JP7732406B2 - Display control device and display control program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a display control device and a display control program that control the display state of an in-vehicle display device installed in a vehicle.

For example, Patent Document 1 provides a vehicle display device that can display information three-dimensionally. The vehicle display device described in Patent Document 1 includes a lens means and a display means arranged behind the lens means and displaying information as a display image. The lens means is configured to focus display light of the display image toward the viewing side of the lens means to form a real image, and to increase or decrease the distance between the display image and the real image in response to an increase or decrease in the distance between the display image and the lens means. The display image includes a first display area and a second display area, and the lens means is tilted relative to the display image so that the distance between the second display area and the lens means is greater than the distance between the first display area and the lens means, allowing the real image to be viewed. This configuration enables the content of a guidance display, including three-dimensional content, to be more intuitively recognized.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-76541

As ADAS functions have become more widespread in recent years, the burden on drivers has been reduced, but the need for drivers to judge a wide range of vehicle and surrounding information has increased. For this reason, this type of display device is required to convey necessary information to the driver more quickly, intuitively, and accurately, in order to better support the driver's recognition and judgment. ADAS stands for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the circumstances exemplified above. That is, the present invention provides technology that can, for example, provide better support for driver recognition and judgment than ever before.

The display control device (11) is configured to control the display state of an in-vehicle display device (8) mounted on a vehicle (1).
The in-vehicle display device is formed in a valley-folded shape that is concave and opens toward the front at a bend (83) that runs along the width direction of the vehicle, and has a lower display section (81) that extends downward and toward the front from the bend, and an upper display section (82) that extends upward and toward the front from the bend.
The display control device according to claim 1 is configured so that targets that are closer to the vehicle are displayed in a bird's-eye view on the lower display unit, lower and closer to the vehicle than targets that are farther away.
The display control program is a computer program executed by a display control device (11) configured to control the display state of an in-vehicle display device (8) mounted on a vehicle (1).
The in-vehicle display device is formed in a valley-folded shape that is concave and opens toward the front at a bend (83) that runs along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, and has a lower display section (81) that extends downward and toward the front from the bend, and an upper display section (82) that extends upward and toward the front from the bend.
In a display control program according to claim 9, the processing executed by the display control device includes processing for displaying targets that are closer to the vehicle in an overhead view on the lower display unit, lower and closer to the vehicle than targets that are farther away.

In the application documents, each element may be assigned a reference number in parentheses. However, even in this case, such reference number merely indicates an example of the correspondence between each element and the specific means described in the embodiments below. Therefore, the present invention is not limited in any way by the above-mentioned reference numbers.

1 is a side view showing an outline of the configuration of the interior of a vehicle cabin in which a display control device according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the in-vehicle system shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing an example of a specific configuration of the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a front view showing a specific example of a display state of the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 4 is a front view showing another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3 . 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a front view showing still another specific example of a display state in the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view showing another example of the specific configuration of the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view showing yet another example of the specific configuration of the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a front view showing yet another example of the specific configuration of the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 1 together with an exemplary display state.

(Embodiment)
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that inserting various modifications applicable to one embodiment into the middle of a series of descriptions relating to that embodiment may hinder understanding of that embodiment. Therefore, modifications will be explained together after the series of descriptions of the embodiment, rather than being inserted into the middle of the series of descriptions of that embodiment. Furthermore, the descriptions of the figures and the corresponding device configurations, functions, or operations described below are simplified for the purpose of concisely explaining the contents of the present invention and do not in any way limit the contents of the present invention. Therefore, it goes without saying that the exemplary configurations, functions, or operations shown in the figures do not necessarily correspond to the specific configurations, functions, or operations of devices actually manufactured and sold. In other words, unless expressly limited by the applicant in the prosecution history of this application, the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the descriptions of the figures and the corresponding device configurations, functions, or operations described below.

(In-vehicle system)
Referring to FIG. 1 , the vehicle 1 is a so-called four-wheeled automobile and includes a vehicle body 2 that is substantially rectangular in plan view when viewed from above. For convenience in the following description, the concepts of "front,""rear,""left,""right,""up," and "down" for the vehicle 1 are defined as indicated by arrows in FIG. 1 . These directional concepts are based on the position of an occupant P (i.e., typically the driver) aboard the vehicle 1 while the vehicle is traveling forward (i.e., traveling in a shift range other than reverse). Here, the front-to-rear direction indicated by the arrows in the figure is synonymous with the vehicle overall length direction. The left-to-right direction indicated by the arrows in the figure is synonymous with the vehicle width direction. The up-to-down direction indicated by the arrows in the figure is synonymous with the vehicle height direction. The vehicle overall length direction is a direction perpendicular to the vehicle width direction and perpendicular to the vehicle height direction. The vehicle height direction is a direction that defines the vehicle height of the vehicle 1 and is a direction parallel to the direction of gravity when the vehicle 1 is stably placed on a horizontal surface in a drivable state.

The front of the vehicle cabin 3, which is the interior space of the vehicle body 2 where the occupant P sits, is covered by a front windshield 4. The front windshield 4 is formed into a plate shape from translucent glass or synthetic resin. The front windshield 4 is tilted so that, when viewed from the side in a direction parallel to the vehicle width, the upper end is located further rearward than the lower end.

A dashboard 5 is located below the front windshield 4 within the passenger compartment 3. A steering wheel 6 is attached to the tip of a steering column (not shown) that extends from a predetermined position on the dashboard 5 in the vehicle width direction toward the passenger compartment 3. The steering wheel 6 is located in a position in the vehicle width direction that corresponds to the driver's seat, which is the driver's seat 7, i.e., a position that corresponds to the driver's passenger seating position PB. The passenger seating position PB refers to the position of the upper body of the passenger P within the passenger compartment 3 when the passenger P is seated in the seat 7 in a normal seated position.

An in-vehicle display device 8 is mounted on the dashboard 5. By being installed in the vehicle 1, the in-vehicle display device 8 is configured to display various information related to the operation of the vehicle 1 in a manner that is visible to the occupants P, including the driver. This information includes, for example, all or part of vehicle speed, mileage, remaining driving range, current time, air temperature, air conditioner temperature setting, route guidance to the destination, estimated time of arrival at the destination, and audio operation-related information. Audio operation-related information includes, for example, radio station selection information or song title information. In other words, the in-vehicle display device 8 is configured to perform some or all of the functions of a meter panel, navigation display panel, in-vehicle infotainment display panel, etc. In this embodiment, the in-vehicle display device 8 is positioned in a position corresponding to the occupant seating position PB in the vehicle width direction so as to directly face the driver's seat or the driver's seating position PB. The in-vehicle display device 8 is also configured as a flexible display, such as an organic light-emitting diode display or a liquid crystal display. A "flexible display" is a thin-plate or film-like display device that can be bent (i.e., folded) along linear bending lines (i.e., fold lines) that are perpendicular to the thickness direction. Details of the configuration of the in-vehicle display device 8 will be described later.

Vehicle 1 is equipped with an in-vehicle system 10. Hereinafter, the vehicle 1 equipped with the in-vehicle system 10 will be referred to as the "host vehicle." The in-vehicle system 10 is configured to perform various controls while the host vehicle is being driven and various associated display operations. The in-vehicle system 10 is configured to configure an in-vehicle network that complies with a specific communication standard, such as CAN (international registered trademark: international registration number 1048262A). CAN (international registered trademark) is an abbreviation for Controller Area Network.

The in-vehicle system 10 is configured to control the display state of the in-vehicle display device 8 using the display control device 11 in accordance with the driving state and driving environment of the vehicle. The meanings of "driving state" and "driving environment" will be explained later. "Display state" includes the presence or absence of display and the display form of display elements such as icons. "Display form" includes not only display position but also various factors that affect the visibility of display elements (e.g., brightness, saturation, hue, line diameter, display size, blinking, animation, etc.). Specifically, referring to Figure 2, the in-vehicle system 10 includes the display control device 11, camera 12, object detection sensor 13, vehicle state sensor 14, navigation device 15, and driving control device 16 as components related to display control of the in-vehicle display device 8.

The display control device 11 is configured as an HCU. HCU stands for HMI Control Unit. HMI stands for Human Machine Interface. Specifically, the display control device 11 is configured as a so-called on-board computer, equipped with a processor and memory programmed to execute one or more functions embodied in a computer program. The display control device 11 is configured to control the display state of the on-board display device 8 based on various information acquired from the camera 12, object detection sensor 13, vehicle state sensor 14, navigation device 15, and driving control device 16. Details of display control by the display control device 11 will be described later.

Camera 12 is installed so that it can capture images of the surroundings of the vehicle, at least the areas in front of and to the sides of the vehicle. Specifically, camera 12 is a digital camera device equipped with an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS. CCD stands for Charge Coupled Device. CMOS stands for Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor.

The object detection sensor 13 is configured and positioned so that it can detect objects around the vehicle. Specifically, the object detection sensor 13 is configured and positioned so that it can detect moving and stationary objects within a predetermined detection range around the vehicle. "Moving objects" include, for example, pedestrians, cyclists, animals, other vehicles in operation, etc. "Stationary objects" include, for example, objects fallen on the road, guardrails, curbs, parked vehicles, road signs, roadside structures (e.g., walls, buildings, etc.), etc. Moving and stationary objects are included in "targets." "Target" also includes road markings on the road surface.

In this embodiment, the in-vehicle system 10 includes an object detection sensor 13, which may be at least one of a radar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or the like. The radar sensor is a millimeter-wave radar sensor, a submillimeter-wave radar sensor, or a laser radar sensor configured to transmit and receive radar waves, and is mounted, for example, on the front of the vehicle body 2. The radar sensor is configured to generate and output signals corresponding to the position and relative velocity of a reflection point. A "reflection point" is a point on the surface of an object around the vehicle that is estimated to have reflected radar waves. "Relative velocity" is the relative velocity of the reflection point, i.e., the object that reflected the radar waves, relative to the vehicle. In other words, for the sake of simplicity of illustration and explanation, the object detection sensor 13 is a general term for all sensors, excluding the camera 12, used to detect targets around the vehicle. The object detection sensor 13 may also be referred to as an "ADAS sensor."

The vehicle condition sensor 14 is configured to detect the driving condition and driving environment of the vehicle. Here, "driving condition" includes various quantities related to the driving operation state by the driver or the driving control device 16, such as accelerator position, braking amount, shift position, and steering angle. Furthermore, "driving condition" includes physical quantities related to the behavior of the vehicle, such as vehicle speed, angular velocity, longitudinal acceleration, and lateral acceleration. The "driving environment" includes various quantities related to the natural environment surrounding the vehicle, such as outside temperature, rainfall, and illuminance. In other words, for the sake of simplicity of illustration and explanation, the vehicle condition sensor 14 is a collective term for various sensors, such as an accelerator position sensor, steering angle sensor, wheel speed sensor, angular velocity sensor, acceleration sensor, outside temperature sensor, raindrop sensor, and illuminance sensor.

The navigation device 15 is configured to calculate the vehicle's position and travel route based on map information and positioning information from positioning satellites. The "vehicle position" is the current position of the vehicle on the map information. The "travel route" is the planned travel route of the vehicle from the vehicle's position to the destination.

The driving control device 16 is configured to execute driving control operations, including predetermined driving assistance operations, based on various information acquired from the camera 12, object detection sensor 13, vehicle condition sensor 14, and navigation device 15. Such "driving assistance operations" include, for example, various operations corresponding to Level 4 "highly automated driving," Level 3 "conditional automated driving," Level 2 "partially automated driving," or Level 1 "driving assistance" in the automated driving levels defined in the "SAE J3016" standard published by SAE International. SAE stands for Society of Automotive Engineers. "Driving control operations" are longitudinal and/or lateral vehicle motion control subtasks defined in "SAE J3016," including, for example, starting, steering, accelerating, decelerating, braking, stopping, and shift range changes. The driving control device 16 is also configured to be able to provide the display control device 11 with information to be provided to the driver or other occupant P in relation to such driving assistance operations, such as information regarding the execution or possibility of collision avoidance braking.

(In-vehicle display device)
As shown in FIG. 3 , the in-vehicle display device 8 includes a lower display portion 81, an upper display portion 82, and a bent portion 83. In this embodiment, the lower display portion 81 and the upper display portion 82 are formed in a flat plate shape. The lower display portion 81 and the upper display portion 82 are each provided as part of a bendable flexible display. That is, the in-vehicle display device 8 is formed in a valley-folded shape that is concave and opens toward the front, i.e., toward the occupant riding position PB shown in FIG. 1 , at the bent portion 83, which includes a bent line along the vehicle width direction. Here, the bent portion 83 includes a non-flat region surrounding the bent line, which is virtually indicated by a dashed-dotted line in the figure. The lower display portion 81 extends downward and toward the front from the bent portion 83 toward a lower end 84. On the other hand, the upper display portion 82 extends upward and toward the front from the bent portion 83 toward an upper end 85. In this way, the lower display portion 81 and the upper display portion 82 form a concave curved display that opens toward the driver's passenger seating position PB.

(Display Control)
The details of the control of the display state of the in-vehicle display device 8 executed by the display control device 11 according to this embodiment will be described using specific display examples shown in FIGS. 4 to 21 . For ease of illustration and description, the arrows indicating the concepts of "front,""rear,""left,""right,""up," and "down" shown in FIGS. 4 to 21 are depicted so as to be consistent with those shown in FIG. 1 . That is, for ease of illustration and description, in the specific examples shown in FIGS. 4 to 21 , the bent portion 83 is formed substantially parallel to the vehicle width direction. However, as will be described later, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this configuration. Furthermore, the display control device 11 according to this embodiment and the display control program executed thereby may hereinafter be collectively referred to simply as "this embodiment." Furthermore, the up-down direction in FIGS. 4 to 21 will be referred to as the "screen height direction," and the left-right direction in the drawings will be referred to as the "screen width direction." The screen width direction is a direction substantially parallel to the extension direction of the bent portion 83. Furthermore, with regard to the positions on the display screen of the lower display unit 81 and the upper display unit 82, the upper part in the drawing will be referred to as the "upper part of the screen," and the lower part in the drawing will be referred to as the "lower part of the screen." Furthermore, in the display examples in FIG. 4 and the like, figures shown in dashed lines indicate that they are displayed in a display mode such as blinking or in a specific color. However, as will be described later, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such a mode.

In this embodiment, targets closer to the vehicle are displayed in a bird's-eye view on the lower display unit 81, lower and closer to the viewer than targets further away. "Bird's-eye view display" refers to a display that provides a sense of perspective, as if looking down in the forward direction of the vehicle from a viewpoint on the near side, i.e., the driver's passenger seating position PB side. Specifically, the lower display unit 81 displays a bird's-eye view so that the vanishing point VP is located at the bend 83. A "vanishing point" refers to the point at which multiple lines that are originally parallel to each other intersect when they are drawn non-parallel to each other using perspective. In this embodiment, the vanishing point VP is located approximately in the center of the bend 83 in the width direction of the screen.

Referring to FIG. 4, a host vehicle display CA, an icon representing the host vehicle, is displayed at the bottom of the lower display unit 81 in the height direction and approximately in the center of the screen width direction. The lower display unit 81 also displays a road dividing line display CB, which roughly displays all lanes that are available in the same direction of travel on the road on which the host vehicle is traveling, including the host vehicle's current lane. The road dividing line display CB is displayed as a strip whose width narrows toward the top of the screen, converging toward the vanishing point VP. A nearby vehicle display CC, a graphic display showing other vehicles present around the host vehicle, is displayed in a bird's-eye view at a position corresponding to each lane. The nearby vehicle display CC is animated on the lower display unit 81, moving downward and forward and enlarging as the distance from the host vehicle decreases.

In this embodiment, the upper display unit 82 displays various information other than a bird's-eye view of objects around the vehicle, such as the current time, vehicle speed, mileage, remaining driving range, estimated time of arrival at the destination, traffic congestion information, road regulation information, road signs, and warning information. In the example of Figure 4, the upper display unit 82 displays the current date and time, outside temperature, vehicle speed, and traffic congestion information. In addition, a direction indicator CD is displayed in the upper corner of the screen, which flashes depending on the operation status of the turn signal.

In recent years, ADAS functions have become more common in vehicles 1, and various sensing devices are being installed in vehicles 1 for ADAS operation. During ADAS operation, information necessary for the driver's recognition and judgment is presented to the driver using an instrument panel, in-vehicle infotainment display panel, etc. For example, from the driver's line of sight, surrounding objects such as other vehicles or pedestrians may be difficult to see due to being in a blind spot. In such cases, it is important to provide information to the driver using an instrument panel, in-vehicle infotainment display panel, etc., and it is necessary to convey necessary information to the driver more quickly, intuitively, and accurately to better support the driver's recognition and judgment. In this regard, with the two-dimensional image display provided by conventional instrument panels, etc., the driver must convert such image display into three-dimensional object position information in their brains, and there is room for improvement in performance from the perspective of intuitive information recognition.

In this regard, this embodiment utilizes the flexible display properties of the on-board display device 8 to adopt a configuration and processing that can convey necessary information to the driver more quickly, intuitively, and accurately. Specifically, this embodiment displays targets closer to the vehicle in a bird's-eye view, lower and closer to the vehicle than targets further away, on the lower display unit 81, which extends downward and toward the front from a bent portion 83 along the vehicle width direction. This recreates a sense of depth similar to that of the real world and enables a three-dimensional information layout. Specifically, targets farther from the vehicle are displayed in the back, and closer targets are displayed in the front. The viewing distance from the display position changes depending on the relative position of the vehicle and the target, eliminating the need for interpretation by the driver. This makes it easier to grasp the situation around the vehicle. Furthermore, the graphic representation of the target physically approaching from the back enables the display of information with a sense of realism. In other words, the user can sense the target approaching with the naked eye.

Below, we will explain specific examples that make it easier to grasp the situation around the vehicle, i.e., in front, behind, left, and right. Figures 5 and 6 are examples of lane change assist. Specifically, Figures 5 and 6 show display examples when the vehicle is changing lanes from the right lane, which is the vehicle's own lane, to the adjacent left lane while traveling on a two-lane road. That is, Figure 5 shows the display state immediately after starting a lane change, or more specifically, immediately after the driver operates the turn signal to change lanes. Meanwhile, Figure 6 shows the display state at the time the vehicle has completed its transition to the left lane. At this time, the lower display unit 81 displays a route indication display CE indicating the vehicle's travel route in bird's-eye view in accordance with the progress of the lane change. Meanwhile, the upper display unit 82 displays a direction indication display CD in response to the driver's operation of the turn signal to change lanes.

More specifically, in the display example of FIG. 5, the host vehicle display CA is displayed in the lower display unit 81 at a position corresponding to the right lane. Furthermore, in the area of the lower display unit 81 corresponding to the host vehicle's lane and adjacent lanes, a surrounding vehicle display CC is displayed according to the presence of surrounding vehicles. The surrounding vehicle display CC is displayed larger the lower and closer it is located as it approaches the host vehicle. Furthermore, the route instruction display CE is displayed as a crank-shaped arrow that extends from the host vehicle display CA toward the upper part of the screen, then bends toward the adjacent lane, bends again within the adjacent lane, and extends toward the vanishing point VP. Furthermore, the route instruction display CE is displayed thinner (i.e., narrower) as it moves from the host vehicle display CA toward the vanishing point VP. On the other hand, in the display example of FIG. 6, the host vehicle display CA is displayed in the lower display unit 81 at a position corresponding to the left lane. The route instruction display CE is displayed as a straight arrow extending from the host vehicle display CA toward the vanishing point VP at the top of the screen. This route instruction display CE also becomes thinner as it moves from the host vehicle display CA toward the vanishing point VP. Displays like those in Figures 5 and 6 make it easier to grasp the situation around the host vehicle, i.e., in front, behind, left, and right, during lane change assistance.

Figures 7 and 8 show examples of detecting surrounding vehicles to the rear and sides of the vehicle. Figure 7 shows a situation in which the driver is manually changing lanes from the center lane to the adjacent right lane while the vehicle is traveling on a three-lane road, and a surrounding vehicle is attempting to overtake the vehicle from behind in the right lane. Assume that the surrounding vehicle is in the blind spot to the right rear of the vehicle. In this case, as shown in Figure 7, the vehicle display CA is displayed in a position corresponding to the center lane on the lower display unit 81. To the right of the vehicle display CA, at a position corresponding to the nearest position in the right lane, a surrounding vehicle warning display CF is displayed flashing, indicating that a surrounding vehicle is approaching from the right rear. The surrounding vehicle warning display CF is, for example, a graphic display in the shape of a horizontally elongated triangle or arrowhead (i.e., a concave rectangle), and becomes smaller as it approaches the vanishing point VP. Figure 8 shows the situation immediately after another vehicle has overtaken the vehicle. Displays like those in Figures 7 and 8 allow the driver to more intuitively understand the detection results of surrounding vehicles to the rear and sides of the vehicle.

9 and 10 show examples of route guidance when the vehicle is turning right at an intersection. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the lower display unit 81 displays a road dividing line display CB corresponding to the road shape from the vehicle's current position to the intersection where the vehicle is to turn right, in accordance with the vehicle's approach to the intersection. A route instruction display CE indicating the vehicle's travel route is displayed in a display format or shape corresponding to the vehicle's approach to the intersection. Furthermore, the upper display unit 82 displays a heading guidance display CG in the form of an arrow icon indicating that the vehicle is planning to turn right. The heading guidance display CG is displayed in a display format or size corresponding to the vehicle's approach to the intersection where the vehicle is to turn right. In other words, the heading guidance display CG is displayed in a manner that makes it appear as if the road signs at the intersection are approaching the vehicle, i.e., the driver, relatively as the vehicle approaches the intersection. Displays such as those in FIGS. 9 and 10 allow the driver to more intuitively grasp the situation when the vehicle is turning right at an intersection. The same applies when the vehicle turns left at an intersection or passes through a three-way intersection.

Figures 11 and 12 show an example of avoiding a head-on collision with another vehicle located to the front or side of the vehicle. Specifically, Figures 11 and 12 show a case in which the vehicle is approaching an intersection that forms a crossroads, and there is another vehicle traveling toward the intersection on a road entering the intersection from the left side. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the lower display unit 81 displays a road dividing line display CB corresponding to the road shape from the current position of the vehicle to the approaching intersection, in accordance with the vehicle's approach status to the intersection. Meanwhile, the upper display unit 82 displays an intersecting vehicle warning display CH and an obstacle approach warning display CJ at positions corresponding to the vehicle's relative position. The intersecting vehicle warning display CH is a graphic display imitating the profile of a car, indicating the presence of another vehicle that may be involved in a head-on collision with the vehicle. The obstacle approach warning display CJ is a flashing graphic display in the shape of a horizontally and vertically elongated triangle or arrowhead to warn of approaching obstacles such as other vehicles or pedestrians that may result in a head-on collision with the vehicle. As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the crossing vehicle warning display CH and the obstacle approach warning display CJ are displayed in a display format (i.e., size) that corresponds to the state of proximity to the vehicle. Displays such as those in Figures 11 and 12 allow the driver to more intuitively grasp situations in which there is a possibility of a head-on collision between the vehicle and another vehicle.

Figures 13 and 14 show examples of lane departure warnings. Specifically, Figure 13 shows a display example in which the vehicle is traveling in a position offset toward the road dividing line on the left side of the vehicle's lane from the lane center by a predetermined amount. In this case, the road dividing line display CB corresponding to the road dividing line on the left side of the vehicle's lane is displayed in a warning display format. The warning display format may be, for example, flashing and/or a warning color (e.g., red or yellow). Figure 14 shows a display example in which the vehicle is about to deviate from its lane, i.e., the front and rear left wheels of the vehicle run over the road dividing line on the left side of the vehicle's lane. In this case, the lane departure warning display CK is displayed. The lane departure warning display CK is, for example, a band-shaped graphic display similar to the road dividing line display CB, and is displayed radially from the vanishing point VP. The number of lane departure warning displays CK displayed corresponds to the amount of offset from the lane center of the vehicle. Specifically, if the offset amount is increased slightly from the state shown in Figure 13, one lane departure warning display CK is displayed in close proximity to the road dividing line display CB in the warning display mode, and the number of lane departure warning displays CK increases as the offset amount increases. When the offset amount increases to a predetermined level, the lane departure warning display CK is also displayed in the upper display unit 82, resulting in a spatial display using the lower display unit 81 and the upper display unit 82. Displays such as those shown in Figures 13 and 14 allow the driver to more intuitively grasp the lane departure status of the vehicle.

Below, we will explain a specific example of how a graphic representation that moves from back to front can help the driver become more aware of the situation. Figures 15 and 16 illustrate an example of avoiding a collision with a pedestrian crossing ahead of the vehicle. Specifically, Figures 15 and 16 illustrate a case in which the vehicle is approaching an intersection, and a pedestrian is crossing the intersection from left to right as the driver faces the intersection. In this case, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, the upper display unit 82 displays a nearby pedestrian warning display CM and an obstacle approach warning display CJ at positions corresponding to the vehicle's relative position. The nearby pedestrian warning display CM is a graphic display that resembles the pedestrian's external shape, indicating the presence of a pedestrian who may be at risk of collision with the vehicle. The nearby pedestrian warning display CM and the obstacle approach warning display CJ are displayed in a display format, i.e., size, corresponding to the proximity of the vehicle to the pedestrian. Meanwhile, the lower display unit 81 displays a collision avoidance warning display CN in a display format corresponding to the vehicle's proximity to the pedestrian. The collision avoidance warning display CN is a horizontally long, trapezoidal graphic that flashes and is displayed above the host vehicle display CA on the screen. The collision avoidance warning display CN is displayed with a number of lines and/or a display interval that corresponds to, for example, the host vehicle's proximity to a pedestrian. That is, for example, the closer the host vehicle is to a pedestrian, the more lines of the collision avoidance warning display CN are displayed and the display intervals become narrower. Displays such as those in Figures 15 and 16 allow the driver to more intuitively grasp situations in which there is a possibility of a collision with a pedestrian crossing in front of the host vehicle.

Figures 17 and 18 show an example of avoiding a collision with a vehicle ahead of the host vehicle. In this case, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, the lower display unit 81 displays a nearby vehicle display CC corresponding to the preceding vehicle at a size that corresponds to the proximity of the preceding vehicle to the host vehicle. The lower display unit 81 also displays a collision avoidance warning display CN that corresponds to the proximity of the preceding vehicle to the host vehicle. Displays such as those in Figures 17 and 18 allow the driver to more intuitively grasp situations in which there is a possibility of a collision between the host vehicle and a vehicle ahead.

Figures 19 to 21 show examples related to road signs and road regulation information. Specifically, Figures 19 to 21 show a situation in which the vehicle is entering a school zone. That is, Figures 19 and 20 show a situation in which the vehicle is approaching an intersection that marks the beginning of the school zone. In contrast, Figure 21 shows a situation in which the vehicle has passed the intersection and is traveling through the school zone. As shown in Figures 19 to 21, the upper display unit 82 displays a sign display CP indicating the school zone in a display format, i.e., size, that corresponds to the vehicle's approach or entry into the school zone. Specifically, as shown in Figures 19 and 20, when the vehicle is approaching the school zone, the sign display CP is displayed larger as the vehicle approaches. Then, when the vehicle enters the school zone, the sign display CP is displayed at its maximum size, larger than when the vehicle is approaching. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 20 and 21, the lower display unit 81 displays a road marking-like area display CR indicating the school zone. The area display CR is displayed in a display format that corresponds to the road sign or road regulation information. Specifically, in the examples of Figures 20 and 21, the area display CR may be displayed in yellow to match the background color of the road sign indicating a school zone. Displays such as those in Figures 19 to 21 allow the driver to more intuitively grasp road sign information and road regulation information for the road on which the vehicle is traveling or approaching.

As described above, in this embodiment, the bird's-eye view display of targets on the lower display unit 81 facilitates understanding of the space around the vehicle. Furthermore, by locating the vanishing point VP at the bend 83, a graphic representation with a constant base point can be reproduced, allowing for a natural, continuous animation representation while maintaining the relationship between background and foreground, from a bird's-eye view to a zoomed-in view. This allows the driver or other occupant P to more intuitively grasp information. Furthermore, the upper display unit 82, located above the lower display unit 81, displays information different from the bird's-eye view display of targets around the vehicle. Specifically, the upper display unit 82 displays information related to the presence and/or approach status of targets to the left and right of the vehicle. This allows the bird's-eye view display of targets around the vehicle and other information displays to be displayed in a layout that is easily recognized. Therefore, this embodiment can better support the driver or other occupant P's recognition and judgment than ever before. In particular, in vehicles 1 equipped with ADAS functions, a display that facilitates spatial awareness can effectively assist the driver or other occupant P in recognizing and making decisions during driving assistance operations.

(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Therefore, the above-described embodiment can be modified as appropriate. Representative modifications will be described below. In the following description of the modifications, differences from the above-described embodiment will be mainly described. Furthermore, identical or equivalent parts between the above-described embodiment and the modifications are given the same reference numerals. Therefore, in the following description of the modifications, the description of the above-described embodiment can be used as appropriate for components having the same reference numerals as those in the above-described embodiment, unless there is a technical contradiction or special additional explanation.

The present invention is not limited in any way to the specific device configurations shown in the above embodiments. That is, for example, vehicle 1 is not limited to a standard automobile. Specifically, vehicle 1 may be a large vehicle such as a cargo truck. There is no particular limitation on the number of wheels, and vehicle 1 may be a three-wheeled vehicle, or a six- or eight-wheeled vehicle such as a cargo truck. The type of vehicle 1 may be a conventional vehicle equipped with only an internal combustion engine, an electric vehicle or fuel cell vehicle without an internal combustion engine, or a so-called hybrid vehicle. There are also no particular limitations on the use of vehicle 1, the number of occupants, etc. The shape and structure of vehicle body 2 of vehicle 1 are not limited to a box shape, i.e., a roughly rectangular shape in a plan view.

There are no particular limitations on the presence or absence of a dashboard 5, the position of the steering wheel 6, etc. That is, the vehicle 1 may be a so-called left-hand drive vehicle or a so-called right-hand drive vehicle. Alternatively, the steering wheel 6 and driver's seat may be located in the center of the vehicle width. Furthermore, the driver may be any vehicle occupant who is in charge of or performs a dynamic driving task. In other words, as long as the driver is able to perform driving operations, there are no particular limitations on the driver's seating position. Furthermore, any operating device such as a joystick may be used instead of or in addition to the steering wheel 6.

The communication standard used for the in-vehicle system 10 may be other than CAN (an internationally registered trademark), such as FlexRay (an internationally registered trademark). Furthermore, the communication standard used for the in-vehicle system 10 is not limited to a single type. For example, the in-vehicle system 10 may have a sub-network line that complies with a communication standard such as LIN. LIN stands for Local Interconnect Network.

The camera 12 may be shared with an image sensor for ADAS operation by the driving control device 16, or may be dedicated to display control on the in-vehicle display device 8. Furthermore, the camera 12 is not limited to a type that is fixedly attached to the vehicle body 2. That is, for example, the camera 12 may be shared with a camera equipped in a so-called aftermarket drive recorder. Alternatively, for example, the camera 12 may be equipped on a mobile device brought into the vehicle compartment 3 by the occupant P (for example, an external camera equipped on a so-called smartphone). There are also no particular limitations on the number or location of the cameras 12.

The navigation device 15 is not limited to a type that is fixedly attached to the dashboard 5. That is, for example, the navigation device 15 may be a mobile device brought into the vehicle compartment 3 by the occupant P.

The configuration of the in-vehicle display device 8 may also be modified as appropriate from the above embodiment. For example, all or part of the in-vehicle display device 8 may be configured as a touch panel capable of accepting input operations.

In the above embodiment, the in-vehicle display device 8 is installed in the driver's seat, i.e., facing the driver, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. That is, for example, the present invention can also be suitably applied to an in-vehicle display device 8 installed facing the passenger seat. In other words, the in-vehicle display device 8 is not limited to being used by the driver. Furthermore, the screen width direction and the vehicle width direction may be parallel or may intersect.

The in-vehicle display device 8 may be a so-called hoodless meter, in which no sunshade is provided on the dashboard 5. In this case, the upper display unit 82 may be provided to function as a sunshade. This ensures good visibility of the in-vehicle display device 8. The in-vehicle display device 8 shown in Figures 3 to 23 may also be part of a meter panel. In other words, other display panels may be provided above, below, to the left, or to the right of the in-vehicle display device 8 shown in Figures 3 to 23.

The lower display unit 81 and/or the upper display unit 82 are not limited to being flat, and may be curved, for example, in a substantially arcuate shape when viewed from the side. The direction, shape, position, and number of the bent portions 83 may also be varied as appropriate. That is, for example, the bent portion 83 may be formed along a direction intersecting the vehicle width direction when viewed from a plane parallel to the vehicle height direction. Furthermore, for example, the bent portion 83 may be formed along a direction intersecting the vehicle width direction when viewed from the front parallel to the vehicle length direction. The curvature of the bent shape of the bent portion 83 may be set as appropriate. Furthermore, the bent portion 83 is not limited to being located approximately in the center of the screen height direction of the in-vehicle display device 8. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 22 , the bent portion 83 may be located closer to the upper end 85 than the approximately center of the screen height direction of the in-vehicle display device 8. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 23 , for example, the bent portion 83 may be located closer to the lower end 84 than the approximate center of the in-vehicle display device 8 in the screen height direction. If the entire in-vehicle display device 8 is bent into a partially cylindrical shape, the bent portion 83 can be located anywhere in the screen height direction. Furthermore, the bent portion 83 may be located both closer to the upper end 85 and the lower end 84 than the approximate center of the in-vehicle display device 8 in the screen height direction. In this case, an intermediate display portion is provided along a vertical plane between the two bent portions 83, i.e., between the lower display portion 81 and the upper display portion 82. When multiple bent portions 83 are formed, they may be arranged parallel to each other or intersect each other.

The present invention is not limited to the specific operational modes or operational examples described in the above embodiment. In other words, there are no particular limitations on the display state or display content of each component of the in-vehicle display device 8. Specifically, for example, the lower display unit 81 may also display elements different from the bird's-eye view display, such as a bar graph displaying the distance to an intersection, a preceding vehicle, or a pedestrian. The vanishing point VP may be offset from the center position in the width direction of the screen. The bend 83 and the vanishing point VP do not necessarily need to coincide in the height direction of the screen. Specifically, referring to FIG. 24 , the in-vehicle display device 8 according to this modified example further includes an additional display unit 86 adjacent to the lower display unit 81 in the height direction of the screen. An additional bend 87 is provided along the width direction of the screen at a position corresponding to the lower end 84 of the lower display unit 81. The additional bend 87 may be a valley fold or a mountain fold. The upper display unit 82 displays vehicle speed, a driving direction guidance display CG corresponding to the TBT course display, time, a surrounding vehicle display CC corresponding to the vehicle ahead, etc. TBT stands for Turn-by-Turn. The lower display unit 81 may display an LKS display CS, an ACC distance display CT, the shift position, a fuel gauge display, outside temperature, an odometer display, etc. LKS stands for Lane Keep Assist System, and is sometimes abbreviated as LKA without the "system." ACC stands for Adaptive Cruise Control. The LKS display CS is a band-shaped display that follows the road dividing line display CB and indicates that lane keep assist is being performed. The LKS display CS is displayed outside the pair of road dividing line displays CB that indicate the vehicle's own lane. The ACC distance display CT is a horizontally long trapezoidal graphic display that is displayed in a form (width and/or number in the screen height direction) corresponding to the distance between the host vehicle and a vehicle ahead that is being tracked or the setting state of the distance display while adaptive cruise control is being performed. Various information displays, such as the shift position, fuel gauge display, outside air temperature, and odometer display, are displayed near the bottom end 84 of the lower display unit 81, i.e., below the host vehicle display CA, etc., depending on the selection operation state by the driver, etc. Note that in a strip-shaped region extending in the screen width direction near the bottom end 84 of the lower display unit 81 for displaying such various information, text information or icons indicating that various ADAS operations, such as adaptive cruise control or lane keep assist, are being performed may be displayed. Furthermore, some of the various information displays may be displayed in a position other than the strip-shaped region, for example, in a portion of the lower display unit 81 other than the portion near the bottom end 84, in the upper display unit 82, or in the additional display unit 86. The additional bend 87 displays audio information, such as information about the currently playing media. The screen display on the lower display unit 81 and the upper display unit 82 can be executed so that a predetermined position (e.g., a position corresponding to the rear end of the vehicle) in the surrounding vehicle display CC corresponding to the leading vehicle is approximately aligned with the bend 83. In this case, the vanishing point VP is located within the upper display unit 82. It goes without saying that the additional display unit 86 and the additional bend 87 can be omitted from the example shown in Figure 24. In other words, it goes without saying that the display example on the lower display unit 81 and the upper display unit 82 shown in Figure 24 can also be realized on the in-vehicle display device 8 having the configuration shown in Figures 3 to 23.

The display form of each display element may also be changed as appropriate. That is, in the above examples, display elements that were displayed in a flashing manner may be displayed in a different manner than a flashing manner. Similarly, in the above examples, display elements that were not explicitly shown to be displayed in a flashing manner may be displayed in a flashing manner. Note that "display form" may also be referred to as "display mode."

It goes without saying that the elements constituting the above embodiments are not necessarily essential, except when expressly stated as essential or when they are clearly considered essential in principle. Furthermore, when numerical values such as the number, amount, range, etc. of components are mentioned, the present invention is not limited to those specific numerical values, except when expressly stated as essential or when they are clearly limited to specific numerical values in principle. Similarly, when the shape, direction, positional relationship, etc. of components are mentioned, the present invention is not limited to those shapes, directions, positional relationships, etc., except when expressly stated as essential or when they are clearly limited to specific shapes, directions, positional relationships, etc., in principle.

The modified examples are not limited to the examples above. Multiple modified examples may be combined with each other. All or part of the above embodiment may be combined with all or part of the modified examples.

(Disclosure Perspective)
As is clear from the above description of the embodiments and modifications, at least the following aspects are disclosed in this specification.
[Point 1]
A display control device (11) configured to control a display state of an in-vehicle display device (8) mounted on a vehicle (1),
The in-vehicle display device is formed in a valley-folded shape that is concave and opens toward the front at a bent portion (83) along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, and has a lower display portion (81) that extends downward and toward the front from the bent portion, and an upper display portion (82) that extends upward and toward the front from the bent portion,
In the lower display unit, targets that are closer to the vehicle are displayed in a bird's-eye view below and closer to the vehicle than targets that are farther away.
Display control device.
[Point 2]
In the first aspect, the lower display unit displays the animation in a manner that the image is displayed lower and closer to the viewer as the distance from the vehicle decreases.
[Point 3]
In the first and second aspects, the upper display section displays information different from the overhead display.
[Point 4]
In the aspects 1 to 3, the upper display unit displays information related to targets in the left and right directions relative to the vehicle.
[Point 5]
In viewpoints 1 to 4, the lower display unit displays the overhead view so that the vanishing point (VP) is located at the bent portion.
[Point 6]
In the first to fifth aspects, the upper display section is provided to function as a sunshade.
[Point 7]
In the first to sixth aspects, the lower display section and the upper display section are each part of a flexible display that is configured to be bendable.
[Point 8]
In aspect 7, the flexible display is an organic light emitting diode display.
[Point 9]
A display control program executed by a display control device (11) configured to control a display state of an in-vehicle display device (8) mounted on a vehicle (1),
The in-vehicle display device is formed in a valley-folded shape that is concave and opens toward the front at a bent portion (83) along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, and has a lower display portion (81) that extends downward and toward the front from the bent portion, and an upper display portion (82) that extends upward and toward the front from the bent portion,
The process executed by the display control device is
The method includes processing for displaying targets that are closer to the vehicle in a bird's-eye view on the lower display unit, lower and closer to the vehicle than targets that are farther away.
[Point 10]
In a ninth aspect, the lower display section displays the animation in a manner that the image is displayed lower and closer to the viewer as the distance from the vehicle decreases.
[Point 11]
In the ninth and tenth aspects, the upper display section displays information different from the overhead display.
[Point 12]
In Aspects 9 to 11, the upper display unit displays information relating to targets in the left and right directions relative to the vehicle.
[Point 13]
In viewpoints 9 to 12, the lower display unit displays the overhead view so that the vanishing point (VP) is located at the bent portion.
[Point 14]
In the ninth to thirteenth aspects, the upper display portion is provided to function as a sunshade.
[Point 15]
In Aspects 9 to 14, the lower display section and the upper display section are each part of a flexible display configured to be bendable.
[Point 16]
In aspect 15, the flexible display is an organic light emitting diode display.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 vehicle 8 in-vehicle display device 81 lower display section 82 upper display section 83 bending section 10 in-vehicle system 11 display control device P occupant PB occupant riding position VP vanishing point

Claims (9)

A display control device (11) configured to control a display state of an in-vehicle display device (8) mounted on a vehicle (1),
The in-vehicle display device is formed in a valley-folded shape that is concave and opens toward the front at a bent portion (83) along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, and has a lower display portion (81) that extends downward and toward the front from the bent portion, and an upper display portion (82) that extends upward and toward the front from the bent portion,
In the lower display unit, targets that are closer to the vehicle are displayed in a bird's-eye view below and closer to the vehicle than targets that are farther away.
Display control device. The lower display unit displays the animation in a manner that the distance from the vehicle decreases as the distance decreases, and the animation is displayed downward and toward the front.
The display control device according to claim 1 . and displaying information different from the bird's-eye view display on the upper display unit.
The display control device according to claim 1 . and displaying information related to targets in the left and right directions relative to the vehicle on the upper display unit.
The display control device according to claim 1 . the bird's-eye view display is performed on the lower display unit so that a vanishing point (VP) is located at the bent portion;
The display control device according to claim 1 . The upper display unit is provided to function as a sunshade.
The display control device according to claim 1 . the lower display unit and the upper display unit are each a part of a flexible display configured to be bendable;
The display control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. the flexible display is an organic light emitting diode display;
The display control device according to claim 7 . A display control program executed by a display control device (11) configured to control a display state of an in-vehicle display device (8) mounted on a vehicle (1),
The in-vehicle display device is formed in a valley-folded shape that is concave and opens toward the front at a bent portion (83) along the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, and has a lower display portion (81) that extends downward and toward the front from the bent portion, and an upper display portion (82) that extends upward and toward the front from the bent portion,
The process executed by the display control device is
a process of displaying, on the lower display unit, a target object that is close to the vehicle in a bird's-eye view below and in front of a target object that is farther away from the vehicle,
Display control program.