IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20180260182A1
• Filed: 02/05/2018
• Published: 09/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Inventors: SUZUKI, Dan, KINOSHITA, Makoto, YAMAZUMI, Toru, YAMASAKI, Kentarou
• Granted Patent: US 10,558,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/04 the devices being headlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/545 for indicating other traffic conditions, e.g. fog, heavy traffic
• 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 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• 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 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/04 Display device controller operating with a plurality of display units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/36 characterised by the display of a graphic pattern, e.g. using an all-points-addressable [APA] memory
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/40 characterised by the way in which both a pattern determined by character code and another pattern are displayed simultaneously, or either pattern is displayed selectively, e.g. with character code memory and APA, i.e. all-points-addressable, memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3194 including sensor feedback

Abstract

Provided is an image display device for a vehicle, in which the vehicle travels on a road and includes a first image display unit that displays a transmissive image inside the vehicle for an occupant. The image display device includes a second image display unit and a display controller. The second image display unit displays a road-surface image on a road surface of the road. The display controller stops displaying any one of the transmissive image and the road-surface image, on the condition that the transmissive image displayed by the first image display unit and the road-surface image displayed by the second image display unit appear superimposed on each other.

Claims

1. An image display device for a vehicle, the vehicle traveling on a road and including a first image display unit configured to display a transmissive image inside the vehicle for an occupant, the image display device comprising:

a second image display unit configured to display a road-surface image on a road surface of the road; and

a display controller configured to stop displaying any one of the transmissive image and the road-surface image, on a condition that the transmissive image displayed by the first image display unit and the road-surface image displayed by the second image display unit appear superimposed on each other.

2. The image display device according to claim 1, further comprising a determination unit configured to determine presence or absence of superimposition of the transmissive image on the road-surface image, on a basis of one or both of image information on the transmissive image and image information on the road-surface image.

3. The image display device according to claim 2, further comprising a derivation unit configured to derive the image information on the transmissive image and the image information on the road-surface image, the image information on the transmissive image including at least one of display area of the transmissive image, a display amount of the transmissive image, number of the transmissive images displayed, and a display position of the transmissive image, and the image information on the road-surface image including at least one of display area of the road-surface image, a display amount of the road-surface image, number of the road-surface images displayed, and a display position of the road-surface image.

4. The image display device according to claim 2, further comprising a comparison unit configured to compare the image information on the transmissive image with the image information on the road-surface image, wherein

the display controller configured to decide whether to stop displaying the transmissive image or the road-surface image, on a basis of a determination result of the determination unit and on a basis of a comparison result of the comparison unit.

5. The image display device according to claim 3, further comprising a comparison unit configured to compare the image information on the transmissive image with the image information on the road-surface image, wherein

the display controller configured to decide whether to stop displaying the transmissive image or the road-surface image, on a basis of a determination result of the determination unit and on a basis of a comparison result of the comparison unit.

6. The image display device according to claim 2, further comprising a line-of-sight detection unit configured to detect a line of sight of the occupant, wherein

the determination unit determines the presence or the absence of the superimposition of the transmissive image on the road-surface image, on a basis of the image information on the transmissive image and the image information on the road-surface image, and on a basis of line-of-sight information on the transmissive image and line-of-sight information on the road-surface image detected by the line-of-sight detection unit.

7. The image display device according to claim 3, further comprising a line-of-sight detection unit configured to detect a line of sight of the occupant, wherein

the determination unit determines the presence or the absence of the superimposition of the transmissive image on the road-surface image, on a basis of the image information on the transmissive image and the image information on the road-surface image, and on a basis of line-of-sight information on the transmissive image and line-of-sight information on the road-surface image detected by the line-of-sight detection unit.

8. The image display device according to claim 4, further comprising a line-of-sight detection unit configured to detect a line of sight of the occupant, wherein

the determination unit determines the presence or the absence of the superimposition of the transmissive image on the road-surface image, on a basis of the image information on the transmissive image and the image information on the road-surface image, and on a basis of line-of-sight information on the transmissive image and line-of-sight information on the road-surface image detected by the line-of-sight detection unit.

9. The image display device according to claim 5, further comprising a line-of-sight detection unit configured to detect a line of sight of the occupant, wherein

the determination unit determines the presence or the absence of the superimposition of the transmissive image on the road-surface image, on a basis of the image information on the transmissive image and the image information on the road-surface image, and on a basis of line-of-sight information on the transmissive image and line-of-sight information on the road-surface image detected by the line-of-sight detection unit.

10. The image display device according to claim 1, further comprising an evaluation unit configured to evaluate a safety level on a basis of surrounding environment of the vehicle, wherein

the display controller stops displaying any one of the transmissive image and the road-surface image, on a condition that the safety level is lower than a threshold.

11. The image display device according to claim 2, further comprising an evaluation unit configured to evaluate a safety level on a basis of surrounding environment of the vehicle, wherein

the display controller stops displaying any one of the transmissive image and the road-surface image, on a condition that the safety level is lower than a threshold.

12. The image display device according to claim 3, further comprising an evaluation unit configured to evaluate a safety level on a basis of surrounding environment of the vehicle, wherein

the display controller stops displaying any one of the transmissive image and the road-surface image, on a condition that the safety level is lower than a threshold.

13. The image display device according to claim 4, further comprising an evaluation unit configured to evaluate a safety level on a basis of surrounding environment of the vehicle, wherein

the display controller stops displaying any one of the transmissive image and the road-surface image, on a condition that the safety level is lower than a threshold.

14. The image display device according to claim 5, further comprising an evaluation unit configured to evaluate a safety level on a basis of surrounding environment of the vehicle, wherein

the display controller stops displaying any one of the transmissive image and the road-surface image, on a condition that the safety level is lower than a threshold.

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

the vehicle includes headlights, and

the second image display unit includes the headlights.

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

the vehicle includes headlights, and

the second image display unit includes the headlights.

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

the vehicle includes headlights, and

the second image display unit includes the headlights.

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

the vehicle includes headlights, and

the second image display unit includes the headlights.

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

the vehicle includes headlights, and

the second image display unit includes the headlights.