JP2014201197A - Head-up display apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a head-up display apparatus which can output a display at a position where influence of the dazzle of the sun is reduced, without a camera for capturing image of the outside of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A head-up display apparatus changes an output position of a display, on the basis of position information of the sun, position information of a mobile body, orientation information of the mobile body, and viewpoint information about a viewpoint of a driver in the mobile body, so as to separate the display from a straight line between the sun and the viewpoint of the driver.

Description

  The present disclosure relates to a head-up display device.

  Conventionally, the brightness information of the background that passes through the windshield is created based on the brightness of the image captured by the camera, and the viewpoint information is created based on the movement of the occupant's eyes, and based on the created brightness information and viewpoint information. There is known an information display device that moves an information display unit on a screen that is close to the viewpoint of the occupant's windshield and does not have high brightness (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Moreover, the technique which detects the advancing direction of a moving body and the irradiation direction of sunlight, and adjusts the light transmission amount of the window glass of the moving body which faces the irradiation direction of sunlight is known (for example, refer patent document 2). .

JP 2008-285105 A Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 01-168520

  However, the configuration described in Patent Document 1 requires a camera that captures the outside of the vehicle in order to create luminance information of the background that passes through the windshield.

  Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a head-up display device capable of outputting a display at a position where the influence of sun glare is reduced without requiring a camera for photographing outside the vehicle.

  According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the sun and the driving based on the position information of the sun, the position information of the moving body, the orientation information of the moving body, and the viewpoint information related to the viewpoint of the driver in the moving body. There is provided a head-up display device that changes the output position of the display so as to be separated from the straight line connecting the person's viewpoint.

  According to the present disclosure, it is possible to obtain a head-up display device that can output a display to a position where the influence of sun glare is reduced without requiring a camera that captures the outside of the vehicle.

1 is a system configuration diagram of an example of a head-up display device 10. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a HUD unit 40. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the process performed by ECU12. It is a figure which shows roughly the example of a change of the display position of HUD display.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an example of the head-up display device 10. The head-up display device 10 includes an electronic control unit 12 (hereinafter referred to as “ECU 12”). The operation of the head-up display device 10 is controlled by the ECU 12. The ECU 12 is configured as a microcomputer including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like connected to each other via a bus (not shown). The ECU 12 may have a clock inside. Various programs executed by the CPU are stored in the ROM. Note that various functions (including functions described below) of the ECU 12 may be realized by arbitrary hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. For example, any or all of the functions of the ECU 12 may be realized by an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The ECU 12 may be realized by a plurality of ECUs.

  The ECU 12 may be connected to a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 20, an illuminance sensor 22, a gyro sensor 24, a tilt sensor 26, a seat position sensor 28, and the like. Note that this connection mode is not necessarily direct, and may be indirect. For example, the GPS receiver 20 may be connected to the ECU 12 via the navigation ECU. In this case, the ECU 12 may acquire the vehicle position information from the navigation ECU.

  The GPS receiver 20 measures and calculates its own vehicle position based on a GPS signal received from a GPS satellite via a GPS antenna. The positioning method may be any method such as single positioning or relative positioning (including interference positioning). At this time, the vehicle position may be corrected based on outputs from various sensors such as the vehicle speed sensor and the gyro sensor 24, and various information received via the beacon receiver and the FM multiplex receiver.

  The illuminance sensor 22 detects the amount of sunlight. The gyro sensor 24 detects an angular velocity (yaw rate) generated in the vehicle. The gyro sensor 24 outputs a signal corresponding to the angular velocity generated around the center of gravity axis of the vehicle. The inclination sensor 26 detects the inclination of the vehicle. The tilt sensor 26 may be a triaxial acceleration sensor. Further, the tilt sensor 26 may be integrated with the gyro sensor 24. For example, the tilt sensor 26 and the gyro sensor 24 may be manufactured by micromachine technology using an SOI (Silicon on Insulator) wafer. In this case, the inclination sensor 26 and the gyro sensor 24 are provided in the vicinity of the center of gravity position (floor tunnel or the like) of the vehicle, and detect the yaw rate and acceleration generated at the mounting position. The detected yaw rate and acceleration may be used, for example, for vehicle travel control that prevents side slipping and stabilizes the behavior of the vehicle. The seat position sensor 28 detects the seat position of the driver's seat.

  An HUD (head up display) unit 40 is connected to the ECU 12. The HUD unit 40 outputs various displays (hereinafter referred to as “HUD display”) under the control of the ECU 12.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of the HUD unit 40. The HUD unit 40 is provided in an instrument panel, for example, as shown in FIG.

  The HUD unit 40 includes a display (light projector) 42. The display 42 generates visible light (display light) for transmitting information to the driver. The display light is generated according to an image signal supplied from the ECU 12. The display 42 may have any configuration, but may be, for example, a dot VFD (Vacuum Fluorescent Display).

  The type of HUD display generated by the display 42 may be arbitrary. For example, the display device 42 may project display light for transmitting meter information (for example, vehicle speed) from the meter ECU. In addition, the display device 42 may project display light including information (that is, front environment information) included in a video signal received from an infrared camera (not shown) that captures a landscape in front of the vehicle. The display 42 may project display light for transmitting navigation information from the navigation device. Further, the display device 42 may project display light for transmitting the state of an air conditioner, an audio device, or the like.

  The display light projected from the display 42 reaches the image projection surface of the front windshield glass. The display light is diffracted in the direction of the observer P (mainly the driver) by the image projection surface of the front windshield glass, and a HUD display (virtual image) is generated in front of the observer P. In FIG. 2, the projection range (optical path) of the display light with reference to the observer P (exactly the position P of the eye) is shown within a dotted line. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the HUD unit 40 includes a concave mirror 44, and the display light projected from the display 42 is reflected by the concave mirror 44 and then reaches the image projection plane of the front windshield glass. The display light may be converted into an enlarged image in accordance with the curvature of the front windshield glass by the concave mirror 44.

  A combiner may be provided on the image projection surface of the front windshield glass. The combiner may be any type of combiner, and may be formed from, for example, a half mirror or a holographic combiner using a hologram. In the case of a holographic combiner, the hologram may be enclosed between layers of the front windshield glass. Moreover, a combiner may be comprised by the reflective film vapor-deposited on the laminated surface side etc. of the multilayer glass which comprises front windshield glass. Alternatively, the combiner may not be provided on the image projection surface of the front windshield glass. In this case, in order to prevent double images (images that appear double due to reflections on the front and back surfaces of the front windshield glass), the front windshield glass has an intermediate film with different thickness (multiple films). An interlayer film) sealed between the glass layers may be included. For example, the intermediate film may have a thickness (wedge-shaped cross section) that gradually decreases in thickness from the upper side to the lower side of the front windshield glass.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing executed by the ECU 12. The processing routine shown in FIG. 3 may be repeatedly executed at predetermined intervals while the head-up display device 10 is turned on.

  In step 300, GPS information is acquired from the GPS receiver 20. The GPS information may include vehicle position information and the like.

  In step 302, date and time information is acquired. The date / time information may be acquired from any information source. For example, the date / time information may be acquired from a clock inside the ECU 12. Alternatively, the date / time information may be acquired by receiving external radio waves (standard radio waves received by a radio clock or the like).

  In step 304, based on the information acquired in step 300 and step 302, day / night determination is performed as to whether the current time is day or night. Note that the vehicle position information is taken into consideration in order to take into account regional differences, but day / night determination may be performed using only the date / time information. If the current time is noon, the process proceeds to step 306, and if it is night, it is not necessary to change the display position of the HUD display described later (the process of step 318), so the process ends.

  In step 306, the position of the sun is specified. The position of the sun may be specified as the position of the sun with respect to the host vehicle based on the information acquired in step 300 and step 302, for example. The position of the sun may be held as a map (table) in relation to the vehicle position (latitude, longitude) and date / time. The position of the sun may be specified based on time-specific sun position information prepared for each summer solstice, spring equinox, autumn equinox, and winter solstice.

  In step 308, an input from the illuminance sensor 22 is received. That is, the illuminance information of the own vehicle is acquired via the illuminance sensor 22.

  In step 310, based on the illuminance information acquired in step 308, it is determined whether direct sunlight is hitting the vehicle. For example, when the output value of the illuminance sensor 22 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, it may be determined that the direct sunlight is hitting the host vehicle. If the direct sunlight is hitting the host vehicle, the process proceeds to step 312; otherwise, the change in the display position of the HUD display described later (the process in step 318) is unnecessary, and the process is terminated.

  In step 312, inputs from the tilt sensor 26 and the gyro sensor 24 are received. That is, information (hereinafter referred to as three-dimensional orientation information) related to the inclination and direction (three-dimensional orientation) of the vehicle is acquired via the inclination sensor 26 and the gyro sensor 24.

  In step 314, the viewpoint of the driver is specified. A driver's viewpoint may be specified by arbitrary methods. For example, as a simple method, the driver's viewpoint may be specified based on the seat position of the driver's seat (information from the seat position sensor 28). Since the driver's viewpoint changes due to differences in the driver's height, the driver's viewpoint may be specified assuming the average driver's height, or the driver's viewpoint If present, the height information in the driver information (for example, information input at the time of initial setting) may be used, and the height may be specified in a manner that takes into account the height. The driver's viewpoint may be specified based on the detection result (for example, detected by a sensor) of the direction of the inner mirror or the direction of the side mirror. This is because there is a correlation between the viewpoint of the driver and the direction of the inner mirror, and there is a correlation between the viewpoint of the driver and the direction of the side mirror. Alternatively, the driver's viewpoint may be detected by an in-vehicle camera.

  In step 316, the HUD display overlaps with the sun based on the position of the sun specified in step 306, the three-dimensional orientation information of the vehicle acquired in step 312, and the driver's viewpoint specified in step 314. It is determined whether or not. Specifically, whether or not there is a HUD display on or around a straight line connecting the position of the sun specified in step 306 and the driver's viewpoint (hereinafter referred to as “sun-view straight line”). judge. For example, assuming a local coordinate system in which the driver's viewpoint is the origin and the vehicle traveling direction based on the three-dimensional direction of the vehicle is the Y axis, the position vector of the HUD display in the local coordinate system and the sun in the local coordinate system It may be determined whether the angle formed with the position vector is equal to or smaller than a predetermined angle. The predetermined angle may correspond to an upper limit value of an angle range in which the HUD display becomes difficult to see due to the presence of the sun, and may be adapted by a test or the like. The predetermined angle may be 0, but in reality, the driver feels dazzling even when the HUD display is present around the sun-view line, and thus the predetermined angle may be a value greater than 0. . If the HUD display overlaps with the sun, the process proceeds to step 318. Otherwise, the change of the display position of the HUD display (the process in step 318) described later is unnecessary, and the process is terminated.

  In step 318, the display position of the HUD display is changed. Specifically, the display position of the HUD display is changed in a direction away from the sun-view line. For example, assuming the local coordinate system described above, the display position of the HUD display is such that the angle formed by the position vector of the HUD display in the local coordinate system and the position vector of the sun in the local coordinate system is greater than a predetermined angle. May be changed. The change direction of the display position of HUD display may be the left-right direction, the up-down direction, or a combination thereof. The change in the horizontal direction of the display position of the HUD display may be realized by changing the horizontal output pixel position of the display device 42 (a pixel position that generates display light according to the HUD display). For this purpose, the indicator 42 may be configured to have a sufficient size (display light output range) in the left-right direction. Alternatively, such movement may be mechanically realized by moving the position of the display 42 in the left-right direction. Further, the change in the vertical direction of the display position of the HUD display may be realized by changing the vertical output pixel position of the display device 42 (the pixel position that generates display light related to the HUD display). For this purpose, the indicator 42 may be configured to have a sufficient size in the vertical direction. Alternatively, such movement may be realized mechanically by moving the position of the display 42 in the vertical direction. In any case, the moving range of the display position of the HUD display is determined by the size of the display 42 and the like. Therefore, the display position of the HUD display may be changed (moved) in a direction farthest from the sun-view line within the movement range.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of FIG. 3 and is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of changing the display position of the HUD display. FIG. 4 schematically shows a display state of the HUD display from the viewpoint of the driver. In FIG. 4, the sun is a landscape (real image) that can be seen by the driver. A circled circle Q1 with a dotted line is not a real image and is not a display but an explanatory box, and an arrow P1 is not a display but an explanatory arrow. In the example illustrated in FIG. 4, the HUD display is a display that transmits vehicle speed information, and is “60 km / h” in this example.

  In FIG. 4, 701 indicates a display position before the change of the HUD display, and 702 indicates a display position after the change of the HUD display. In the example shown in FIG. 4, at the display position 701 before the change, the HUD display is located within the predetermined range Q1 with the sun-view line as the center. For this reason, an affirmative determination is made in step 316 in FIG. 3, and the processing in step 318 is executed. As a result, the HUD display is output at the display position 702. That is, the HUD display is moved from the display position 701 to the display position 702 as indicated by the arrow P1. Thus, according to the process shown in FIG. 3, the display position of the HUD display is moved to a position where the influence of the sun is reduced.

  According to the head-up display device 10 of the present embodiment described above, the following excellent effects are achieved, among others.

  As described above, since the display position of the HUD display is changed according to the relationship between the driver's viewpoint and the sun position, the glare of the driver when viewing the HUD display is reduced, and the visibility of the HUD display is reduced. Can be increased. That is, by moving the display position of the HUD display to a position where the influence of the sun is reduced, the influence of the sun is reduced and the display position of the HUD display is reduced compared to the configuration in which the display position of the HUD display is always displayed at the same position. Visibility can be improved.

  Further, in this embodiment, since a camera for photographing outside the vehicle is not used as information acquisition means for changing the display position of the HUD display, a simple configuration can be realized. The vehicle on which the head-up display device 10 is mounted may be mounted with a camera that captures the outside of the vehicle for other purposes (for example, white line recognition or obstacle recognition).

  Although each embodiment has been described in detail above, it is not limited to a specific embodiment, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope described in the claims. It is also possible to combine all or a plurality of the components of the above-described embodiments.

  For example, the process shown in FIG. 3 can be variously changed. For example, either or both of the determination in step 304 and the determination in step 310 may be omitted. When the determination at step 310 is omitted, the process at step 308 may be omitted accordingly. Further, the position information of the sun may be acquired from outside (for example, a center server) via wireless communication. In this case, the process of step 302 may be omitted.

  In the above-described embodiment, the head-up display device 10 is for a vehicle, but can be mounted on another moving body. For example, the head-up display device 10 may be mounted not only on vehicles other than automobiles (railroads and construction machines) but also on aircrafts and ships.

10 Head-up display device 12 ECU
20 GPS receiver 22 Illuminance sensor 24 Gyro sensor 26 Tilt sensor 28 Seat position sensor 40 HUD unit 42 Indicator 44 Concave mirror

Claims (3)

  Based on the position information of the sun, the position information of the moving body, the direction information of the moving body, and the viewpoint information on the viewpoint of the driver in the moving body, the distance from the straight line connecting the sun and the viewpoint of the driver A head-up display device that changes the output position of the display so as to.   The head-up display device according to claim 1, wherein the display output position is changed when a display output position is close to a predetermined reference or more with respect to a straight line connecting the sun and the driver's viewpoint. The moving body is a vehicle,
The head-up display device according to claim 1, wherein the viewpoint information is acquired based on information related to at least one of a seat position of a driver's seat, an inner mirror orientation, and a side mirror orientation. .

Images