INFORMATION DISPLAY APPARATUS

• US 20120050138A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Equos Research Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Equos Research Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Yuji, Ishikawa, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 8,558,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/4
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/166 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/177 Augmented reality
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1529 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/166 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/177 Augmented reality
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/52 Control of displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• 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: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/64 Imaging systems using optical elements for stabilisation of the lateral and angular position of the image
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 : Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 : Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 : Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/02 : Networking aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/38 : with means for controlling the display position

Abstract

An information display apparatus which improves the position accuracy of superimposed displays. In a navigation apparatus, a position relationship detection unit acquires, as position information, the relationship between the position of the vehicle and the actual position where an object to be displayed in a superimposing manner should exist in the landscape, a vehicle attitude detection ECU acquires the attitude information of the vehicle, and a facial orientation recognition ECU acquires the facial orientation information of the driver. A display position determining unit determines the display position of the object on an HMD and HUD based on the position information, attitude information, and facial orientation information, and a display image generation unit performs control so as to display the object at the display position at the HMD, etc.

Claims

1. An information display apparatus comprising:

display means capable of displaying in a superimposed manner an informational image that represents prescribed information on a landscape outside a vehicle as seen by a driver;

position information acquisition means for acquiring, as position information, a relationship between a position of the vehicle and an actual position at which the informational image to be displayed in a superimposed manner should exist in the landscape;

orientation information acquisition means for acquiring orientation information of the vehicle;

facial orientation information acquisition means for acquiring facial orientation information of the driver;

display position determination means for determining a display position of the informational image displayed by the display means based on the position information, the orientation information, and the facial orientation information; and

display control means for controlling the display means to display the informational image at the display position determined by the display position determination means.

2. The information display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the position information acquisition means acquires the position information based on one of information included in map information pertaining to roads, traffic signals, signs, buildings, rivers, and others forming the landscape;

and route guidance information for the vehicle pertaining to a route guidance point, a destination point, and others.

3. The information display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the display control means includes:

informational image positioning means for positioning the informational image in a virtual area, and

display object selection means for displaying on the display means the informational image that exists within a display window covering a smaller area than the virtual area and settable at any position within the virtual area, and

the display control means determines the position of the display window based on the display position determined by the display position determination means.

4. The information display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the display control means includes:

informational image positioning means for positioning the informational image in a virtual area, and

display object selection means for displaying on the display means the informational image that exists within a display window covering a smaller area than the virtual area and settable at any position within the virtual area, and

the display control means determines the position of the display window based on the display position determined by the display position determination means.