Vehicle display control device, vehicle display device, display control method, and display control program

Abstract

To provide a vehicle display control device, a vehicle display device, a display control method and a display control program which can suppress an occupant from feeling troublesome.SOLUTION: A vehicle display control device causes an image to be displayed on a display area 26A that overlaps with a part of a foreground of a vehicle. The vehicle display control device detects a position of a preceding vehicle 60 that is travelling in front of the vehicle and detects based on the position of the preceding vehicle 60 whether or not the preceding vehicle 60 totally gets out of the display area 26A. The vehicle display control device causes a captured image 80 to be displayed on the display area 26A according to the position of the preceding vehicle 60 overlapping with the preceding vehicle 60 or adjacent to the preceding vehicle, and also causes the captured image 80 to be flashingly displayed at an end part of the side where the preceding vehicle 60 totally gets out on the display area 26A when the preceding vehicle 60 is detected to totally get out of the display area 26A, but does not cause the capture image 80 to be flashingly displayed when at least a part of the preceding vehicle 60 exists within the display area 26A.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle display control device, a vehicle display device, a display control method, and a display control program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a head-up display device superimposes a marker image or the like on the view ahead that a vehicle occupant sees through the windshield. In this technology, a marker image indicating that a leading vehicle has been captured is displayed in accordance with the leading vehicle, and the marker image is displayed with a time frequency that changes as the leading vehicle moves outward from the side edges of the display area of ​​the head-up display device in the vehicle width direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6536855 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, if the preceding vehicle moves even slightly outside the display area, the marker image flashes, which may be annoying to the occupants.

[0005] In consideration of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle display control device, a vehicle display device, a display control method, and a display control program that can reduce the annoyance felt by occupants. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect of the vehicle display control device is a vehicle display control device that controls a display device to display a captured image corresponding to the position of a preceding vehicle in a display area that overlaps with part of the foreground from the vehicle, and when the entire preceding vehicle moves out of the display area, the captured image is displayed in a flashing manner, and the flashing speed of the flashing display is increased as the preceding vehicle moves away from the display area.

[0007] In the first mode, the captured image is displayed in a flashing manner when the entire preceding vehicle moves out of the display area, thereby reducing the annoyance felt by the occupants, and the flashing speed of the flashing display is increased as the preceding vehicle moves away from the display area, allowing the occupants to visually grasp the distance from the display area to the preceding vehicle by the flashing display with different flashing speeds.

[0008] The vehicular display control device according to a second aspect is the first aspect, and is configured to increase the blinking speed in stages as the leading vehicle moves away from the display area.

[0009] In the second mode, the blinking speed is increased in stages, so that an error that occurs when calculating the distance from the display area to the leading vehicle can be corrected and displayed.

[0010] A third aspect of the present invention provides a display control device for a vehicle according to the first aspect, wherein the display area is a projection surface projected by a head-up display device in front of the driver's seat of the vehicle.

[0011] In the third aspect, the display area is a projection surface projected by a head-up display device in front of the vehicle from the driver's seat, and the captured image is displayed superimposed on the foreground from the driver's seat, so the occupant in the driver's seat can see the position of the vehicle ahead without having to move their line of sight significantly.

[0012] A vehicle display device according to a fourth aspect includes a display unit provided in a passenger compartment of the vehicle and having the display area, and the vehicle display control device according to any one of the first to third aspects.

[0013] In a fourth aspect, a vehicle display device includes a display unit provided in a vehicle interior and having a display area, and a vehicle display control device. This vehicle display control device is the vehicle display control device according to any one of the first to third aspects, and therefore the above-described functions and effects can be obtained.

[0014] A display control method according to a fifth aspect is a display control method in which a computer executes a process to display a captured image according to the position of a preceding vehicle in a display area that overlaps with part of the foreground from the vehicle, and when the entire preceding vehicle moves out of the display area, the captured image is displayed in a flashing manner, and the flashing speed of the flashing display is increased as the preceding vehicle moves away from the display area.

[0015] In the fifth aspect, as in the first aspect, the captured image is displayed in a flashing manner when the entire preceding vehicle moves out of the display area, thereby reducing the annoyance felt by the occupants, and the flashing speed of the flashing display is increased as the preceding vehicle moves away from the display area, allowing the occupants to visually grasp the distance from the display area to the preceding vehicle by the flashing display with different flashing speeds.

[0016] A display control program according to a sixth aspect is a display control program that displays a captured image according to the position of a preceding vehicle in a display area that overlaps with part of the foreground from the vehicle, and causes a computer to execute processing that causes the captured image to flash when the entire preceding vehicle moves out of the display area, and that increases the flashing speed of the flashing display as the preceding vehicle moves away from the display area.

[0017] In the sixth aspect, as in the first aspect, the captured image is displayed in a flashing manner when the entire preceding vehicle moves out of the display area, thereby reducing the annoyance felt by the occupants, and the flashing speed of the flashing display is increased as the preceding vehicle moves away from the display area, allowing the occupants to visually grasp the distance from the display area to the preceding vehicle by the flashing display with different flashing speeds. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] As described above, the vehicle display control device, vehicle display device, display control method, and display control program of the present invention have the excellent effect of being able to reduce annoyance to occupants and allowing occupants to visually grasp the distance from the display area to the preceding vehicle by means of flashing displays with different flashing rates. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a front part of a vehicle interior of a vehicle to which a vehicle display device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied, viewed from the rear side of the vehicle. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a vehicle display device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a vehicle display device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a captured image acquired by a front camera. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a windshield glass visible to an occupant in the driver's seat. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a windshield glass visible to an occupant in the driver's seat. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of a display process in the present embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle display device according to a modified example of the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] A vehicle 12 to which a vehicle display device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the arrow UP in Fig. 1 indicates the upper side in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the arrow RH indicates the right side in the width direction of the vehicle. In the following description, the vertical direction and the left-right direction refer to the up and down in the vertical direction of the vehicle and the left and right in the width direction of the vehicle, respectively.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 1, an instrument panel 14 is provided in the front of a passenger compartment 13 of a vehicle 12. The instrument panel 14 extends in the vehicle width direction, and a steering wheel 16 is provided on the right side of the instrument panel 14. That is, in this embodiment, as an example, the vehicle is a so-called right-hand drive vehicle in which the steering wheel 16 is provided on the right side, and the driver's seat is located on the right side of the vehicle. A windshield glass 18 is provided at the front end of the instrument panel 14.

[0022] The windshield glass 18 extends from the front end of the instrument panel 14 toward the upper side of the vehicle, separating the outside of the vehicle compartment 12 from the inside of the vehicle compartment 13. The right end of the windshield glass 18 is fixed to a front pillar 20 on the right side of the vehicle. The front pillar 20 extends in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the windshield glass 18 is fixed to the inner end of the front pillar 20 in the vehicle width direction. The front ends of front side windows 22 are fixed to the outer end of the front pillar 20 in the vehicle width direction. The left end of the windshield glass 18 is fixed to a front pillar on the left side of the vehicle (not shown).

[0023] Here, the instrument panel 14 is provided with a first display unit 24 having an image display area 24A. The first display unit 24 is configured as a meter display provided in front of the driver's seat on the right side of the instrument panel 14. The first display unit 24 is connected to various meter devices mounted on the vehicle 12, and is provided in a position that is within the field of view of the driver when the driver is looking forward.

[0024] The instrument panel 14 is provided with a second display unit 25 having an image display area 25A. The second display unit 25 is configured by a center display disposed in the center of the instrument panel 14 in the vehicle width direction.

[0025] The windshield glass 18 is provided with a third display unit 26 having an image display area 26A. The third display unit 26 is set above the first display unit 24, and the display area 26A is configured as a projection surface onto which an image is projected by a head-up display device 44 (see FIG. 2 ). Specifically, the head-up display device 44 is provided on the vehicle front side of the instrument panel 14, and an image is projected from the head-up display device 44 onto the display area 26A of the third display unit 26 on the windshield glass 18. In other words, the third display unit 26 is configured as part of the windshield glass 18 that serves as the projection surface for the head-up display device 44.

[0026] (Hardware configuration of the vehicle display device 10) The vehicle 12 is provided with an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 28 as a vehicle display control device that is a control unit of the vehicle display device 10. FIG.

[0027] 2, the ECU 28 of the vehicle display device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit: processor) 30, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 32, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 34, a storage 36, a communication interface (communication I / F) 38, and an input / output interface (input / output I / F) 40. Each component is connected to each other via a bus 42 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0028] The CPU 30 is a central processing unit that executes various programs and controls each part. That is, the CPU 30 reads programs from the ROM 32 or storage 36 and executes the programs using the RAM 34 as a work area. The CPU 30 controls each of the above components and performs various arithmetic processing in accordance with the programs recorded in the ROM 32 or storage 36.

[0029] The ROM 32 stores various programs and various data. The RAM 34 temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. The storage 36 is configured with an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive) and stores various programs including an operating system and various data. In this embodiment, the ROM 32 or the storage 36 stores programs for performing display processing, various data, and the like.

[0030] The communication I / F 38 is an interface for the vehicle display device 10 to communicate with a server and other devices (not shown), and uses standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark), LTE, FDDI, and Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0031] The input / output I / F 40 is connected to the first display unit 24, the second display unit 25, a head-up display device (HUD) 44, and a sensor unit 46. In addition, an image is projected onto the third display unit 26 by the head-up display device 44.

[0032] The sensor unit 46 includes a plurality of sensors selected from various sensors such as a camera, radar, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging), and a GPS (global positioning system) sensor. The camera captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle 12. The camera in this embodiment is configured to include at least a front camera that captures images of the area ahead of the vehicle.

[0033] The radar detects the distance and direction of objects around the vehicle 12 using radio waves. The lidar detects the distance and direction of objects around the vehicle 12 using laser light. The GPS sensor detects the current position of the vehicle 12. In this embodiment, the radar and lidar are equipped with a signal processing unit (not shown) that has the function of processing the detection results of surrounding objects. The signal processing unit excludes roadside objects such as guardrails as noise and stationary objects, and tracks and monitors moving objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles, based on changes in the relative position and relative speed of each object contained in the most recent multiple detection results. In addition, the sensor unit 46 is configured to include a sensor that detects the gaze position of the occupant.

[0034] (Functional configuration of the vehicle display control device 28) The vehicular display control device 28 uses the above hardware resources to realize various functions. The functional configuration realized by the vehicular display control device 28 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0035] 3, the vehicle display control device 28 is configured to include, as functional components, a leading vehicle detection unit 52, a deviation detection unit 54, an image generation unit 56, and a display control unit 58. Each functional component is realized by the CPU 30 reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 32 or the storage 36.

[0036] The leading vehicle detection unit 52 acquires information about the position of a leading vehicle 60 traveling ahead of the vehicle 12. Specifically, the leading vehicle detection unit 52 acquires information about the leading vehicle 60 detected by the sensor unit 46. For example, the leading vehicle detection unit 52 acquires image data of the area ahead of the vehicle captured by a front camera, and detects coordinate data of the leading vehicle 60 in the yz directions based on the acquired image data of the leading vehicle 60. Here, the y direction is the left-right direction of the vehicle 12, and the z direction is the up-down direction of the vehicle 12. The x direction is the front-rear direction of the vehicle 12.

[0037] 4 is an example diagram showing an example of a captured image 70 shown by captured image data of the area ahead of the vehicle captured by the front camera. As shown in FIG. 4, the leading vehicle detection unit 52 sets coordinate axes in the captured image 70, with the horizontal direction being the y-axis and the vertical direction being the z-axis. In this embodiment, the front camera is installed in the center of the interior of the front part of the vehicle 12 in the vehicle width direction, and in this embodiment, the center of the captured image 70 is set as the origin.

[0038] The preceding vehicle detection unit 52 detects a preceding vehicle 60 that is present in front of the vehicle 12 by analyzing the captured image 70, and detects the position and shape of the preceding vehicle 60 relative to the vehicle 12. For example, in Fig. 4, the preceding vehicle detection unit 52 detects the preceding vehicle 60 from the captured image 70, sets a rectangular outer frame 60A (shown by a two-dot chain line in Fig. 4) surrounding the preceding vehicle 60, and detects the width S in the y-axis direction and the height H in the z-axis direction of the outer frame 60A as size information of the preceding vehicle 60.

[0039] In addition, as an example, the preceding vehicle detection unit 52 detects FL1 (y1, z1), which is the coordinate of the lower left vertex of the outer frame 60A, FR1 (y2, z2), which is the coordinate of the lower right vertex of the outer frame 60A, FL2 (y3, z3), which is the coordinate of the upper left vertex of the outer frame 60A, and FR2 (y4, z4), which is the coordinate of the upper right vertex of the outer frame 60A, as coordinate data of the preceding vehicle 60.

[0040] The out-of-position detection unit 54 detects whether the entire preceding vehicle 60 has deviated from the display area 26A of the third display unit 26, based on the position of the preceding vehicle 60. Specifically, as an example, the out-of-position detection unit 54 sets position coordinates corresponding to the display area 26A in advance. Then, it determines whether the four coordinate data indicating the position of the preceding vehicle 60 detected by the preceding vehicle detection unit 52, i.e., FL1(y1,z1), FR1(y2,z2), FL2(y3,z3), and FR2(y4,z4), are inside or outside the display area 26A. If they are outside, the out-of-position detection unit 54 detects that the entire preceding vehicle 60 has deviated from the display area 26A of the third display unit 26.

[0041] The image generation unit 56 generates an image to be displayed on the third display unit 26, which is the projection surface of the head-up display device 44. Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams each showing an example of the windshield glass 18 as viewed by an occupant in the driver's seat. Note that although the windshield glass 18 is shown as a rectangle in Figures 5 and 6, it is not actually an exact rectangle.

[0042] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the images generated by the image generation unit 56 include, for example, a meter image 82 showing a meter display indicating the traveling speed of the vehicle 12, and various images intended to assist manual driving and automatic driving.

[0043] Particularly in this embodiment, when the detachment detection unit 54 determines that the entire leading vehicle 60 has deviated from the display area 26A of the third display unit 26, the image generation unit 56 generates a first captured image 80A and a second captured image 80B as captured images 80 showing the captured leading vehicle 60. In this embodiment, as an example, the first captured image 80A and the second captured image 80B are configured with the same shape, and the first captured image 80A is configured with a color and brightness that are more emphasized than those of the second captured image 80B. In this embodiment, as an example, the captured image 80 is configured with a double-headed arrow as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0044] Furthermore, when a plurality of leading vehicles 60 are detected, the image generation unit 56 generates a captured image 80 for each of the detected leading vehicles 60. In this case, for example, the color of the first captured image 80A is set to a different color for each leading vehicle 60. Note that the generation of the captured image 80 by the image generation unit 56 is performed in advance, and is stored in the storage 36, for example.

[0045] The display control unit 58 has a function of displaying the image generated by the image generation unit 56 in the display area 26A of the third display unit 26, and a function of deleting the image displayed in the display area 26A.

[0046] The display control unit 58 displays various images in the display area 26A of the third display unit 26 so as to blend in with the foreground of the vehicle 12 as viewed by a passenger in the driver's seat through the third display unit 26 (windshield glass 18), for example. In particular, in this embodiment, the display control unit 58 displays a captured image 80 corresponding to the position of the leading vehicle 60 in the display area 26A of the third display unit 26 so as to be superimposed on or adjacent to the leading vehicle 60, and when the detachment detection unit 54 detects that the entire leading vehicle 60 has detached from the display area 26A, the display control unit 58 flashes the captured image 80 at the end of the display area 26A on the side where the entire leading vehicle 60 has detached. Note that, in this embodiment, the display control unit 58 displays the captured image 80 adjacent to the lower end of the leading vehicle 60, as an example.

[0047] In addition, in this embodiment, as an example, when the detachment detection unit 54 detects that the entire leading vehicle 60 has detached from the left edge of the display area 26A, the display control unit 58 displays a captured image 80 at the left edge of the display area 26A. Specifically, the first captured image 80A and the second captured image 80B are alternately displayed at regular intervals. At this time, the display control unit 58 reduces or enlarges the captured images 80, i.e., the first captured image 80A and the second captured image 80B, so that the width of the double-headed arrow in the captured image 80 corresponds to the width S detected as size information by the leading vehicle detection unit 52. Furthermore, as an example, the display control unit 58 rotates and displays the captured images 80, i.e., the first captured image 80A and the second captured image 80B, so that the inclination of the double-headed arrow matches the inclination of the bottom edge line of the outer frame 60A shown in FIG. 4.

[0048] Similarly, when the detachment detection unit 54 detects that the entire preceding vehicle 60 has detached from the right end of the display area 26A, the display control unit 58 displays the captured image 80 at the right end of the display area 26A, and when the detachment detection unit 54 detects that the preceding vehicle 60 has detached from the top end, the display control unit 58 displays the captured image 80 at the top end of the display area 26A.

[0049] Also, as shown in Figure 6, when the entire preceding vehicle 60 is not outside the display area 26A, i.e., when only a portion of the preceding vehicle 60 is outside the display area 26A or when the entire preceding vehicle 60 is located within the display area 26A, the display control unit 58 displays the first captured image 80A according to the position of the preceding vehicle 60, thereby displaying the captured image as a lit image rather than flashing.

[0050] In this embodiment, as an example, when the detachment detection unit 54 detects that the entire leading vehicle 60 has deviated from the display area 26A, the display control unit 58 causes the captured image 80 to flash after a certain time has elapsed since this detection. Also, when the detachment detection unit 54 detects that at least a part of the leading vehicle 60 has returned from the outside to the inside of the display area 26A, the display control unit 58 causes the captured image 80 to be displayed in a non-flashing light after a certain time has elapsed since this detection.

[0051] (action) Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

[0052] (Display processing) An example of a display process for displaying a captured image 80 on the third display unit 26, which is the projection screen of the head-up display device 44, will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 7. This display process is executed by the CPU 30 reading a display control program from the ROM 32 or storage 36, expanding the program into the RAM 34, and executing it.

[0053] 7, the CPU 30 determines whether or not the preceding vehicle 60 has been detected in step S11. Specifically, the CPU 30 determines, by the function of the preceding vehicle detection unit 52, whether or not the preceding vehicle 60 is present in the captured image 70 captured by the front camera included in the sensor unit 46.

[0054] If the preceding vehicle 60 is not detected, a negative determination is made in step S11, and the CPU 30 ends the display control process. On the other hand, if the preceding vehicle 60 is detected, a positive determination is made in step S11, and the CPU 30 proceeds to step S12.

[0055] In step S12, the CPU 30 detects the position of the preceding vehicle 60. Specifically, the CPU 30 acquires information about the preceding vehicle 60 detected by the sensor unit 46 using the function of the preceding vehicle detection unit 52, and based on this information, detects, as coordinate data of the preceding vehicle 60, FR1(y2, z2), which is the coordinate of the lower right vertex of the outer frame 60A of the preceding vehicle 60, FL2(y3, z3), which is the coordinate of the upper left vertex of the outer frame 60A, and FR2(y4, z4), which is the coordinate of the upper right vertex of the outer frame 60A, as described above.

[0056] In step S13, the CPU 30 determines whether the entire preceding vehicle 60 has deviated from the display area 26A. Specifically, the CPU 30 determines, using the function of the deviation detection unit 54, whether the coordinate data, i.e., FL1(y1, z1), FR1(y2, z2), FL2(y3, z3), and FR2(y4, z4), are inside or outside the display area 26A in the captured image 70. If they are outside, the CPU 30 detects that the entire preceding vehicle 60 has deviated from the display area 26A, so the determination in step S13 is affirmative, and the CPU 30 proceeds to step S14.

[0057] In step S14, the CPU 30 determines whether a certain period of time has elapsed using a timer (not shown) mounted on the vehicle display control device 28. If the certain period of time has not elapsed, step S14 is determined to be negative, and the CPU 30 repeats the processing of step S14 until the certain period of time has elapsed. On the other hand, if the certain period of time has elapsed, step S14 is determined to be positive, and the CPU 30 proceeds to step S15.

[0058] In step S15, the CPU 30 blinks the captured image 80. Specifically, the CPU 30 causes the first captured image 80A and the second captured image 80B, generated by the function of the image generation unit 56, to be alternately displayed in the display area 26A of the third display unit 26 by the function of the display control unit 58, thereby causing the captured image 80 to blink at the end of the display area 26A on the side where the leading vehicle 60 is not entirely visible (see FIG. 5).

[0059] On the other hand, if at least one coordinate data is inside the display area 26A in the captured image 70 in step S13, the CPU 30 detects that the entire preceding vehicle 60 is not outside the display area 26A, i.e., that at least a part of the preceding vehicle 60 is located in the display area 26A, so step S13 becomes a negative judgment and the CPU 30 transitions processing to step S16.

[0060] In step S16, the CPU 30 determines whether the preceding vehicle 60 has returned from the outside to the inside using the function of the detachment detection unit 54. If the preceding vehicle 60 has not returned from the outside to the inside, the preceding vehicle 60 continues to be inside the display area 26A, so the determination in step S16 is negative, and the CPU 30 proceeds to step S18. On the other hand, if the preceding vehicle 60 has returned from the outside to the inside of the display area 26A, the determination in step S16 is positive, and the CPU 30 proceeds to step S17.

[0061] In step S17, the CPU 30 determines whether a certain period of time has elapsed using a timer (not shown) mounted on the vehicle display control device 28. If the certain period of time has not elapsed, step S17 is determined to be negative, and the CPU 30 repeats the process of step S17 until the certain period of time has elapsed. On the other hand, if the certain period of time has elapsed, step S17 is determined to be positive, and the CPU 30 proceeds to step S18.

[0062] In step S18, the CPU 30 displays the captured image 80 in a non-flashing lit state adjacent to the leading vehicle 60. Specifically, the CPU 30 displays the first captured image 80A generated by the function of the image generation unit 56 in the display area 26A of the third display unit 26 by the function of the display control unit 58, thereby displaying the captured image 80 in a non-flashing lit state adjacent to the bottom edge of the leading vehicle 60 (see FIG. 6).

[0063] Then, while continuing the processing of step S15 or step S18, the CPU 30 proceeds to step S11 and determines whether or not the currently captured preceding vehicle 60 has been detected by the function of the preceding vehicle detection unit 52. If the preceding vehicle 60 has been detected, the determination in step S11 is affirmative, and the CPU 30 continues the processing from step S12 onwards. On the other hand, if the preceding vehicle 60 has not been detected, the determination in step S11 is negative, and the CPU 30 ends the display control processing.

[0064] As described above, in the vehicle display device 10 and vehicle display control device 28 according to this embodiment, the display control unit 58 displays the captured image 80 corresponding to the position of the leading vehicle 60 in the display area by superimposing it on or adjacent to the leading vehicle 60, and when the deviation detection unit 54 detects that the leading vehicle 60 has entirely deviated from the display area 26A, the captured image 80 is displayed in a flashing manner at the end of the display area 26A on the side where the leading vehicle 60 has entirely deviated. As a result, the captured image 80 is displayed in a flashing manner when it is detected that the leading vehicle 60 has entirely deviated from the display area 26A, and the captured image 80 is not displayed in a flashing manner when only a part of the leading vehicle 60 has deviated from the display area 26A, thereby reducing the annoyance felt by the occupants.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the display control unit 58 detects that the entire preceding vehicle 60 has left the display area 26A, it causes the captured image 80 to flash after a certain time has elapsed since this detection. Therefore, by allowing a certain time to elapse since detection, it is possible to prevent hunting that occurs when the preceding vehicle 60 switches from moving inside to outside the display area 26A.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the display control unit 58 detects that at least a portion of the preceding vehicle 60 has returned from the outside to the inside of the display area 26A, the display control unit 58 displays the captured image 80 in a non-blinking light after a certain time has elapsed since this detection. Therefore, by allowing a certain time to elapse since detection, it is possible to prevent hunting that occurs when the preceding vehicle 60 switches from the outside to the inside of the display area 26A.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display area 26A is a projection surface projected by the head-up display device 44 in front of the vehicle from the driver's seat, and therefore the captured image 80 is displayed superimposed on the foreground from the driver's seat, allowing the occupant in the driver's seat to see the position of the preceding vehicle 60 without having to move their line of sight significantly.

[0068] In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, when the captured image 80 is flashed, the display control unit 58 alternately displays the first captured image 80A and the second captured image 80B at regular intervals, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0069] (First Modification) In the first modified example, the display control unit 58 increases the blinking speed of the blinking display as the leading vehicle 60 moves away from the display area 26A. Specifically, the display control unit 58 changes the timing of display switching between the first captured image 80A and the second captured image 80B. As an example, the detachment detection unit 54 acquires coordinates of the position of the vehicle 12 detected by the GPS sensor of the sensor unit 46. The detachment detection unit 54 also acquires coordinates of the position of the leading vehicle 60 in the y direction (left-right direction) and z direction (up-down direction) detected by the leading vehicle detection unit 52, and also acquires information on the size of the leading vehicle 60 detected by the leading vehicle detection unit 52 to derive the amount of displacement in the x direction (front-rear direction).

[0070] From this information, the detachment detection unit 54 calculates the distances in the x direction, y direction, and z direction from the vehicle 12 to the preceding vehicle 60. The display control unit 58 determines that the greater the distance calculated by the detachment detection unit 54, the farther the preceding vehicle 60 is from the display area 26A, and increases the speed at which the display switches between the first captured image 80A and the second captured image 80B, thereby increasing the blinking speed of the blinking display.

[0071] In this way, in variant example 1, the display control unit 58 increases the blinking speed of the blinking display as the preceding vehicle 60 moves away from the display area 26A, so that the occupant can visually grasp the distance from the display area 26A to the preceding vehicle 60 by the blinking display with different blinking speeds.

[0072] In the first modification, the amount of displacement in the x direction is calculated based on the size information of the preceding vehicle 60 acquired from the captured image 70, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the amount of displacement may be calculated based on the distance between the vehicle 12 and the preceding vehicle 60 detected by the radar or lidar of the sensor unit 46.

[0073] (Second Modification) In the second modification, in the first modification, for example, a certain threshold value divided into three levels for the distance is set, and the distance calculated by the detachment detection unit 54 is compared with the above three threshold levels. Based on the result of this comparison, the display control unit 58 changes the blinking speed in three levels.

[0074] In this way, in the second modified example, the display control unit 58 increases the blinking speed in stages, so that an error when calculating the distance from the display area 26A to the leading vehicle 60 can be corrected and displayed.

[0075] [supplementary explanation] In the above embodiment, the display area showing the view in front of the vehicle is configured by the projection surface of the head-up display device 44, but the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in a modified example in Fig. 8, the captured image 80 may be displayed in the display area of ​​the second display unit 25, which is a display provided on the instrument panel 14.

[0076] As shown in Fig. 8, in this modification, the display area 25A of the second display unit 25 is divided into upper and lower halves. In the second display unit 25 shown in Fig. 8, a map image N indicating the current position of the vehicle 12 is displayed in the lower part of the display area, and a foreground image F indicating the view in front of the vehicle is displayed in the upper part of the display area. The foreground image F is formed, for example, from a captured image 70 captured by a front camera constituting the sensor unit 46. Unlike the above embodiment, in modification 2, when the leading vehicle 60 moves out of the display area 25A, that is, when the leading vehicle 60 is no longer present in the captured image 70, a captured image is displayed in a flashing manner at the end of the display area 25A on the side where the leading vehicle 60 moves out.

[0077] In this manner, in this modification, the captured image 80 is displayed on the second display unit 25 provided on the instrument panel 14, and when the preceding vehicle 60 moves out of the display area 25A, the captured image is displayed in a flashing manner at the end of the display area 25A on the side where the preceding vehicle 60 moves out. This makes it possible to reduce the annoyance of the flashing display for the occupant who views the second display unit 25, regardless of their seating position, as in the above embodiment.

[0078] Similarly, the captured image 80 may be displayed in the display area 24A of the first display unit 24, which is a meter display provided in front of the driver's seat in the instrument panel 14. Because the first display unit 24 is provided in front of the driver's seat, the occupant in the driver's seat can view the first display unit 24 without having to move their eyes from the foreground of the vehicle.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a configuration has been described in which one captured image 80 is displayed in the display area, but the present invention is not limited to this. If multiple leading vehicles 60 are detected, multiple captured images 80 may be displayed in the display area. Furthermore, the captured image 80 is not limited to a double-arrow shape and can be changed to various other shapes. For example, it may be a linear shape formed by a solid line or a dotted line, or may be a circular shape.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the outer frame 60A of the leading vehicle 60 is set in the captured image 70, and the position coordinates of each vertex of this outer frame 60A are detected as the position coordinates of the leading vehicle 60, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the outer shape of the leading vehicle 60 may be extracted, and the position coordinates of the points located outward most in the up, down, left, and right directions may be detected.

[0081] In addition, in the above embodiment, the captured image 80 is displayed adjacent to the bottom edge of the leading vehicle 60, but the captured image 80 may be displayed adjacent to the top edge, left edge, or right edge of the leading vehicle 60. Also, the captured image 80 may be displayed superimposed on the leading vehicle 60.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the display control unit 58 alternately displays the first captured image 80A and the second captured image 80B as a method of blinking the captured image 80, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first captured image 80A may be alternately displayed and hidden.

[0083] In addition, various processors other than a CPU may execute the processes executed by the CPU 22 shown in FIG. 2 after reading software (programs) in this embodiment. Examples of processors in this case include programmable logic devices (PLDs) such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), whose circuit configuration can be changed after fabrication, and dedicated electrical circuits such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), which are processors with circuit configurations specifically designed to execute specific processes. Each process may 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., multiple FPGAs, or a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). The hardware structure of these various processors is, more specifically, an electrical circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor devices.

[0084] Furthermore, each program described in this embodiment may be provided in a form recorded on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), a DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory), or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. Furthermore, the program may be downloaded from an external device via a network.

[0085] The above describes one embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above, and it goes without saying that it can be implemented in various other modified forms within the scope of the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 10 Vehicle display device 12 vehicles 13 Cabin 14 Instrument panel 24 First display section (display section) 24A display area 25 Second display section (display section) 25A display area 26 Third display section (display section) 26A Display area (projection surface) 28 Vehicle display control unit (ECU) 44 Head-up display device (HUD) 52 Leading vehicle detection unit 54 Detachment detection unit 58 Display control unit 60 Leading vehicle 80 Captured Images 80A First captured image (captured image) 80B Second captured image (captured image)

Claims

1. A display control device for a vehicle that controls a display device to display a captured image according to the position of a leading vehicle in a display area that overlaps with a part of a view in front of the vehicle, When the entire preceding vehicle leaves the display area, the captured image is displayed in a blinking manner, and the blinking speed of the blinking display is increased as the preceding vehicle moves away from the display area. Vehicle display control device.

2. The vehicle display control device according to claim 1 , wherein the blinking speed is increased stepwise as the preceding vehicle moves away from the display area.

3. The display control device for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the display area is a projection surface projected by a head-up display device in front of the driver's seat of the vehicle.

4. a display unit provided in a passenger compartment of the vehicle and having the display area; The vehicle display control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A vehicle display device comprising:

5. A display control method in which a computer executes a process of displaying a captured image according to the position of a leading vehicle in a display area that overlaps with a part of a view in front of the vehicle, the method comprising: When the entire preceding vehicle leaves the display area, the captured image is displayed in a blinking manner, and the blinking speed of the blinking display is increased as the preceding vehicle moves away from the display area. Display control method.

6. A display control program for displaying a captured image according to the position of a preceding vehicle in a display area that overlaps with a part of a view in front of the vehicle, On the computer, When the entire preceding vehicle leaves the display area, the captured image is displayed in a blinking manner, and the blinking speed of the blinking display is increased as the preceding vehicle moves away from the display area. A display control program for executing the process.

Images