JP2018205115A - Display controller, head-up display, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a display controller that can show the correspondence relation between a road sign and an intersection.SOLUTION: A specification unit 11b specifies the intersection to which a road sign detected by a detection unit 11a corresponds. A display control unit 11c outputs a picture signal for displaying a picture showing an intersection which leads to the intersection that the specification unit 11b has specified as the intersection to which the detected road sign corresponds. The picture is displayed in a continuous position according to the arrangement relation of the actual intersection with respect to the road sign detected by the detection unit 11a or to the picture of the road sign.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a display control device that controls display by a head-up display.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, a head that displays an image of an arrow indicating a direction in which the vehicle should travel is superimposed on an arrow indicating direction information drawn on a direction signboard as a real image included in an actual landscape. An up display is disclosed.

International Publication No. 2013/085881

When driving on a road having a plurality of intersections, it may be difficult for the driver to understand the correspondence between the road sign and the intersection. For example, a driver may misunderstand a road sign corresponding to the next intersection as a road sign corresponding to the next intersection, that is, the next intersection.
Even when the head-up display described in Patent Document 1 is used, if the driver misunderstands the correspondence between the road sign and the intersection, the driver will bend at the intersection that should not bend, and the original guidance route It will come off.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to obtain a display control device capable of showing a correspondence relationship between a road sign and an intersection.

  In the display control device according to the present invention, when a plurality of intersections continue at a distance between intersections within a set distance in front of the host vehicle, which intersection the road sign indicating the direction and direction at the intersection corresponds to Display control for outputting a video signal in which a specific part to be specified and a video indicating a road sign or a video of the road sign indicating another intersection that is continuous with an intersection corresponding to the road sign are displayed at consecutive positions And a section.

  According to the present invention, since a video indicating another intersection that is continuous with the intersection corresponding to the road sign is displayed at a continuous position with respect to the road sign or the video of the road sign, the road sign and the intersection Can be shown.

3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a head-up display according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating a hardware configuration example of the display control apparatus according to the first embodiment. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performed by the display control apparatus according to the first embodiment. It is a figure which shows the example of a display. It is a figure which shows the example of a display different from FIG. It is a figure which shows the example of a display different from FIG.4 and FIG.5. It is a figure which shows the example of a display different from FIGS.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a head-up display 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1 also shows the camera unit 2, the position calculation unit 3, the route calculation unit 4, and the like connected to the head-up display 1. FIG. 1 also shows a landscape as a real image in front of a vehicle viewed by a user such as a driver.
The head-up display 1 is mounted on a vehicle and includes a display device 10 and a display control device 11. Details of the head-up display 1 will be described later.

  The camera unit 2 is a camera mounted on a vehicle and can photograph the front of the vehicle. The camera unit 2 outputs shooting information generated by shooting the front of the vehicle to the head-up display 1. In the example of FIG. 1, a first intersection, a second intersection, a road sign, and the like exist in the shooting range of the camera unit 2.

  The position calculation unit 3 is, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver mounted on a vehicle. The position calculation unit 3 receives the radio wave output from the GPS satellite and calculates the vehicle position. The position calculation unit 3 outputs position information indicating the calculated vehicle position to the head-up display 1.

  The route calculation unit 4 is, for example, a navigation device mounted on a vehicle. The route calculation unit 4 calculates a guide route to the destination input by the user. The route calculation unit 4 outputs route information indicating the calculated guide route to the head-up display 1. Note that the route calculation unit 4 may be provided on a server outside the vehicle, obtains a destination input by the user via a wireless communication network, and calculates a guide route.

  The display device 10 of the head-up display 1 performs display based on the video signal output from the display control device 11. The display device 10 is, for example, a liquid crystal display. The image displayed on the display device 10 is reflected toward the windshield 5 by a mirror (not shown) or the like, and is displayed as a virtual image through the windshield 5 when viewed from the user.

The display control device 11 of the head-up display 1 includes a detection unit 11a, a specification unit 11b, and a display control unit 11c.
The detection unit 11a detects an intersection in front of the vehicle. For example, the detection unit 11a detects an intersection of roads based on the presence of an intersecting road or the installation status of a traffic light or the like by image processing using shooting information output by the camera unit 2. In that case, the detection part 11a can detect the distance between intersections by comparing the magnitude | size or road width of the traffic light or vehicle in each intersection reflected on an image. Or the detection part 11a may detect an intersection using the positional information which the position calculation part 3 output, and map information. In this case, the detection part 11a can detect the distance between intersections more correctly by map information. The map information can be acquired from, for example, the route calculation unit 4 that is a navigation device.

  Moreover, the detection part 11a detects the road sign ahead of a vehicle. For example, the detection unit 11a detects a road sign by image processing using shooting information output by the camera unit 2. The road sign to be detected by the detection unit 11a is a road sign indicating the direction and direction at the intersection as shown in FIG. Hereinafter, the “road sign indicating the direction and direction at the intersection” is simply referred to as a road sign. The detection part 11a outputs the information regarding the detected road sign to the specific part 11b. The information indicates the image of the road sign itself or the place name, road name, intersection shape, and the like described on the road sign.

The identifying unit 11b identifies which intersection the road sign detected by the detecting unit 11a corresponds to when viewed from the vehicle. The specifying unit 11b outputs the specified result to the display control unit 11c.
The identifying unit 11b is detected by the detecting unit 11a using, for example, the information related to the road sign output from the detecting unit 11a, the position information output from the position calculating unit 3, and the sign information associated with the map information. Identify the intersection to which the road sign corresponds. For example, when the navigation device that constitutes the route calculation unit 4 provides route guidance while displaying the same road sign installed at the intersection on the monitor when the vehicle comes before the intersection, The navigation device stores sign information associated with the map information. The specifying unit 11b acquires the sign information from the route calculation unit 4, and searches the sign information for a road sign that matches the road sign detected by the detection unit 11a. The identification unit 11b uses the position of the matched road sign on the map and the vehicle position indicated by the position information output by the position calculation unit 3 to determine how many road signs detected by the detection unit 11a are viewed from the vehicle. You can see if it corresponds to the previous intersection.

  Alternatively, the specifying unit 11b specifies the corresponding intersection using the information on the road sign output by the detecting unit 11a, the position information output by the position calculating unit 3, and the map information obtainable from the route calculating unit 4. May be. The specifying unit 11b searches for a corresponding intersection on the map using the place name, road name, intersection shape, and the like described on the road sign detected by the detection unit 11a. If the intersection on the corresponding map and the own vehicle position indicated by the position information output by the position calculation unit 3 are used, how many intersections the road sign detected by the detection unit 11a corresponds to when viewed from the vehicle I understand.

  The display control unit 11 c controls the video displayed through the windshield 5 via the display device 10 by outputting a video signal to the display device 10. When the detected road sign corresponds, the display control unit 11c outputs a video signal for displaying an image indicating the other intersection at another intersection continuous with the intersection specified by the specifying unit 11b. The video is displayed at successive positions according to the actual layout of intersections with respect to the road sign detected by the detection unit 11a or the video of the road sign.

Next, a hardware configuration example of the display control device 11 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B.
Each function of the detection unit 11a, the specifying unit 11b, and the display control unit 11c of the display control device 11 is realized by a processing circuit. The processing circuit may be dedicated hardware or a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes a program stored in a memory. The CPU is also called a central processing unit, a processing unit, an arithmetic unit, a microprocessor, a microcomputer, a processor, or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor).

  FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example in a case where the functions of the detection unit 11a, the specification unit 11b, and the display control unit 11c are realized by the processing circuit 101 that is dedicated hardware. The processing circuit 101 is, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof. To do. The functions of each unit of the detection unit 11a, the identification unit 11b, and the display control unit 11c may be realized by combining separate processing circuits 101, or the function of each unit may be realized by one processing circuit 101.

  FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example in a case where the functions of the detection unit 11a, the specification unit 11b, and the display control unit 11c are realized by the CPU 103 that executes a program stored in the memory 102. In this case, the functions of the detection unit 11a, the specifying unit 11b, and the display control unit 11c are realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. Software and firmware are described as programs and stored in the memory 102. The CPU 103 reads out and executes the program stored in the memory 102, thereby realizing the functions of the detection unit 11a, the identification unit 11b, and the display control unit 11c. In other words, the display control device 11 has a memory 102 for storing a program and the like in which steps ST1 to ST5 shown in the flowchart of FIG. Moreover, it can be said that these programs make a computer perform the procedure or method of each part of the detection part 11a, the specific | specification part 11b, and the display control part 11c. Here, the memory 102 is, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a flash memory, an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), or an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM). This corresponds to a semiconductor memory or a disk-shaped recording medium such as a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a mini disk, or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc).

  In addition, about the function of each part of the detection part 11a, the specific | specification part 11b, and the display control part 11c, a part may be implement | achieved by exclusive hardware and you may make it implement | achieve part by software or firmware. For example, the function of the detection unit 11a is realized by a processing circuit as dedicated hardware, and the function of the specifying unit 11b and the display control unit 11c is read and executed by the processing circuit reading a program stored in the memory. Can be realized.

  As described above, the processing circuit can realize the functions of the detection unit 11a, the identification unit 11b, and the display control unit 11c by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

Next, an example of processing by the display control apparatus 11 configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. The following processing is executed when the vehicle starts traveling.
The detection unit 11a detects an intersection in front of the vehicle (step ST1). The detection method is as described above. In the following, as shown in FIG. 1, there is a first intersection in front of the vehicle and a second intersection one ahead of the first intersection, and the detection unit 11a detects the first intersection and the second intersection. The case where it is detected will be described as an example.
Subsequently, the detection unit 11a determines whether the first intersection and the second intersection are consecutive at the distance between the intersections within the set distance (step ST2). The set distance is set to such a degree that a user such as a driver feels confused about the correspondence between the road sign and the intersection, for example, about 100 m to 200 m. The method for detecting the distance between the intersections, which is the distance between the intersection and another intersection continuous with the intersection, is as described above.

When the first intersection and the second intersection are longer than the set distance and are not continuous at the distance between the intersections within the set distance (step ST2; NO), the display control device 11 performs steps ST3 to ST5 described later. Finish the process without doing.
On the other hand, when the second intersection is within the set distance as viewed from the first intersection, and the first intersection and the second intersection are continuous at the distance between the intersections within the set distance (step ST2; YES), the detection unit 11a A road sign in front of the vehicle is detected (step ST3). The road sign detection method is as described above. The detection part 11a outputs the information regarding the detected road sign to the specific part 11b.

  Subsequently, the specifying unit 11b specifies which intersection the road sign detected by the detecting unit 11a corresponds to (step ST4). The method for identifying the intersection is as described above. In addition, when the detection part 11a does not detect a road sign in step ST3, the display control apparatus 11 complete | finishes a process, without performing below-mentioned steps ST4 and ST5. The specifying unit 11b outputs the specified result to the display control unit 11c.

Subsequently, the display control unit 11c displays a video signal for displaying a video indicating the other intersection for another intersection continuous with the intersection specified by the specifying unit 11b when the detected road sign corresponds. It outputs to the apparatus 10 (step ST5).
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image displayed through the windshield 5 by outputting the video signal. When the second intersection corresponds to the road sign detected by the detection unit 11a, as shown in FIG. 4, the display control unit 11c displays an image of the first intersection with respect to the road sign. Output video signals displayed at successive positions according to the relationship. An image showing the first intersection is a cross-shaped broken line portion in FIG. The shape of the first intersection can be specified by the display control unit 11c by image processing using shooting information output by the camera unit 2 or by using map information and position information output by the position calculation unit 3. Is possible. Further, the display control unit 11c causes the display device 10 to display the vehicle position superimposed on the front of the first intersection. The vehicle position is illustrated as a black rectangle in FIG. The display control unit 11c then sequentially acquires the shooting information from the camera unit 2 and calculates the passing situation of the intersection of the vehicle by image processing, or the map information and the position information sequentially acquired from the position calculation unit 3 thereafter. By using this, the display device 10 is displayed while moving the vehicle position.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another example of the video displayed through the windshield 5 by the video signal output in step ST5. When the second intersection corresponds to the road sign detected by the detection unit 11a, as shown in FIG. 5, the display control unit 11c displays that the image indicating the first intersection is an actual intersection with respect to the image of the road sign. The video signals displayed at successive positions according to the arrangement relationship are output. The shape of the first intersection can be specified by the display control unit 11c as described above with reference to FIG. Moreover, the image of the road sign corresponding to the second intersection can be created by the display control unit 11c using the information regarding the detected road sign output from the detection unit 11a. The display in FIG. 5 is particularly useful when the road sign is far away from the vehicle and the road sign seen by the user is small.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, it is preferable that the display control unit 11 c output a video signal that displays a video in which the vehicle position is superimposed. Thereby, the user can easily understand how many intersections the road sign corresponds to.
However, the display control unit 11c may control the display without overlapping the vehicle position as shown in FIG. The processing of the display control device 11 that starts by detecting the intersection in front of the vehicle shown in FIG. 3 starts the display over the combiner 5 before the first intersection even if the processing speed of the display control device 11 is taken into consideration. Is possible. When the display as shown in FIG. 6 is started, the user can generally recognize that the display is not for an intersection that is behind a vehicle that has already passed, but for an intersection that is ahead of a vehicle that will be passed. . Therefore, in the example of FIG. 6, the user can understand that at the moment when the display is started, the road sign corresponds to the second intersection instead of the first intersection.

  In the example of FIGS. 4 and 5, when the vehicle passes the first intersection, the display control unit 11c may output a video signal from which the video indicating the first intersection is deleted. That is, when the vehicle passes through the first intersection, the crossroads-like broken line portion in FIGS. 4 and 5 is deleted.

  When the first intersection corresponds to the road sign detected by the detection unit 11a, the display control unit 11c indicates that the video indicating the second intersection is the actual road intersection or the video of the road sign. Video signals displayed at consecutive positions according to the arrangement relationship are output.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image displayed through the windshield 5 when the destination is input by the user and the route calculation unit 4 outputs the route information to the head-up display 1. . As illustrated in FIG. 7, the display control unit 11 c may output a video signal that displays a video in which the traveling direction at the intersection is superimposed based on the guide route to the destination indicated in the route information. Good.

  The above-described processing by the display control device 11 can also be applied when three or more intersections continue at the distance between the intersections within the set distance. That is, for example, when there is a first intersection, a second intersection one ahead of the first intersection, a third intersection one ahead of the second intersection, and the road sign corresponds to the second intersection, the road sign Or the image | video which shows a 1st intersection and a 3rd intersection is displayed so that the image | video of the said road sign may be pinched | interposed.

In the above description, the display control device 11 is provided in the head-up display 1. However, the detection unit 11a, the identification unit 11b, and the display control unit 11c constituting the display control device 11 are built in a server outside the vehicle, and the server includes the camera unit 2, the position calculation unit 3, and the route calculation unit 4. The display through the windshield 5 may be controlled remotely by transmitting / receiving information to / from the display device 10. At that time, the camera unit 2, the position calculation unit 3, the route calculation unit 4, and the display device 10 and the server are connected to each other through a mobile terminal such as a smartphone brought into the vehicle so as to communicate with each other. The camera unit 2, the position calculation unit 3, the route calculation unit 4, the display device 10, and the server may be configured to transmit and receive information.
In addition, each of the detection unit 11 a, the identification unit 11 b, and the display control unit 11 c configuring the display control device 11 may be built in the mobile terminal so that the mobile terminal functions as the display control device 11.

  As described above, according to the display control device 11 according to the first embodiment, for a road sign or an image of the road sign, an image showing another intersection that is continuous with the intersection corresponding to the road sign is continuous. Is displayed at the position. Thereby, the display control apparatus 11 can show the correspondence between the road sign and the intersection. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the planned travel route from being deviated and from deviating from the original guide route when the route guidance is provided by the navigation device.

  In addition, the display control unit 11c outputs a video signal that displays a video in which the vehicle position is superimposed. In this way, it is possible to show the correspondence between the road sign and the intersection more clearly.

  In addition, the display control unit 11c outputs a video signal that displays a video in which the traveling direction at the intersection based on the guide route to the destination is superimposed. In this way, the guide route can be shown simultaneously.

  Further, before the vehicle passes the first intersection, the display control unit 11c indicates the first intersection with respect to the road sign corresponding to the second intersection ahead of the first intersection or the image of the road sign. The video signal is output so that the video is displayed at successive positions. In this way, it can be shown that the intersection associated with the road sign is ahead of the next intersection.

  When the host vehicle passes the first intersection, the display control unit 11c deletes a video signal indicating that the road sign corresponding to the second intersection or the video indicating the first intersection continuous with the video of the road sign is deleted. I decided to output it. In this way, the user does not have to see unnecessary information.

  In the present invention, any constituent element of the embodiment can be modified or any constituent element of the embodiment can be omitted within the scope of the invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Head-up display, 2 Camera part, 3 Position calculation part, 4 Path | route calculation part, 5 Windshield, 10 Display apparatus, 11 Display control apparatus, 11a Detection part, 11b Identification part, 11c Display control part, 101 Processing circuit, 102 Memory, 103 CPU.

Claims (7)

When a plurality of intersections continue in front of the host vehicle at a distance between intersections within a set distance, a specific unit that identifies which intersection the road sign indicating the direction and direction at the intersection corresponds to,
A display control unit that outputs a video signal in which an image showing another intersection that is continuous with an intersection corresponding to the road sign corresponds to the road sign or the image of the road sign; A display control device for a head-up display.   The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit outputs a video signal on which a video showing the vehicle position is superimposed.   3. The display according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit outputs a video signal on which a video showing a traveling direction at an intersection based on a guide route to a destination is superimposed. Control device.   Before the vehicle passes through the first intersection, the display control unit indicates the first intersection with respect to a road sign corresponding to the second intersection ahead of the first intersection or an image of the road sign. 4. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a video signal in which video is displayed at consecutive positions is output.   When the host vehicle passes through the first intersection, the display control unit deletes a road sign corresponding to the second intersection or a video signal indicating the first intersection made continuous with the video of the road sign. The display control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:   A head-up display comprising the display control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. When a plurality of intersections continue in front of the host vehicle at a distance between intersections within a set distance, a specific step for identifying which intersection corresponds to a road sign indicating the direction and direction at the intersection; and
A display control step for outputting a video signal in which a video indicating another intersection that is continuous with an intersection corresponding to the road sign corresponds to the road sign or the video of the road sign is output to a computer. A program to be executed.

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