JP2004168230A - Display device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To switch and display virtual images different from each other in a distance from a driver's eye position to the displayed virtual image without using a movable mechanism. <P>SOLUTION: The data for head up display image is input to a display control circuit 2 from an operation parameter detecting device 8. A display body 1 is formed by horizontally arranging display boards 11a, 11b, 11c at vertical intervals from each other, and the display boards are transparent excluding their display areas D1, D2 and D3. The display control circuit 2 controls each display board to display the displayed image on the plurality of display boards. A backlight light source 7 is mounted at lower parts of the display boards 11a, 11b, 11c, the light of the backlight light source 7 reaches the upper display board, and the outgoing light from each display board penetrates through a louver 41 and enters into a combiner 5. By switching the display board displaying the information, the distance from the driver's eye position to the virtual image can be varied without using the movable mechanism. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a display device for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a display device for a vehicle that displays driving information to a driver by a distant display using a virtual image.
[0002]
[Prior art]
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-140882 A head-up display device is known as a distant display type vehicle display device that minimizes the movement of the driver's line of sight during driving.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-144082 discloses that a reflecting surface is provided above a first reflector provided at a lower portion of a windshield and a first reflector having an inclination angle different from that of the first reflector. A vehicle display device is described, which comprises two reflectors, a projector projects an image on a rotatable mirror, and drives the mirror with a motor to switch the reflector on which a display image is projected. .
When the vehicle is traveling at low speed, the first reflector is used to project a low position ahead, and when traveling at high speed, the second reflector is used to project it to a high front position. Switching is possible according to the speed of the vehicle, and the distance to the virtual image seen by the driver is variable.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in order to variably project the distance from the driver's eye position to the virtual image displayed by the head-up display, a mirror is driven by a motor to change the distance between the reflector and the display. There is a problem that a movable mechanism needs to be provided and the device becomes complicated.
There is also a problem that a plurality of virtual images cannot be presented at different distances at the same time.
[0004]
The present invention, in order to solve the above-described problems, has a structure without a movable mechanism, can vary the distance from the driver's eye position to the virtual image displayed by the head-up display, and the distance to the virtual image is reduced. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle display device capable of simultaneously displaying a plurality of different virtual images.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
For this reason, the present invention relates to a vehicular display device in which a display image projected from a display body in an instrument panel is reflected by a reflector on the inner surface of a windshield and displayed as a virtual image in a distant place. It is composed of a plurality of display plates having different optical path distances to the body, and presents the virtual images at different positions.
[0006]
【The invention's effect】
Since the present invention displays a virtual image using a plurality of display panels having different optical path distances to the reflector, by switching the display panel for displaying information, the position from the driver's eye position to the position at which the virtual image is displayed is displayed. The distance can be variable without a movable mechanism.
In addition, if necessary, a plurality of virtual images can be simultaneously presented at positions different in distance from the position of the driver's eyes.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a block configuration of a vehicle display device according to a first embodiment and a virtual image position viewed by a driver.
Head-up display (hereinafter abbreviated as HUD) display image data from the operation parameter detection device 8 is input to the display control circuit 2. The display control circuit 2 controls the display 1 installed on the instrument panel 4 to project a display image on a combiner 5 provided inside the windshield 21.
[0008]
A louver 41 is provided in the opening of the instrument panel 4. The display 1 makes the display panels 11 a, 11 b, and 11 c using a liquid crystal display device substantially horizontal in the instrument panel 4, and places the display panel 1 between the display panels. The display boards 11a, 11b, and 11c are transparent areas except for the display areas D1, D2, and D3.
A backlight light source 7 is provided below the display plates 11a, 11b, and 11c, and the light of the backlight light source 7 reaches the upper display plate, and the emitted light of each display plate passes through the louver 41 and passes to the combiner 5. It is configured to be incident.
[0009]
The operation of the present embodiment will be described below.
Display image data, for example, speed data, of the operating parameter detecting device 8 is outputted to the display control circuit 2 in the form of a digital value or an image of an analog display meter, and the display control circuit 2 displays it in the display area of the display panel 11a, 11b or 11c. Display on D1, D2 or D3.
[0010]
The HUD display light L1, L3, or L5 emitted from the display panel 11a, 11b, or 11c is reflected by the combiner 5 and enters the driver's eye 22 as reflected light L2, L4, or L6. View as virtual images X1, X2, or X3 having different distances.
As shown in FIG. 1, the display image of the display area D1 is a virtual image X1 at a position extended by the optical path distance from the display area D1 to the combiner 5 on the other side of the path of the reflected light L2 (in the forward direction of the vehicle). Is presented as Similarly, the virtual images X2 and X3 are presented from the combiner 5 to the other side of the combiner 5 by the optical path distance of the display area D2 or D3 at a position where the path of the reflected light L4 and L6 is extended.
[0011]
Thus, the display of the speed data of the vehicle to the driver can be displayed as a virtual image X1, X2 or X3 at a different distance from the driver's eyes 22 below the windshield that does not hinder the driver's front view. .
The display control circuit 2 automatically determines the display image as a virtual image X1 at a high speed and displays a virtual image X2 at a low speed, for example, based on the vehicle speed.
The louver 41 also prevents direct light from the display boards 11a, 11b, and 11c and reflected light of external light from the surface of the display board 11c from entering the driver's eyes 22.
In this embodiment, the combiner 5 constitutes the reflector of the present invention.
[0012]
As described above, according to the first embodiment, since the display can be performed using the display boards having different optical path distances to the combiner 5, a virtual image is displayed from the position of the driver's eyes with a simple configuration without a movable mechanism. It is possible to make the distance to a position variable.
[0013]
It should be noted that a manual switch for manually operating the display control circuit 2 is provided on the steering wheel, and the driver views the display image from the position of the driver's eye 22 in the position of the virtual image X1, X2 or X3. The display panel 11a, 11b, or 11c may be selected by a manual switch so as to have an appropriate height inside.
[0014]
In this embodiment, the speed data of the vehicle is taken as an example and the display is displayed on any of the display boards 11a, 11b, or 11c. However, as the display image data of the driving parameter detection device 8, the direction indicator display state or The engine speed may be displayed on a display panel different from the display panel on which the speed data is displayed, and may be simultaneously displayed as virtual images at different distances from the position of the driver's eye 22.
Thereby, virtual images having different distances from the position of the driver's eye 22 can be simultaneously displayed as needed.
[0015]
Next, FIG. 2 is a view showing a second embodiment of the vehicle display device according to the present invention. In this embodiment, a convex lens 12 is arranged at a predetermined distance above the display 1. Therefore, the light emitted from the display plates 11a, 11b, 11c is projected onto the combiner 5 via the lens 12.
[0016]
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the distance a between the lens 12 and the display image on the display panel 11 is smaller than the focal length f of the lens 12. In that case, the virtual image is displayed at a distance b from the lens 12 at a magnification m = b / a according to the equation (1).
1 / a + 1 / b = 1 / f (1)
Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as in FIG.
[0017]
According to the present embodiment, by setting the distance a between the display image of the display plates 11a, 11b, and 11c and the lens 12 to a distance smaller than the focal length f of the lens, the distance of the virtual image viewed from the driver is set to the first distance. It can be displayed farther than in the embodiment.
As a result, the difference between the focus of the eye when the driver looks at the foreground and the focus of the eye when viewing the virtual image X1, X2 or X3 can be reduced, and the amount of accommodation is reduced for the driver. You can easily see the virtual image displayed by the HUD. That is, it is possible to provide a display suitable for a presbyopic driver with less burden on the eyes.
[0018]
Next, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a modification of the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the concave mirror 13 is arranged at a predetermined distance to the left of the display 1 (in the forward direction of the vehicle). Therefore, the light emitted from the display boards 11 a, 11 b, 11 c is reflected by the concave mirror 13 and projected on the combiner 5. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG.
By setting the distance between the display plates 11a, 11b, 11c and the concave mirror 13 to a value smaller than the focal length of the concave mirror 13, the virtual image of the display image displayed on the combiner 5, as in the second embodiment. Can be displayed farther than in the first embodiment.
The effect of this modification is the same as that of the second embodiment.
[0019]
Next, FIG. 5 is a view showing a third embodiment of the vehicle display device according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the output of the eye position detecting device 9 for detecting the position of the driver's eye 22 is input to the display control circuit 2 '. Further, display image data from the navigation device 6 is input to the display control circuit 2 '.
[0020]
An angle detector 43 is provided in a mirror angle adjustment mechanism of the rear-view mirror 42 provided at the upper left front of the driver's seat, and detects the angle of the mirror in the left-right direction and the up-down direction and inputs the angle to the eye position detection device 9. .
Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG.
[0021]
In the present embodiment, detailed route guidance information from the navigation device 6, for example, a road map near the current position, a display of the traveling direction or textual guidance information is displayed in the display area D <b> 3 of the display panel 11 c, and is displayed below the combiner 5. The projected image is displayed as a virtual image X3.
The display control circuit 2 'is used by the display control circuit 2' so that the guidance index from the navigation device 6, for example, the arrow index such as straight ahead, left turn, right turn, etc., can be seen at a predetermined depression angle θ1 which does not hinder driving while looking at the foreground. Alternatively, 11b is selected and displayed on the combiner 5 as the virtual image X1 or X2.
[0022]
FIG. 6 illustrates a method of measuring and calculating the position of the driver's eye using the eye position detection device, and FIG. 7 illustrates a method of selecting an appropriate display board from the calculated eye position.
FIG. 6A is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the room mirror and the driver's eyes as viewed from above the driver's seat. FIG. 6B is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the rearview mirror and the driver's eyes when the driver's seat is viewed from the left side.
[0023]
The driver adjusts the seat surface position and the backrest angle of the seat, and sits in the driving posture, and the mirror portion of the room mirror 42 is horizontally positioned directly behind the driver as shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b). The left and right and up and down directions are rotationally adjusted as shown in FIG.
Thereby, the angle detection unit 43 detects the left-right angle α and the up-down angle β that the mirror unit is facing.
[0024]
The distance X in FIG. 6A indicates the distance in the left-right direction between the room mirror 42 and the center line in the left-right direction of the driver's seat, and is set to a predetermined distance in advance. Since the angle α has been measured, the horizontal distance Y in the vehicle front-rear direction from the rear-view mirror 42 to the driver's eye position 22 is determined by Y = X / tan (2α).
Similarly, the height Z in FIG. 6B indicates the difference between the height of the rear-view mirror 42 and the height of the driver's eye 22, and is determined by Z = Y × tan (2β).
[0025]
Assuming that the reference point defined at a predetermined position of the combiner 5 is the lower end of the combiner 5 on the center line in the left-right direction of the driver's seat, the difference Z in the height of the position of the driver's eye 22 from the room mirror 42 and the front-back direction Since the relative position relationship between the reference point 23 and the rear-view mirror 42 is known in advance when the distance Y is determined, the height H of the driver's eye 22 from the reference point 23 shown in FIG. L is easily obtained.
Here, since the angle γ of the combiner 5 is known in advance, if the driver determines an appropriate predetermined depression angle to be displayed on the combiner 5 when viewing the foreground, the line of sight of the depression angle θ1 intersects the combiner 5. The height position H1 corresponding to the point (display position S) is obtained, and the display control circuit 2 'can select the display plate 11a or 11b suitable for displaying at the position of H1.
[0026]
Instead of the predetermined depression angle θ1, a vertical line is dropped on the road surface from the position of the driver's eye 22 and a predetermined distance L0 ahead of the vehicle is determined from the position, and the position on the combiner 5 when the driver looks at the position. H1 may be calculated so as to be displayed as follows.
In this case, θ1 is determined by θ1 = tan ⁻¹ (HG / L0). Here, HG is the height from the road surface shown in FIG. 7 to the position of the driver's eye.
[0027]
The series of eye position measurement and the setting of the angle θ1 or the distance L0 are automatically performed when the operation of the display control circuit 2 ′ is started.
The eye position detection device 9 calculates these Y, Z, H, L, and HG, and the display control circuit 2 ′ calculates H1 based on the data of H, L, γ, θ1 or H, L, γ, HG, L0. Calculation and selection of the display board 11a or 11b are performed.
Here, the angle detector 43 and the eye position detecting device 9 of this embodiment constitute an eye position detecting means of the present invention, and the display control circuit 2 'constitutes a display control means.
[0028]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a virtual image to be presented to the combiner 5 as a reflector is displayed over the foreground, the position of the driver's eye is measured, and an appropriate display position, that is, the driver's eye is displayed. The display control circuit 2 'displays the display plate 11a or 11b so that the virtual image X1 or X2 is displayed at a position on the combiner 5 corresponding to a predetermined depression angle θ1 or a road surface at a predetermined front distance L0 from the eye 22. Is selected, the display image of the HUD can be displayed at a position where it can be seen with a small movement of the line of sight without obstructing the foreground monitoring of the driver.
This allows the display control circuit 2 'to switch to an appropriate display position when the eye position 22 is different due to the difference in the physique of the driver as shown in FIG.
[0029]
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a modification of the third embodiment.
In this modification, a near-infrared light 44 and a camera 45 are provided on the instrument panel 4 facing the driver's face instead of the angle detector 43, and are connected to a camera controller 46.
[0030]
The camera controller 46 is connected to the eye position detecting device 9 'and inputs an image of the camera 45. The eye position detection device 9 'performs image processing and detects the position of the driver's eye 22 relative to the reference point 23 of the combiner 5 from the height coordinates of the eye in the camera image, the installation position of the camera 45, and the installation angle. Is input to the display control circuit 2 '.
Other configurations are the same as those of the third embodiment. The same parts as in the third embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as in FIG.
[0031]
A method for detecting the position of the eye in the present modification will be described. When the operation of the display control circuit 2 'is started, the camera controller 46 is automatically operated to irradiate the driver's face with the near-infrared light 44, and the camera 45 obtains a camera image as shown in FIG.
The acquired camera image is sent to the eye position detection device 9 ′, and the eye position detection device 9 ′ performs high-luminance portions in the corneal reflection image shown in FIG. The pupil portion is extracted to obtain an image as shown in FIG.
[0032]
The eye position detecting device 9 ′ reads the coordinates of the pupil in the height direction on the screen in the image of FIG. 9B, and determines the vertical position of the camera image automatically determined from the set position and the set angle of the camera 45. The position of the driver's eye 22 is determined from the relative relationship between the coordinates and the reference point 23 of the combiner 5.
If the position of the driver's eye 22 from the reference point 23 of the combiner 5 is determined, the display position of the virtual image on the combiner 5 can be calculated and selected by the display control circuit 2 'as in the third embodiment.
[0033]
The near-infrared illumination 44, the camera 45, the camera controller 46, and the eye position detecting device 9 'of this modification form an eye position detecting means of the present invention.
According to the present modification, the display control circuit 2 'responds to the difference in the appropriate display position due to the difference in the physique of the driver, and enables appropriate display.
[0034]
In the third embodiment, a convex lens may be provided above the display body 1 so as to be combined with the second embodiment.
In this case, as in the second embodiment, it is possible to present a virtual image farther than in the case of the first embodiment, and the burden of focus adjustment when the driver views the HUD display image while looking at the foreground is reduced. Can be reduced.
[0035]
Next, FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a fourth embodiment.
FIG. 10 shows a steering wheel 51, a brake pedal 52 a, an accelerator pedal 52 b, which is a vehicle steering device for a driver's seat, a seat 53 of a driver's seat, and a backrest 54.
These are designed so that the position of the driver's eye 22 is in a narrow range as shown by the eye range SE in FIG. The brake pedal 52a and the accelerator pedal 52b are configured to be adjustable in front-rear position and height position.
[0036]
According to the present embodiment, when the driver looks at the virtual image displayed on the head-up display, the distance from the driver's eye height or eye position to the combiner 5 changes due to a difference in the driver's physique or the like. The position of the driver's seat with respect to the foreground changes greatly by adjusting the driver's seat and the position of the steering wheel and pedal at the same time, so that the driver's eyes can be adjusted to the desired narrow eye range regardless of the difference in the driver's physique. You can set the position.
As a result, when the driver views the virtual image displayed on the combiner 5 in a range of a predetermined depression angle over the foreground, it is possible to set the area of the combiner 5 corresponding to a predetermined narrow area regardless of the driver. As a result, the area of the combiner 5 and the area of the display panel can be reduced.
[0037]
In the first to fourth embodiments, the display plates 11a to 11c are configured as liquid crystal display devices, and the backlight light source 7 is disposed at the rear. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration in which a backlight light source is omitted using a display element that emits light by itself, such as a fluorescent display tube or electroluminescence (EL), may be used.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a second embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a presentation distance and a magnification of a virtual image according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a modification of the second embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a third embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a method for measuring the position of an eye according to a third embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the third embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a modification of the third embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a method for measuring the position of an eye according to a modification of the third embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of a fourth embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 display body 2, 2 ′ display control circuit 4 instrument panel 5 combiner 6 navigation device 7 backlight light source 8 operating parameter detection device 9, 9 ′ eye position detection device 11 a, 11 b, 11 c display plate 12 lens 13 concave mirror 21 front Glass 22 Driver's eye 23 Reference point 41 Louver 42 Room mirror 43 Angle detector 44 Near-infrared illumination 45 Camera 46 Camera controller 51 Steering wheel 52a Brake pedal 52b Accel pedal 53 Seat 54 Backrest

Claims (4)

In a display device for a vehicle, a display image projected from a display body in an instrument panel is reflected by a reflector on an inner surface of a windshield and displayed as a virtual image at a distance.
The display includes a plurality of display plates having different optical path distances to the reflector,
A display device for a vehicle, wherein the virtual image is presented at different positions. The display device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a convex lens or a concave mirror is disposed at a predetermined position between the display body and a reflector on the inner surface of the windshield. Eye position detecting means for detecting the position of the driver's eyes,
Display control means for controlling information displayed on the display board,
The display control unit controls the switching of the display board to be displayed in accordance with the position of the eye so that the virtual image is displayed at a predetermined position where the foreground is to be superimposed. 3. The vehicle display device according to 2. Setting means for moving the driver's seat position to a desired position,
The vehicle display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the setting unit sets the position of the driver's eye in a seated state within a predetermined range.

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