Vehicular display device

Abstract

To solve the problem that it is difficult to achieve safe running of a vehicle and comfort of an occupant simultaneously, in a conventional vehicular display device.SOLUTION: In a vehicular display device 10 according to the present invention, a dimming screen 14 is arranged behind a front seat 12 in a vehicle interior 19. When driving operation requiring a visual confirmation of the rear side of a vehicle 11 by a driver is performed, transparency of the dimming screen 14 is enhanced in a region which at least the driver uses for the visual confirmation of the rear side and a video that is projected on the dimming screen 14 is stopped, so that visibility of the rear side of the vehicle 11 by the driver is enhanced. After the driving operation is finished, the transparency of the dimming screen 14 is returned to transparency at which the video is easy to look at and the wound-back video is projected on the dimming screen 14, which can enhance comfort of an occupant P.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional vehicle display device has a structure described in, for example, Patent Document 1. This vehicle display device includes a display screen and a projector that projects an image onto the display screen. The display screen is a large screen that is disposed so as to straddle both the driver's seat and the passenger seat. The projector is attached to the ceiling of the vehicle interior behind the display screen. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-88203 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above-mentioned vehicular display device has a display controller that controls the operation of the projector and the display screen. When the driver of the vehicle checks the rear of the vehicle, for example when the vehicle is moving backward, the display controller adjusts the amount of electricity supplied to the display screen to maximize the transparency of the display screen, making it easy for the driver to see the rear.

[0005] However, while increasing the transparency of the display screen can improve the safety of the vehicle when it is driven, there is a problem in that the image projected on the display screen becomes unclear, which reduces the comfort of the passengers enjoying the image.

[0006] In addition, passengers sitting in the rear seats have difficulty checking the rear of the vehicle through side mirrors, etc., as can passengers sitting in the driver's seat or passenger seat, making it difficult to ensure safety when exiting the vehicle.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and relates to a vehicle display device that realizes the driving safety of the vehicle, the comfort of passengers inside the vehicle, and the safety when exiting the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One embodiment of the present invention relates to a vehicle display device, which includes a projector disposed within a vehicle cabin, a light-adjusting screen disposed behind a driver's seat and a passenger seat of the vehicle and displaying an image projected by the projector, a driving operation judgment unit that judges driving operations of the vehicle, and an image adjustment unit that adjusts the projector and the light-adjusting screen based on a judgment result of the driving operation judgment unit. When the driving operation judgment unit determines that a turn signal of the vehicle has been operated, the image adjustment unit increases the transparency of at least a portion of the light-adjusting screen in the direction indicated by the turn signal and stops the projection of the image onto at least the transparency adjustment area of ​​the light-adjusting screen via the projector. When the driving operation judgment unit determines that the operation has been completed, the image adjustment unit returns the transparency of the adjustment area of ​​the light-adjusting screen to its original state and projects the image that has been rewound via the projector to the state before the stop onto the adjustment area of ​​the light-adjusting screen. Effect of the Invention

[0009] In the vehicle display device according to one embodiment of the present invention, when the driver performs a driving operation that requires visual confirmation of the rear of the vehicle, the transparency of the light-adjusting screen is increased in at least the area used by the driver for visual confirmation of the rear, and the image projected on the light-adjusting screen is stopped, thereby improving the driver's visibility of the rear of the vehicle. After the driving operation is completed, the transparency of the light-adjusting screen is restored to a state in which the image is easy to see, and the rewound image is projected on the light-adjusting screen, thereby improving the comfort of the occupants. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1A] 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a vehicle equipped with a vehicle display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle display device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle display device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart illustrating a control method for a display device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart illustrating a control method for a display device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] A vehicle display device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the front-rear direction of the paper indicates the overall length of the vehicle 11, the left-right direction of the paper indicates the width direction of the vehicle 11, and the up-down direction of the paper indicates the height direction of the vehicle 11. In addition, when describing this embodiment, the same components are generally designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated description will be omitted.

[0012] FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view illustrating a vehicle 11 equipped with a vehicle display device 10 of this embodiment, showing the vehicle 11 as viewed from the left side. FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram illustrating a light control screen 14 of the vehicle display device 10 of this embodiment, showing the vehicle 11 as viewed from the rear side. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the vehicle display device 10 of this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of the vehicle display device 10 of this embodiment, explaining the control method when the driver of the vehicle 11 checks the rear of the vehicle 11. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of the vehicle display device 10 of this embodiment, explaining the control method when the occupant P seated on the rear seat 13 of the vehicle 11 gets off the vehicle 11.

[0013] 1A, for example, a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), an HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), etc. are adopted as the vehicle 11. Note that the vehicle 11 is not limited to the above-mentioned electric vehicles, but also includes a vehicle 11 that runs on an internal combustion engine fueled by gasoline or the like.

[0014] The vehicle 11 includes, from the front side, a front seat 12 constituting a driver's seat 12A and a passenger seat 12B, and a rear seat 13 arranged behind the front seat 12. A light control screen 14 constituting the vehicle display device 10 and a projector 15 for projecting an image onto the light control screen 14 are disposed in a passenger compartment 19 of the vehicle 11. The rear seat 13 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear seat of the present invention.

[0015] The light control screen 14 is attached to the roof 16 of the vehicle interior 19 behind the front seat 12. The light control screen 14 is, for example, an automatic winding mechanism, and when the vehicle display device 10 is used, the light control screen 14 is extended from inside the roof 16 to the vehicle interior 19 side via a motor (not shown). When extended, the light control screen 14 is turned on by switching a switch, and electricity is started to be supplied from a battery (not shown) of the vehicle 11. On the other hand, when the vehicle display device 10 is not used, the light control screen 14 is wound up via the motor and stored in the roof 16. When the winding of the light control screen 14 is completed, the switch is turned off, and electricity is stopped from being supplied from the battery of the vehicle 11.

[0016] The light control screen 14 has, for example, a transparent support substrate and a light control film attached to the transparent support substrate. The light control film is a film whose transparency changes according to the amount of electricity passed through it, and the transparency of the light control film is adjusted according to the brightness inside the vehicle compartment 19. The light control screen 14 is used as a screen for displaying images projected from the projector 15, rather than as a screen on which LED elements or the like emit light to project images.

[0017] The projector 15 is attached to a roof 16 above a rearview mirror (not shown) of the vehicle 11. The projector 15 projects an image onto the light-adjusting screen 14 from the front side of the vehicle 11. The projector 15 is controlled by a vehicle control unit 21, and projects images stored in a mobile terminal device of a passenger, images stored in an information terminal device of the vehicle 11, information from a navigation device of the vehicle 11, and the like onto the light-adjusting screen 14.

[0018] In addition, since the light control screen 14 and the projector 15 are structured to be detachably attached to the roof 16, they can be removed from the vehicle 11 at a campsite or the like and used outdoors. In addition, when the light control screen 14 or the projector 15 breaks down, they can be removed from the vehicle 11 and repaired. Furthermore, the light control screen 14 is structured to be stored in the roof 16 when not in use. This structure prevents the head of the occupant P from colliding with the light control screen 14 in the event of a collision accident of the vehicle 11. In addition, the space inside the passenger compartment 19 on the rear seat 13 side is prevented from being compressed by the light control screen 14.

[0019] 1B, the light control screen 14 is disposed as a large screen in the width direction of the vehicle 11 so as to cover, for example, the rear of the driver's seat 12A and the passenger seat 12B of the vehicle 11. In addition, in the height direction of the vehicle 11, the length of the light control screen 14 can be adjusted depending on the amount of projection from the roof 16, and is disposed up to the height of the headrest 12C of the front seat 12 at the maximum.

[0020] As shown in the figure, the light control screen 14 has, for example, three image projection areas 17A, 17B, and 17C in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 11. The image projection area 17A is located behind the passenger seat 12B, the image projection area 17B is located between the passenger seat 12B and the driver's seat 12A, and the image projection area 17C is located behind the driver's seat 12A. Different images or the same image are projected onto each of the image projection areas 17A, 17B, and 17C via the projector 15. The image projection areas 17A, 17B, and 17C may be used as one image projection area.

[0021] An occupant P (see FIG. 1A) seated in a rear seat 13 of a vehicle 11 can enjoy an image projected on a large light control screen 14, improving comfort inside the vehicle. In addition, by disposing the light control screen 14 behind the front seat 12, the image can be more easily viewed by the occupant P than by a liquid crystal screen (not shown) disposed on an instrument panel 18. Note that the projector 15 may be attached to a roof 16 above the rear seat 13, and may project an image onto the light control screen 14 from the rear side of the vehicle 11.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle display device 10 mainly includes a vehicle control unit 21, a memory unit 22 that stores various data, a dimming screen 14, a projector 15, an amplifier unit 23 and speakers 24L, 24R, a turn signal 25, a door lock unit 26, a lock operation unit 27, an imaging device 28, and an illuminance sensor 29.

[0023] The vehicle control unit 21 is configured to include a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The vehicle control unit 21 is an electronic control unit (ECU) having one or more processors that execute various calculations for controlling the vehicle display device 10 and a vehicle drive device (not shown) such as an engine.

[0024] In addition, as will be described in detail later, the vehicle control unit 21 functions as a driving operation judgment unit 21A that judges the driving operation of the vehicle 11 performed by a driver or the like, an image adjustment unit 21B that controls the operation of the dimming screen 14 and the projector 15, an occupant judgment unit 21C that judges whether or not an occupant P is seated in the rear seat 13, and an occupant disembarking judgment unit 21D that judges whether the occupant P in the rear seat 13 has disembarked from the vehicle 11.

[0025] The storage unit 22 is composed of a non-volatile memory such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-only Memory). The storage unit 22 stores various data required for controlling the vehicle and one or more programs executable by the one or more processors. The storage unit 22 also stores images and information to be projected onto the light control screen 14 via the projector 15.

[0026] The amplifier unit 23 converts audio data associated with the video and the like input from the vehicle control unit 21 into an audio signal and outputs the audio from the speakers 24L, 24R. If the video is, for example, a movie, the audio of the dialogue in the movie is output into the vehicle interior 19 via the speakers 24L, 24R.

[0027] The turn indicator 25 is disposed near the steering wheel of the vehicle 11. When the driver, for example, turns the vehicle 11 left, operates the turn indicator 25, and an operation signal of the vehicle 11 is transmitted to the vehicle control unit 21. Then, the vehicle control unit 21 blinks the left turn indicator of the vehicle 11, thereby notifying other vehicles, pedestrians, and the like around the vehicle 11 of the left turn operation of the vehicle 11.

[0028] The door lock unit 26 is disposed on the door of the vehicle 11, and has, for example, a striker unit (not shown) attached to a pillar of the vehicle body, and a latch unit (not shown) attached to the door. When the door lock unit 26 is in a locked state, the latch unit is engaged with the striker unit. On the other hand, when the door lock unit 26 is in an unlocked state, the latch unit is disengaged from the striker unit.

[0029] The lock operation unit 27 is, for example, disposed on the passenger compartment 19 side of the door of the driver's seat 12A, and is a push-type or touch-type switch. When the driver operates the lock operation unit 27 when the passenger P or the like of the vehicle 11 gets off, or when the passenger P or the like operates the lock operation unit 27 after getting into the vehicle 11, a lock signal or an unlock signal is transmitted to the vehicle control unit 21. Then, the vehicle control unit 21 controls the door lock unit 26 to transition the door lock unit 26 to a locked or unlocked state.

[0030] The imaging device 28 is a device for photographing the periphery of the vehicle 11 and transmitting the photographed image to the storage unit 22 of the vehicle control unit 21 for storage. The imaging device 28 is, for example, a camera module having an image sensor such as a CCD or a CMOS, and photographs obstacles such as other vehicles, bicycles, and curbs traveling around the vehicle 11. For example, a camera module or a drive recorder constituting a driving assistance system is used as the imaging device 28. The imaging device 28 is connected to the vehicle control unit 21 via an in-vehicle network. The driving assistance system is a system that supports the driving operation when the driver is driving the vehicle manually, or supports the driving operation when the vehicle is driving automatically.

[0031] The illuminance sensor 29 is disposed in the passenger compartment 19 of the vehicle 11. The illuminance sensor 29 measures the brightness in the passenger compartment 19 of the vehicle 11 and inputs the measurement result to the vehicle control unit 21. Then, the vehicle control unit 21 adjusts the transparency of the light control screen 14 and the projection luminance from the projector 15 based on the measurement result, so that the occupant P can easily see the image projected on the light control screen 14. For example, when the vehicle 11 is traveling during the day, sunlight enters the passenger compartment 19 and the passenger compartment 19 becomes bright, so that the transparency of the light control screen 14 is reduced and the projection luminance from the projector 15 is increased. As a result, the image projected on the light control screen 14 is displayed clearly, and the image becomes easy for the occupant P to see.

[0032] Next, as shown in FIG. 3, a method of controlling the vehicular display device 10 when the driver visually checks the rear of the vehicle 11, for example, when the vehicle 11 is turning left while traveling, will be described.

[0033] In step S10, when the driver gets into the vehicle 11 and presses an ignition switch (not shown), the vehicle 11 is turned on. Then, in step S11, the ignition switch is pressed, and the vehicular display device 10 of the vehicle 11 is also turned on.

[0034] In step S12, the vehicle control unit 21 starts a vehicle drive mechanism (not shown) such as an engine, and the driver operates the steering wheel or the like to cause the vehicle 11 to start traveling.

[0035] In step S13, the driving performance determination unit 21A of the vehicle control unit 21 determines whether or not the direction indicator 25 has been operated while the vehicle 11 is traveling. Then, in the case where the driver operates the direction indicator 25, for example, just before a left turn on the roadway, and the driving performance determination unit 21A of the vehicle control unit 21 detects an operation signal from the direction indicator 25, if the result of step S13 is YES, it determines that the direction indicator 25 has been operated while the vehicle 11 is traveling, and the process proceeds to step S14. In addition, in the vehicle 11, the left turn signal flashes in conjunction with the above-mentioned operation of the direction indicator 25.

[0036] On the other hand, if the result of step S13 is NO, and the driving performance judgment unit 21A of the vehicle control unit 21 does not detect an operation signal from the turn signal 25, the driving performance judgment unit 21A judges that the turn signal 25 is not operated while the vehicle 11 is traveling. The vehicle 11 continues to travel straight on the roadway.

[0037] In step S14, the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 judges whether the light control screen 14 is turned on and in use. Then, in the case where the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 detects the flow of electricity from the battery of the vehicle 11 to the light control screen 14, in the case where YES in step S14 is detected, the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 judges that the light control screen 14 is in use, and proceeds to step S15.

[0038] On the other hand, if the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 does not detect the passage of electricity from the battery of the vehicle 11 to the light control screen 14 at NO in step S14, it determines that the light control screen 14 is not in use. As described above, when not in use, the light control screen 14 is stored inside the roof 16 and does not obstruct the driver's field of vision when visually checking the rear.

[0039] In step S15, the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 adjusts the amount of electricity supplied to the light control screen 14 to increase the transparency of the light control screen 14. Then, in step S16, the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 controls the projector 15 to stop projecting an image onto the light control screen 14.

[0040] Here, when the vehicle 11 turns left, in order to check for safety, such as to prevent pedestrians, motorcycles, and the like from being caught, the driver needs to visually check the rear of the vehicle 11 using the rearview mirror or by turning towards the rear of the vehicle 11. In addition, by increasing the transparency of the light control screen 14, the driver can view the rear of the vehicle 11 through the light control screen 14. Furthermore, by stopping the image projected on the light control screen 14, the driver can easily view the rear of the vehicle 11.

[0041] 1B, in this embodiment, the image adjustment unit 21B adjusts the transparency of the image projection areas 17A and 17B located to the left of the headrest 12C of the driver's seat 12A, where the turn signal 25 is pointing, from among the three image projection areas 17A, 17B, and 17C of the light control screen 14, and stops the image projection onto the image projection areas 17A and 17B. Note that the image projection area 17C behind the driver's seat 12A continues to project an image without blocking the driver's field of vision when visually checking behind the driver.

[0042] In step S17, the driving performance determination unit 21A of the vehicle control unit 21 determines whether or not the operation of the direction indicator 25 associated with the left turn of the vehicle 11 has ended. Then, in the case where the determination of YES in step S17 is made, the driving performance determination unit 21A of the vehicle control unit 21 determines that the operation of the direction indicator 25 has ended if the detection of the operation signal due to the operation of the direction indicator 25 in step S13 has stopped, and proceeds to step S18. After the left turn operation of the vehicle 11, the steering wheel of the vehicle 11 returns to a predetermined angle, so that the direction indicator 25 also returns to its original state, and the transmission of the operation signal by the vehicle control unit 21 also stops.

[0043] On the other hand, if the result of step S17 is NO, then when the driving performance determination unit 21A of the vehicle control unit 21 continues to detect the operation signal resulting from the operation of the direction indicator 25 in step S13, it determines that the operation of the direction indicator 25 is continuing.

[0044] In step S18, the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 adjusts the amount of electricity supplied to the light control screen 14 to lower the transparency of the light control screen 14. As the left turn operation of the vehicle 11 ends, the need for the driver to visually check the rear of the vehicle 11 decreases. Then, the image adjustment unit 21B returns the transparency of the light control screen 14 to a state in which the image of step S15 is easy to see. Note that the image adjustment unit 21B also uses the detection result from the illuminance sensor 29 to adjust the transparency of the light control screen 14 and the projection brightness from the projector 15 so that the image is clearly projected on the light control screen 14.

[0045] In step S19, the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 rewinds the image to the state before the image was stopped in step S16, and again projects the rewound image onto the dimming screen 14 via the projector 15.

[0046] As described above, in this embodiment, among the three image projection areas 17A, 17B, and 17C of the light control screen 14, the images in the image projection areas 17A and 17B are stopped, and the image in the image projection area 17C is continued. Therefore, in the image projection areas 17A and 17B, the images are rewound to the state before the images were stopped in step S16, and then the images are projected.

[0047] Thereafter, when the driver performs a driving operation that requires visual confirmation of the rear of the vehicle 11, such as a left turn, a right turn, or a lane change, the above-mentioned control method for the vehicular display device 10 is performed. Then, in step S20, when the driver arrives at the destination, stops the vehicle 11 in a parking lot or the like, and presses the ignition switch, the vehicle 11 enters an ignition-off state.

[0048] In this embodiment, when the driver performs a driving operation that requires visual confirmation of the rear of the vehicle 11, the transparency of at least the area of ​​the light control screen 14 used by the driver for visual confirmation of the rear is increased, and the image projected on the light control screen 14 is stopped, thereby improving the driver's visibility of the rear of the vehicle 11. After the driving operation is completed, the transparency of the light control screen 14 is returned to a state in which the image is easy to see, and the image is rewound and projected on the light control screen 14, thereby improving the comfort of the occupant P. Note that this embodiment is not limited to a case in which the transparency of a part of the light control screen 14 is adjusted and the image of that area is stopped, but may also be a case in which the transparency of the entire light control screen 14 is adjusted and the image is stopped.

[0049] In the vehicle display device 10 of this embodiment, the light control screen 14 is described as being wound up inside the roof 16 when not in use, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the light control screen 14 is always hanging down from the roof 16 inside the vehicle compartment 19, step S14 in Fig. 3 is omitted, and if step S13 is YES, the process proceeds to step S15. Then, the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 energizes the light control screen 14 to increase the transparency of the light control screen 14, thereby improving the visibility when the driver visually checks behind the vehicle.

[0050] In addition, in the vehicle display device 10 of the present embodiment, in the image projection areas 17A and 17B where the image on the light control screen 14 has been stopped, when the projection of the image is resumed, the image is rewound to the state before the image was stopped in step S16, and then the image is projected, but this is not limited to this case. For example, in the image projection area 17C where the projection of the image is continued, if the same image as the image projection areas 17A and 17B was projected before the image was stopped, the image projection areas 17A and 17B may resume from the image of the same scene as the image projection area 17C, rather than projecting the rewound image. In this case, the inconvenience of the same image being projected on the light control screen 14 with a time difference is eliminated.

[0051] In addition, in the vehicle display device 10 of the present embodiment, the driving operation determination unit 21A detects the operation of the direction indicator 25 of the vehicle 11 and controls the transparency of the light control screen 14 and the projection of an image, but the present invention is not limited to this case. For example, the driving operation determination unit 21A may detect an operation signal for reverse driving by operating the shift lever of the vehicle 11, instead of detecting the operation of the direction indicator 25 of the vehicle 11, and control the transparency of the light control screen 14 and the projection of an image. In addition, various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention.

[0052] Next, as shown in FIG. 4, a method of controlling the vehicular display device 10 when, for example, the vehicle 11 stops on a roadside or the like and the passenger P in the rear seat 13 gets out of the vehicle 11 will be described.

[0053] In step S30, when the driver gets into the vehicle 11 and presses an ignition switch (not shown), the vehicle 11 is turned on. Then, in step S31, the ignition switch is pressed, and the vehicular display device 10 of the vehicle 11 is also turned on.

[0054] In step S32, the vehicle control unit 21 starts a vehicle drive mechanism (not shown) such as an engine, and the driver operates the steering wheel or the like to cause the vehicle 11 to start traveling.

[0055] In step S33, the driving performance determination unit 21A of the vehicle control unit 21 determines whether or not the turn indicator 25 has been operated while the vehicle 11 is traveling. Then, if the driver operates the turn indicator 25, for example, to stop on the shoulder of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, and the driving performance determination unit 21A of the vehicle control unit 21 detects an operation signal from the turn indicator 25 when the result of step S33 is YES, it determines that the turn indicator 25 has been operated while the vehicle 11 is traveling, and the process proceeds to step S34. In the vehicle 11, the left turn indicator flashes in conjunction with the above operation of the turn indicator 25.

[0056] On the other hand, if the result of step S33 is NO, and the driving performance judgment unit 21A of the vehicle control unit 21 does not detect an operation signal from the turn signal 25, the driving performance judgment unit 21A judges that the turn signal 25 is not operated while the vehicle 11 is traveling. The vehicle 11 continues to travel straight on the roadway.

[0057] In step S34, the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 judges whether the light control screen 14 is turned on and in use. Then, in the case where the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 detects the flow of electricity from the battery of the vehicle 11 to the light control screen 14 in YES in step S34, the image adjustment unit 21B judges that the light control screen 14 is in use, and proceeds to step S36.

[0058] On the other hand, if the result of step S34 is NO and the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 does not detect the flow of electricity from the battery of the vehicle 11 to the dimming screen 14, the image adjustment unit 21B determines that the dimming screen 14 is not in use, and proceeds to step S35.

[0059] In step S35, the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 leads the light control screen 14 out from the roof 16 and turns on the light control screen 14. As described above, since the light control screen 14 is stored in the roof 16 when not in use, the image adjustment unit 21B leads the light control screen 14 out from the roof 16, starts supplying electricity to the light control screen 14, and adjusts the transparency of the light control screen 14 to a state suitable for the image.

[0060] In step S36, the occupant determination unit 21C of the vehicle control unit 21 determines whether or not an occupant P (see FIG. 1A) is seated on the rear seat 13. For example, a weight sensor (not shown) is built into the seat cushion 13A (see FIG. 1A) of the rear seat 13, and when a weight within a set range is detected, the weight sensor transmits a detection signal to the vehicle control unit 21.

[0061] If the occupant determination unit 21C of the vehicle control unit 21 detects a detection signal from the weight sensor (YES in step S36), it determines that an occupant P is seated in the rear seat 13, and proceeds to step S37.

[0062] On the other hand, if the occupant determination unit 21C of the vehicle control unit 21 does not detect a detection signal from the weight sensor (NO in step S36), it determines that the occupant P is not seated on the rear seat 13. Then, the vehicle display device 10 does not need to perform control when the occupant P gets out of the vehicle, and the driving operation determination unit 21A of the vehicle control unit 21 continues to determine whether the turn signal 25 has been operated while the vehicle 11 is traveling.

[0063] In step S37, the occupant alighting determination unit 21D of the vehicle control unit 21 determines whether the door lock unit 26 of either the left or right door or both doors of the vehicle 11 has been released. If the result of step S37 is YES, the lock operation unit 27 is operated by the driver or the like, and the occupant alighting determination unit 21D of the vehicle control unit 21 detects an unlock signal, it determines that the door lock unit 26 of the vehicle 11 has been released, and the process proceeds to step S38.

[0064] On the other hand, if the NO in step S37 is detected, the occupant dismount determination unit 21D of the vehicle control unit 21 determines that the door lock unit 26 of the vehicle 11 is in the locked state if the unlock signal is not detected. Then, the vehicle display device 10 does not need to perform control when the occupant P dismounts, and the driving operation determination unit 21A of the vehicle control unit 21 continues to determine whether the direction indicator 25 is operated while the vehicle 11 is traveling.

[0065] In step S38, the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 controls the projector 15 to stop the image that has been projected onto the light control screen 14 for the image projection areas 17A, 17C of the door on which the door lock unit 26 has been released. Note that the image adjustment unit 21B maintains the amount of electricity supplied to the light control screen 14, and the transparency of the light control screen 14 is maintained as it is. Furthermore, when the door lock units 26 of both the left and right doors are released, control is performed for both the image projection areas 17A, 17C.

[0066] In step S39, the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 controls the projector 15 to project the image acquired from the imaging device 28 onto the light control screen 14 for the image projection areas 17A, 17C on the door side where the door lock unit 26 is unlocked. Then, in step S40, after the vehicle 11 has stopped on the shoulder of the road or the like, the occupant P checks for safety from the image of the periphery of the vehicle 11 projected onto the light control screen 14 and gets off the vehicle 11.

[0067] In step S41, the occupant alighting determination unit 21D of the vehicle control unit 21 determines whether the door lock unit 26 of the vehicle 11 is locked. If the driver or the like operates the lock operation unit 27 or the vehicle speed of the vehicle 11 becomes equal to or greater than a certain speed and the occupant alighting determination unit 21D of the vehicle control unit 21 detects a lock signal, the occupant alighting determination unit 21D determines that the door lock unit 26 of the vehicle 11 is locked, and the process proceeds to step S42.

[0068] On the other hand, if NO in step S41, the occupant alighting determination unit 21D of the vehicle control unit 21 does not detect a lock signal, it determines that the door lock unit 26 of the vehicle 11 is unlocked, and continues to detect the lock signal.

[0069] In step S42, the occupant determination unit 21C of the vehicle control unit 21 determines whether an occupant P is seated in the rear seat 13 or not.

[0070] If the occupant determination unit 21C of the vehicle control unit 21 detects a detection signal from the weight sensor (YES in step S42), it determines that an occupant P is seated in the rear seat 13, and proceeds to step S43.

[0071] In step S43, the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 controls the projector 15 to stop the image from the imaging device 28, rewind the image to the state before the image was stopped in step S38, and project the rewound image onto the light control screen 14 again via the projector 15. Note that, similarly to the control method of the vehicle display device 10 in Fig. 3, if the same image was projected in the image projection areas 17A, 17B, and 17C before the image was stopped, the rewound image may not be projected in the image projection areas 17A and 17C, but may be resumed from the image of the same scene as in the image projection area 17B.

[0072] On the other hand, if the result of step S42 is NO, the occupant determination unit 21C of the vehicle control unit 21 determines that an occupant P is not seated on the rear seat 13 if it does not detect a detection signal from the weight sensor, and proceeds to step S44.

[0073] In step S44, since there is no occupant P in the rear seat 13 and there is no need to resume image projection, the image adjustment unit 21B of the vehicle control unit 21 controls the projector 15 to maintain the stopped state of image projection.

[0074] Thereafter, when other passengers in the rear seats 13 of the vehicle 11 get off and it is necessary to check the safety around the vehicle 11, the above-described control method for the vehicular display device 10 is performed. Then, in step S45, when the driver arrives at the destination, stops the vehicle 11 in a parking lot or the like, and presses the ignition switch, the vehicle 11 goes into an ignition-off state.

[0075] In the vehicle display device 10 of the present embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1B, the image adjustment unit 21B stops the image projected onto the image projection area 17A, 17C on the door side where the door lock unit 26 is unlocked, among the three image projection areas 17A, 17B, 17C of the light control screen 14, and projects the image of the surroundings of the vehicle 11 from the imaging device 28, but the present embodiment is not limited to this case. For example, when the passenger P in the rear seat 13 gets off the vehicle, the vehicle display device 10 may stop the image projected onto the three image projection areas 17A, 17B, 17C, and project the image of the surroundings of the vehicle 11 from the imaging device 28 onto the three image projection areas 17A, 17B, 17C.

[0076] In addition, in the vehicle display device 10 of the present embodiment, when the occupant P in the rear seat 13 gets off the vehicle, the driving operation determination unit 21A detects the operation of the turn indicator 25 of the vehicle 11 and controls the projection of the image, but the present invention is not limited to this case. For example, the driving operation determination unit 21A may detect an operation signal for projecting an image behind the vehicle 11 by a remote control operation or switch operation by the occupant P of the vehicle 11, instead of detecting the operation of the turn indicator 25 of the vehicle 11, and control the projection of the image onto the light control screen 14. In addition, various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 10 Vehicle display device 11 Vehicles 12 Front seats 12A Driver's seat 12B Passenger seat 12C Headrest 13 Rear seat 13A Seat cushion 14 Dimmable Screen 15 Projector 16 Roof 17A, 17B, 17C Image projection area 18 Instrument Panel 19 Cabin 21 Vehicle control unit 21A Driving operation judgment unit 21B Image adjustment section 21C Occupant determination section 21D Passenger disembarkation determination section 22 Memory section 23 Amplifier section 24L, 24R Speaker 25 Turn signal 26 Door lock section 27 Lock operation section 28 Imaging Device 29 Illuminance sensor

Claims

1. A projector disposed in a vehicle interior; a light-adjustable screen disposed behind a driver's seat and a passenger seat of the vehicle for displaying an image projected by the projector; A driving operation determination unit that determines a driving operation of the vehicle; an image adjustment unit that adjusts the projector and the light control screen based on a determination result of the driving operation determination unit; When the driving operation determination unit determines that a turn signal of the vehicle has been operated, the image adjustment unit increases the transparency of at least a part of the light control screen in a direction indicated by the direction indicator, and stops projection of the image onto at least the transparency adjustment area of ​​the light control screen via the projector; When the driving operation determination unit determines that the operation has ended, The image adjustment unit returns the transparency of the adjustment area of ​​the light control screen to its original state, and projects the image that was rewound to the image before the stop via the projector onto the adjustment area of ​​the light control screen.

2. A plurality of image projection areas are set on the light control screen in a width direction of the vehicle, When the driving operation determination unit determines that the operation has been performed, The display device for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the image adjustment unit increases the transparency of at least a part of the image projection area located in a direction indicated by the turn signal light relative to a headrest of the driver's seat.

3. an illuminance sensor for measuring the brightness of an interior of the vehicle; 3. The display device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the image adjustment unit adjusts the transparency of the light control screen based on a measurement result of the illuminance sensor.

4. an occupant determination unit that determines whether or not an occupant is seated in a rear seat of the vehicle; an occupant disembarking determination unit that determines whether the occupant has disembarked from the vehicle; An imaging device that captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle, When the driving operation determination unit determines that the operation has been performed, the occupant determination unit determines that the occupant is seated in the rear seat, and the occupant dismounting determination unit determines that the occupant dismounts from the vehicle, 3. The display device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the image adjustment unit projects the image from the imaging device onto the light-adjusting screen via the projector.

5. The display device for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the occupant alighting determination unit determines that the occupant alights from the vehicle by detecting an unlock signal of a door of the vehicle.

Images