Information presentation device

Abstract

The present invention relates to an information presentation device that allows an occupant to visually recognize a posture that a vehicle may make in the future. An information presentation device (1) provided in a vehicle is configured to include: a road surface shape recognition unit (10) that recognizes a road surface shape in front of the vehicle; a vehicle posture prediction unit (20) that predicts a posture that the vehicle may make when the vehicle passes through the road surface shape recognized by the road surface shape recognition unit; and an image display unit (30, 31) that projects and displays an image of a three-dimensional object (100) representing the vehicle posture predicted by the vehicle posture prediction unit on a front screen (FS) of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information prompting device arranged on a vehicle such as an automobile. Background Art

[0002] As a technology related to an information prompting device mounted on a vehicle, for example, Patent Document 1 describes a vehicle-mounted display system comprising: an image projection unit that projects a light beam including an image having a display object toward one eye of a viewer; and an angle information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle angle information related to at least one angle of a posture and orientation of a vehicle in which the viewer is riding, and at least one of external angle information related to an angle of a background object at a target position of the display object in the external background of the vehicle, wherein the image projection unit changes the angle of the display object in the image according to at least one of the vehicle angle information and the external angle information acquired by the angle information acquisition unit.

[0003] Patent document 2 describes that in a driving assistance device, the ECU is located in an area just above an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal as operating components provided on a vehicle, and outputs driving assistance information to a display unit in a manner that the driving assistance information is projected and displayed in a front window area within a driver's field of vision. Here, the driving assistance information includes the actual operation amount of the accelerator pedal by the driver and the recommended operation amount of the accelerator pedal.

[0004] It is also described that the ECU outputs the driving assistance information to the display unit in such a manner that the driving assistance information is projected and displayed between the driver and the front window of the vehicle in the driver's sight.

[0005] It is also described that the driving assistance information includes a receiving portion having a concave surface and a bowl-shaped receiving portion and a ball portion that can virtually move on the receiving portion according to changes in gravitational acceleration generated in the front and rear and left and right directions of the vehicle. It is also described that the ECU outputs to the display portion in a manner that causes the ball portion to move on the receiving portion based on the motion information input from the motion sensor.

[0006] Patent document 3 describes that in a display control device mounted on a vehicle, when the road ahead of the vehicle is a curve, when the vehicle is traveling on the road ahead, when the vehicle is likely to deviate from the driving lane due to the limitation of the lane keeping control function for making the vehicle travel in the driving lane, an image having image content showing this situation, i.e., deviation notification content, is generated, and the image having the deviation notification content is provided to a head-up display for display. It is also described that the image content is composed of image content showing the steering wheel of the vehicle and image content showing the steering direction of the steering wheel required for the vehicle to travel without deviating from the driving lane.

[0007] Prior art literature

[0008] Patent Literature

[0009] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-156608

[0010] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-93590

[0011] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-30776 Summary of the invention

[0012] Technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0013] When driving on bad roads, it is necessary to grasp the road surface information in front of the vehicle, which is a blind spot caused by a part of the vehicle body (such as the front overhang) from the driver's perspective, and understand the possible posture of the vehicle in the future.

[0014] In contrast, it is also possible to consider providing information through a central display, etc., but if this is done, the driver will shift his or her eyes away from the direct field of vision in front of the vehicle to view it, and there is a risk that visual recognition in the direct field of vision will be neglected, especially when staring to understand the situation.

[0015] Therefore, a technology is needed that enables the driver to recognize the possible future actions of the vehicle without having to take his eyes off the driving environment ahead.

[0016] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an information presenting device that allows an occupant to intuitively recognize a possible posture of a vehicle in the future.

[0017] Technical solutions for solving technical problems

[0018] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, an information prompting device of one embodiment of the present invention is an information prompting device arranged on a vehicle, and is characterized in that it includes: a road surface shape recognition unit, which recognizes the shape of the road surface in front of the vehicle; a vehicle posture prediction unit, which predicts the posture that the vehicle may make when the vehicle passes through the road surface shape recognized by the road surface shape recognition unit; and an image display unit, which projects a three-dimensional image showing the posture of the vehicle predicted by the vehicle posture prediction unit onto the front screen of the vehicle for display.

[0019] Thus, by using a three-dimensional image to represent the vehicle posture predicted by the vehicle posture prediction unit and projecting it onto the front screen of the vehicle for display, the driver can intuitively recognize the posture that the vehicle may take in the future without taking his eyes off the situation in front of the vehicle.

[0020] In the present invention, the three-dimensional object may be configured to imitate a shape of a driving operation member operated by a passenger of the vehicle.

[0021] Thereby, the above-mentioned effects can be effectively obtained.

[0022] Furthermore, by changing the display form of the driving operation components, the occupant can be urged to perform driving operations.

[0023] In the present invention, the image display unit may be configured to express, by twisting the three-dimensional object, a situation in which a local unevenness exists at one of the places where the left and right wheels pass when the vehicle passes through the road surface shape.

[0024] In the present invention, the image display unit may be configured to express the tilt of the vehicle body in the pitch direction when the vehicle passes through the road shape by the tilt of the three-dimensional object in the pitch direction.

[0025] In the present invention, the image display unit may be configured to express the inclination of the vehicle body in the roll direction when the vehicle passes through the road surface shape by the inclination of the three-dimensional object in the roll direction.

[0026] Through these inventions, passengers can intuitively recognize the possible future behavior of the vehicle.

[0027] Effects of the Invention

[0028] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide an information presenting device that allows an occupant to intuitively recognize the posture that a vehicle may take in the future. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 It is a block diagram schematically showing a system configuration of an embodiment of an information presentation device to which the present invention is applied.

[0030] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display mode of a head-up display device when a vehicle is traveling on flat ground.

[0031] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display mode of a head-up display device when a vehicle is traveling on an uphill road.

[0032] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display mode of a head-up display device when a vehicle is traveling on a sloped road.

[0033] Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display mode of a head-up display device when a vehicle is traveling on a road having a recess. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Next, an embodiment of the information presenting device to which the present invention is applied will be described.

[0035] The information presentation device according to the embodiment is mounted on a vehicle such as an SUV type passenger car, for example.

[0036] Figure 1 It is a diagram schematically showing a system configuration of an information presentation device according to an embodiment.

[0037] The information presentation device 1 includes an environment recognition unit 10 , a vehicle behavior prediction unit 20 , an image generation unit 30 , and the like.

[0038] The environment recognition unit 10 recognizes the environment around the host vehicle (particularly, in front of the host vehicle) using various sensors.

[0039] The environment recognition unit 10 is connected to a stereo camera device 11 , a millimeter wave radar device 12 , a laser scanning device 13 , a navigation device 14 , and the like.

[0040] The stereo camera device 11 includes a pair of left and right cameras for capturing images of the front of the vehicle.

[0041] The left and right cameras are arranged to be separated by a predetermined base line length in the vehicle width direction.

[0042] The stereo camera device 11 recognizes the shape of the road ahead of the host vehicle (the shape of the lane in which the host vehicle is traveling) by performing stereo image processing on the image data captured by the left and right cameras.

[0043] Here, the road shape includes the curvature in the plane shape, the inclination of the road surface in the left-right direction and the front-back direction, and the like.

[0044] The millimeter wave radar device 12 is a radar that uses electromagnetic waves having a wavelength of 1 to 10 mm and a frequency of about 30 to 300 GHz to recognize obstacles and the like in front of the host vehicle.

[0045] The laser scanning device 13 is a range measuring sensor (LiDAR) that irradiates laser light having a wavelength close to visible light and recognizes obstacles and the like in front of the vehicle based on the direction of reflected light.

[0046] The millimeter wave radar device 12 and the laser scanning device 13 measure the size and shape of the obstacle, and the distance, speed, angle, etc. of the obstacle relative to the host vehicle.

[0047] Here, the obstacle includes, for example, protrusions or dropped objects existing on the road surface, as well as holes and grooves formed by depressions in the road surface.

[0048] The navigation device 14 includes, for example, a satellite positioning device such as GPS, a storage medium storing high-precision three-dimensional map data, and the like.

[0049] The navigation device 14 can recognize the shape of the road around the host vehicle based on the current position of the host vehicle acquired by the satellite positioning device and the high-precision three-dimensional map data.

[0050] The environment recognition unit 10 recognizes the road surface shape of the road that the host vehicle will pass through in the future in three dimensions based on information obtained from the stereo camera device 11 , the millimeter wave radar device 12 , the laser scanning device 13 , and the navigation device 14 .

[0051] The recognized road surface shape is transmitted to the vehicle behavior prediction unit 20 .

[0052] The vehicle behavior prediction unit 20 is a vehicle posture prediction section that predicts the body behavior of the host vehicle that may occur in the future based on the road surface shape in front of the host vehicle obtained from the environment recognition unit 10 .

[0053] Here, the vehicle body behavior includes, for example, a pitch behavior in which the vehicle body swings in a direction of tilting forward or backward, a roll behavior in which the vehicle body swings in a direction of tilting left or right, and a combination of these behaviors.

[0054] The image generation unit 30 generates an image to be projected on the front screen FS based on the output of the vehicle behavior prediction unit 20 .

[0055] A head-up display device 31 is connected to the image generating unit 30 .

[0056] The head-up display device 31 is a portrait display device that projects an image on the front screen FS of the vehicle to present an image to the driver.

[0057] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display mode of a head-up display device when a vehicle is traveling on flat ground.

[0058] The head-up display device 31 displays an image of the three-dimensional object 100 in a region on the front side of the steering wheel SW in the front screen FS provided in the front part of the vehicle interior.

[0059] The three-dimensional object 100 has a shape imitating, for example, a shift paddle as a shift operating member that a driver operates to shift gears.

[0060] The three-dimensional object 100 includes a right paddle portion 110 , a left paddle portion 120 , a connecting portion 130 , and the like.

[0061] The right paddle portion 110 imitates the shape of a right paddle that a driver operates to shift up using a finger of his right hand.

[0062] The left paddle portion 120 imitates the shape of a left paddle that a driver operates to downshift using a finger of his left hand.

[0063] The connecting portion 130 is a box-shaped portion that extends in the vehicle width direction and connects the right paddle portion 110 and the left paddle portion 120 .

[0064] A protrusion 131 that protrudes toward the vehicle front side is provided at a center portion of the coupling portion 130 in the vehicle width direction.

[0065] exist Figure 2 In the example shown, the road R1 ahead of the host vehicle is a gently curved road with a flat road surface shape.

[0066] In this case, the right paddle portion 110 and the left paddle portion 120 of the three-dimensional object 100 are arranged at the same height, and each paddle portion is displayed in a horizontal state without being tilted forward or backward.

[0067] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display mode of a head-up display device when a vehicle is traveling on an uphill road.

[0068] It should be noted that in Figures 3 to 5 In the figure, the steering wheel SW, the front screen FS, etc. are omitted.

[0069] exist Figure 3 In the example shown, the road R2 in front of the host vehicle is a relatively narrow mountain road and an uphill road.

[0070] In this case, the three-dimensional object 100 is displayed in a state where the front side is raised relative to the rear side, and is displayed in a state where it is tilted (tilted backward) in the pitch direction (front-rear direction).

[0071] The rearward tilt angle of the solid object 100 increases as the gradient of the uphill road ahead of the host vehicle increases.

[0072] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display mode of a head-up display device when a vehicle is traveling on a sloped road.

[0073] exist Figure 4 In the example shown, the road R3 in front of the host vehicle has a slope-like inclination (slope), and the left shoulder is lower than the right shoulder.

[0074] When the vehicle passes through the road R3, the vehicle tilts to the left.

[0075] In this case, the three-dimensional object 100 is displayed to be inclined in the tilt direction (left-right direction) such that the left paddle portion 120 is lower than the right paddle 110 .

[0076] Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a display mode of a head-up display device when a vehicle is traveling on a road having a recess.

[0077] exist Figure 5In the example shown, the road R4 ahead of the host vehicle has a recessed portion C1 in the right half of the travel lane.

[0078] When the right front wheel passes through the recessed portion C1, the vehicle exhibits a pitching behavior in a direction in which the vehicle body tilts to the right and the front side thereof drops.

[0079] In this case, the three-dimensional object 100 is shown as the right paddle portion 110 rotating in a forward tilting direction relative to the left paddle portion 120 , and being in a twisted state.

[0080] In addition, depending on the road conditions ahead of the vehicle, when it is preferred to urge the driver to perform an upshift or downshift operation, the display mode of the right paddle portion 110 or the left paddle portion 120 in the display of the three-dimensional object 100 may be changed to urge the driver to perform an upshift or downshift operation.

[0081] For example, when the environment recognition unit 10 recognizes that the road ahead of the vehicle is a downhill road with a slope above a specified threshold, since it is preferred to improve the effect of engine braking by downshifting, the display color of the left paddle portion 120 can be changed or made to flash to urge the driver to perform a downshift operation.

[0082] According to the above-described embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0083] (1) By using the image of the three-dimensional object 100 to represent the vehicle posture predicted by the vehicle behavior prediction unit 20 and projecting it onto the front screen FS of the vehicle for display, the driver can intuitively recognize the possible future posture of the vehicle without taking his eyes off the situation in front of the vehicle.

[0084] (2) The three-dimensional object 100 can effectively obtain the above-mentioned effect by imitating the shape of the shift operation paddle operated by the vehicle occupant to shift the gears.

[0085] In addition, by changing the display mode of the left and right paddle portions, the occupant can be urged to perform a gear shift operation.

[0086] (3) The image generation unit 30 uses the torsion of the three-dimensional object 100 to express the condition that a local unevenness exists in one of the places where the left and right wheels pass when the vehicle passes through the road shape, so that the occupants can more intuitively recognize the possible future behavior of the vehicle.

[0087] (4) The image generation unit 30 can make the occupant more intuitively recognize the possible future behavior of the vehicle by expressing the pitch direction tilt of the vehicle body when the vehicle passes through the road shape using the pitch direction tilt of the three-dimensional object 100 .

[0088] (5) The image generation unit 30 uses the inclination of the three-dimensional object in the roll direction to represent the inclination of the vehicle body in the roll direction when the vehicle passes through the road shape, thereby allowing the occupant to more intuitively recognize the possible future behavior of the vehicle.

[0089] (Variation Example)

[0090] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made, and these modifications and changes are also within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0091] (1) The structure and function of the information presentation device are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate.

[0092] (2) In the embodiment, the three-dimensional image presented to the occupant is, for example, an image imitating a shift operation paddle, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be configured to display a three-dimensional object in another form.

[0093] For example, it may be a driving operating member other than the shift operating member, or another three-dimensional shape not related to the driving operating member.

[0094] Explanation of symbols

[0095] 1... information prompting device 10... environment recognition unit

[0096] 11……Stereo camera device 12……Millimeter wave radar device

[0097] 13...Laser scanning device 14...Navigation device

[0098] 20... Vehicle behavior prediction unit 30... Image generation unit

[0099] 31...Head-up display device

[0100] 100...3D object 110...Right paddle

[0101] 120 ... left paddle portion 130 ... connecting portion

[0102] 131... protrusion R1-R4... road

[0103] FS...Front screen SW...Steering wheel.

Claims

1. An information prompting device, which is arranged on a vehicle, comprising: a road surface shape recognition unit that recognizes the shape of a road surface in front of the vehicle; a vehicle posture prediction unit that predicts a posture that the vehicle may take when the vehicle passes through the road shape recognized by the road shape recognition unit; and An image display unit projects a three-dimensional image representing the posture of the vehicle predicted by the vehicle posture prediction unit onto a front screen of the vehicle for display.

2. The information prompting device according to claim 1, wherein: The three-dimensional object imitates the shape of a driving operation member operated by a passenger of the vehicle.

3. The information presentation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The image display unit expresses, by twisting the three-dimensional object, a situation in which a local unevenness exists in one of the places where the left and right wheels pass when the vehicle passes through the road surface shape.

4. The information presentation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The image display unit expresses the tilt of the vehicle body in the pitch direction when the vehicle passes through the road shape by means of the tilt of the three-dimensional object in the pitch direction.

5. The information presentation device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The image display unit expresses the inclination of the vehicle body in the roll direction when the vehicle passes through the road shape by the inclination of the three-dimensional object in the roll direction.

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