Display apparatus

• US 7,629,946 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nagata, Mitsutoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang; Regina
• Application Number:
  US11/642,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20070159317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 9, 348/51, 348/115, 340/461
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/308 by overlaying the real scene, e.g. through a head-up display on the windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/804 for lane monitoring

Abstract

A display apparatus includes a reflector positioned for obstructing a front view of a driver by using an opaque material, a first imaging unit for imaging a front view of the vehicle, an image generation unit for generating a display image for a portion of the front view that is obstructed by the reflector, an image projection unit for projecting the display image generated by the image generation unit on the reflector, an information acquisition unit for acquiring information to be visually provided for the driver, and a combination unit for combining the information with the display image upon acquiring the information by using the information acquisition unit.

Claims

1. A display apparatus comprising:

a reflector positioned for obstructing a front view of a driver by using an opaque material;

a first imaging unit for imaging a front view of the vehicle;

an image generation unit for generating a display image for a portion of the front view that is obstructed by the reflector;

an image projection unit for projecting the display image generated by the image generation unit on the reflector;

an information acquisition unit for acquiring information to be visually provided for the driver;

a combination unit for combining the information with the display image upon acquiring the information by using the information acquisition unit; and

a front image distortion unit configured to control distortion of the display image to connect the front view actually seen by the driver through the windshield and a scene in the display image projected on the reflector, the projected display image of the obstructed portion of the front view and the front view actually seen by the driver appearing to be seamless to the driver.

2. The display apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising:

an anomaly detection unit for detecting anomaly of the display apparatus;

an actuator for actuating the reflector to be positioned at two positions, wherein two positions includes a use position that obstructs the front view of the driver and a retracted position that allows the driver to have the front view; and

an anomaly control unit for controlling the actuator to actuate the reflector to be positioned at the retracted position upon detection of the anomaly by the anomaly detection unit.

3. The display apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising:

a second imaging unit for imaging a same area imaged by the first imaging unit as an infrared wavelength image, wherein the first imaging unit images the front view of the vehicle as a visible wavelength image;

a luminosity detection unit for detecting luminosity in a proximity of the vehicle; and

a noise reduction unit for reducing noise in the visible wavelength image imaged by the first imaging unit based on the infrared wavelength image imaged by the second imaging unit when the luminosity in the proximity of the vehicle is smaller than a predetermined value,

wherein the image generation unit generates the display image based on an image having reduced noise after processing by the noise reduction unit.

4. The display apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising:

a focus control unit for controlling a focal distance of the first imaging unit to have a same value as the focal distance of the second imaging unit.

5. The display apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising:

a memory unit;

the front image distortion unit for distorting the display image on the reflector by adjusting a distortion of the display image generated by the image generation unit upon having a distortion instruction from an external instruction source; and

an adjustment control storage unit for storing an adjustment control of the distortion of the display image in the memory unit upon having a distortion fix instruction for fixing the distortion from the external instruction source,

wherein the image generation unit generates the display image based on the adjustment control of the distortion of the display image stored in the memory unit.

6. The display apparatus in claim 1, the front image distortion unit distorting the display image by changing an expansion or contraction of the display image in a vertical and horizontal direction, and changing a center position of the display image.

9. The display apparatus as in claim 6 further comprising:

a second imaging unit for imaging a same area imaged by the first imaging unit as an infrared wavelength image, wherein the first imaging unit images the front view of the vehicle as a visible wavelength image;

a luminosity detection unit for detecting luminosity in a proximity of the vehicle; and

a noise reduction unit for reducing noise in the visible wavelength image imaged by the first imaging unit based on the infrared wavelength image imaged by the second imaging unit when the luminosity in the proximity of the vehicle is smaller than a predetermined value,

wherein the image generation unit generates the display image based on an image having reduced noise after processing by the noise reduction unit.

10. The display apparatus as in claim 9 further comprising:

a focus control unit for controlling a focal distance of the first imaging unit to have a same value as the focal distance of the second imaging unit.

7. A display apparatus comprising:

a reflector positioned for obstructing a front view of a driver by using an opaque material;

a first imaging unit for imaging a front view of the vehicle;

an image generation unit for generating a display image for a portion of the front view that is obstructed by the reflector;

an image projection unit for projecting the display image generated by the image generation unit on the reflector;

an information acquisition unit for acquiring information to be visually provided for the driver;

a combination unit for combining the information with the display image upon acquiring the information by using the information acquisition unit;

a memory unit;

a mark positioning unit for superposing a position mark on the display image generated by the image generation unit upon having an area selection instruction for selecting a projection area of the display image on the reflector from an external instruction source;

a mark adjustment unit for adjusting a position of the position mark superposed on the display image upon having an adjustment instruction from the external instruction source when the position mark is being superposed on the display image by the mark positioning unit; and

a projection area storage unit for determining the projection area of the display image on the reflector based on the position of the position mark superposed on the display image upon having an area fix instruction for fixing the projection area of the display image from the external instruction source when the position mark is being superposed on the display image by using the mark positioning unit, wherein pixels of the display image outside of the projection area are turned to black pixels, and pixel information of the pixels outside of the projection area is stored in the memory unit,

wherein the pixels of the display image in association with the pixel information that is stored in the memory unit are projected as the black pixels when the image projection unit projects the display image on the reflector.

8. The display apparatus as in claim 7 further comprising:

an anomaly detection unit for detecting anomaly of the display apparatus;

an actuator for actuating the reflector to be positioned at two positions, wherein two positions includes a use position that obstructs the front view of the driver and a retracted position that allows the driver to have the front view; and

an anomaly control unit for controlling the actuator to actuate the reflector to be positioned at the retracted position upon detection of the anomaly by the anomaly detection unit.