Display control device for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10564434-B2
Application number	US-201715455686-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2017
Priority date	Mar 18, 2016
Publication date	Feb 18, 2020
Grant date	Feb 18, 2020

Abstract

A display control device for a vehicle includes: a display controller that displays a predetermined display image on a windshield of the vehicle; a visibility reducing area detector that detects a presence or an absence of a visibility reducing area which reduces a visibility of the display image on the windshield; and a gaze detector that detects a gaze of a driver. When the display image overlaps with the visibility reducing area and the driver does not keep the gaze on the display image, the display controller moves the display image to an outside of the visibility reducing area.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A display control device for a vehicle, the display control device comprising:
a display controller that displays a display image on a windshield of the vehicle;
a visibility reducing area detector that detects a presence or an absence of a visibility reducing area on the windshield, wherein the visibility reducing area has a visibility of the display image that is lower than the visibility of a visibility area, and wherein the visibility area is provided on the windshield; and
a gaze detector that detects a gaze of a driver, wherein
the visibility reducing area detector detects a size of the visibility reducing area,
the display controller is configured to:
move the display image from the visibility reducing area to the visibility area so that the display image has no portions that overlap with the visibility reducing area, when the display controller determines that all of conditions are met, wherein the conditions include that:
the size of the visibility reducing area is within a predetermined range;
the display image is displayed overlapping with the visibility reducing area; and
the driver does not keep the gaze on the display image that overlaps with the visibility reducing area; and

display, after the moving of the display image, an image of a scene in front of the vehicle through the visibility reduction area on the visibility reduction area and the display image on the visibility area.

2. The display control device for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein when the display controller determines that the display image is displayed overlapping with the visibility reducing area, the display controller makes one or both of a contrast and a size of the display image higher or larger.

3. The display control device for the vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein while the display controller determines that the driver keeps the gaze on the display image that overlaps with the visibility reducing area, the display controller makes one or both of the contrast and the size of the display image on the visibility reducing area higher or larger.

4. The display control device for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the display image includes a superimposition display image that displays an object that is visually recognized through the windshield in superimposing manner, and
when the display controller determines that all of the conditions are met, the display controller switches the display image from the superimposition display image to a simple display image, wherein the simple display image consists of at least one of letters and figures.

5. The display control device for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the visibility reducing area is a dirty area having a dirt on the windshield.

6. The display control device for the vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein when the size of the dirty area is greater than a predetermined range, the display controller executes a warning process.

7. The display control device for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein when the display controller determines that the size of the visibility reducing area is greater than or equal to the predetermined range, the display controller displays traveling direction information on the visibility reducing area, the traveling direction information being information related to driving the vehicle.

8. The display control device for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein when the display controller determines that the size of the visibility reducing area is greater than or equal to the predetermined range, the display controller executes a warning process.

9. The display control device for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein when the display controller determines that a dirty area having a dirt on the windshield is detected as the visibility reducing area, and the display controller determines that the dirty area overlaps with a wiped area of a windshield wiper of the windshield, the display controller operates the windshield wiper.

10. The display control device for the vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein when the display controller determines that the size of the visibility reducing area is less than the predetermined range, the display controller operates the windshield wiper.

11. The display control device for the vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein when the display controller determines that a size of the dirty area falls below a threshold, the display controller stops the windshield wiper and returns the display image to an initial condition.

12. The display control device for the vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the display image includes a superimposition display image that displays an object that is visually recognized through the windshield in superimposing manner, and
when the display controller determines that all of the conditions are met, the display controller switches the display image from the superimposition display image to simple display image, wherein the simple display image consists of at least one of letters and figures.

13. The display control device for a vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the display controller maintains displaying the display image on the visibility reduction area, when the display controller determines that the size of the visibility reducing area is smaller than the predetermined range.

14. A display control device for a vehicle, the display control device comprising:
circuitry configured to
display a display image on a windshield of the vehicle;
detect a presence or an absence of a visibility reducing area on the windshield, wherein the visibility reducing area has a visibility of the display image that is lower than the visibility of a visibility area, and wherein the visibility area is provided on the windshield;
detect a gaze of a driver;
detect a size of the visibility reducing area;
move the display image from the visibility reducing area to the visibility area so that the display image has no portions that overlap with the visibility reducing area, when the circuitry is further configured to determine that all of conditions are met, wherein the conditions include that:
the size of the visibility reducing area is within a predetermined range;
the display image is displayed overlapping with the visibility reducing area; and
the driver does not keep the gaze on the display image that overlaps with the visibility reducing area; and
display, after the moving of the display image, an image of a scene in front of the vehicle through the visibility reduction area on the visibility reduction area and the display image on the visibility area.

15. The display control device for the vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein when the circuitry determines that the size of the visibility reducing area is greater than the predetermined range, the circuitry is further configured to display traveling direction information on the visibility reducing area, the traveling direction information being information related to driving the vehicle.

16. A display control device for a vehicle, the display control device comprising:
a display controller that displays a display image on a windshield of the vehicle;
a visibility reducing area detector that detects a presence or an absence of a visibility reducing area on the windshield, wherein the visibility reducing area has a visibility of the display image that is lower than the visibility of a visibility area, and wherein the visibility area is provided on the windshield; and
a gaze detector that detects a gaze of a driver, wherein
when the visibility r

Assignees

• Fuji Heavy Ind Ltd
• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Sato Noeru
• Torii Takeshi
• Sumikawa Ryuichi

Classifications

• B60R2300/308

  by overlaying the real scene, e.g. through a head-up display on the windscreen · CPC title

• G09G5/373

  for modifying the size of the graphic pattern · CPC title

• G02B27/0179 Primary

  Display position adjusting means not related to the information to be displayed · CPC title

• G02B2027/0181

  Adaptation to the pilot/driver · CPC title

• G09G2320/066

  for control of contrast · CPC title