Information display apparatus and information display method

• US 7,356,408 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2004
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Tsuchiya, Hideaki, Tanzawa, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/965,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20050086000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 701/211, 701/207, 701/209, 701/93, 701/96, 701/300, 701/301, 348/143, 348/148, 340/901, 340/425.5, 340/995.24, 340/439, 340/937, 340/142, 340/149, 345/7, 345/663, 382/181
• US Class Current: 701/211
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A recognizing unit recognizes targets located in front of the own vehicle based upon a detection result obtained from a preview sensor, and then, classifies the recognized targets by sorts to which these targets belong. A control unit determines information to be displayed based upon both the targets recognized by the recognizing unit and navigation information. A display device is controlled by the control unit so as to display thereon the determined information. The control unit controls the display device so that symbols indicative of the recognized targets are displayed to be superimposed on the navigation information, and also, controls the display device so that the symbols are displayed by employing a plurality of different display colors corresponding to the sorts to which the respective targets belong.

Claims

1. An information display apparatus comprising:

a preview sensor for detecting a traveling condition in front of own vehicle;

a navigation system for outputting a navigation information in response to a traveling operation of the own vehicle;

a recognizing unit for recognizing a plurality of targets located in front of the own vehicle based upon a detection result from said preview sensor, and for classifying said recognized targets by sorts to which said plural targets belong;

a control unit for determining information to be displayed based upon both the targets recognized by said recognizing unit and said navigation information; and

a display device for displaying said determined information under control of said control unit,

wherein said control unit controls said display device so that both symbols indicative of said recognized targets and said navigation information are displayed in a superimposing manner, and also, controls said display device so that said plural symbols are displayed by employing a plurality of different display colors corresponding to the sorts to which the respective targets belong.

2. An information display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said recognizing unit classifies said recognized target by at least any one of an automobile, a two-wheeled vehicle, a pedestrian, and an obstruction.

3. The information display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the symbols have been stored in a memory.

4. An information display apparatus comprising:

a preview sensor for detecting a traveling condition in front of own vehicle;

a navigation system for outputting a navigation information in response to a traveling operation of the own vehicle;

a recognizing unit for recognizing a plurality of targets located in front of the own vehicle based upon a detection result from said preview sensor, and for calculating dangerous degrees of said recognized targets with respect to the own vehicle;

a control unit for determining information to be displayed based upon both the targets recognized by said recognizing unit and said navigation information; and

a display device for displaying said determined information under control of said control unit,

wherein said control unit controls said display device so that both symbols indicative of said recognized targets and said navigation information are displayed in a superimposing manner, and also, controls said display device so that said plural symbols are displayed by employing a plurality of different display colors corresponding to said dangerous degrees.

5. An information display apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said display colors are set to three, or more different colors in response to said dangerous degrees.

6. The information display apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the symbols have been stored in a memory.

7. An information display method comprising:

a first step of recognizing a plurality of targets located in front of own vehicle based upon a detection result obtained by detecting a traveling condition in front of the own vehicle, and classifying said recognized targets by sorts to which said plural targets belong;

a second step of acquiring a navigation information in response to a traveling operation of the own vehicle; and

a third step of determining information to be displayed based upon both the targets recognized by said first step and said navigation information acquired by said second step, and displaying said determined information,

wherein said third step includes displaying both symbols indicative of said recognized targets and said navigation information in a superimposing manner, and displaying said plural symbols by employing a plurality of different display colors corresponding to the sorts to which the respective targets belong.

8. An information display method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first step includes classifying said recognized target by at least any one of an automobile, a two-wheeled vehicle, a pedestrian, and an obstruction.

9. The information display method according to claim 7, wherein the symbols have been stored in a memory.

10. An information display method comprising:

a first step of recognizing a plurality of targets located in front of own vehicle based upon a detection result obtained by detecting a traveling condition in front of the own vehicle, and calculating dangerous degrees of said recognized targets with respect to the own vehicle;

a second step of acquiring a navigation information in response to a traveling operation of the own vehicle; and

a third step of determining information to be displayed based upon both the targets recognized by said first step and said navigation information acquired by said second step, and displaying said determined information,

wherein said third step includes displaying both symbols indicative of said recognized targets and said navigation information in a superimposing manner, and displaying said plural symbols by employing a plurality of different display colors corresponding to said dangerous degrees.

11. An information display method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said display colors are set to three, or more different colors in response to said dangerous degrees.

12. The information display method according to claim 10, wherein the symbols have been stored in a memory.

13. An information display apparatus comprising:

a camera for outputting a color image by photographing a scene in front of own vehicle;

a navigation system for outputting a navigation information in response to a traveling operation of the own vehicle;

a recognizing unit for recognizing a target located in front of said own vehicle based upon said outputted color image, and for outputting the color information of said recognized target;

a control unit for determining information to be displayed based upon both the targets recognized by said recognizing unit and said navigation information; and

a display device for displaying said determined information under control of said control unit,

wherein said control unit controls said display device so that a symbol indicative of said recognized target and said navigation information are displayed in a superimposing manner, and controls said display device so that said symbol is displayed by employing a display color which corresponds to the color information of said target.

14. An information display apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a sensor for outputting a distance data which represents a two-dimensional distribution of a distance in front of the own vehicle,

wherein said recognizing unit recognizes a position of said target based upon said distance data; and

said control unit controls said display device so that said symbol is displayed in correspondence with the position of said target in a real space based upon the position of said target recognized by said recognizing unit.

15. An information display apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein said camera comprises a first camera for outputting the color image by photographing the scene in front of the own vehicle, and a second camera which functions as a stereoscopic camera operated in conjunction with said first camera;

and

said sensor outputs said distance data by executing a stereoscopic matching operation based upon both the color image outputted from said first camera and the color image outputted from said second camera.

16. An information display apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein in the case that said recognizing unit judges such a traveling condition that the outputted color information of the target is different from an actual color of said target, said recognizing unit specifies the color information of said target based upon the color information of said target which has been outputted in the preceding time;

and

said control unit controls said display device so that said symbol is displayed by employing a display color corresponding to said specified color information.

17. An information display apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said control unit controls said display device so that as to a target, the color information of which is not outputted from said recognizing unit, said symbol indicative of said target is displayed by employing a predetermined display color which has been previously set.

18. The information display apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the symbols have been stored in a memory.

19. An information display method comprising:

a first step of recognizing a target located in front of own vehicle based upon a color image acquired by photographing a scene in front of said own vehicle, and producing a color information of said recognized target;

a second step of acquiring a navigation information in response to a traveling operation of the own vehicle; and

a third step of displaying a symbol indicative of said recognized target and said navigation information in a superimposing manner so that said symbol is displayed by employing a display color corresponding to said produced color information of said target.

20. An information display method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising:

a fourth step of recognizing a position of said target based upon a distance data indicative of a two-dimensional distribution of a distance in front of the own vehicle,

wherein said third step is displaying the symbol in correspondence with a position of said target in a real space based upon the position of said recognized target.

21. An information display method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said first step includes a step of, when a judgment is made of such a traveling condition that said produced color information of the target is different from an actual color of said target, specifying a color information of said target based upon the color information of said target which has been outputted in the preceding time;

and

said third step includes a step of controlling said display device so that said symbol is displayed by employing a display color corresponding to said specified color information.

22. An information display method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said third step includes a step of controlling said display device so that with respect to a target whose color information is not produced, said symbol indicative of said target is displayed by employing a predetermined display color which has been previously set.

23. The information display method according to claim 19, wherein the symbols have been stored in a memory.