ELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND IMAGE DISPLAY METHOD

• US 20170085847A1
• Filed: 08/04/2016
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kurosawa, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 10,250,860 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/166 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/178 Warnings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/179 Distances to obstacles or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1868 according to driving situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/23 using reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• 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 35/22 Display screens
• 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 35/29 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: G02B 2027/0165 associated with a head-down display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0183 Adaptation to parameters characterising the motion of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0185 Displaying image at variable distance
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/317 Convergence or focusing systems electronic adjustment of convergence H04N9/3185; convergence or focusing arrangements for cathode ray tubes H04N9/28; means for automatic focusing of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3185 Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 : including sensor feedback

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted apparatus includes a cluster display unit attached to an instrument panel and a HUD. The vehicle-mounted apparatus determines a running state of the vehicle and adjusts the focal length in the HUD such that the position of a virtual image of a projected image is near the cluster display unit or is a forward position on the windshield.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

display means configured to display a first image;

projecting means capable of displaying a virtual image of a second image at least in a first position near the display means or in a second position distant therefrom on a windshield of a vehicle by adjusting a focal length;

determining means configured to determine whether the virtual image of the second image is to be displayed in the first position or in the second position; and

adjusting means configured to adjust the focal length in the projecting means on the basis of the determination by the determining means.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination by the determining means is based on a running state of the vehicle.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the determining means determines that the virtual image is to be displayed in the first position when the vehicle is at a standstill and determines that the virtual image is to be displayed in the second position when the vehicle is moving.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising cooperation determining means configured to determine whether the projecting means is to cooperate with the display means,

wherein the adjusting means adjusts the focal length when it is determined that the projecting means is to cooperate.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cooperation determining means determines whether the presence or absence of the cooperation on the basis of correlation between the first image and the second image.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first image and the second image have correlation with each other when at least part of the first image is common to the second image.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the at least part of the first image is traffic information.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination by the determining means is based on at least one of a content of the first image and a content of the second image.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the determining means determines that the virtual image is to be displayed in the first position when the second image has a content relating to arrival at a destination.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the determining means determines that the virtual image is to be displayed in the second position when the second image has a content relating to guidance on a next intersection.

11. The electronic apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the determining means determines that the virtual image is to be displayed in the first position when the first image has a content relating to information of an obtained image of surroundings of the vehicle.

12. The electronic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second image is a warning about an obstacle around the vehicle when the first image has the content relating to information on the obtained image of surroundings of the vehicle.

13. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display means is attached to an instrument panel in front of a driver'"'"'s seat.

14. An image display method for use in an electronic apparatus including display means configured to display a first image and projecting means capable of displaying a virtual image of a second image at least in a first position near the display means or in a second position distant therefrom on a windshield of a vehicle by adjusting a focal length,

the image display method comprising:

a step of determining whether the virtual image of the second image is to be displayed in the first position or in the second position; and

a step of adjusting the focal length in the projecting means on the basis of the determination.

15. The image display method according to claim 14, wherein the determination in the determining step is based on a running state of the vehicle.

16. The image display method according to claim 15, wherein when the vehicle is at a standstill, it is determined in the determining step that the virtual image is to be displayed in the first position, and when the vehicle is moving, it is determined in the determining step that the virtual image is to be displayed in the second position.

17. The image display method according to claim 14, further comprising a step of determining whether the projecting means is to cooperate with the display means,

wherein when it is determined that the projecting means is to cooperate, the focal length is adjusted in the adjusting step.