JP2003058039A - Simulator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a simulator which can simulate the display function of a head-up display where an eye-motion box is present without using a head-up display dedicated to the simulator and is easily adaptive to differences of a simulated object. SOLUTION: This simulator is equipped with an image display device 2 which can display one over the other a 1st image virtually representing a 1st object viewed with light impinging on the eye after being transmitted through a combiner and a 2nd image virtually representing a 2nd object viewed with light impinging on the eye after having its optical path changed by the combiner. The image display device 2 is so controlled that when a user U changes the head part position, the 2nd image changes according to the relation between change of the head part position of the user by the simulator and change of the 2nd image determined corresponding to the relation between the change of the relative position of the head part by the combiner and change of a visible part of the 2nd viewed object.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a simulator capable of simulating a display function of a head-up display having a combiner, and can be applied to, for example, a flight simulator and a driving simulator. 2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 shows a head-up display 101 mounted on an aircraft.
2. Combiner 103 composed of a half mirror or the like attached to housing 102, indicator 104 and mirror 105 built in housing 102
Having. The image display light L emitted from the display 104 is reflected by the mirror 105 and
Reaches the combiner 103 through the opening formed in the pilot P, and the optical path is changed by the combiner 103 so that the pilot P
Get into the eyes of Thus, the pilot P can display the symbol displayed by the image display light L and the combiner 10
The light transmitted through 3 enters the eyes and can be visually recognized by being superimposed on the external world visually recognized. FIG. 3A shows an example of a symbol S displayed by the image display light L.
1, a flight altitude S2, a flight azimuth S3, and a body symbol S4 indicating a tilt with respect to the horizontal direction. (2) in FIG.
An example of the external world V that is visually recognized when light passing through the combiner 103 enters the eyes is shown. (3) of FIG. 3 illustrates the superimposed symbol S and the external world V visually recognized by the pilot. [0004] In the flight simulator for flight training of an aircraft as described above, in order to simulate the display function of the head-up display 101, a first visual recognition target which is visually recognized when light passing through the combiner 103 enters the eyes,
In the illustrated example, a first image that virtually represents the outside world V, and a second viewing target that is visually recognized by the image display light whose optical path is changed by the combiner 103, and the symbol S in the illustrated example, are virtual. An image display device capable of superimposing and displaying a second image, which is representatively represented, is provided. FIG. 4 shows an image display device 110 in a conventional flight simulator. An image signal corresponding to an image representing the superimposed symbol S and the external world V shown in FIG. The generated image display light corresponding to the image signal is emitted from the projector 112 to the screen 113, and the image projected on the screen 113 is visually recognized by the user U of the flight simulator. In the actual head-up display 101 as shown in FIG. 2, the relative position of the pilot P's head with respect to the combiner 103 is called an eye motion box E shown by a broken line in the figure. If it is within the range, the pilot P can visually recognize the entire symbol S. However, if the relative position of the head of the pilot P with respect to the combiner 103 deviates from the eye motion box E, the pilot P visually recognizes the entire symbol S. You can't do that. For example, in FIG.
Is relative to P1 in the eye motion box E
If the position is the position, the image display light L as shown in FIG.
Thus, the user can visually recognize the entire superimposed symbol S and the external world V shown in FIG. However, in FIG. 2, the position P in which the head is partially off the eye motion box E
If 2, the symbol S displayed by the image display light L
Can be visually recognized only partially as shown in FIG. 5 (1), and the pilot P can visually recognize only a part of the symbol S and the outside world V as shown in FIG. 5 (2). Further, in FIG. 2, if the head is at a position P3 completely deviating from the eye motion box E, the symbol S displayed by the image display light L cannot be visually recognized as shown in (3) of FIG. Means that only the external world V is visually recognized as shown in FIG. [0007] However, the conventional flight simulator,
An image representing the superimposed symbol S and the outside world V shown in (3) of FIG. Therefore, even if the position of the head of the user U of the flight simulator is displaced to a position outside the area E 'corresponding to the eye motion box E of the actual aircraft, the entire symbol S and the outside world V are visually recognized. That is, since the conventional flight simulator does not have an eye motion box, the display function of the head-up display 101 having the eye motion box cannot be simulated. Therefore, a dedicated head-up display with a short display focal length is provided for the simulator separately from the image display device 110 in the flight simulator, and the image display device 110 displays an image of the external world V. The symbol S
May be displayed. With this, an eye motion box is provided and the head-up display 101 is provided.
Can be simulated. However, providing a dedicated head-up display makes the simulator expensive and complicated. Further, the size of the eye motion box in the head-up display of the simulation target and the display position of the symbol on the head-up display usually change when the simulation target is different. It is very difficult to change the size of the eye motion box of the simulator head-up display or the display position of the symbol in accordance with such a difference in the simulated object, because the optical system needs to be replaced. An object of the present invention is to provide a simulator that can solve the above-mentioned problem. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a simulator capable of simulating a display function of a head-up display having a combiner, wherein a light transmitted through the combiner is visually recognized by entering an eye. (1) The first image virtually representing the visual recognition target and the second image virtually representing the second visual recognition target visually recognized by the image display light whose optical path is changed by the combiner are superimposed. A displayable image display device, means for detecting the position of the user's head in the simulator, and a relation between a change in the relative position of the head with respect to the combiner and a change in the visible portion of the second visual recognition target. Means for storing the relationship between the change in the user's head position in the simulator and the change in the second image, which is determined as described above. Means for controlling the image display device so that the second image changes in accordance with the stored relationship. According to the configuration of the present invention, the first image virtually representing the first visual recognition target visually recognized by light passing through the combiner of the head-up display and the image display light whose optical path is changed by the combiner are displayed. An image display device superimposes and displays a second image virtually representing a second visual recognition target that is visually recognized by entering the eyes. At this time, in accordance with the detected change in the position of the head of the user, the second position of the head corresponding to the change in the relative position of the head with respect to the combiner and the change in the visually recognizable portion of the second viewing target are corresponded. The image can be changed. That is, when the position of the simulator user's head is displaced to a position completely out of the eye motion box in the actual head-up display, the second image is displayed to simulate a state in which the entire second visual target is not visually recognized. Can be hidden. Also,
When the position of the simulator user's head is displaced to a position that is partially out of the eye motion box in the actual head-up display, the second image is used to simulate a state in which a part of the second visual recognition target is not visually recognized. Can be hidden. The stored relationship can be determined according to the size of the eye motion box and the difference in the display position of the symbol in the head-up display to be simulated. A display system 1 in a flight simulator shown in FIG. 1 can simulate the display function of a head-up display 101 having a combiner 103 as shown in FIG. , A head position detection device 3, and a control device 4. The image display device 2 has a projector 11 that emits image display light L ′ corresponding to an image signal sent from the control device 4 toward the screen 10, and is imaged on the screen 10 by a user U of the flight simulator 1. Make the image that you see visible. As the image, a first image that virtually represents a first visual recognition target that is visually recognized when light passing through the combiner enters the eyes, in this embodiment, an external world V illustrated in (2) of FIG. A second visual recognition target that is visually recognized when the image display light whose optical path is changed by the combiner enters the eyes;
In the present embodiment, it is possible to superimpose and display the second image virtually representing the symbol S shown in FIG. 3A. The head position detecting device 3 detects the position of the head of the user U in the flight simulator 1 and may be of a known type, such as a magnetic type, a mechanical type, or an ultrasonic type. A device that detects the position by an arbitrary method such as an acceleration sensor type, an optical type, or the like can be used. The control device 4 controls the user U in the flight simulator 1 in advance so as to correspond to the relationship between the change in the relative position of the head with respect to the combiner and the change in the visible portion of the second visual recognition target. The relationship between the change in the head position and the change in the second image is stored. The control device 4
When the head position of the user U detected by the head position detecting device 3 changes, the image signal sent to the image display device 1 is changed so that the second image changes according to the stored relationship. The display device 1 is controlled. According to the above-described embodiment, the first image virtually representing the first visual recognition target which is visually recognized when light passing through the combiner of the head-up display enters the eyes, and the image display whose optical path is changed by the combiner The image display device 1 superimposes and displays a second image virtually representing a second visual recognition target that is visually recognized when light enters the eyes. On this occasion,
In response to a change in the head position of the user U detected by the head position detection device 3, the relationship between the change in the relative position of the head with respect to the combiner 102 and the change in the visible portion of the second visual recognition target is made to correspond. Then, the second image can be changed. That is, when the position of the head of the user U of the simulator is at the position U1 in the area E ′ corresponding to the actual eye-motion box E of the head-up display, the entire second image is displayed. In FIG. 3, an image representing the entire symbol S and the external world V is displayed on the screen 10 as shown in FIG. When the position of the head of the user U of the simulator is at the position U2 which is partially deviated from the area E 'corresponding to the actual eye motion box E, in order to simulate a state where a part of the second visual recognition target is not visually recognized. Then, a part of the second image is not displayed, and an image representing only a part of the symbol S and the outside world V is displayed on the screen 10 as shown in (2) of FIG. If the position of the head of the user U of the simulator is a position U3 completely deviating from the area E 'corresponding to the actual eye motion box E, the second position is simulated in order to simulate a state in which the entire second visual target is not visually recognized. The two images are not displayed, and an image in which only the outside world V is visually recognized without the symbol S being visually recognized is displayed on the screen 10 as shown in (2) of FIG. Thereby, the display function of the head-up display 101 in which the eye motion box E exists can be simulated without using a dedicated head-up display for a simulator. Moreover, the stored relationship may be determined according to the size of the eye motion box E and the difference in the display position of the symbol in the head-up display 101 of the simulation target, so that it is possible to easily cope with the difference in the simulation target. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the present invention is applied to a flight simulator, but the present invention can be applied to any simulator that simulates the display function of a head-up display having a combiner. For example, a driving simulator that simulates a function of displaying a vehicle speed, navigation information, and the like by a head-up display to an automobile driver,
The present invention can be applied to a simulator that simulates a function of displaying explanation information of an exhibit in a museum or the like to an observer using a head-up display. When detecting the position of the top of the user's head with the head position detection device, the head position detected by the tilt of the neck is displaced from the eye position, so head position detection capable of detecting head tilt angle information Using the device,
The deviation between the detected head position and the eye position may be corrected. Such a head position detecting device has a sensor attached to the top of the head via a band or the like, and a source attached to the simulator side. By detecting a signal of the source with the sensor, a user's signal is detected. A known head motion tracker that outputs a signal corresponding to the direction of the line of sight can be used. Also, in order to simulate a state in which one of the left and right eyes is within the eye motion box range and the other eye is outside the eye motion box range, the user wears glasses with a liquid crystal shutter, and the eye within the eye motion box range. The image may be displayed only on the. Also,
A head position detection device that uses a head-mounted display device as an image display device, displays different images to the left and right eyes, enables stereoscopic viewing of the display image, and can detect tilt angle information of the head. Using the position of the head, the position of each of the left and right eyes,
The display function of the head-up display may be simulated by geometrically calculating using the tilt angle information and the interocular distance, and changing the second image visually recognized by the left and right eyes based on the result. . According to the present invention, the display function of a head-up display having an eye motion box can be simulated without using a dedicated head-up display for a simulator. We can provide a simulator that can respond.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a display system in a simulator according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a head-up display mounted on an aircraft. FIG. A diagram showing an example of a symbol displayed by a mounted head-up display,
FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating an example of the external world visually recognized by light passing through a combiner of a head-up display mounted on an aircraft, and FIG. 3C is a diagram in which a symbol displayed by the head-up display is superimposed on the external world. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a display system in a conventional flight simulator. FIG. 5 (1) shows only a part of symbols displayed by a head-up display mounted on an aircraft. FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating an example of a state in which only a part of a symbol displayed by a head-up display mounted on an aircraft is superimposed on the outside world, and FIG. [Description of Signs] 1 Flight simulator 2 Image display device 3 Head position detection device 4 Control device 101 Head up Isupurei 103 combiner

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A simulator capable of simulating a display function of a head-up display having a combiner, wherein a first visual recognition target visually recognized by light passing through the combiner entering an eye. Image display capable of superimposing and displaying a first image that is visually represented and a second image that virtually represents a second visual recognition target that is visually recognized when image display light whose optical path is changed by the combiner enters the eyes. The apparatus, the means for detecting the position of the user's head in the simulator, and the relation between the change in the relative position of the head with respect to the combiner and the change in the visible portion of the second visual recognition target are determined. Means for storing a relationship between a change in the user's head position and a change in the second image in the simulator, and a means for storing the relationship when the detected user's head position changes. Means for controlling the image display device so that the second image changes.