehicle (1) until the passenger determines a destination of the vehicle (1), and the image captured by the camera (5) is directly displayed when the passenger determines a destination.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle display device that displays information to an occupant of a driver's seat of the vehicle. Background Art

[0002] As such a device, a device that displays the entire route from the vehicle's departure point to the destination, as well as recommended stop information, on a display unit of a vehicle navigation device is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The device described in Patent Document 1 recommends stops based on pre-set recommended facilities and pre-identified user preferences during route guidance to a destination set by the user via an input unit.

[0003] In recent years, vehicles equipped with advanced driving assistance systems such as automatic driving have become increasingly popular. In such vehicles, it is preferred to convey various information to the occupant of the driver's seat, who is the main user of the vehicle, via a video screen on a display in order to improve convenience.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-159996 (JP 2014-159996 A). Summary of the Invention

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle display device for displaying information to a passenger in the driver's seat of a vehicle. The device comprises: a camera for capturing a scene ahead of the moving vehicle; a display disposed opposite the driver's seat and extending in the vehicle width direction; and a display control unit configured to display an image of the scene ahead of the moving vehicle on the display. The display control unit controls the display so that predetermined elements are removed from the image of the scene ahead of the moving vehicle until the passenger determines a destination. When the passenger determines a destination, the image captured by the camera is displayed as is. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be further clarified through the following description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0009] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing an example of a configuration around an instrument panel of a vehicle to which the vehicle display device according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0010] Figure 2 This is a block diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of a vehicle display device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 3 This indicates that no destination has been decided. Figure 1 and Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of a display.

[0012] Figure 4 This indicates that no destination has been decided. Figure 1 and Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing another example of a display screen of a display.

[0013] Figure 5 After the destination is determined, Figure 1 and Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of a display.

[0014] Figure 6 This indicates that the destination has been decided. Figure 1 and Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of a display.

[0015] Figure 7 It shows the following Figure 6 The display screen Figure 1 and Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of a display.

[0016] Figure 8 This is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the vehicle display device according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The following reference Figures 1 to 8 The embodiments of the present invention will now be described. The vehicle display device according to the embodiments of the present invention can be used in vehicles having a driver's seat, particularly vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance functions such as autonomous driving. Such vehicles include not only vehicles that operate solely in an autonomous driving mode that does not require driver input, but also vehicles that operate in both an autonomous driving mode and a manual driving mode in which the driver performs driving operations.

[0018] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a structure around an instrument panel 1a of a vehicle 1 to which a vehicle display device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. Figure 1 As shown, an instrument panel 1 a is arranged at the front of the vehicle interior, and is provided with an instrument display 2 , rearview mirror displays 3R, 3L, and an information display (hereinafter referred to as “display”) 4 .

[0019] The meter display 2 is arranged on the instrument panel 1a at the driver's seat ( Figure 1In the example, the right side in the vehicle width direction is opposite the instrument panel 1a and displays information related to the vehicle status, such as vehicle speed. Mirror displays 3L and 3R are located on the instrument panel 1a at the left and right ends in the vehicle width direction, respectively, and display images corresponding to the left and right rearview mirrors reflecting the left and right rearward directions of the vehicle 1. Display 4 is located on the instrument panel 1a near the center in the vehicle width direction between the meter display 2 and mirror display 3L, extending in the vehicle width direction, and displays various information to the occupants.

[0020] The vehicle 1 is also equipped with an external camera 5 and a positioning unit 6. The external camera 5 has an imaging element for capturing the scene in front of the moving vehicle 1. The positioning unit 6 receives positioning signals sent from GPS satellites, quasi-zenith satellites, etc., and determines the current position of the vehicle 1 based on the received positioning signals ( Figure 2 ). In addition, an input unit 7 (such as a microphone for receiving voice input from the occupant of the driver's seat and a touch panel for receiving operation input) is provided near the driver's seat of the dashboard 1a of the vehicle 1. Figure 2 ).

[0021] Various information is displayed on the display 4 in response to commands input from the occupant via the input unit 7. For example, a navigation screen is displayed for setting the destination of the vehicle 1 or providing route guidance to the set destination, and a video call screen is displayed for performing video chats using an Internet connection or video calls using a telephone line. The following describes in particular the display screen related to setting the destination.

[0022] Figure 2 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the overall structure of the vehicle display device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle display device 100 includes a display 4, an exterior camera 5, a positioning unit 6, an input unit 7, a communication unit 8, and a controller 10. The communication unit 8 is configured to communicate with the outside of the vehicle via a wireless communication network, typically the Internet or a mobile phone network. This network includes not only public wireless communication networks but also closed communication networks established for each designated management area, such as wireless LANs, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0023] The controller 10 is comprised of a computer having a computing unit 11, such as a CPU (central processing unit), a storage unit 12, such as a ROM (read-only memory) and a RAM (random access memory), and other peripheral circuits (not shown), such as an I / O (input / output) interface. The storage unit 12 stores various control programs, information such as thresholds used in the programs, and highly accurate and detailed road map information (high-precision map information) for autonomous driving. This high-precision map information includes: road location information, road shape information (such as curvature), road slope information, location information of intersections and forks, the type and location of dividing lines such as white lines, information on the number of lanes, lane widths, and the location of each lane (including lane center positions and lane boundary information), location information of landmarks (such as traffic lights, signs, and buildings) that serve as markers on the map, and road surface condition information such as road surface irregularities. The computing unit 11 includes a display control unit 13, which controls the display 4, as a functional component.

[0024] In response to a passenger's command input via the input unit 7 , the display control unit 13 controls the display 4 to display an image of a scene ahead of the traveling vehicle 1 based on a signal from the exterior camera 5 and a program stored in the storage unit 12 .

[0025] Figure 3 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen D1 of the display 4 when the destination of the vehicle 1 has not been determined. Figure 3 As shown, the display control unit 13 controls the display 4 so that an agent image 40 representing an AI (artificial intelligence) agent providing various services to the driver's seat occupant, the primary user of vehicle 1, is displayed at the right end of the display 4 closest to the driver's seat in the vehicle width direction. The AI agent provides services tailored to the user's preferences based on pre-registered user information and user information acquired in response to user instructions. For example, it recommends in-vehicle content such as music tailored to the user's preferences, the vehicle's destination, and the route it is traveling, and can even mediate video calls with other users.

[0026] The driver of the vehicle 1 may aim to reach a specific destination or enjoy driving itself. In some cases, the driver may decide on a specific destination while driving. The display control unit 13 controls the display 4 to remove specified elements from the image of the scene in front of the moving vehicle 1 until the driver decides on the destination of the vehicle 1. Figure 3 In this example, small structures such as trees and houses around the road are omitted from the scene ahead and displayed. Also, the textures and colors of large structures such as high-rise buildings and overpasses are omitted and displayed. Furthermore, the saturation of the entire displayed image is reduced.

[0027] Figure 4 This figure shows another example of the display screen of the display 4 when the destination of the vehicle 1 has not been determined. It shows a display screen D2 when the desired area to go to or the desired activities such as eating, relaxing, etc. at the destination have been determined. In other words, it shows a display screen D2 when the directionality of the destination such as the area including the destination or the category of the destination such as a restaurant, leisure facility, etc. has been determined. Figure 4 As shown, compared with the display screen D1 ( Figure 3 ), small-scale structures such as trees and houses around the road are additionally displayed in the display screen D2, and the entire display image is displayed with a higher chromaticity than the display screen D1.

[0028] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, an image obtained by removing specified elements from the actual scene ahead of the vehicle can be generated based on, for example, image information from the off-board camera 5 and high-precision map information stored in the storage unit 12. Specifically, the high-precision map information for autonomous driving is annotated with the types of map elements such as the road surface, dividing lines, and structures surrounding the road. Therefore, the display and non-display of each element can be switched, and its color can be changed, based on this high-precision map information.

[0029] By simplifying the screen display on the display 4 until the passenger has decided on a destination, the passenger can be relieved of the need to rush to decide on a destination, thereby preventing the passenger's attention from being distracted by looking at the actual scenery outside the vehicle or thinking about where they want to go. Furthermore, when deciding on a desired area or what they want to do at their destination, by increasing the number of elements displayed on the screen and increasing the color saturation, an appropriate amount of information can be displayed that matches the passenger's emotions during the process of deciding on a destination.

[0030] Figure 5 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen D3 of the display 4 after the destination of the vehicle 1 is determined. Figure 5 As shown, the display control unit 13 controls the display 4 so that when the occupant determines a destination, the image captured by the vehicle exterior camera 5 is directly displayed and a bubble graphic 41 indicating the location of the destination is displayed superimposed on the scene in front of the vehicle.

[0031] Figure 6 and Figure 7 4 is a diagram showing an example of display screens D4 and D5 of the display 4 when the destination is determined. Figure 6As shown, the display control unit 13 controls the display 4 so that, when the passenger determines a destination, a bird's-eye view image of the destination is displayed from a predetermined height above the vehicle 1 (e.g., directly above the current position of the vehicle 1). Specifically, the display 4 is controlled to display a bird's-eye view image of the destination area from a virtual viewpoint at a predetermined height above the vehicle 1. Furthermore, the display 4 is controlled to display a bubble graphic 41 indicating the location of the destination and a route image 42 indicating the route to the destination, superimposed on the bird's-eye view image. This display allows the passenger to easily recognize the distance to the destination, thereby increasing their anticipation for the destination they have determined.

[0032] After that, the display control unit 13 controls the display 4 to make the screen display transition in such a way that the virtual viewpoint of the bird's-eye view image gradually descends from a predetermined height. When the virtual viewpoint reaches the ground, as shown in FIG. Figure 7 As shown, the image captured by the vehicle exterior camera 5 is directly displayed. Figure 6 The display screen D4 is displayed for a time corresponding to the prescribed height while the height of the virtual viewpoint is lowered. Figure 7 The predetermined height is set so that the destination determined by the occupant is within the field of view of the bird's-eye view, that is, based on the distance from the current position of the vehicle 1 to the destination.

[0033] It should be noted that when the distance from the current location to the destination is less than a predetermined distance, the display control unit 13 controls the display 4 to directly display the image of the scene ahead of the vehicle captured by the exterior camera 5, instead of the bird's-eye view image. Furthermore, the display 4 is controlled to display a bubble graphic 41 indicating the location of the destination and a route image 42 indicating the route to the destination, superimposed on the image of the scene ahead of the vehicle. If the current location is very close to the destination, for example, if the destination is within the image ahead of the vehicle captured by the exterior camera 5, there is no need to switch to the bird's-eye view image; the bubble graphic 41 and route image 42 are displayed superimposed on the image ahead of the vehicle captured by the exterior camera 5.

[0034] like Figure 6 The bird's-eye view image shown can be created based on, for example, the current position of the vehicle 1 measured by the positioning unit 6 and image information from satellite images acquired from the outside via the communication unit 8. Alternatively, the image information can be generated based on high-precision map information stored in the storage unit 12, instead of satellite image information. By using high-precision map information for autonomous driving, which is updated frequently, a bird's-eye view image can be generated that is more closely aligned with the actual situation ahead of the vehicle.

[0035] Figure 8This is a flowchart showing an example of processing performed by the vehicle display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The processing shown in this flowchart starts when a passenger sits in the driver's seat of the vehicle 1 and the AI agent starts providing a service, and is repeated at a predetermined cycle. Figure 8 As shown, first in S1 (S: processing step), it is determined whether the destination has been determined. When S1 is positive (S1: yes), it enters S2 and controls the display 4 to display the display screen D3 ( Figure 5 On the other hand, when S1 is negative (S1: No), the process proceeds to S3 to determine whether the directionality of the destination is determined. When S3 is positive (S3: Yes), the process proceeds to S4 to control the display 4 to display the display screen D2 ( Figure 4 On the other hand, when S3 is negative (S3: No), the process proceeds to S5, and the display 4 is controlled to display the display screen D1 ( Figure 3 ) to end the processing.

[0036] The present embodiment can achieve the following effects.

[0037] (1) The vehicle display device 100 displays information to the occupant of the driver's seat of the vehicle 1. The vehicle display device 100 includes: an exterior camera 5 that captures the scene in front of the moving vehicle 1; a display 4 that faces the driver's seat and extends in the vehicle width direction; and a display control unit 13 that is configured to display an image of the scene in front of the moving vehicle 1 on the display 4 ( Figure 2 The display control unit 13 controls the display 4 so that the image of the scene in front of the traveling vehicle 1 is displayed without predetermined elements until the occupant determines the destination of the vehicle 1, and the image captured by the external camera 5 is directly displayed when the occupant determines the destination.

[0038] This allows for appropriate display of information ahead of the vehicle 1 to the occupant in the driver's seat of the vehicle 1. Specifically, a concise display is provided until the destination is determined, and a detailed display is provided once the destination is determined. This allows for display of an image with an appropriate amount of information to suit the occupant's emotions during the process of determining the destination.

[0039] (2) The display control unit 13 controls the display 4 so that when the passenger decides on a destination, a bird's-eye view of the highlighted destination, viewed from a predetermined height above the vehicle 1, is displayed for a period of time corresponding to the predetermined height, and then the image captured by the exterior camera 5 is directly displayed. This allows the passenger to easily recognize the distance to the destination and can display the destination in a manner that increases their anticipation for the destination.

[0040] (3) The predetermined altitude is set based on the distance from the current position of the vehicle 1 to the destination. Therefore, the entire route from the current position to the destination can be displayed in a natural bird's-eye view image.

[0041] (4) The display control unit 13 controls the display 4 so that, when the distance from the current position to the destination is less than a predetermined distance, the image captured by the vehicle exterior camera 5 is displayed, instead of the bird's-eye view image, with the destination highlighted. For example, if the image in front of the vehicle captured by the vehicle exterior camera 5 includes the destination, the destination is highlighted in the image in front of the vehicle captured by the vehicle exterior camera 5 without switching to the bird's-eye view image. Therefore, the sense of distance to the destination can be appropriately expressed.

[0042] (5) The vehicle display device 100 further includes a storage unit 12 that stores high-precision map information for automatic driving of the vehicle 1 ( Figure 2 The bird's-eye view image is generated based on the high-precision map information stored in the storage unit 12. By using high-precision map information for automatic driving that is updated frequently, a bird's-eye view image that is more consistent with the actual situation in front of the vehicle can be generated.

[0043] In the above embodiment, Figure 1 The specific example of the display 4 is shown in FIG. 1 , but the display may be in any form as long as it is arranged facing the driver's seat and extending in the vehicle width direction. Figure 3 and Figure 4 Although specific examples of the display screens D1 and D2 when the destination has not been determined are described in the foregoing, the image in which predetermined elements are removed from the image of the scene ahead of the traveling vehicle is not limited to this.

[0044] One or more of the above-described embodiments and modifications may be arbitrarily combined, and modifications may be combined with each other.

[0045] According to the present invention, information can be appropriately displayed to an occupant of a driver's seat of a vehicle.

[0046] While the present invention has been described above in conjunction with preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims set forth below.

Claims

1. A vehicle display device (100) for displaying information to a passenger in a driver's seat of a vehicle (1), characterized in that: have: a camera (5) for capturing a scene in front of the moving vehicle (1); a display (4) disposed opposite to the driver's seat and extending in the vehicle width direction; as well as a display control unit (13) configured to display an image of a scene ahead of the traveling vehicle (1) on the display (4); The display control unit (13) controls the display (4) so as to remove predetermined elements from the image of the scene in front of the traveling vehicle (1) until the passenger determines the destination of the vehicle (1), and directly display the image captured by the camera (5) when the passenger determines the destination. The display control unit (13) controls the display (4) so that when the passenger decides on the destination, an image of a bird's-eye view of the destination highlighted and overlooked from a specified height above the vehicle (1) is displayed for a length of time corresponding to the specified height, and then the image captured by the camera (5) is directly displayed.

2. The vehicle display device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The predetermined height is set based on the distance from the current position of the vehicle (1) to the destination.

3. The vehicle display device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The display control unit (13) controls the display (4) so that when the distance from the position of the vehicle (1) to the destination is less than a predetermined distance, the image captured by the camera (5) is displayed in a state where the destination is highlighted instead of the image of the bird's-eye view.

4. The vehicle display device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: It also includes a storage unit (12) that stores high-precision map information for automatic driving of the vehicle (1). The bird's-eye view image is generated based on high-precision map information stored in the storage unit (12).

5. The vehicle display device (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes a storage unit (12) that stores high-precision map information for automatic driving of the vehicle (1). The bird's-eye view image is generated based on high-precision map information stored in the storage unit (12).

6. The vehicle display device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a storage unit (12) that stores high-precision map information for automatic driving of the vehicle (1) with annotations of the types of elements constituting the map. The display control unit (13) controls the display (4) so that, until the destination of the vehicle (1) is determined by the occupant, the image of the scene in front of the moving vehicle (1) is displayed with predetermined elements removed based on the high-precision map information stored in the storage unit (12).

7. The vehicle display device (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that: The display control unit (13) controls the display (4) so that, when the occupant has not determined the destination of the vehicle (1) but has only determined the directionality of the destination, the display is displayed in a first manner in which elements specified in an image of a scene in front of the moving vehicle (1) are displayed; and, when the occupant has not determined the destination of the vehicle (1) and the directionality of the destination, the display is displayed in a second manner in which more elements than those in the first manner are removed from the image of the scene in front of the moving vehicle (1).

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