JP2013108852A - Navigation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation device which can prevent a user from becoming inattentive to a part of a vehicle ahead in a real-time video image due to a route guidance mark image displayed in superimposition on the real-time video image on a display unit.SOLUTION: A navigation device, supporting vehicle-driving along a route by displaying a route guidance mark image with a predetermined first image density in superimposition on a real-time video image of the ahead of a vehicle on a display unit 13, comprises: ahead-condition determination means (S12) for determining whether a vehicle exists ahead of the vehicle itself, in displaying the route guidance mark image superimposed on the real-time video image on the display unit 13; and mark image density adjustment means (S16) for adjusting the density of the route guidance mark image displayed in superimposition on the real video image on the display unit 13 to a second image density lower than the first image density if it is determined that a vehicle exists ahead of the vehicle itself.

Description

  The present invention superimposes and displays a route guidance mark image that indicates a traveling route such as straight, left turn, right turn, etc. on an actual image (Augmented Reality) obtained by a camera that captures the front of the vehicle, and drives the vehicle along the route. The present invention relates to a navigation device that assists.

  Conventionally, a navigation device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. In this navigation device, a route guidance arrow (a route guidance mark image for instructing a travel route) is superimposed and displayed on a real image obtained by a camera that captures the front of the vehicle on the display unit. Thereby, the user (vehicle driver) can perform driving operations such as a left turn and a right turn at an intersection according to the route guidance arrow displayed while superimposing the live-action image displayed on the display unit. Can do.

  In this conventional navigation device, when another vehicle is present in front of the host vehicle, a route guidance arrow is displayed on the upper part of the screen which is difficult to be blocked by the front vehicle part in the live-action image, so that The overlap between the vehicle part and the route guidance arrow is reduced, and easy-to-understand route guidance is possible. In addition, Patent Document 1 proposes to change the color of the route guidance arrow to a color that is easy to visually recognize in consideration of the background color of the route guidance arrow when another vehicle is present in front of the host vehicle. Yes.

JP 2011-47649 A

  The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above is a navigation device that supports a driving operation along a route by displaying a route guidance arrow superimposed on a live-action image obtained by a camera that captures the front of the vehicle on a display unit. The route guidance arrow is displayed so as to be superimposed on the live-action image with as much visibility as possible without being obstructed by the front vehicle portion in the live-action image.

  However, if the route guidance arrow is displayed with good visibility without being obstructed by the front vehicle portion in the live-action image, the user's (driver) 's attention is given to the route guidance arrow with good visibility. However, attention to the part of the vehicle ahead in the live-action image may be distracted.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and the user is distracted with attention to the portion of the vehicle ahead in the live-action video by the route guidance mark image displayed on the real-time video on the display unit. It is an object of the present invention to provide a navigation device that can prevent this from occurring.

  The navigation device according to the present invention superimposes a route guidance mark image for instructing a travel route on a display unit that displays a live-action image obtained by a camera that captures the front of the vehicle on the live-action image at a predetermined first image density. A navigation device that assists in driving a vehicle along a route, and the vehicle is present in front of the host vehicle when the display unit displays the route guidance mark image on the live-action image. Forward situation determination means for determining whether or not the vehicle is in a situation where a vehicle is present in front of the host vehicle by the forward situation determination means, and is displayed on the display unit so as to overlap with the live-action image And a mark image density adjusting means for adjusting the route guidance mark image to be adjusted at a second image density lower than the first image density.

  With such a configuration, when the route guidance mark image is displayed on the display unit so as to be superimposed on the actual image obtained by the camera that captures the front of the vehicle, The route guidance mark image displayed superimposed on the video is adjusted from the first image density to the second image density lower than that.

  The second image density lower than the first image density can be expressed by a low degree of the color density if the route guidance mark image completely shields the background image (opaque), If the route guidance mark image passes through the background image with a certain ratio (transmittance), it can be expressed by the high transmittance of the route guidance mark image.

  In the navigation apparatus according to the present invention, the front situation determination means may display the route guidance mark image indicating the travel route at the intersection ahead of the host vehicle on the display unit, while displaying the route guidance mark image on the actual projection. It can be set as the structure which determines whether it is the situation where a vehicle exists between the own vehicles.

  With such a configuration, a route for instructing a travel route (for example, a left turn route, a right turn route, a straight route, etc.) at an intersection ahead of the host vehicle is superimposed on a live-action image obtained by a camera that captures the front of the vehicle on the display unit. When the guidance mark image is displayed, if there is a vehicle between the vehicle and the intersection, the route guidance mark image displayed on the live-action image is lower than the first image density. Two image density is adjusted.

  The navigation device according to the present invention further includes travel determination means for determining whether or not the host vehicle is traveling, and the mark image density adjusting unit is configured so that the host vehicle is not traveling by the travel determination unit. Even if it is determined that the vehicle is present in front of the host vehicle by the forward situation determination unit when the determination is made, the route guidance mark image displayed on the live-action image on the display unit is displayed. A mark image density maintaining means for maintaining the first image density may be provided.

  With such a configuration, when the host vehicle is not traveling, the second image density in which the route guidance instruction mark image is lower than the first image density on the display unit even in a situation where a vehicle ahead of the host vehicle exists. Instead, the first image density is maintained.

  Further, in the navigation device according to the present invention, the navigation apparatus includes a distance measuring unit that measures a distance between the vehicle existing in front of the intersection and the host vehicle, and the mark image density adjusting unit includes the display A distance response mark image density unit for adjusting the second image density of the route guidance mark image displayed to be superimposed on the photographed image in the unit so that the second image density decreases as the distance measured by the distance measurement unit decreases. It can be configured.

  With such a configuration, as the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle ahead becomes smaller, that is, as the vehicle approaches the vehicle ahead, the image density ( (Second image density) is adjusted to be lower.

  According to the navigation device of the present invention, when the route guidance mark image is displayed on the real image obtained by the camera that captures the front of the vehicle on the display unit, the vehicle is present in front of the host vehicle. And the route guidance mark image displayed superimposed on the live-action video image is adjusted from the first image density to the second image density lower than the first image density, so that the user can use the route guidance mark image displayed superimposed on the live-action video image. However, it is possible to prevent the attention to the front vehicle portion in the photographed video from being distracted.

It is a block diagram which shows the fundamental structure of the vehicle-mounted apparatus with which the navigation apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention is applied. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the process which concerns on the display by the process unit in the vehicle-mounted apparatus shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the inter-vehicle distance between a preceding vehicle and the own vehicle, and the density | concentration (transmittance) of the route guidance mark image displayed on a display part so that it may overlap. It is a figure which shows an example of the captured image displayed on a display part. It is a figure which shows the state (the 1) by which the route guidance mark image (left turn route guidance mark) was superimposed and displayed on the real image in the display part. It is a figure which shows the state (the 2) by which the route guidance mark image (left turn route guidance mark) was displayed on the display part on the display part. It is a figure which shows the state (the 3) by which the route guidance mark image (left turn route guidance mark) was displayed by being superimposed on the real image on the display unit. It is a figure which shows the state (the 4) by which the route guidance mark image (left turn route guidance mark) was superimposed and displayed on the real image in the display part. It is a figure which shows the state (the 5) by which the route guidance mark image (left-turn route guidance mark) was displayed on the real image in the display part.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  An in-vehicle device to which a navigation device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied is configured as shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 1, an in-vehicle device 100 has a processing unit 11 composed of a computer unit (including a CPU). The processing unit 11 reproduces music and video from a disk medium such as a CD or a DVD. An AV unit 17 and a navigation unit 18 for performing vehicle navigation processing are connected. The processing unit 11 also includes a storage unit 14 (for example, a storage unit 14 for storing information used in the AV unit 17, information used in the navigation unit 18 (map information, facility information, etc.), and various other information. , Hard disk), a display unit 13 provided in the vehicle interior and configured by an LCD or the like, an operation unit 12 including operation buttons and a touch panel configured in the display unit 13, and a speaker 16 provided in the vehicle interior. An output circuit 15 for supplying a signal is connected. Furthermore, a camera 19 that captures the front of the vehicle from the passenger compartment is connected to the processing unit 11, and the processing unit 11 causes the display unit 13 to display a live-action image in front of the vehicle based on a video signal from the camera 19. be able to.

  The display unit 13 may be configured by a display panel such as an LCD provided on an instrument panel in the vehicle interior, or may be configured by a screen provided at a predetermined position in the front of the vehicle interior. There may be.

  In the in-vehicle device 100 configured as described above, the camera 19 that captures the front of the vehicle on the display unit 13 based on the information obtained by the vehicle navigation process executed by the navigation unit 18 under the control of the processing unit 11. A route guidance mark image (a left turn route guidance mark image, a right turn route guidance mark image, a straight travel route guidance mark image, etc.) that indicates a travel route is displayed superimposed on the obtained real image, and various guidance sounds are output via the output circuit 15. And output from the speaker 16. Such vehicle navigation processing provides vehicle driving assistance to the driver.

  In the navigation process, the processing unit 11 executes a display process according to the procedure shown in FIG.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the processing unit 11 causes the display unit 13 to display a live-action image _IRL obtained by a camera 19 that captures the front of the vehicle. In this state, the processing unit 11 determines whether there is an intersection within a predetermined distance ahead of the host vehicle based on the host vehicle position information and the road map information (S11). If it is determined that there is an intersection within a predetermined distance ahead of the host vehicle (YES in S11), the processing unit 11 further determines whether the vehicle is located between the front intersection and the host vehicle based on the live-action image _IRL obtained from the camera 19. It is determined whether or not a situation exists (S12).

If it is determined that the vehicle does not exist between the front intersection and the host vehicle (NO in S12), the processing unit 11 determines the travel route at the intersection based on the travel route information set by the navigation process. Then, the image density (image transmittance) of the route guidance mark image (eg, left turn route guidance mark image) indicating the travel route (eg, left turn route) obtained by the determination is set as the normal image density Do (normal image transmission). Rate (Tro) (first image density) (S15). Then, the processing unit 11, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the intersection P route guidance mark image that instructs a travel route with _INT (left turn route guidance mark image) I _M the determined normal image density Do (usually in the image transmission Tro) superimposed on the photographed image _{I RL} is displayed on the display unit 13 (S17).

Thereafter, the processing unit 11 performs the above-described processing (S12, S15, S17) while determining whether or not a predetermined end operation has been performed (S18) and whether or not the vehicle has passed the intersection (S19). Run repeatedly. In this case, the user (driver) can route guidance mark image (left turn route guidance mark images) displayed by overlapping the photographed image I _RL normal image density Do (normal image transmission Tro) in the display unit 13 I The driving operation toward the intersection is continued while recognizing the traveling route (left turn route) at the next intersection by _M.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the vehicle exists between the front intersection and the own vehicle (YES in S12), the processing unit 11 further determines whether or not the own vehicle is traveling (S13). To do. If it determines with the own vehicle driving | running | working (it is YES at S13), the process unit 11 will measure the inter-vehicle distance LV _-V of an own vehicle and a preceding vehicle (S14). The inter-vehicle distance L _V-V can also be measured using a radar, but based on the shooting conditions of the camera 19 and the size of the license plate portion of the vehicle in the actual image _IRL obtained without using the radar. It can also be calculated.

When inter-vehicle distance L _V-V of the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle is obtained, the processing unit 11, the image density of the route guidance mark image I _M to be displayed superimposed on the photographed image I _RL said normal image density Do The lower image density D _L (high image transmittance Tr _H higher than the normal image transmittance Tro) (second image density) is determined (S16). For example, the obtained inter-vehicle distance L _V-V is a predetermined inter _- vehicle distance L 0 _V according to the relationship Q1 (for two-stage adjustment) between the predetermined inter _- vehicle distance L _V-V and the image density (image transmittance) shown in FIG. If it is _−V or more, the first low image density D _L1 (first high image transmittance Tr _H1 higher than the normal image transmittance Tro) lower than the normal image density Do is determined. If the obtained inter-vehicle distance L _V-V is less than the predetermined inter-vehicle distance L0 _V-V , the second low image density D _L2 is lower than the normal image density Do and further lower than the first low image density D _L1. (Second high image transmittance Tr _H2 higher than the normal image transmittance Tro and further higher than the first high image transmittance Tr _H1 ). Then, the processing unit 11 superimposes the route guidance mark image (left turn route guidance mark image) _IM at the determined low image density D _L (high image transmittance Tr _H ) on the live-action image I _RL to display the display unit. 13 is displayed (S17).

For example, when the measured inter-vehicle distance L _V-V is equal to or greater than the predetermined inter-vehicle distance L0 _V-V , as shown in FIG. 6, the display unit 13 overlaps the live-action video I _RL including the image portion of the preceding vehicle. route guidance mark image Te (turn route guidance mark image) _{I M} is displayed in the normal image density Do lower first image density _{D L1} (normal image transmission high first high image transmission from Tro _{Tr H1).} In this case, the user (driver) compares the display unit 13 with the first low image density D _L1 (first high image transmittance Tr _H1 ) displayed on the live-action image I _RL including the image portion of the preceding vehicle. continue driving operation towards the intersection with target thin route guidance mark image (left turn route guidance mark image) I _M while recognizing the travel route at the next intersection (left path).

Further, when the host vehicle approaches the preceding vehicle and, for example, the measured inter-vehicle distance L _V-V is less than the predetermined inter-vehicle distance L0 _V-V , as shown in FIG. path superimposed on the photographed image I _RL including image portions derived mark image (left turn route guidance mark image) lower second than I _M is the first low image density D _L1 of the low image density D _{L2 (the} first high-image The second high image transmittance TR _H2 ) is higher than the transmittance TR _H1 . In this case, the user (driver) is displayed at the second low image density D _L1 (second high image transmittance TR _H2 ) on the live-action image I _RL including the image portion of the vehicle ahead on the display unit 13. recognizing the travel route at the next intersection (left path) by a thin route guidance mark image (left turn route guidance mark image) I _M continue driving operation towards the intersection.

Thereafter, the processing unit 11 determines whether or not a predetermined end operation has been performed (S18) and whether or not the vehicle has passed the intersection (S19), and performs similar processing (S12, S13, S14, S16). , S17). Accordingly, the display unit 13 determines the low image density D _L (D _L1 , D _L2 ) (normal image) lower than the normal image density Do determined according to the inter-vehicle distance L _V-V with the preceding vehicle (two-stage adjustment). higher transmittance Tro high image transmittance _{Tr H (Tr H1, Tr H2} )) route guidance in the mark image _{I M} is displayed over the live-action video _{I RL} ahead of the vehicle.

If it is determined in the process described above that the host vehicle is not running (stopped) (NO in S13), the processing unit 11 is present even if a vehicle exists between the intersection and the host vehicle ( the S12 YES), determines the image density of the route guidance mark _{I M} to the normal image density Do (normal image transmission Tro) (S15), for example, as shown in FIG. 8, the determined route guidance mark image _{I M} the normal image density Do is displayed (normal image transmission Tro) display unit 13 superimposed on the photographed image _{I RL} at (S17). In addition, when the vehicle ahead passes through the intersection and the vehicle no longer exists between the intersection P _INT and the host vehicle (NO in S12), the processing unit 11 determines the route guidance mark as described above. the image density of I _M normal image density Do determined in (normal image transmission Tro), for example, as shown FIG. 9, the normal image density Do that the determined route guidance mark image I _M (normal image transmission Tro) Then, the image is displayed on the display unit 13 so as to overlap the photographed image _IRL (S17).

In the above-described processing, when it is determined that the vehicle has passed the intersection (YES in S19), the processing unit 11 again monitors whether or not there is an intersection within a predetermined distance ahead of the vehicle (S11). Start. When it is determined that there is an intersection within a predetermined distance ahead of the host vehicle, the processing unit 11 executes the same processing (S12 to S19) as described above, and indicates a route guidance mark at the intersection. while adjusting the image density of the image _{I M} (image transmission) (normal image density Do (normal image transmission Tro), low image density DL (high image transmission TrH)), self its route image induction mark _{I M} It is displayed in a superimposed manner on the live-action image _IRL in front of the car (see FIGS. 5 to 9).

  In the above-described processing, when a predetermined end operation is performed, the processing unit 11 ends the display processing (END).

In the navigation device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the display unit 13 indicates a traveling route (for example, a left turn route, a right turn route, a straight route, etc.) at an intersection ahead of the _host vehicle on the live-action image _IRL ahead of the vehicle. when displaying the route guidance mark image I _M which, if it is a situation where there is a vehicle between the intersection and the vehicle, the route guidance mark image I _M to be displayed superimposed on the photographed image I _RL is normally It is adjusted to a low image density D _L lower than the image density Do (high image transmittance Tr _H higher than the normal image transmittance Tro). Thus, since less noticeable relatively adjusted to route guidance mark image I _M is low image density which is displayed over the live-action video I _RL including a forward vehicle section (high image transmission), the user ( driver), it can be prevented that the attention to the portion of the forward vehicle in the photographed image I _RL becomes distracted by route guidance mark image I _M.

Additionally, in situations where the vehicle ahead of the host vehicle is present, as the distance to the front is small, the image density is small (image transmission route guidance mark image I _M to be displayed over the live-action video I _RL is large ) because it is adjusted in two stages (see the relationship Q1 in FIG. 3) so that, inter-vehicle distance is small, especially in situations must pay attention to the preceding vehicle, more image density route guidance mark image I _M It becomes smaller (image transmittance is larger). Therefore, the inter-vehicle distance is small, especially in situations must pay attention to the preceding vehicle, the user (driver), note the route guidance mark image I _M for the partial of the forward vehicle in the photographed image I _RL Can be prevented more accurately.

In the above-described example, the image density (image transmission) the route guidance mark image I _M is two steps (the first low image density D _L1 second low image density in accordance with the inter-vehicle distance L _V-V to the preceding vehicle Although adjusted to D _L2 (first high image transmittance Tr _H1 and second high image transmittance Tr _H2 ), the relationship Q2 between the inter-vehicle distance L _V-V and the image density (image transmittance) shown in FIG. as in, it may be adjusted continuously (steplessly) to the image density of the route guidance mark image I _M in accordance with the inter-vehicle distance L _V-V of the preceding vehicle (image transmission). When the relationship Q2 shown in FIG. 3 is followed, if the inter-vehicle distance L _V-V is less than the predetermined inter-vehicle distance (L1 _V-V ), the image density is equal to the second low image density D _L2 according to the inter-vehicle distance L _V-V. Continuously adjusted with the first low image density D _L1 (the image transmittance is between the second high image transmittance Tr _H2 and the first high image transmittance Tr _H1 according to the inter-vehicle distance L _V-V. When the inter-vehicle distance L _V-V is equal to or greater than the predetermined distance L1 _V-V , the image density is maintained at the first image density D _L1 (the image transmittance is the first high image transmittance Tr _H1 ). The

The relationship between the image density of the inter-vehicle distance L _V-V and the route guidance mark image I _M is not limited to the relationship shown in FIG. 3 Q1 (2-stage adjustment) and related Q2 (stepless adjustment), the inter-vehicle distance L _V if _{relations -V} has a tendency to image density decreases (the image transmission is large) the route guidance mark image I _M as smaller, it can be arbitrarily determined.

Also, when displaying the route guidance mark image I _M at a point other than an intersection, it is possible to apply the technique of the image density of the route guidance mark image I _M described above (image transmission).

  The navigation device according to the present invention can prevent the user from being distracted with attention to the part of the preceding vehicle in the live-action video by the route guidance mark image displayed on the real-time video in the display unit. A vehicle along the route that has an effect and superimposes a route guidance mark image that indicates a travel route such as straight ahead, left turn, right turn, etc. on the augmented reality obtained by a camera that captures the front of the vehicle It is useful as a navigation device that supports driving.

11 Processing Unit 12 Operation Unit 13 Display Unit 14 Storage Unit 15 Output Circuit 16 Speaker 17 AV Unit 18 Navigation Unit 19 Camera

Claims (4)

A route guidance mark image for instructing the travel route is displayed on the display unit displaying a live-action image obtained by a camera that captures the front of the vehicle, with the predetermined first image density superimposed on the live-action image, and along the route. A navigation device for supporting vehicle driving,
Forward situation determination means for determining whether or not a vehicle is present in front of the own vehicle when the route guidance mark image is displayed on the live-action image on the display unit.
The route guidance mark image displayed on the display unit so as to be superimposed on the live-action image when the vehicle state is determined to be in front of the host vehicle by the forward state determination unit based on the first image density. A navigation device comprising mark image density adjusting means for adjusting at a low second image density.   The front situation determination means displays a route guidance mark image indicating a travel route at an intersection ahead of the host vehicle on the display unit so that the vehicle is displayed between the intersection and the host vehicle. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether or not a situation exists. Having travel determination means for determining whether or not the host vehicle is traveling;
Even if the mark image density adjusting means determines that the vehicle is present in front of the own vehicle by the forward situation determining means when the traveling determining means determines that the own vehicle is not traveling. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising mark image density maintaining means for maintaining the route guidance mark image displayed on the display unit so as to overlap the photographed video at the first image density. A distance measuring means for measuring a distance between the vehicle and the vehicle existing in front of the intersection and the vehicle;
The mark image density adjusting unit is configured such that the second image density of the route guidance mark image displayed in the display unit on the live-action image becomes lower as the distance measured by the distance measuring unit becomes smaller. 4. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a distance response mark image density means for adjustment.

Images