Image display apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018257548-A1
Application number	US-201815888858-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 5, 2018
Priority date	Mar 10, 2017
Publication date	Sep 13, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image display device includes an illuminator and a detector. The illuminator is configured to send out light on a road surface frontward of a vehicle, to display an image on the road surface. The detector is configured to detect a pedestrian frontward of the vehicle. The illuminator is configured to cause a notification image to be on chronologically-changeable display on the road surface. The notification image notifies information to the pedestrian detected by the detector.

First claim

1 . An image display device, comprising:
an illuminator configured to send out light on a road surface frontward of a vehicle, to display an image on the road surface; and a detector configured to detect a pedestrian frontward of the vehicle, the illuminator being configured to cause a notification image to be on chronologically-changeable display on the road surface, the notification image notifying information to the pedestrian detected by the detector.

2 . The image display device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an evaluation unit configured to evaluate a safety level of the vehicle with respect to the pedestrian detected by the detector; and a display control unit configured to control the illuminator to cause the notification image to be displayed on the road surface, wherein the evaluation unit evaluates the safety level on a basis of a distance from the pedestrian detected by the detector to the vehicle, and on a basis of a speed of the vehicle, and the display control unit controls the illuminator to cause the notification image to be on the chronologically-changeable display on the road surface in accordance with a change in the safety level evaluated by the evaluation unit.

3 . The image display device according to claim 2 , wherein
the detector detects a pedestrian position of the pedestrian who crosses a driveway on which the vehicle travels, the evaluation unit evaluates the safety level on a basis of arrival time it takes for the vehicle to arrive at the pedestrian position detected by the detector, and the display control unit controls the illuminator to cause a count-down image of the arrival time to be displayed as the notification image.

4 . The image display device according to claim 3 , wherein
the detector detects a pedestrian direction of the pedestrian who crosses the driveway, the evaluation unit evaluates the safety level additionally on a basis of the pedestrian direction detected by the detector, and the display control unit controls the illuminator to cause the notification image to be on movable display following a change in the pedestrian position and a change in the pedestrian direction detected by the detector.

5 . The image display device according to claim 4 , wherein
the display control unit controls the illuminator to cause the notification image to be displayed in a display mode corresponding to the safety level.

6 . The image display device according to claim 5 , wherein
the evaluation unit
evaluates the safety level with the pedestrian direction detected by the detector being a receding direction from the driveway, more highly than the safety level with the pedestrian direction being an approaching direction with respect to the driveway, and
evaluates the safety level with the pedestrian direction detected by the detector being a receding direction from the vehicle, more highly than the safety level with the pedestrian direction being an approaching direction with respect to the vehicle, and
the display control unit
controls the illuminator to cause the notification image to be non-displayed on a condition that the pedestrian position detected by the detector falls outside the driveway and on a condition that the pedestrian direction detected by the detector is the receding direction from the driveway or the vehicle.

7 . The image display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the illuminator includes headlights of the vehicle.

8 . The image display device according to claim 2 , wherein
the illuminator includes headlights of the vehicle.

9 . The image display device according to claim 3 , wherein
the illuminator includes headlights of the vehicle.

10 . The image display device according to claim 4 , wherein
the illuminator includes headlights of the vehicle.

11 . The image display device according to claim 5 , wherein
the illuminator includes headlights of the vehicle.

12 . The image display device according to claim 6 , wherein
the illuminator includes headlights of the vehicle.

13 . An image display device, comprising:
an illuminator configured to send out light on a road surface frontward of a vehicle, to display an image on the road surface; a detector configured to detect a pedestrian frontward of the vehicle; and circuitry configured to control the illuminator to cause a notification image to be on chronologically-changeable display on the road surface, the notification image notifying information to the pedestrian detected by the detector.

Assignees

• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Suzuki Dan
• Kinoshita Makoto
• Yamazumi Toru
• Yamasaki Kentarou

Classifications

• B60Q1/525 Primary

  automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data · CPC title

• B60Q1/50 Primary

  for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking · CPC title

• B60Q2400/50

  Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body · CPC title

• B60Q1/04

  the devices being headlights · CPC title