Display system, image processing apparatus, and correction data generation method

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a display system, an image processing device, and a method for generating correction data, whereby it is avoided that a display image of a display unit observed through micropores in a cover surface overlaps with a pattern on the cover surface and is difficult to observe the display image. [Solution] A display system in which the front surface of a display unit of a display device (2) is covered by a patterned instrument panel (3) having a plurality of micropores, an image processing device (1) corrects image data to be displayed on a display unit using, as correction data, data generated by gradation inversion of brightness distribution data that appears on an instrument panel (3) when the entire display unit is uniformly displayed in the same color. As a result, the image processing device (1) applies a correction equivalent to canceling out the pattern of the instrument panel (3) to the image data displayed on the display unit of the display device (2), and can alleviate the problem that the display image observed through the micropores overlaps with the pattern of the instrument panel and is difficult to observe.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a display system, an image processing device and a method for generating correction data, and is particularly suitable for a display system in which the front surface of a display part is covered with a patterned covering surface having multiple micropores, as well as an image processing device and a method for generating correction data suitable for the display system. Background Art

[0002] In the past, it is known that a display provides required visual information when in use and makes it appear that the display does not exist when not in use (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the vehicle-mounted display device described in Patent Document 1, the display is embedded in the wood-grain style panel of the dashboard of the vehicle, and emits display light to the outside when lit, and the front surface of the display is covered by a screen with a wood-grain style pattern having multiple micro-holes that can transmit the display light. Thus, when the display is lit, the image can be observed through the micro-holes of the screen, and when the display is not lit, the wood-grain style screen blocks the display, so that the entire dashboard including the portion where the display is embedded is unified in wood-grain style.

[0003] In recent years, the technology of displaying images on a display only when necessary is called Shytech, and it has attracted attention as a technology for displaying images in interior decoration parts with patterns such as wood grain style or fabric style. However, the interior decoration part where Shytech is installed is not a display space optimized for displaying images, so there is a problem that the image displayed on the screen overlaps with the pattern of the interior decoration part, making it difficult to see the displayed image in some cases.

[0004] Prior art literature:

[0005] Patent Literature:

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-331132 Summary of the invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention:

[0008] The present invention is made to solve such a problem, and its purpose is to alleviate the problem that the display image of the display part observed through the microholes overlaps with the pattern of the covering surface, making the display image difficult to observe, in a display system in which the front surface of the display part is covered with a patterned covering surface having multiple microholes.

[0009] Means used to solve the problem:

[0010] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, in a display system in which the front surface of a display unit is covered with a patterned covering surface having a plurality of micropores, data generated by grayscale inversion of brightness distribution data is used as correction data, wherein the brightness distribution data is data of brightness distribution that appears on the covering surface when the entire display unit is displayed uniformly in the same color, and the image data displayed by the display unit is corrected by the correction data.

[0011] Effect of the invention:

[0012] According to the present invention constructed as above, correction equivalent to canceling the pattern of the cover surface is applied to the image data displayed by the display unit. Thus, the problem of the display image of the display unit observed through the micro-hole overlapping with the pattern of the cover surface, which makes the display image difficult to observe, can be alleviated, and the quality of the display image can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 It is a diagram schematically showing a configuration example of a display system according to the present embodiment.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a front view showing the state of the instrument panel viewed from the front.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the image processing device according to the present embodiment.

[0016] Figure 4 It is a diagram for explaining the method of generating correction data according to the present embodiment.

[0017] Figure 5 It is a diagram showing an example of correction processing performed by the image processing unit according to the present embodiment.

[0018] Description of reference numerals:

[0019] 1 Image processing device

[0020] 2Display device

[0021] 3Dashboard (covering)

[0022] 11 Calibration data storage unit

[0023] 12 Image Processing Unit DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Figure 1 Schematically shows an example of the configuration of a display system according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, a configuration in which the display system is applied to a vehicle is shown as an example. Figure 1As shown, the display system of the present embodiment includes an image processing device 1 , a display device 2 , and an instrument panel 3 .

[0025] The image processing device 1 is a device that generates image data to be displayed on a display unit of the display device 2, and supplies the generated image data to the display device 2. For example, the image processing device 1 inputs image data generated by a vehicle-mounted device (not shown), corrects the input image data based on correction data, and supplies the corrected image data to the display device 2. Alternatively, the image processing device 1 may store an application for generating an image, correct the image data generated by executing the application based on the correction data, and supply the corrected image data to the display device 2.

[0026] The display device 2 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or an LED display, and includes a light source unit, a driving unit, and a display unit. The display device 2 inputs image data from the image processing device 1, controls the light source unit and the driving unit based on the image data, and displays an image based on the image data on the display unit. The display unit is configured to include a display panel.

[0027] The instrument panel 3 corresponds to the coverage surface of the claims, and the display device 2 is provided on the back side of the instrument panel 3 (inside the instrument panel or console where the instrument panel 3 is provided), and the front surface of the display part of the display device 2 is covered by the instrument panel 3. The display part of the display device 2 and the instrument panel 3 do not need to be the same size, as long as the entire display part is covered by the instrument panel 3.

[0028] The instrument panel 3 is given an arbitrary pattern such as a wood grain style or a fabric style. In addition, the instrument panel 3 has a plurality of fine holes that can transmit the display light outputted through the display unit. When the light source unit of the display device 2 is lit, the display light of the display unit is transmitted forward from the fine holes of the instrument panel 3, so that the display image of the display unit can be observed through the instrument panel 3. On the other hand, when the light source unit is not lit, no image can be seen on the instrument panel 3, and the entire instrument panel 3 is unified into a pattern such as a wood grain style.

[0029] Figure 2 is a front view showing the state of the instrument panel 3 as viewed from the front, Figure 2 (a) shows the state when the light source is not on. Figure 2 (b) shows the state when the light source is on. Figure 2 (b) shows a state where an image based on image data that has not been corrected is displayed.

[0030] Figure 3 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the image processing device 1. Figure 3As shown, the image processing device 1 of this embodiment includes a correction data storage unit 11 and an image processing unit 12. The image processing unit 12 performs the following processing by the cooperative action of hardware and software. For example, the image processing unit 12 performs the processing by controlling a microcomputer including a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc., and executing a program stored in a storage medium such as a RAM or ROM, a hard disk, or a semiconductor memory. In addition to the microcomputer, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc. may also be provided.

[0031] The correction data storage unit 11 stores the correction data generated in advance, for example, when the display system is manufactured or installed in a vehicle. Under the condition that the ambient illuminance of the instrument panel 3 is managed to a predetermined state, the data of the brightness distribution that appears on the instrument panel 3 when the entire display unit is uniformly displayed in the same color is gray-scale inverted to generate the correction data.

[0032] Figure 4 2 is a diagram for explaining a method of generating correction data. For example, the correction data is generated by an image analysis device (not shown). Figure 4 (a) is a front view showing the state of the instrument panel 3 viewed from the front, showing the state when the light source portion of the display device 2 is not lit. As described above, when the light source portion is not lit, no image is visible on the instrument panel 3, and the entire instrument panel 3 is unified into a pattern such as a wood grain style.

[0033] First, in Figure 4 In a condition where the ambient illuminance of the instrument panel 3 shown in (a) is managed to be in a predetermined state, the instrument panel 3 is photographed from the front of the instrument panel 3 by a camera in a state where the entire display unit of the display device 2 is displayed uniformly in white (step S1). The condition where the ambient illuminance of the instrument panel 3 is managed to be in a predetermined state refers to, for example, a condition where the surface of the instrument panel 3 is uniformly illuminated by external light at a predetermined illuminance in a dark room.

[0034] In such a condition where the ambient illumination is managed, the display device 2 displays a completely white image (hereinafter referred to as a white image) on the entire surface of the display unit. As a result, the display light of the white image is transmitted forward from the fine holes of the instrument panel 3, so that the white image and the pattern of the instrument panel 3 are overlapped when viewed from the front of the instrument panel 3. The instrument panel 3 in this state is photographed from the front by a camera.

[0035] Next, the image analysis device analyzes the photographic image data of the instrument panel 3 to obtain the brightness distribution data of the surface of the instrument panel 3 (step S2 ). Figure 4(b) shows the brightness distribution data obtained in this way, that is, the brightness distribution data of the surface of the instrument panel 3 obtained when a white image is displayed on the entire display unit under the condition that the ambient illumination of the instrument panel 3 is managed to a predetermined state. The brightness distribution data obtained here is the brightness distribution data of the area facing the entire surface of the display unit in the entire surface of the instrument panel 3.

[0036] Next, the image analysis device performs grayscale inversion on the brightness distribution data of the instrument panel 3 to generate correction data (step S3 ). Figure 4 (c) indicates Figure 4 Corrected data is generated by performing grayscale inversion (positive and negative inversion) on the brightness distribution data of (b).

[0037] In the present embodiment, the data generated as described above is stored as correction data in the correction data storage unit 11. Since the pattern of the instrument panel 3 installed in each vehicle is different for each vehicle, the correction data reflecting the pattern of the instrument panel 3 is generated according to each display system installed in each vehicle, and stored in the correction data storage unit 11 of each vehicle. In addition, the generation of the correction data as described above may also be performed by the image processing device 1.

[0038] Back to Figure 3 The image processing unit 12 corrects the image data displayed on the display unit of the display device 2 using the correction data read from the correction data storage unit 11. Figure 3 In the example of FIG. 1 , the image processing unit 12 corrects the original image data input from the vehicle-mounted device 100 based on the correction data stored in the correction data storage unit 11, and supplies the corrected image data (hereinafter referred to as the corrected image data) to the display device 2. For example, the image processing unit 12 performs processing to overlap the correction data on the original image data as the correction processing.

[0039] Figure 5 It is a diagram showing an example of correction processing performed by the image processing unit 12. Figure 5 (a) represents the original image data input to the image processing unit 12, Figure 5 (b) shows the correction data stored in the correction data storage unit 11. The image processing unit 12 performs Figure 5 The correction data of (b) overlaps to Figure 5 (a) Processing of the original image data. Figure 5 (c) shows the corrected image data generated by the correction. Figure 5 (d) shows a state where the instrument panel 3 is viewed from the front when the display unit of the display device 2 displays the corrected image based on the corrected image data.

[0040] Figure 5 The corrected image data shown in (c) becomes Figure 5 The original image data of (a) is subjected to correction equivalent to canceling the pattern of the instrument panel 3. Therefore, if a correction image based on the correction image data is displayed on the display unit, the pattern of the instrument panel 3 becomes difficult to observe due to the correction data component included in the correction image observed through the microscopic hole of the instrument panel 3, as shown in FIG. Figure 5 As shown in (d), the original image is not disturbed by the pattern of the instrument panel 3 and is in an easy-to-see state.

[0041] In addition, depending on the conditions (time period, driving location, weather, etc.) when the display system is used in the vehicle, the ambient illuminance of the instrument panel 3 varies. Therefore, an illuminance meter for measuring the ambient illuminance of the instrument panel 3 may be provided in the vehicle, and the image processing unit 12 corrects the image data using correction data corresponding to the ambient illuminance of the instrument panel 3 measured by the illuminance meter.

[0042] As an example, a plurality of correction data generated under a plurality of conditions where the ambient illuminance of the instrument panel 3 is different are stored in association with the corresponding ambient illuminance in the correction data storage unit 11. Specifically, for example, when the display system is manufactured or installed in a vehicle, the illuminance of the external light irradiated on the surface of the instrument panel 3 in a dark room is changed, and a plurality of correction data corresponding to each ambient illuminance is generated and stored in the correction data storage unit 11. Then, when the display system is used, the image processing unit 12 reads the correction data corresponding to the ambient illuminance measured by the illuminance measuring device from the correction data storage unit 11, and uses the read correction data to calibrate the image data.

[0043] In addition, there may be a case where there is no ambient illuminance that matches the ambient illuminance measured by the illuminance meter among the ambient illuminances associated with the correction data stored in the correction data storage unit 11. In this case, the image processing unit 12 uses, for example, the correction data associated with the ambient illuminance closest to the ambient illuminance measured by the illuminance meter. Alternatively, the image data may be corrected using the average value or median of two correction data associated with the two ambient illuminances closest to the ambient illuminance measured by the illuminance meter. The average value or median here may be calculated for each pixel of the correction data or for each block formed by aggregating a plurality of nearby pixels.

[0044] Another example may be as follows. That is, one correction data generated under the condition that the ambient illuminance of the instrument panel 3 is managed to be in a prescribed state is stored in the correction data storage unit 11. Specifically, as described above, for example, when the display system is manufactured or installed in a vehicle, the external light irradiated to the surface of the instrument panel 3 in a dark room is set to a prescribed illuminance, and correction data is generated under this condition and stored in the correction data storage unit 11. Then, when the display system is used, the image processing unit 12 adjusts the correction data read from the correction data storage unit 11 based on a prescribed function with the ambient illuminance measured by the illuminance meter as an explanatory variable, and corrects the image data using the adjusted correction data.

[0045] The prescribed function used here can be obtained, for example, as follows. That is, a plurality of correction data are generated under a plurality of conditions where the ambient illumination of the instrument panel 3 is different, and an interpolation function is obtained based on the plurality of ambient illuminations and the plurality of correction data used at this time. The interpolation function can be calculated for each pixel of the correction data or for each block formed by aggregating a plurality of nearby pixels. In addition, the interpolation function can be a function expressed by a polynomial or an approximate function using a lookup table.

[0046] As described in detail above, in the present embodiment, in a display system in which the front surface of the display unit of the display device 2 is covered by a patterned cover (instrument panel 3) having a plurality of fine holes, data generated by grayscale inversion of brightness distribution data is used as correction data, wherein the brightness distribution data is data of brightness distribution that appears on the surface of the instrument panel 3 when the entire display unit is displayed uniformly in the same color, and the image data displayed by the display unit is corrected by the correction data.

[0047] According to the present embodiment constructed as described above, correction equivalent to canceling the pattern of the instrument panel 3 is applied to the image data displayed on the display unit. This can alleviate the problem of the display image of the display unit observed through the micro-hole overlapping with the pattern of the instrument panel 3, making the display image difficult to observe, and improve the quality of the display image.

[0048] In the above embodiment, an example is described in which an image of the same color uniformly displayed on the entire display unit is set to a white image, but the display color is not limited to white. For example, it can be gray or a color of the same color system as the color of the instrument panel 3.

[0049] In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, an example of applying the display system of this embodiment to a vehicle is described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the display system is not limited to a type of display system in which the display device 2 is fixedly assembled inside a dashboard or the like, but may be applied to a portable display system including the image processing device 1, the display device 2, and a cover surface.

[0050] In addition, the above-mentioned embodiments are only examples of specific implementations of the present invention, and should not be interpreted as limiting the technical scope of the present invention. That is, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from its gist or its main features.

Claims

1. A display system, comprising: a front surface of a display unit covered with a patterned cover having a plurality of fine holes, characterized in that: have: A correction data storage unit storing correction data generated by grayscale inversion of brightness distribution data, the brightness distribution data being data of brightness distribution that appears on the cover surface when the entire display unit is uniformly displayed in the same color; and The image processing unit corrects the image data displayed by the display unit using the correction data read from the correction data storage unit.

2. The display system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The image processing unit corrects the image data using correction data corresponding to the ambient illuminance of the cover surface measured by an illuminance measuring device.

3. The display system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The correction data storage unit stores a plurality of correction data generated under a plurality of conditions where the ambient illuminance of the covered surface is different, in association with the corresponding ambient illuminance. The image processing unit reads out correction data corresponding to the ambient illuminance measured by the illuminance measuring device from the correction data storage unit, and corrects the image data using the read correction data.

4. The display system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The correction data storage unit stores correction data generated under the condition that the ambient illuminance of the cover surface is managed in a predetermined state. The image processing unit adjusts the correction data read from the correction data storage unit based on a predetermined function using the ambient illuminance measured by the illuminance measuring device as an explanatory variable, and corrects the image data using the adjusted correction data.

5. An image processing device, suitable for a display system in which a front surface of a display unit is covered with a patterned cover having a plurality of microscopic holes, characterized in that: have: A correction data storage unit storing correction data generated by grayscale inversion of brightness distribution data, the brightness distribution data being data of brightness distribution that appears on the cover surface when the entire display unit is uniformly displayed in the same color; and The image processing unit corrects the image data displayed by the display unit using the correction data read from the correction data storage unit.

6. A method for generating correction data for correcting image data displayed on a display unit in a display system in which a front surface of a display unit is covered with a patterned cover having a plurality of fine holes, characterized in that: The above generation method has the following steps: A step of photographing the cover surface from the front of the cover surface in a state where the entire display unit is displayed uniformly in the same color; A step of obtaining brightness distribution data based on the photographic image data of the above-mentioned coverage area; and A step of performing grayscale inversion on the brightness distribution data to generate the correction data.

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