JP2010041241A - Display device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display device for vehicle which improves the safety of the drive of a vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: An image display monitor 10 displays an external world image 12 formed by imaging the external world of the vehicle together with a vehicle speed indication image 160 as an information image 16 required for driving the vehicle on the screen 11. An image control circuit 40 sets a permission range 120 for permitting the detection of the image 12a of an attention object body requiring attention in the external world image 12 and an inhibition range 122 for inhibiting the detection of the image 12a in the external world image 12. The image control circuit 40 and a drive control circuit 70 which jointly control display on the screen 11 of the image display monitor 10 superimpose and display an emphatic image 13 emphasizing the image 12a detected by the image control circuit 40 in the permission range 120 of the external world image 12 on the permission range 120, and superimpose and display a part 160b of the vehicle speed indication image 160 on the inhibition range 122 of the external world image 12. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular display device including an image display monitor.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as in Patent Document 1, a vehicle display device that displays an external image obtained by imaging the external environment of a vehicle on an image display monitor screen together with an information image that indicates a vehicle state value necessary for driving the vehicle. ,Are known. According to such a device, the vehicle occupant can recognize not only the state value of the vehicle but also the presence of a person who needs attention in the outside world of the vehicle by visually recognizing the information image and the outside world image. An operation for ensuring safety can be performed.

Conventionally, as in Patent Document 2, when an image of a caution object is detected from an external image, a vehicle display device that displays a frame image that surrounds and emphasizes the image of the caution object is superimposed on the external image. ,Are known. According to such an apparatus, it becomes easier for the vehicle occupant to grasp the presence of the cautionary object by visually recognizing the frame image, so that improvement in driving safety can be expected.
JP 2008-139390 A JP 2004-364112 A

  Now, assuming the combination of Patent Documents 1 and 2 for the purpose of further improving the driving safety of the vehicle, the frame image and the information image are displayed by displaying the information image and the external image side by side as in Patent Document 1. Interference can be avoided. However, when the information image and the external image are simply displayed side by side, a dead space that is an area where a visible image is not displayed increases on the screen of the image display monitor. Therefore, it is difficult to display an external image displayed side by side with an information image within a screen size determined according to specifications, which may hinder the effect of improving driving safety. .

  In contrast to the above, when the external image is displayed superimposed on the information image, the frame image that emphasizes the image of the attention object in the external image interferes with the information image, thereby improving the driving safety. There is a risk of inhibiting the improvement effect. Therefore, an apparatus that can surely contribute to the improvement of the driving safety of a vehicle as a display device for a vehicle is desired.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a condition, The objective is to provide the display apparatus for vehicles which improves the driving safety of a vehicle.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image display monitor for displaying an external image obtained by imaging the external environment of the vehicle on the screen together with an information image necessary for driving the vehicle, and an attention object requiring attention in the external image. Range setting means for setting a permission range for permitting detection of an image of the object and a prohibition range for prohibiting detection of an image of the object of attention in the external image, and detection for detecting the image of the object of attention in the permission range of the external image And a display control means for controlling the display on the screen of the image display monitor, wherein an emphasis image for emphasizing the image of the attention object detected by the detection means is displayed superimposed on the permitted range, and the information image is prohibited. And a display control means for displaying the image superimposed on the range.

  According to such an invention, in the external image obtained by capturing the external environment of the vehicle, the enhanced image that emphasizes the image of the target object requiring attention is within the permitted range in which the image detection of the target object is permitted. It is displayed superimposed. On the other hand, since the information image necessary for driving the vehicle is superimposed and displayed in the prohibited range of the external image where the image detection of the object of caution is prohibited, the emphasized image superimposed on the permitted range related to the image detection and Thus, the effect of improving the driving safety of the vehicle by displaying the emphasized image is obtained. In addition, by superimposing the external image and the information image in the prohibited range, the images can be displayed close to each other, thereby reducing a dead space in which a visible image is not displayed. Therefore, even on a screen whose size is determined according to the specifications of the image display monitor, the outside world image can be displayed in a large size, and the effect of improving driving safety can be obtained by displaying the outside world image itself.

  In an external image obtained by imaging the external environment of a vehicle, generally, an image of the sky region in front of the vehicle in the external environment is reflected on the upper edge portion, and an immediate region in front of the vehicle in the external environment is reflected on the lower edge portion. Therefore, the possibility that the image of the attention object that needs attention in order to ensure driving safety is reflected on the upper edge portion and the lower edge portion of the external image is low. Therefore, according to the second aspect of the present invention, the range setting means sets at least one of the upper edge portion and the lower edge portion in the external image as the prohibited range. According to this, since the prohibited range is set on at least one of the upper edge and the lower edge where the image of the attention object is unlikely to be reflected in the external image, the information image is superimposed and displayed. It is possible to suppress a situation where the driving safety improvement effect due to the display of the external image is hindered by the superimposed display.

  According to the invention described in claim 3, the display control means causes the entire emphasized image to be displayed so as to be superimposed on the permitted range. According to this, the emphasized image that is entirely displayed in the permitted range in the external image can be reliably suppressed from interference with the information image in the prohibited range of the external image. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the driving safety improvement effect due to the display of the emphasized image is hindered due to the superimposed display of the external image and the information image.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the display control means causes a part of the information image to be displayed superimposed on the prohibited range outside the permitted range. According to this, the portion of the information image that is superimposed and displayed in the prohibited range outside the permitted range of the external image can be reliably suppressed from interference with the emphasized image in the permitted range of the external image. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the driving safety improvement effect due to the display of the emphasized image is hindered due to the superimposed display of the external image and the information image. In addition, since the information image is only partially superimposed with the prohibited range of the external image, a situation in which the display purpose of the information image is obstructed due to the superimposed display of the external image and the information image is avoided. It can be done.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the display control unit superimposes the information image on the prohibited range of the external image in which the emphasized image is not superimposed on the permitted range when the image of the attention object is not detected by the detection unit. When one synthesized image is displayed on the screen and the image of the attention object is detected by the detecting means, the second synthesized image in which the emphasized image and the information image are superimposed on the permitted range and the prohibited range of the external image, respectively, is displayed on the screen. Display. According to this, in the first composite image displayed when the image of the attention object is not detected, the information image is superimposed on the prohibited range of the external image, similarly to the second composite image in the case of the image detection. Therefore, the display purpose of the information image can be achieved regardless of the presence of the attention object. In addition, the emphasis image is superimposed on the allowed range of the external image in which the enhanced image is not superimposed on the first synthesized image when the image of the attention object is not detected, on the second synthesized image in the case of image detection. Therefore, the display purpose of the emphasized image that emphasizes the image of the attention object can be achieved in a timely manner.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the range setting means sets the permitted range and the prohibited range with respect to an external image formed by imaging the external environment of the vehicle with a night vision camera. According to this, the emphasis image and the information image are superimposed and displayed in the permitted range and the prohibited range of the external image, respectively, even when the vehicle that needs attention to the external person is traveling at night or in the dark. It becomes possible to contribute to the improvement of the driving safety of the vehicle.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show a schematic configuration of a vehicle display device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 shows an electric circuit configuration of the device 1.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the vehicle display device 1 functions as a combination meter, and includes an image display monitor 10, a display switch 20, an external camera 30, an image control circuit 40, a light source 50, a dimming switch 60, It is composed of a drive control circuit 70 and the like.

  The image display monitor 10 is installed in front of the driver's seat so that the screen 11 faces the driver's seat of the vehicle. Here, the image display monitor 10 of the present embodiment is a dot matrix type TFT transmissive liquid crystal monitor having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, and realizes full-color image display by driving these pixels. To do. Here, the pixels of the image display monitor 10 according to the present embodiment include three sub-pixels R, G, and B in which red, green, and blue color filters are respectively arranged, and control the drive of the image display monitor 10. The drive control circuit 70 is provided with a display control signal for instructing selection of gradation values for the sub-pixels for each pixel.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the image display monitor 10 includes an external display pixel area 14 configured to display an external image 12 and an emphasized image 13 including a plurality of pixels, and displays an information image 16 including a plurality of pixels. And an information display pixel area 18 to be displayed.

  Specifically, the external display pixel area 14 is set in a rectangular shape at a substantially central portion on the screen 11 of the image display monitor 10, and displays the external image 12 and the emphasized image 13 by driving the constituent pixels. The external image 12 is an image (that is, a moving image here) continuously obtained by photographing the external environment of the vehicle, and is displayed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 when the display switch 20 described later is turned on. When the switch 20 is turned off, an apparent non-display state is obtained as shown in FIG. Here, the external image 12 of the present embodiment is an achromatic image obtained by capturing an area in front of the vehicle where the visible light of the vehicle headlight does not reach in the external environment, that is, a night view image. Therefore, in this embodiment, in a situation where the ambient light illuminance is insufficient, such as when the vehicle travels at night or in a dark place, such as a pedestrian that is a cautionary object that needs attention to ensure driving safety of the vehicle. When a human is present in the front area of the vehicle, the external image 12 includes the human image 12a (hereinafter, referred to as “attention object image 12a”) as shown in FIG.

  In particular, with respect to the external image 12 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a permission range 120 in which detection of a cautionary object described later is permitted and a prohibited range 122 in which detection of the cautionary object is prohibited. And are set. Specifically, the upper edge portion in the external image 12 is a portion formed by imaging a front sky region in the external world of the vehicle. Therefore, the attention object on the ground surface that is a target for ensuring safety in the external world. The possibility that the body image 12a is reflected on the upper edge is extremely low. Further, the lower edge portion in the external image 12 is a portion obtained by imaging the nearest area ahead of the outside world of the vehicle, and therefore should be present in a remote area from the vehicle in a safe state in the outside world. The possibility that the image 12a of the attention object appears in the immediate area is extremely low. Accordingly, in the present embodiment, as shown by hatching in FIG. 6, both the upper edge portion and the lower edge portion of the external image 12 are set to the prohibited range 122, and the external image 12 excluding the prohibited range 122 is shown. The upper and lower direction intermediate portion is set to the allowable range 120.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the enhanced image 13 is an image that is superimposed on the permitted range 122 of the external image 12 in order to enhance the attention object image 12 a in the external image 12. The emphasized image 13 is displayed so as to be superimposed on the external image 12 so that the entire image 13 is within the permission range 120 when the attention object exists in front of the vehicle when the display switch 20 is turned on. Further, when the attention object does not exist in front of the vehicle even when the display switch 20 is turned on, the emphasized image 13 is not superimposed on the permission range 120 as shown in FIG. Only the external image 12 is displayed. Furthermore, the emphasized image 13 is not displayed together with the external image 12 as shown in FIG. 5 when the display switch 20 is turned off. In the present embodiment, a frame image surrounding the attention object image 12a in a rectangular frame shape as shown in FIG. 4 is adopted as the emphasized image 13, and a highly visible color (for example, the achromatic image 12) (for example, (Red).

  The information display pixel area 18 is set in a frame shape surrounding the external display pixel area 14 on the screen 11 of the image display monitor 10, and the information image 16 is displayed at a predetermined position of the frame shape by driving the constituent pixels. The information image 16 is an image for transmitting information necessary for driving the vehicle to the vehicle occupant, and is always displayed as shown in FIGS. Here, as the information image 16 of the present embodiment, there are three types: a vehicle speed instruction image 160 that indicates the vehicle speed, a fuel remaining amount instruction image 162 that indicates the remaining fuel amount, and a water temperature instruction image 164 that indicates the cooling water temperature. It is prepared.

  Specifically, the vehicle speed instruction image 160 is displayed on the screen 11 of the image display monitor 10 so as to surround a range of the external image 12 that is less than one round in the circumferential direction from the outer peripheral side. The vehicle speed instruction image 160 includes a plurality of scales 160a arranged on an arc curve, a plurality of characters (numbers and alphabets here) 160b arranged in the vicinity of the predetermined scale 160a, and a pointer 160c that is rotated and displayed according to the vehicle speed. It consists of and. As a result, the vehicle speed instruction image 160 as a whole has an arch shape that curves upward toward the screen 11. As shown in FIG. 6, in particular, in the present embodiment, the instruction image 160 displays the information so that a predetermined character 160 b that is a part of the vehicle speed instruction image 160 is superimposed on each of the prohibited ranges 122 set on the external image 12. Displayed in the pixel area 18. Further, in the present embodiment, when it is necessary to indicate the vicinity of the character 160 b to be superimposed in the prohibited range 122 by the pointer 160 c, the pointer 160 c that is a part of the vehicle speed instruction image 160 is also displayed superimposed on the prohibited range 122. It has become so.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the remaining fuel amount instruction image 162 is displayed on the right end of the screen 11 on the outer periphery side of the vehicle speed instruction image 160 on the screen 11. The fuel remaining amount instruction image 162 is rotated and displayed according to a plurality of scales 162a arranged on an arc curve, a plurality of characters (here alphabets) 162b arranged in the vicinity of the predetermined scale 162a, and the fuel remaining amount. The pointer 162c is configured as a whole and has an arch shape that curves convexly toward the right side of the screen 11. The water temperature instruction image 164 is displayed at the left end of the screen 11 on the outer side of the vehicle speed instruction image 160 on the screen 11. The water temperature instruction image 164 includes a plurality of scales 164a arranged on an arc curve, a plurality of characters (here, alphabets) 164b arranged in the vicinity of the predetermined scale 164a, and a pointer 164c that is rotated according to the cooling water temperature. The arch shape which curves to the left of the screen 11 as a whole is exhibited.

  The display switch 20 shown in FIG. 3 is installed, for example, around the image display monitor 10 in the vehicle, and is turned on / off to permit the display of the external image 12 on the image display monitor 10. That is, the occupant can input a permission command or a prohibition command for displaying the external image 12 by turning the display switch 20 on or off. The display switch 20 generates and outputs a display permission / rejection signal so as to indicate the command content related to the display of the external image 12.

  The external camera 30 captures a front area of the external environment of the vehicle with an image sensor such as a CCD. Here, the external camera 30 of the present embodiment is a night-vision camera that can shoot even in a situation where the illuminance of external light is insufficient, such as when the vehicle travels at night or in a dark place. As such an external camera 30, for example, it is installed on a front bumper or a front grill of a vehicle and irradiates infrared light forward from a dedicated projector or a vehicle headlight, and reflected light with respect to the irradiated light is received by an imaging device. Then, an infrared camera or the like that converts it into an image signal is employed.

  The image control circuit 40 shown in FIG. 2 is formed of a microcomputer, and is installed obliquely behind the image display monitor 10 in the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 3, the image control circuit 40 is electrically connected to the state value sensor unit 42 and has an image memory 44. Here, the state value sensor unit 42 of the present embodiment detects the vehicle state value displayed as the information image 16 by the image display monitor 10, that is, the vehicle speed, the remaining amount of fuel, the coolant temperature, and the like, and represents the detection results. The signal is output to the image control circuit 40. The image memory 44 is composed of an EEPROM, and the instruction images 160, 162, and 164 as the emphasized image 13 and the information image 16 are stored in advance.

  The image control circuit 40 is also electrically connected to the display switch 20 and the external camera 30. When the display permission signal output from the switch 20 indicates a display permission command for the external image 12 when the display switch 20 is turned on, the image control circuit 40 determines a predetermined frame size based on the image signal from the external camera 30. The external image 12 is acquired at a predetermined frame rate. Further, the image control circuit 40 sets the permitted range 120 and the prohibited range 122 for the acquired external image 12, and then performs image recognition processing such as pattern recognition in order to detect the image 12a of the attention object. Perform within range 120. At this time, the ranges 120 and 122 are set based on the pixel coordinates of the ranges 120 and 122 that are set in advance according to the frame size of the external image 12 and stored in the image memory 44. Yes.

  When the image 12a of the attention object is not detected by the image recognition process described above, the image control circuit 40 performs display control for displaying the first composite image 15 formed by combining the images 12 and 16 as shown in FIG. A signal is generated. Specifically, the image control circuit 40 reads each instruction image 160, 162, 164 as the information image 16 from the image memory 44. Further, the image control circuit 40 synthesizes the read instruction images 160, 162, 164 with the external image 12, and at least the character 160 b of the vehicle speed instruction image 160 as a part of the information image 16 and each prohibited range 122 outside the permitted range 120. A display control signal is generated so as to be superimposed. The superimposition at this time is performed by replacing the gradation value of the sub-pixel corresponding to the pixel coordinates for displaying the superimposition target (such as the character 160b) in the prohibited range 122 with the actual value of the display color of the superimposition target. Is called.

  On the other hand, when the image 12a of the attention object is detected by the image recognition process described above, the image control circuit 40 displays the second composite image 19 formed by combining the images 12, 13, 16 as shown in FIG. A display control signal for generating the display control signal is generated. Specifically, the image control circuit 40 combines the instruction images 160, 162, and 164 with the external image 12 in the same manner as when the image 12 a is not detected, and the entire emphasized image 13 is allowed in the external image 12. A display control signal is generated so as to be combined in 120. At this time, for the synthesis of the emphasized image 13, the pixel coordinates for superimposing the emphasized image 13 in the permitted range 120 of the external image 12 are calculated from the pixel coordinates of the image 12a, and the gradation values of the sub-pixels corresponding to the former pixel coordinates are obtained. This is done by replacing the display color of the emphasized image 13 with the actual value.

  On the other hand, when the display permission signal output from the switch 20 indicates the display prohibition command of the external image 12 when the display switch 20 is turned off, the image control circuit 40 does not acquire the external image 12, and as shown in FIG. A display control signal is generated so that only the instruction images 160, 162 and 164 as the information image 16 are displayed on the screen 11.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the light source 50 includes a light emitting diode 52 and a diffusion plate 54. The light-emitting diode 52 is a chip type and is installed obliquely behind the image display monitor 10 in the vehicle. The light emitting diode 52 is driven by energization to emit light. The diffusing plate 54 is formed of a light transmissive resin in a flat plate shape, and is disposed behind the image display monitor 10 in parallel with the monitor 10. The diffusing plate 54 diffuses incident light from the adjacent light emitting diodes 52 and emits the light from the light emitting surface 56 on the image display monitor 10 side, so that the light emission luminance on the light emitting surface 56 is substantially uniform over the entire area. To. As described above, the light source 50 emits a display image on the image display monitor 10 as a backlight that transmits and illuminates the entire image display monitor 10 from behind by the light from the light emitting surface 56.

  The dimming switch 60 shown in FIG. 3 is installed, for example, around the image display monitor 10 in the vehicle, and is variably operated to adjust the light emission luminance on the light emitting surface 56 of the light source 50. That is, the occupant can input an adjustment value related to the light emission luminance of the light source 50 by adjusting the operation position of the dimming switch 60. The dimming switch 60 generates and outputs a dimming command signal so as to represent an adjustment value related to the light emission luminance of the light source 50.

  The drive control circuit 70 shown in FIG. 2 includes a microcomputer, and is installed obliquely behind the image display monitor 10 in the vehicle. As shown in FIG. 3, the drive control circuit 70 is electrically connected to the image display monitor 10, the image control circuit 40, the light emitting diode 52 of the light source 50, and the dimming switch 60. The drive control circuit 70 controls the driving of each component pixel in the image display monitor 10 according to the display control signal output from the image control circuit 40, and the light emitting diode 52 in the light source 50 according to the dimming command signal output from the dimming switch 60. The light emission drive is controlled. Therefore, in this embodiment, in particular, the image control circuit 40 generates a display control signal and outputs the display control signal to the drive control circuit 70, whereby each component pixel of the image display monitor 10 is driven and controlled according to the signal. Image display is realized. Therefore, hereinafter, “the image control circuit 40 generates a display control signal and outputs it to the drive control circuit 70” will be described as “controlling the image display monitor 10”.

  Next, a control flow executed by the image control circuit 40 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. This control flow starts when the ignition switch of the vehicle is turned on.

  First, in step S101, it is determined whether the display permission signal from the display switch 20 represents a display permission command for the external image 12. As a result, when an affirmative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S102, and the external image 12 is acquired. In the subsequent step S103, a permission range 120 and a prohibition range 122 relating to the image detection of the attention object are set for the external image 12, and in step S104, the attention object is detected from within the permission range 120 of the external image 12. It is determined whether or not the image 12a is detected.

  If a negative determination is made in step S104, the process proceeds to step S105, and the first composite image 15 in which the information image 16 is superimposed on the prohibited range 122 of the external image 12 where the emphasized image 13 is not superimposed on the permitted range 122. Is displayed on the screen 11 under the control of the image display monitor 10. On the other hand, when an affirmative determination is made in step S104, the process proceeds to step S106, and the second composite image in which the emphasized image 13 and the information image 16 are superimposed on the permitted range 120 and the prohibited range 122 of the external image 12 respectively. 19 is displayed on the screen 11 under the control of the image display monitor 10.

  Up to this point, the case has been described in which an affirmative determination is made in step S101. However, if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S107, and only the information image 16 is displayed on the screen 11 under the control of the image display monitor 10. Let

  Note that after execution of steps S105, S106, and S107, the process proceeds to step S108 to determine whether or not the ignition switch is turned off. As a result, when an affirmative determination is made, the present control flow is terminated, whereas when a negative determination is made, the process returns to step S101 and the present control flow is continued.

  According to the present embodiment described above, since the entire emphasized image 13 is superimposed and displayed on the permission range 120 of the external image 12 that permits the detection of the image 12a of the attention object, the image 12a is surely emphasized. Can be realized. In addition, superimposition of the emphasized image 13 on the permitted range 120 is performed by displaying the second composite image 17 in the case of detecting the image 12a of the attention object, but in the case of non-detection, the superimposition of the first composite image 15 Since the display is not performed, the enhancement of the image 12a is realized in a timely manner. In addition, the vehicle speed instruction image 160 of the information image 16 is partially displayed in a prohibited range 122 that prohibits the detection of the attention object image 12 a outside the permitted range 120, so that the entire permitted range 120 is displayed. Is suppressed in the interference with the enhanced image 13 superimposed. According to these, even when the vehicle is traveling at night or in a dark place, the effect of improving the driving safety of the vehicle due to the display of the emphasized image 13 can be demonstrated as a solid effect.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the images 12 and 160 can be displayed close to each other by superimposing the external image 12 and the vehicle speed instruction image 160 in the prohibited range 122, so that a dead space in which no visible image is displayed is displayed. Less. Therefore, even on the screen 11 whose size is determined according to the specifications of the image display monitor 10, the outside image 12 can be displayed in a large size, and the effect of improving driving safety due to the display itself of the outside image 12 can be exhibited. In addition, the prohibited area 122 in which the vehicle speed instruction image 160 is superimposed on the external image 12 is set at the upper and lower edges where the image 12a of the attention object is very unlikely to be displayed. Therefore, it is possible to suppress a situation in which the driving safety improvement effect due to the above is hindered by the superposition.

  Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, in the first composite image 15 displayed when the image 12a of the attention object is not detected, and in the second composite image 17 displayed when the image 12a is detected, A part of the vehicle speed instruction image 160 is superimposed on the prohibited range 122 of the external image 12 where the emphasized image 13 is not superimposed. Therefore, the display purpose of the vehicle speed instruction image 160 can be achieved regardless of the presence of the attention object.

  In the embodiments described so far, the image control circuit 40 corresponds to “range setting means” and “detection means”, and the image control circuit 40 and the drive control circuit 70 together constitute “display control means”. Yes.

(Other embodiments)
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not construed as being limited to this embodiment, and can be applied to various embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  Specifically, the external image 12 may be an image obtained by capturing the external environment of the vehicle with a visible camera that uses reflected light of visible light. For the outside image 12, the prohibition range 122 may be set only in one of the upper edge and the lower edge, and the other of the upper edge and the lower edge may be set as a part of the permission range 120. .

  The information image 16 may be an instruction image other than the vehicle speed instruction image 160 as an image to be superimposed and displayed in the prohibited range 122 of the external image 12, or may be an abnormality in the remaining amount of fuel, an abnormal increase in the coolant temperature, or the like. A warning image for warning an abnormality may be used. Further, a part of the information image 16 may be superimposed and displayed on the permission area 120 of the external image 12 so as not to interfere with the emphasized image 13. Conversely, a part of the emphasized image 13 may be superimposed on the prohibited area 122 of the external image 12 so as not to interfere with the information image 12.

  The image display monitor 10 may be, for example, a reflective liquid crystal monitor or an EL (Electro-Luminescence) monitor in addition to the transmissive liquid crystal monitor. In addition to the vehicle display device 1 that functions as a combination meter, the present invention can be applied to, for example, a vehicle display device as a head-up display that displays a display image of an image display monitor on a combiner. is there.

It is a front view which shows schematic structure of the display apparatus for vehicles by one Embodiment of this invention, and the display state of a liquid crystal monitor. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the display apparatus for vehicles by one Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is the II-II sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the electric circuit structure of the display apparatus for vehicles by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the display state of the liquid crystal monitor of the display apparatus for vehicles by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the display state of the liquid crystal monitor of the display apparatus for vehicles by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the characteristic part of the display apparatus for vehicles by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control flow of the display apparatus for vehicles by one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display apparatus for vehicles, 10 Image display monitor, 11 screen, 12 External field image, 12a Image of attention object, 13 Highlight image, 14 External display pixel area, 15 1st synthesized image, 16 Information image, 18 Information display pixel area , 19 Second composite image, 20 display switch, 30 external camera, 40 image control circuit (range setting means / detection means / display control means), 42 state value sensor unit, 44 image memory, 50 light source, 60 dimming switch, 70 drive control circuit (display control means), 120 permitted area, 122 prohibited area, 160 vehicle speed instruction image, 160a scale, 160b character, 160c pointer, 162 fuel remaining amount instruction image, 164 water temperature instruction image

Claims (6)

On the screen, an image display monitor that displays an external image formed by imaging the external environment of the vehicle together with an information image necessary for driving the vehicle;
A range setting means for setting a permission range for allowing detection of an image of a target object requiring attention in the external image and a prohibition range for prohibiting detection of the image of the target object in the external image;
Detecting means for detecting an image of the attention object in the permitted range of the external image;
Display control means for controlling display on the screen of the image display monitor, wherein an emphasis image for emphasizing the image of the attention object detected by the detection means is displayed superimposed on the permission range, and the information Display control means for displaying an image superimposed on the prohibited range;
A vehicle display device comprising:   The vehicle display device according to claim 1, wherein the range setting unit sets at least one of an upper edge portion and a lower edge portion in the external image as the prohibited range.   The vehicle display device according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays the entire emphasized image so as to be superimposed on the permission range.   The vehicle display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the display control means causes a part of the information image to be displayed superimposed on the prohibited range outside the permitted range.   The display control unit is configured to superimpose the information image on the prohibited range of the external image in which the emphasized image is not superimposed on the permission range when the image of the attention object is not detected by the detection unit. An image is displayed on the screen, and when the image of the attention object is detected by the detection unit, the emphasized image and the information image are superimposed on the permitted range and the prohibited range of the external image, respectively. The vehicular display device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a two-composite image is displayed on the screen.   The said range setting means sets the said permission range and the said prohibition range with respect to the said external field image formed by imaging the external field of the said vehicle with a night vision camera, The any one of Claims 1-5 characterized by the above-mentioned. The vehicle display device according to the item.

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