VEHICLE EVALUATION DEVICE

• US 20170017847A1
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: NAKAYA, SATOSHI
• Granted Patent: US 10,586,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/0072 the wheels of the vehicle co-operating with rotatable rolls G01M17/022, G01M17/045, G01M17/065 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/065 the vehicle wheels co-operating with rotatable rolls
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/05 the view from a vehicle being simulated G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3147 Multi-projection systems displays in general H04N9/12; video walls G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3179 Video signal processing therefor

Abstract

A vehicle evaluation device includes a first projection target, a first projector, and a controller. The first projection target enables projection of an image thereon, and is capable of changing positions. The first projector projects an image onto the first projection target. The controller controls the position of the first projection target, and performs control for changing an image to be projected by the first projector according to the position of the first projection target.

Claims

1. A vehicle evaluation device comprising:

a first projection target that enables projection of an image on the first projection target and is capable of changing a position of the first projection target;

a first projector that projects an image to the first projection target; and

a controller that controls the position of the first projection target and changes the image projected by the first projector according to the position of the first projection target.

2. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 1,

wherein the vehicle evaluation device evaluates a function based on a camera which is mounted to a vehicle installed at a predetermined position and captures an image around the vehicle, and a function based on a distance measurement sensor that measures a distance from the vehicle to an object around the vehicle.

3. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 2,

wherein the controller transmits an evaluation start signal that notifies a start of evaluation of the functions based on the camera and the distance measurement sensor to the vehicle, and then, starts a control to change, according to the position of the first projection target, an image to be projected on the first projection target.

4. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 2,

wherein the position of the first projection target is variable in parallel to a direction in which the vehicle installed at the predetermined position moves forward or backward.

5. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 2,

wherein the position of the first projection target is variable in parallel to a right-to-left direction of the vehicle installed at the predetermined position.

6. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 5,

wherein the controller causes the first projector to project an image of a guard rail adjacent to a side face of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 2, further comprising

a wheel receiving base on which a wheel of the vehicle installed at the predetermined position is placed and which is rotatable according to a rotation of the wheel.

8. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 1,

wherein

the first projection target is extensible and contractible in a vertical direction, and

the controller controls a height of the first projection target in the vertical direction.

9. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 1,

wherein

the first projection target is movable in a vertical direction, and

the controller controls the position of the first projection target in the vertical direction.

10. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 1,

wherein the first projection target includes a plurality of members.

11. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 1,

wherein the first projector includes a plurality of projectors.

12. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second projection target that enables projection of an image on the second projection target and has fixed position; and

a second projector that projects an image to the second projection target.

13. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 1, further comprising

an operating unit that generates power to move the first projection target in a predetermined direction,

wherein the controller controls the operating unit.

14. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 1,

wherein

a projection image area of the first projector is variable, and

the controller controls the projection image area of the first projector such that an image to be projected on the first projection target is not beyond an area of the first projection target.

15. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 2,

wherein

the first projection target includes a plurality of members which are movable in a vertical direction, and

the controller controls a height of the first projection target in the vertical direction as well as performs an evaluation environment control for changing, according to the height of the first projection target, an image to be projected on the first projection target, after transmitting an evaluation start signal, which notifies a start of evaluation of the functions based on the camera and the distance measurement sensor, to the vehicle, and then, transmits an evaluation end signal notifying an end of the evaluation of the functions based on the camera and the distance measurement sensor to the vehicle.

16. The vehicle evaluation device according to claim 15,

wherein the controller executes the transmission of the evaluation start signal, the evaluation environment control, and the transmission of the evaluation end signal as one evaluation process, and executes the one evaluation processes more than once.