JP2019064318A - Vehicular object information provision device - Google Patents

Abstract

To make it possible to easily confirm whether a vehicle correctly moves.SOLUTION: An object information provision device 10 of a vehicle 1 has: an object information acquisition part 21 which acquires information concerning an object (41) outside a visual field which is an object existing on or around a road on which the vehicle 1 travels and can be visually recognized in association with travel of the vehicle 1; and an output unit (17) which outputs information (51) concerning the object outside the visual field before the object outside the visual field can be visually recognized in sight.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus for providing object information of a vehicle such as a car.

In a vehicle such as a car, a passenger including a driver gets on the vehicle and can move by operation of the driver. In this case, the driver may operate to move in accordance with the guidance route displayed on the vehicle.
In recent years, various types of information have been provided to drivers in order to enhance the safety of operation of automobiles. For example, in Patent Document 1, the head-up display displays a warning about a collision target that is difficult to view.
Also, in recent years, development of automatic driving has started in vehicles.

JP, 2010-173619, A

By the way, in the movement of these vehicles, the crew including the driver who got in the vehicles may try to confirm whether the vehicles are moving correctly.
For example, in the case of automatic driving, when a sufficient visual field can not be secured due to weather conditions such as snowfall or heavy rain, or when the road environment changes due to snowfall or landslides, the occupant moves the vehicle correctly. There is a high possibility that you would like to confirm yourself.

However, it is not always easy for the occupant to confirm the traveling of the vehicle. For example, in the case of a road on an unknown land that you visit for the first time, if the scenery along the road has changed while you have not visited for a while, or if a new road is created and the road conditions change, based on your own memory etc. It is difficult to confirm. In this case, the passenger can only barely confirm by the destination sign of the intersection or the number sign of the national highway.
Furthermore, there may be situations where it is difficult to check the surrounding scenery due to snowfall or heavy rain.
In these cases, in order to confirm that the vehicle is moving correctly, the occupant takes a long time to observe the outside of the vehicle. Or, even if it takes a long time to observe the outside of the vehicle, there are cases where it can not be confirmed.

  Thus, in a vehicle, it is required to be able to easily confirm whether the vehicle is moving correctly.

  The apparatus for providing object information of a vehicle according to the present invention acquires information about an object outside the field of view, which is an object existing on a road on which the vehicle travels or around the vehicle and which becomes visible as the vehicle travels. It has an object information acquisition part, and an output device which outputs information on the object outside the field of view before the object outside the field of view becomes visible with a view.

  Preferably, the output device is a display device displayed in the field of vision of an occupant of the vehicle, and visibly displays information of the object outside the field of vision at a position near the center of the field of vision of the occupant. Good.

  Preferably, the output device starts outputting information of the object out of the field of view before the object out of the field of view becomes visible.

  Preferably, the output device ends the output of the information of the object out of the field of view when the object out of the field of view which has been output becomes visible with a view.

  Preferably, the vehicle includes a position acquisition device for acquiring the position and the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the object information acquisition unit is configured to move on or around the road where the vehicle travels based on the position and the traveling direction of the vehicle. It is good to identify the existing object.

  Preferably, the visual recognition device for recognizing or estimating the visual field of the occupant of the vehicle is provided, and the object information acquisition unit is configured to recognize the visual recognition device from an object existing on a road or a surrounding on which the vehicle travels. The object outside the field of view may be identified except for those within the field of view recognized or estimated by

  Preferably, the image pickup device picks up an image of the outside of the vehicle by visible light, and the object information acquisition unit is a visible light by the image pickup device from an object existing on a road on which the vehicle travels or around the vehicle. It is preferable that the object outside the field of view is specified except for one that is visibly captured in the captured image.

  Preferably, when there are a plurality of the objects outside the field of view, the object information acquisition unit may prioritize and specify objects near the vehicle.

  Preferably, the object information acquisition unit identifies a sign or a signal provided on a road on which the vehicle travels, or a landmark near the road on which the vehicle travels, as the object outside the field of view. It is good.

In the present invention, information of an object outside the visual field that becomes visible as the vehicle travels is output before it becomes visible in the visible field.
Thus, the occupant can visually check and confirm the object outside the visual field in a state where the information on the object outside the visual field is obtained.
For example, by starting output of information of an object outside the visual field before the object outside the visual field becomes visible in the visual field, the object outside the visual field can be visually confirmed and confirmed immediately after obtaining the information it can.
By providing the information of the object outside the visual field simultaneously with the visual observation, the passenger can easily confirm that the vehicle is moving correctly.
In particular, by setting an object to be visually recognized by outputting information to the occupant outside the field of vision of the occupant who got on the vehicle, an object which is easily visible to the occupant on the road or around the vehicle is identified. be able to.

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of an example of a car and a traveling road according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of a configuration of an object information providing device mounted on the vehicle of FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the object information acquisition unit of FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the output control unit of FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a state in which information of an object outside the visual field is provided when the visual field is good. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the object information acquisition unit in the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a state in which information of an object outside the visual field is provided at the time of poor visibility.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

First Embodiment
FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of an example of a car 1 and a traveling road according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Along the road in FIG. 1, a plurality of road signs indicating the speed limit, the number of the roadway, etc. are discretely arranged side by side. In addition, a road sign indicating the destination for each route is provided in front of the intersection where other roads branch off. In addition, on the road surface of the road, road signs such as zebra marks of pedestrian crossings, marks of speed limit, marks of stop lines may be drawn.
Then, the automobile 1 travels on the road in a state where the passenger is placed in the passenger compartment. The automobile 1 is accelerated, decelerated, and steered to the left and right by control by automatic driving or operation of an occupant. As a result, the automobile 1 travels on the road at the speed limit, stops at the stop line, travels in the desired direction at the intersection, and can move toward the destination of the occupant.

By the way, in such movement of the car 1, there is a case where a passenger including a driver who got on the car 1 wants to confirm whether the car 1 is moving properly.
For example, during automatic driving, when a sufficient field of view can not be secured due to weather conditions such as snowfall or heavy rain, or when the road environment changes due to snowfall or landslides, the occupant moves the car 1 correctly. There is a high possibility that you want to confirm yourself.

However, it is not always easy for the passenger to confirm the traveling of the automobile 1 by himself. For example, in the case of a road on an unknown land that you visit for the first time, if the scenery along the road has changed while you have not visited for a while, or if a new road is created and the road conditions change, based on your own memory etc. It is difficult to confirm. In this case, the occupant can only barely confirm by means of the destination sign 42 of the intersection discretely provided on the road or the number sign of the national road.
Furthermore, there may be situations where it is difficult to check the surrounding scenery due to snowfall or heavy rain.
Therefore, in order to confirm that the car 1 is moving correctly, it is necessary for the occupant to take a long time to observe the outside of the car. In addition, even if it takes a long time to observe the outside of the vehicle, it may not be possible to sufficiently confirm.

  As described above, in the car 1, it is required to easily confirm whether the car 1 is moving correctly.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the configuration of the object information providing device 10 mounted on the automobile 1 of FIG.
The object information providing device 10 of FIG. 2 is connected to a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiving device 11, a wireless communication device 12, an external camera 13, an in-vehicle camera 14, a storage unit 15, a timer 16, a display device 17, and these And a microcomputer 18.
The microcomputer 18 may be provided in the vehicle 1 as an ECU (Electric Control Unit), for example. The microcomputer 18 reads and executes a program stored in the storage unit 15, for example. Thereby, the target object information acquisition unit 21 and the output control unit 22 are realized in the microcomputer 18.

  The GPS receiver 11 receives radio waves from a plurality of GPS satellites and thereby obtains position information of the car 1. The GPS receiver 11 can also obtain the moving direction and the moving speed of the automobile 1 based on a plurality of positions measured at different times.

  The wireless communication device 12 transmits and receives data to and from a server (not shown) by transmitting and receiving commercial portable radio waves and small-scale radio communication radio waves, for example.

The out-of-vehicle camera 13 is a camera for imaging the surroundings such as the front of the car 1. An object in a visible state, such as a road surface on which the automobile 1 travels, a sign along the road, or the like may be imaged in the captured image of the visible light outside the vehicle.
Note that an object in a visible state refers to an object in a visible state without being blocked by another object from an occupant in the vehicle. Then, objects that are in a state in which visual recognition is temporarily difficult to be performed due to a changing traveling environment such as bad weather or snow are included in the objects in the visible state.

  The in-vehicle camera 14 is a camera that captures an image of a cabin. The captured image in the car may be, for example, a face that can be used to recognize or estimate the field of view of the occupant.

  The storage unit 15 stores a program executed by the microcomputer 18 and data to be used when the program is executed. In the present embodiment, for example, data such as the position of an object outside the field of view, display content, etc. may be stored. Objects outside the field of view include, for example, signs drawn on the road surface on which the car 1 travels, signs and signals provided along the road, landmarks present near the road on which the car 1 travels, etc. . The storage unit 15 stores these signs, signals, images of landmarks themselves, and corresponding images.

  The timer 16 measures time. The timer 16 can measure control timing and the like.

  The display device 17 displays an image to the occupant. In the present embodiment, an image is displayed for the view of the occupant. Such display devices 17 include, for example, a head mounted display device to be mounted on an occupant, and a projector device for projecting an image on a windshield.

  The object information acquisition unit 21 is, for example, an object existing on a road on which the vehicle 1 travels or in the vicinity during automatic driving, and is outside the field of view of anticipation expected to be visible from now on by an occupant And causes the output control unit 22 to display image information corresponding to the specified object.

The output control unit 22 controls display by the display device 17.
Basically, before an object outside the visual field becomes visible in the visual field, an image corresponding to the object outside the visual field which is not visible in the visual field is made near the center of the occupant's visual field. It is displayed visibly at the following locations.
In addition, when an object outside the displayed field of view becomes visible with a view, the display of the image of the object outside the field of view is immediately terminated.

Next, processing for providing information on an object outside the field of view by the object information providing apparatus 10 will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the object information acquisition unit 21 of FIG.
The target object information acquisition unit 21 repeatedly executes the processing of FIG. 3.

In the acquisition process of the object information in FIG. 3, the object information acquisition unit 21 first acquires the position and the traveling direction of the automobile 1 (step ST1), and the object existing in the traveling direction on the road on which the automobile 1 travels. And an object present around the road is specified (step ST2).
For example, the object information acquisition unit 21 acquires the position and the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 from the GPS reception device 11.
Then, based on the acquired position and traveling direction of the automobile 1, the target object information acquiring unit 21 specifies a predetermined extraction range (for example, a range moving in about one minute) ahead of the route of the automobile 1, and the extraction range The information of the object present in the inside is acquired from the storage unit 15.
As a result, the object information acquisition unit 21 can specify an object present on the road on which the automobile 1 travels and one or more objects present in the periphery of the road.

Next, the object information acquisition unit 21 recognizes the field of view of the passenger on the car 1 (step ST3), and specifies the object outside the field of view (step ST4).
For example, the object information acquisition unit 21 recognizes the line of sight and the visual field range of the occupant based on the image captured by the in-vehicle camera 14 in the vehicle. The target object information acquisition unit 21 may acquire information of the field of vision of the occupant set in advance.
Then, the object information acquisition unit 21 specifies one out of the range of the visual field among the already extracted one or more objects based on the recognized line of sight and the visual field range of the occupant. Objects out of the field of view are identified from among one or more objects present in the road or surroundings where the automobile 1 travels, excluding those within the recognized or estimated field of view.

Next, the object information acquisition unit 21 determines whether there are a plurality of objects outside the field of view (step ST5).
When a plurality of objects outside the field of view are specified, the object information acquisition unit 21 selects the one closest to the car 1 (step ST6). The one closest to the current position of the car 1 is selected.

  After specifying or selecting an object outside one field of view, the object information acquisition unit 21 instructs the output control unit 22 to display an object outside the one field of view (step ST7). If there is one object, the display is instructed.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the output control unit 22 of FIG.
The output control unit 22 repeatedly executes the output process of FIG. 4. The output control unit 22 may execute the output process of FIG. 4 when there is an output instruction from the object information acquisition unit 21.

  In the object information output process of FIG. 4, the output control unit 22 first confirms the presence or absence of an output instruction (display instruction) from the object information acquisition unit 21 (step ST11). If there is no output instruction, the output control unit 22 ends the process of FIG.

When there is an output instruction, the output control unit 22 repeatedly determines whether an object outside the field of view related to the output instruction is likely to be a visible distance with a normal clear view (step ST12).
Then, when it is likely to be a visible distance in a normal clear view, the output control unit 22 displays information on an object outside the view related to the output instruction before the view is viewed in the view. It is displayed on the screen 17 (step ST13). The output control unit 22 reads, for example, a display mark corresponding to an object outside the field of view related to the output instruction from the storage unit 15, and displays it at a position near the center of the field of vision of the occupant.
Thereby, the display device 17 starts display of the display mark corresponding to the object outside the field of view related to the output instruction at the position near the center of the field of vision of the occupant.

After the display is started, the output control unit 22 repeatedly determines whether an object outside the field of view relating to the output instruction is actually visible in the visible range (step ST14).
Then, when visual recognition is actually possible with a view, display of information on an object outside the view related to the output instruction is ended (step ST15). The display device 17 ends the display of the display mark corresponding to the object outside the visual field being displayed.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a state in which information of an object outside the visual field is provided when the visual field is good.

FIG. 5A is a view of a car window when the front of the car 1 in the position of FIG. 1 is viewed. Since the visibility is good, on the left side of the road, a plurality of speed signs 41 are visible side by side along the road and visible. The destination mark 42 provided in front of the intersection on the road is not visible because it is far.
Then, when the car 1 travels forward along the road, as shown in FIG. 5 (B), an image 52 of a destination sign outside the visual field is displayed at the center position of the visual field shown by the broken line in the drawing.
Thereafter, when the car 1 travels to a distance where the destination mark 42 can be visually recognized, as shown in FIG. 5C, the actual destination mark 42 becomes visible from inside the car. Then, the image 52 of the destination indicator is erased.
In this case, the occupant can view the image 52 of the destination mark displayed in the field of view of FIG. 5 (B) before the destination mark 42 becomes visible. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5C, when the destination mark 42 is actually visible, the occupant can view the actual destination mark 42. The passenger can easily confirm that the vehicle 1 is moving correctly by the destination mark 42 displayed as an image and the destination mark 42 actually recognized immediately after that.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the information of the object outside the field of view that is to be visible from now on by the occupant riding on with the progress of the automobile 1 can be viewed before it becomes visible in the visible range. Output. As a result, the occupant can visually confirm the object outside the field of view in a state where the information of the object outside the field of view which is not in a visible state within the field of view is obtained. For example, by starting the output of the information of the object outside the visual field before the object outside the visual field becomes visible in the visual field, the object outside the visual field can be visually recognized immediately after obtaining the information It can confirm. By simultaneously confirming the information of the object outside the visual field and the visual recognition, it can be easily confirmed that the automobile 1 is moving correctly.
In particular, by setting an object to be visually recognized by outputting information to the occupant outside the field of vision of the occupant of the vehicle 1, it is possible to confirm an object that is easily visible to the occupant on the road or surroundings where the automobile 1 travels. It can be done.

In the present embodiment, the output device is the display device 17 displayed in the field of vision of the occupant of the automobile 1, and the information of the object outside the field of vision is visibly displayed at a position near the center of the field of vision of the occupant. Thus, the occupant can reliably view and authorize the information of the object outside the visual field.
On the other hand, when displayed on the outside of the vision of the occupant of the automobile 1 or in the peripheral vision, the displayed information may be missed depending on the condition of the occupant.

In the present embodiment, when an object outside the field of view that has been output becomes visible in a bounded manner, the output of information on the object outside the field of view ends at a predetermined timing immediately after that. This makes it possible to prevent an object outside the field of view from being output indefinitely.
In addition, it is possible to continuously output images of objects outside a plurality of fields of view by extinguishing the display as soon as it becomes visible. As a result, the occupant can view each of the objects based on the plurality of objects outside the field of view that are continuously output. The passenger can obtain confirmation that the vehicle 1 is moving correctly by performing a plurality of continuous confirmations.

  In the present embodiment, based on the position and the traveling direction of the automobile 1, an object present on the road or surroundings where the automobile 1 travels is specified. Then, the objects outside the field of view are identified from the objects existing on the road on which the car 1 travels or around, except those within the field of vision recognized or estimated by the visible recognition device. Therefore, it is possible to identify an object outside the field of view that is scheduled to be visible from now on by a passenger who is actually getting on with the progress of the automobile 1 and to output the information.

  In the present embodiment, in the case where there are a plurality of objects available as objects outside the field of view, objects near the automobile 1 are preferentially identified. Therefore, a target estimated to be unlikely to be invisible due to a fixed view shield such as a real estate or a stationary present on the road where the car 1 travels or around as an object outside the view specifically output. An object can be selected and output. In addition, it is possible to select and output an object outside the field of view that is easy to view even in bad weather.

Second Embodiment
Next, the object information providing apparatus 10 of the automobile 1 according to the second embodiment will be described. In the following description, the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment are used, and differences from the first embodiment are mainly described.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the object information acquisition unit 21 in the second embodiment.
After identifying an object or the like existing in the traveling direction in step ST2 of FIG. 6, the object information acquisition unit 21 acquires a captured image of the outside of the vehicle corresponding to the actual view (step ST21). An object is identified (step ST22).
For example, the object information acquisition unit 21 acquires a captured image of the outside of the vehicle by visible light from the camera 13 outside the vehicle. The captured image of the exterior of the vehicle by the visible light may suitably correspond to an image obtained by imaging the exterior of the vehicle that can actually be viewed by the occupant in a field of view.
Then, the target object information acquisition unit 21 specifies the target object that is actually imaged so as to be visually recognizable in the captured image based on the acquired captured image of the visible light outside the vehicle.
Thereafter, from the objects outside the visual field specified in advance, the objects outside the visual field other than the imaged visual field are specified except for the objects outside the imaged visual field.

Next, the object information acquisition unit 21 determines whether there are a plurality of objects outside the field of view (step ST5).
When a plurality of objects outside the field of view are specified, the object information acquisition unit 21 selects the one closest to the car 1 (step ST6). The one closest to the current position of the car 1 is selected.
After specifying or selecting an object outside one field of view, the object information acquisition unit 21 instructs the output control unit 22 to display an object outside the one field of view (step ST7). If there is one object, the display is instructed.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a state in which information of an object outside the visual field is provided at the time of poor visibility.

FIG. 7A is a view of a car window when the front of the car 1 located in FIG. 1 is viewed. For example, because of poor visibility due to snowfall, etc., on the left side of the road, only the front speed mark 41 among the plurality of speed marks 41 provided discretely along the road is visible. The back side speed mark 41 and the destination mark 42 provided in front of the intersection on the road are not in a visible state.
For this reason, when the car 1 travels forward along the road, as shown in FIG. 7B, the image 51 of the velocity sign on the far side outside the field of vision is at the center position of the field of vision shown by the broken line in the figure. Is displayed.
Further, when the car 1 travels forward along the road, as shown in FIG. 7C, the speed mark 41 on the far side outside the field of view becomes visible. Then, the image 51 of the velocity marker on the back side is erased, and an image 52 of the destination marker outside the field of view is newly displayed at the center position of the field of view.
Thereafter, when the car 1 travels forward along the road, the destination mark 42 becomes visible as shown in FIG. 7 (D). Then, the image 52 of the destination indicator is erased.
In this case, the occupant can recognize the speed mark 41 on the far side outside the field of view and the destination mark 42 outside the field of view as an image displayed at the center position of the field of view despite the poor visibility. And after recognition of each image, it is possible to visually recognize signs outside of each visual field.
The occupant can easily confirm that the automobile 1 is moving correctly by the sign displayed as an image and the sign actually recognized immediately after that. In particular, confirmation can be obtained about the correct progression of the motor vehicle 1 as it is possible to confirm successively for several signs.

As described above, in the present embodiment, based on the position and the traveling direction of the car 1, an object present on the road or surroundings on which the car 1 travels is specified. Then, an object outside the field of view is specified from the objects existing on the road on which the car 1 travels or around, except those that are visibly visibly recognized in the captured image of visible light by the imaging device. Therefore, an object outside the field of view that is not actually viewed, which is outside the field of view that will be visible by the passenger on board as the car 1 travels, is identified, and the information is output it can.
Moreover, since the image captured in the visible light captured image by the imaging device is excluded so as to be visible, even when a sufficient field of view can not be secured due to weather conditions such as snowfall or heavy rain, the actual Objects outside the field of view can be identified based on the field of view. As a result, it is not a landmark at a distance but a sign or a signal provided on a road on which the car 1 travels, not a distant landmark so that visual recognition is difficult even if approaching because a sufficient visual field can not be obtained Can be identified as As a result, even if a sufficient field of view can not be secured, it can be confirmed that the vehicle 1 is correctly moving by an object outside the field of view near the road.

  The above embodiment is an example of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications or changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Car (vehicle), 10 ... Target-object information provision apparatus, 11 ... GPS receiver, 12 ... Wireless communication apparatus, 13 ... Camera outside a car, 14 ... Camera in a car, 15 ... Storage part, 16 ... Timer, 17 ... Display apparatus (Output device) 18 Microcomputer 21 Object information acquisition unit 22 Output control unit 41 Speed indicator (object outside the field of view) 42 Destination indicator (object outside the field of view) 51 Image of speed sign (information of object outside the field of view), 52 ... Image of destination sign (information of object outside the field of view)

Claims (9)

An object information acquisition unit for acquiring information on an object outside the field of view, which is an object existing on a road on which the vehicle travels or around the vehicle and which becomes visible as the vehicle travels;
An output device for outputting information of the object out of the field of view before the object out of the field of view becomes visible in view;
Have
Object information providing device for vehicles. The output device is
A display device for displaying in the field of vision of the vehicle occupant;
The information of the object outside the visual field is visibly displayed at a position near the center of the visual field of the occupant.
The object information provision apparatus of the vehicle according to claim 1. The output device starts outputting information of the object out of the field of view before the object out of the field of view becomes visible in view.
The object information provision apparatus of the vehicle of Claim 1 or 2. The output device ends the output of the information of the object out of the field of view when the object out of the field of view which has been output becomes visible with a view.
The object information provision apparatus of the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3. A position acquisition device for acquiring the position and the traveling direction of the vehicle;
The object information acquisition unit identifies an object present on a road or a surrounding on which the vehicle travels based on the position and the traveling direction of the vehicle.
The object information provision apparatus of the vehicle as described in any one of Claims 1-4. A visual recognition device for recognizing or estimating the visual field of the vehicle occupant;
The object information acquisition unit identifies the object outside the field of view except for objects within the field of view recognized or estimated by the visible recognition device from the objects existing on the road or around the vehicle on which the vehicle travels ,
The object information provision apparatus of the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5. An imaging device for imaging the outside of the vehicle with visible light;
The object information acquisition unit is an object outside the field of view except for an object visible on a captured image of visible light by the imaging device from an object present on a road or a surrounding on which the vehicle travels. Identify the object,
The object information provision apparatus of the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The target object information acquisition unit
When there are a plurality of objects outside the field of view, objects near the vehicle are preferentially identified.
The object information provision apparatus of the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The target object information acquisition unit
Identifying a sign or a signal provided on a road on which the vehicle travels or a landmark near the road on which the vehicle travels as the object outside the field of view
The object information provision apparatus of the vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8.