Display system for vehicle

• US 6,708,087 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2001
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US09/982,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20020055808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/200, 701/207, 348/148, 348/149, 345/633, 340/903, 340/988
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/179 Distances to obstacles or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• 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: 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

Abstract

A display system for a vehicle is comprised of a projector which projects a virtual preceding vehicle at a position ahead of a driver of a host vehicle, a vehicle condition detecting unit which detects a vehicle traveling condition of the host vehicle, a road condition detecting unit which detects a road condition of a road ahead of the host vehicle and a controller coupled to the projector, the vehicle condition detecting unit and the road condition detecting unit. The controller arranged to calculate a traveling condition of the virtual preceding vehicle on the basis of the vehicle traveling condition and the road condition, and to command the projector to project the preceding vehicle which travels under the calculated traveling condition of the virtual preceding vehicle.

Claims

1. A display system for a vehicle, comprising:

a projector projecting a virtual preceding vehicle at a position ahead of a driver of a host vehicle;

a vehicle condition detecting unit detecting a vehicle traveling condition of the host vehicle;

a road condition detecting unit detecting a road condition of a road ahead of the host vehicle; and

a controller coupled to the projector, the vehicle condition detecting unit and the road condition detecting unit, the controller being arranged;

to calculate a traveling condition of the virtual preceding vehicle on the basis of the vehicle traveling condition and the road condition,

to command the projector to project the virtual preceding vehicle which travels under the calculated traveling condition of the virtual preceding vehicle.

2. The display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the calculated traveling condition of the virtual preceding vehicle is a future traveling condition of the host vehicle at a moment after a predetermined time period elapsed.

3. The display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projector displays the virtual preceding vehicle on a transparent glass ahead of the driver so that the driver recognizes the virtual preceding vehicle as if the virtual preceding vehicle travels within a lane ahead of the host vehicle.

4. The display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the projector displays the virtual preceding vehicle on a monitor installed ahead of eyes of the driver so that the driver recognizes the virtual preceding vehicle as if the virtual preceding vehicle travels within a lane ahead of the host vehicle.

5. The display system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a display changeover switch by which a changeover between display and non-display of the virtual preceding vehicle is executed.

6. The display system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a virtual preceding vehicle selecting switch which is capable of selectively determining a vehicle model, a shape and a color of the virtual preceding vehicle.

7. The display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the road condition detecting unit comprises at least a host vehicle position detector of a navigation system, a forward road circumstance recognizing means for recognizing a road circumstance of a road ahead of the host vehicle, and an infrastructure information receiving means for receiving road circumstance information of a road ahead of the host vehicle from an infrastructure.

8. The display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle condition detecting unit comprises a vehicle behavior detecting means for detecting at least a vehicle speed, a longitudinal acceleration and a yaw rate of the host vehicle, and a drive operation quantity detecting means for detecting at least a steering angle, an accelerator pedal control quantity and a brake control quantity.

9. The display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is further arranged to change a distance between the host vehicle and the virtual preceding vehicle on the basis of the vehicle traveling condition of the host vehicle and the road condition of the road ahead of the host vehicle and to command the projector to project the virtual preceding vehicle such that the distance is changed.

10. The display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is further arranged to change a rolling quantity, a pitching quantity and a yawing quantity of the virtual preceding vehicle on the basis of the vehicle traveling condition of the host vehicle and the road condition of the road ahead of the host vehicle and to command the projector to project the virtual preceding vehicle such that the rolling quantity, the pitching quantity and the yawing quantity of the virtual preceding vehicle are changed.

11. The display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is further arranged to command the projector to project the virtual preceding vehicle such that the virtual preceding vehicle is decelerated when the controller determines that it is necessary to decelerate the host vehicle on the basis of the traveling condition of the host vehicle and the road condition of the road ahead of the host vehicle.

12. The display system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the controller is arranged to calculate a target deceleration of the virtual preceding vehicle on the basis of the vehicle traveling condition of the host vehicle and the road condition of the road ahead of the host vehicle and to command the projector to project the virtual preceding vehicle which performs to change a distance between the host vehicle and the virtual preceding vehicle according to the target deceleration and to turn on a braking lamp of the virtual preceding vehicle.

13. The display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller commands the projector to project the virtual preceding vehicle only when the controller determines on the basis of the road condition of the road ahead of the host vehicle that no vehicle exists ahead of the host vehicle.

14. The display system as claimed in claim 13, wherein when the controller determines on the basis of the road condition of the road ahead of the host vehicle that a preceding vehicle existence condition is changed from a no-vehicle existing condition to a vehicle existing condition, the controller executes one of a first control for controlling the virtual preceding vehicle to pass an actual preceding vehicle, a second control for stopping the virtual preceding vehicle at a shoulder of a road, and a third control for turning the virtual preceding vehicle to right or left according to the road condition of the road ahead of the host vehicle.

15. The display system as claimed in claim 13, wherein when the controller determines on the basis of the road condition of the road ahead of the host vehicle that a preceding vehicle existence condition is changed from a vehicle existing condition to a no-vehicle existing condition, the controller executes one of a fourth control for approaching the virtual preceding vehicle to the host vehicle and a fifth control for positioning the virtual preceding vehicle at a start of a curve ahead of the host vehicle according to the road condition.

16. The display system as claimed in claim 13, wherein when the virtual preceding vehicle is not displayed due to the existence of an actual preceding vehicle and when the controller determines on the basis of the vehicle traveling condition of the host vehicle and the road condition of the road ahead of the host vehicle that it is necessary to execute the deceleration of the host vehicle, the virtual preceding vehicle controlling means executes a marking control for marking one of an actual preceding vehicle and an obstacle ahead of the host vehicle.

17. The display system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller commands the projector to project the virtual preceding vehicle when the controller determines on the basis of the road condition that there exists an actual vehicle ahead of the host vehicle and that it is difficult for the driver to recognize the actual vehicle.

18. A method for displaying a virtual preceding vehicle, comprising:

detecting a vehicle traveling condition of a host vehicle;

detecting a road condition of a road ahead of the host vehicle;

calculating a traveling condition of a virtual preceding vehicle on the basis of the vehicle traveling condition and the road condition; and

projecting the virtual preceding vehicle which travels under the calculated traveling condition of the virtual preceding vehicle, at a position ahead of a driver of the host vehicle.

19. A display system for a vehicle, comprising:

preceding vehicle displaying means for displaying a virtual preceding vehicle at a position ahead of a host vehicle driven by a driver; and

virtual preceding vehicle controlling means for changing a traveling condition of the virtual preceding vehicle so that the virtual preceding vehicle displayed is an image of the host vehicle at a predetermined future time.

20. A display system for a vehicle, comprising:

virtual preceding vehicle displaying means for displaying a virtual preceding vehicle at a position ahead of a host vehicle driven by a driver;

forward road condition detecting means for detecting a road condition of a road ahead of the host vehicle;

host vehicle traveling condition detecting means for detecting a traveling condition of the host vehicle; and

virtual preceding vehicle controlling means for changing a traveling condition of the virtual preceding vehicle on the basis of the road condition and the traveling condition of the host vehicle.

21. A vehicle comprising:

a display system comprising;

a projector projecting a virtual preceding vehicle at a position ahead of a driver of a host vehicle,

a vehicle condition detecting unit detecting a vehicle traveling condition of the host vehicle,

a road condition detecting unit detecting a road condition of a road ahead of the host vehicle, and

a controller coupled to the projector, the vehicle condition detecting unit and the road condition detecting unit, the controller being arranged to calculate a traveling condition of the virtual preceding vehicle on the basis of the vehicle traveling condition and the road condition, and to command the projector to project the virtual preceding vehicle which travels under the calculated traveling condition of the virtual preceding vehicle.