Image display device

• US 10,325,488 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2018
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Dan, Kinoshita, Makoto, Yamazumi, Toru, Yamasaki, Kentarou
• Primary Examiner(s): Girma, Fekadeselassie
• Application Number:
  US15/877,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20180261080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/547 for issuing requests to other traffic participants; for confirming to other traffic participants they can proceed, e.g. they can overtake
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP

Abstract

An image display device includes a light illuminator, a space detector, a travel information acquirer, a possibility calculator, and an illumination controller. The light illuminator is configured to send out light frontward of a first vehicle as an own vehicle, to display an image on a road a pedestrian is going to cross. The space detector is configured to detect a travel space sideward of the first vehicle. The possibility calculator is configured to calculate travel possibility that a second vehicle other than the first vehicle travels through the travel space, on the basis of travel information acquired by the travel information acquirer and on the basis of a position of the travel space detected by the space detector. The illumination controller is configured to control the light illuminator to display a no-crossing image on the condition that the travel possibility is equal to or larger than a predetermined value.

Claims

1. An image display device, comprising:

a light illuminator configured to send out visible light frontward of a first vehicle as an own vehicle, to display an image on a road a pedestrian is going to cross;

a space detector configured to detect a travel space sideward of the first vehicle, the travel space being a road space through which a second vehicle other than the first vehicle is able to travel;

a travel information acquirer configured to acquire travel information regarding how the second vehicle travels on the road;

a possibility calculator configured to calculate an estimated travel possibility that the second vehicle travels through the travel space, based on the travel information acquired by the travel information acquirer and a position of the travel space detected by the space detector; and

an illumination controller configured to control the light illuminator to display a no-crossing image on a condition that the travel possibility calculated by the possibility calculator is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, the no-crossing image indicating to the pedestrian to not cross the road.

2. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein

the travel space is a passing space in which the second vehicle passes by the first vehicle.

3. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein

the traveling information acquirer includes a motion detector that detects a motion of the second vehicle, and

the possibility calculator calculates the travel possibility, on a basis of the motion of the second vehicle detected by the motion detector.

4. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein

the traveling information acquirer includes a motion detector that detects a motion of the second vehicle, and

the possibility calculator calculates the travel possibility, on a basis of the motion of the second vehicle detected by the motion detector.

5. The image display device according to claim 3, wherein

the possibility calculator obtains a detection range of the motion detector, and increases the travel possibility on a condition that the detection range is a range of a predetermined distance or less.

6. The image display device according to claim 4, wherein

the possibility calculator obtains a detection range of the motion detector, and increases the travel possibility on a condition that the detection range is a range of a predetermined distance or less.

7. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein

the travel information acquirer includes a width detector that detects a width of the second vehicle, and

the possibility calculator corrects the travel possibility, on a basis of the width of the second vehicle detected by the width detector and on a basis of a width of the travel space detected by the space detector.

8. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein

the travel information acquirer includes a width detector that detects a width of the second vehicle, and

the possibility calculator corrects the travel possibility, on a basis of the width of the second vehicle detected by the width detector and on a basis of a width of the travel space detected by the space detector.

9. The image display device according to claim 3, wherein

the travel information acquirer includes a width detector that detects a width of the second vehicle, and

the possibility calculator corrects the travel possibility, on a basis of the width of the second vehicle detected by the width detector and on a basis of a width of the travel space detected by the space detector.

10. The image display device according to claim 4, wherein

the travel information acquirer includes a width detector that detects a width of the second vehicle, and

the possibility calculator corrects the travel possibility, on a basis of the width of the second vehicle detected by the width detector and on a basis of a width of the travel space detected by the space detector.

11. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein

the light illuminator includes headlights.

12. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein

the light illuminator includes headlights.

13. The image display device according to claim 3, wherein

the light illuminator includes headlights.

14. The image display device according to claim 4, wherein

the light illuminator includes headlights.

15. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein

the illumination controller controls the light illuminator when the first vehicle stops in front of the pedestrian who waits to cross the road.

16. An image display device, comprising:

a light illuminator configured to send out visible light frontward of a first vehicle as an own vehicle, to display an image on a road a pedestrian is going to cross;

a space detector configured to detect a travel space sideward of the first vehicle, the travel space being a road space through which a second vehicle other than the first vehicle is able to travel;

a travel information acquirer configured to acquire travel information regarding how the second vehicle travels on the road; and

circuitry configured to;

control the light illuminator, based on the travel information acquired by the travel information acquirer and a position of the travel space detected by the space detector,

calculate an estimated travel possibility that the second vehicle travels through the travel space, on the basis of the travel information acquired by the travel information acquirer and on the basis of the position of the travel space detected by the space detector, and

control the light illuminator to display a no-crossing image on a condition that the travel possibility is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, the no-crossing image indicating to the pedestrian to not cross the road.