JP2007148035A - Image display system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image display system that increases the utilization ratio of an image display screen without impairing the safety of driving. <P>SOLUTION: The image display system 10 comprises an image display screen 11 for displaying a navigation screen or the like, a camera 12 directed to a driver's face, a judgement part 20 for receiving a signal from the camera 12 and judging whether or not the driver is looking at the image display screen 11, and a control part 22 for receiving a signal from the judgement part 20 and switching between a restriction and the release of the restriction of the display of the image display screen 11. The display of the image display screen can be controlled when the driver's eyes are turned to the image display screen 11 while the vehicle is running, and at other times fellow passengers can use the image display screen. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image display system that displays at least one of a navigation screen and a television screen on an image display surface.

  An image display surface for displaying a navigation screen or a television screen is provided in a car (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  By the way, this image display surface is usually arranged at a position where it can be seen from the driver's seat. On the other hand, it is not preferable that the driver looks at the image display surface during driving from the viewpoint of preventing accidents. For this reason, while driving a car, input operations related to navigation (for example, input operations for setting a destination, etc.) cannot be performed automatically, and the display on the TV screen is automatically turned off. The current situation is that measures are taken.

However, with such a screen display restriction measure, the screen display is restricted during travel, regardless of the presence or absence of a passenger other than the driver. For this reason, there has been a demand for passengers to be able to perform navigation input operations and watch TV screens without compromising driving safety even while driving.
JP 2005-182452 A

  In view of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to provide an image display system in which the utilization rate of the image display surface is increased without impairing driving safety.

  The invention according to claim 1 receives an image display surface for displaying at least one of a navigation screen and a television screen, a monitor means for monitoring at least a driver's line-of-sight direction, and a signal from the monitor means. A determination unit that determines whether or not the image display surface is being viewed; and a switching unit that receives a signal from the determination unit and that switches display restriction and restriction release on the image display surface. Features.

  Thereby, it is possible to perform display restriction on the image display surface while traveling and when the driver's line of sight faces the image display surface. Therefore, even when the user is traveling, the passenger can perform an input operation related to navigation or watch a television screen. Further, if the driver is looking at the image display surface while traveling, the image display surface is limited, so the driver does not drive while looking at the image display surface (side-view driving). Therefore, it is possible to provide an image display system in which the utilization rate of the image display surface is increased without sacrificing safety.

  Further, even when the vehicle is running, when the driver's line of sight is not facing the image display surface, the display restriction on the image display surface can be released, which is convenient.

  The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that a camera is provided in the inner mirror as the monitoring means.

  Thereby, it is not necessary to newly provide a place for installing the camera in the vehicle. Note that a plurality of cameras may be provided to increase the monitor accuracy.

  Since the present invention has the above configuration, the following effects can be obtained.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image display system in which the utilization factor of the image display surface is increased without sacrificing safety.

  According to the invention described in claim 2, it is not necessary to newly provide a place for installing the camera in the vehicle.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described by taking an image display system provided in an automobile as an example.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an image display system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention provided in a car S includes an image display surface 11 capable of displaying a navigation screen and a television screen. The image display surface 11 is provided between the driver seat and the passenger seat. Either the navigation screen or the television screen is displayed on the image display surface 11 by switching. The screen may be divided into two so that both can be displayed simultaneously by switching.

  Furthermore, the image display system 10 determines the direction of the driver's line of sight based on the direction of the eyes of the CCD camera 12 (hereinafter simply referred to as the camera 12) directed to the driver's face and the driver's eyes photographed by the camera 12. And a determination unit 20 for determination.

  In this embodiment, the camera 12 is provided in the inner mirror 16, and the inner mirror 16 is a camera built-in inner mirror. The inner mirror 16 is a mirror for visually recognizing rearward provided in the central portion in the left-right direction near the front end portion of the roof 14 of the automobile S. Therefore, the camera 12 images the driver's seat (the front seat on the side where the steering wheel 18 in FIG. 1 is provided) from diagonally upward and forward.

  The determination unit 20 is provided at an appropriate position in the automobile S. Based on the position of the image display surface 11 and the average position of the driver's eyes, the determination unit 20 is input in advance with a predetermined range angle regarding the angle formed by the driver's eye direction with respect to the reference line. ing. Furthermore, an upper limit time for the angle formed is input to the determination unit 20 in advance. When the angle formed above continuously exceeds the upper limit time and falls within the predetermined range, the determination unit 20 determines that the driver is looking at the image display surface 11.

  Further, the image display system 10 includes a control unit (for example, CPU) 22 that controls display on the image display surface 11. The control unit 22 receives a signal from the determination unit 20 and switches between restricting display on the image display surface 11 and releasing the restriction.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the image display system 10 will be described. The image display system 10 starts operating when the power supply system of the automobile is turned on. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, first, the determination unit 20 receives a signal from the camera 12 and determines whether or not the vehicle is running (step S1).

  If it is determined that the vehicle is not traveling, the process returns to step S1 and waits until the vehicle is traveling.

  If it is determined that the vehicle is traveling, the determination unit 20 determines whether or not the driver's line-of-sight direction is continuously directed toward the image display surface 11 for the above upper limit time (step S2).

  When determining that the driver's line-of-sight direction is facing the image display surface 11 over the above upper limit, the determination unit 20 transmits a signal to the control unit 22 to limit the display of the image display surface 11 ( Step S3).

  When receiving this signal, the control unit 22 determines whether or not display restriction on the image display surface 11 is applied (step S4). If the display is restricted, the process returns to step S1. If display restriction is not applied, display restriction on the image display surface 11 is applied (step S5), and the process returns to step S1. When the display restriction is applied, the image display surface 11 is switched to a screen that displays nothing, a stripe pattern, or the like.

  If it is determined NO in step S2, the determination unit 20 transmits a signal to the controller 22 to cancel the display restriction on the image display surface 11 (step S6).

  When receiving this signal, the control unit 22 determines whether or not display restriction on the image display surface 11 is applied (step S7). If the display restriction is not applied, the process returns to step S1. When the display restriction is applied, the display restriction on the image display surface 11 is released (step S8), and the process returns to step S1.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the display of the image display surface 11 is limited when the vehicle is running and the driver's line of sight is facing the image display surface 11, and otherwise the image display surface 11. The restriction is released. Therefore, even when the user is traveling, the passenger can perform an input operation related to navigation or watch a television screen. Further, when the driver is looking at the image display surface 11 while traveling, the image display surface is limited, and the driver concentrates on driving while looking forward. Therefore, the utilization factor of the image display surface 11 can be increased without sacrificing safety.

  In addition, since the camera is provided in the inner mirror 16, it is not necessary to newly provide a place for installing the camera 12 in the vehicle.

  Note that the function of the determination unit 20 may be provided in the control unit 22. This eliminates the need for providing the determination unit 20 separately.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the example in which the driver's seat is located on the front right side of the automobile S (so-called right-hand drive car) has been described, but in the example in which the driver's seat is located on the front left side of the automobile S (so-called left-hand drive car). Even if it exists, the same effect can be produced.

  Moreover, although this embodiment demonstrated as the image display system 10 provided in the motor vehicle, this invention is not limited to this, Even if it provides in the vicinity of the cockpit of another vehicle or a plant, there exists an effect. it can.

  The embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the embodiments. However, the above embodiments are merely examples, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Needless to say, the scope of rights of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

It is explanatory drawing of schematic structure of the image display system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart figure of the image display system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image display system 11 Image display surface 12 Camera (monitor means, camera)
16 Inner mirror 20 Judgment part (judgment means)
22 Control unit (switching means)

Claims (2)

An image display surface for displaying at least one of a navigation screen and a television screen;
Monitoring means for monitoring at least the line of sight of the driver;
A determination unit that receives a signal from the monitor unit and determines whether a driver is looking at the image display surface;
A switching means for receiving a signal from the determination means and switching the restriction on the display of the image display surface and releasing the restriction;
An image display system comprising:   The image display system according to claim 1, wherein a camera is provided in the inner mirror as the monitor unit.

Images