AR Parking Spot Projection for Low-Distraction Driver Guidance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing technologies for displaying parking information on vehicle navigation systems do not efficiently provide real-time, user-friendly guidance on available parking spots, requiring significant initial capital investment for infrastructure and potentially distracting drivers with unnecessary projections.

Innovation Solution

An image display apparatus, such as a HUD or AR glasses, that acquires sensor data to recognize surrounding space, identifies available parking spots, and projects virtual images of these spots onto the real world, allowing drivers to easily locate parking options while reducing infrastructure costs and minimizing distractions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If parking information is displayed on vehicle navigation systems, then drivers can locate parking spots, but it requires significant initial capital investment for infrastructure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparking information availabilityVSAvoidinfrastructure investment cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses virtual images that copy the appearance of physical parking spot markings and projects them onto the real-world road surface through a HUD display. This virtual copying eliminates the need for expensive physical infrastructure modifications while providing the same parking guidance functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/physical system of actual road markings and signage with an optical/electronic system using projected virtual images. This substitution eliminates infrastructure construction costs while maintaining the information delivery function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If virtual images are projected onto the road surface, then drivers can easily identify parking spots, but it may distract drivers with unnecessary projections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparking spot identificationVSAvoiddriver distraction

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different visual qualities to different regions of the display - virtual parking spot images are projected only at specific locations corresponding to actual parking spots, while the rest of the road surface remains unprojected. This localized approach provides necessary information without creating widespread visual distraction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent projects virtual images only for available parking spots rather than projecting all possible parking information or continuous guidance. This partial action provides sufficient information for parking identification without excessive visual input that would cause distraction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4006873B1Image display apparatus, program, and image display method

Publication Date: 2025.07.23 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

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AI summary

An image display apparatus (1) includes a controller (11), a sensor (14), and a display (15). The controller (11) is configured to acquire sensor information from the sensor (14), recognize surrounding real space from the sensor information, extract an available parking spot in the real space, and project a virtual image indicating the parking spot onto the real space using the display (15).