Image display device, image display method, and moving object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11034296-B2
Application number	US-201716092863-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2017
Priority date	Apr 18, 2016
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

Provided is an image display device including: a display unit configured to display an image on a side window of a vehicle; and a control unit configured to control an opening and closing motion of the side window, according to a display state of the display unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
circuitry configured to:
during a period in which a display is displaying a combined image showing a front sideward sight of a vehicle in a first region, a rear sideward sight of the vehicle in a second region, a side sight of the vehicle in a third region, and a boundary line between at least two of the regions, wherein the boundary line has a view angle of 0.028 degrees or more, wherein the combined image is captured by at least one camera mounted on the vehicle,
prohibit opening motion of a window of the vehicle based on the displaying of the image captured by the at least one camera mounted on the vehicle.

2. An image display system comprising the apparatus of claim 1 , the display, and the at least one camera.

3. The image display system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the at least one camera comprises a side-view camera mounted on a side of the vehicle; and
the display is configured to display on a side window of the vehicle the combined image captured by the camera.

4. The image display system according to claim 3 , wherein the display is configured to display the combined image in a partial region away from a pillar of the vehicle.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one camera is a side-view camera mounted on a side of the vehicle, and the circuitry is further configured to control the opening and closing motion of a side window of the vehicle based on the display state of the display.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the combined image captured by the side-view camera is from a rearward perspective with respect to a forward-moving direction of the vehicle.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to limit how far the window can be opened while the display is displaying the combined image.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to, if the window is open by more than a threshold amount when the combined image is to be displayed, close the window so that the window is open by less than the threshold amount.

9. The image display system according to claim 2 , wherein the display comprises:
a semi-transmissive reflection material disposed within a region of the window, and
a projector configured to project the combined image onto at least a part of the region of the window.

10. The image display system according to claim 9 , wherein the window is a side window of the vehicle, and the projector is supported by a door of the vehicle in which the window is disposed.

11. The image display system according to claim 9 , wherein the reflection material is configured and arranged within the region of the window so as to cause projected light from the projector to be reflected anisotropically.

12. The image display system according to claim 9 , wherein the reflection material comprises at least one of retroreflection beads, retroreflection film, or a translucent film.

13. The image display system according to claim 2 , wherein the display comprises a light emitting element arranged within the region of the window.

14. The image display system according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to cause the display to display the combined image with a boundary line.

15. The image display system according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to cause the display to display an image of a front sideward view from the vehicle and an image of a rear sideward view from the vehicle side-by-side.

16. The image display system according to claim 15 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to cause the display to display an image of a side view from the vehicle.

17. The image display system according to claim 2 , wherein:
the system further comprises a sensor; and
the circuitry is further configured to control at least one of (i) brightness of the combined image displayed by the display, (ii) contrast of the combined image displayed by the display, (iii) a reflectance of a semi-transmissive reflection material disposed within a region of the window, or (iv) a display configuration of a plurality of images captured by a plurality of cameras mounted on the vehicle, on the basis of a detection result of the sensor.

18. The image display system according to claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of (a) a motion sensor configured to detect a head motion or an eye motion of a driver of the vehicle, (b) a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect a traveling speed of the vehicle, or (c) an illuminance sensor configured to detect an illuminance of an environment around the vehicle.

19. The image display system according to claim 17 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to set the brightness or the contrast of the combined image higher than a usual set value, in response to the sensor detecting a head motion or a sight line movement of a driver of the vehicle.

20. The image display system according to claim 19 , wherein the circuitry is further configured such that, when the sensor does not detect a head motion or a sight line movement of a driver of the vehicle for a certain period, the circuitry sets the brightness or the contrast of the combined image lower than a usual set value.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to close the window during the period in which the display is displaying the combined image.

22. The image display system according to claim 2 , in combination with the vehicle.

23. An image display method comprising:
displaying a combined image showing a front sideward sight of a vehicle in a first region, a rear sideward sight of the vehicle in a second region, a side sight of the vehicle in a third region, and a boundary line between at least two of the regions, wherein the boundary line has a view angle of 0.028 degrees or more, wherein the combined image is captured by at least one camera mounted on the vehicle on a window of the vehicle; and
during a period in which the combined image is displayed on the window, prohibiting opening motion of the window based on the displaying of the combined image.

24. A computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a controller, cause the controller to perform a method comprising:
during a period in which a display is displaying image a combined image showing a front sideward sight of a vehicle in a first region, a rear sideward sight of the vehicle in a second region, a side sight of the vehicle in a third region, and a boundary line between at least two of the regions, wherein the boundary line has a view angle of 0.028 degrees or more, wherein the combined image is captured by at least one camera mounted on the vehicle,
prohibiting opening motion of a window of the vehicle based on the displaying of the combined image captured by the at least one camera mounted on the vehicle.

Assignees

• Sony Corp

Inventors

• Oba Eiji

Classifications

• H04N23/90

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title

• E05Y2900/55

  Windows · CPC title

• B60J1/12

  adjustable · CPC title

• B60R2300/8046

  for replacing a rear-view mirror system · CPC title

• E05F15/70

  with automatic actuation · CPC title