JP2018101311A - Display device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a display device for a vehicle capable of suppressing a rise in processing load related to image display even when an image display area is wide.SOLUTION: A display device 1 for a vehicle, which is configured to display an image to a crew member of the vehicle, includes a line-of-sight detection unit 52 configured to detect a line of sight of a crew member of the vehicle and a display control unit 55 configured to differentiate the display state between an image in a predetermined area on the line of sight direction detected by the line-of-sight detection unit 52 and an image outside the predetermined area. The display control unit 55 increases the resolution of the image within the predetermined area on the line of sight direction detected by the line-of-sight detection unit 52 compared to the image outside the predetermined area, or displays only the image in the predetermined area on the line of sight direction and does not display the image outside the predetermined area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle display device.

  In recent years, automatic driving technology is being developed in which a vehicle travels to a destination or the like without driving by the driver (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 4).

JP 2016-182906 A JP, 2006-182891, A JP, 2006-137819, A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-95627

  Since the driver does not need to drive in the automatic driving, there is no problem even if the image is displayed in a wide range such as substantially the whole area of the windshield in order to improve the entertainment property. However, in such a case, image processing corresponding to a wide range of image display is performed, and the processing load becomes very high.

  The present invention solves such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle display device capable of suppressing an increase in processing load related to image display even when the image display area has a wide range. It is to provide.

  The display device for a vehicle according to the present invention is a display device for a vehicle that displays an image to a vehicle occupant, and includes a gaze detection unit that detects a gaze of the vehicle crew, and a gaze direction detected by the gaze detection unit. And a display control unit configured to change a display state of an image in the upper predetermined area and an image outside the predetermined area.

  According to the vehicle display device of the present invention, since the display state of the image in the predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction and the image outside the predetermined area are different, the processing load is suppressed for the display state outside the line of sight of the vehicle occupant. Processing can be performed, and even when the image display area is wide, an increase in processing load related to image display can be suppressed.

  In the vehicular display device of the present invention, the display control unit may increase the resolution of the image in the predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction detected by the line-of-sight detection unit than the image outside the predetermined area. preferable.

  According to this vehicle display device, the resolution of an image in a predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction is made higher than that of an image outside the predetermined area, so that the resolution is reduced for an image outside the predetermined area that is difficult to be visually recognized by a vehicle occupant. In addition, even when the image display area is wide, an increase in processing load related to image display can be suppressed.

  The vehicle display device according to the present invention further includes an estimation unit that estimates whether the degree of concentration with respect to the image of the vehicle occupant is less than a predetermined level, and the display control unit has the concentration level less than the predetermined level by the estimation unit. When it is estimated that there is an image, it is preferable to display the image within the predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction detected by the line-of-sight detection means with a resolution reduced to the same level as the image outside the predetermined area.

  According to this vehicular display device, when it is estimated that the degree of concentration is less than a predetermined level, even an image of a predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction is displayed with a resolution reduced to the same level as an image outside the predetermined area. Therefore, if there is a possibility that the vehicle crew is not concentrated and is vague and not recognizing the image, the image in the predetermined area is reduced to the same resolution as the image outside the predetermined area. By displaying, the increase in processing load can be further suppressed.

  Further, in the vehicle display device of the present invention, the display control means displays an image of only a predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction detected by the line-of-sight detection means, and hides an image outside the predetermined area. Is preferred.

  According to this vehicle display device, since an image of only a predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction is displayed and an image outside the predetermined area is not displayed, an image outside the predetermined area that is difficult to be visually recognized by the vehicle crew is not displayed. Thus, it is possible to suppress an increase in processing load related to image display even when the image display area is wide.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, even when it has a wide image display area, the display apparatus for vehicles which can suppress the increase in the processing load regarding an image display can be provided.

1 is an in-vehicle arrangement diagram illustrating a vehicle display device according to the present embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the detail of the control part shown in FIG. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the area | region determined by the visual recognition area determination part shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the display control method by the display apparatus for vehicles which concerns on this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the display control method by the display apparatus for vehicles which concerns on 2nd Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described according to preferred embodiments. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Further, in the embodiment described below, there is a part where illustration or description of a part of the configuration is omitted, but details of the omitted technology are within a range in which there is no contradiction with the contents described below. Needless to say, known or well-known techniques are applied as appropriate.

  FIG. 1 is a layout diagram in a vehicle showing a vehicle display device according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle display device 1 includes an in-vehicle camera 10, a projector 20, an out-of-vehicle camera 30, an electroencephalogram sensor 40, and a control unit 50.

  The in-vehicle camera 10 is a camera that images the head of a vehicle occupant, and is provided, for example, in front of the driver's seat. A signal of a captured image captured by the in-vehicle camera 10 is transmitted to the control unit 50. In addition, although it is preferable that a plurality of in-vehicle cameras 10 are provided for detecting the position of the eyes, which will be described later, the number of in-vehicle cameras 10 is not limited to a plurality, and only one may be provided.

  The projector 20 operates according to the control of the control unit 50, and projects light corresponding to an image to be displayed to a vehicle occupant. In the present embodiment, the projector 20 can project light onto the windshield WS, and the vehicle display device 1 has a wide image display area IDA of the entire windshield WS.

  In addition, if the image display area IDA has a certain wide range of sizes (for example, a size larger than the sum of the existing vehicle instrument and the display of the navigation device), the entire image of the windshield WS It is not limited. Further, the projector 20 is not limited to a configuration that projects light onto the windshield WS, and may project light onto side mirrors or pillars. If possible, the projector 20 may project light onto a floor or a seat in the vehicle. Also good. That is, the projector 20 may project light on any part of the vehicle as long as it can project light and can be visually recognized by a vehicle occupant. In addition, in the present embodiment, the projector 20 performs image display, but other display means such as a liquid crystal display may have an image display area IDA having a wide range of sizes.

  The vehicle outside camera 30 is a camera that images the outside of the vehicle, and is provided, for example, on the back side of the rearview mirror (the back side when viewed from the driver's seat side) and images the front of the vehicle. A signal of a captured image captured by the outside camera 30 is transmitted to the control unit 50.

  The electroencephalogram sensor 40 detects an electroencephalogram of a vehicle occupant. The electroencephalogram sensor 40 is provided, for example, in a headrest, and comes into contact with the head when the head of a vehicle occupant leans against the headrest. In addition, the electroencephalogram sensor 40 outputs a signal corresponding to the intensity of each of the delta wave, theta wave, the alpha wave, and the beta wave among the brain waves of the driver to the control unit 50. The electroencephalogram sensor 40 is not limited to the contact type, and may be one that can measure the electroencephalogram without contact.

  The control unit 50 controls the entire display device 1 for the vehicle, and in the present embodiment, the control unit 50 controls the projector 20 to perform display control. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing details of the control unit 50 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 50 includes an eye position detection unit 51, a line-of-sight detection unit (line-of-sight detection unit) 52, a visual recognition area determination unit 53, a concentration degree estimation unit (estimation unit) 54, and display control. Part (display control means) 55.

  The eye position detection unit 51 detects the position of the eyes of the vehicle occupant from the image captured by the in-vehicle camera 10. The position of the eye is detected from the seat position of the driver, the captured image captured by the camera, etc., as in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-322680, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-156646, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-292409. There is something to be done. In the present embodiment, the eye position detection unit 51 employs a device that detects the position of the eye from the captured image captured by the camera, but a sheet position may be used. In particular, in the present embodiment, the eye position detection unit 51 is configured to be able to detect the position of the eyes of a vehicle occupant in a three-dimensional space. The eye position detection method is not limited to the above, and other methods such as other known or well-known methods may be employed.

  The line-of-sight detection unit 52 detects the line-of-sight direction of the vehicle occupant. The line-of-sight detection unit 52 detects which direction the vehicle occupant is viewing based on the position of the black eye among the eyes on the captured image captured by the in-vehicle camera 10. The line-of-sight detection method is not limited to that obtained from the position of the black eye, and other methods such as other known or well-known methods may be employed.

  The visual recognition area determination unit 53 is based on the position of the eye of the vehicle occupant in the three-dimensional space detected by the eye position detection unit 51 and the visual line direction detected by the visual line detection unit 52. Is determined. In the present embodiment, since the windshield WS is the image display area IDA, the visual recognition area determination unit 53 determines which area of the windshield WS the vehicle occupant is viewing.

  FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing an area determined by the visual recognition area determination unit 53 shown in FIG. 3, for example, the windshield WS is virtually divided into 3 × 6 18 areas A11 to A16, A21 to A26, A31 to A36. Here, when the visual recognition area determination unit 53 recognizes that the point P1 on the windshield WS is viewed based on the position of the eyes of the vehicle occupant and the visual line direction (the visual line passes over the point P1). The region A25 is determined as a predetermined region in the line-of-sight direction. Similarly, when the visual recognition area determination unit 53 recognizes that the point P2 on the windshield WS is viewed based on the position of the eyes of the vehicle occupant and the direction of the line of sight (the line of sight passes over the point P2). The region A13 is determined as a predetermined region in the line-of-sight direction.

  Note that the visual recognition area determination unit 53 is not limited to the above configuration, and for example, a circular area of a predetermined area around the recognized points P1 and P2 may be determined as the predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction.

  The concentration level estimation unit 54 estimates whether the concentration level of the vehicle occupant is less than a predetermined level. Here, the degree of concentration can be estimated from the intensity of the beta wave. For this reason, for example, the concentration estimation unit 54 has a case where the intensity of the beta wave detected by the electroencephalogram sensor 40 is larger than the average of the intensity of other brain waves (delta wave, theta wave, alpha wave) by a predetermined value or more. In addition, it is estimated that the degree of concentration is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and otherwise, the degree of concentration is estimated to be less than a predetermined value.

  Note that the concentration level estimation unit 54 estimates that the concentration level is less than a predetermined value when the intensity of the beta wave is not greater than a predetermined value by the average of the intensity of the other brain waves. The degree of concentration may be estimated to be less than a predetermined value, for example, in the case where the concentration is not larger than a predetermined value by more than a predetermined value. That is, the concentration level estimation unit 54 is not limited to the above as long as it is configured to estimate whether the concentration level is less than a predetermined value based on a comparison between the beta wave and another brain wave.

  In addition, the concentration level estimation unit 54 is configured to estimate whether the concentration level is less than a predetermined value based on, for example, biological information such as an eye opening degree and a pulse, not limited to the signal from the electroencephalogram sensor 40. Also good. For example, the concentration degree estimation unit 54 may determine that the concentration degree is less than a predetermined value when the initial eye opening is less than a predetermined percentage, and the concentration degree is less than the predetermined value when the initial pulse rate is less than a predetermined percentage. You may judge that there is.

  The display control part 55 controls the image displayed with respect to a vehicle crew, and controls the projector 20 in this embodiment. In particular, the display control unit 55 according to the present embodiment changes the display state of an image in a predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction detected by the line-of-sight detection unit 52 and an image outside the predetermined area. At this time, the display control unit 55 makes the resolution of the image in the predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction higher than that of the image outside the predetermined area. For example, the display control unit 55 sets the resolution of an image in a predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction to normal, and reduces the resolution of an image outside the predetermined area. Thereby, the process which suppresses a processing load as the whole display image is performed.

  An example will be described with reference to FIG. 3. When the line-of-sight direction of the vehicle occupant passes the point P1, the display control unit 55 includes the area A25 including the point P1 and the other areas A11 to A16, A21 to A24, The display state is made different between A26 and A31 to A36. At this time, the display control unit 55 makes the resolution of the area A25 including the point P1 higher than the resolutions of the other areas A11 to A16, A21 to A24, A26, and A31 to A36. For example, the display control unit 55 reduces the resolution of the other regions A11 to A16, A21 to A24, A26, and A31 to A36 to suppress the processing load as the entire display image. At this time, the resolution of the region A25 including the point P1 may be in a normal state or may be increased. Further, the resolution of the area A25 including the point P1 may be lowered from the normal state in a range higher than the resolutions of the other areas A11 to A16, A21 to A24, A26, A31 to A36.

  In addition, the display control unit 55 according to the present embodiment, when the concentration level estimation unit 54 estimates that the concentration level is less than a predetermined value, is an image in a predetermined region on the line-of-sight direction detected by the line-of-sight detection unit 52. Even so, the image is displayed with the resolution reduced to the same level as the image outside the predetermined area.

  An example will be described with reference to FIG. 3. When the degree of concentration is estimated to be less than a predetermined value by the concentration level estimation unit 54 when the line-of-sight direction of the vehicle occupant passes the point P1, the display control unit 55 The image of the area A25 including the point P1 is displayed with the resolution reduced to the same level as the images of the other areas A11 to A16, A21 to A24, A26, and A31 to A36. Thereby, when there is a possibility that the vehicle occupants are not concentrated and are vague and not recognizing an image, the processing load can be further reduced.

  In the above, various display images such as movies and TV broadcasts can be adopted as the display image. Here, in the present embodiment, since the vehicle outside camera 30 is provided, the position of the scenery outside the vehicle can be detected by the control unit 50, and the image of the windshield WS is displayed outside the vehicle. Can be displayed in a superimposed manner. For example, directing the sea surface image over the road outside the vehicle and directing it to run on the sea surface, or superimposing the roller coaster image on the road outside the vehicle and directing the vehicle as if it were a roller coaster You can do it.

  Next, a display control method by the vehicle display device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a display control method by the vehicle display device 1 according to the present embodiment. First, as shown in FIG. 4, the eye position detection unit 51 detects the position of the eyes of the vehicle occupant from the image captured by the in-vehicle camera 10 (S1). At this time, the eye position detection unit 51 detects the position of the eyes of the vehicle occupant in the three-dimensional space.

  Next, the line-of-sight detection unit 52 detects the line-of-sight direction of the vehicle occupant (S2). At this time, the line-of-sight detection unit 52 detects which direction the vehicle occupant is viewing based on the position of the black eye among the eyes on the captured image captured by the in-vehicle camera 10.

  Next, the visual recognition area determination unit 53 determines the vehicle crew member's eyes based on the eye position of the vehicle crew member in the three-dimensional space detected by the eye position detection unit 51 and the line-of-sight direction detected by the line-of-sight detection unit 52. A viewing area is determined (S3). Thereby, the visual recognition area determination unit 53 determines which area of the windshield WS the vehicle occupant is visually recognizing.

  Thereafter, the concentration level estimation unit 54 estimates whether the concentration level of the vehicle crew is equal to or higher than a predetermined level (S4). For example, the concentration level estimation unit 54 estimates that the concentration level is greater than or equal to a predetermined value when the intensity of the beta wave detected by the electroencephalogram sensor 40 is greater than a predetermined value by an average of the intensity of other brain waves.

  Thereafter, the display control unit 55 determines whether or not the degree of concentration is a predetermined level based on the estimation result in step S4 (S5). When it is determined that the concentration level is equal to or higher than the predetermined level (S5: YES), the display control unit 55 displays the resolution of the image outside the predetermined area detected in step S3 lower than the image within the predetermined area. (S6). At this time, the resolution of the image in the predetermined area may be increased, may be lowered in a range higher than the resolution of the image outside the predetermined area, or may be left as usual. Thereafter, the process shown in FIG. 4 ends.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the degree of concentration is not equal to or higher than the predetermined level (S5: NO), the display control unit 55 does not change the resolution of the image in the predetermined area detected in step S3. Decrease the display to the extent. That is, the display control unit 55 reduces the overall resolution of the display image (S7). Thereafter, the process shown in FIG. 4 ends.

  Thus, according to the vehicle display device 1 according to the present embodiment, the display state of the image of the predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction and the image outside the predetermined area are different from each other. With respect to the display state, it is possible to perform processing for suppressing the processing load, and it is possible to suppress an increase in processing load related to image display even when the image display area IDA is extensive.

  Further, since the resolution of the image in the predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction is made higher than that of the image outside the predetermined area, the resolution can be lowered for the image outside the predetermined area that is difficult to be visually recognized by the vehicle crew, and a wide range of images Even in the case of having the display area IDA, it is possible to suppress an increase in processing load related to image display.

  In addition, when it is estimated that the degree of concentration is less than a predetermined value, an image of a predetermined region in the line-of-sight direction is displayed with a resolution reduced to the same level as an image outside the predetermined region. If there is a possibility that the image is not recognizable because it is not concentrated, the image in the predetermined area is also reduced to the same resolution as that of the image outside the predetermined area and displayed for further processing. Increase in load can be suppressed.

  Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The vehicle display device according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, but the configuration and part of the processing content are different from those of the first embodiment. Hereinafter, differences from the first embodiment will be described.

  First, the vehicle display device 1 according to the second embodiment does not include the electroencephalogram sensor 40. For this reason, the vehicular display device 1 according to the second embodiment does not include the concentration degree estimation unit 54 in the control unit 50.

  Further, in the second embodiment, the display control unit 55 displays the image of the predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction instead of the process of increasing the resolution of the image of the predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction than the image outside the predetermined area. Then, a process of not displaying an image outside the predetermined area is performed. That is, in the second embodiment, the display control unit 55 displays only the predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction in the wide image display area IDA and does not display the other parts.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a display control method by the vehicle display device 1 according to the second embodiment. Note that the processing of steps S1 to S3 shown in FIG. 5 is the same as that shown in FIG.

  In step S14, the display control unit 55 displays the image in the predetermined area detected in step S3 and hides the image outside the predetermined area (S14). Thereafter, the process shown in FIG. 5 ends.

  Thus, according to the vehicle display device 1 according to the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, it is possible to perform a process of suppressing the processing load for the display state outside the line of sight of the vehicle occupant, Even in the case of having a wide image display area IDA, an increase in processing load related to image display can be suppressed.

  In addition, since an image of only a predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction is displayed and an image outside the predetermined area is not displayed, an image outside the predetermined area that is difficult to be visually recognized by the vehicle occupant is not displayed. Even in the case of having the area IDA, it is possible to suppress an increase in processing load related to image display.

  As described above, the present invention has been described based on the embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and may be modified without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the display control unit 55 changes the resolution or the display and non-display for the display state of the image within the predetermined area and the image outside the predetermined area. For example, other display states may be made different, such as changing the display brightness or changing the number of frames (the number of images per second, that is, the image display time).

1: Vehicle display device 10: In-vehicle camera 20: Projector 30: Out-of-vehicle camera 40: EEG sensor 50: Control unit 51: Eye position detection unit 52: Gaze detection unit (gaze detection means)
53: Visual recognition area determination unit 54: Concentration estimation unit (estimation means)
55: Display control unit (display control means)
IDA: Image display area WS: Windshield

Claims (4)

A vehicle display device that displays an image to a vehicle crew member,
Gaze detection means for detecting the gaze of the vehicle crew;
Display control means for differentiating the display state of the image in the predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction detected by the line-of-sight detection means and the image outside the predetermined area;
A vehicle display device comprising: 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit makes the resolution of an image in a predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction detected by the line-of-sight detection unit higher than an image outside the predetermined area. Display device. An estimation means for estimating whether the degree of concentration of the vehicle crew member image is less than a predetermined value;
The display control means, when it is estimated that the degree of concentration is less than a predetermined value by the estimating means, even if the image is in the predetermined area on the line-of-sight direction detected by the line-of-sight detection means, The vehicle display device according to claim 2, wherein the display is reduced to a resolution comparable to that of an image. 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit displays an image of only a predetermined area in the line-of-sight direction detected by the line-of-sight detection unit, and hides an image outside the predetermined area. Display device.

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