JP2010179700A - Image display apparatus, motion detection apparatus, and operating system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique for preventing an obstacle from entering an optical path of a projected image in an image display apparatus being attached to a vehicle and including a projector for projecting an image and a screen for displaying the image. <P>SOLUTION: The image display apparatus includes a front screen 2 disposed in front of a seat; an image relay section disposed on the side or the rear and side of the seat; and the projector 1 for projecting the image by light which is away from the image relay section and disposed backward of the front screen. The image relay section includes a reflection part for reflecting the image projected from the projector to the front screen. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention provides an image display device that is provided in a vehicle and projects an image from a projector onto a screen, a motion detection device that detects a user motion based on position information of a shadow generated when the user blocks the image, and the motion The present invention relates to an operation system using a detection device.

  Conventionally, there is a projection-type image display device as a method for presenting an image to a user sitting in a driver's seat of a vehicle. This is composed of a projector that projects an image with light and a screen that displays the projected image, and a user can obtain information by visually recognizing the image on the screen. By applying such an image display device to, for example, a car navigation device or an in-vehicle television, useful information can be presented to the user, and convenience is improved. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-189725 (Patent Document 1) describes a method of using a projector for an image display system for a vehicle.

  In addition, when a user uses a car navigation device or the like, there is a situation in which not only an image is displayed but also an operation is performed by inputting some instruction. As an operation method suitable for giving an instruction to the projection-type image display device, there is a method of detecting position information of a shadow such as a user's hand as an instruction from the user. At this time, the user blocks the image projected on the screen from the projector with a hand or the like to cause a shadow on the screen, and gives an instruction based on the shape and movement of the shadow. The motion detection unit stores the shape and movement of the shadow in advance in association with the operation content. Then, an operation content is detected from an image obtained by photographing the screen with a camera. Therefore, the image display device, the camera, and the motion detection unit can be collectively regarded as a motion detection device.

  An operation method of a car navigation device or the like using such a motion detection device is more advantageous than other methods in terms of operability. In other words, if the operation method is a touch panel method, the user must get out and press a button, and if the operation method is a remote control method, the user must compare the remote control with the screen. However, any operation method using shadows as described above will not cause any problems. Therefore, there is a need to use a projection-type image display device in combination with an operation detection unit.

JP 2005-189725 A

  However, when a projection-type image display device is installed in a vehicle, it is necessary to provide a certain distance between the projector and the screen. This is because if the projector is too close to the screen, the projector itself obstructs the user's field of view. In addition, a projector that focuses with a lens requires a certain focal length depending on the size of the image.

  However, as the distance between the projector and the screen increases, the possibility that an obstacle enters the optical path for projecting an image from the projector increases. As an obstacle, the passenger | crew of a vehicle, the luggage | load loaded in the vehicle, etc. can be considered, for example. When the obstacle blocks the optical path in this way, a shadow falls on the screen, and the user cannot visually recognize the portion.

  In order to prevent an obstacle from entering the optical path, it is necessary to place the projector at a high place such as the ceiling or behind the screen. Further, in order to project an image with light, it is necessary to arrange a screen at a position that can be seen linearly from the installation position of the projector. As described above, when the projection type image display device is provided in the vehicle, there is a problem that the installation position of the projector and the screen is restricted, and the width of the space design in the vehicle is narrowed.

  On the other hand, the motion detection device combining the projection type image display device and the motion detection unit has a feature that the shadow size on the screen increases as the position of the projector lens and the hand approaches. When the size of the shadow increases, the user cannot visually recognize the object underneath, and the amount of information obtained from the screen decreases. In addition, it becomes difficult to understand which part of the shadow generated on the screen is being operated. Therefore, it is not preferable for the user that the projector lens and the hand are too close together.

  However, installing a projector behind the vehicle, for example behind a rear seat, to increase the distance to the screen increases the possibility of obstacles entering, causing shadows on the screen and reducing shadow detection accuracy. End up. Also, this measure cannot be taken for vehicles that do not have rear seats.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a technique for preventing a projection image from being blocked by an obstacle in a projection-type image display device provided in a vehicle. .

  A further object of the present invention is to provide a technique for suppressing the size of a shadow on a screen in a motion detection device in which a projection type image display device and a motion detection unit are combined.

(Image display device having a reflective portion)
In order to achieve the above object, the image display apparatus according to the present invention employs the following configuration. That is, an image display device provided in a vehicle, which is separated from a front screen installed in front of a seat, an image relay unit arranged on a side or rear side of the seat, and the image relay unit. And a projector that projects an image with light, and the image relay unit includes a reflection unit that reflects a projection image from the projector to the front screen. An image display device.

  In this way, the image relay unit uses the reflection unit to reflect the image projected by the projector to the screen, so that the optical path for projecting the image from the projector is positioned at a position where there is little possibility of an obstacle entering. Can be routed. For this reason, it is possible to avoid a situation in which an image of an obstacle is dropped on the screen and the image becomes difficult to see compared to the case of projecting an image directly from the projector onto the screen. As the reflecting portion, for example, a material that easily reflects light, such as a mirror, can be suitably used.

A preferred arrangement example of the projector, the image relay unit, and the screen when installing such an image display device will be described. First, a screen is placed on the dashboard between the driver seat and the passenger seat, and the projector is placed on the floor surface behind the screen in a direction that projects an image upward. Then, an image relay unit is attached above the projector. When an image is projected from the projector, the reflecting part reflects and projects it onto the front screen. In addition, this projector and the image relay unit are housed in one housing and shut off from the outside, so that an obstacle enters the optical path, an occupant in the rear seat operates accidentally, external light enters the optical path of the projected image, etc. Can prevent the situation.

(Image display device with rear seat screen)
In the image display apparatus according to the present invention, the following configuration may be employed. That is, in addition to the image display device having the reflection unit, a rear seat screen that displays an image to a passenger in the rear seat is provided, and the image relay unit guides the image projected by the projector to the rear seat screen. The image display device is characterized.

  The image relay unit in the image display device including the rear seat screen reflects the projection image to the front screen by the reflection unit and simultaneously outputs the image to the rear seat screen. As a method for outputting an image to the rear seat screen, it is conceivable that a partial region of the image projected on the image relay unit is transmitted through the rear seat screen without being reflected by the reflection unit.

  The installation position of the rear seat screen may be a position where light can be guided from the image relay unit. For example, it may be installed above the image relay unit, and the transmitted light may be projected directly onto the screen, or it may be installed in a position that is easy to see from the rear seat, such as being embedded in the headrest of the driver's seat, and the image is guided by reflection or the like. You may come.

  In this way, when the image from the projector is divided into the front seat and the rear seat, waste is reduced in terms of cost and in-vehicle space compared to the case where a projector for projecting the image on the rear seat screen is provided. Can do. Furthermore, it is easy to synchronize when the same image is displayed on the front and rear seats.

(Image display device with reflecting part made of half mirror)
In the case where the image display device according to the present invention includes a rear seat screen, the following configuration may be employed. That is, the reflection unit is a half mirror that reflects part of incident light and transmits part of the incident light, and the image relay unit outputs the image reflected by the reflection unit to the front screen and the transmitted image to the rear seat screen. An image display device characterized by the above.

  Since the half mirror partially reflects and transmits part of the incident light, the same image is displayed on the front screen and the rear seat screen. Thus, for example, information can be shared while viewing the same screen in the driver's seat and the rear seat, so that the passengers in the rear seat can guide the road or trigger communication. Needless to say, the advantage of providing the rear seat screen and providing an image to the rear seat to enhance convenience can be enjoyed as it is.

(Image display device in which the reflection unit spatially divides the projected image)
In the case where the image display device according to the present invention includes a rear seat screen, the following configuration may be employed. That is, the image relay unit is an image display device that reflects a certain area of the projection image from the projector to the front screen by the reflection unit and guides the remaining area to the rear seat screen.

  This configuration is particularly characterized in the configuration of the reflection portion in the image display device including the rear seat screen. In other words, the reflection unit reflects only a certain area, not the entire area of the projection image, and projects it on the front screen. By configuring the image relay unit so that other areas are guided to the rear seat screen by transmission or the like, images can be simultaneously provided to the front and rear seats.

  Which region of the projected image is reflected and projected onto the front screen can be freely set by devising the configuration of the reflecting portion. If the reflective area and the transparent area are finely interleaved, it is possible to display natural images on the front and rear screens.

  When a normal image is projected on such an image display device, the same image is projected on the two screens. Further, by dividing the image projected from the projector spatially, different images can be output on the front screen and the rear seat screen. In other words, the projected image may be configured so that the image to be displayed on the driver's seat hits the area that reflects the image in the reflecting portion, and the image to be displayed on the rear seat hits the area that transmits. If different images are projected before and after, for example, entertainment content can be provided to the passengers in the rear seats and map information can be displayed to the driver.

(Image display device in which the reflection unit divides the projected image in time)
In the case where the image display device according to the present invention includes a rear seat screen, the following configuration may be employed. That is, the reflection unit is configured by a movable member that can take a first position for reflecting the projection image from the projector to the front screen and a second position for reflecting the projection image to the rear seat screen without reflecting the projection image. The image relay unit is an image display device that causes the reflection unit to alternately take a first position and a second position at predetermined time intervals.

  This configuration is particularly characterized in the configuration of the reflection portion in the image display device including the rear seat screen. That is, the reflection part is made of a movable member that does not always reflect the projected image but can take a position to output it to the rear seat screen without reflection. When the image relay unit switches between the first position and the second position, images can be simultaneously displayed on the front screen and the rear seat screen.

  When a normal image is projected on such an image display device, the same image is projected on the two screens. Further, by dividing the image projected from the projector in time, different images can be output on the front screen and the rear seat screen. That is, an image desired to be displayed on the driver's seat is projected when the reflecting portion is at the first position, and an image desired to be displayed on the rear seat is projected when the reflecting portion is at the second position.

(Motion detection device)
In order to achieve the object of the present invention, in addition to the above image display device, the motion detection device according to the present invention projects a camera that displays the front screen, and the projector projects the image captured by the camera. A motion detection unit that detects a shadow generated by blocking the image and detects a user motion based on positional information of the shadow.

  According to such a motion detection device, the projected image is relayed and displayed on the screen by the image relay unit, thereby ensuring a longer optical path than when projecting directly from the projector onto the screen. As a result, when the user gives an instruction using the hand shadow, the distance between the projector lens and the hand does not become too close, so the size of the hand shadow on the screen can be suppressed. it can. Therefore, it becomes easier for the user to visually recognize the image, and the operability is improved.

  Further, when the rear seat screen is provided, the rear seat passenger can also be operated by providing a means for transmitting a user instruction on the rear seat screen.

(Operation system)
In order to achieve the object of the present invention, an operation system according to the present invention includes an information processing unit that causes each part of a vehicle to execute processing corresponding to a user action detected by the motion detection device, in addition to the motion detection device described above. Is provided.

  According to the projection-type image display device provided in the vehicle according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the projection image from being blocked by an obstacle. Further, according to the motion detection device of the present invention, it is possible to suppress the size of the shadow on the screen.

It is a figure explaining Embodiment 1, FIG. 1A shows the structure of an operation | movement detection apparatus, and FIG. 1B shows the state of a screen. The block diagram of an operation | movement detection apparatus. The block diagram of an operation | movement detection part. Sectional drawing when a projector and a reflection part are stored in a housing. 3 is a configuration of an image display device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6A shows an example of dividing the image in the scanning direction, and FIG. 6B shows an example of dividing the image into blocks. FIGS. 7A and 7B are images related to the second embodiment, and FIG. 7B is an image to be displayed on the rear seat screen. FIG. 7C is a projected image. FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate a reflection unit according to the third embodiment. FIG. 8A illustrates a state where the shutter is closed, and FIG. 8B illustrates a state where the shutter is open. 10 is a time chart when outputting the same image to the front screen and the rear seat screen in the third embodiment. 10 is a time chart when different images are output to the front screen and the rear seat screen in the third embodiment. 11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining a conventional motion detection apparatus using a hand shadow, in which FIG. 11A shows the configuration of the motion detection apparatus, and FIG. 11B shows the state of the screen. It is a figure explaining the comparative example 2, FIG. 12A shows the structure of an operation | movement detection apparatus, FIG. 12B shows the state of a screen.

  Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, configurations, functions, and effects of the image display device and the motion detection device will be described. An operation system that performs image display, car navigation, and the like using these image display devices and motion detection devices will also be described.

<Embodiment 1>
As the image display device and the motion detection device employed in the first embodiment, an image display device and a motion detection device that reflect an image projected by a projector by a reflection unit and output the image to the front screen will be described.

(Overview of user motion and motion detection device)
The motion detection device detects a user motion from position information of a user's hand shadow generated on the screen. Here, the user operation refers to an operation performed by the user to give an instruction to the apparatus. For example, when a car navigation device is used and the navigation screen is displayed on the screen, the button displayed in the projected image is pressed, the projected image is scrolled, and the map is displayed as the projected image. Various operations such as selecting a destination can be assumed. Further, if a television device is used and a volume change button / channel selection button is displayed on the screen together with the television broadcast screen, it is possible to operate these buttons. That is, the user operation referred to here is an operation corresponding to a user interface defined in advance by an in-vehicle device using a screen. The user interface may be different for each apparatus, and a common common operation may be provided.

(Configuration of motion detection device)
With reference to FIG. 2, a configuration example of a motion detection apparatus using a projection type image display apparatus will be described. The projector 1 projects an image on the front screen 2. The front screen 2 is installed at a position where it can be easily seen from the driver's seat, and the vicinity of the dashboard between the driver's seat and the driver's seat and the passenger seat is preferable. Since the projector 1 projects an image on the front screen 2 with light, a position where no obstacle enters between the two is preferable. An image projected by the projector 1 is created by the information processing unit 5. The user moves the hand 6 to block the projected image, thereby causing a shadow 7 on the front screen 2. Therefore, the height at which the projector 1 is installed is set within a range in which the projected image can give up the user's hand. The camera 3 captures the front screen 2 from a position that does not overlap the user's hand. The motion detection unit 4 analyzes the captured image to acquire shadow position information, and detects a user motion. The information processing unit 5 recognizes the operation content requested by the user based on the user operation, and creates an image to be displayed next.

(User action detection method)
A method in which the motion detection unit 4 detects a user motion from a captured image will be described with reference to FIG. The motion detection unit 4 includes a shadow detection unit 41, a pattern storage unit 42, and a pattern comparison unit 43. First, the shadow detector 41 detects the position information of the shadow area based on the brightness contrast in the captured image. The pattern storage unit 42 is a storage device, and stores an image pattern for recognizing whether the detected shadow is a shadow such as a hand, and what action is performed if it is a shadow such as a hand. Yes. Therefore, the pattern comparison unit 43 compares the shadow detected by the shadow detection unit 41 with the image pattern stored in the pattern storage unit 42 to determine whether it is a shadow such as a hand and what kind of operation is performed. Recognize The user action detected in this way is used by the information processing unit 5.

  Note that such an operation detection device can be applied to various in-vehicle devices. In particular, it is suitable for a device having a function of displaying an image on a screen and receiving an instruction from the user and providing a user interface that can be intuitively understood by the user.

(Control 1)
FIG. 11A shows an example of a projection type image display device that can be used in the motion detection device. Here, the projector 1 directly projects an image on the front screen 2. However, when such an image display device is employed in the motion detection device, inconvenience due to the distance relationship between the projector and the front screen occurs.

  For example, when the car navigation device is displaying a map on the screen and the user tries to operate while blocking the projection image, the position of the projector and the user's hand is too close, as shown in FIG. 11B. A large area inside is blocked by the shadow 7. As a result, it is impossible to confirm what is under the shadow of the user's hand that is displayed large on the screen, so that operability is degraded.

(Control 2)
Subsequently, as Control Example 2, a projector arrangement for avoiding the problem that the shadow on the screen in Control Example 1 is too large will be described. That is, in a vehicle having a rear seat, as shown in FIG. 12A, the projector is installed further rearward than the rear seat. Here, when the image projected from the projector is blocked by the user's hand, since the distance between the projector and the hand is large, the size of the hand shadow can be suppressed as in the screen shown in FIG. 12B.

However, although there is an advantage in terms of the size of the shadow, an occupant or a load in the rear seat enters between the projector and the hand, and the possibility that the image projection is disturbed increases. Moreover, it cannot be applied to a vehicle that does not have a rear seat. Therefore, in order to suppress the size of the hand shadow on the screen and avoid obstacles, an image projection method is adopted in which the distance between the projector and the hand is widened so that no obstacle enters between the two. There is a need.

(Configuration of image display apparatus of this embodiment)
The image display apparatus according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 1A, the projector 1 is installed on the floor surface with the lens facing upward. A reflector 8 that reflects incident light is installed substantially above the projector 1. When receiving the image projection from the projector 1, the reflection unit 8 reflects and outputs the image toward the front screen 2.

  When installing the reflection unit, it is necessary to set the position so that no obstacle enters between the front screen and the front screen for the purpose of projecting an image on the front screen. In consideration of application to a motion detection device, a positional relationship that allows the user's hand to reach the optical path from the reflector to the screen is desirable. Also, when installing the projector, it is important that no obstacles enter between the reflectors. Of course, the front screen must be in a position that is visible to the user of the driver's seat.

  As a suitable arrangement example in consideration of the above, the front screen is installed on the dashboard between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, and the projector is said to be in the middle between the driver's seat and the passenger seat in the left and right direction, in the front and rear direction. Install near the boundary between the front and rear seats, with the lens facing up. Then, the reflection unit is fixed and suspended above the projector and on the ceiling in the direction in which the image is projected. The reflection part of the reflection part is installed at an angle that reflects the incident light from the projector to the front screen. Thereby, the distance by which an image is projected can be extended while preventing an obstacle from entering the optical path. In addition, for example, a projector is installed on the floor under the driver's seat, and light is guided upward through the space in the backrest of the driver's seat. Then, a method of passing the projection image to the vicinity of the left shoulder of the driver's seat or the reflection part on the driver's head via the headrest and reflecting it on the screen can be considered. Further, as a variation of the method of fixing the reflecting portion, a support member having a height from the floor surface to the arm of the driver's seat can be provided and fixed thereto. Further, the same effect can be obtained even when the projector is arranged upside down, the projector is arranged with the lens facing downward near the ceiling, and the light of the projector is reflected forward by the reflecting portion.

  Further, the material of the reflecting portion 8 needs to reflect incident light to a considerable extent, and it is preferable to use a mirror. Further, when installing the reflector 8, it is necessary to make the position and angle accurate with respect to the projector and the screen in order to align the positions of the incident light and the reflected light. Therefore, the positional relationship may be fixed by housing the projector and the reflection unit in the same casing. A cross-sectional view of such a housing is shown in FIG. As a result, it is possible to expect a further effect of avoiding a situation in which an obstacle is inserted between the projector and the reflection unit, which is operated by a passenger in the rear seat.

(Application to motion detection device)
The motion detection device can be made by adding the camera 3 and the motion detection unit 4 to the image display device. Although not shown here, when the camera 3 is installed, it is necessary to photograph the entire screen (without being obstructed by the user's hand or other obstacles). It is preferable to place them in different directions. Further, the operation detection unit 4 may be realized by a dedicated circuit, or may be realized by a CPU (not shown) executing a program stored in a memory (not shown).

In order to give an instruction to the operation system including the motion detection device, the user shields the image reflected by the reflection unit with his hand and causes a shadow on the screen. At this time, since the projected image passes through the reflecting portion, the distance from the projector to the user's hand is sufficiently large. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1B, the size of the shadow generated on the screen is suppressed, and it does not hinder the user from viewing the information on the screen.

(effect)
As described above, in the image display apparatus according to the present embodiment, the image relay unit reflects the projection image using the reflection unit, so that an obstacle is unlikely to enter between the projector and the screen. As a result, it is possible to avoid a situation in which a shadow falls on the image and to improve visibility. Furthermore, according to the motion detection device in which the camera and the motion detection unit are combined with this image display device, it is possible to secure the distance between the projector and the hand when the user performs an operation using the shadow of the hand. Since the size of the shadow of the hand on the top can be suppressed, the visibility is improved and a comfortable operation for the user can be realized.

<Embodiment 2>
An image display device and an operation detection device employed in the second embodiment will be described. A feature of this embodiment is that it has a rear seat screen for providing images to passengers in the rear seat and outputs images projected by the projector to two screens, a driver seat and a rear seat. Moreover, the same image can be output to the driver seat and the rear seat by using a half mirror as the reflecting portion.

(Device configuration)
FIG. 5 shows an outline of a motion detection apparatus having a rear seat screen. The point which has the projector 1, the front screen 2, and the reflection part 8 is the same as that of Embodiment 1. FIG. Furthermore, a camera 3, an operation detection unit 4, and an information processing unit 5 (not shown) are also provided, which can detect a user operation and receive an operation instruction from the user.

  The feature of the motion detection apparatus employed in the present embodiment is that an image is displayed by installing a rear seat screen 9 at a position where a passenger in the rear seat can visually recognize, for example, above the reflector 8 as shown. In order to project an image on the rear seat screen 9, the reflecting portion 8 in the figure is constituted by a half mirror, which transmits part of incident light and outputs it upward, and part of it is reflected on the front screen 2 by reflection. Output.

  The rear seat screen 9 is installed adjacent to the back surface of the reflecting portion 8 (a surface different from the reflecting surface), and an image transmitted through the reflecting portion 8 is projected from the back surface. Such a projection method can be realized, for example, by using a transmission type diffusion screen or the like used in a rear projection apparatus as a material for the rear seat screen 9. As another method of projecting an image on the rear seat screen 9, an image transmitted through the reflecting unit 8 may be relayed to a mirror and displayed.

  In the present embodiment, the projector, the front screen, and the rear seat screen can be installed at various positions. For example, in FIG. 5, a projector is installed between the driver's seat and the passenger seat in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and near the rear end of the driver's seat in the front-rear direction, and the image relay unit is located above the projector and further above the image relay unit. A rear seat screen is provided. As another example, an installation form in which the rear seat screen is embedded in the headrest of the driver's seat and the transmitted light is guided by a mirror is also possible.

  Furthermore, by incorporating an interface that allows the passenger in the rear seat to operate while looking at the rear seat screen, the operation can be shared with the passenger in the driver seat. As the interface, for example, it is conceivable to operate the rear seat screen as a touch panel, or to install a button near the rear seat screen.

(effect)
According to this embodiment, it becomes possible to display an image on the rear seat screen, and the convenience and comfort of the passenger in the rear seat is increased. The same image is provided to the driver's seat and the rear seat by using a half mirror as the reflecting section, so that information can be shared between the driver's seat and the rear seat passenger, for example, Or find common topics and activate communication. In addition, if it is possible to recognize the instruction by detecting the user action of the passenger in the rear seat, for example, the car navigation device can be operated by the passenger in the rear seat, which is safer than the driver operating it. Increases nature. In addition, according to the present embodiment, since it is sufficient to install one projector, it is extremely advantageous in terms of cost and in-vehicle space as compared with the case where a projector for a rear seat screen is provided.

<Embodiment 3>
An image display device and an operation detection device employed in the third embodiment will be described. The image display device and the motion detection device spatially divide the projection image, and output the image reflected by the reflection unit to the front screen and the transmitted image to the rear seat screen.

(Device configuration)
The configuration itself of the image display apparatus according to the present embodiment is not significantly different from that described in the second embodiment. That is, a rear seat screen 9 is provided in addition to the projector 1, the front screen 2, and the image relay unit 8. Moreover, it can utilize as an operation | movement detection apparatus by adding a camera and an operation | movement detection part not shown to an image display apparatus.

(Configuration of reflector)
Since one feature of the present embodiment is the configuration of the reflecting portion, description will be made with reference to the schematic diagram of the reflecting portion shown in FIG. 6A. In the figure, the white part is a mirror with high reflectance, and the shaded part is made of a material with high transmittance. Thereby, a part of the image incident from the projector is output to the front screen by reflection, and a part is output to the rear seat screen by transmission. Note that when the reflecting part is actually created, a more natural image can be provided as the width of the mirror part and the transmissive part is reduced. Further, the division of the image is not limited to the scanning direction. For example, it may be divided into small blocks and displayed using a reflective portion as shown in FIG. 6B.

(When projecting the same image on the front and back seats)
Here, when a normal projection image is incident, the mirror portion is reflected on the front screen, and the transmission portion is output on the rear seat screen. Therefore, if the mirror part and the transmission part are configured to be sufficiently finely divided, the same image as the projection image is projected on the driver's seat and the rear seat, although the brightness may be slightly lowered.

(When different images are projected on the front and back seats)
It is also possible to provide different images for the driver seat and the rear seat using the image display apparatus according to the present embodiment, and the method will be described below. FIG. 7A shows an image to be output to the front seat, and FIG. 7B shows an image to be output to the rear seat. A combination of these two images is used as an image projected from the projector. That is, each image is divided into eight in the scanning direction (A1 to A8, B1 to B8), and the divided images are arranged every other image. That is, the divided images are arranged in the order of (A1, B2, A3, B4, A5, B6, A7, B8) as shown in FIG. 7C from the top to the bottom of the projected image. When this image is projected onto the reflecting portion of FIG. 6A, an image in which FIG. 7A is arranged in a line is displayed on the front screen, and an image in which FIG. 7B is arranged in a line is displayed on the rear seat screen.

In addition, it is possible to detect a user operation of a passenger in the rear seat by providing a camera and a motion detection unit on the rear seat screen to detect motion using the shadow of the hand, or by configuring the rear seat screen with a touch panel. It becomes possible. A passenger in the rear seat can operate the car navigation device. If the driver operates the car navigation device while driving, there is a risk of distraction, but the danger can be prevented by having the passenger in the rear seat operate it.

(effect)
By providing a rear seat screen and transmitting the projection image from the projector as in the present embodiment, information can be provided to the passengers in the rear seat by image. If the images displayed on the screens of both the driver's seat and the rear seat are the same, the driver and the occupant can drive while looking at the same image, have a common topic, and share the navigation screen Thus, it is possible to enjoy the same effects as in the second embodiment, such as being able to drive while being guided by a passenger in the rear seat.

  Furthermore, it is possible to provide different images to the driver's seat and the rear seat by spatially dividing the projected image and the reflecting portion adopting a filter structure corresponding to it. As a result, for example, road guidance information is provided to the driver, and entertainment content is provided to the rear seat, which can contribute to an increase in convenience and comfort. It can also be used as a motion detection device, and can be operated not only by the driver's seat but also by a passenger in the rear seat.

<Embodiment 4>
An image display device and an operation detection device employed in the fourth embodiment will be described. In the image display device and the motion detection device, the reflection unit alternately performs reflection and transmission at predetermined time intervals to output an image on the front screen and the rear seat screen. The configuration of the image display device / motion detection device having the rear seat screen is the same as that described in the third embodiment.

(Configuration of reflector)
FIG. 8 shows a configuration example of the reflecting section used in the present embodiment. The image relay unit includes a reflection unit 8, and the reflection unit 8 includes a plate-shaped movable member 81. The movable member 81 includes a shutter that opens and closes with respect to the optical path by rotating around the axis at predetermined time intervals. The shutter is a mirror that reflects incident light. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8A, when the shutter is closed (first position), the projection image is reflected and output to the front screen. Further, as shown in FIG. 8B, when the shutter is open (second position), the projection image is transmitted and output to the rear seat screen.

  In addition, the structure of the reflection part used by this embodiment is not restricted to this. For example, the number of movable members 81 can be set to an appropriate number according to the size of the screen and the distance from the projector. In the figure, the rotation axis of the movable member is the left-right direction of the vehicle, but it may be the front-rear direction of the vehicle. Moreover, the aperture shape that can open and close the shutter may reflect the projected image when it is closed and transmit it when it is opened.

(When projecting the same image on the front and back seats)
When it is desired to display the same image on the front screen and the rear seat screen, it is not necessary to be aware of the configuration of the projection image, and the shutter opening / closing operation of the reflection unit may be performed with an appropriate time interval. A time chart in this case is shown in FIG. Here, the frame rate of the projected image 101 is 60 frames per second, and the shutter is repeatedly opened and closed every 1/120 second. Accordingly, since the image can be projected in the image 102 output to the driver's seat and the image 103 output to the rear seat without missing a frame, it is suitable for projecting a moving image. Also, if the shutter opening / closing speed is 1/60 seconds, an image with frames dropped at intervals of one frame is output. If the image has a small movement such as text information, it can be viewed without a sense of discomfort.

(When different images are projected on the front and back seats)
FIG. 10 shows a time chart when different images are projected on the driver's seat and the rear seat. An image 201 to be output to the front screen and an image 202 to be output to the rear seat screen are moving images of 60 frames per second, and are composed of frames D1 to D6 and R1 to R6, respectively. When the information processing unit creates the projection image 203, frames are extracted from both images alternately.

  Then, in conjunction with the timing of switching the projected image, the shutter repeats opening and closing every 1/60 seconds, whereby the images are temporally divided and output. The images output in this way are an image 204 actually output to the driver seat and an image 205 actually output to the rear seat in the figure.

(effect)
According to the present embodiment, the same image or different images can be projected on the driver's seat and the rear seat, and the benefits of Embodiment 3 that convenience and comfort are improved can be enjoyed as they are. Further, compared to the case where the projected image is spatially divided, there is an advantage that fine alignment is not necessary, so that it can be used without reducing the function even in an environment where vibration is intense.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Projector 2 Front screen 3 Camera 4 Motion detection part 5 Information processing part 8 Reflection part 9 Rear seat screen

Claims (11)

An image display device provided in a vehicle,
A front screen installed in front of the seat;
An image relay unit disposed on the side or rear side of the seat;
A projector that is installed behind the front screen and spaced apart from the image relay unit, and projects an image by light;
The image display device, wherein the image relay unit includes a reflection unit that reflects a projection image from the projector to the front screen.   The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the seat is a driver's seat. The image display device according to claim 2, wherein the projector is installed on a floor surface between a driver seat and a passenger seat in a vehicle. A rear seat screen that displays images to the passengers in the rear seats,
The image display device according to claim 1, wherein the image relay unit guides an image projected by the projector to a rear seat screen. The reflection part is a half mirror that reflects a part of incident light and transmits a part thereof;
The image display device according to claim 4, wherein the image relay unit outputs an image reflected by the reflection unit to a front screen and outputs an image transmitted through the reflection unit to a rear seat screen. 5. The image display according to claim 4, wherein the image relay unit reflects a predetermined area of the projection image from the projector to the front screen by the reflection unit and guides the remaining area to the rear seat screen. apparatus. The image projected by the projector is spatially divided by the content displayed on the front screen and the content displayed on the rear seat screen,
The image display device according to claim 6, wherein the image relay unit outputs different images to the front screen and the rear seat screen. The reflection unit is configured by a movable member capable of taking a first position for reflecting the projection image from the projector to the front screen and a second position for reflecting the projection image to the rear seat screen without reflecting the projection image. ,
The image display device according to claim 4, wherein the image relay unit causes the reflection unit to alternately take a first position and a second position at predetermined time intervals. The image projected by the projector is divided in time by switching the content displayed on the front screen and the content displayed on the rear seat screen at predetermined time intervals,
9. The image relay unit according to claim 8, wherein the image relay unit outputs different images to the front screen and the rear seat screen by interlocking the timing for switching the image and the timing for changing the position of the reflection unit. Image display device. The image display device according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
A camera for photographing the front screen;
A motion detection unit that detects a shadow generated by blocking an image projected by the projector from an image captured by the camera and detects a user motion based on positional information of the shadow; Motion detection device. The motion detection device according to claim 10;
An operation system comprising: an information processing unit that performs processing according to a user action detected by the motion detection unit.

Images