Onboard display device and display method for onboard display device

• US 8,018,354 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2008
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood; Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Girma; Fekadeselassie
• Application Number:
  US12/230,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20090058684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/995.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/154 Combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/215 characterised by the combination of multiple visual outputs, e.g. combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• 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: 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 27/01 Head-up displays

Abstract

An onboard display device has a pickup unit that picks up nighttime environment to acquire a nightview image, a display that can display a nightview image together with a map image, and a display control unit that displays an information-providing image that is different from the map image and the nightview image on the display and controls displays of the map image and the nightview image, when the information-providing image has to be displayed in a state in which the map image and the nightview image are displayed on the display.

Claims

1. An onboard display device comprising:

a pickup unit that picks up nighttime environment to acquire a nightview image;

a display that displays the nightview image together with a map image; and

a display control unit that displays an information-providing image that is different from the map image and the nightview image on the display and controls a display of the map image and the nightview image, when the information-providing image has to be displayed in a state in which the map image and the nightview image are displayed on the display, wherein

the display control unit displays the information-providing image and the nightview image, without displaying the map image, when an image of an obstacle that has to draw attention is included in the nightview image and the information-providing image has to be displayed on the display, and

the display control unit displays the information-providing image and the map image, without displaying the nightview image, when the image of the obstacle that has to draw attention is not included in the nightview image and the information-providing image has to be displayed on the display.

2. The onboard display device according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit lowers a display priority order of the map image and the nightview image when the information-providing image has to be displayed on the display.

3. The onboard display device according to claim 2, wherein the display priority order is lowered by at least one process from among decreasing a display density of the map image and the nightview image, performing no display, decreasing a display area ratio, stopping an image movement, changing a display position, and decreasing an illuminance.

4. The onboard display device according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays at least one of the nightview image and the map image, when the information-providing image does not have to be displayed on the display.

5. The onboard display device according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays the information-providing image, without displaying at least one of the nightview image and the map image, when the information-providing image has to be displayed on the display.

6. The onboard display device according to claim 5, wherein the display control unit displays the information-providing image and the map image, without displaying the nightview image, when the information-providing image has to be displayed on the display.

7. The onboard display device according to claim 5, wherein the display control unit displays the information-providing image and the nightview image, without displaying the map image, when the information-providing image has to be displayed on the display.

8. The onboard display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the display comprises a first display, that displays the nightview image together with the map image, and a second display; and

the display control unit performs control such that the information-providing image is displayed on the second display when the information-providing image has to be displayed in a state where the map image and the nightview image are displayed on the first display.

9. The onboard display device according to claim 8, wherein the display control unit displays the nightview image on the entire surface of the first display when an image of an obstacle is included in the nightview image.

10. The onboard display device according to claim 8, wherein the display control unit displays the information-providing image and the map image on the first display when the information-providing image has to be displayed in a state in which the map image is displayed and the nightview image is not displayed on the first display.

11. The onboard display device according to claim 1, wherein:

the display comprises a first display, that displays the map image together with the nightview image and the information-providing image, and a second display;

the display control unit displays the map image and the nightview image on the first display and performs control such that the information-providing image is displayed on the second display, when an image of an obstacle is included in the nightview image; and

the display control unit displays the map image and the information-providing image on the first display and performs control such that the nightview image is displayed on the second display, when an image of an obstacle is not included in the nightview image.

12. The onboard display device according to claim 8, wherein the second display is a display disposed in a meter, or a head-up display.

13. The onboard display device according to claim 1, wherein the information-providing image is at least one from among an image for route guiding, a screen for displaying road status information, and a screen for displaying traffic information.

14. An onboard display device comprising:

a pickup unit that picks up nighttime environment to acquire a nightview image;

a display that combines and displays a plurality of images including the nightview image, a map image, and an information-providing image; and

a display control unit that selectively combines and displays the plurality of images, wherein

the display control unit combines and displays the nightview image on the display, based on a priority order of information necessary for a user,

the priority order of information necessary for a user is determined based on whether an obstacle is present in the nightview image,

the display control unit displays the information-providing image and the nightview image, without displaying the map image, when an image of an obstacle that has to draw attention is included in the nightview image and the information-providing image has to be displayed on the display, and

the display control unit displays the information-providing image and the map image, without displaying the nightview image, when the image of the obstacle that has to draw attention is not included in the nightview image and the information-providing image has to be displayed on the display.

15. The onboard display device according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of images are the map image and the information-providing image.

16. The onboard display device according to claim 14, wherein:

the display comprises a first display and a second display;

the first display displays an image for which the priority order is high; and

the second display displays an image for which the priority order is lower than the priority order of the first display.

17. A display method for an onboard display device, comprising:

picking up nighttime environment to acquire a nightview image; and

displaying an information-providing image that is different from a map image and the nightview image on a display and controlling a display of the map image and the nightview image, when the information-providing image has to be displayed in a state in which the map image and the nightview image are displayed on the display, wherein

the information-providing image and the nightview image are displayed, without displaying the map image, when an image of an obstacle that has to draw attention is included in the nightview image and the information providing image has to be displayed on the display, and

the information-providing image and the map image are displayed, without displaying the nightview image, when the image of the obstacle that has to draw attention is not included in the nightview image and the information providing image has to be displayed on the display.

18. A display method for an onboard display device, comprising:

picking up nighttime environment to acquire a nightview image;

performing a combined display of a plurality of images including the nightview image, an information-providing image, and a map image on a display based on a priority order of information necessary for user, wherein the priority order of information necessary for a user is determined based on whether an obstacle is present in the nightview image;

displaying, the information-providing image and the nightview image, without displaying the map image, when an image of an obstacle that has to draw attention is included in the nightview image and the information-providing image has to be displayed on the display; and

displaying the information-providing image and the map image, without displaying the night view image, when the image of the obstacle that has to draw attention is not included in the nightview image and the information-providing image has to be displayed on the display.