Display control device for vehicle, display method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having display program recorded

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a display control device for a vehicle, a display method, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium on which a display program is recorded. The display control device for a vehicle according to the present disclosure is configured to detect an object in front of a vehicle, set an apparent angle of a sign with respect to a reference plane related to a road surface on which the vehicle is traveling, based on a distance between the object and the vehicle, and cause the sign to be displayed in a manner that overlaps the object when viewed from a driver of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a display control device for vehicles, a display method, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing a display program. Background Technology

[0002] Technology relating to a display device for vehicles is disclosed in International Publication No. WO2017 / 046937. In this display device for vehicles, during the operation of automatic cruise control, a follow mark is displayed on the head-up display overlapping with other vehicles that are being followed (targets) by the vehicle.

[0003] However, in International Publication WO2017 / 046937, the following mark decreases as the distance between the vehicle and other vehicles decreases, and increases as the distance between the vehicle and other vehicles increases. As a result, in International Publication WO2017 / 046937, from the driver's perspective, the distance between the vehicle and other vehicles is disproportionate to the size of the following mark. Therefore, it can be considered that the driver of the vehicle has difficulty perceiving the distance between the vehicle and other vehicles. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a vehicle display control device, display method, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing a display program that allows the driver to easily perceive the distance between the vehicle and a target.

[0005] The first aspect provides a display control device for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle display control device includes: a memory; and a processor connected to the memory, the processor being configured to: detect a target in front of the vehicle, set an apparent angle of an indicator relative to a reference plane related to the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling based on the distance between the target and the vehicle, and display the indicator in a manner that overlaps with the target from the driver's perspective.

[0006] According to the first configuration, the processor detects targets in front of the vehicle. Furthermore, the processor displays the marker in a manner that overlaps with the target from the driver's perspective.

[0007] If the sign displays the same regardless of the distance between the vehicle and the target, it can be assumed that the driver has difficulty judging the distance between the vehicle and the target.

[0008] In this embodiment, the processor sets the apparent angle of the marker relative to a reference plane related to the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling, based on the distance between the target and the vehicle, so that the driver of the vehicle can infer the distance between the target and the vehicle based on this angle.

[0009] The second aspect is the vehicle display control device according to the first aspect, wherein the processor is configured to: set the reference plane to the road surface, set the apparent angle to an indicator angle, the indicator angle being a size less than a right angle and being the angle formed by the mark and the road surface, decrease the indicator angle as the distance between the vehicle and the target decreases, and increase the indicator angle as the distance between the vehicle and the target increases.

[0010] According to the second configuration, the processor sets the reference plane to the road surface on which the vehicle travels, and sets the apparent angle of the mark relative to the reference plane to a size that is less than a right angle and the indicator angle formed by the mark and the road surface.

[0011] Furthermore, for the processor, the indicator angle decreases as the distance between the vehicle and the target decreases, and increases as the distance between the vehicle and the target increases. Therefore, in this disclosure, it is possible to suppress factors affecting the visibility of the sign and to represent the distance from the vehicle to the target through the sign.

[0012] The third embodiment of the vehicle display control device according to the second embodiment, wherein the processor is configured to set the indicator angle to a right angle when the distance between the vehicle and the target becomes a predetermined distance or more.

[0013] According to the third form, as described above, the index angle can be reduced as the distance between the vehicle and the target decreases, and the index angle can be increased as the distance between the vehicle and the target increases.

[0014] Without setting a threshold for the distance between the vehicle and the target, if the indicator angle changes according to the distance between the vehicle and the target, the change in the indicator angle relative to the change in distance becomes smaller. This suggests that the driver has difficulty grasping the distance between the vehicle and the target.

[0015] In this configuration, the processor sets the indicator angle to a right angle when the distance between the vehicle and the target becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined distance. Therefore, when the distance between the vehicle and the target is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance, the driver can visually recognize that the distance between the vehicle and the target is greater than or equal to a right angle.

[0016] On the other hand, when the distance between the vehicle and the target does not meet the specified distance, the change in the index angle relative to the change in the distance between the vehicle and the target is ensured so that the driver can easily infer the distance between the target and the vehicle based on the index angle.

[0017] The fourth embodiment is a vehicle display control device according to the second or third embodiment, wherein the processor is configured to continuously change the indicator angle according to the distance between the vehicle and the target.

[0018] According to the fourth configuration, the processor continuously changes the indicator angle based on the distance between the vehicle and the target. Therefore, the driver can intuitively identify the relative speed between the vehicle and the target, and consequently, can easily determine whether the vehicle and target are trending towards each other or moving away.

[0019] The fifth aspect is a vehicle display control device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the processor is configured to: change the size of the sign according to the distance between the vehicle and the target, and set the size of the sign relative to the target to be constant.

[0020] According to the fifth configuration, the processor adjusts the size of the marker based on the distance between the vehicle and the target, while keeping the size of the marker relative to the target constant. Therefore, from the driver's perspective, when the target is far from the vehicle, the marker overlapping with the target is displayed at a smaller size, and when the target is close to the vehicle, the marker overlapping with the target is displayed at a larger size.

[0021] The sixth aspect is a vehicle display control device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the processor is configured to display the mark on a display surface that the driver can visually recognize.

[0022] According to the sixth configuration, the processor displays the sign on a display surface that the vehicle's driver can visually recognize. Therefore, the sign is displayed on the display surface in a manner that overlaps with the target, resulting in the vehicle's driver being able to easily understand the relationship between the target and the sign.

[0023] The seventh aspect is a vehicle display control device according to the sixth aspect, wherein the display surface constitutes part of the head-up display that the driver can visually recognize.

[0024] According to the seventh embodiment, the display surface constitutes part of a head-up display that the driver of the vehicle can visually recognize, so that the driver can confirm the relationship between the sign and the target while looking toward the front of the vehicle.

[0025] The eighth aspect is a vehicle display control device according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the processor is configured to: set the target as a moving body and set the shape of the mark as a frame surrounding the moving body.

[0026] According to the eighth form, the fixed object can be removed from the target. In addition, by setting the shape of the marker to a frame surrounding the moving object, the driver of the vehicle can easily see the moving object.

[0027] The ninth aspect is a display control device for a vehicle according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the processor is configured to: obtain the driving path of the vehicle, set the target at the forward road change position on the driving path, and set the shape of the sign to indicate the driving direction of the vehicle.

[0028] According to the ninth configuration, the processor obtains the vehicle's driving path, sets the target at a road change location on the driving path, and sets the shape of the marker to indicate the vehicle's direction of travel. Therefore, the driver can identify the road change location on the driving path through the marker and can determine the direction of travel at the road change location by observing the marker. Furthermore, the apparent angle of the marker relative to a reference plane changes based on the distance between the road change location and the vehicle, allowing the driver to gauge the distance between the road change location and the vehicle.

[0029] The tenth aspect provides a display method for a vehicle, wherein a processor detects a target in front of the vehicle, sets the apparent angle of an indicator relative to a reference plane related to the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling based on the distance between the target and the vehicle, and displays the indicator in a manner that overlaps with the target from the driver's perspective.

[0030] According to the 10th configuration, a target in front of the vehicle is detected, and the apparent angle of the marker relative to a reference plane related to the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling is set based on the distance between the target and the vehicle. Furthermore, the marker is displayed in a manner that overlaps with the target from the driver's perspective. Therefore, the driver can infer the distance between the target and the vehicle based on the apparent angle of the marker relative to the reference plane.

[0031] The 11th aspect provides a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording a display program, wherein the display program causes a computer to perform the following processing: detecting a target in front of a vehicle, setting an apparent angle of an indicator relative to a reference plane related to the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling, based on the distance between the target and the vehicle, and displaying the indicator in a manner that overlaps with the target from the driver's perspective.

[0032] According to the 11th form, which is the same as the form described in the 10th form, the driver of the vehicle can infer the distance between the target and the vehicle based on the apparent angle of the mark relative to the reference plane.

[0033] With respect to the vehicle display control device, display method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing the display program disclosed herein, the distance between the vehicle and the target can be easily grasped from the driver's perspective. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a diagram viewed from the rear of the vehicle, showing an example of the structure around the driver's seat of a vehicle equipped with the vehicle display control device according to this embodiment.

[0035] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware structure of a vehicle equipped with the vehicle display control device according to this embodiment.

[0036] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional structure of the CPU in the vehicle display control device according to this embodiment.

[0037] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the display of an identifier relative to a moving target by the vehicle display control device according to this embodiment.

[0038] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the display processing of an identifier relative to a moving target performed by the vehicle display control device according to this embodiment.

[0039] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a sign displayed by a vehicle display control device according to this embodiment relative to a fixed target at a distance greater than or equal to that of the vehicle.

[0040] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the display of a marker relative to a fixed target when a vehicle is approaching a fixed target, as described in this embodiment of the vehicle display control device.

[0041] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing a moving target by a vehicle display control device according to this embodiment.

[0042] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing of a fixed target performed by the vehicle display control device according to this embodiment.

[0043] Figure 10 This is a simplified diagram illustrating the structure of a vehicle display device according to a variation of this embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The following uses Figures 1-10An example of an embodiment of the vehicle display control device disclosed herein will be described. The "vehicle display control device 10" (hereinafter referred to as display control device 10) involved in this embodiment constitutes part of the vehicle display device 14 (hereinafter referred to as display device 14) mounted on the "vehicle 12".

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, vehicle 12 is a right-hand drive vehicle, and a seat for the driver is arranged on the right side of the front side of the vehicle compartment 16 in the vehicle width direction.

[0046] Moreover, as well as Figure 2 As shown, in addition to the display control device 10, the display device 14 also includes a vehicle navigation ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 18 (hereinafter referred to as ECU18), an autonomous driving ECU 20 (hereinafter referred to as ECU20), and a "head-up display 22".

[0047] In detail, the ECU 18 is communicatively connected to the display control device 10 and is capable of controlling the vehicle navigation system. The ECU 18 is electrically connected to a GPS (Global Positioning System) device 30 and a central display 32. Furthermore, the ECU 18 can set a driving route to a predetermined destination based on input from the driver.

[0048] GPS device 30 is a device for determining the current position of vehicle 12 and is equipped with an antenna for receiving signals from GPS satellites. Furthermore, GPS device 30 can also be directly connected to display control device 10.

[0049] The central display 32 is an LCD screen, located in the center of the dashboard 34, situated on the vehicle-wide side in front of the seats. This central display 32 can display a map M and a marker P indicating the current location of the vehicle 12 obtained by the GPS device 30 (see reference). Figure 10 ).

[0050] On the other hand, the ECU20 is communicatively connected to the display control device 10 and is able to control the autonomous driving system. External sensors 36 and drive actuators 38 are electrically connected to the ECU20.

[0051] In detail, the external sensors 36 are a group of sensors used for detecting the surrounding environment of the vehicle 12. These external sensors 36 include, for example, an external camera that captures images within a defined range, a millimeter-wave radar that transmits probe waves within a defined range, and a lidar (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) system that scans a defined range. Furthermore, the data acquired by the external sensors 36 is transmitted to the display control unit 10 via the ECU 20. Alternatively, the external sensors 36 can be directly connected to the display control unit 10.

[0052] The drive actuator 38 includes a steering actuator, a brake actuator, and a power unit actuator. Furthermore, the steering actuator is configured to include a motor and drive the steering control device based on a signal output from the ECU 20. During automatic driving, the control performed by the ECU 20 is reflected in the steering angle of the steering wheel.

[0053] The brake actuator is configured to include a motor and drive the brake device based on a signal output from the ECU 20, so that the control performed by the ECU 20 is reflected in the braking of the vehicle 12 during automatic driving.

[0054] The power unit actuator is configured to include a motor and drive the power unit based on signals output from the ECU 20. During autonomous driving, the control performed by the ECU 20 is reflected in the drive of the vehicle 12. Furthermore, when a vehicle ahead is traveling on the side in front of the vehicle 12, the ECU 20, external sensors 36, and drive actuator 38 can function as an automatic cruise control system.

[0055] On the other hand, the head-up display 22 is communicatively connected to the display control device 10 and includes a "display surface 26" that forms part of the windshield 24 located on the front side of the seat in the vehicle, a projection device 28 that projects a specified image onto the display surface 26, and an adjustment actuator 40 that adjusts the projection device 28.

[0056] In detail, the projection device 28 projects light onto the display surface 26 based on a signal output from the display control device 10, thereby generating a virtual image that can be visually recognized by the driver. On the other hand, the adjustment actuator 40 is a drive device for adjusting the angle of the reflector that reflects the light projected from the projection device 28 based on the signal output from the display control device 10 and the relative position of the reflector to the projection device 28.

[0057] Next, the structure of the display control device 10 will be described. The display control device 10 is configured to include a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10A as a hardware processor, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 10B, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 10C, a storage device 10D, a communication I / F (Interface) 10E, and an input / output I / F 10F. Furthermore, the CPU 10A, ROM 10B, RAM 10C, storage device 10D, communication I / F 10E, and input / output I / F 10F are communicatively connected to each other via an internal bus 10G.

[0058] CPU 10A is a central processing unit capable of controlling various devices by loading and executing various programs. Specifically, CPU 10A can read programs from ROM 10B and execute programs using RAM 10C as the working area. Furthermore, by reading and executing the executable program stored in ROM 10B, CPU 10A enables the display control device 10 to perform various functions as described later.

[0059] More specifically, ROM 10B stores various programs and data related to determining the relative relationship between the target and vehicle 12 (described later), controlling the head-up display 22, detecting the driver's line of sight, and generating the imaginary space. On the other hand, RAM 10C can temporarily store programs or data as a working area.

[0060] The storage device 10D is configured to include an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive), capable of storing various data, including the operating system, vehicle shape inference models (described later), and 3D map information models.

[0061] The communication I / F10E is an interface for communication between the display control unit 10 and various devices mounted on the vehicle 12, using a communication standard based on the CAN protocol. Furthermore, the communication I / F10E is connected to ECU 18 and ECU 20 via the external bus 10H.

[0062] The input / output I / F 10F is an interface for communicatively connecting the display control device 10 to various devices mounted on the vehicle 12. Furthermore, the display control device 10, via the input / output I / F 10F, is communicatively connected to the internal sensor 42 and the internal camera 44, in addition to the aforementioned head-up display 22.

[0063] The internal sensor 42 is a group of sensors used to detect the driving status of the vehicle 12, including a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a yaw rate sensor. Furthermore, the data acquired by the internal sensor 42 is stored in the storage device 10D.

[0064] An internal camera 44 is installed on the upper part of the vehicle at the front of the passenger compartment 16, and is capable of capturing an image of the driver's face. The image data captured by the internal camera 44 is sent to the display control device 10.

[0065] Next, use Figure 2 The functional structure of the display control device 10 will be explained. The display control device 10 reads and executes the executable program stored in the ROM 10B via the CPU 10A, thereby functioning as an assembly of the object determination unit 46, the distance measurement unit 48, and the display adjustment unit 50. Furthermore, in this embodiment, through input from the driver, the display state of the head-up display 22 can be changed to one or both of the following modes: distance monitoring mode and driver assistance mode.

[0066] The object determination unit 46 can determine whether an object located in front of the vehicle 12 is a vehicle based on information obtained from the external sensor 36 and a vehicle shape inference model stored in the storage device 10D in the distance monitoring mode. That is, in the distance monitoring mode, the object determination unit 46 can determine whether an object located in front of the vehicle 12 is a vehicle. Figure 4 )" as the target for detection.

[0067] Furthermore, by changing its settings, the object determination unit 46 can also detect moving objects such as pedestrians, two-wheeled vehicles, and balls as targets. On the other hand, in vehicle distance monitoring mode, the object determination unit 46 removes stationary objects such as vehicles that are not moving from the target pool.

[0068] In detail, the vehicle shape inference model stores three-dimensional models of various vehicle types. By inputting information obtained by external cameras and lidar of external sensors 36 into the vehicle shape inference model, the three-dimensional shape of the vehicle that matches the information is output.

[0069] Furthermore, the object determination unit 46 can determine, in driving assistance mode, whether a predetermined location on the driving path is captured in the image obtained by the external camera of the external sensor 36, the driving path of the vehicle 12 obtained from the ECU 18, the location information of the vehicle 12 obtained from the GPS device 30 via the ECU 18, and the three-dimensional map information model stored in the storage device 10D. That is, in driving assistance mode, the object determination unit 46 can detect a predetermined location on the driving path as a target. In addition, in this embodiment, as an example, the predetermined location is set as "forward road change location 54" on the driving path of the vehicle 12.

[0070] The distance measuring unit 48 is capable of measuring the distance between the target and the vehicle 12. Specifically, in distance monitoring mode, the distance measuring unit 48 measures the distance between the vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52 based on data obtained from the external sensor 36. Furthermore, the distance measuring unit 48 can infer the direction of travel of the preceding vehicle 52 based on the change in distance between the preceding vehicle 52 and the vehicle 12 at predetermined intervals (the relative speed between the preceding vehicle 52 and the vehicle 12) and data obtained from the internal sensor 42.

[0071] In addition, in driving assistance mode, the distance measuring unit 48 measures the distance between a specified position on the driving path and the vehicle 12 based on information obtained from the external sensor 36.

[0072] The display adjustment unit 50 controls the head-up display 22 in the vehicle distance monitoring mode, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the "sign 56" can be displayed on the display surface 26 in a manner that overlaps with the preceding vehicle 52, which is visually recognized through the display surface 26 from the driver's perspective.

[0073] The display adjustment unit 50 detects the driver's line of sight based on the image obtained by the internal camera 44, and determines whether the vehicle 12 in front is within the display surface 26 from the driver's perspective based on the line of sight and the positional relationship between the vehicle 12 and the vehicle in front 52 in the aforementioned imaginary space.

[0074] Furthermore, if it is determined that the preceding vehicle 52 is within the display surface 26 from the driver's perspective, the display adjustment unit 50 sets the position of the mark 56 on the display surface 26 to overlap with the preceding vehicle 52 from the driver's perspective, and displays the mark 56 on the display surface 26. On the other hand, if the display adjustment unit 50 determines that the preceding vehicle 52 is not within the display surface 26 from the driver's perspective, the display adjustment unit 50 does not display the mark 56 on the display surface 26.

[0075] In detail, the display adjustment unit 50 can generate an imaginary space centered on the vehicle 12 based on the location information of the vehicle 12 obtained from the GPS device 30, the three-dimensional map information model stored in the storage device 10D, and the three-dimensional information of the front vehicle 52 obtained from the vehicle shape inference model stored in the storage device 10D.

[0076] Furthermore, the display adjustment unit 50 sets the shape of the sign 56 in the imaginary space to be a rectangular frame that surrounds the shape of the front vehicle 52 when viewed from the rear of the vehicle. Additionally, as... Figure 5 As shown, the display adjustment unit 50 rotates the sign 56 around a straight line L2 in the imaginary space according to the distance between the vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52. The straight line L2 passes through the intersection of the straight line L1, which passes through the rear end of the preceding vehicle 52 (the rear end in the direction of travel) and is orthogonal to the imaginary road surface 58 when viewed from the vehicle width direction of the preceding vehicle 52, and extends in the vehicle width direction of the preceding vehicle 52.

[0077] In detail, the display adjustment unit 50 continuously changes the "index angle θ", which is the angle formed by the marker 56 and the imaginary road surface 58 when the front vehicle 52 is viewed from the vehicle width direction, in the imaginary space according to the distance between the vehicle 12 and the front vehicle 52.

[0078] The indicator angle θ is a value less than a right angle, and it decreases as the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52 decreases, and increases as the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52 increases. Furthermore, when the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52 becomes a predetermined distance or greater (for example, 100m or more), the display adjustment unit 50 sets the indicator angle θ to a right angle. Conversely, when the preceding vehicle 52 is immediately in front of vehicle 12, the display adjustment unit 50 sets the indicator angle θ to 0 degrees.

[0079] Furthermore, the display adjustment unit 50 changes the size of the mark 56 displayed on the display surface 26 according to the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52. When the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52 is constant, the head-up display 22 is controlled in such a way that the size of the mark 56 on the display surface 26 relative to the preceding vehicle 52 remains constant. Alternatively, the aforementioned controls can be performed using the time between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52 as an indicator, instead of the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52.

[0080] Furthermore, the display adjustment unit 50 sets the apparent angle of the sign 56 relative to the "road surface 60," which serves as the reference plane for the movement of the vehicle 12, the preceding vehicle 52, and the sign 56 within the aforementioned imaginary space, and reflects the driver's line of sight detected by the internal camera 44 onto the sign 56 displayed on the display surface 26. That is, if the driver observes the display surface 26, the angle formed by the road surface 60 and the sign 56 as seen from the driver is the index angle θ. Moreover, regarding the reference plane that serves as the reference for the apparent angle of the sign 56, it can be any plane that is orthogonal to the road surface 60 and extends in the vehicle width direction and the vehicle vertical direction of the vehicle 12, as long as it is related to the road surface 60.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, on the display surface 26, the mark 56 rotates about the vehicle width direction behind the traveling direction of the preceding vehicle 52, therefore... Figure 4 As shown, the distance between the marker 56 and the road surface 60 increases substantially as the vehicle 52 moves forward in the direction of travel.

[0082] Therefore, in this embodiment, the driver can infer the direction of travel of the preceding vehicle 52 by confirming the slope of the sign 56 relative to the road surface 60. For example, when the preceding vehicle 52 is reversing toward the vehicle 12, the driver can confirm that the preceding vehicle 52 is reversing by visually recognizing that the distance between the sign 56 and the road surface 60 increases toward the rear of the preceding vehicle 52.

[0083] On the other hand, in driver assistance mode, the display adjustment unit 50 performs essentially the same control as in distance monitoring mode, such as... Figure 6 As shown, on display surface 26, “sign 62” can be displayed in a manner that overlaps with the position change 54 of the forward road from the driver’s perspective.

[0084] In detail, the display adjustment unit 50 can set the shape of the sign 62 in the aforementioned imaginary space to represent the direction of travel of the vehicle 12 at the forward road change position 54, based on the vehicle 12's travel path, the vehicle 12's position information, and the three-dimensional map information model. Specifically, the shape of the sign 62 is a plurality of triangles whose width decreases as they move forward toward the direction of travel of the vehicle 12 and are connected in that direction.

[0085] Additionally, in driver assistance mode, the size of the sign 62 on display 26 relative to the preceding vehicle 52 and the apparent angle of the sign 62 relative to the road surface 60 are set to be substantially the same as in distance monitoring mode. On the other hand, the difference between driver assistance mode and distance monitoring mode lies in, for example... Figure 7As shown, if vehicle 12 approaches forward road change position 54, then the indicator 62 is set to rotate in the direction of travel of vehicle 12 before reaching forward road change position 54.

[0086] (The function and effects of this implementation method)

[0087] Next, the function and effects of this implementation method will be explained.

[0088] First, the main use Figure 8 The flowchart shown illustrates the control flow involved in the vehicle distance monitoring mode processed by the display control device 10. This control flow is initiated by the CPU 10A of the display control device 10 receiving a predetermined control signal at predetermined intervals.

[0089] If the control flow is started, in "S100", the CPU10A functions as the object determination unit 46 and the distance measurement unit 48, detects the vehicle 52 in front of the vehicle 12, measures the distance between the vehicle 12 and the vehicle 52 in front, and proceeds to S101.

[0090] In step S101, the CPU 10A functions as the display adjustment unit 50, determining whether the vehicle 52 in front is within the display surface 26 from the driver's perspective. If it is determined that the vehicle 52 is within the display surface 26 from the driver's perspective (step S101: Yes), the process proceeds to step S102. Conversely, if it is determined that the vehicle 52 is not within the display surface 26 from the driver's perspective (step S101: No), the CPU 10A terminates the aforementioned control flow.

[0091] In S102, the CPU10A functions as a display adjustment unit 50, setting the apparent angle of the sign 56 relative to the road surface 60 based on the distance between the vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52, and proceeds to S103.

[0092] In S103, the CPU10A functions as the display adjustment unit 50, sets the display position of the mark 56 on the display surface 26, and proceeds to "S104".

[0093] In S104, the CPU10A functions as the display adjustment unit 50, displaying the sign 56 on the display surface 26 based on the apparent angle of the sign 56 set in S102 and the display position of the sign 56 set in S103, and ending the above control flow.

[0094] Next, we will mainly use Figure 9The flowchart shown illustrates the control flow involved in the processing during the driving assistance mode initiated by the display control device 10. This control flow is initiated by the CPU 10A of the display control device 10 receiving predetermined control signals at predetermined intervals.

[0095] If the control flow is started, in "S200", the CPU10A functions as the object determination unit 46, detects the forward road change position 54 as the target and proceeds to S201.

[0096] In S201, the CPU 10A functions as the display adjustment unit 50, determining whether the forward road change position 54 is within the display surface 26 from the driver's perspective. If it is determined that the forward road change position 54 is within the display surface 26 from the driver's perspective (S201: Yes), the process proceeds to S202. Conversely, if it is determined that the forward road change position 54 is not within the display surface 26 from the driver's perspective (S201: No), the CPU 10A terminates the aforementioned control flow.

[0097] In S202, CPU10A functions as a distance measuring unit 48, measuring the distance between vehicle 12 and the forward road change position 54, and then proceeds to "S203".

[0098] In S203, the apparent angle of the sign 62 relative to the road surface 60 is set based on the distance between the vehicle 12 and the forward road change position 54, and then proceeds to S204.

[0099] In S204, the CPU10A functions as the display adjustment unit 50, sets the display position of the mark 62 on the display surface 26, and proceeds to "S205".

[0100] In S205, the CPU10A functions as the display adjustment unit 50, displaying the sign 62 on the display surface 26 based on the apparent angle of the sign 62 set in S203 and the display position of the sign 62 set in S204, and ending the above control flow.

[0101] In addition, in this embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, CPU10A sets the reference plane to the road surface 60 on which vehicle 12 travels, and sets the apparent angle of the mark 56 relative to the reference plane to the index angle θ, which is a size less than a right angle and is formed by the mark 56 and the road surface 60.

[0102] Furthermore, for CPU10A, the indicator angle θ decreases as the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52 decreases, and increases as the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52 increases. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the impact on the visibility of the sign 56, and the distance from vehicle 12 to the preceding vehicle 52 can be represented by the sign 56.

[0103] However, when no threshold is set for the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52, and the index angle θ changes according to the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52, the change in index angle θ relative to the change in distance becomes smaller. It can be considered that the driver has difficulty grasping the sense of distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52.

[0104] In this embodiment, when the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52 becomes a predetermined distance or more, CPU 10A sets the indicator angle θ to a right angle. Therefore, when the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52 is a predetermined distance or more, the driver can visually recognize that the indicator angle θ has become a right angle, thereby recognizing that the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52 is a predetermined distance or more.

[0105] On the other hand, when the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52 is less than the prescribed distance, the change in the index angle θ relative to the change in the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52 is ensured so that the driver can easily infer the distance between the preceding vehicle 52 and vehicle 12 based on the index angle θ.

[0106] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the CPU 10A continuously changes the index angle θ based on the distance between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52. Therefore, the driver can intuitively identify the relative speed between vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52, making it easier for the driver to discern whether vehicle 12 is approaching or moving away from the preceding vehicle 52.

[0107] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the CPU 10A changes the size of the sign 56 according to the distance between the vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 52, and sets the size of the sign 56 relative to the preceding vehicle 52 to be constant. Therefore, from the driver's perspective, when the preceding vehicle 52 is far away from the vehicle 12, the sign 56 overlapping with the preceding vehicle 52 is displayed in a smaller size, and when the preceding vehicle 52 is close to the vehicle 12, the sign 56 overlapping with the preceding vehicle 52 is displayed in a larger size.

[0108] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the CPU 10A displays the sign 56 on the display surface 26, which is visually recognizable by the driver. Therefore, the sign 56 is displayed on the display surface 26 in a manner that overlaps with the preceding vehicle 52, resulting in the driver being able to easily understand the relationship between the preceding vehicle 52 and the sign 56.

[0109] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as... Figure 1 As shown, the display surface 26 forms part of the head-up display 22 that the driver can visually recognize, so that the driver can confirm the relationship between the sign 56 and the vehicle in front 52 while keeping his eyes on the side in front of the vehicle.

[0110] Furthermore, in this embodiment, fixed objects can be removed from the target in the distance monitoring mode. And by setting the shape of the marker 56 to a frame surrounding the vehicle 52 in front, the driver can easily see the vehicle 52 in front.

[0111] In addition, in this embodiment, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, CPU 10A acquires the driving path of vehicle 12, sets the target at the forward road change position 54 on the driving path, and sets the shape of the marker 62 to indicate the direction of travel of vehicle 12. Therefore, the driver can identify the forward road change position 54 on the driving path through the marker 62, and can identify the direction of travel at the forward road change position 54 by observing the marker 62. In addition, the apparent angle change of the marker 62 relative to the road surface 60 varies according to the distance between the forward road change position 54 and vehicle 12, so the driver can grasp the distance between the forward road change position 54 and vehicle 12.

[0112] Thus, from the driver's perspective, the distance between the vehicle 12 and the target can be easily grasped by the display control device 10, the display method, and the non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing the display program of this embodiment.

[0113] <Modifications of the above embodiments>

[0114] In the above-described embodiments, the identifier is displayed on the display surface 26 in such a way that it overlaps with a target that is visually recognizable through the display surface 26 of the windshield 24, but is not limited thereto.

[0115] That is, such as Figure 10 As shown, it can also be configured such that, depending on the specifications of the vehicle 12, the central display 32 functions as a display surface, displaying an image of the foreground of the vehicle 12, including targets captured by the external camera of the external sensor 36, and displaying a sign overlaid on the target in the image. Furthermore, in this case, the apparent angle of the sign is set relative to a predetermined viewpoint, independent of the driver's line of sight.

[0116] <Supplementary Explanation of the Above Embodiments>

[0117] (1) In the above embodiment, the display device 14 is installed in a right-hand drive vehicle, but the position of the display surface 26 can also be adjusted to install the display device 14 in a left-hand drive vehicle.

[0118] (2) In addition, in the above embodiment, the logo is displayed on the display surface 26, but it can also be configured such that the logo is displayed three-dimensionally by a three-dimensional display device equipped with a concave mirror, depending on the specifications of the vehicle 12, etc. Furthermore, the shape of the logo is not limited to the shape described above, and various shapes can be adopted.

[0119] (3) In addition, in the above-described embodiments, the factors referenced in setting the position and apparent angle of the mark displayed on the display surface 26 include the driver's line of sight, but are not limited to this. For example, the position and apparent angle of the mark displayed on the display surface 26 may be set with reference to a reference eye point, depending on the specifications of the vehicle 12, etc.

[0120] (4) Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the CPU 10A reads software (program) to execute various processes, but it is not limited to this. That is, the various processes executed by the CPU 10A can also be executed by various processors other than the CPU. As processors in this case, examples include FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays), PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices) whose circuit structure can be changed after manufacturing, and ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), which are dedicated electronic circuits with circuit structures specifically designed for executing specific processes. Moreover, the above-described processes can be executed by one of these various processors, or by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (e.g., a combination of multiple FPGAs and a CPU with an FPGA). In addition, as hardware structures for these various processors, examples include electronic circuits composed of circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0121] (5) Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the case where the programs involved in various controls are pre-stored (installed) on a computer-readable non-temporary recording medium has been described, but this is not a limitation. For example, the above programs may also be provided as non-temporary recording media such as CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory), and USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. Moreover, the above programs may also be downloaded from an external device via a network.

[0122] (6) In addition, the processing in the above embodiments can be executed not only by one processor, but also by multiple processors working together. Furthermore, the processing flow described in the above embodiments is only an example, and unnecessary steps can be deleted, new steps can be added, and the processing order can be changed without departing from the main idea.

Claims

1. A display control device for a vehicle, wherein, The vehicle display control device includes: Memory; and The processor connected to the memory, The processor is configured as follows: Detect moving objects in front of the vehicle as targets. The apparent angle of the marker relative to the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling is set as an index angle based on the distance between the target and the vehicle. This index angle is a smaller than a right angle and is the angle formed by the marker and the road surface. The index angle decreases as the distance between the vehicle and the target decreases. The indicator angle increases as the distance between the vehicle and the target increases. The shape of the logo is set to a frame that surrounds the moving body. The identifier is displayed in a manner that overlaps with the target from the driver's perspective in the vehicle.

2. The vehicle display control device according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is configured as follows: When the distance between the vehicle and the target becomes greater than a predetermined distance, the indicator angle is set to a right angle.

3. The vehicle display control device according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is configured as follows: The indicator angle is continuously changed based on the distance between the vehicle and the target.

4. The vehicle display control device according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is configured as follows: The size of the sign is changed according to the distance between the vehicle and the target, and the size of the sign relative to the target is set to be constant.

5. The vehicle display control device according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is configured as follows: The logo is displayed on a display surface that the driver can visually recognize.

6. The vehicle display control device according to claim 5, wherein, The display surface forms part of the head-up display that the driver can visually recognize.

7. The vehicle display control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The processor is configured as follows: Obtain the driving path of the vehicle. The target is set at the location of the forward road change on the driving path. The shape of the logo is set to indicate the direction of travel of the vehicle.

8. A display method for a vehicle, wherein, Through the processor, Detect moving objects in front of the vehicle as targets. The apparent angle of the marker relative to the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling is set as an index angle based on the distance between the target and the vehicle. This index angle is a smaller than a right angle and is the angle formed by the marker and the road surface. The index angle decreases as the distance between the vehicle and the target decreases. The indicator angle increases as the distance between the vehicle and the target increases. The shape of the logo is set to a frame that surrounds the moving body, and the logo is displayed in a way that overlaps with the target from the driver's perspective of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle display method according to claim 8, wherein, When the distance between the vehicle and the target becomes greater than a predetermined distance, the indicator angle is set to a right angle.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing a display program, wherein, The display program causes the computer to perform the following processes: Detect moving objects in front of the vehicle as targets. The apparent angle of the marker relative to the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling is set as an index angle based on the distance between the target and the vehicle. This index angle is a smaller than a right angle and is the angle formed by the marker and the road surface. The index angle decreases as the distance between the vehicle and the target decreases. The indicator angle increases as the distance between the vehicle and the target increases. The shape of the logo is set to a frame that surrounds the moving body, and the logo is displayed in a way that overlaps with the target from the driver's perspective of the vehicle.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 10, wherein, The process includes: When the distance between the vehicle and the target becomes greater than a predetermined distance, the indicator angle is set to a right angle.

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