Vehicle display device

Abstract

To prevent visual attention of a driver from being excessively absent while allowing the driver to easily recognize change in limited speed.SOLUTION: A processor displays a first image 210 including a first numeric value image 211 indicating a numeric value of limited speed after switching of the limited speed scheduled beyond a travel lane, and a second image 220 including limited speed of the travel lane where the vehicle is currently traveling, moves the first image 210 toward the second image 220 at speed based on approach speed, reduces visibility of the first image 210 and the second image 220 before the first numeric value image 211 overlaps the second image 220, and displays a third image 230 including the first numeric value image 211 at a position where the second image 220 is displayed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3C

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle display device that is used in a vehicle and allows an image to be superimposed on a view in front of the vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a display control method in which multiple speed limit display images are displayed from front to back as if they are partially overlapping, and at predetermined intervals, the speed limit image displayed in the foreground is erased and the next speed limit display image displayed in the foreground is displayed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-31722 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the display control method of Patent Document 1, the display is updated at predetermined intervals, but it is assumed that it is difficult to predict the timing at which the display is updated (the timing at which the display of the speed limit may change), and there is room for improvement in this regard.

[0005] In addition, since the latest speed limit image and the next speed limit image partially overlap, it is difficult to grasp the next speed limit, and it is expected that the viewer's visual attention will be drawn to the image. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A summary of certain embodiments disclosed herein is provided below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented merely to provide the reader with an overview of these particular embodiments, and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Indeed, the disclosure may encompass a variety of aspects not set forth below.

[0007] The present disclosure relates generally to providing information to vehicle drivers in an effective manner, and more particularly, to providing information to drivers in an effective manner that facilitates the recognition of speed limit changes while minimizing excessive distraction to the driver's visual attention.

[0008] Therefore, the vehicle display device described in this specification comprises an image display unit that displays an image, one or more I / O interfaces, one or more processors, a memory, and one or more computer programs stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more I / O interfaces acquire speed limit information for a driving lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and information regarding an approaching speed of a scene in front of the vehicle as the vehicle travels, or information from which the approaching speed of the scene in front of the vehicle can be estimated, and the one or more processors display, on the image display unit, a first image including a first numeric image indicating the numerical value of the speed limit after a speed limit change scheduled ahead of the driving lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and a second image including a second numeric image indicating the numerical value of the speed limit of the driving lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling, and moves the first image toward the second image at a speed based on the approaching speed, the first image is sufficiently close to the second image; Before the first numeric image overlaps the second image, the visibility of the first image and the second image is reduced, and a third image including the first numeric image is displayed in the position where the second image was displayed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a display device for a vehicle. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the vehicle display device. [Figure 3A] FIG. 3A is a diagram showing a view in front of the driver's seat of a vehicle looking forward, and a virtual image of the image. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is a diagram showing a virtual image of an image in a situation where the vehicle has moved further forward than in FIG. 3A. [Figure 3C] FIG. 3C is a diagram showing a virtual image in a situation where the vehicle has moved further forward than in FIG. 3B. [Figure 3D] FIG. 3D is a diagram showing a virtual image in a situation where the vehicle has moved further forward than in FIG. 3C. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an approach path (movement path) of an image on a vehicle display device. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the first image and the second image when switching between the images. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the view in front of the driver's seat of a vehicle when looking forward, and a virtual image of the image. [Figure 7A] FIG. 3A is a diagram showing an example of an image display. [Figure 7B] FIG. 3B is a diagram showing an image in a situation where the vehicle has moved further forward than in FIG. 3A. [Figure 7C] FIG. 3C is a diagram showing an image in a situation where the vehicle has moved further forward than in FIG. 3B. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments (including the contents of the drawings). Of course, modifications (including the deletion of components) can be made to the following embodiments. In addition, in the following description, descriptions of well-known technical matters will be omitted as appropriate to facilitate understanding of the present invention.

[0011] Below, an explanation of an exemplary vehicle display device is provided in Figures 1 and 2. Display examples are provided in Figures 3A to 7C.

[0012] 1, an image display unit 11 that displays a virtual image 200 in a vehicle display device 10 according to the first embodiment is a head-up display (HUD) device provided in a dashboard 5 of a vehicle 1. The HUD device emits display light 11a toward a front windshield 2 (an example of a projection target member) and displays the virtual image 200 within a virtual display area 100, thereby allowing the virtual image 200 to be viewed superimposed on a foreground 300, which is a real space viewed through the front windshield 2.

[0013] Furthermore, the image display unit 12 that displays the virtual image 200 in the vehicular display device 10 of the second embodiment is a head-mounted display (hereinafter, referred to as HMD) device. The driver 4 wears the HMD device on his / her head and sits in a seat of the vehicle 1, and thereby visually recognizes the displayed virtual image 200 superimposed on a foreground 300 through the front windshield 2 of the vehicle 1. The display area 100 in which the vehicular display device 10 displays the predetermined virtual image 200 is fixed at a specific position based on the coordinate system of the vehicle 1, and when the driver 4 faces that direction, the virtual image 200 displayed in the display area 100 fixed at the specific position can be viewed.

[0014] The image display units 11, 12 can also form visual augmented reality (AR) by displaying a virtual image 200 in the vicinity of real objects such as a road surface 310, road signs (not shown), buildings, and obstacles (pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, other vehicles) present in the foreground 300, which is the real space visible through the front windshield 2 of the vehicle 1, or in a position overlapping the real objects.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a vehicle display device 10 according to some embodiments. The vehicle display device 10 includes an image display unit 11 (12), an I / O interface 14, one or more processors 16, a memory 18, and an image processing circuit 20. The various functional blocks depicted in FIG. 2 may be configured using hardware, software, or a combination of both. FIG. 2 is merely one example implementation, and the components depicted may be combined into fewer components, or additional components may be present. For example, the image processing circuit 20 (e.g., a graphics processing unit) may be included in one or more processors 16.

[0016] As shown, the processor 16 and the image processing circuit 20 are operatively coupled to the memory 18. More specifically, the processor 16 and the image processing circuit 20 can execute programs stored in the memory 18 to operate the vehicle display device 10, such as generating and / or transmitting image data. The processor 16 and / or the image processing circuit 20 can include at least one general-purpose microprocessor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)), at least one application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), at least one field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or any combination thereof. The memory 18 can include any type of magnetic media, such as a hard disk, any type of optical media, such as a CD or DVD, any type of semiconductor memory, such as volatile memory, and nonvolatile memory. Volatile memory can include DRAM and SRAM, and nonvolatile memory can include ROM and NVRAM.

[0017] As shown in the figure, the processor 16 is operatively coupled to the I / O interface 14. The I / O interface 14 communicates (also referred to as CAN communication) with other electronic devices (reference numerals 401 to 405 described below) provided in the vehicle 1 in accordance with, for example, the CAN (Controller Area Network) standard. Note that the communication standard adopted by the I / O interface 14 is not limited to CAN and may include, for example, wired communication interfaces such as CANFD (CAN with Flexible Data Rate), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), Ethernet (registered trademark), MOST (Media Oriented Systems Transport: MOST is a registered trademark), UART, or USB, or in-vehicle communication (internal communication) interfaces that are short-range wireless communication interfaces within a range of several tens of meters, such as a personal area network (PAN) such as a Bluetooth (registered trademark) network or a local area network (LAN) such as an 802.11x Wi-Fi (registered trademark) network. The I / O interface 14 may also include an external communication interface such as a wide area communication network (e.g., an Internet communication network) based on a cellular communication standard such as a wireless wide area network (WWAN0, IEEE802.16-2004 (WiMAX: Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access)), IEEE802.16e-based (Mobile WiMAX), 4G, 4G-LTE, LTE Advanced, or 5G.

[0018] As shown in the figure, the processor 16 is interoperably connected to the I / O interface 14, thereby enabling the processor 16 to exchange information with various other electronic devices connected to the vehicle display device 10 (I / O interface 14). The I / O interface 14 is operatively connected to, for example, a speed sensor 401, a road information database 402, a vehicle position detection unit 403, an external vehicle sensor 404, and an eyepoint detection unit 405, all of which are provided in the vehicle 1. The image display units 11 and 12 are operatively connected to the processor 16 and the image processing circuit 20. Therefore, images displayed by the image display units 11 and 12 may be based on image data received from the processor 16 and / or the image processing circuit 20. The processor 16 and the image processing circuit 20 control the images displayed by the image display units 11 and 12 based on information obtained from the I / O interface 14. The I / O interface 14 may also have a function of processing (converting, calculating, analyzing) information received from other electronic devices connected to the vehicle display device 10.

[0019] 3A to 3D are diagrams showing a foreground 300 visually recognized when the driver 4 faces forward, and a virtual image 200 of an image displayed on the vehicular display device 10 so as to be superimposed on the foreground 300. The virtual image 200 may be a virtual reality image that indicates the speed limit of the road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling, includes text ("60") resembling a road sign, and is floating above the right edge 312 of the road surface 310 (in the positive direction of the Y axis). The road surface 310 here refers to the area of ​​the foreground 300 between the left edge 311 of the driving lane on which the vehicle 1 is traveling (e.g., the lane marking on the left side of the driving lane) and the right edge 312 of the driving lane (e.g., the lane marking on the right side of the driving lane). The virtual image 200 is a moving image that appears to approach the vehicle 1, but it can also be replaced by continuously changing still images. 3A to 3D as the vehicle 1 moves forward, the virtual image 200 (a first image 210 and a fourth image 240 described later) appears to be gradually approaching the vehicle 1 within the display area 100, and is not displayed outside the display area 100. The virtual image 200 (a first image 210 and a fourth image 240 described later) can give the viewer the impression that the image is approaching by changing its size depending on the position where it is displayed using perspective.

[0020] 3A to 3D includes a first virtual image 210, a second virtual image 220, a third virtual image 230, and a fourth virtual image 240. The first virtual image 210 is an image showing information about the speed limit after the planned speed limit change, and moves along a travel path 600 (described later) as the vehicle 1 travels. The fourth virtual image 240 is a linear image extending in the left-right direction that overlaps the road surface 310, and moves as if approaching from a distant location as the first virtual image 210 moves. The second virtual image 220 is an image showing information about the speed limit before the planned speed limit change (the current speed limit), and is fixedly displayed at a specific position 101 within the display area 100. The third virtual image 230 is an image showing information about the speed limit after the speed limit change (the current speed limit), and is fixedly displayed at the same specific position 101 within the display area 100 as the second virtual image 220.

[0021] FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating a virtual image 200 when the planned speed limit change position is far away. FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating the virtual image 200 in a situation where the vehicle 1 has traveled further than in FIG. 3A and the planned speed limit change position has approached. In FIGS. 3A and 3B, the virtual image 200 is a first virtual image 210 and a fourth virtual image 240. The first virtual image 210 shown in FIG. 3B moves along a movement path 603 (described later) and is displayed larger than the first virtual image 210 shown in FIG. 3A. The fourth virtual image 240 shown in FIG. 3B moves along a movement path 601 (described later) and is displayed larger (longer) than the fourth virtual image 240 shown in FIG. 3A. In this way, as the vehicle 1 travels, the positions of the first virtual image 210 and the fourth virtual image 240 are moved along a movement path (described later) and enlarged, thereby making it easier for the viewer to perceive perspective.

[0022] 3C is a diagram illustrating the virtual image 200 when the planned speed limit change position is nearby. In FIG. 3C, the virtual image 200 includes a first virtual image 210 and a second virtual image 220. That is, when the first virtual image 210 moves along a movement path 603 (described later) and reaches a predetermined position, the second virtual image 220 starts to be displayed at a specific position 101 in the display area 100 on an extension of the movement path 601 of the first virtual image 210, and the fourth virtual image 240 is hidden. In this way, by hiding the fourth virtual image 240 and starting to display the second virtual image 220, the viewer's visual attention can be directed to the first virtual image 210 and the second virtual image 220 displayed near the first virtual image 210. This makes it less likely for the viewer's visual attention to be distracted than when the fourth virtual image 240 continues to be displayed on the road surface 310 side.

[0023] Furthermore, the second virtual image 220 begins to be displayed after the first virtual image 210 has moved along a movement path 601 (described later) and reached a predetermined position. In other words, in the situations of FIGS. 3A and 3B, the second virtual image 220 is not displayed, which makes it less likely to distract the viewer's visual attention compared to when the second virtual image 220 is continuously displayed. The fourth virtual image 240 may be hidden by fading out, and the second virtual image 220 may be displayed by fading in. The fourth virtual image 240 may continue to be displayed even in the situation of FIG. 3C. The second virtual image 220 may continue to be displayed even in the situation of FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0024] 3D is a diagram showing the virtual image 200 after the speed limit has been changed. In FIG. 3D, the virtual image 200 includes a third virtual image 230. When the first virtual image 210 in FIG. 3C moves along a movement path 603 (described later) and comes close enough to the second virtual image 220, the first virtual image 210, the fourth virtual image 240, and the second virtual image 220 are hidden, and the third virtual image 230 is displayed at a specific position 101 instead of the second virtual image 220. The "timing at which the third virtual image 230 is displayed instead of the second virtual image 220" will be described later.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a foreground 300 visually recognized when the driver 4 faces forward, and movement paths 601, 602, and 603 of an image displayed on the vehicular display device 10 so as to be visually superimposed on the foreground 300. A plurality of image movement paths are provided, and include, for example, a first movement path 601 that overlaps with the road surface 310 between the left edge 311 (e.g., the white line on the left side of the driving lane) and the right edge 312 (e.g., the white line on the right side of the driving lane) of the driving lane in which the vehicle 1 is traveling, a second movement path 602 above the left edge 311 of the road surface 310 (in the positive direction of the Y axis), and a third movement path 603 above the right edge 312 of the road surface 310 (in the positive direction of the Y axis). Note that the image movement path may be selected as appropriate from among those exemplified in FIG. 4. Furthermore, the image movement path may be a single path.

[0026] 5 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the first virtual image 210 and the second virtual image 220 just before the first virtual image 210 approaches the second virtual image 220 sufficiently and the third virtual image 230 is displayed in place of the second virtual image 220. The first virtual image 210 includes a first numerical image 211 indicating the specific numerical value of the planned speed limit and a first background image 212 consisting of an illustration such as a graphic that forms the background of the first numerical image 211. The second virtual image 220 includes a second numerical image 221 indicating the specific numerical value of the current speed limit before the speed limit is changed and a second background image 222 consisting of an illustration such as a graphic that forms the background of the second numerical image 221. The first background image 212 and the second background image 222 are typically painted images, but are illustrated with hollowed-out areas in FIG. 5 to make the positional relationship between the first virtual image 210 and the second virtual image 220 easier to understand. Specifically, before the first numerical image 211 of the first virtual image 210 overlaps the second virtual image 220 (second background image 222), the visibility of the first virtual image 210 and the second virtual image 220 is reduced (including non-display), and the visibility of the third virtual image 230 is increased (including display start). This reduces the redundancy of keeping the viewer's eyes on the first numerical image 211 of the first virtual image 210 in view when part of the first numerical image 211 is hidden in the shadow of the second virtual image 220 and is difficult to view, and allows the viewer to free their visual attention from the vicinity of the first virtual image 210 and the second virtual image 220 and direct their visual attention to other targets inside or outside the vehicle. 5, the first background image 212 and the second background image 222 overlap, but the present invention is not limited to this. The visibility of the first virtual image 210 and the second virtual image 220 may be reduced (including not displayed) and the visibility of the third virtual image 230 may be increased (including display start) before the first background image 212 and the second background image 222 overlap. The first virtual image 210 described above is a virtual reality image (hereinafter also referred to as an AR image) that appears to be floating above the right edge 312 of the road surface 310 (in the positive direction of the Y axis), and the fourth virtual image 240 is an AR image that appears to be stuck on the road surface 310. However, the form of the virtual image that notifies the user of a change in the speed limit is not limited to these AR images and may be a non-AR image.

[0027] 6 is a diagram illustrating a virtual image of a non-AR image notifying a user of a change in the speed limit in some embodiments. A fifth virtual image 250 of the non-AR image is displayed in a predetermined area of ​​the display area 100.

[0028] 7A to 7C includes a left line virtual image 251, a right line virtual image 252, a sixth virtual image 260, a seventh virtual image 270, an eighth virtual image 280, and a ninth virtual image 290. The left line virtual image 251 is located on the left side of the fifth virtual image 250 and is a perspective image that resembles a white line on the left side of the driving line of the vehicle 1. Similarly, the right line virtual image 252 is located on the right side of the fifth virtual image 250 and is a perspective image that resembles a white line on the right side of the driving line of the vehicle 1. The sixth virtual image 260 is an image that shows information about the speed limit after the planned speed limit change, and moves along the travel route 607 as the vehicle 1 travels. The seventh virtual image 270 is an image that shows information about the speed limit before the planned speed limit change (current speed limit), and is fixedly displayed above the left line virtual image 251. The eighth virtual image 280 is an image showing information about the speed limit after the speed limit has been changed (the current speed limit), and is fixedly displayed at the same position as the seventh virtual image 270. The ninth virtual image 290 is a linear image extending in the left-right direction so as to straddle the left line virtual image 251 and the right line virtual image 252, and moves as if approaching from a distance as the sixth virtual image 260 moves.

[0029] FIG. 7A is a diagram illustrating a virtual image 200 when the planned speed limit change point is far away. FIG. 7B is a diagram illustrating the virtual image 200 in a situation where the vehicle 1 has traveled further than in FIG. 7A and is approaching the planned speed limit change point. In FIGS. 7A and 7B, the virtual image 200 includes a sixth virtual image 260, a seventh virtual image 270, and a ninth virtual image 290. The sixth virtual image 260 shown in FIG. 7B moves along the travel path 607 and is displayed at the same size as the sixth virtual image 260 shown in FIG. 7A. The ninth virtual image 290 shown in FIG. 7B moves along the travel path 606 and is displayed larger (longer) than the ninth virtual image 290 shown in FIG. 7A. In this way, by moving the positions of the sixth virtual image 260 and the ninth virtual image 290 along the travel path 607 as the vehicle 1 travels, it is possible to make the approaching speed limit change point appear closer. Furthermore, by not changing the size of the sixth virtual image 260 as it moves, the sixth virtual image 260 can be continuously displayed at a sufficiently large size, and high visibility of the sixth virtual image 260 can be maintained for a long period of time. Since the sixth virtual image 260 moves along a movement path 607 that follows the left line virtual image 251 (or the right line virtual image 252) that imitates a white line, the approach of the sixth virtual image 260 can be recognized without gradually increasing the size of the sixth virtual image 260.

[0030] 7C is a diagram showing the virtual image 200 after the speed limit has been changed. In FIG. 7C, the virtual image 200 includes the eighth virtual image 280. When the sixth virtual image 260 in FIG. 7B moves along the movement path 607 and comes close enough to the seventh virtual image 270, the sixth virtual image 260, the seventh virtual image 270, and the ninth virtual image 290 are hidden, and the eighth virtual image 280 is displayed at a specific position instead of the seventh virtual image 270. The "timing at which the eighth virtual image 280 is displayed instead of the seventh virtual image 270" is the same as the "timing at which the third virtual image 230 is displayed instead of the second virtual image 220" described above with reference to FIG. 5, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0031] Referring again to Figure 2, the vehicle 1 may include a speed sensor 401 (an example of a foreground speed-related information detection unit) that detects the speed of the vehicle 1 (an example of foreground speed-related information). The processor 16 may acquire the speed of the vehicle 1 and estimate the approach speed of the foreground 300 based on this speed.

[0032] The vehicle 1 may include a road information database 402 (an example of a road shape acquisition unit) formed from a navigation system or the like, or may acquire road information from an external road information database 402. The road information database 402 can read road information (including lanes, white lines, stop lines, crosswalks, road width, number of lanes, presence, position, shape, speed limit, etc. of intersections, curves, branch roads, etc.) based on the position of the vehicle 1 from the vehicle position detection unit 403 (described later), and transmit the information to the processor 16. The processor 16 may acquire the road information, estimate the approach direction of the foreground 300, and determine the movement path of the image. Specifically, the processor 16 may determine each of the movement paths 601, 602, and 603 of the image based on the road information. Furthermore, the processor 16 can acquire the speed limit (a speed limit that is scheduled to be changed in the future) from the road information database 402, as described above.

[0033] The vehicle 1 may include a host vehicle position detection unit 403 (an example of a foreground speed-related information detection unit) that is configured by a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) or the like. The host vehicle position detection unit 403 continuously or intermittently acquires position information (an example of foreground speed-related information) of the vehicle 1, and can estimate the approaching speed of the foreground 300 by analyzing changes over time in the position information and transmit the estimated speed to the processor 16. Note that the function of analyzing the position information and estimating the approaching speed of the foreground 300 may be provided in the processor 16.

[0034] The foreground speed-related information detection unit may be configured with a host vehicle position detection unit 403 and may estimate the approaching speed of foreground 300 using only the position information from host vehicle position detection unit 403, or may be configured with a road information database 402 and host vehicle position detection unit 403. In this case, the foreground speed-related information detection unit may more accurately estimate the approaching speed of foreground 300 (in other words, the speed of vehicle 1) by detecting a change in the position of vehicle 1 along the road from the position information from host vehicle position detection unit 403, which is continuously or intermittently acquired, and the road information from road information database 402.

[0035] The vehicle 1 may include one or more external sensors 404 that detect real objects present around the vehicle 1 (particularly in front of the vehicle in this embodiment). The external sensors 404 detect, for example, white lines (demarcation lines) 311, 312 ahead of the vehicle 1. In addition to white lines, the real objects detected by the external sensors 404 may also include, for example, pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, other vehicles (such as a preceding vehicle), roadside objects, and buildings. Examples of external sensors include radar sensors such as millimeter-wave radar, ultrasonic radar, and laser radar, and camera sensors consisting of a camera and an image processing device. The external sensors may be configured with a combination of both radar sensors and camera sensors, or with only one of them. Conventional, well-known methods are used for object detection using these radar sensors and camera sensors. Object detection using these sensors may detect the presence or absence of a real object in three-dimensional space, and, if a real object exists, the position (relative distance from the vehicle, direction (lateral position), etc.), size (lateral, vertical, etc.), type, etc. of the real object. One or more external sensors 404 can detect real objects (at least the white lines 311, 312) ahead of the vehicle 1 at each detection cycle of the sensor, acquire various information, and transmit external world information signals (information on the presence or absence of real objects, and if real objects exist, information on the position, size, type, etc. of each real object) to the processor 16. Note that these external world information signals may be transmitted to the processor 16 via other devices (for example, the ECU of the vehicle 1). Furthermore, when a camera is used as a sensor, an infrared camera or a near-infrared camera is desirable so that real objects can be detected even when the surroundings are dark, such as at night. Furthermore, when a camera is used as a sensor, a stereo camera that can also acquire distance, etc. using parallax is desirable.

[0036] The external sensor 404 is composed of a detection unit such as a camera or sensor and an image analysis unit, and is capable of capturing (detecting) an image ahead of the vehicle 1, calculating the optical flow of the captured image (in other words, a movement vector indicating the movement speed (approach speed) and direction for each area of ​​the foreground 300) through image processing (signal processing), and transmitting the processing result to the processor 16. Note that by analyzing the optical flow, it is possible to recognize the road shape, such as the width and curvature of the road surface 310 in the foreground 300 of the vehicle 1, and the external sensor 404 may function as the road shape acquisition unit.

[0037] Furthermore, the vehicle exterior sensor 404 can calculate a first optical flow on the road surface 310 in the vehicle's straight-ahead direction, a second optical flow a predetermined height above the left edge 311 of the road surface 310 (a lane marking on the left side of the road surface 310), and a third optical flow a predetermined height above the right edge 312 of the road surface 310 (a lane marking on the right side of the road surface 310). The processor 16 sets the first optical flow calculated by the vehicle exterior sensor 404 as a first movement path 601, the second optical flow as a second movement path 602, and the third optical flow as a third movement path 603. Note that in FIG. 4, only the movement direction in the optical flow is indicated by an arrow, and the size of the arrow does not reflect the magnitude of the speed in the optical flow.

[0038] The vehicle 1 may include an eye point detection unit 405 including an infrared camera or the like that detects the eye position of the driver 4. The processor 16 can acquire an image captured by the infrared camera and identify the eye position of the driver 4 by analyzing the acquired image. The processor 16 may acquire information on the eye position of the driver 4 identified from the image captured by the infrared camera from the I / O interface 14. The method for acquiring the eye position of the driver 4 of the vehicle 1 or information that can estimate the eye position of the driver 4 is not limited to these, and may be acquired using a known eye point detection (estimation) technique. The processor 16 may at least adjust the position of the virtual image 200 based on the eye position of the driver 4, thereby allowing the driver 4 to view the virtual image 200 superimposed at a desired position on the foreground 300.

[0039] The software components stored in memory 18 include an approach speed detection module 502 , an approach speed estimation module 504 , a preceding vehicle detection module 506 , an eyepoint detection module 508 , and a graphics module 510 .

[0040] The approach speed detection module 502 detects the approach speed of the foreground 300 toward the vehicle 1 as the vehicle 1 moves forward. The approach speed detection module 502 includes various software components for executing various operations related to determining which speed range among multiple speed ranges the approach speed of the foreground 300 belongs to and detecting the approach speed of the foreground 300. The approach speed detection module 502 receives, for example, the optical flow of the foreground 300 from the outside-vehicle sensor 404 and identifies the approach speed of the foreground 300 near the movement path of the virtual image 200.

[0041] The approach speed detection module 502 uses one or more speed thresholds to determine whether the approach speed of the foreground 300 is below a certain speed. In some embodiments, the speed thresholds may be adjusted according to the state of the vehicle 1, the driving scene of the vehicle 1, and the state of the driver 4.

[0042] The approach speed estimation module 504 acquires foreground speed-related information (information from which the approach speed of the foreground 300 can be estimated) and estimates the approach speed of the foreground 300. The approach speed detection module 502 includes various software components for executing various operations related to detecting the speed of the vehicle 1 (foreground speed-related information) from the speed sensor 401, estimating the approach speed of the foreground 300 calculated from the speed of the vehicle 1, detecting position information (foreground speed-related information) of the vehicle 1, and estimating the approach speed of the foreground 300 by analyzing changes over time in the position information of the vehicle 1. The approach speed estimation module 504 receives, for example, the speed of the vehicle 1 (foreground speed-related information) from the speed sensor 401 and the position information of the vehicle 1 (foreground speed-related information) from the host vehicle position detection unit 403, and estimates the approach speed of an area of ​​the foreground 300 that overlaps with or is close to the movement path of the virtual image 200.

[0043] The preceding vehicle detection module 506 detects the position of a preceding vehicle (reference numeral 330 in FIG. 8 ) traveling ahead of the vehicle 1. The preceding vehicle detection module 506 includes various software components for performing various operations related to detecting the position of the preceding vehicle 330 and determining whether or not the preceding vehicle 330 is approaching within a predetermined distance of the vehicle 1. The preceding vehicle detection module 506 acquires the position of a real object from the external vehicle sensor 404, for example, and determines whether or not the preceding vehicle 330 is traveling ahead of the vehicle 1.

[0044] The eye point detection module 508 detects the eye position of the driver 4 of the vehicle 1. The eye point detection module 508 includes various software components for executing various operations related to determining where the eye height of the driver 4 is located in a height range provided in multiple stages, detecting the eye height (position in the Y-axis direction) of the driver 4, detecting the eye height (position in the Y-axis direction) and depth direction position (position in the Z-axis direction) of the driver 4, and detecting the eye position (position in the X-, Y-, and Z-axes) of the driver 4. The eye point detection module 508, for example, acquires the eye position of the driver 4 from the eye point detection unit 405, or receives information from the eye point detection unit 405 that enables estimation of the eye position including the eye height of the driver 4, and estimates the eye position including the eye height of the driver 4.

[0045] The graphics module 510 includes various known software components for changing the visual effects (e.g., brightness, transparency, saturation, contrast, or other visual characteristics), size, display position, and display distance (distance from the driver 4 to the virtual image 200) of the displayed virtual image 200.

[0046] Specifically, when displaying the virtual image 200 of the AR image, the graphic module 510 changes at least the size and the display position at a speed slower than the approaching speed of the foreground 300, so that the virtual image 200 (first virtual image 210, third virtual image 230) appears to be approaching the vehicle 1. For example, when the virtual image 200 (third virtual image 230) is moved along a first movement path 601 overlapping with the road surface 310 shown in FIG. 4, the display position is gradually moved downward in the vertical direction, while the size of the virtual image 200 (third virtual image 230) is gradually enlarged. Furthermore, when the virtual image 200 (first virtual image 210) is moved along a second movement path 602 shown in FIG. 4, the display position is gradually moved leftward in the horizontal direction, while the size of the virtual image 200 is gradually enlarged. When the height of the second movement path 602 from the road surface 310 is set to a position lower than the eye height of the driver 4, the display position of the virtual image 200 also gradually moves downward in the vertical direction. The graphic module 510 may change at least the size and the display position of the virtual image 200 (the first virtual image 210 and the third virtual image 230) at a speed approximately equal to the approach speed of the foreground 300.

[0047] Furthermore, when displaying the virtual image 200 (fifth virtual image 250) of a non-AR image, the graphic module 510 changes at least the display position according to the approach speed of the foreground 300, thereby displaying the virtual image 200 (sixth virtual image 260, seventh virtual image 270) so that it appears to be approaching the vehicle 1. For example, when moving the virtual image 200 (seventh virtual image 270) along the movement path 606 shown in FIG. 7A, the display position is gradually moved downward in the vertical direction, while the size of the virtual image 200 (seventh virtual image 270) is gradually enlarged. When moving the virtual image 200 (sixth virtual image 260) along the movement path 607 shown in FIG. 7A, the display position is gradually moved leftward in the horizontal direction and also gradually moved downward in the vertical direction.

[0048] In some embodiments, the graphics module 510 stores data representing the image elements to be used. Optionally, a corresponding code is assigned to each image element. The graphics module 510 receives one or more codes specifying the image elements to be displayed, along with coordinate data and other property data (size, azimuth angle, elevation angle), from one or more processors 16, and generates screen image data to be output to the image display units 11, 12. The graphics module 510 continuously changes the coordinate data and other property data (size) to make the virtual image 200 appear to be approaching the vehicle 1. Note that the graphics module 510 may intermittently change the size of the virtual image 200.

[0049] Each of the above modules corresponds to executable instructions (eg, computer-executable programs) that perform one or more of the above functions and methods described herein.

[0050] Some or all of the above modules send requests to transmit various types of information to the speed sensor 401, road information database 402, vehicle position detection unit 403, vehicle exterior sensor 404, and eye point detection unit 405 via the I / O interface 14 at predetermined intervals. In response to these requests, the I / O interface 14 acquires various types of information from the speed sensor 401, road information database 402, vehicle position detection unit 403, vehicle exterior sensor 404, and eye point detection unit 405 and sends the information to the processor 16. In another embodiment, some or all of the above modules may request the transmission of information only when an important event occurs (for example, when it is detected that the vehicle 1 has started to move).

[0051] As described above, in this embodiment, the vehicle display device 10 includes an image display unit 11 (12) that displays an image, one or more I / O interfaces 14, one or more processors 16, a memory 18, and one or more computer programs that are stored in the memory 18 and configured to be executed by the one or more processors 16. The one or more I / O interfaces 14 acquire speed limit information for the driving lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and information on the approaching speed of the foreground 300 to the vehicle as the vehicle travels, or information that allows the approaching speed of the foreground 300 to be estimated, and the one or more processors 16 display the speed limit information for the driving lane in which the vehicle is traveling on the image display unit 11 (12). The following command is executed: a first image 210 (260) including a first numerical image 211 (261) indicating the numerical value of the speed limit after the future scheduled speed limit change, and a second image 220 (270) including a second numerical image 221 (271) indicating the numerical value of the speed limit of the driving lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling, the first image 210 (260) is moved toward the second image 220 (270) at a speed based on the approach speed, the visibility of the first numerical image 211 (261) and the second image 220 (270) is reduced before the first numerical image 211 (261) overlaps with the second image 220 (270), and a third image 230; 280 including the first numerical image 211 (261) is displayed in the position where the second image 220 (270) was displayed.

[0052] In some embodiments, the image display unit 11 (12) displays an image in a display area 100 that overlaps the foreground 300 as seen by a viewer in the driver's seat of the vehicle, and the one or more processors 16 execute instructions to display the first image 210 so that it appears to be approaching the vehicle at a speed slower than the approach speed of the foreground 300 based on the approach speed.

[0053] In addition, in some embodiments, the one or more processors 16 execute instructions to further display at least one of a perspective left line image 251 that imitates the dividing line on the left side of the driving line and a perspective right line image 252 that imitates the dividing line on the right side of the driving line, display the first image 210 (260) above the far side of the left line image 251 or the right line image 252, display the second image 220 (270) above the near side of either the left line image 251 or the right line image 252 on which the first image 210 (260) is displayed, and move the first image 210 (260) toward the second image 220 (270) along either the left line image 251 or the right line image 252 at a speed based on the approach speed.

[0054] Also, in some embodiments, one or more processors 16 execute instructions to maintain the size of the first image 210 (260) as the first image 210 (260) is moved toward the second image 220 (270) along either the left line image 251 or the right line image 252 at a speed based on the approach speed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1: Vehicle 2: Front windshield 4: Driver 5: Dashboard 10: Vehicle display device 11: Image display section 11a:Display light 12: Image display section 14: I / O interface 16: Processor 18: Memory 20: Image processing circuit 100:Display area 200: Virtual Image 210: First image (first virtual image) 211: First digital image 212: First background image 220: Second image (second virtual image) 221: Second digital image 222: Second background image 230: Third image (third virtual image) 240: 4th image (4th virtual image) 250: 5th virtual image 251: Left line image (left line virtual image) 252: Right line image (right line virtual image) 260: 6th virtual image 270: 7th Virtual Image 280: 8th virtual image 290: 9th Virtual Image 300:Foreground 310: Road surface 401: Speed ​​sensor 402: Road information database 403: Vehicle position detection unit 404: Outside sensor 405: Eye point detection unit 502: Approach speed detection module 504: Approach speed estimation module 506: Leading vehicle detection module 508: Eyepoint detection module 510: Graphics module 600: Travel route 601: First movement route 602: Second movement route 603: Third migration route

Claims

1. an image display unit (11, 12) for displaying an image; one or more I / O interfaces (14); one or more processors (16); A memory (18); one or more computer programs stored in the memory (18) and configured to be executed by the one or more processors (16); The one or more I / O interfaces (14) Speed ​​limit information for the lane in which the vehicle is traveling; Acquire information regarding the approaching speed of the foreground (300) to the vehicle as the vehicle travels, or information that allows the approaching speed of the foreground (300) to be estimated; The one or more processors (16) a first image (210; 260) including a first numeric image (211; 261) indicating the numerical value of the speed limit after the speed limit change scheduled ahead of the driving lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and a second image (220; 270) including a second numeric image (221; 271) indicating the numerical value of the speed limit of the driving lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling, on the image display unit (11, 12); moving the first image (210; 260) toward the second image (220; 270) at a speed based on the approach speed; The vehicle image display device (10) executes an instruction to reduce the visibility of the first image (210; 260) and the second image (220; 270) before the first image (210; 260) comes close enough to the second image (220; 270) and the first numerical image (211; 261) overlaps the second image (220; 270), and to display a third image (230; 280) including the first numerical image (211; 261) at the position where the second image (220; 270) was displayed.

2. The image display unit (11, 12) displays the image in a display area (100) that overlaps with the foreground (300) as seen by a viewer in the driver's seat of the vehicle; The one or more processors (16) Execute instructions to display the first image (210) so that it appears to be approaching the vehicle at a speed slower than the speed of approach of the foreground (300) based on the approaching speed. The vehicle display device (10) of claim 1.

3. The one or more processors (16) Further displaying at least one of a left-side line image (251) in perspective simulating a lane marking on the left side of the driving line and a right-side line image (252) in perspective simulating a lane marking on the right side of the driving line; The first image (210; 260) is displayed above the far side of the left line image (251) or the right line image (252); The second image (220; 270) is displayed on the upper side of either the left line image (251) or the right line image (252) on which the first image (210; 260) is displayed, executes a command to move the first image (210; 260) toward the second image (220; 270) along either the left line image (251) or the right line image (252) at a speed based on the approach speed; The vehicle display device (10) of claim 1.

4. The one or more processors (16) executes instructions to maintain the size of the first image (210; 260) when moving the first image (210; 260) toward the second image (220; 270) along either the left line image (251) or the right line image (252) at a speed based on the approach speed; The vehicle display device (10) according to claim 3.

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