JP2002340570A - Information display system for car navigation - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information display system, in which present map information displayed in a large-screen manner, vehicle-position information, other external information and the like can be visualized, without interrupting close observation toward the front direction of a running operation, and moreover, in which visual property of information and enhancement of the safety of the running operation are made compatible. SOLUTION: Electronic map information, the present vehicle-position information, other external information and the like obtained from a navigation system are converted into information light by an electro-optical conversion part. The inside of a front window glass is irradiated with converted information light through a lens body which adjusts the irradiation angle of the light; especially the lens body is set in such a way that the length and breadth size ratio of the display of the map information or the like by irradiation on the inside of the front window glass, so as to be displayed realizes irradiation angle of optimal size ratio, as viewed from the line-of-sight direction of a driver on a seat.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to electronic map information and vehicle position information obtained from a car navigation system.
In addition, the present invention relates to an information display method of a car navigation system in which external information and the like are displayed in an enlarged manner on the inside of a windshield to achieve both visibility of displayed information and driving safety.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a car navigation system has
A screen display unit such as a liquid crystal display device is provided, and the current electronic map information and the vehicle position information are displayed on the screen display unit.

[0003]

Conventionally, since various kinds of information are displayed on a relatively small-area screen display unit, during driving, the driver interrupts his gaze in the forward direction of driving and stops driving. This shifts the line of sight to the display unit, and there is a danger that the user may be inadvertent in the forward direction. In addition, since the screen display unit has a relatively small area, there is a demand to enlarge and display the screen on a slightly larger screen. In addition, the Internet, leisure spots, restaurant information, and the like can be displayed on the screen display unit as external information, and a method for safely viewing such information while driving is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to make it possible to visually recognize current electronic map information, vehicle position information, and other external information on a large screen without interrupting gaze in a forward direction of travel.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a car navigation information display method that achieves both improvement in the visibility of the information and the driving safety.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, current map information, vehicle position information, and other external information obtained from a navigation system are converted into information light by an electro-optic conversion unit.
The information light after the conversion is applied to the inside of the windshield through a lens body that adjusts the irradiation wide angle of light, and in particular, the lens body is illuminated and displayed on the inside of the windshield and the map information and the vehicle position information The display aspect ratio is realized by viewing the display aspect ratio from the line of sight of the driver on the seat to achieve the optimal size ratio irradiation angle. A second invention is characterized in that the information displayed on the windshield includes various information for operating the navigation system, and the navigation system is variously operated by performing a selection operation using a line-of-sight input device.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. However, in the case of the present embodiment, in the car navigation system, the antenna installation, the GPS navigation, the gyro function, and various internal information processing-related functions may be realized by any of the functions. Instead, only the main configuration will be described.

In this embodiment, a light-to-light conversion unit for forming an information light by light-to-light conversion of electronic map information obtained from a car navigation system, current vehicle position information, and other external information, and the light-light conversion unit And a lens body for adjusting the wide angle of irradiation of the information light at the current vehicle position (including the traveling direction).

The light-to-light conversion unit is arranged such that the information light irradiation side is directed toward the windshield at a position corresponding to the rear side of the steering wheel on the interior front panel in the vehicle interior, preferably at a position behind the speed meter and the engine speed meter. The position to get is conceivable. The arrangement at this position aims at irradiating and displaying an electronic map or the like at a position corresponding to the position on the back side of the steering wheel in the entire front window glass.

[0009] However, the light-to-electric conversion unit may be arranged at the center in the vehicle width direction or at a position on the passenger seat side on the indoor front panel, or may be mounted at an arbitrary position on the indoor front panel. In order to obtain, the lightning conversion unit is configured as a single unit,
A configuration in which a double-sided tape is interposed on the bottom side of the mounting table may be adopted. Further, instead of the double-sided tape, a rubber material having a large frictional resistance or the like may be used to appropriately change the mounting position, or screwing may be considered.

When the light-to-light conversion unit is mounted on the indoor front panel, the light-electric conversion unit may be configured to be relatively thin in consideration of the viewpoint of the indoor design, or may be configured to be relatively vertically long. is there.

When it is desired to freely change the information light from the light-to-light conversion unit to any one of the center side, the right side, and the left side of the windshield, the light-side conversion unit is mounted on the back side of the indoor rear-view mirror. It is also conceivable to consider the arrangement by adjusting the installation angle and the like of a lens body described later in front of the electro-optical conversion unit.

On the other hand, it is desirable to dispose the lens body near the front of the information light output side in the electro-optical conversion section, and to provide a mechanism for changing the distance from the information light output side to irradiate the information light. Be able to adjust the wide angle.
Also, the lens body is provided with a mechanism for adjusting various angles with respect to the information light output side in the light-to-light conversion unit so that the angle of the irradiation direction of the information light can be adjusted. Of these, it is possible to irradiate a desired position with the information light.

[0013] The lens body is processed so as to realize the irradiation angle of the optimum size ratio when the display aspect ratio of the map information illuminated and displayed inside the windshield is viewed from the line of sight of the driver on the seat. . However, when the function of adjusting the angle of the information light irradiation direction is included, such as when the light-to-light conversion unit is placed behind the interior rear-view mirror, the map information displayed vertically and horizontally on the front window glass by combining multiple lenses Considering that the size ratio is realized from the viewing direction of the driver on the seat, the irradiation angle of the optimal size ratio is realized.

On the other hand, when the lens body is set at an angle so as to irradiate information light to a position in front of the driver's seat of the windshield, at least two CCD cameras and an infrared output device installed on the indoor front panel side. For example, the car navigation system may be variously operated by detecting the gaze direction of the driver by using a gaze input device that selects an operation by operating a switch on a steering wheel. When using the line-of-sight input device, the viewpoint is shifted to the information light serving as an input selection symbol for variously operating the navigation system, and the switch on the steering wheel is operated.

In the case where the lens body is configured so that the direction of irradiation of the information light can be changed at the front window glass and three places, ie, in front of the driver seat, in the center, and in front of the passenger seat, for example, the lens body angle is changed. An irradiation direction of the information light is detected by using a switch or a sensor for detecting a lens body angle as a mechanism for adjustment, and the line-of-sight input device recognizes a switch operation in consideration of the irradiation direction.

In the present embodiment, the display window is processed so that the display vertical / horizontal size ratio of the electronic map information becomes the optimal size ratio when viewed from the line of sight of the driver on the seat. Consideration of the driver's visibility makes it possible to quickly view electronic map information, etc., without interrupting gaze ahead of the vehicle while driving, making the use of car navigation systems and driving safety The improvement is compatible.

In addition, since the irradiation direction of the information light can be changed, the occupant on the passenger seat can easily see the electronic map information and the current vehicle position information, and the convenience of the system is improved. Have been. Further, when the gaze input device is used in the present embodiment, it is not necessary to operate the operation element during driving, and it is easy to change the usage such as changing the destination, and the driving safety when the driving cannot be stopped. Improve the performance.

[0018]

According to the present invention, current electronic map information and vehicle position information on a large-screen display can be visually recognized without interrupting gaze in the forward direction of travel, and the visibility of the information and the travel of the vehicle can be visualized. Safety can be improved at the same time.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An electronic light conversion unit converts electronic map information obtained from a navigation system, current vehicle position information, and other external information into information light, and adjusts the converted information light to a wide angle of light irradiation. Illuminating the inside of the windshield through the lens body to be illuminated, in particular, viewing the lens body from the line of sight of the driver on the seat by viewing the display aspect ratio of map information and the like displayed on the inside of the windshield. An information display method for car navigation, which is set to achieve an irradiation angle with an optimal size ratio. 2. The information displayed on the windshield includes:
2. The information display system for car navigation according to claim 1, wherein the navigation system is variously operated by selecting and operating with a line-of-sight input device, including various information for operating the navigation system.