Information processing device

Abstract

To allow details inhibited from causing confusion in an occupant's situation recognition to be displayed on an on-vehicle display.SOLUTION: An information processing device includes a control unit which, when another vehicle traveling in front of an own vehicle in a traveling direction is detected by a detection unit, allows a graphic image to be displayed on a display unit inside the vehicle, the graphic image being obtained by graphically representing information on an inter-vehicle time required for the own vehicle to reach a position where the other vehicle is present, and allows an other-vehicle image showing the other vehicle to be displayed so as not to be superposed on the graphic image, at a position reflecting an inter-vehicle distance between the own vehicle and the other vehicle on a side in front of the graphic image in the traveling direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for displaying, on a display unit, a bar graph in which the length of a bar along the extending direction of a road varies according to a distance between vehicles, as information regarding the distance between a host vehicle and another vehicle traveling ahead in the traveling direction of the host vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Here, in the technique of Patent Document 1, when an icon indicating another vehicle is displayed on the front side in the traveling direction of the bar graph, if the distance between the host vehicle and the other vehicle suddenly decreases, the icon may be displayed overlapping the bar graph, which may cause confusion in the situation recognition of the occupant.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an information processing apparatus capable of displaying, on an in-vehicle display, content that suppresses confusion in the situation recognition of the occupant.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The information processing device according to claim 1 includes a control unit that, when a detection unit detects another vehicle traveling ahead in the direction of travel of the vehicle itself, displays a graphic image on the in-vehicle display unit representing information about the time required for the vehicle to reach the location of the other vehicle, and displays an image of the other vehicle representing the other vehicle at a position that reflects the distance between the vehicle itself and the other vehicle, on the forward side of the graphic image in the direction of travel, without superimposing it with the graphic image. The control unit configures the graphic image with a number of bars corresponding to a specified value for the distance between vehicles, and displays one or more bars depending on the level of the specified value. When the distance between the own vehicle and the other vehicle changes, the control unit changes the position and dimensions of the other vehicle image along the direction of travel, while changing the dimensions of the graphic image along the direction of travel, and if the graphic image is composed of multiple bars, it changes the dimensions of each bar along the direction of travel, thereby changing the dimensions of the entire graphic image.

[0007] In the information processing device according to claim 1, the control unit displays a graphic image on the display unit when another vehicle is detected by the detection unit, and also displays an image of the other vehicle at a position that reflects the distance between the own vehicle and the other vehicle, on the forward side in the direction of travel of the graphic image, so as not to overlap with the graphic image. If the image of the other vehicle and the graphic image are displayed overlapping on the display unit, it may create a gap in relation to the actual distance between the vehicles, which may cause confusion in the occupants' perception of the situation. However, in this information processing device, since the image of the other vehicle displayed at a position that reflects the distance between the own vehicle and the other vehicle does not overlap with the graphic image, it is possible to display content on the display unit that suppresses confusion in the occupants' perception of the situation. The information processing device according to claim 2, in claim 1, wherein the control unit reduces the size of the other vehicle image and displays it at a position away from the own vehicle icon displayed on the display unit as the distance between the own vehicle and the other vehicle increases, and increases the size of the other vehicle image and displays it at a position closer to the own vehicle icon as the distance between the own vehicle and the other vehicle decreases.

[0008] Other embodiments The information processing device relating to claim 1, wherein when the distance between the self-vehicle and the other vehicle changes, the control unit controls the other vehicle image and the graphic image so that they do not overlap by changing the position of the other vehicle image along the direction of travel and changing the dimensions of the graphic image along the direction of travel in accordance with the changed distance between the vehicles.

[0009] Other embodimentsIn the information processing device described above, the control unit controls the system so that when the distance between the vehicle and another vehicle changes, it changes the position of the image of the other vehicle along the direction of travel and changes the dimensions of the graphic image along the direction of travel, in accordance with the changed distance, so that the image of the other vehicle and the graphic image do not overlap. As a result, even if the distance between the vehicles suddenly decreases, the information processing device can prevent the image of the other vehicle and the graphic image from overlapping, thereby suppressing confusion in the occupants' perception of the situation.

[0010] The information processing device according to claim 3, in claim 1 or 2, when the control unit detects another vehicle that has entered between the self-vehicle and the other vehicle, displays, in place of the image of the other vehicle, an image of the other vehicle at a position that reflects the distance between the self-vehicle and the other vehicle on the forward side of the direction of travel of the graphic image, without superimposing it with the graphic image.

[0011] In the information processing device according to claim 3, when the detection unit detects another vehicle that has entered between the vehicle and the other vehicle, the control unit displays the image of the other vehicle in place of the image of the other vehicle, at a position that reflects the distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle, on the forward side in the direction of travel of the graphic image, so as not to overlap with the graphic image. If the display unit were to display the image of the other vehicle on the rear side in the direction of travel of the image of the other vehicle, the image of the other vehicle and the graphic image would overlap, which could cause confusion in the occupants' perception of the situation. However, in this information processing device, the image of the other vehicle displayed in place of the image of the other vehicle at a position that reflects the distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle does not overlap with the graphic image, thus preventing confusion in the occupants' perception of the situation.

[0012] The information processing device according to claim 4, in claim 3, wherein the control unit, when the other vehicle is detected by the detection unit, notifies the occupants of the presence of the other vehicle using a predetermined notification means.

[0013] In the information processing device according to claim 4, when the detection unit detects another vehicle, the control unit uses a predetermined notification means to notify the occupants of the presence of the other vehicle. As a result, the information processing device can make the occupants aware of the presence of the other vehicle.

[0014] The information processing device according to claim 5, in claim 4, wherein the control unit notifies the occupant of the presence of the other vehicle by changing the color of the graphic image and outputting sound from the speaker.

[0015] In the information processing device according to claim 5, the control unit notifies the occupant of the presence of another vehicle by changing the color of a graphic image and outputting sound from a speaker. As a result, the information processing device allows the occupant to perceive the presence of another vehicle through at least one of their sight and hearing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] As explained above, the information processing device relating to this disclosure can display content on the in-vehicle display that suppresses confusion in the occupant's perception of the situation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram illustrating the schematic configuration of an in-vehicle system. [Figure 2] This is a functional block diagram of the autonomous driving ECU and the display control ECU. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart showing the flow of the control process. [Figure 4] This is the first explanatory diagram showing an example of a display shown on the meter display while the vehicle is in motion. [Figure 5] This is a second explanatory diagram showing an example of a display shown on the meter display while the vehicle is in motion. [Figure 6] This is the third explanatory diagram showing an example of a display shown on the meter display while the vehicle is in motion. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) First, a first embodiment of the in-vehicle system 10 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the in-vehicle system 10 mounted on the vehicle 60. As shown in FIG. 1, the in-vehicle system 10 includes a communication bus 12, and the communication bus 12 is connected to a peripheral situation acquisition device group 14, a vehicle running state detection sensor group 26, an ACC (Adaptive cruise control) switch 62, an automatic driving ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 34, and a display control ECU 42, respectively. Note that FIG. 1 shows only a part of the configuration of the in-vehicle system 10. In the following, the vehicle 60 on which the in-vehicle system 10 is mounted is referred to as the host vehicle 60. The host vehicle 60 is an example of a "host vehicle", the peripheral situation acquisition device group 14 is an example of a "detection unit", and the display control ECU 42 is an example of an "information processing device".

[0020] The peripheral situation acquisition device group 14 includes a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) device 16, an in-vehicle communication device 18, a navigation system 20, a radar device 22, and a camera 24 as devices for acquiring information indicating the surrounding environment of the host vehicle 60.

[0021] The GNSS device 16 receives GNSS signals from a plurality of GNSS satellites and measures the position of the host vehicle 60. The in-vehicle communication device 18 is a communication device that performs at least one of inter-vehicle communication with other vehicles and roadside-vehicle communication with roadside units. The navigation system 20 includes a map information storage unit 20A that stores map information, and based on the position information obtained from the GNSS device 16 and the map information stored in the map information storage unit 20A, performs processing such as displaying the position of the host vehicle 60 on a map or guiding a route to a destination.

[0022] The radar device 22 detects objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles present around the vehicle 60 as point cloud information, and acquires the relative position and relative velocity between the detected objects and the vehicle 60. The radar device 22 then outputs the acquired information such as relative position and relative velocity. The camera 24 captures images of the area around the vehicle 60 with multiple cameras and outputs the captured images.

[0023] Furthermore, the vehicle driving state detection sensor group 26 includes, as multiple sensors for acquiring the driving state of the vehicle 60, a steering angle sensor 28 for detecting the steering angle of the vehicle 60, a vehicle speed sensor 30 for detecting the driving speed of the vehicle 60, and an acceleration sensor 32 for detecting the acceleration applied to the vehicle 60.

[0024] The ACC switch 62 is a switch that allows switching the ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) (hereinafter referred to as "Adaptive Cruise Control") on and off, and setting the specified value for the interval time in the Adaptive Cruise Control ACC, so that the time required for the vehicle 60 to reach the position where another vehicle traveling in front of the vehicle 60 in the direction of travel is located (hereinafter referred to as "the preceding vehicle to be followed") is a specified value. The ACC switch 62 may be a physical switch or a virtual switch.

[0025] The autonomous driving ECU 34 is connected to a throttle ACT 36 that changes the throttle opening of the vehicle 60 and a brake ACT 38 that changes the braking force generated by the vehicle 60's braking system. The autonomous driving ECU 34 is also connected to a steering ACT 40 that changes the amount of steering by the vehicle 60's steering system. The autonomous driving ECU 34 is an ECU that performs autonomous driving processing to automatically drive the vehicle 60 without driver operation by the vehicle 60's occupants.

[0026] Although not shown in the diagram, the autonomous driving ECU 34 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory), a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive), and a communication I / F (Interface). The storage unit stores the autonomous driving software. The autonomous driving ECU 34 functions as the reception unit 64 and the driving control unit 66 shown in Figure 2 when the CPU executes the autonomous driving software. Details of the reception unit 64 and the driving control unit 66 will be described later.

[0027] The display control ECU 42 is connected to a head-up display (hereinafter referred to as HUD) 56 and a meter display 58. The display control ECU 42 is an ECU that controls the display of information on the HUD 56 and the meter display 58. The HUD 56 in this embodiment is a small HUD whose display range is limited to a portion of the forward field of vision of the occupants of the vehicle 60, such as through reflection from the windshield glass. The meter display 58 is a display provided on the instrument panel of the vehicle 60. The meter display 58 is an example of a "display unit".

[0028] The display control ECU 42 also includes a CPU 44, a memory 46 consisting of ROM and RAM, a non-volatile storage unit 48 such as an HDD or SSD, and a communication interface 50. The CPU 44, memory 46, storage unit 48, and communication interface 50 are interconnected via an internal bus 52 to enable communication with each other. The storage unit 48 stores the display control program 54. The display control ECU 42 reads the display control program 54 from the storage unit 48 and loads it into the memory 46. When the display control program 54 is executed by the CPU 44, it functions as the acquisition unit 68 and display control unit 70 shown in Figure 2. Details of the acquisition unit 68 and display control unit 70 will be described later.

[0029] Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of the automatic driving ECU 34 and the display control ECU 42. As shown in Figure 2, the automatic driving ECU 34 functions as a reception unit 64 and a driving control unit 66. The display control ECU 42 functions as an acquisition unit 68 and a display control unit 70.

[0030] The reception unit 64 receives the specified value for the interval time in the ACC control, which is set via the ACC switch 62. In this embodiment, for example, the interval time level is divided into four stages: "large," "medium," "small," and "minimum." Therefore, the reception unit 64 receives information indicating which of the above four stages has been specified as the specified value for the interval time.

[0031] When the adaptive cruise control (ACC) is turned on via the ACC switch 62, the driving control unit 66 controls the driving of the vehicle 60 so that the detected value of the interval between the vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle to be followed corresponds to the specified interval value received by the reception unit 64. Specifically, the driving control unit 66 controls the throttle ACT 36, brake ACT 38, and steering ACT 40 to perform adaptive cruise control (ACC) based on information obtained from the surrounding situation acquisition device group 14 and the vehicle driving state detection sensor group 26 so that the detected value corresponds to the specified value.

[0032] Furthermore, controlling the system so that the detected value corresponds to the specified value can be achieved, for example, by the following method. For example, a conversion table that pre-defines the relationship between the specified interval time and the interval distance for each vehicle speed is stored in the memory of the automatic driving ECU 34. Using this conversion table, the automatic driving ECU 34 determines the target interval distance corresponding to the specified vehicle speed and interval time. Then, as a function of the driving control unit 66, the automatic driving ECU 34 controls the system so that the detected interval between the vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle being followed matches the target interval distance.

[0033] The acquisition unit 68 acquires the vehicle speed of its own vehicle 60 from the vehicle speed sensor 30, the distance between its own vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle to be followed from the radar device 22, and a specified value for the interval between its own vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle to be followed from the ACC switch 62. Hereinafter, the information acquired by the acquisition unit 68 from the vehicle speed sensor 30, the radar device 22, and the ACC switch 62, etc., will be collectively referred to as "detection information".

[0034] The display control unit 70 controls the content displayed on the meter display 58. For example, while the vehicle 60 is in motion, the display control unit 70 can display a vehicle icon 72 representing the vehicle 60, an other vehicle icon 74 representing a preceding vehicle to be followed, and a bar graph 76 showing a specified value for the interval time and the distance between vehicles, respectively, as information regarding the interval time (see Figures 4 to 6). The display control unit 70 is an example of a "control unit," the other vehicle icon 74 is an example of an "other vehicle image," and the bar graph 76 is an example of a "graphic image."

[0035] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the flow of control processing by which the display control ECU 42 controls the display content of the meter display 58. The CPU 44 reads the display control program 54 from the storage unit 48, loads it into memory 46, and executes it to perform the control processing. As an example, the control processing shown in Figure 3 is executed periodically while the vehicle 60 is in motion.

[0036] In step S10 shown in Figure 3, the CPU 44 displays the vehicle icon 72 in a predetermined position on the meter display 58. Then, the CPU 44 proceeds to step S11.

[0037] In step S11, the CPU 44 determines whether or not the adaptive cruise control (ACC) is currently running. If the CPU 44 determines that the ACC is currently running (step S11: YES), it proceeds to step S12. On the other hand, if the CPU 44 does not determine that the ACC is currently running (step S11: NO), it terminates the control process. In this embodiment, the CPU 44 determines that the ACC is currently running when the ACC is turned on via the ACC switch 62.

[0038] In step S12, the CPU 44 obtains the vehicle speed of its own vehicle 60 from the vehicle speed sensor 30, the distance to the preceding vehicle to be followed from the radar device 22, and a specified value for the time between the preceding vehicle to be followed from the ACC switch 62 as detection information. Then, the CPU 44 proceeds to step S13.

[0039] In step S13, the CPU 44 displays the other vehicle icon 74 and the bar graph 76 at predetermined positions on the meter display 58. Specifically, the CPU 44 displays the other vehicle icon 74 at a position that reflects the distance between the self-vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle being followed, on the forward side of the direction of travel of the self-vehicle icon 72. The CPU 44 also displays a bar graph 76 between the self-vehicle icon 72 and the other vehicle icon 74, in which one or more rectangular bars 78 (see Figures 4 to 6) are arranged along the direction of travel. In this case, the CPU 44 displays the other vehicle icon 74 so as not to overlap with the bar graph 76. Specifically, the CPU 44 controls the display of the other vehicle icon 74 on the forward side of the direction of travel of the bar graph 76 so that the other vehicle icon 74 and the bar graph 76 do not overlap. Then, the CPU 44 terminates the control process.

[0040] Next, we will explain an example of the display shown on the meter display 58 as a result of the control processing shown in Figure 3 performed by the display control ECU 42.

[0041] Figure 4 is a first explanatory diagram showing an example of the display shown on the meter display 58 while the vehicle 60 is in motion, and Figure 5 is a second explanatory diagram showing an example of the display shown on the meter display 58 while the vehicle 60 is in motion. As an example, Figure 4 shows an example of the display on the meter display 58 when the vehicle speed of the vehicle 60 is "100 km / h", and Figure 5 shows an example of the display when the vehicle speed of the vehicle 60 is "50 km / h".

[0042] The meter display 58 shown in Figures 4 and 5 displays the vehicle's own icon 72, other vehicle icons 74, and a bar graph 76, along with information such as vehicle speed and time.

[0043] On the meter display 58, the other vehicle icon 74 is displayed in a position that reflects the distance between the own vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle being followed, and with dimensions corresponding to that distance. For example, as is clear from comparing Figure 4 and Figure 5, as the distance increases, the other vehicle icon 74 is displayed in a smaller size and at a position further away from the own vehicle icon 72. Also, as is clear from comparing Figure 4 and Figure 5, as the distance decreases, the other vehicle icon 74 is displayed in a larger size and at a position closer to the own vehicle icon 72.

[0044] Furthermore, in the meter display 58, the bar graph 76 displays a number of bars 78 corresponding to the specified value of the time interval between the vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle being followed. In this embodiment, if the specified value is "large," four bars 78 are displayed; if the specified value is "medium," three bars are displayed; if the specified value is "small," two bars are displayed; and if the specified value is "minimum," one bar 78 is displayed. As an example, in Figures 4 and 5, the specified value is "large," so the bar graph 76 displays four bars 78.

[0045] Here, when the distance between the self-propelled vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle being followed changes, the display control ECU 42 changes the position and dimensions of the other vehicle icon 74 along the direction of travel, and also changes the dimensions of the bar graph 76 along the direction of travel, according to the changed distance. Specifically, in the example display of the meter display 58 shown in Figure 5, the distance between vehicles has decreased compared to the case in Figure 4, so the position of the other vehicle icon 74 is closer to the self-propelled vehicle icon 72, and the dimensions of the other vehicle icon 74 are larger compared to the case in Figure 4. Also, in the example display of the meter display 58 shown in Figure 5, the distance between vehicles has decreased compared to the case in Figure 4, so the overall dimensions of the bar graph 76 along the direction of travel (hereinafter referred to as dimension S) are smaller compared to the case in Figure 4. In this case, the display control ECU 42 reduces dimension S by reducing the dimensions of the individual bars 78 included in the bar graph 76 along the direction of travel (hereinafter referred to as dimension W). Conversely, to increase dimension S, the display control ECU 42 increases dimension S by increasing dimension W.

[0046] As explained above, in the display control ECU 42, when the CPU 44 detects the preceding vehicle to be followed by the surrounding situation acquisition device group 14, it displays a bar graph 76 on the meter display 58, and also displays an other vehicle icon 74 on the forward side of the direction of travel of the bar graph 76 at a position that reflects the distance between the own vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle to be followed, without overlapping with the bar graph 76. If the other vehicle icon 74 and the bar graph 76 were to overlap on the meter display 58, it would create a gap in relation to the actual distance between the vehicles, which could cause confusion in the occupants' perception of the situation. However, in the display control ECU 42, the other vehicle icon 74, which is displayed at a position that reflects the distance between the own vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle to be followed, does not overlap with the bar graph 76, so the meter display 58 can display content that suppresses confusion in the occupants' perception of the situation.

[0047] Furthermore, in the display control ECU 42, when the distance between the vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle being followed changes, the CPU 44 controls the display control ECU 42 to prevent the other vehicle icon 74 and the bar graph 76 from overlapping by changing the position of the other vehicle icon 74 along the direction of travel and changing the dimensions of the bar graph 76 along the direction of travel, according to the changed distance. As a result, even if the distance between vehicles suddenly decreases, for example, the display control ECU 42 can prevent the other vehicle icon 74 and the bar graph 76 from overlapping, thereby suppressing confusion in the occupant's perception of the situation.

[0048] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the in-vehicle system 10 according to this embodiment will be described, omitting or simplifying parts that overlap with the above embodiment.

[0049] The second embodiment describes the processing performed by the in-vehicle system 10 when another vehicle enters the space between the vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle being followed.

[0050] When the display control unit 70 detects another vehicle that has entered the space between the vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle being followed by the surrounding situation acquisition device group 14, it displays, instead of the other vehicle icon 74, an icon 80 (see Figure 6) indicating the other vehicle at a position on the forward side of the bar graph 76 in the direction of travel that reflects the distance between the vehicle 60 and the other vehicle, without overlapping with the bar graph 76. The other vehicle icon 80 is an example of an "other vehicle image".

[0051] Furthermore, if another vehicle is detected by the surrounding situation acquisition device group 14, the display control unit 70 notifies the occupants of the presence of the other vehicle using a predetermined notification means. In this embodiment, as an example, the meter display 58 is used as the predetermined notification means. The display control unit 70 then notifies the occupants of the presence of the other vehicle by changing the color of the bar graph 76 displayed on the meter display 58.

[0052] Figure 6 is a third explanatory diagram showing an example of a display shown on the meter display 58 while the vehicle 60 is in motion. As an example, Figure 6 shows an example of the display on the meter display 58 when another vehicle enters the space between the vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle being followed after the display shown in Figure 4.

[0053] The meter display 58 shown in Figure 6 displays the vehicle icon 72 and bar graph 76 along with information such as vehicle speed and time, similar to the display example shown in Figure 4. However, unlike the display example shown in Figure 4, the meter display 58 shown in Figure 6 displays a different vehicle icon 80 instead of the other vehicle icon 74 at a position that reflects the distance between the vehicle 60 and another vehicle on the forward side of the bar graph 76 in the direction of travel. In this case, the CPU 44 of the display control ECU 42, as a function of the display control unit 70, displays the other vehicle icon 80 so that it does not overlap with the bar graph 76.

[0054] Furthermore, unlike the display example shown in Figure 4, the meter display 58 shown in Figure 6 shows the inside of each bar 78 included in the bar graph 76 in black, changing the color of the bar graph 76 before and after another vehicle enters. In this case, the CPU 44 of the display control ECU 42, as a function of the display control unit 70, notifies the occupant of the presence of another vehicle by changing the inside of the bar 78 from white to black.

[0055] As explained above, in the display control ECU 42, when the CPU 44 detects another vehicle that has entered between the vehicle 60 and the preceding vehicle being followed by the surrounding situation acquisition device group 14, it displays the other vehicle icon 80 in place of the other vehicle icon 74 on the forward side of the bar graph 76 in the direction of travel, at a position that reflects the distance between the vehicle 60 and the other vehicle, without overlapping with the bar graph 76. If the other vehicle icon 80 were displayed on the meter display 58 behind the other vehicle icon 74 in the direction of travel, the other vehicle icon 80 and the bar graph 76 would overlap, potentially causing confusion in the occupant's perception of the situation. However, in the display control ECU 42, the other vehicle icon 80, which is displayed in place of the other vehicle icon 74 at a position that reflects the distance between the vehicle 60 and the other vehicle, does not overlap with the bar graph 76, thus suppressing confusion in the occupant's perception of the situation.

[0056] Furthermore, in the display control ECU 42, if another vehicle is detected by the surrounding situation acquisition device group 14, the CPU 44 uses a predetermined notification means to notify the occupants of the presence of the other vehicle. This allows the display control ECU 42 to make the occupants aware of the presence of the other vehicle.

[0057] Furthermore, in the display control ECU 42, the CPU 44 notifies the occupant of the presence of another vehicle by changing the color of the bar graph 76 displayed on the meter display 58. In this way, the display control ECU 42 allows the occupant to perceive the presence of another vehicle through their vision.

[0058] (others) In the above embodiment, the display control ECU 42 was used as an example of an information processing device. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and an external device such as a server not mounted on the vehicle 60 may be used as an example of an information processing device, or a combination of the display control ECU 42 and an external device may be used as an example of an information processing device. For example, if a combination of the display control ECU 42 and an external device is used as an example of an information processing device, at least a part of the functional configuration of the CPU 44 of the display control ECU 42 shown in Figure 2 may be performed by the CPU of the external device. In this case, the control processing shown in Figure 3 is executed by one processor of the CPU 44 of the display control ECU 42 or the CPU of the external device, or by a combination of multiple processors of the CPU 44 of the display control ECU 42 and the CPU of the external device.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the meter display 58 was used as an example of a display unit, but the invention is not limited to this, and other display devices mounted on the vehicle 60, such as a HUD 56, or a mobile terminal such as a smartphone of an occupant installed inside the vehicle may also be used as an example of a display unit.

[0060] In the above embodiment, control was performed to prevent the other vehicle icon 74 or another vehicle icon 80 from overlapping with the bar graph 76 while the ACC with inter-vehicle time control was being executed, but the timing of this control is not limited to this. For example, the CPU 44 of the display control ECU 42 may perform the above control when the surrounding situation acquisition device group 14 detects another vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle 60 in the direction of travel, or another vehicle that has entered between the vehicle 60 and the other vehicle, when the ACC with inter-vehicle time control is not being executed. In other words, the above control can be performed whether the vehicle 60 is being driven by an occupant or is driving automatically without occupant operation.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the meter display 58 was used as a predetermined notification means to notify the occupants of the presence of another vehicle, but the notification means is not limited to this. For example, instead of or in addition to the meter display 58, a speaker mounted on the vehicle 60 may be used as a predetermined notification means, and the presence of another vehicle may be notified to the occupants by outputting a predetermined sound from the speaker.

[0062] In addition, the control processing that the CPU 44 reads and executes in the above embodiment may be executed by various processors other than the CPU. Examples of such processors include PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices) such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacturing, and dedicated electrical circuits that are processors with circuit configurations specifically designed to execute specific processing, such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). Furthermore, the control processing may be executed by one of these various processors, or by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, multiple FPGAs, and a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). More specifically, the hardware structure of these various processors is an electrical circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0063] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes a configuration in which the display control program 54 is pre-stored (installed) in the storage unit 48, the invention is not limited to this configuration. The display control program 54 may be provided in the form of a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disk Read Only Memory), or USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory. Alternatively, the display control program 54 may be provided in the form of a download from an external device via a network. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0064] 14. Surrounding Condition Acquisition Device Group (Detection Unit) 42 Display Control ECU (Information Processing Unit) 58 Meter display (display unit) 60 My vehicle 70 Display Control Unit (Control Unit) 74 Other vehicle icons (other vehicle images) 76 Bar graph (graphic image) 80 Different vehicle icon (different vehicle image)

Claims

1. When the detection unit detects another vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle in the direction of travel, the control unit displays a graphic image on the in-vehicle display unit that represents the time required for the vehicle to reach the location of the other vehicle, and displays an image of the other vehicle representing the other vehicle at a position that reflects the distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle on the forward side of the graphic image in the direction of travel, without superimposing it with the graphic image. The control unit, The aforementioned graphic image is composed of a number of bars corresponding to the specified value of the interval between vehicles, and one or more bars are displayed depending on the level of the specified value. When the distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle changes, the position and dimensions of the other vehicle image are changed along the direction of travel in accordance with the changed distance, and the dimensions of the graphic image along the direction of travel are changed. If the graphic image is composed of multiple bars, the dimensions of the entire graphic image are changed by changing the dimensions of each bar along the direction of travel. Information processing device.

2. The control unit, As the distance between the self-propelled vehicle and the other vehicle increases, the dimensions of the other vehicle image are reduced, and it is displayed at a position separated from the self-propelled vehicle icon displayed on the display unit. As the distance between the self-propelled vehicle and the other vehicle decreases, the dimensions of the other vehicle image are increased and it is displayed in a position closer to the self-propelled vehicle icon. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. When the control unit detects another vehicle that has entered between its own vehicle and the other vehicle, it displays, in place of the image of the other vehicle, an image of the other vehicle at a position that reflects the distance between the own vehicle and the other vehicle on the forward side of the graphic image in the direction of travel, without superimposing it on the graphic image. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. When the control unit detects the other vehicle, it will use a predetermined notification means to notify the occupants of the presence of the other vehicle. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The control unit notifies the occupants of the presence of the other vehicle by changing the color of the graphic image and outputting sound from the speaker, The information processing apparatus according to claim 4.

Images