Display method and apparatus for changing display position based on external environment

• US 20040193331A1
• Filed: 02/18/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Fujikawa, Takayuki, Nakamura, Koji, Ando, Hiroshi, Kakizaki, Masaru, Kashiwada, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0112 comprising device for genereting colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0127 comprising devices increasing the depth of field
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence

Abstract

In a head-up display device, when a preceding vehicle exists between a pre-movement information conveyor and a vehicle, the pre-movement information conveyor is moved to another position at which the pre-movement information conveyor is displayed as a recognizable post-movement information conveyor. Thus, the pre-movement information conveyor is removed from a state in which the pre-movement information conveyor is hidden behind the preceding vehicle, hence, becoming invisible. As a result, the incompatibility sense felt by the driver of the vehicle can be reduced and the information conveyor will be less overlooked.

Claims

1. A display method adopted in a vehicle for allowing a driver of the vehicle to three-dimensionally recognize an information conveyor for conveying information to the driver by utilizing a difference in vision between eyes of the driver, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a position of existence of the information conveyor;

changing the determined position of existence of the information conveyor, when an object exists between the determined position of existence of the information conveyor and the vehicle, to a position of the object in advance of displaying; and

displaying the information conveyor at the changed position.

5. The display method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

changing the determined position of the information conveyor, when a color tone distribution degree of a background at the determined position of existence of the information conveyor is higher than a predetermined reference, to a position having a color tone distribution degree lower than the predetermined reference in advance of the displaying step.

6. The display method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying the information conveyor once at the determined position of existence before being changed by the changing step.

7. The display method as in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

changing a display color of the information conveyor in accordance with a color of a background at the determined position of existence of the information conveyor.

2. A display method adopted in a vehicle for allowing a driver of a vehicle to three-dimensionally recognize an information conveyor for conveying information to the driver by utilizing a difference in vision between eyes of the driver, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a position of existence of the information conveyor;

changing the determined position of existence of the information conveyor, when an object exists between the determined position of existence of the information conveyor and the vehicle, to a position other than a location behind the object in advance of displaying; and

displaying the information conveyor at the changed position.

3. A display method adopted in a vehicle for allowing a driver of a vehicle to three-dimensionally recognize an information conveyor for conveying information to the driver by utilizing a difference in vision between eyes of the driver, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a position of existence of the information conveyor;

changing the determined position of the information conveyor, when an object does not exist between the determined position of existence of the information conveyor and a predetermined forward-direction distant position located further ahead of the determined position of existence of the information conveyor, to a position of another object existing in a range determined by a distance between the predetermined forward-direction distant position and the driver with the driver taken as a reference point in advance of displaying; and

displaying the information conveyor at the changed position.

4. A display method adopted in a vehicle for allowing a driver of a vehicle to three-dimensionally recognize an information conveyor for conveying information to the driver by utilizing a difference in vision between eyes of the driver, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a position of existence of the information conveyor;

changing the determined position of the information conveyor, when an object does not exist between the determined position of existence of the information conveyor and a predetermined forward-direction distant position located further ahead of the determined position of existence of the information conveyor, to a position of existence of another object existing in a distance generally equal to a distance between the determined position of existence of the information conveyor and the driver with the driver taken as a reference point in advance of displaying; and

displaying the information conveyor at the changed position.

8. A display apparatus used in a vehicle, the display apparatus comprising:

an external information acquisition means for acquiring information on an environment external to the vehicle;

a vehicle information acquisition means for acquiring information on the vehicle;

a display means for allowing the driver of the vehicle to three-dimensionally recognize an information conveyor for conveying information to the driver by displaying the information conveyor through utilization of a difference in vision between eyes of the driver; and

a control means for evaluating visual recognizability based on at least pieces of the information acquired by the external information acquisition means and the vehicle information acquisition means and changing at least one of a position, shape and color of the information conveyor from a predetermined state to a state of improved visual recognizability before controlling the display means to display the information conveyor.

9. The display apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the control means changes the position of existence of the information conveyor, when an object exists between the position of existence of the information conveyor and the vehicle, to a position of the object in advance of displaying and then controls the display means to display the information conveyor at the changed position.

10. The display apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the control means changes the position of existence of the information conveyor, when an object exists between the position of existence of the information conveyor and the vehicle, to a position other than a location behind the object in advance of displaying and then controls the display means to display the information conveyor at the changed position.

11. The display apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the control means changes the position of the information conveyor in advance of displaying, when an object does not exist between the position of existence of the information conveyor and a predetermined forward-direction distant position located further ahead of the position of existence of the information conveyor, to a position of another object in a range determined by a distance between the predetermined forward-direction distant position and the driver with the driver taken as a reference point, and then controls the display means to display the information conveyor at the changed position.

12. The display apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the control means changes the information conveyor in advance of displaying, when an object does not exist between the position of existence of the information conveyor and a predetermined forward-direction distant position located further ahead of the position of existence of the information conveyor, to a position of existence of another object existing in a distance generally equal to a distance between the position of existence of the information conveyor and the driver with the driver taken as a reference point, and then controls the display means to display the information conveyor at the changed position.

13. The display apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the control means changes the position of existence of the information conveyor in advance of displaying, when a color tone distribution degree of a background at the position of existence of the information conveyor is higher than a predetermined reference, to a location having a color tone distribution degree lower than the predetermined reference, and then controls the display means to display the information conveyor at the changed position.

14. The display apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the control means controls the display means to once display the information conveyor at the position of existence determined initially, and changes the position of existence of the information conveyor to another position before controlling the display means to display the information conveyor at the changed position.

15. The display apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the control means changes a display color of the information conveyor in accordance with a color of a background at the position of existence of the information conveyor, and then controls the display means to display the information conveyor in the changed color.

16. The display apparatus as in claim 8, further comprising:

a reception means for receiving a command issued by the driver,

wherein the control means sets at least a shape or color of the information conveyor in advance of displaying in accordance with a command received by the reception means and controls the display means to display the information conveyor reflecting the set shape and/or the set color.