Intersection guide system, method, and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9508258-B2
Application number	US-201314424681-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2013
Priority date	Sep 28, 2012
Publication date	Nov 29, 2016
Grant date	Nov 29, 2016

Abstract

Intersection guide systems, methods, and programs acquire a degree of approach of a vehicle to an intersection ahead of a vehicle and display a guide image at a position of the intersection superimposed on a forward scene ahead of the vehicle. The systems, methods, and programs set, as a position of superimposition of the guide image, an intersection position within the forward scene when the degree of approach is less than a threshold. The intersection position corresponds to a registered position registered in map information as the position of the intersection. The systems, methods, and programs set, as the position of superimposition, a straight-line position within the forward scene when the degree of approach is equal to or more than the threshold. The straight-line position corresponds to a position on a straight-ahead line that is a straight line extending in a travel direction of the vehicle from the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An intersection guide system comprising:
a memory storing an intersection guide program; and
a processor that, when executing the program:
acquires a distance from a vehicle to an intersection that is present ahead of the vehicle, a road upon which the vehicle is approaching the intersection having a plurality of lanes; and
causes a display to:
superimpose a guide image that provides guidance on a position of the intersection on a forward scene ahead of the vehicle, the guide image including a point that is superimposed on the position of the intersection and an arrow image connected to the point; and
display the guide image superimposed on the forward scene;

sets, as a position of superimposition of the point, an intersection position within the forward scene when the acquired distance from the vehicle to the intersection is more than a threshold, the intersection position corresponding to a registered position registered in map information as the position of the intersection; and
sets, as the position of superimposition of the point, a straight-line position within the forward scene when the acquired distance from the vehicle to the intersection is equal to or less than the threshold, the straight-line position corresponding to a position on a straight-ahead line that is a straight line extending in a travel direction of the vehicle from the vehicle.

2. The intersection guide system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor, when executing the program:
acquires a projected space corresponding to the forward scene that is a part of a space ahead of the vehicle and is projected on the display section; and
sets, as the position of superimposition of the point, an end position within the forward scene when the acquired distance from the vehicle to the intersection is more than the threshold and the registered position is present on a left side or a right side with respect to the projected space, the end position corresponding to a position at a left end or a right end within the projected space.

3. The intersection guide system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor, when executing the program:
determines that the acquired distance from the vehicle to the intersection is more than the threshold when a remaining distance from the vehicle to the intersection is longer than a predetermined reference distance.

4. The intersection guide system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor, when executing the program:
determines that the acquired distance from the vehicle to the intersection is more than the threshold when an angle formed in a horizontal plane between a straight line extending from the vehicle to the registered position and the straight-ahead line is larger than a predetermined reference angle.

5. The intersection guide system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor, when executing the program:
determines that the acquired distance from the vehicle to the intersection is more than the threshold when a required period before the vehicle reaches the intersection is longer than a predetermined reference period.

6. The intersection guide system according to claim 1 , wherein the processor, when executing the program:
causes the display to display a forward image obtained by capturing the forward scene with an optical axis positioned on the straight-ahead line; and
sets, as the straight-line position, a position on a bisector of the forward image in a lateral direction when the acquired distance from the vehicle to the intersection is equal to or less than the threshold.

7. The intersection guide system according to claim 2 , wherein the processor, when executing the program:
determines that the registered position is present on the left side or the right side with respect to the projected space when an angle formed in a horizontal plane between a straight line extending from the vehicle to the registered position and the straight-ahead line is larger than a predetermined determination angle.

8. An intersection guide method comprising:
acquiring, with a processor, a distance from a vehicle to an intersection that is present ahead of the vehicle, a road upon which the vehicle is approaching the intersection having a plurality of lanes;
causing, with the processor, a display to display a guide image that provides guidance on a position of the intersection superimposed on a forward scene ahead of the vehicle, the guide image including a point that is superimposed on the position of the intersection and an arrow image connected to the point;
setting, with the processor, as a position of superimposition of the point, an intersection position within the forward scene when the acquired distance from the vehicle to the intersection is more than a threshold, the intersection position corresponding to a registered position registered in map information as the position of the intersection; and
setting, with the processor, as the position of superimposition of the point, a straight-line position within the forward scene when the acquired distance from the vehicle to the intersection is equal to or less than the threshold, the straight-line position corresponding to a position on a straight-ahead line that is a straight line extending in a travel direction of the vehicle from the vehicle.

9. A non-transitory storage medium storing a computer-executable intersection guide program, the program comprising:
instructions for acquiring distance from a vehicle to an intersection that is present ahead of the vehicle, a road upon which the vehicle is approaching the intersection having a plurality of lanes;
instructions for causing a display to display a guide image that provides guidance on a position of the intersection superimposed on a forward scene ahead of the vehicle, the guide image including a point that is superimposed on the position of the intersection and an arrow image connected to the point;
instructions for setting, as a position of superimposition of the point, an intersection position within the forward scene when the acquired distance from the vehicle to the intersection is more than a threshold, the intersection position corresponding to a registered position registered in map information as the position of the intersection; and
instructions for setting, as the position of superimposition of the point, a straight-line position within the forward scene when the acquired distance from the vehicle to the intersection is equal to or less than the threshold, the straight-line position corresponding to a position on a straight-ahead line that is a straight line extending in a travel direction of the vehicle from the vehicle.

10. The intersection guide method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
acquiring, with the processor, a projected space corresponding to the forward scene that is a part of a space ahead of the vehicle and is projected on the display section; and
setting, with the processor, as the position of superimposition of the point, an end position within the forward scene when the acquired distance from the vehicle to the intersection is more than the threshold and the registered position is present on a left side or a right side with respect to the projected space, the end position corresponding to a position at a left end or a right end within the projected space.

11. The intersection guide method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
determining, with the processor, that the acquired distance from the vehicle to the intersection is more than the threshold when a remaining distance from the vehicle to the intersection is longer than a predetermined reference distance.

12. The interse

Assignees

• Aisin Aw Co

Inventors

• Arai Yumie
• Ishikawa Ken

Classifications

• G01C21/365

  Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself · CPC title

• G01C21/3602 Primary

  Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera · CPC title

• G08G1/09 Primary

  Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions ({railroad crossing signals B61L; reflectors E01F, G08B}; indicating arrangements for variable information by selection or combination of individual elements G09F9/00) · CPC title

• G06F17/30

  Physics · mapped topic

• B60Q1/00

  Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor (for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00) · CPC title