JP2775868B2 - Travel area display device and travel area signal generator - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a travel area display device that displays a range in which a transportation means such as an automobile or a ship having a traveling direction changing function is to travel. The present invention also relates to a driving range signal generator for generating a signal indicating such a driving range.

[Background Art] When driving a car, the safe driving range in front of the car depends on the running speed and the steering wheel rotation angle of the steering control. It is the current situation to judge by.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Therefore, a beginner who does not have such an intuition can only run at low speed, but this causes a difference in the running speed with the surrounding running vehicles, which is rather dangerous. It is. Therefore, there is a demand for a simple mechanical device that sequentially displays a range to be traveled.

Also, even those who have a proper driving feeling and vehicle width feeling,
It is dangerous to rely on intuition alone, as these sensations change depending on your daily health.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a traveling range display device that displays a range to be traveled, that is, a traveling range, according to a steering operation, and a traveling range signal generating device that generates a signal indicating the traveling range. I do.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In the first invention, a forward video is photographed by a camera and displayed by a video display. Then, on the image screen, two wires for displaying the traveling area are arranged at a position corresponding to the nearest position and a position corresponding to a position ahead of the first holding means. The second holding member is moved to the left or right in accordance with the steering operation, that is, the traveling direction changing operation, between the second holding member and the second holding member. As a result, the two wires are curved to display the traveling area.

In the second invention, the curves of the two wires are generated electrically as a video signal, and are superimposed and displayed on the video captured by the camera means.

In the third invention, a signal indicating the traveling area is generated according to the output of the operation detecting means.

[Operation] The change in the position of the forward object due to the traveling speed of the transportation means is a change in the position in the photographed image, and approaches in accordance with the progress of the transportation means. If there is a possibility of collision, it will eventually enter between the two wires, so even if the traveling speed is not strictly considered in the position control of the second holding means,
Sufficient performance can be obtained only by the control based on the detected value of the steering operation. Therefore, a very simple device configuration is sufficient.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a state where the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on an automobile. One embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG.
A television camera 10 for photographing the front of the vehicle;
A display device 12 that displays an image by the camera 10 and a running range of the vehicle in the width of the vehicle, a steering wheel operation detecting device 14 that detects an operation of a steering wheel as a steering control device, and a detection signal of the steering wheel operation detecting device 14 And a motor drive circuit 18 that controls a travel area indicating line in the display device 12 by the motor 16 in accordance with Motor 16 is a servo motor that can rotate in two directions.

In the display device 12, reference numeral 20 denotes an image display device for displaying an image from the television camera 10. As the image display device 20, a liquid crystal display device with a backlight that can obtain a certain degree of visibility even under sunlight is preferable. Of course, a CRT type may be used, but it is dangerous in the event of an accident. Reference numerals 22 and 24 are indicating wires indicating the vehicle traveling area as viewed from the vehicle width. Indicating wire
It is preferable that the wires 22 and 24 have elasticity. In this embodiment, black piano wires are used as the indicator wires 22 and 24. In addition, a wire such as a linear neon tube or an optical fiber can be used. Further, as described later, the indicator wire 2
The video signals 2 and 24 may be converted into video signals and displayed on the display screen of the video display device 20 so as to be superimposed on the video signals from the television camera 10.

On the front surface of the image display device 20, fixed frames 26, 28, 30 are fixed at positions on the left, lower, and right sides surrounding the image display surface,
Above the image display area of the image display device 20, a gear shaft 32 of a square screw is inserted between the left fixed frame 26 and the right fixed frame 30, and both ends of the gear shaft 32 are fixed plates 34. , 3
5 through the bearing (not shown), respectively, fixed frame 2
It is rotatably mounted on 6,30.

At the front of the gear shaft 32, the gear shaft
A slide guide plate 36 is arranged along 32. The slide guide plate 36 is fixed to the left fixed frame 26 and the right fixed frame 30 by fixed plates 38 and 39, respectively. The slide guide plate 36 has an opening 36A extending left and right along the gear shaft 32, and the slide plate 40 moves left and right guided by the opening 36A. FIG. 3A shows a plan view of the slide plate 40, and FIG. 3B shows a side view thereof.

The base 100 of the slide plate 40 has a U-shaped cross section as shown in FIG. 3B, and a meshing piece 102 that meshes with the square screw of the gear shaft 32 is fixed to the lower part of the center by screws 104 and 106. As a result, the base 100 of the slide plate 40 moves in accordance with the rotation of the gear shaft 32,
Move right or left along 36.

The wire holding members 42, 44 holding the indicating wires 22, 24 are
Heads 42A and 44A for loosely holding the indicator wires 22 and 24, and a shaft 42
B, 44B. The heads 42A, 44A are rotatable with respect to the shafts 42B, 44B. Instruction wires 22, 24 are attached to the heads 42A, 44A.
Through holes 42C and 44C for loosely holding the holes. In this embodiment, the indicating wires 22 and 24 are simply
It only passes through 2,44 of the through holes 42C, 44C. The shaft portions 42B, 44B are fixed to movable pieces 110, 112 which are movable in the axial direction of the gear shaft 32 by a shaft screw 108. The movable pieces 110 and 112 are threaded in opposite directions to the shaft screw 108, respectively.
By rotating the screw 108, the distance between the movable pieces 110 and 112, that is, the distance between the wire holding members 42 and 44 can be adjusted. Reference numeral 114 denotes an operation knob of the shaft screw 108, and reference numeral 115 denotes a spring-shaped holding plate that prevents the operation knob 114 from rotating with a small force.

Returning to FIG. 1, the other ends of the indicating wires 22 and 24 are respectively
It is fixed to the wire holding members 46, 48 of the lower fixing frame 28.
The wire holding members 46 and 48 may be
It is fixed to the lower fixed frame 28 at a position (usually the center position) and at an interval corresponding to the width of the vehicle used, but it can be independently adjusted to these fixed positions because of the relationship with the image of the television camera 10. It is preferable to keep it.

The aforementioned motor 16 is fixed to the right fixing frame 30 by fixing plates 50 and 52. A gear 54 is fixed to the rotation shaft of the motor 16, and a gear 56 meshing with the gear 54 is a gear shaft 32.
It is fixed to. That is, the gear shaft 32 is rotated by the motor 16.

Next, referring to FIG. 2, a state in which the present apparatus is mounted on an automobile will be described. The display device 12 of the present device is a position where the driver can most easily see the display contents of the present device while driving, and a position where the display image of the image display device 20 is easily shaded, specifically, Is disposed between a steering handle 60 as a steering control means and a display panel 62 for displaying speed and the like. In the display panel 62, 64 is a display panel of a travel position display device that displays a travel position image, 66 is an operation switch of the travel display position device, 68 is various meters such as a fuel gauge, a water temperature gauge, an oil pressure gauge, and 70 is A speedometer, 72 is a tachometer, and 74 is a caution indicator lamp group.

The TV / camera 10 of the present apparatus is preferably installed at a position as high as possible on the vehicle center line, and is preferably in a place that is not easily affected by rain. Therefore, as the highest place in the vehicle, between the rear-view mirror 76 and the windshield 78, it is fixed below the top plate 80. 82
Is a mounting base for fixing the television camera 10 to the top plate 80.

The configuration of the handle operation detecting device 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7. FIG. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 84 denotes a handle shaft fixed to the steering handle 60, which is connected to a steering gear mechanism in a gear box 85. In this embodiment, the handle shaft 84
Is partly formed as a gear shaft 86 having a square screw, and the handle operation angle is detected from the rotation of the gear shaft 86. That is, the cover 88 of the gear shaft 86 is provided with an elongated groove along the gear shaft 86 through which a detection piece 120 of the handle operation detection device 14 described later can intervene.
As shown in detail in the figure, a round guide rail for guiding the detection piece 120 along the gear shaft 86
90 is fixed to the shaft cover 88 by fixtures 92 and 93. FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the detection piece 120, and FIG.
FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view taken along line -A.

Further, the distance measuring device 122 for detecting the position of the detection piece 120 is connected to the lower end of the gear shaft 86, that is, the handle shaft 84.
And the gear box 85 at a boundary position. Although the details will be described later, the distance measuring device 122 optically detects the distance to the detection piece 120 or a relative change thereof, and outputs an electric signal indicating the distance. That is, the detection piece 120 is a mirror member that reflects the laser light from the distance measurement device 122,
The distance measuring device 122 can accurately measure the change in the distance to the detection piece 120, that is, the relative distance, due to the interference between the reflected light from the detection piece 120 and the transmitted light. The distance measuring device 122 is, for example,
3Z4M-J121-2 manufactured by Tateishi Electric Co., Ltd.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an electric circuit configuration of the steering wheel operation detecting device 14 using the detecting piece 120 and the distance measuring device 122.
The distance measuring device 122 outputs an analog voltage signal proportional to the distance d to the detection piece 120. The sequencer 124 digitizes the analog voltage signal output from the distance measuring device 122 and compares it with a reference value. That is, the amount of change from the initially set center position (the handle position that moves in the straight-ahead direction) is calculated and applied to the position determination circuit 126. The position determination circuit 126 calculates the difference from the change amount signal from the sequencer 124 at the time of the immediately preceding clock, determines the rotation direction and rotation angle of the motor 16 from the current rotation position, and determines the number of rotations corresponding to the rotation. Output pulse. The rotation direction of the motor 16 may be specified by the polarity of the pulse applied from the position determination circuit 126 to the motor control circuit 128, or may be specified from the position determination circuit 126 to the motor control circuit 128, A signal indicating the rotation direction may be separately applied.

The motor control circuit 128 converts the pulse signal from the position determination circuit 126 into the number of rotations or the amount of rotation of the motor, and rotates the servo motor 16 by an appropriate angle. The portion including the position determination circuit 126 and the motor control circuit 128 corresponds to the motor drive circuit 18 in FIG.

The distance d between the detecting piece 120 and the distance measuring device 122 is determined by a steering wheel.
Since the motor 16 is driven to a rotation position corresponding to the change of the distance d, the rotation position of the motor 16, that is, the rotation amount and the rotation angle are changed according to the left and right rotation of the handle 60. Corresponding to the amount of movement of the detection piece 120.

The reference value of the sequencer 124 can be changed externally, and the sequencer 124 uses the output voltage value of the distance measuring device 122 at that time as the reference value in response to an external reset signal.

Next, a method of using the present embodiment and its operation will be described.
First, as shown in FIG. 2, the television camera 10 and the display device 12 are attached, and as shown in FIG. 4, the detection piece 120 of the steering wheel operation detecting device 14 and the distance measuring device 122 are attached. The TV camera 10 is naturally mounted slightly downward, but the mounting angle may be appropriate. Then, the wire holding members 46 and 48 are fixed to the lower fixed frame 28 at a position corresponding to the vehicle width of the vehicle used, as viewed in the image captured by the television camera 10, that is, on the display screen of the image display device 20. If the front of the vehicle used is included in the shooting screen of the TV camera 10, the wire holding members 46 and 48 may be fixed according to the image, and if the vehicle front is not included in the image, In the same manner as in the case of the wire holding members 42 and 44 described later,
What is necessary is just to fix the wire holding members 46 and 48 at the position corresponding to the vehicle width at the lower end of the display screen.

The wire holding members 42 and 44 are as follows. That is, the wire holding member is displayed on the display screen of the video display device 20.
Erect two poles with a vehicle width interval at the front position in front of the vehicle corresponding to the positions of 42 and 44, and adjust the positions of the wire holding members 42 and 44 and the mutual interval according to the images of the two poles with the operation knob 1.
Adjust by 14 and fix to the slide plate 40. Then, the steering wheel 60 is moved straight, the steering wheel operation detection position 14 is reset, and the rotation reference position of the steering wheel 60 is set. In the configuration of FIG. 7, this corresponds to applying a reset signal to the sequencer 124.

This completes the adjustment at the time of installation. Then, the television camera 10 is operated to drive the vehicle while displaying the image of the traveling front on the image display device 20. handle
When the wheel 60 is rotated beyond its play, the gear shaft 86 rotates, and the detecting piece 120 approaches or moves away from the distance measuring device 122 depending on the rotation direction of the handle 60. Then, as described above, the servo motor 16
Is driven to a rotation position corresponding to the handle operation angle.
As a result, the gear shaft 32 rotates, and the slide plate
The position 40 moves to a direction corresponding to the handle rotation direction and a position corresponding to the handle rotation angle.

For example, when the handle 60 is rotated to the left, the slide plate 40 moves to the corresponding position in the left direction. The movement of the slide plate 40 causes the support wires 22, 24 to move through the through holes 42 of the wire holding members 42, 44.
C and 44C move and bend as shown in FIG. 8, and the heads 42A and 44A of the wire holding members 42 and 44 rotate to suit the bending. The direction wires 22 and 24 curved in this manner indicate the range in which the vehicle is to travel by the vehicle width.

When the rotation of the handle 60 is stopped, the distance measuring device 122 outputs a constant voltage corresponding to the distance d from the detection piece 120.
Accordingly, while the rotation of the handle 60 is stopped, the sequencer 124 supplies a constant value to the position determination circuit 126, so that the position determination circuit 126 does not generate a pulse and the servo motor 16
Stops at that rotational position, and the slide plate 40 also stops at that position.

When the handle 60 is returned from this state, that is, when the handle 60 is rotated rightward, if the detection piece 120 approaches the distance measurement device 122 when the handle 60 turns left, the detection piece 120 separates from the distance measurement device 122. , The servo motor 16 rotates in the reverse direction. As a result, the slide plate 40 is moved to the gear shaft 32.
Move right along. When the handle 60 is in the straight traveling state, the indicating wires 22 and 24 finally return to the state shown in FIG. When the handle 60 is further turned to the right, indicating wire 2
The curves 2 and 24 are curved as shown in FIG.

If there is an obstacle in the range sandwiched by the indicating wires 22 and 24, a collision will occur unless some kind of evasion operation, such as turning the handle 60 further left or right, or taking measures such as deceleration or acceleration, is taken. Will do.

The running speed is determined by the video display device 20 using the television camera 10.
It is not necessary to take the running speed into consideration for the position control of the wire holding members 42 and 44 by the motor 16 since the image is reflected in the image at the time of. This has been confirmed in actual experiments. As a result, the traveling area can be displayed with a very simple structure.

The correspondence between the rotation amount of the motor 16 with respect to the rotation angle of the handle 60, that is, the position of the slide plate 40, is determined by the position determination circuit 126 and the gears 54 and 56 in FIG. It is sufficient to adjust the number of pulses generated by the position determination circuit 126 while actually traveling. The correspondence between the rotation angle of the handle 60 and the position of the slide plate 40 is somewhat inaccurate, and an obstacle in front of the vehicle enters between the wire holding members 46 and 48 as the vehicle advances. ,
There is actually no problem.

FIG. 10 is a circuit configuration block diagram of an embodiment using video signals in place of the instruction wires 22 and 24. Reference numeral 200 denotes a television camera similar to the television camera 10, 202 denotes a video display device similar to the video display device 20, 204 denotes a distance measurement device similar to the distance measurement device 122, and the output is an A / D converter 206 Is digitized. The register 208 holds a reference value of the operation angle of the handle 60, and takes in and holds the output of the A / D converter 206 in accordance with an external reset signal. The subtracter 210 subtracts the output of the register 208 from the output of the A / D converter 206. As a result, the output of the subtractor 210 outputs a value corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 60 from the reference position (the straight traveling direction).

With the origin at the upper left of the display by the display device 12 in FIG.
Assuming that the horizontal right direction is the x axis and the vertical downward direction is the y axis, the register 211 holds the x coordinate of the center of the slide plate 40 in FIG. 1 on the display screen of the display device 12, and the adder 212 The output of the subtractor 210 is added to the output. Adder 212
Indicates the x-coordinate of the center position of the wire holding members 42 and 44 to be moved in accordance with the operation of the handle 60. The adder 214 adds the positive offset value d1 to the output of the adder 212 to obtain the x-coordinate position of the wire holding member 44, and the adder 214 obtains the x-coordinate position of the wire holding member 42.
216 adds a negative offset value −d1 to the output of the adder 212.

A register 218 holds the x coordinate of the center position between the wire holding members 46 and 48 in FIG. The register
Preferably, 218 is capable of externally adjusting the stored data. As in the case of the wire holding members 40 and 42, in order to obtain the x-coordinate position of the wire holding member 48, a positive offset value d2 is added to the output of the register 218 by the adder 220, and the x-coordinate of the wire holding member 46 is obtained. To obtain the position, adder 222 adds a negative offset value -d2 to the output of register 218.

The curve calculation circuit 224 forms a curve signal corresponding to the indicating wire 24 from the x coordinates output from the adders 214 and 220, and corresponds to the indicating wire 22 from the x coordinates output from the adders 216 and 222. Form a curve signal. Such a curve is, for example, a quadratic curve that passes through two x-coordinates and whose tangent lines on the wire holding members 46 and 48 indicate straight traveling. Then, the curve calculation circuit 224 outputs the thus formed curve signal as a video signal of the same standard (for example, the NTSC system) as the video signal output from the television camera 200.

The adder 226 superimposes the output of the curve calculation circuit 224 on the output signal of the television camera 200 and applies it to the video display device 202. As a result, in the video display device 202, a video is displayed in which the command line video corresponding to the command wires 22 and 24 is superimposed on the video in front of the vehicle by the television camera 200.

In order to have the same function as the position adjustment of the wire holding members 42, 44, 46, 48, the holding value of the registers 211, 218 and the offset value d1 added by the adders 214, 216, 220, 222 at the start of the device or at an appropriate time. , d2 may be adjusted and selected.

The above description has been made as an auxiliary tool for safe driving of a car. However, in general, the present invention can be applied to a transportation means having a rudder, such as a ship, and is used not only for safe driving but also for training, that is, for checking a vehicle width sense. it can. In the case where the driving range indicating line is converted into a video signal, the present invention can be applied to an automatic driving device or a warning device that issues a warning in a dangerous case. That is, for example, the center line of a road, a guard rail, or a guide rail of an autonomous vehicle is detected by video signal processing,
It is possible to automatically determine whether the traveling direction change angle and traveling speed are appropriate based on the comparison with the video signal of the traveling area instruction line, and if the driving condition is changed based on the result of the decision, automatic driving can be performed, and the decision result Then, a predetermined warning may be issued.

In addition, in a place where there is no movable object, or in a place where the moving speed is slow even if a movable object is present, it is sufficiently safe to drive only by looking at the display of the display device 12 or the video display device 202. .

[Effects of the Invention] As can be easily understood from the above description, according to the present invention, the traveling area in the traveling direction of the transportation means can be displayed with a very simple structure. By displaying the travel area with the width of the transportation means, it is possible to detect an obstacle ahead ahead more quickly and to avoid the obstacle earlier.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a state where the embodiment is mounted on an automobile, FIG. 3A is a plan view of a slide plate 40, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a view showing a mounting state of the detection piece 120 and the distance measuring device 122 of the handle operation detection device 14, FIG. 5 is a plan view of the detection piece 120, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the circuit configuration of the steering wheel operation detecting device 14, FIG.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display state when turning to the left, FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display state when turning to the right, and FIG. 10 is a circuit configuration block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention. 10: TV camera, 12: display device, 14: handle operation detection device, 16: motor, 18: motor drive circuit, 20: video display device, 22, 24: indicating wire, 26, 28, 30: fixed frame, 32: Gear shaft, 34, 35: Fixed plate, 36: Slide guide plate, 3
6A: Opening, 38, 39: Fixed plate, 40: Slide plate, 42, 44: Wire holding member, 42A, 44A: Head, 42B, 44B: Shaft, 42C, 44C: Through hole, 46, 48: Wire Holding member, 50, 52: fixed plate, 54, 56: gear, 60: handle, 62: display panel, 64: display panel of travel position display device, 66: operation switch of the travel position display device, 68: meters , 70: speedometer, 72: tachometer, 74: caution indicator lamp group, 76: rearview mirror, 78: windshield, 80: top plate, 82: mounting frame, 84: handle shaft, 86: gear Shaft, 88: Shaft cover, 90:
Guide rails, 92, 93: fixture, 100: base, 102: meshing piece, 104, 106: screw, 108: shaft screw, 110, 112: movable piece, 114: operation knob, 120: detection piece, 122: distance measuring device

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. A device for displaying a forward running area of a transportation means, comprising: a camera means for capturing a forward image, a video display means for displaying a video captured by the camera means, and a steering operation of the transportation means. Operation detecting means for detecting, two wires on the display surface of the video display means for displaying a traveling area, and a wire corresponding to a first position in front of the traveling direction of the transportation means; A first holding means for holding one end of the wire, and a first holding means arranged at a position corresponding to a second position ahead of the first position, holding the other end of each wire, and a left-right direction with respect to a front in a traveling direction of the transportation means. The second holding means which is movable to the second position and the second holding means in response to the output of the operation detecting means.
And a driving means for moving the holding means. 2. An operation position detecting means for detecting an operation position of a steering control means of a transportation means, a reference value, and an output value of the operation position detecting means and the reference value. 2. A travel area display device according to claim 1, further comprising: an arithmetic unit that outputs a signal indicating a difference value between the two. 3. The travel area display device according to claim 1, wherein said transportation means is an automobile. 4. An apparatus for displaying a forward running area of a transportation means, a camera means for capturing a forward image, an operation detecting means for detecting a steering operation of the transportation means, and a photographing screen by the camera means. A first position signal generating means for generating a position signal corresponding to a first position in front of the transportation means, and a traveling direction ahead of the first position and detected by the operation detecting means Second position signal generating means for generating a position signal of a second position in accordance with the turning operation, running area image signal generating means for generating an image signal indicating a running area from the first and second position signals, A driving area display device comprising: superimposing means for superimposing an output of a driving area video signal generating means on an output video signal of a camera means; and display means for displaying an image of the output of the superimposing means. 5. An operation position detecting means for detecting an operation position of a steering control means of a transportation means, a reference value, and an output value of the operation position detecting means and the reference value. The running area display device according to claim 4, further comprising a calculating means for outputting a signal indicating a difference value of the driving range. 6. The travel area display device according to claim 4, wherein said transportation means is an automobile. 7. An apparatus for generating a traveling area signal indicating a traveling area ahead of a transportation means, comprising: operation detection means for detecting a steering operation of the transportation means; A first position signal generating means for generating a position signal corresponding to a first position in front of the transportation means, and a forward direction changing operation detected by the operation detecting means and located in front of the first position. A traveling system comprising: second position signal generating means for generating a position signal of a second position; and curve signal generating means for generating a curve signal indicating a traveling area from the first and second position signals. Area signal generator.