Vehicle Display Control With Aligned Virtual Viewpoints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle display systems struggle to intuitively indicate the direction of the vehicle periphery, especially when the virtual visual point is positioned close to the driver's viewpoint, leading to reduced visibility and confusion in the displayed image.
Innovation Solution
A display control apparatus that generates a vehicle periphery image from a first virtual visual point and superimposes a subject image from a second virtual visual point, ensuring the azimuths of both lines of sight are aligned, with the second visual point positioned to avoid overlap with the vehicle, allowing for intuitive direction understanding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the virtual visual point is positioned close to the driver's viewpoint, then the display image becomes more visible and closer to the driver's perspective, but the difference between the virtual visual point and the driver's visual point is reduced, making it difficult to intuitively grasp the direction indicated by the vehicle periphery image
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the display into two distinct components: a vehicle periphery image viewed from a first virtual visual point and a subject image (vehicle or occupant) viewed from a second virtual visual point. This segmentation allows each component to serve a different function - the periphery image provides directional context while the subject image provides reference orientation, resolving the contradiction between visibility and directional information.
Solution Approach 2:
The subject image (vehicle or occupant model) acts as an intermediary element that bridges the gap between the driver's viewpoint and the vehicle periphery image. By displaying the subject from a different virtual visual point with aligned azimuth, it provides a reference that helps the driver intuitively grasp the direction indicated by the periphery image without compromising visibility.
2Loss of information
If a subject image is superimposed on the vehicle periphery image, then directional reference is provided, but the subject image may obstruct the view of the vehicle periphery
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the subject image semi-transparent or adjusting its display characteristics in different regions. The subject image is displayed with varying transparency levels - more transparent in areas where it would obstruct important periphery information, and less transparent where it provides necessary directional reference. This allows the system to provide directional reference while minimizing obstruction of the vehicle periphery view.
3Loss of information
If the azimuth of the first line of sight and second line of sight are aligned, then intuitive direction understanding is achieved, but the positioning of the second virtual visual point becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the positioning complexity by moving the second virtual visual point to a different spatial dimension or location relative to the subject (vehicle or occupant). Instead of adjusting the first virtual visual point, the system positions the second visual point such that the azimuth alignment is achieved naturally through geometric relationships in three-dimensional space, simplifying the overall positioning logic while maintaining intuitive directional understanding.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a display control apparatus including: an image inputter; a vehicle periphery image generator that generates a vehicle periphery image; a subject image outputter that outputs a subject image; and an image superimposer that generates a display image by superimposing the subject image on the vehicle periphery image. An azimuth of a first line of sight is substantially identical to an azimuth of a second line of sight.