JP2003341383A - Display unit for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent displayed information displayed at a wind shield from being displaced in its position even if positions of driver's eyes are changed. <P>SOLUTION: A display control unit 110 calculates initial coordinates of driver' s eyes from the angle information of a room mirror inputted from a room mirror angle sensing device 200 to calculate the positions of the driver's eyes in reference to the initial coordinates of the driver's eyes and the variation of the position of the driver's head detected by a position sensing device 100 and then control the position of displayed information displayed at the wind shield from the positions of the driver's eyes. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicular display device, for example, a vehicular display device for displaying display information on a windshield.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional vehicle display device, there is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-247184. This vehicle display device uses a head-up display to project the display information when a pedestrian or turns right onto a half mirror provided on the windshield of an automobile, so that the driver can see the actual visible information (road information) and display information. And are displayed so as to overlap each other at almost the same position. By using this display device, even in a situation where the visibility is poor, such as in thick fog, it is possible to continue driving safely by relying on the information (road contour position, etc.) displayed based on the image captured by the infrared camera. It will be possible.

However, in this type of vehicle display device, when the driver moves his head or changes his posture, the positional relationship between the display information and the driver's eyes changes, and the display information displayed on the windshield. There is a problem that the position shift occurs.

Therefore, this vehicular display device uses two TV cameras to image the driver's face, right eye, left eye, eyebrows, mouth and nose, and performs image recognition processing to position the driver's eyes. The position of the viewpoint is detected by tracking the vehicle, and the movement and size of the position of the display information displayed on the windshield is controlled with respect to the change of the driver's viewpoint.

[0005]

The above-mentioned vehicle display device requires a plurality of cameras and an image recognition process for processing image data taken by the cameras, and therefore the process and the configuration are complicated and the cost is high. There's a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and does not require an image recognition process for processing image data taken by a plurality of cameras or cameras, and can be applied to the windshield even if the position of the eyes of the driver changes. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular display device capable of preventing displayed display information from being displaced.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, in the invention described in claim 1, the position detecting means (100) for detecting the head position of the driver and the display information for the windshield of the vehicle. The initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver are obtained based on the angle information of the rearview mirror input from the rearview mirror angle detection device (200) for detecting the angle of the rearview mirror and the display means (130) displayed on the driver. The initial position of the eyes and the position of the driver's eyes detected from the change in the position of the driver's head detected by the position detecting means, and the display position of the display information displayed on the windshield is the calculated driver's position. Display control means (110) for controlling the display means so that the display means is positioned according to the position of the eyes.

As described above, since the coordinates of the driver's eyes are obtained from the angle information of the rearview mirror and the driver's head position, in order to process image data taken by a plurality of cameras or cameras as in the conventional case. It is possible to prevent the display information displayed on the windshield from being displaced even if the position of the eyes of the driver changes.

Further, as in the invention described in claim 2 or claim 3, the display control means (110) indicates the driver's information based on the angle information of the rearview mirror and the input information from the side mirror angle detection means (300). The configuration is such that the initial coordinates of the eyes are obtained, or the initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver are obtained by the angle information of the rearview mirror and the input information from the seat position detecting means (400) and the seat back angle detecting means (500). It is also possible to have a different configuration. Further, as in the invention described in claim 4, the position of the driver's eyes is obtained based on the input signal from the pressure detecting means (600) of the driver's seat, so that the eyes due to the change in the posture of the driver can be obtained. The change in the position of can be corrected.

The position detecting device (100) may use an infrared sensor (101) as in the invention described in claims 5 and 6, and claims 7 and 8. Ultrasonic sensor (12, 1,
3) may be used.

The reference numerals in parentheses of the above means indicate the correspondence with the concrete means described in the embodiments described later.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a vehicle display device according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, the vehicular display device 10 includes a position detection device 100, a display information input device 120, a display control device 110, and a display device 130.

The position detecting device 100 has an infrared sensor, and detects a change in the driver's head position by irradiating the driver's head with infrared rays.

A display information input signal is input to the display information input device 120 from a car navigation system or the like to notify a pedestrian hidden behind a building or to notify the position when turning an intersection or the like.

The angle information of the rearview mirror is input to the display control device 110 from the rearview mirror angle detection device 200. The display control device 110 calculates the initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver based on the angle information of the rearview mirror. And
The eye coordinates are calculated from the initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver and the change in the head position from the position detection device 100. Further, the display control device 110 outputs image information to be displayed on the windshield to the display device 130 according to an input signal from the display information input device 120. In this case, the display control device 110
Generates display information that is output so that the display information does not shift even if the position of the eyes of the driver changes.

The display device 130 is a head-up display for projecting and displaying image information from the display control device 110 on a half mirror provided in a windshield (not shown). FIG. 2 shows the configuration of this head-up display. The head-up display is composed of a light source unit 131 and an optical unit 132. The light source unit 131 includes a light source 131a and a display 131.
b and the lens 131c, the optical unit 132
Is the reflecting mirrors 132a to 132c and the dustproof cover 132.
have d. When the light source 131a lights up, the display 1
The light transmitted through 31b is a lens 131c and a reflecting mirror 132a.
Through 132c and the dust cover 132d, the image is projected onto the half mirror provided in the windshield. However, the optical unit 132 shown in FIG. 2 is a reflection type using a reflection mirror, but in the optical unit 132, at least one of the reflection mirrors 132a to 132c is replaced with an optical element such as a prism, and the display 131b is changed. It may be a transmissive type that expands or reduces the emitted light.

Next, the display of the windshield projected by the above head-up display will be described. FIG. 3 shows an explanatory view of the display of the windshield. In the figure, display information 70 that informs a driver who is driving in advance of a pedestrian 705 hidden behind a building
3 and 704 and display information 701 and 702 for notifying the position when turning at an intersection or the like are shown. The windshield display information 703 is an image showing the presence of a pedestrian 705 hidden behind a building, but the driver's head 800
When the position of is moved to the right (arrow C), the position of the display information 703 is shifted to the left (arrow D), and the display 704 is displayed.
It appears to move to the position. Further, the display information 701 indicates the place where the driver should turn right. Similarly, when the position of the driver's head 800 moves to the right (arrow E), the display 70 is displayed.
The position of 1 shifts to the left and appears to move to the position of display 702. Such misalignment occurs due to changes in the coordinates of the driver's eyes. Display control device 11 shown in FIG.
0 generates the display information displayed on the windshield, that is, the image information on the display device 130 according to the change in the coordinates of the driver's eyes, and eliminates the positional deviation of this display information.

The display control device 110 shown in FIG. 1 calculates the initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver based on the angle information of the rearview mirror from the rearview mirror angle detection device 200. Figure 4
(A), (b) is an explanatory view of how to obtain the initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver. FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a distance Y1 between the room mirror 901 and the position of the driver's eyes 801 from the angle of the room mirror 901 in the front-rear direction.
(B) is a figure which shows Zh as the distance between the rearview mirror 901 and the driver's eyes 801 in the vertical direction.

In FIG. 4A, the room mirror 90
1, the steering wheel 906 and the driver's eyes 801 are shown. This figure is viewed from above the driver's seat, and the horizontal direction is the x-axis and the vertical direction is the y-axis. The driver's eyes 801 look at the rearview mirror 901 and see the rear view.
Align with the center of 1. Thereby, the initial value of the position of the driver's eyes 801 is set. That is, the angle between the room mirror 901 and the handle 906 in the left-right direction (x-axis direction) is a, and the angle between the room mirror 901 and the straight line connecting the driver's eyes 801 in the horizontal plane (x-y axis plane) is θ.
If the distance is 1, the distance Y1 between the room mirror 901 and the driver's eyes in the front-rear direction (y-axis direction) is a / Y1 = ta.
The relationship of nθ1 is established, and is expressed as in Expression 1.

[0020]

## EQU00001 ## Y1 = a / tan .theta.1 In FIG. 4B, the distance between the room mirror 901 and the driver's eye 801 in the vertical direction (z-axis direction) is Zh, and the room mirror 901 and the driver's eye 801 are If the angle formed by the straight line connecting the lines and the y-axis is θz, the room mirror 9
The distance Zh between 01 and the driver's eyes 801 is Zh / Y1 = t
The relationship of an θz is established, and is expressed as in Expression 2.

[0021]

## EQU2 ## Zh = Y1 / tan θz = a / (tan θ1 ×
Therefore, when the position of the room mirror 901 is the origin, the xyz coordinates (x0, y0, z) of the initial values of the eyes of the driver are set.
0) is (a, a / tan θ1, a / (tan θ1 × t
anθz)). Here, the distance a between the rearview mirror 901 and the handle 906 in the left-right direction (x-axis direction) is constant. Further, the room mirror angles θ1 and θz are input from the room mirror angle detection device 200.

The position detecting device 100 shown in FIG. 1 detects a change in the driver's head position. In this embodiment, an infrared sensor is used as the position detection device 100. 5A and 5B show the configuration of the position detection device 100. FIG. 5A is a view of the driver's seat of the vehicle viewed from above, and FIG. 5B is a view of the driver's seat of the vehicle viewed from the front. The infrared sensor 101 installed on the ceiling of the driver's seat irradiates the driver's head 800 with infrared rays to detect the position A of the driver's head 800.

The structure of the infrared sensor described above is shown in FIG.
Shown in (a) and (b). The infrared sensor 101 has a plurality of sensing parts, and the sensing parts are arranged in the vertical and horizontal directions at intervals of several mm to several cm. Then, each sensing unit irradiates the driver's head with infrared rays to derive the head region. When the area of the driver's head 800 moves from FIG. 6A to FIG. 6B, it is detected in the area shown from A to A ′ in the left-right direction and from the area shown from B to B ′ in the front-rear direction. The change in the driver's head position can be detected from the change in this area. Here, assuming that the horizontal movement distance is Δx and the front-back movement distance is Δy with respect to the initial coordinates (x0, y0, z0) of the driver's eyes, the xyz coordinates (x, y, z) of the driver's eyes. Is (a +
Δx, a / tan θ1 + Δy, a / (tan θ1 × ta
nθz)).

Thus, the rearview mirror angle detection device 2
The coordinate of the driver's eyes can be obtained from the angle information of the rearview mirror from 00 and the change of the driver's head position from the infrared sensor 101. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a plurality of cameras or an image recognition processing device for processing image data captured by the cameras in order to obtain the coordinates of the driver's eyes unlike the related art.

FIG. 7 shows the processing of the display control device 110.
The display control device 110 includes the rearview mirror angle detection device 20.
Angle information θ1 of the room mirror 901 input from 0,
Based on θz, the initial coordinates (x0, y0, z0) of the driver's eyes are calculated using Equations 1 and 2 (step S10). Next, the infrared sensor 101 installed on the ceiling of the driver's seat is instructed to emit infrared rays (step S20). Then, the infrared sensor 101 having a plurality of sensing units irradiates the driver's head with infrared rays, and the infrared rays reflected from the driver's head derive the areas (A, B) of the driver's head. The head position is input to the display control device 110 (step S30). next,
The head position at the time of detecting the initial coordinates (x0, y0, z0) of the driver's eyes is set as a reference position, and the driver's eyes are calculated from the lateral movement distance Δx and the longitudinal movement distance Δy of the head with respect to the reference position. The coordinates (x0 + Δx, y0 + Δy, z0) are calculated (step S40). And the coordinates of this eye (x
0 + Δx, y0 + Δy, z0) to control the position of the display information displayed on the windshield and display device 1
It outputs to 30 (step S50). Below, step S
Repeat 20 to 50. In this way, the display information output to the display device 130 is controlled so that the display information displayed on the windshield will not be displaced even if the coordinates of the eyes change (step S50). Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 6-
It is similar to that disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 247184. In addition, in order to prevent the displacement of the display information, the display device 13
In addition to the processing of the display information itself output to 0, the display position may be moved by controlling the mirror arranged in the optical path of the head-up display.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a vehicle display device to which the second embodiment is applied will be described. Although the first embodiment has shown the configuration in which the infrared sensor is used in the position detection device 100, the present embodiment is different in that an ultrasonic sensor is used. 8A and 8B, the position detection device 1
00 configuration is shown. FIG. 8A is a view of the driver's seat of the vehicle viewed from above, and FIG. 8B is a view of the driver's seat of the vehicle viewed from the front.

As shown in the figure, an ultrasonic sensor 102 installed on the upper portion (ceiling) of the driver's seat transmits ultrasonic waves to the driver's head to detect the position of the driver's head 800.

The structure of the ultrasonic sensor 102 is shown in FIG.
The ultrasonic sensor 102 has a plurality of sensing parts, and the sensing parts are several mm to several cm in the vertical and horizontal directions.
Are arranged at intervals. The position of the driver's head is detected in the area indicated by A in the horizontal direction and the area indicated by B in the vertical direction. When the position of the head moves, the detected area changes, and the vertical and horizontal movement distance is detected from the change.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the ultrasonic sensors 103 installed on the sides of the driver's head cause the distance X1, X2, X3 between the driver's head and the ultrasonic sensor directly.
May be detected.

(Third Embodiment) Next, a vehicle display device to which the third embodiment is applied will be described. In the first embodiment, the signal from the rearview mirror angle detection 200 is used to calculate the initial coordinates of the driver's eyes, but in the present embodiment, signals from the rearview mirror angle detection 200 and the side mirror angle detection device 300 are shown. The initial coordinates of the driver's eyes are calculated by.

FIG. 11 shows an explanatory view of how to obtain the initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver. This figure is viewed from above the driver's seat, with the horizontal direction as the x-axis and the vertical direction as the y-axis. The distance between the handle 71 and the left and right side mirrors 902a and 902b in the lateral direction (x-axis direction) is a and b, respectively. Further, the angles formed by the straight line connecting the left and right side mirrors 902a and 902b and the position of the driver's eyes 801 and the y-axis are θa1 and θb1, respectively, and the driver's eyes 801 and the room mirror 901 in the y-axis direction are The distance of Y1, y
When the distance between the room mirror 901 and the left and right side mirrors 902a and 902b in the axial direction is d, Formula 3,
The relationship of Expression 4 is established.

[0032]

## EQU00003 ## a / (Y1 + d) = tan (.theta.a1)

[0033]

## EQU00004 ## b / (Y1 + d) = tan (.theta.b1) Therefore, the left and right side mirrors 90 in the y-axis direction.
The distance Y1 between 2a and 902b and the driver's eyes 801 is expressed by Equation 5.

[0034]

## EQU00005 ## Y1 = (a / tan (.theta.a1))-d = (b /
tan (θb1))-d where a, b and d are constant. The angles θa1 and θb1 of the left and right side mirrors 902a and 902b are input from the side mirror angle detection device 300. Then, xyz of the initial value of the driver's eyes shown in the first embodiment
The y coordinate y0 at the coordinates (x0, y0, z0) can be replaced with Y1 shown in Expression 3 or Expression 4. That is, the xyz coordinate (x
0, y0, z0) is (a, a / tan (θa1) −
d, a / (tan (θa1) × tan (θz)) or (a, a / tan (θb1) −d, a / (tan
It is expressed as (θb1) × tan (θz)). Where a
And d are constant. Also, θa1, θb1 and θ
z is input to the display control device 110 from the room mirror angle detection device 200 and the side mirror angle detection device 300 in FIG. Then, the display control device 110
The initial coordinates (x0, y0, z0) of the eyes are obtained by obtaining Y1 from the equation 5 and setting Y1 as the y coordinate of the eyes of the driver.

(Fourth Embodiment) Next, a vehicle display device to which the fourth embodiment is applied will be described. In this embodiment, the initial coordinates of the driver's eyes are calculated based on the signal from the rearview mirror angle detection 200 and the signal from the seat position detection device 300.

FIG. 12 shows an explanatory view of how to obtain the initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver. This figure is a side view of the driver's seat, and the horizontal direction is the y-axis and the vertical direction is the z-axis. The distance between the rearview mirror 901 and the backrest of the driver's seat 903 is Ys, and the backrest of the driver's seat 903 and the driver's eyes 80
When the distance from the position of 1 is c, the distance between the rearview mirror 901 and the position of the driver's eyes 801 is expressed by Formula 6.

[0037]

## EQU6 ## Y1 = Ys-c However, the angle of the backrest of the driver's seat 903 in FIG. 12 is a right angle. However, the driver's seat 9
The backrest angle of 03 is larger than the right angle.
Therefore, FIG. 13 shows an explanatory diagram of how to determine the initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver when the angle of the backrest of the driver's seat 903 is changed.

This figure is a side view of the driver's seat,
The horizontal direction is the y-axis and the vertical direction is the z-axis. The distance between the rearview mirror 901 and the backrest of the driver's seat 903 is set to Y.
s, the height of the driver's seat 903 and the rearview mirror 901 is Z0, and the angle at which the backrest of the driver's seat 903 is inclined from the vertical direction (z-axis direction) is θ2.
01 and the position of the driver's eye 801 is calculated by Equation 6
Y1 is shorter than the value (Ys-c) shown in Equation 7,
become that way.

[0039]

## EQU00007 ## Y1 = Ys-c-y1 Further, from the relationship of y1 / Z0 = tan (.theta.2), the distance Y1 between the room mirror 901 and the position of the driver's eyes 801 is calculated.
Is expressed as Equation 8.

[0040]

## EQU00008 ## Y1 = Ys-c-Z0.times.tan (.theta.2) where c and Z0 are constant. Further, Ys and θ2 are calculated from the seat position detecting device 400 and the seat back angle detecting device 500 in FIG.
Input to 0. Therefore, the display control device 110 is
The initial coordinates (x0, y0, z0) of the eyes are obtained by obtaining Y1 from the equation 8 and using Y1 as the y coordinate of the eyes of the driver.

(Fifth Embodiment) Next, a vehicle display device to which the fifth embodiment is applied will be described. In the present embodiment, the coordinates of the driver's eyes are corrected by a signal from the seat pressure detection device 600 shown in FIG.

FIG. 14 shows a structure in which a pressure sensor is installed on the driver's seat. As shown, the driver's seat 90
3, a pressure sensor 904 having a plurality of sensing units scattered vertically and horizontally is installed. And this driver's seat 9
FIG. 15 shows an explanatory diagram of correction of the initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver by using 03. As shown in the figure, the driver does not always touch his back against his back while driving,
Of the back, part D near the waist is often in contact with the backrest. In this case, the position of the driver's eyes 801 moves forward by a length of Δy compared to when the entire back is in contact with the backrest. Therefore, the distance Y1 between the rearview mirror 901 and the driver's eyes 801 in FIG. 13 can be calculated more accurately by correcting Equation 8 so as to be shorter by Δy. That is, it becomes as shown in Expression 9.

[0043]

## EQU9 ## Y1 = Ys-c-Z0 * tan (θ1) + Δy Here, the state in which the driver's back is in contact with the backrest is that the pressure detection device 600 is composed of pressure sensors in which a plurality of sensing units are scattered vertically and horizontally. It is detected by the pressure detection state.
Therefore, from the pressure detection state of the pressure detection device 600,
Δy can be obtained. Then, the display control device 11
For 0, Y1 is calculated from Equation 9, and Y1 is set as the y-coordinate of the driver's eye, whereby the change in the eye position due to the change in the driver's posture can be corrected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle display device to which a first embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a head-up display.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a windshield display.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of how to obtain initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a position detection device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of an infrared sensor.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a display control device.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of a position detection device.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of an ultrasonic sensor.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of detecting a moving distance X1, X2, X3 of a driver.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of how to obtain initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of how to obtain initial coordinates of the driver's eye position.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of how to obtain initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a configuration in which a pressure sensor is installed on a driver's seat.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of correction of initial coordinates of a driver's eyes using a pressure sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 ... Position detection device, 101 ... Infrared sensor, 10
2, 103 ... Ultrasonic sensor, 110 ... Display control device,
120 ... Display information input device, 130 ... Display device, 20
0 ... Room mirror angle detection device, 300 ... Side mirror angle detection device, 400 ... Driver seat position detection device, 500 ... Seat back angle detection device, 600 ...
Seat pressure detector, 901 ... rearview mirror, 902
a, 902b ... Side mirror, 903 ... Seat, 906
···handle.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A position detecting means (100) for detecting a head position of a driver, a display means (130) for displaying display information on a windshield of a vehicle, and a rearview mirror angle detection for detecting an angle of a rearview mirror. The initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver are obtained based on the angle information of the rearview mirror input from the device (200), and the initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver and the head position of the driver detected by the position detecting means are detected. Find the driver's eye position from the change,
Display control means (11) for controlling the display means so that the display position of the display information displayed on the windshield corresponds to the calculated eye position of the driver.
0) and a display device for a vehicle. 2. The display control means (110) uses the angle information of the rearview mirror and the side mirror angle information input from the side mirror angle detection means (300) for detecting the angle of the side mirror to provide the driver. The display device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the initial coordinates of the eyes are obtained. 3. The display control means (110) includes angle information of the room mirror, seat position information input from a seat position detection means (400) for detecting a seat position in the front-rear direction of a driver's seat, and 2. The vehicle display device according to claim 1, wherein the initial coordinates of the eyes of the driver are obtained based on the backrest angle information input from the backrest angle detecting means (500) for detecting the backrest angle of the driver's seat. 4. The display control means (110) uses the pressure information input from a pressure detection means (600) for detecting a state in which the driver applies pressure to the backrest of the driver's seat, to the initial stage of the eyes of the driver. The vehicle display device according to claim 3, wherein the coordinates are corrected. 5. The position detecting device (100) detects an operator's head position by using an infrared sensor (101), according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The vehicle display device described. 6. The vehicle display device according to claim 5, wherein the infrared sensor (101) is provided with a plurality of sensing units arranged side by side in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction. 7. The position detecting device (100) detects a head position of a driver using an ultrasonic sensor (12, 13). The display device for vehicles according to one. 8. The vehicular display according to claim 7, wherein the ultrasonic sensor (12, 13) has a plurality of sensing units arranged in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction. apparatus.