Vehicle

Abstract

To project and display information on a road surface or the like based on information on a vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle includes an acquisition unit that acquires information on the vehicle, and an image projection unit that projects an image based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 17

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Image projection devices, typified by projectors, are already used in a wide range of fields as devices for enlarging and projecting desired images, and in recent years have also come to be widely used as display devices for personal computers and mobile phones.

[0003] As for such image projection devices, the following are already known as prior art related to their use in vehicles in particular. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-43781 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-136838 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-26759 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-247369 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-153868 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] That is, the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 discloses a projection display device that uses a headlight as an external light source by placing a highly portable LCD projector without a built-in light source in front of the vehicle's headlight as an external light source. In order to solve this problem, Patent Document 2 realizes a first state in which the projector is pre-installed in front of the headlight and inside the vehicle, and a second state in which the projector or the headlight is moved to directly irradiate the light beam from the headlight outside the vehicle, and further discloses an embodiment in which an image is displayed on the road.

[0006] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a vehicle driving assistance device that effectively alerts the occupants of the vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle is about to depart from its lane, by displaying information on the road ahead of the vehicle to encourage the occupants to pay attention using an illumination means (laser) attached to the headlights at the front of the vehicle.

[0007] Also, according to Patent Document 4, a device is already known in which a projector is attached to the front of a vehicle as a projection means, and a route guidance image that guides the vehicle to a branching direction based on route information searched by a navigation system is projected onto the road surface in front of the vehicle with a set projection angle.In addition, according to Patent Document 5, a vehicle driving assistance device is also already known in which a drawing pattern consisting of target marks and tracking lines is projected onto the road surface in front of the vehicle based on the driving state of the vehicle, thereby enabling the vehicle to recognize the destination of the vehicle and to drive appropriately based on this.

[0008] Vehicles travel day and night, and the area around the vehicle is bright during the day, while the area ahead of the vehicle is bright due to the headlights (HL) being turned on at night. This can lead to poor visibility of the image projected onto the road surface in front of the vehicle. To ensure higher safety for pedestrians and other people walking near the vehicle, the image projected onto the road surface must have good visibility. However, the above-mentioned conventional technologies have not been able to effectively project the projected image so that it can be easily seen when the brightness outside the vehicle or the driving conditions change.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention has been achieved in consideration of the problems in the conventional technology described above, and aims to provide a vehicle that can display images in an easily visible manner by projecting images onto the road surface, a wall, or the vehicle itself (hereinafter referred to as the road surface, etc.) based on vehicle information such as the brightness and driving conditions of the vehicle (a moving object represented by an automobile, etc.). [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problems, one embodiment of the present invention may be configured as described in the claims, for example. The present application includes a plurality of means for solving the above problems, and one example thereof is a vehicle including an acquisition unit that acquires information about the vehicle, and an image projection unit that projects an image based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, an easy-to-understand image can be projected and displayed on the road surface or the like based on information about the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view, seen from the front, of a vehicle that is equipped with an image projection device according to an embodiment of the present invention and projects an image onto a road surface or the like. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view, seen from the rear, of a vehicle that is equipped with an image projection device according to an embodiment of the present invention and projects an image onto a road surface or the like. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a light distribution control ECU that constitutes the video projection device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a more detailed configuration example of the light distribution control ECU and its peripheral elements. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a video projection device. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing how an image is projected onto a road surface while controlling headlights according to the vehicle speed. [Figure 7]10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating control modes of headlights and a video projection device according to vehicle speed. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an operational flow diagram of the control mode of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] This is an explanatory diagram showing how the brightness of an image is changed depending on whether the headlights are on (ON) or off (OFF) and projected onto the road surface. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the operation flow of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] This is an explanatory diagram showing how the display position of an image is changed and projected onto the road surface depending on whether the headlights are high or low. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the operation flow of FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing how the brightness of an image is changed depending on whether it is day or night and projected onto the road surface. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing how the brightness of an image is changed depending on the brightness outside the vehicle and projected onto the road surface. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the operation flow of FIG. 14. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an operation flow for changing the brightness of an image depending on whether it is day or night (brightness outside the vehicle) and projecting the image onto the road surface. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an operation flow for projecting an image onto a road surface according to the brightness outside the vehicle. [Figure 18] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the illumination area of ​​headlights in an image projection device according to another embodiment of the present invention and the projection area of ​​an image by the image projection device. [Figure 19] 10 is a diagram showing an example of a specific configuration for dividing and forming image projection areas within a headlight illumination area in the other embodiment. FIG. [Figure 20] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing an example of the projection area of ​​an image formed by dividing the area illuminated by the headlights using the above configuration. [Figure 21] 10 is a diagram showing another example of a specific configuration for dividing and forming image projection areas within the headlight illumination area in the above-mentioned other embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. <Image projection device placement>

[0014] 1(A) and 1(B) show a passenger car as an example of a host vehicle 10 equipped with an image projection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in these figures, a pair of left and right headlights (HL) 11 are provided in front of the main body of the host vehicle (passenger car) 10. In the example of FIG. 1(A), lamps serving as light emitters are incorporated inside the pair of headlights 11, although these are not shown in detail here. In addition, in the example of FIG. 1(A), the host vehicle (passenger car) 10 is equipped with a pair of left and right image projection devices, which will be described in detail below. Two image lights from the image projection devices are projected onto the road surface in front of the host vehicle, for example, through a pair of left and right transparent windows 13a, 13b.

[0015] Reference numeral 14a denotes a projection area projected from the image projection device through window 13a on the right side of the vehicle, 14b denotes a projection area projected through window 13b on the left side of the vehicle, 15a denotes a projection image of a portion of the arrow projected onto projection area 14a, and 15b denotes a projection image of another portion of the arrow projected onto projection area 14b. These two projection images are combined to project an arrow indicating that the vehicle is turning right onto the road surface in front of vehicle (passenger car) 10. In the example of FIG. 1(A), projection areas 14a and 14b are divided into left and right, but the projection area may also be divided into top and bottom.

[0016] 1(B) shows an example in which only one image projection device is mounted at the front end of the vehicle, and in this case, the image light from the image projection device is projected onto the road surface in front of the vehicle through, for example, a transparent window 12 provided at the front end of the vehicle. 16 is the projection area projected from the single image projection device, and 17 is a projection diagram showing an arrow projected onto this area.

[0017] The arrow image projected onto the road surface, etc., as shown above, shows pedestrians, etc. walking near the vehicle (passenger car) 10 the current or future direction of the vehicle, thereby ensuring greater safety.

[0018] 2(A) and 2(B) show the rear of the vehicle (passenger car) 10 equipped with one image projection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in these figures, red tail lamps 18, 18' are provided at the rear of the vehicle body. Although not shown in detail in the example of FIG. 2(A), lamps serving as light emitters are incorporated inside the tail lamps 18, 18'. In the example of FIG. 2(A), two image projection devices are mounted, one on each side. The image light from the image projection devices is projected onto the road surface behind the vehicle (passenger car) 10, for example, by combining the two projections through a transparent window, and an arrow indicating that the vehicle is turning right while reversing is projected.

[0019] 2(B) shows an example in which the image projection device is mounted, for example, near the roof of a vehicle body. In the example of Fig. 2(B), similar to Fig. 1(B) above, an arrow indicating that the vehicle is turning right while backing up is projected onto the road surface behind the vehicle (passenger car) 10 by image light through a transparent window provided at the rear end of the vehicle body.

[0020] Although the above describes an example in which one or more (e.g., a pair of) image projection devices are mounted on the front and rear of the vehicle 10, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the image projection devices may be mounted in locations other than the front and rear of the vehicle 10, such as the side mirrors, on the roof, on the side or bottom of the vehicle body, etc. The image projection devices may also be integrated into headlights or taillights. In other words, the present invention requires only that the image projection device be able to project a desired image onto the road surface, etc. When the image projection device is integrated into the headlights or taillights, the light source of the headlights or taillights can also be used as a light source for projection. <Configuration of light distribution control ECU>

[0021] 3 shows an example of the configuration of an electronic control unit (light distribution control ECU) mounted in the vehicle 10. As is clear from this diagram, the light distribution control ECU 40 includes a CPU (central processing unit) 41, storage means such as a RAM 42 and a ROM 43, and an input / output device (I / O unit) 44. Information is input to the light distribution control ECU 40 from the various information acquisition units and communication units described below via the I / O unit 44, and the light distribution control ECU 40 controls the driving of the headlights 11 and the image projection of the image projection device 500.

[0022] Here, the information from the various information acquisition units includes, for example, a speed signal indicating the traveling speed of the vehicle 10, a signal indicating the engine state (on / off), gear information indicating the gear position, a hazard signal that alerts surrounding drivers to the presence of danger, a steering angle signal indicating the steering angle of the steering wheel, a turn signal signal indicating whether or not a turn signal (also called a "winker") is present and whether the left or right one is lit / flashing, and lamp lighting information indicating the lit / flashing state of the various lamps mentioned above.

[0023] Furthermore, the information from the various information acquisition units further includes, for example, information (illuminance signal, chromaticity signal, etc.) from an external light sensor that detects light (brightness) outside the vehicle, image information from a camera attached to the vehicle, signals from distance sensors that detect the distance between the vehicle 10 and other vehicles traveling in the vicinity or other objects, such as in front of the vehicle, and even signals from infrared sensors that detect the conditions outside the vehicle at night.

[0024] Furthermore, the information from the communication unit includes, for example, GPS (Global Positioning System) signals for determining the position of the vehicle 10, so-called navigation information, which is information from a navigation device that provides route guidance, etc., as well as information on vehicle-to-vehicle communications between other vehicles and road-to-vehicle communications between the road and the vehicle.

[0025] 4 shows a more detailed configuration of the above-mentioned light distribution control ECU 40 and its peripheral elements. That is, in the figure, signals from a direction indicator sensor 51, a steering wheel steering angle sensor 52, a shift position sensor 53, a vehicle speed sensor 54, an accelerator operation sensor 55, a brake operation sensor 56, an illuminance sensor 57, a chromaticity sensor 58, an engine start sensor 59, and a hazard lamp sensor 60 are input to the above-mentioned light distribution control ECU 40. Furthermore, a signal from a camera 61 is input to the light distribution control ECU 40 via an image processing unit 62, and signals from a GPS receiving unit 63 and a map information output unit 64 are input to the light distribution control ECU 40 via a calculation unit 65.

[0026] In addition, the projector 100 constituting the image projection device 500 receives a control signal from the light distribution control ECU 40 and a signal from the projection signal output unit 110 (image signal to be projected onto the road surface, etc.) via the control unit 120, thereby projecting an image onto the road surface, etc., as described below.

[0027] Additionally, the light distribution control ECU 40 further receives inputs from a headlight sensor 66 of signals indicating whether the headlights are on, off, and the brightness when on, and from a high / low sensor 67 of a signal indicating the high / low state of the light beam when the headlights are on. These sensors 51 to 60, 66, 67 make up a sensor section.

[0028] Furthermore, the brightness of the headlights 11 is controlled from the light distribution control ECU 40 via a headlight control unit (HL control unit) 19. <Video Projection Device>

[0029] Next, an example of a more detailed configuration of the video projection device 500 including the projector 100, projection signal output unit 110, and control unit 120 shown in FIG. 4 will be described in detail below with reference to FIG.

[0030] The projection optical system 501 constituting the projector 100 is an optical system that projects an image onto a road surface or the like, and includes lenses and / or mirrors. The display element 502 is an element that generates an image by modulating transmitted or reflected light, and may be, for example, a transmissive liquid crystal panel, a reflective liquid crystal panel, or a DMD (Digital Micromirror Device) (registered trademark) panel. The display element driver 503 sends a drive signal to the display element 502, causing the display element 502 to generate an image. The light source 505 generates light for image projection, and may be a high-pressure mercury lamp, a xenon lamp, an LED light source, a laser light source, or the like. The power supply 506 supplies power to the light source 505. The power supply 506 also supplies the necessary power to each of the other components. The illumination optical system 504 collects the light generated by the light source 505, makes it more uniform, and irradiates it onto the display element 502. The cooling unit 515 uses air or liquid cooling to cool down components that reach high temperatures, such as the light source 505, power supply 506, and display element 502, as needed. The operation input unit 507 is a light receiving unit for operation buttons or a remote control, and inputs operation signals from the user.

[0031] The video signal input unit 531 connects to an external video output device and inputs video data. The audio signal input unit 533 connects to an external audio output device and inputs audio data. The audio output unit 540 can output audio based on the audio data input to the audio signal input unit 533. The audio output unit 540 may also output built-in operation sounds and error warning sounds. The communication unit 532 connects to, for example, an external information processing device and inputs and outputs various control signals.

[0032] Nonvolatile memory 508 stores various data used in the projector function. The data stored in nonvolatile memory 508 includes image data and video data prepared in advance to be projected onto the road. Memory 509 stores the video data to be projected and control parameters for each part of the device. Control unit 510 controls the operation of each connected part.

[0033] The image adjustment unit 560 performs image processing on the video data input by the video signal input unit 531, the image data stored in the nonvolatile memory 508, and the video data. Examples of this image processing include scaling processing to enlarge, reduce, deform, etc. the image, brightness adjustment processing to change the brightness, contrast adjustment processing to change the contrast curve of the image, and Retinex processing to decompose the image into light components and change the weighting of each component.

[0034] The storage unit 570 records videos, images, audio, various data, etc. For example, videos, images, audio, various data, etc. may be recorded in advance at the time of product shipment, or videos, images, audio, various data, etc. obtained from an external device, an external server, etc. via the communication unit 532 may be recorded. The videos, images, various data, etc. recorded in the storage unit 570 may be output as projected videos via the display element 502 and the projection optical system 501. The audio recorded in the storage unit 570 may be output as audio from the audio output unit 540.

[0035] As described above, various functions can be implemented in the video projection device 500. However, the video projection device 500 does not necessarily have to have all of the above-described configurations. Any configuration is acceptable as long as it has the function of projecting an image.

[0036] 6 is a ray diagram of the projector 100, including the image plane. In the figure, image light emitted from a light source such as an LED (not shown) and transmitted through an image display element passes through a filter, undergoes refraction in various lens systems, and is further reflected depending on the configuration before being projected onto the image plane 8 (road surface, etc.).

[0037] Thus, in the above-mentioned video projection device 500, the projection distance is 700 mm, and the length of the long side of the range of the projected image is 10061-542=9519≒9520 mm, so the throw ratio is 700 / 9520≒0.07, achieving an unprecedentedly wide angle.

[0038] At night, the vehicle 10 travels with the headlights 11 on, and the light beams from the headlights 11 are irradiated onto the image surface (road surface, etc.) 8. Therefore, the image projected by the image projection device 500 and the light beams from the headlights 11 are irradiated onto the image surface (road surface, etc.) 8 at night, overlapping with each other.

[0039] Although the above description concerns one image projection device 500 and its projection optical system, as mentioned above, the present invention may also be configured such that one or more (e.g., a pair of) projectors are mounted on a vehicle (or integrated into a headlight or taillight) to project a desired image onto the road surface, etc. In this case, particularly when multiple (e.g., a pair of) image projection devices 500 are used, as shown in Figures 1(A) and 2(A) above, the same image may be projected onto the road surface, etc. from each image projection device 500 (in which case the same image is displayed on the display element 502 in Figure 5), or different images may be projected from the left and right image projection devices 500 and combined on the road surface, etc. (in which case left and right split images of the desired image are displayed on the display element 502 in Figure 5).

[0040] Furthermore, in the above description, a configuration using a transmissive liquid crystal image display element has been described as the image projection device 500 that projects an image onto a road surface or the like, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various other image projection devices 500 can also be used as the image projection device 500, such as a reflective image projection device 500 made up of micromirrors such as a DLP (Digital Light Processing) device, or an image projection device 500 that can project image light from a light-modulating planar light-emitting diode via a projection optical system. In other words, the present invention requires only that the image projection device 500 be capable of projecting a desired image onto a road surface or the like. <Control of images projected onto road surfaces, etc.>

[0041] Next, specific examples of various images that are projected onto the road surface or the like in relation to vehicle information when the headlights and image projection device 500 described in detail above are mounted on the front and / or rear of the vehicle body as described above will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 7 to 17. Note that in the following examples, arrows have been used as examples of images from the image projection device 500, but the image is not limited to this and may be a shape indicating a direction, text information, or the like.

[0042] 7 shows a control mode of the headlight light projected onto the road surface in front of vehicle 10 and the arrow image of image projection device 500 when the vehicle is decelerating while traveling at night. Reference numeral 21 denotes the projection area of ​​the headlights projected onto the road surface, 22 denotes the projection area from image projection device 500, and 23 denotes the arrow image projected onto projection area 22. The headlight light and the arrow image from image projection device 500 are projected onto projection area 22, overlapping each other.

[0043] Based on the signal from vehicle speed sensor 54 shown in Fig. 4, at normal speeds, the headlights irradiate the road surface with normal brightness, and image projection device 500 projects arrow image 23 onto the road surface with normal brightness (Fig. 7(A)). When the vehicle decelerates or stops, based on the signal from vehicle speed sensor 54, the headlights irradiate the road surface with light that is less bright than normal, within the range specified by regulations, and image projection device 500 projects arrow image 23 onto the road surface with the same brightness as above (Fig. 7(B)).

[0044] The brightness of the video projection device 500 can be controlled by the brightness adjustment processing function of the image adjustment unit 560, or by providing multiple LEDs as light sources and controlling the number of LEDs to be lit or by pulse width modulation. By controlling in this way, when the vehicle decelerates or stops, the image of the video projection device 500 is emphasized, which attracts people's attention and more reliably presents (warns) surrounding drivers and pedestrians about the current or future direction of the vehicle, ensuring high safety.

[0045] 7, the headlights are dimmed without changing the brightness of the image from the image projection device 500, but this is not limiting, and the brightness of the image from the image projection device 500 may be increased without changing the brightness of the headlights, or the brightness of the headlights may be reduced and the brightness of the image from the image projection device 500 may be increased. In other words, if control is performed to increase the brightness of the image from the image projection device 500 relatively more than that of the headlights when the vehicle is decelerating or stopping, it is possible to ensure a higher level of safety in the same way as above.

[0046] The example shown in FIG. 7 is effective when it is difficult to change the brightness of the image from the image projection device 500.

[0047] Fig. 8 shows an outline of the operation flow of the control form in Fig. 7. When the light distribution control ECU 40 detects deceleration or stoppage of the host vehicle 10 in step 201 based on a speed signal from the vehicle speed sensor 54 in step 200, the brightness of the image projection device 500 is controlled in step 202, and the brightness of the headlights is controlled in step 203. The brightness control for the image projection device 500 is performed by the control unit 510 shown in Fig. 5, and for the headlights is performed by the headlight control unit (HL control unit) 19.

[0048] In the projection of an image from the image projection device 500 when the vehicle 10 is reversing as shown in Fig. 2, the vehicle 10 is reversing while decelerating, so the control mode shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 is applied. In this case, the brightness of the reversing lights (backlights) is controlled instead of the headlights.

[0049] 9 shows a control form of the headlight light projected onto the road surface in front of vehicle 10 and the arrow image from image projection device 500 when the headlights are turned on or off in the evening or at night. Reference numeral 25 denotes the projection area of ​​the headlights projected onto the road surface, 26 denotes the projection area from image projection device 500, and 27 denotes the arrow image projected onto projection area 26. The headlight light and the arrow image from image projection device 500 are projected onto projection area 26, overlapping each other.

[0050] When the headlights are off, the image projection device 500 projects the arrow image 27 at normal brightness onto the road surface (FIG. 9(A)) based on the input of a signal indicating on / off from the headlight sensor 66 shown in FIG. 4. When the headlights are on, the image projection device 500 projects the arrow image 27 at a brightness higher than normal onto the road surface illuminated by the headlight light (FIG. 9(B)).

[0051] Normally, turning on the headlights (HL) brightens the area ahead of the vehicle, which reduces the visibility of the image projected from the image projection device 500 onto the road surface ahead of the vehicle, but by performing the control shown in Fig. 9, even when the headlights are turned on, the brightness of the arrow image from the image projection device 500 increases, preventing a decrease in visibility. Therefore, even when the headlights (HL) are turned on, the arrow image is emphasized, which attracts people's attention and more reliably presents (warns) surrounding drivers and pedestrians about the traveling direction of the vehicle 10, ensuring high safety.

[0052] Fig. 10 shows an outline of the operational flow of the control form in Fig. 9. In step 204, a light-on (ON) or light-off (OFF) signal is issued from headlight sensor 66, and when light distribution control ECU 40 detects this signal in step 205, control is performed to increase the brightness from video projection device 500 in step 206. Note that the brightness control of video projection device 500 can be performed by the brightness adjustment processing function of image adjustment unit 560, or it can also be controlled by providing multiple LEDs as a light source and controlling the number of LEDs that are turned on or by pulse width modulation.

[0053] 11 shows the high / low state of the headlight light projected onto the road surface ahead of the vehicle 10 when the vehicle is traveling at night, and the control mode for the projection position of the arrow image from the image projection device 500. While Fig. 11 shows the projection area of ​​the image projection device 500, this projection area may be aligned with the projection area of ​​the headlights.

[0054] In this control mode, the projection position of the arrow image from the image projection device 500 is changed according to the high / low state of the light beam from the high / low sensor 67 shown in Fig. 4 when the headlights are on. That is, in the high beam state, the arrow image 28 from the image projection device 500 is projected onto the road surface far from the vehicle 10 (Fig. 11(A)), and in the low beam state, the arrow image 28 from the image projection device 500 is projected onto the road surface at a position close to the vehicle 10 (Fig. 11(B)). Furthermore, when the projection position becomes farther away, the viewing angle from the driver becomes smaller, so the image may be changed in addition to the projection position.

[0055] Specific examples of control for changing the projection position of the arrow image from the image projection device 500 include controlling the light source 506 in Figure 5, controlling the projection optical system 501, and changing the used part of the liquid crystal panel of the display element 502.

[0056] When controlling light source 506, multiple LEDs are provided as light sources, and the projection position is changed by changing the positions of the lit LEDs. In other words, by changing the positions of the lit LEDs, the projection direction of the arrow image from projection optical system 501 is changed, and as a result, the projection position of the arrow image on the road surface is changed.

[0057] When controlling the projection optical system 501, the optical axis of the projection optical system 501 is mechanically changed to change the projection direction of the arrow image, and as a result, the projection position of the arrow image on the road surface is changed.

[0058] When changing the used portion of the liquid crystal panel of display element 502, light distribution control ECU 40 controls image projection device 500 when it detects a high beam signal, and within image projection device 500, display element drive unit 503 sends a drive signal to display element 502, changing the used portion of the liquid crystal panel of display element 502 so that an image is projected onto the road surface at a position far from the vehicle, thereby generating an image. Similarly, when light distribution control ECU 40 detects a low beam signal, display element drive unit 503 within image projection device 500 sends a drive signal to display element 502, changing the used portion of the liquid crystal panel of display element 502 so that an image is projected onto the road surface at a position close to the vehicle, thereby generating an image.

[0059] Fig. 12 shows an outline of the operation flow of the control form in Fig. 11. When high / low sensor 67 issues a high or low signal in step 207, light distribution control ECU 40 detects these signals in step 208, and controls the projection (display) position of the arrow image of image projection device 500 in accordance with each signal in step 209.

[0060] The projection position may be changed according to the combination of the headlight high / low signal and the vehicle speed. For example, the headlights may be controlled to project light at a short distance when the vehicle is traveling at low speed with the low beam, at a medium distance when the headlights are traveling at medium speed with the high beam, and at a long distance when the vehicle is traveling at high speed.

[0061] Normally, headlights are set to high beam when there are no oncoming people or vehicles while the vehicle is traveling, and to low beam when there are oncoming people or vehicles to prevent dazzling. According to this control mode, when there are people or vehicles close to the vehicle, an arrow image is projected from image projection device 500 onto the road surface near the vehicle, so the arrow image is emphasized, attracting people's attention and more reliably indicating (warning) the direction of travel of the vehicle to surrounding drivers and pedestrians, thereby ensuring high safety.

[0062] Furthermore, the driver of the vehicle 10 directs his / her gaze to a location close to the vehicle 10 when the headlights are in low beam mode, and shifts his / her gaze to a location farther away when the headlights are in high beam mode. According to the above light distribution control, the arrow image from the image projection device 500 is projected in the direction of the line of sight of the driver of the vehicle 10, thereby calling the driver's attention to the vehicle 10 and ensuring high safety.

[0063] 13 shows a control form for changing the brightness of the image from the image projection device 500 depending on the brightness of the day and night. Reference numerals 29 and 30 respectively show the arrow image from the image projection device 500 during the day and at night, and reference numeral 31 also shows the image around the arrow image in the projection area.

[0064] During the day, the brightness of the arrow image 29 from the image projection device 500 is increased and the brightness of the surrounding image 31 is decreased (Fig. 13(A)), while at night, the brightness of the arrow image 30 is decreased and the brightness of the surrounding image 31 of the arrow image 30 is increased (Fig. 13(B)).

[0065] 14 shows a control form for changing the brightness of the image from the image projection device 500 depending on the brightness outside the vehicle. Reference numerals 32 and 33 respectively represent the arrow image from the image projection device 500 when it is bright and dark, and reference numeral 31 represents the projection area, which is also the image surrounding the arrow image.

[0066] 4, when it is bright outside the vehicle, the brightness of the arrow image 32 from the image projection device 500 is increased (for example, colored) and the brightness of the image 31 around the arrow image is reduced (FIG. 14(A)). On the other hand, when it is dark (at night or inside a tunnel), the brightness of the arrow image 33 is reduced (for example, whitened) and the brightness of the image 31 around the arrow image is increased (FIG. 14(B)).

[0067] 13 and 14, the brightness of the arrow image is increased when it is bright, making it easier to see, and it is possible to more reliably present (warn) nearby drivers and pedestrians, thereby ensuring high safety. On the other hand, when it is dark, the arrow image is easier to see, so the brightness is lowered and the brightness of the surrounding area is increased, making it possible to brighten the surrounding area, making it easier to present (warn) nearby drivers and pedestrians, and also brightening the surrounding area, ensuring high safety.

[0068] 14, it is easy for surrounding drivers and pedestrians to recognize the traveling direction of the vehicle 10, and when an arrow image is projected in response to a signal from navigation information, it is easy for the driver of the vehicle 10 to recognize the route that the vehicle 10 should take at an intersection, thereby ensuring higher safety. Note that the size and color of the arrow etc. may be variable depending on the weather, time of day, and ambient brightness.

[0069] Figure 15 shows an outline of the control in Figure 14. In step 210, illuminance sensor 57 detects the brightness outside the vehicle, and in step 211, the detection signal is input to light distribution control ECU 40. Then, in step 212, light distribution control ECU 40 controls image projection device 500 based on the brightness detection signal, and controls the brightness of the arrow image and the brightness of its surroundings.

[0070] FIG. 16 shows an operation flow for switching the light source of the video projection device 500 between a high-intensity light source and a normal light source depending on whether it is day or night (FIG. 13) or the brightness outside the vehicle (FIG. 14).

[0071] In step 213, the image projection device 500 is started up, and in step 214, the illuminance sensor detects the ambient light. In step 215, it is determined whether it is day or night. If it is day, in step 216, a high-brightness light source in the image projection device 500 is driven, and if it is not day, in step 217, a low-brightness normal light source in the image projection device 500 is driven.

[0072] Here, a laser light source is used as the high-intensity light source, and an LED light source is used as the normal light source. That is, two types of light sources, a laser light source (first light source) and an LED light source (second light source), are provided as light source 505 in Fig. 5, and the required brightness can be obtained by switching between the two light sources depending on the day and night or the brightness outside the vehicle. At night or when the surroundings are dark, the pupils dilate, so it is desirable to use an LED light source.

[0073] Laser light, a high-intensity light source, is a parallel light with excellent directionality, so it does not diffuse when projected and brightness is less likely to decrease along the way, making it possible to display an arrow image on the road surface with high brightness. The laser light source uses a laser scanning type that displays the arrow by scanning a laser. In this way, by using laser light, it is possible to display an arrow image on the road surface with high visibility brightness even when it is bright outside the vehicle, so it can more reliably present (warn) surrounding drivers and pedestrians, ensuring high safety.

[0074] Furthermore, the required high brightness can be achieved by providing multiple LEDs as a high-brightness light source and lighting them individually. That is, for a normal low-brightness light source, a small number of LEDs are turned on, while for a high-brightness light source, a large number of LEDs are turned on. In this case, the brightness can be changed in multiple stages by changing the number of LEDs that are turned on. For example, if the high-brightness light source is illuminated at the minimum brightness necessary to maintain high visibility depending on the level of brightness (illuminance) outside the vehicle, it is possible to drive the high-brightness light source with reduced energy consumption.

[0075] The control modes of Fig. 13 to Fig. 16 can also be applied to the projection of images by the image projection device 500 when the vehicle is backing up as shown in Fig. 2. Projecting images onto the road surface or the like using such control modes makes it possible to more reliably present (warn) surrounding drivers and pedestrians, particularly when parking in a garage, thereby ensuring high safety.

[0076] 17 shows an operational flow for determining whether or not to project an image from image projection device 500 depending on the brightness outside the vehicle (FIG. 14). After image projection device 500 is started in step 218, ambient light outside the vehicle is detected by illuminance sensor 57 in step 219. In step 220, light distribution control ECU 40 determines whether the image projected by image projection device 500 (indicated by an arrow) has sufficient contrast for the ambient light detected.

[0077] If the projected image has sufficient contrast, the arrow image projected onto the road surface will be easy to see, and it will be possible to more reliably present (warn) surrounding drivers and pedestrians, ensuring high levels of safety. However, if the projected image does not have sufficient contrast, it will be difficult for surrounding drivers and pedestrians to see the arrow image projected onto the road surface, and safety cannot be ensured, so there is no point in projecting it from image projection device 500.

[0078] Therefore, if it is determined in step 220 that sufficient contrast can be obtained, the light distribution control ECU 40 issues a projection command to the video projection device 500 in step 221. On the other hand, if it is determined in step 220 that sufficient contrast cannot be obtained, the light distribution control ECU 40 does not issue a projection command to the video projection device 500 in step 222. At this time, a message is displayed to the driver informing them that a projection command has not been issued. <Separation of illumination / display areas by headlights and video projection device>

[0079] In the above-described embodiment, the image displayed on the road surface from the image projection device is mainly projected within the area illuminated by the vehicle's headlights when driving at night or in a tunnel. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. That is, if the display area of ​​the image projection device according to the present invention overlaps with the area illuminated by the headlights, the light illuminated by the headlights may reduce the contrast of the image projected onto the road surface from the image projection device, resulting in a deterioration in visibility. Therefore, the present invention solves the above-described problem by using a so-called display area forming unit disposed in the headlight 11 to separate (divide) the area illuminated by the headlights from the area illuminated by the image projection device. The following describes the details of this embodiment.

[0080] Figure 18 shows a state in which, in this embodiment, the display area formation unit separates the illumination area by the headlights from the display area by the image projection device. In particular, Figure 18(A) shows a case in which, relative to the illumination area 300 by the headlights in front of the vehicle 10, the display area by the image projection device is set to a relatively close area in front of the vehicle (for example, a range of 0m to 10m in front of the vehicle: hereinafter referred to as the "near area") 310, and Figure 18(B) shows a case in which the display area by the image projection device is set to a relatively far area in front of the vehicle (for example, a range of 10m to 20m in front of the vehicle: hereinafter referred to as the "far area") 320.

[0081] More specifically, in Fig. 18(A), of area 300 illuminated by light from the headlights (usually a range of 0 m to 40 m ahead of the vehicle), part of the headlight light reaching the near area is blocked, thereby making area 310 where the headlight light is blocked (= near area) the display area, and an image projected by the image projection device is displayed in near area 310. On the other hand, in Fig. 18(B), of area 300 illuminated by the headlights, part of the headlight light reaching the far area is blocked, thereby making area 320 where the headlight light is blocked (= far area) the display area, and an image projected by the image projection device is displayed in near area 320. Note that the display area of ​​the image projected by these image projection devices, i.e., near area 310 or far area 320, does not exceed area 300 illuminated by the headlights.

[0082] Then, by projecting an image (e.g., an arrow indicating the traveling direction of the vehicle 10 in this example) using the image projection device (see reference numeral 500 in FIGS. 3 to 5) in the near area 310 or far area 320 formed as described above, the contrast of the projected image is reduced, and the visibility of the projected image is improved, particularly when the headlights are on. This allows for more reliable notification (warning) of surrounding drivers and pedestrians, ensuring high safety. In this case, it is most preferable to display the image including the arrow, for example, in black on a white background, since the projected light from the image projection device can be used to partially irradiate the light from the headlights, thereby improving lighting efficiency. Note that black on a white background as used here means that the projected image portion is formed using a colored light with high distinctiveness, and the light color of the other areas is white light.

[0083] Next, the specific configuration of the display area forming unit for changing the illumination area of ​​the light from the headlight and forming the above-mentioned near area 310 or far area 320, which is an image display area for displaying an image from an image projection device within the illumination area 300 by the headlight, will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 19 and 20.

[0084] First, Figure 19 shows the formation of the above-mentioned near region 310 or far region 320 by using a so-called shade to block part of the light emitted from the headlight (see reference numeral 11 in Figure 3 or 4 above). In particular, Figure 19(A) is a cross-section showing the overall configuration of the headlight including the shading configuration, and Figure 19(B) is a partial perspective view showing the overall configuration of the headlight with the shading configuration at the center.

[0085] 19(A), a light source 112 made of, for example, an LED is disposed on a substrate 111, and a reflector 113 (for example, a mirror with a hemispherical reflecting surface obtained by rotating an ellipse) is attached around the substrate 111 to collect light emitted from the light source 112 and convert it into light emitted from a predetermined position. The light collected by the reflector 113 is then focused by an optical element 114 such as a lens and irradiated forward from the front glass of the headlight 11. A shade 115, which is a means for forming a near region 310 or a far region 320 by blocking part of the light irradiated from the headlight 11, is provided, for example, midway along the optical path leading to the optical element 114.

[0086] 19(B), this shade 115 is configured by a plurality of (three in this example) plate-like members (vanes) 115-1, 115-2, and 115-3 attached rotatably around a common rotation axis 116, and each of these is set to a different angular position by a rotating means such as a motor (not shown). That is, these three vanes 115-1, 115-2, and 115-3 each block a portion of light from light source 112. In other words, by passing light through an opening in the shade formed by combining the three vanes 115-1, 115-2, and 115-3 and then irradiating it forward from headlight 11 via optical element 114 such as a lens, it is possible to obtain illumination light that illuminates a predetermined area 300 and also includes a desired image display area 310 or 320, as shown in FIGS.

[0087] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 21, for example, a headlight 11 is configured to irradiate light from a surface light source 117, which is made up of multiple LEDs arranged in an array on a surface, toward the front of the headlight 11 via an optical element 114 such as a lens.By controlling the lighting of some of the multiple LEDs that make up the surface light source 117, it is possible to illuminate a specified area 300 and obtain illumination light that includes the desired image display area 310 or 320, as in Figures 20(A) to 20(C) above.

[0088] According to the embodiment described above in detail, the image display area 310 or 320 for projecting the image from the image projection device is formed separately as appropriate within the illumination area 300 formed in front of the headlight 11, so the display area by the image projection device does not overlap with the illumination area by the headlight. As a result, the contrast of the projected image does not decrease and its visibility does not deteriorate (deteriorate). Therefore, even when the headlights are turned on, it is possible to more reliably present (warn) surrounding drivers and pedestrians, ensuring high safety.

[0089] In the above-described embodiment, the separation of the illumination area 300 illuminated by the headlight 11 from the image display area 310 or 320 is described as being performed when an image is projected from the image projection device. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the separation may be constant. Furthermore, the boundary area between the headlight and the image display area 310 or 320 onto which the image from the image projection device is projected can be made less noticeable by overlapping them or by applying a gradation to the overlap. This gradation may be applied to only one of the image display area projected from the image projection device or the illumination area illuminated by the headlight. This reduces the driver's discomfort while driving and ensures high safety.

[0090] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an arrow indicating the traveling direction of a vehicle was shown as an example of an image projected into the image display area 310 or 320 by the image projection device, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to cases where other images are displayed. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an area obtained by a so-called high beam was shown as an example of the illumination area 300 illuminated in front of the headlight 11, but the present invention is not limited to this and, for example, an area obtained by a low beam can be similarly used to obtain illumination light including the desired image display area 310 or 320. Note that the present invention can also be applied to lights other than headlights (for example, backlights, etc.). [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 10... Vehicle (passenger car), 11... Headlight, 12, 13a, 13b... Window, 14a, 14b, 16... Projection area, 15a, 15b, 17... Projection image, 18, 18'... Tail lamp, 19... Headlight control unit, 21... Headlight projection area, 22... Projection area of ​​image projection device, 23... Arrow image, 40... Light distribution control ECU, 51... Turn signal sensor, 52... Steering wheel steering angle sensor, 53... Shift position sensor, 54... Vehicle speed sensor, 55... Accelerator operation sensor, 56... Brake operation sensor, 57... Illuminance sensor, 58...chromaticity sensor, 59...engine start sensor, 60...hazard lamp sensor, 61...camera, 62...image processing unit, 63...GPS receiving unit, 64...map information output unit, 66...headlight sensor, 67...high / low sensor, 100...projector, 110...projection signal output unit, 120...control unit, 500...image projection device, 501...projection optical system, 502...display element, 503...display element driving unit, 504...illumination optical system, 505...light source, 531...video signal input unit, 533...audio signal input unit, 532...communication unit.

Claims

1. A vehicle, an acquisition unit capable of acquiring information about the vehicle; an image projection unit capable of projecting an image based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit, The image projection unit Based on a result of comparing the information about the brightness outside the vehicle with the brightness of the projection image projected by the image projection unit, When obtaining information that allows contrast between the projection image and brightness outside the vehicle by controlling the brightness of the projection image, the brightness of the projection image is controlled in accordance with the brightness outside the vehicle, and the projection image is projected; When information is acquired in which the contrast between the projection image and the brightness outside the vehicle is insufficient due to the control of the brightness of the projection image, the projection image is not projected. vehicle.

2. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, When the brightness outside the vehicle is low, the image projection unit reduces the brightness of the projection image and increases the brightness of an image surrounding the projection image. vehicle.

3. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, If the projection image is not projected, a notification that the projection image will not be projected is displayed to the driver. vehicle.

4. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, The projection image projected by the image projection unit is presented to surrounding drivers and pedestrians. vehicle.

Images