Information provision device and information provision method

• US 10,152,120 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2015
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Saisho, Kenichiroh
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stone, Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/955,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20160170487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/149 Instrument input by detecting viewing direction not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/166 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/167 Vehicle dynamics information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/177 Augmented reality
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/179 Distances to obstacles or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/186 Displaying information according to relevancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/333 Lasers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/349 Adjustment of brightness
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/48 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/66 Projection screens or combiners
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/785 on or in relation to the windshield or windows
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/211 producing three-dimensional [3D] effects, e.g. stereoscopic images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/23 Head-up displays [HUD] optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/285 for improving awareness by directing driver's gaze direction or eye points
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 : Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 : for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 : in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/31 : providing stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/107 : using stereoscopic cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 : using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 : combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/308 : by overlaying the real scene, e.g. through a head-up display on the windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/605 : the adjustment being automatic
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 : for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 : Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3635 : Guidance using 3D or perspective road maps
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/365 : Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 : Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0185 : Displaying image at variable distance
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 : slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 : Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence

Abstract

An information provision device and an information provision method. Each of the information provision device and information provision method includes projecting an image light to a light transmission member so as to display a for-driver information image, sensing a relative distance of an object to be detected existing around the mobile object in the direction of travel, detecting a location of a viewpoint of the driver, and changing a position at which an object image indicating the object to be detected is displayed according to a result of the detecting so as to change a perception distance of the driver influenced by a motion parallax of the object image according to the relative distance of the object to be detected in the direction of travel.

Claims

1. An information providing device comprising:

an image-light projection device configured to project an image light to a light transmission member so as to display a for-driver information image indicating for-driver information to be provided for a driver of a mobile object in a prescribed display area that is visually recognized by the driver through the light transmission member ahead of the mobile object in a direction of travel, the prescribed display area including;

an active-information image display area configured to display at least one active-information image indicating active information to be actively recognized by the driver, and

a passive-information image display area configured to temporarily display, at a timing when a prescribed information provision is met, at least one passive-information image indicating passive information to be passively recognized by the driver,

a viewpoint detector configured to detect a change of location of a viewpoint of the driver; and

a display controller configured to control the image-light projection device by vertically changing a position at which the passive-information image, which indicates an object to be detected existing around the mobile object, is displayed in the passive-information image display area according to a result of detection generated by the viewpoint detector so as to change a perception distance of the driver influenced by a motion parallax of the passive-information image according to a sensed relative distance of the object to be detected in the direction of travel,

wherein the display controller is configured to control display of a plurality of the passive-information images,

wherein passive-information images of the plurality with a same operational sequence are vertically changed in position by a same amount,

wherein passive-information images of the plurality with different operational sequences are vertically changed in position by differing amounts,

wherein the vertical change in position decreases from sooner to later operational sequences,

wherein the active-information image display area is at a lower portion of the prescribed display area and is free of any passive-information images, including said passive-information image displayed in the passive-information image display area, and

wherein the passive-information image display area includes a center portion and an upper portion of the prescribed display area.

2. The information providing device according to claim 1, wherein the object to be detected is another mobile object traveling ahead of the mobile object.

3. The information providing device according to claim 1, wherein

the image-light projection device projects the image light to display the passive-information image as an instruction image in the form of a virtual image in the passive-information image display area of the prescribed display area, and

distance between the driver and the virtual image is equal to or longer than 5 m.

4. The information providing device according to claim 1, wherein

the image-light projection device includes:

a light emitter configured to emit an image light according to image data of the passive-information image as an instruction image, and

an optical scanner configured to scan the image light emitted from the light emitter two-dimensionally, and

the image-light projection device projects the image light two-dimensionally scanned by the optical scanner to the light transmission member to display the for-driver information image in the prescribed display area.

5. The information providing device according to claim 1, wherein the passive-information image display area is free of any active-information images.

6. The information providing device according to claim 1, wherein each of the active-information image display area and the passive-information image display area extends horizontally from a first side of the prescribed display area to a second side of the prescribed display area opposite the first side.

7. An information providing device comprising:

an image-light projection device configured to project an image light to a light transmission member so as to display a for-driver information image indicating for-driver information to be provided for a driver of a mobile object in a prescribed display area that is visually recognized by the driver through the light transmission member ahead of the mobile object in a direction of travel, the prescribed display area including;

an active-information image display area that continues displaying an active-information image indicating active information to be actively recognized by the driver, and

a passive-information image display area that temporarily displays, at a timing when a prescribed information provision condition is met, a passive-information image indicating passive information to be passively recognized by the driver,

a viewpoint detector configured to detect a change of location of a viewpoint of the driver; and

a display controller configured to control the image-light projection device by vertically changing a position at which the passive-information image is displayed in the passive-information image display area according to a result of detection generated by the viewpoint detector so as to make a perception distance of the driver influenced by the motion parallax of the passive-information image become longer than a perception distance of the driver of the active-information image displayed in the active-information image display area,

wherein the display controller is configured to control display of a plurality of the passive-information images,

wherein passive-information images of the plurality with a same operational sequence are vertically changed in position by a same amount,

wherein passive-information images of the plurality with different operational sequences are vertically changed in position by differing amounts, and

wherein the vertical change in position decreases from sooner to later operational sequences,

wherein the active-information image display area is at a lower portion of the prescribed display area and is free of any passive-information images, including said passive-information image displayed in the passive-information image display area, and

wherein the passive-information image display area includes a center portion and an upper portion of the prescribed display area.

8. The information providing device according to claim 7, wherein

the passive-information image includes a plurality of pieces of instruction information images indicating varying instructions to the driver of the mobile object, and

the display controller controls the image-light projection device so as to display one or more of the plurality of pieces of instruction information images corresponding to the instruction information with a lower priority for the driver in an operational sequence on the upper portion of the passive-information image display area.

9. The information providing device according to claim 7, wherein the image-light projection device projects the image light onto the light transmission member so as to display the passive-information image display area on a lower side of a sight visually recognized by the driver through the light transmission member ahead of the mobile object in the direction of travel.

10. The information providing device according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of pieces of instruction information images indicate instructions to be dealt with by the driver at a single point of a route the mobile object takes.

11. The information providing device according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of pieces of instruction information images indicate instructions to be dealt with by the driver at varying points of a route the mobile object takes.

12. The information providing device according to claim 7, wherein

the image-light projection device projects the image light to display the passive-information image as an instruction image in the form of a virtual image in the passive-information image display area of the prescribed display area, and

distance between the driver and the virtual image is equal to or longer than 5 m.

13. The information providing device according to claim 7, wherein

the image-light projection device includes:

a light emitter configured to emit an image light according to image data of the passive-information image as an instruction image, and

an optical scanner configured to scan the image light emitted from the light emitter two-dimensionally, and

the image-light projection device projects the image light two-dimensionally scanned by the optical scanner to the light transmission member to display the for-driver information image in the prescribed display area.

14. A method of providing information, the method comprising:

projecting an image light to a light transmission member so as to display a for-driver information image indicating for-driver information to be provided for a driver of a mobile object in a prescribed display area that is visually recognized by the driver through the light transmission member ahead of the mobile object in a direction of travel, thereby providing the for-driver information to the driver, the for-driver information image including a plurality of the object images, the prescribed display area including;

an active-information image display area configured to display at least one active-information image indicating active information to be actively recognized by the driver, and

a passive-information image display area configured to temporarily display, at a timing when a prescribed information provision is met, a plurality of passive-information images indicating passive information to be passively recognized by the driver;

detecting a change of location of a viewpoint of the driver; and

vertically changing a position at which the passive-information images, which indicate an object to be detected existing around the mobile object, are displayed in the passive-information image display area according to a result of the detecting so as to change a perception distance of the driver influenced by a motion parallax of the passive-information image according to a sensed relative distance of the object to be detected in the direction of travel,

wherein passive-information images of the plurality with a same operational sequence are vertically changed in position by a same amount,

wherein passive-information images of the plurality with different operational sequences are vertically changed in position by differing amounts,

wherein the vertical change in position decreases from sooner to later operational sequences,

wherein the active-information image display area is at a lower portion of the prescribed display area and is free of any passive-information images, including said passive-information image displayed in the passive-information image display area, and

wherein the passive-information image display area includes a center portion and an upper portion of the prescribed display area.