Image processing for image display apparatus mounted to vehicle

• US 8,907,773 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Sungha
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US13/218,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20120242473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 340/441, 340/425, 340/425.5, 340/426.17, 340/426.16, 340/438, 340/439, 340/447
• US Class Current: 340/441
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1468 Touch gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/148 Instrument input by voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/151 Instrument output devices for configurable output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/16 Type of output information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/164 Infotainment
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/167 Vehicle dynamics information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/184 Displaying the same information on different displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/186 Displaying information according to relevancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1868 according to driving situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/191 Highlight information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/563 Vehicle displaying mobile device information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/569 Vehicle controlling mobile device functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/583 Data transfer between instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/20 Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/26 using acoustic output
• 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 35/80 : Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 : for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 : Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 : Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 : Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 : Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens

Abstract

An image display apparatus capable of allowing a user to stably and conveniently check an image provided from a mobile terminal while driving a vehicle, by extracting a text corresponding to a screen image provided from the mobile terminal, by converting the extracted text into an audio signal according to a vehicle speed, and then by outputting the audio signal. The image display apparatus mounted to a vehicle includes a communication unit configured to receive an image from a mobile terminal, a display unit configured to display the received image, a controller configured to acquire a text corresponding to the displayed image, to acquire a vehicle speed, and to convert the acquired text into an audio signal when the speed exceeds a threshold speed, and an audio output unit configured to output the audio signal.

Claims

1. An image display apparatus configured to be installed in a vehicle, the image display apparatus, comprising:

a communication unit configured to receive an image from a mobile terminal;

a display unit configured to display the received image;

an audio output unit;

a controller operatively connected to the communication unit, the display unit and the audio output unit, the controller configured to;

acquire text from the displayed image;

acquire a vehicle speed;

convert the acquired text into an audio signal when the acquired vehicle speed exceeds a threshold speed; and

output sound corresponding to the audio signal via the audio output unit in a state where the received image is displayed on the display unit.

2. The image display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to display, based on information received from the mobile terminal, an indication that the text corresponding to the displayed image is available for conversion to the audio signal.

3. The image display apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control unit is configured to acquire the text from the mobile terminal in response to a user input to the indication.

4. The image display apparatus of claim 3, wherein the user input is one of a touch input to the display unit and a voice command.

5. The image display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display an indication that the text corresponding to the displayed image can be output as the audio signal when the acquired speed exceeds a threshold speed.

6. The image display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform an optical character recognition function on a portion of the displayed image to acquire the text.

7. The image display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to acquire the text corresponding to the displayed image in response to a user selection of an audio output region from the displayed image.

8. The image display apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

an input unit operatively connected to the controller and configured to receive an input for selecting the audio output region from the displayed image.

9. The image display apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to detect a plurality of text regions from the displayed image, and to select a first region of the plurality of text regions as the audio output region based on a predetermined criteria.

10. The image display apparatus of claim 9, wherein, after selecting the first region as the audio output region, the controller is configured to select a second region of the plurality of text regions different from the first region as a second audio output region.

11. The image display apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to display the audio output region selected from the displayed image in a manner that distinguishes the audio output region from other regions of the image displayed on the display unit.

12. A method of controlling an image display apparatus installed in a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving an image from a mobile terminal;

displaying the image;

acquiring text corresponding to the displayed image;

acquiring a vehicle speed;

converting the acquired text into an audio signal when the acquired vehicle speed exceeds a threshold speed; and

outputting sound corresponding to the audio signal in a state where the received image is displayed on a display unit of the image display apparatus.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying an indication that the text corresponding to the displayed image is available for conversion to the audio signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of acquiring the text corresponding to the displayed image comprises:

acquiring the text from the mobile terminal in response to a user input to the indication, wherein the user input is one of a touch input to the image display apparatus and a voice command.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of acquiring the text corresponding to the displayed image comprises:

performing an optical character recognition function on a portion of the displayed image.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of acquiring the text corresponding to the displayed image comprises:

acquiring the text in response to a user selection of an audio output region from the displayed image.

17. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a communication unit;

a controller operatively connected to the communication unit and configured to;

transmit an image to an image display device installed in a vehicle;

acquire a speed of the vehicle; and

when the speed exceeds a threshold speed, transmit a text file to the image display device, the text file corresponding to a portion of the image; and

a display unit to display the image,

wherein the image is simultaneaously displayed on the display unit and the image display device installed in the vehicle.

18. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the text file includes one of audio data and text data that is convertible into the audio data.

19. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to transmit an indication to the image display device that one of audio data and text data that is convertible into audio data is available for transmission to the image display device.

20. The mobile terminal of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to perform an optical character reading function on the portion of the image to generate the audio data as the text file.