Display control device

Abstract

A vehicular display control device according to the present invention has a controller that controls a display that is provided to a vehicle. The controller determines a road surface situation for a road on which the vehicle is traveling, sets a first minimum drive force and a first maximum drive force at which the vehicle can travel with grip or a first minimum braking force and a first maximum braking force at which a drive wheel of the vehicle will not lock during braking on the basis of the results of the determination of the road surface situation, causes a display to display a first image that corresponds to each of the first minimum drive force and the first maximum drive force or the first minimum braking force and the first maximum braking force, and causes the display to display a second image that changes in association with the accelerator position or the brake position of the vehicle such that the second image is in the vicinity of the first image or superimposed on the first image.　

Description

display control device

[0001] The present invention relates to a display control device.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a method that applies a reaction force to excessive depression of an accelerator pedal to give a sense of resistance to the driver's pedaling force, thereby prompting the driver to avoid rapid acceleration.

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 5466086

[0004] Meanwhile, depending on the road surface condition, pedal control may be difficult. When driving on a deep snow / deep sand road surface, the reaction force of the pedal makes the driver unable to start moving unless the pedal is depressed harder than usual. If the pedal is depressed too hard, the tires will slip excessively and the vehicle will stall. The present technology can prompt appropriate pedal control corresponding to the road surface without changing the accelerator pedal reaction force.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to prompt the driver to perform appropriate pedal control according to the road surface condition.

[0006] A display control device according to one aspect of the present invention is a vehicle display control device, which includes a controller that controls a display provided on a vehicle. The controller determines the road surface condition of the road on which the vehicle travels, and sets, based on the determination result of the road surface condition, a first minimum driving force and a first maximum driving force that allow the vehicle to perform grip traveling, or a first minimum braking force and a first maximum braking force that prevent the drive wheels of the vehicle from being locked during braking, displays on the display first images respectively corresponding to the first minimum driving force and the first maximum driving force, or the first minimum braking force and the first maximum braking force, and displays a second image that changes in conjunction with the accelerator opening or brake opening of the vehicle so as to be superimposed on the periphery of the first image or on the first image.

[0007] According to the display control device of the present invention, it is possible to prompt the driver to perform appropriate pedal control according to the road surface condition.

[0008] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the display control device according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing examples of the first, second, and third images related to accelerator pedal control. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing examples of the first, second, and fourth images related to brake pedal control. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of a drive mode. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the correspondence between the judgment road surface and the coefficient. Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the fifth image.

[0009] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a display control device according to the embodiment, its modified form, an embodiment, or a specific example to which such modified form is applied will be described. Furthermore, components having the same function as those already described will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] The display control device according to this embodiment includes a controller 11. The controller 11 controls a display 6 provided in the vehicle 1. The controller 11 can display images related to driving force or braking force, images related to accelerator opening or brake opening, etc., on the display 6.

[0011] A display 6 is provided inside the vehicle 1 as a display device for showing various information about the vehicle 1. The display 6 is made up of, for example, a liquid crystal panel and displays a predetermined image so that the driver can see it. The display control unit 15 (described later) of the controller 11 displays the predetermined image on the display 6.

[0012] The controller 11 is a general-purpose microcomputer equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory, and an input / output unit. The microcomputer has computer programs (display control program and control program) installed to function as a display control device and control system. By executing these computer programs, the microcomputer functions as one of the multiple information processing circuits of the control system. In this embodiment, an example is shown where the multiple information processing circuits of the control system are implemented using software; however, it is also possible to configure the information processing circuits by preparing dedicated hardware for each information processing operation, as described later. Alternatively, the multiple information processing circuits may be configured using separate hardware. Details of the multiple information processing circuits provided by the controller 11 will be described later.

[0013] As illustrated in Figure 1, the controller 11 includes a road surface condition determination unit 12, a braking / driving force setting unit 13, an information acquisition unit 14, a display control unit 15, and a drive mode setting unit 16 as multiple information processing circuits.

[0014] The road surface condition determination unit 12 determines the road surface condition of the road on which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling. The road surface condition is determined, for example, based on the forward image output from the camera. The road surface condition determination unit 12 may include an estimation model for determining the road surface condition from the forward image. This estimation model is, for example, a deep neural network (DNN) that has learned road surface conditions from images of roads with various road surface conditions. However, the method for determining the road surface condition is not limited to the above.

[0015] As illustrated in Figure 5, the road surface condition determination result (hereinafter referred to as "determined road surface") determined by the road surface condition determination unit 12 includes dry, wet, snow, sand, mud, and dirt. For example, dry refers to a dry paved road, wet refers to a wet paved road, snow refers to a snow-covered or icy road, sand refers to a sandy road, mud refers to a muddy road, and dirt refers to a gravel road. The road surface condition determination unit 12 may also determine that determination is not possible if the road surface condition does not fall under any of the above categories: dry, wet, snow, sand, mud, dirt, etc. The display control unit 15, which will be described later, may also display the determined road surface on the display 6. The road surface condition determination unit 12 may repeatedly perform the process of determining the road surface condition at predetermined intervals. The display control unit 15 may update the display content of the display 6 for the determined road surface at predetermined processing cycles.

[0016] The braking force setting unit 13 calculates and sets various driving forces when the vehicle 1 is running, and various braking forces when the vehicle 1's drive wheels are braked, based on the determined road surface. For example, the braking force setting unit 13 can calculate and set the minimum driving force (first minimum driving force) at which the vehicle 1 can maintain grip, and the maximum driving force (first maximum driving force) at which the vehicle 1 can maintain grip, based on the determined road surface. The braking force setting unit 13 can also calculate and set the minimum braking force (first minimum braking force) at which the vehicle 1's drive wheels do not lock during braking, and the maximum braking force (first maximum braking force) at which the vehicle 1's drive wheels do not lock during braking, based on the determined road surface.

[0017] The information acquisition unit 14 acquires various information about the vehicle 1. For example, the information acquisition unit 14 acquires information on the accelerator opening degree corresponding to the amount the accelerator pedal 2 of the vehicle 1 is pressed. The information acquisition unit 14 also acquires information on the brake opening degree corresponding to the amount the brake pedal 3 of the vehicle 1 is pressed. The information acquisition unit 14 may also acquire information regarding the drive mode switch 4 (described later) selected by the driver. The information acquisition unit 14 may also acquire information regarding whether the traction control device 5 (described later) is operating in the vehicle 1.

[0018] The display control unit 15 displays predetermined images corresponding to various driving forces, various braking forces, etc., set by the braking force setting unit 13 in a predetermined area of ​​the display 6. The display control unit 15 also displays predetermined images corresponding to the accelerator opening information or brake opening information of the vehicle 1 acquired by the information acquisition unit 14 in a predetermined area of ​​the display 6. The display control unit 15 may update the display content of the display 6 for the predetermined images at predetermined processing cycles.

[0019] The various predetermined images described above according to the embodiment will now be explained. As illustrated in Figure 2, the display 6 displays a first image 21 corresponding to the first minimum driving force and the first maximum driving force, and a second image 31 corresponding to information on the accelerator opening of the vehicle 1. That is, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, predetermined images related to accelerator pedal control, such as driving force and accelerator opening, are displayed. In addition, in the configuration illustrated in Figure 2, a scale image 22, a string image 22A, a string image 23, and a third image 41 are displayed.

[0020] The first image 21 has a lower limit bar 21A at the left end indicating the first minimum driving force, and an upper limit bar 21B at the right end indicating the first maximum driving force. That is, the first image 21 has the lower limit bar 21A at the left end and the upper limit bar 21B at the right end, and is an image showing the region between the lower limit bar 21A and the upper limit bar 21B. Note that the first minimum driving force and the first maximum driving force vary depending on the road surface to be judged and the drive mode described later, and the display positions of the lower limit bar 21A and the upper limit bar 21B, as well as the range (display position) of the first image 21, change.

[0021] The second image 31 is an image corresponding to the accelerator pedal opening information of vehicle 1. The display position of the second image 31 dynamically changes left or right in conjunction with the current accelerator pedal opening of vehicle 1, and is displayed around or superimposed on the first image 21. In the configuration illustrated in Figure 2, the second image 31 is displayed superimposed on the first image 21 as a bar indicating the current accelerator pedal opening. In this case, as the accelerator pedal opening decreases, the second image 31 moves to the left of the first image 21, and as the accelerator pedal opening increases, the second image 31 moves to the right of the first image 21. This display clearly shows the driver the range of driving force that allows for grip driving, which is set based on the road surface conditions. It also clearly shows the driver the relationship between the range of driving force and the accelerator pedal opening of vehicle 1. Furthermore, the driver can constantly monitor the second image 31 corresponding to the control of the accelerator pedal while driving. Therefore, if the second image 31 is within the range of the first image 21, vehicle 1 can drive with grip. Note that the second image 31 may not represent the accelerator opening itself, but rather the driving force generated in the vehicle in response to the accelerator opening.

[0022] The scale image 22, along with the text image 22A displayed below both ends, functions as a scale image and a scaled image to indicate the magnitude of the driving force and accelerator opening. That is, the left end of the scale image 22 is set to "0%" and the right end to "100%", and it is a static image whose display position and range do not change. The first image 21 and the second image 31 are displayed superimposed on the scale image 22 at their corresponding positions, thereby representing the numerical information of the first image 21 and the second image 31 in relation to the scale. The text image 23 is an image that indicates that the various images displayed in Figure 2 are information related to accelerator pedal control, and is displayed to the left of the scale image 22.

[0023] The third image 41 is an image corresponding to the second minimum driving force and the second maximum driving force at which the drive wheels can drift. The third image 41 has a lower limit bar 41A at the left end indicating the second minimum driving force and an upper limit bar 41B at the right end indicating the second maximum driving force. That is, the third image 41 has the lower limit bar 41A at the left end and the upper limit bar 41B at the right end, and is an image showing the region between the lower limit bar 41A and the upper limit bar 41B. The third image 41 is displayed superimposed on the corresponding position on the scale image 22, thereby representing the 341st numerical information for the scale.

[0024] In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the display 6 shows a first image 25 corresponding to the first minimum braking force and the first maximum braking force, and a second image 32 corresponding to information on the brake opening of the vehicle 1. That is, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, predetermined images related to brake pedal control, such as braking force and brake opening, are displayed. In addition, in the configuration illustrated in Figure 3, a scale image 26, a string image 26A, a string image 27, a fourth image 51, and a string image 51A are displayed. The brake opening is equivalent to, for example, the degree of hydraulic pressure applied to the master cylinder.

[0025] The first image 25 has a lower limit bar 25A at the left end indicating the first minimum braking force, and an upper limit bar 25B at the right end indicating the first maximum braking force. That is, the first image 25 is an image showing the region between the lower limit bar 25A and the upper limit bar 25B, with the lower limit bar 25A at the left end and the upper limit bar 25B at the right end. Note that the first minimum braking force and the first maximum braking force will fluctuate depending on the road surface and drive mode, and the display positions of the lower limit bar 25A and the upper limit bar 25B, as well as the range (display position) of the first image 25, will change.

[0026] The second image 32 is an image corresponding to the brake opening information of vehicle 1. The display position of the second image 32 dynamically changes left or right in conjunction with the current brake opening of vehicle 1, and is displayed around or superimposed on the first image 25. In the configuration illustrated in Figure 2, the second image 32 is displayed superimposed on the first image 25 as a bar indicating the current brake opening. In this case, as the brake opening decreases, the second image 32 moves to the left relative to the first image 25, and as the brake opening increases, the second image 32 moves to the right relative to the first image 25. This display clearly shows the driver the range of braking force that prevents the drive wheels of vehicle 1 from locking during braking, which is set based on the road surface conditions. It also clearly shows the driver the relationship between the range of braking force and the brake opening of vehicle 1. Furthermore, the driver can constantly monitor the second image 32 corresponding to the control of the brake pedal while driving. Therefore, if the second image 32 is located within the range of the first image 25, the drive wheels of vehicle 1 will not lock during braking. Note that the second image 32 may not represent the brake opening itself, but rather the braking force generated in the vehicle in accordance with the brake opening.

[0027] The scale image 26, along with the text images 26A displayed below both ends, functions as a scale image and a scaled image to indicate the magnitude of braking force and brake opening. Specifically, the left end of the scale image 26 is displayed as "0G" and the right end as "1G," and it is a static image whose display position and range do not change. The first image 25 and the second image 32 are displayed superimposed on their corresponding positions on the scale image 26, thereby representing the numerical information of the first image 25 and the second image 32 in relation to the scale. The text image 27 indicates that the various images displayed in Figure 3 are information related to brake pedal control, and is displayed to the left of the scale image 26.

[0028] The fourth image 51 is an image corresponding to the braking distance until vehicle 1 comes to a stop. The braking distance is calculated by the braking force setting unit 13 based on a friction coefficient (described later) that is set in advance according to the road surface conditions. In addition, the text image 51A is displayed above the fourth image 51. The text image 51A displays text indicating that the fourth image 51 is an image corresponding to the braking distance until vehicle 1 comes to a stop.

[0029] Vehicle 1 may have multiple drive modes for setting the driving characteristics of Vehicle 1. In the configuration illustrated in Figure 4, Vehicle 1 has drive modes Standard, Snow, Off-Road, Eco, and Sport. The driver can select one of the above drive modes by operating the drive mode switch 4. The drive mode setting unit 16 applies the selected drive mode to the vehicle. The selection and switching of drive modes may be done by the driver, or it may be set automatically by determining from various information such as the road surface condition determination unit 12 and location information.

[0030] Below is a brief explanation of the representative drive modes: Off-Road, Snow, and Standard. Off-Road is a drive mode that facilitates starting and driving on unpaved roads with bumps or steps, uphill, or sandy terrain. Snow is a drive mode that facilitates starting and driving on snowy or icy roads. Standard is the optimal drive mode for normal driving on paved roads. The powertrain output, maximum output, and response to accelerator opening are set to be greater in Standard than in Snow, and greater in Off-Road than in Standard. The amount of brake LSD control is set to be stronger in Off-Road and Snow than in Standard.

[0031] The braking force setting unit 13 may change the first minimum driving force, first maximum driving force, second minimum driving force, and second maximum driving force according to the selected drive mode. The braking force setting unit 13 may also change the first minimum braking force and first maximum braking force according to the selected drive mode.

[0032] The first minimum driving force according to the embodiment is set based on the minimum driving force required for the vehicle 1 to start grip driving from a standstill. Specifically, the first minimum driving force required for the vehicle 1 to start moving can be calculated from the formula F = Rmg, where R is the coefficient of driving resistance, m is the mass of the vehicle, and g is the acceleration due to gravity. The first maximum driving force is set based on the driving force when the vehicle 1 transitions from grip driving to slip driving. Specifically, it can be calculated from the formula F = μmg, where μ is the coefficient of friction of the road surface. The above R is set to a representative value in advance based on the target vehicle and the road surface to be judged (for example, r1 to r6 as illustrated in Figure 5). The above m is set to a representative value in advance based on the target vehicle. The above μ is set according to the road surface to be judged (for example, m1 to m6 as illustrated in Figure 5). The controller 11 calculates the braking distance until the vehicle 1 stops based on the coefficient of friction set in advance according to the road surface conditions.

[0033] Vehicle 1 may be equipped with a traction control device 5 for suppressing slippage of the drive wheels. The traction control device 5 suppresses the driving force when the drive wheels slip. In this case, the controller 11 compares the current accelerator opening with the first maximum driving force, and if the current accelerator opening is greater than the first maximum driving force, it may suggest to the driver that the traction control device 5 be stopped. Specifically, as illustrated in Figure 6, the display 6 may display a fifth image 61.

[0034] The fifth image 61 is an image displayed to suggest to the driver that the traction control device 5 be stopped. The fifth image 61 has a text string image 61A, an image 61B including a vehicle, and a text string image 61C. The text string image 61A is, for example, "VDC" (Vehicle Dynamics Control), and is an image that indicates that the fifth image 61 is information related to stopping the traction control device 5, and is displayed above the image 61B including the vehicle. The image 61B including the vehicle is an image that indicates the possibility that the vehicle's propulsion is being hindered. The text string image 61C is an image that displays a message prompting the driver to stop the traction control device 5, and is displayed below the image 61B including the vehicle. If the display 6 is a touch panel, the traction control device 5 may also be stopped by touching the text string image 61C. Note that the means and images for suggesting to the driver to stop the traction control device 5 are not limited to those described above. Alternatively, guidance for automatically stopping the traction control device 5 may be provided, and the traction control device 5 may also be stopped automatically. Furthermore, if the road surface changes to something other than sand, the system may automatically provide guidance to activate the traction control device 5, and may also activate the traction control device 5.

[0035] The display positions of the above-mentioned images within the display 6 are not limited to those described above. Furthermore, the above-mentioned images may be displayed on a different display from the display 6 as appropriate. The images related to accelerator pedal control and the images related to brake pedal control may be displayed adjacent to each other vertically or horizontally on the display 6, or they may be displayed on different displays. For example, the display 6 may display both the first image 21 and the second image 31, as well as the first image 25 and the second image 32. In this case, the driver will have easier accelerator and brake control and will be able to control the vehicle 1 more accurately. Also, "grip driving" in the above description includes cases where grip driving occurs while slipping.

[0036] (1) The display control device according to the embodiment is a display control device for a vehicle and has a controller 11 that controls a display 6 provided on the vehicle 1. The controller 11 determines the road surface conditions of the road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling, and based on the determination result of the road surface conditions, sets a first minimum driving force and a first maximum driving force that allows the vehicle 1 to drive with grip, or a first minimum braking force and a first maximum braking force that prevents the drive wheels of the vehicle 1 from locking when braking, and displays a first image 21 on the display 6 that corresponds to the first minimum driving force and the first maximum driving force, or the first minimum braking force and the first maximum braking force, respectively, and displays a second image 31 that changes in conjunction with the accelerator opening or brake opening of the vehicle 1 around the first image 21 or superimposed on the first image 21.

[0037] With the above configuration, the range of driving force that allows for grip driving, set based on the road surface conditions, and the relationship between the range of driving force and the accelerator opening of vehicle 1 can be clearly displayed to the driver. In other words, the driver can easily confirm the range of driving force that allows for grip driving under the road surface conditions on which vehicle 1 is traveling, and how far the current accelerator opening is relative to the range of driving force. This makes accelerator control easier for the driver. Alternatively, the range of braking force that prevents the drive wheels of vehicle 1 from locking during braking, according to the road surface conditions, and the relationship between the range of braking force and the brake opening of vehicle 1 can be clearly displayed to the driver. In other words, the driver can easily confirm the range of braking force that prevents the drive wheels of vehicle 1 from locking during braking under the road surface conditions on which vehicle 1 is traveling, and how far the current brake opening is relative to the range of braking force. This makes brake control easier for the driver.

[0038] (2) In this embodiment, the controller 11 sets a second minimum driving force and a second maximum driving force that allow the drive wheels to drift, based on the road surface condition determination result, displays a third image 41 corresponding to the second minimum driving force and the second maximum driving force on the display 6, and displays the accelerator opening as a second image 31. With this configuration, the range of driving force that allows drifting and the relationship between the range of driving force and the accelerator opening of the vehicle 1 can be clearly displayed to the driver. That is, the driver can easily check the range of driving force that allows drifting under the road surface conditions of the road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling, and how the current accelerator opening is relative to the range of driving force. This makes accelerator control easier for the driver. If the accelerator opening is smaller than the lower limit of the driving force, the drive wheels cannot slip, and proper drifting is not possible. If the accelerator opening is larger than the upper limit of the driving force, the drive wheels will spin, and proper drifting is not possible.

[0039] (3) Furthermore, in the embodiment, the vehicle 1 is equipped with a plurality of drive modes for setting the driving characteristics of the vehicle 1, and the controller 11 changes the first minimum driving force, the first maximum driving force, the second minimum driving force, and the second maximum driving force according to the selected drive mode. With the above configuration, the range of driving force that allows for more appropriate grip driving and the range of driving force that allows for more appropriate drift driving, based on the drive mode, and the relationship between the range of driving force and the accelerator opening of the vehicle 1 can be clearly displayed to the driver.

[0040] (4) In this embodiment, the first minimum driving force is set based on the minimum driving force required for the vehicle 1 to start from a standstill and drive with grip. This makes it possible to appropriately set the lower limit of the range of driving force that allows for driving with grip based on the road surface conditions.

[0041] (5) Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first maximum driving force is set based on the driving force when the vehicle 1 transitions from grip driving to slip driving. This makes it possible to appropriately set the upper limit of the range of driving force that allows for grip driving based on the road surface conditions.

[0042] (6) Further, in the embodiment, the controller 11 calculates the braking distance until the vehicle 1 stops based on a friction coefficient preset according to the road surface condition, and displays a fourth image 51 corresponding to the braking distance on the display 6. Thus, the driver can easily confirm the braking distance based on the road surface condition of the road on which the vehicle 1 travels, facilitating brake control.

[0043] (7) Furthermore, in the embodiment, the vehicle 1 is provided with a traction control device 5 for suppressing slipping of drive wheels, and the controller 11 compares the current accelerator opening with a first maximum driving force, and proposes stopping the traction control device 5 to the driver when the current accelerator opening is larger than the first maximum driving force. Accordingly, when it is determined that the driving force is suppressed by the traction control device 5 and the vehicle 1 cannot travel appropriately, the driver can be prompted to stop the traction control device 5. For example, when the driving force is suppressed by the traction control device 5 on sandy ground or the like, the vehicle 1 may not be able to travel appropriately. In such a case, by proposing stopping the traction control device 5 to the driver, suppression of the driving force can be avoided.

[0044] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0045] 1 Vehicle 5 Traction control device 6 Display 11 Controller 21 First image 31 Second image 41 Third image 51 Fourth image

Claims

1. A display control device for a vehicle, comprising a controller for controlling a display provided on the vehicle, wherein the controller determines the road surface conditions of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, sets a first minimum driving force and a first maximum driving force that allows the vehicle to drive with grip, or a first minimum braking force and a first maximum braking force that prevents the vehicle's drive wheels from locking during braking, displays a first image on the display corresponding to the first minimum driving force and the first maximum driving force, or the first minimum braking force and the first maximum braking force, respectively, and displays a second image that changes in conjunction with the vehicle's accelerator opening or brake opening, superimposed around or on the first image.

2. The display control device according to claim 1, wherein the controller sets a second minimum driving force and a second maximum driving force that allow the drive wheels to drift based on the determination result of the road surface conditions, displays a third image corresponding to the second minimum driving force and the second maximum driving force on the display, and displays the accelerator opening as the second image.

3. The display control device according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle is provided with a plurality of drive modes for setting the driving characteristics of the vehicle, and the controller changes the first minimum driving force, the first maximum driving force, the second minimum driving force, and the second maximum driving force according to the selected drive mode.

4. The display control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first minimum driving force is set based on the minimum driving force required for the vehicle to perform grip driving from a stopped state.

5. The display control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first maximum driving force is set based on the driving force when the vehicle transitions from grip driving to slip driving.

6. The display control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the controller calculates the braking distance until the vehicle stops based on a friction coefficient set in advance according to the road surface conditions, and displays a fourth image corresponding to the braking distance on the display.

7. The display control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the vehicle is equipped with a traction control device for suppressing slippage of the drive wheels, and the controller compares the current accelerator opening with the first maximum driving force, and if the current accelerator opening is greater than the first maximum driving force, suggests to the driver that the traction control device be stopped.

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