Image display device

• US 10,308,172 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2018
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Dan, Kinoshita, Makoto, Yamazumi, Toru, Yamasaski, Kentarou
• Primary Examiner(s): Girma, Fekadeselassie
• Application Number:
  US15/888,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20180257547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/04 the devices being headlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/547 for issuing requests to other traffic participants; for confirming to other traffic participants they can proceed, e.g. they can overtake
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/549 for expressing greetings, gratitude or emotions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

An image display device includes an illuminator and a detector. The illuminator is configured to send out light on a road surface around a first vehicle as an own vehicle, to display a first notification image that notifies information to surroundings of the first vehicle. The detector is configured to detect an image displayed on the road surface or information indicated by the image. The illuminator is configured to display the first notification image on the basis of the image detected by the detector or the information indicated by the image.

Claims

1. An image display device, comprising:

a first detector configured to detect a target around a first vehicle;

an illuminator configured to send out visible light on a road surface around the first vehicle as an own vehicle, to display a first notification image that notifies first information to the target;

a second detector configured to detect, on the road surface, a second notification image displayed by a second vehicle, the second notification image notifying second information to the target;

a decision unit decides a display mode of the first notification image based on the first information of the first notification image and the second information of the second notification image; and

a display control unit configured to control the illuminator in accordance with the display mode decided by the decision unit, wherein

when the first information of the first notification image is identical to the second information of the second notification image, the decision unit decides the display mode of the first notification image to be a first display mode, and the display control unit controls the illuminator to display the first notification image according to the first display mode so that the first notification image overlaps the second notification image on the road surface.

2. The image display device according to claim 1,

wherein

the first information of the first notification image is associated with a first priority level based on safety of the target,

the second information of the second notification image is associated with a second priority level based on the safety of the target,

the decision unit decides the display mode of the first notification image to be the first display mode based further on the first priority level and the second priority level, and

the display control unit controls the illuminator to display the first notification image so that the first notification image overlaps the second notification image on the road surface when 1) the first priority level is equal to the second priority level and 2) the content of the first notification image is identical to the content of the second notification image.

3. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein

when the first priority level associated with the first information of the first notification image is higher than the second priority level associated with the second information of the second notification image, the decision unit decides the display mode of the first notification image to be a second display mode, and the display control unit controls the illuminator to display the first notification image according to the second display mode so that the first notification image is 1) displayed in a first display region of the road surface and 2) more pronounced than the second notification image,

the first display region is spaced apart from a second display region on the road surface by a distance, and

the second notification image is displayed in the second display region.

4. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein

when the first priority level associated with the first information of the first notification image is lower than the second priority level associated with the second information of the second notification image, the decision unit decides the display mode of the first notification image to be a third display mode in which displaying of the first notification image is deferred, at least while the second notification image is being displayed.

5. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein

when 1) the first priority level associated with the first information of the first notification image is equal to the second priority level associated with the second information of the second notification image and 2) the first information of the first notification information is substantially non-identical to the second information of the second notification information, the decision unit decides the display mode of the first notification image to be a fourth display mode, and the display control unit controls the illuminator to display, according to the fourth display mode, the first notification image in a first display region on the road surface spaced apart, by a distance, from a second display region where the second notification image is displayed.

6. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein

when 1) the first priority level associated with the first information of the first notification image is equal to the second priority level associated with the second information of the second notification image and 2) the first information of the first notification image is identical to the second information of the second notification information, the decision unit decides the display mode of the first notification image to be a fifth display mode, and the illuminator displays, as the first notification image according to the fifth display mode, an image that is substantially identical to the second notification image and overlaps the first notification image over the second notification image.

7. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein

when 1) the first priority level associated with the first information of the first notification image is equal to the second priority level associated with the second information of the second notification image and 2) the first information of the first notification image is identical to the second information of the second notification information, the decision unit decides the display mode of the first notification image to be a sixth display mode, and the illuminator displays, as the first notification image according to the sixth display mode, an image that highlights the second notification image.

8. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein

when 1) the first priority level associated with the first information of the first notification image is equal to the second priority level associated with the second information of the second notification image and 2) the first information of the first notification image is identical to the second information of the second notification information, the decision unit decides the display mode, to cause the first notification image to be non-displayed.

9. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein

the illuminator includes headlights of the first vehicle.

10. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein

the illuminator includes headlights of the first vehicle.

11. The image display device according to claim 3, wherein

the illuminator includes headlights of the first vehicle.

12. The image display device according to claim 4, wherein

the illuminator includes headlights of the first vehicle.

13. The image display device according to claim 5, wherein

the illuminator includes headlights of the first vehicle.

14. The image display device according to claim 6, wherein

the illuminator includes headlights of the first vehicle.

15. The image display device according to claim 7, wherein

the illuminator includes headlights of the first vehicle.

16. An image display device, comprising:

a first detector configured to detect a target around a first vehicle;

an illuminator configured to send out visible light on a road surface around the first vehicle as an own vehicle, to display a first notification image that notifies first information to the target;

a second detector configured to detect, on the road surface, a second notification image displayed by a second vehicle, the second notification image notifying second information to the target; and

circuitry configured to control the illuminator to display the first notification image so that the first notification image overlaps the second notification image on the road surface when

     1) a priority level of the first information of the first notification image is equal to a priority level of the second information of the second notification image and

     2) the first information of the first notification image is identical to the second information of the second notification image.