Vehicle Control Apparatus for Inclination Display

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle control systems fail to effectively communicate the vehicle's inclination and surrounding conditions to the driver, especially at non-predetermined times, making it difficult for the driver to recognize the vehicle's inclination and surroundings.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle control apparatus that acquires image data from cameras and inclination angle data from sensors, outputting this information to a display device in a way that changes display methods, such as color and rotation, to enhance the driver's recognition of the vehicle's inclination and surroundings, reducing the driver's burden during steering.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the driver watches only the image data captured by the camera, then the driver can see the surrounding conditions, but the driver cannot recognize the inclination of the vehicle

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecognition of vehicle inclinationVSAvoiddriver's burden when steering
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the captured image data with inclination angle display information into a single composite image displayed on one screen. The inclination information is overlaid on the captured image, allowing the driver to simultaneously view both the surrounding conditions and the vehicle's inclination angle without switching between multiple displays or sources of information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses color-coded display methods to represent different inclination angle ranges. By changing the color of the inclination angle display information based on the detected inclination magnitude, the system provides intuitive visual cues that enable the driver to quickly assess vehicle inclination without requiring careful reading of numerical values, thereby reducing steering burden.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

2Loss of information

If the warning is performed at a predetermined timing, then the driver receives inclination information, but the driver cannot recognize the inclination at other timing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuous inclination informationVSAvoiddisplay system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous display of inclination angle information overlaid on the captured image data throughout the entire operation. Unlike periodic warnings at predetermined timings, the inclination information is continuously available on the display screen, allowing the driver to recognize vehicle inclination at any moment without requiring the system to switch between different operational modes or display states.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Loss of information

If the driver needs to refer to both captured image data and inclination angle information, then the driver gets complete information, but the driver's burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompleteness of informationVSAvoiddriver's cognitive load
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the captured image data and inclination angle display information into a single composite display. Both types of information are presented simultaneously on one screen in an integrated format, eliminating the need for the driver to separately refer to multiple sources of information and reducing cognitive load while maintaining information completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs color-coded representation of inclination angles that provides intuitive visual understanding. The color changes allow the driver to quickly grasp the magnitude and direction of vehicle inclination at a glance, reducing the cognitive effort required to process the information while maintaining complete information delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Data Source

PatentEP2990265B1Vehicle control apparatus
Publication Date: 2019.04.17 AISIN SEIKI KK
  • EP2990265B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2990265B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2990265B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A vehicle control apparatus includes a first acquisition portion (501) acquiring a captured image data (901, 902, 904, 1201, 1202, 1203, 1301, 1302, 1303, 1501, 1502) outputted from an imaging portion (16, 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) that is provided at a vehicle (1) and that images a surrounding of the vehicle (1), a second acquisition portion (502) acquiring an inclination angle of the vehicle (1) on a basis of a state information of the vehicle (1), the state information outputted from a vehicle state detection portion (26) that is provided at the vehicle (1), and an output portion (505) being configured to output an output image data to a display device (8), the output image data including the captured image data (901, 902, 904, 1201, 1202, 1203, 1301, 1302, 1303, 1501, 1502) and an inclination angle display information indicating the inclination angle of the vehicle, the output portion changing a display method within the output image data in accordance with the inclination angle of the vehicle (1) and outputting the output image data.