Vehicular Projection Display Priority-Based Obstacle Avoidance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing head-up display systems can make important real images, such as obstacles, less visible to drivers by superimposing virtual information, potentially reducing driving safety and causing annoyance due to frequent adjustments in the driver's line of sight.

Innovation Solution

A vehicular projection display apparatus that assigns priority ranks to display contents and adjusts their positions based on importance, relocating them to prevent overlap with obstacles and maintain visibility, especially for newly appearing or increased importance obstacles, while minimizing driver annoyance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a virtual image is displayed on the straight line connecting the driver's eyeballs and an obstacle, then the virtual image is visible to the driver, but the obstacle becomes less visible and driving safety is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of virtual imageVSAvoidobscuration of obstacle
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The display position of the virtual image is dynamically adjusted based on the detected position of obstacles and the driver's line of sight. When an obstacle is detected, the system automatically relocates the virtual image to a position that does not overlap with the obstacle, ensuring both the virtual image and obstacle remain visible to the driver.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary control mechanism that detects obstacles and calculates optimal display positions. This intermediary process mediates between the need to display virtual information and the need to maintain visibility of real obstacles, automatically adjusting the virtual image position to resolve the conflict.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the virtual image is moved to avoid overlapping with an obstacle, then the obstacle remains visible, but the driver's line of sight must be adjusted which causes annoyance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of obstacleVSAvoiddriver comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by proactively moving the virtual image to a safe position before the driver's line of sight would naturally shift. By anticipating the need for line of sight adjustment and pre-relocating the virtual image to a position that maintains driver comfort, the system prevents annoyance while ensuring obstacle visibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the driver's line of sight and obstacle positions, using this feedback to dynamically adjust virtual image placement. This closed-loop control ensures that virtual images are positioned optimally based on real-time conditions, maintaining both obstacle visibility and driver comfort without requiring manual adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of information

If multiple virtual images are displayed at different positions, then information completeness is improved, but the arrangement becomes difficult to recognize as a whole set

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompleteness of informationVSAvoidrecognizability of display contents
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple virtual images into a cohesive display arrangement by considering their relative positions and relationships. When relocating virtual images to avoid obstacles, the system maintains spatial relationships between multiple images, ensuring they remain recognizable as a unified set while still avoiding obstacle overlap.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Stability of the object's composition

If the virtual image is kept at a fixed position, then the display is stable and easy to locate, but it may overlap with newly detected obstacles reducing visibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition stability of virtual imageVSAvoidoverlap with new obstacle
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from a static display approach to a dynamic one, where the virtual image position is continuously adjusted based on detected obstacles. When a new obstacle is detected, the system automatically relocates the virtual image to maintain both position stability (from the driver's perspective) and obstacle visibility, resolving the contradiction between fixed positioning and obstacle avoidance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3536533B1Vehicular projection display apparatus
Publication Date: 2020.06.10 YAZAKI CORP
  • EP3536533B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3536533B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3536533B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

Display priority ranks are assigned to plural respective display contents to be projection-displayed as virtual images. When a new obstacle is detected or the degree of importance of each display content has changed to a large extent due to a situation change, the plural display contents are relocated according to the respective priority ranks assigned to them. A display content for arousing attention is displayed as a virtual image in the vicinity of an obstacle that has not been recognized by a driver yet. Display contents whose priority ranks are lower than the attention-arousing display content are relocated to as to go away from the obstacle. Display contents that need not be superimposed on a real image are relocated to regions that are close to the driver.