Display device

The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly to a technique of displaying an image from an in-vehicle camera or the like on a monitor provided in a vehicle body of an automobile or the like.

As a display device configured as described above, Patent Document 1 describes that a display (monitor of the present invention) having a second side longer than the first side is provided in the vehicle. This display is configured to be switchable between a landscape orientation state and a portrait orientation state, and is provided with a switch for detecting this state (display posture). A camera that captures the road surface on the side of the vehicle body is installed in the door mirror housing on the left side (passenger seat side), and a navigation device that acquires navigation information corresponding to the current position of the vehicle body is installed. Then, when the display is in the landscape orientation, the navigation information from the navigation device is displayed according to the state of the switch, and when the display is in the portrait orientation, the image from the camera is displayed according to the state of the switch. Is displayed.

Further, Patent Document 2 is provided with a camera for photographing the rear of the vehicle body, a normal video output device for outputting normal video such as navigation and front video, and a microcomputer in which the position of the shift lever and the vehicle speed signal are input. Is provided. Then, the shift position and the vehicle speed shift to the parking driving mode, and the rear image from the camera is displayed on the monitor instead of the normal image on the monitor. After shifting to the parking driving mode, the state in which the rear image from the camera is displayed on the monitor is maintained regardless of the shift position of the shift lever as long as the predetermined vehicle speed is satisfied.

<patcit num="1"><text>Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-201347 (paragraph numbers [0018], [0019], FIG. 9)</text></patcit><patcit num="2"><text>Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-217852 (paragraph numbers [0016] to [0022], FIGS. 1, 2)</text></patcit>

<p> In a situation where the vehicle body is moved backward and introduced into the parking position, the driver checks the existence of obstacles behind the vehicle body and the road surface, and also confirms the existence of obstacles on the road surface on the passenger seat side and the condition of the road surface. Do.</p><p> However, in Patent Document 2, only the image of the rear of the vehicle body is displayed on the monitor by operating the shift lever, and in Patent Document 1, the road surface on the passenger seat side is displayed instead of the navigation image by switching the posture of the monitor. All you have to do is display the captured image on your monitor. Therefore, it is conceivable to provide switches for selecting and displaying an image of the rear of the vehicle body and an image of the road surface on the side of the vehicle body, but those equipped with the switches complicate the operation and deteriorate the operability. It is also possible.</p><p> Especially when driving, such as when parking, drivers tend to prioritize safety, so for example, as a result of refraining from operating a switch that does not accurately understand the purpose of the switch, the switch, and thus the switch, , The function related to the switch will not be used. Therefore, the driver is required to have a switch that is intuitively easy to understand.</p><p> When moving the vehicle body to the rear when parking, it is desirable to display the condition of the road surface behind the vehicle body and the position of obstacles on a wide screen in the horizontal direction in terms of visibility. Further, it is desirable in terms of visibility to display the road surface condition and the position of obstacles, which are difficult to visually confirm from the driver's seat at the side position of the vehicle body, on a long screen in the vertical direction along the front-rear direction of the vehicle body.</p><p> Considering such visibility, the posture of the monitor and the image to be displayed on the monitor are closely related, and the posture of the monitor and the image to be displayed should be rationally combined without performing troublesome operations. Is desired.</p><p> An object of the present invention is to rationally configure a display device that visually displays on a monitor the road surface condition on the side of the vehicle body and the presence or absence of obstacles when the vehicle body is parked.</p>

<p> The features of the present invention are a right side camera for photographing the road surface on the right side of the vehicle body, a left side camera for photographing the road surface on the left side of the vehicle body, a monitor provided in the vehicle, and a display control unit for controlling the display of the monitor. The display surface of the monitor is formed in a rectangular shape, the posture in which the monitor is in a horizontally long posture is set as the reference posture, and the monitor is rotated clockwise so that the right end side is directed downward from the reference posture. The display control unit is supported so that the monitor can switch between a right rotation posture in which the posture is vertically long and a left rotation posture in which the left end side is turned downward from the reference posture and the monitor is in the reference posture. When the monitor is switched from the reference posture to the right rotation posture, the reference image is displayed, and when the monitor is switched from the reference posture to the right rotation posture, the captured image of the right side camera is displayed on the monitor, and the monitor rotates counterclockwise from the reference posture. The point is that processing is performed in the side image display mode in which the captured image of the left side camera is displayed on the monitor when the posture is switched.</p><p> With this configuration, when the reference image is displayed on the monitor and the monitor is switched to the left rotation posture, the captured image of the left side camera is displayed on the monitor. On the contrary, when the monitor is rotated clockwise, the image taken by the right side camera is displayed on the monitor. In other words, when displaying the area on the side of the vehicle body on the monitor, setting the portrait posture to display a long area along the front-rear direction of the vehicle body realizes a lean display. By rotating the monitor counterclockwise to check the left side of the vehicle body and rotating the monitor clockwise to check the right side of the vehicle body, processing in the mode to switch the display target of the monitor (transition in mode) is performed. Therefore, there is no sense of discomfort in the operation feeling, and intuitive operation is possible. As a result, a display device has been constructed that visually displays the road surface condition on the side of the vehicle body and the presence or absence of obstacles on the monitor when the vehicle body is parked.</p><p> The present invention includes a front camera that captures the front of the vehicle body, and the display control unit may perform processing in a front image display mode that displays a captured image of the front camera on the monitor as the reference image. .. According to this configuration, when the monitor is in the reference posture, the area in front of the vehicle body is displayed on the monitor, and the front can be easily confirmed.</p><p> The present invention includes a back camera for photographing the rear of the vehicle body, and the display control unit may perform processing of a back image display mode for displaying a photographed image of the back camera on the monitor as the reference image. .. According to this configuration, when the monitor is in the reference posture, the area behind the vehicle body is displayed on the monitor, and the rear can be easily confirmed.</p><p> The present invention is a navigation system that acquires the existing position of the vehicle body as position information represented by the longitude and latitude of the earth and generates a navigation image that displays the position indicated by the acquired position information on a corresponding map. The display control unit may process the navigation image display mode for displaying the navigation image as the reference image. According to this configuration, when the monitor is in the reference posture, the navigation image is displayed on the monitor, and the position of the vehicle body on the map can be easily confirmed.</p><p> The present invention includes a front camera that photographs the front of the vehicle body, a back camera that photographs the rear of the vehicle body, a shift position sensor that detects the shift position of the transmission of the vehicle body, and the display control unit. As the reference image, the front image display mode for displaying the captured image of the front camera on the monitor is processed, and when the display in the front image display mode is performed, the shift position sensor shifts the image. When it is detected that the position has been operated to the reverse position, the back image display mode may be processed to display the captured image of the back camera on the monitor as the reference image.</p><p> According to this configuration, when the shift position of the transmission is operated to the reverse position while the image captured by the front camera is displayed on the monitor, the image captured by the back camera is displayed on the monitor. Then, when the monitor in the state where the image taken by the front camera is displayed and the image taken by the back camera is set to the left rotation posture, the image taken by the left side camera is displayed on the monitor. On the contrary, when the monitor is rotated clockwise, the image captured by the right side camera is displayed on the monitor.</p>

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [overall structure] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a driver's seat 3 and a passenger's seat 4 are provided in the room of the vehicle body B having the front wheels 1 and the rear wheels 2, and the steering wheel 5 is located at the front position of the driver's seat 3. A passenger car is configured by arranging a panel 6 having meters and arranging a shift lever 7 for shifting on the side of the driver's seat 3.

In this passenger car, an engine E and a transmission T composed of a torque converter, a CVT, or the like that shifts the power from the engine E and transmits the power to the front wheels 1 are arranged at the front position of the vehicle body B. At this front position, a power steering unit PS that transmits the rotational operation force of the steering wheel 5 to the front wheel 1 as a steering force is provided. As a result, the front wheel 1 functions as a driving wheel and at the same time as a steering wheel.

The transmission T is operated by the shift lever 7. The shift lever 7 realizes a state such as forward movement, reverse movement, and parking of the vehicle body B by setting the shift position, and a shift position sensor 7S for detecting the shift position is provided in the vicinity of the shift lever 7. The shift position sensor 7S may be provided in the transmission T so as to directly detect the shift setting of the transmission T.

In the vicinity of the driver's seat 3, an accelerator pedal 8 that controls the traveling speed and a brake pedal 9 that operates a braking device BK of the front wheels 1 and the rear wheels 2 to apply braking force to the front wheels 1 and the rear wheels 2. And are arranged in parallel.

A steering angle sensor 11 for detecting the steering angle is provided near the front wheel 1, and a moving distance sensor 12 for measuring the moving distance of the vehicle body B from the amount of rotation of the rear wheel 2 is provided near the rear wheel 2. Has been done.

A bracket 14 is provided at an upper position of the console near the driver's seat 3, and a monitor 16 is rotatably supported at the upper end position of the bracket 14 by a rotary support shaft 15 in a front-rear posture. The display surface 16S of the monitor 16 is formed in a rectangular shape, and the display surface 16S is rotated left and right by manual operation around the rotation support shaft 15 to form the reference posture of the horizontally long posture shown in FIG. 4 and the vertically long posture shown in the same figure. It can be switched to the posture.

That is, the monitor 16 is set to a reference posture which is a horizontally long posture, and is rotatably supported on the left side and the right side by the rotation support shaft 15 in a range of 90 degrees, respectively. As a result, either the left rotation posture of the vertically long posture in which the left end side of the monitor 16 in the reference posture faces downward or the right rotation posture in which the right end side of the monitor 16 in the reference posture faces downward is obtained. It can be switched freely.

A monitor posture sensor 17 for detecting which of the reference posture, the left rotation posture, and the right rotation posture is provided near the rotation support shaft 15 is provided. Further, at a position near the panel 6, a display selection switch 18 for selecting an image to be displayed on the monitor 16 while the monitor 16 is in the reference posture, and a top view when the monitor 16 is in the left rotation posture or the right rotation posture. It is equipped with a top view image display switch 19 for displaying an image.

The monitor posture sensor 17 outputs signals corresponding to the reference posture, the left rotation posture, and the right rotation posture by combining a plurality of limit switches, reed switches, and the like, and by using a rotary encoder or the like. The display selection switch 18 and the top view image display switch 19 are momentary type or toggle type. In the following embodiment, the configuration using the momentary type is shown, and the display mode selection unit 35 (see FIG. 5) determines that it is in the OFF state in the non-operation state, and determines that it is in the ON state by the push operation. It is judged to be in the OFF state by pressing again.

Further, in the case where the display surface of the monitor 16 is provided with a touch panel, at least one of the display selection switch 18 and the top view image display switch 19 can be displayed on the monitor 16 as operation buttons. By using the touch panel in this way, the number of switches having electrical contacts can be reduced.

The monitor 16 is assumed to be a liquid crystal type with a backlight, but may be a plasma display type, an organic ELD type, or a CRT type.

Further, in the case where the display surface of the monitor 16 is provided with a touch panel, at least one of the display selection switch 18 and the top view image display switch 19 may be displayed on the monitor 16 as operation buttons. This makes it possible to reduce the number of switches having electrical contacts.

In particular, in the present invention, it is also possible to provide an electric motor for changing the posture of the monitor 16. Specifically, when an artificial operating force for rotating the monitor 16 is detected by a pressure sensor or the like, the electric motor is operated in the operation direction to assist the rotation of the monitor 16 or to make the monitor 16 independent. It will be provided with a configuration for rotating. Similarly, it is equipped with a switch for clockwise rotation and a switch for counterclockwise rotation that control the operation of the electric motor, and when one of the switches is operated, the electric motor is operated in the corresponding direction to rotate the monitor 16. It may be provided with a configuration for making it. This switch may also be displayed as an operation button on the touch panel.

A front camera 21 for photographing an area including the road surface in front of the vehicle body is provided at the front end of the vehicle body B, and a back camera 22 for photographing an area including the road surface behind the vehicle body is provided at the rear end of the vehicle body B.

The left door is equipped with a left side mirror 23L, and inside the housing is equipped with a left side camera 24L that photographs the road surface in the area extending from the front end to the rear end of the vehicle body B from above in the vicinity of the left side of the vehicle body. Similarly, the right door is equipped with a right side mirror 23R, and inside the housing is equipped with a right side camera 24R that captures the road surface in the area from the front end to the rear end of the vehicle body B in the vicinity of the right side of the vehicle body from above. Has been done.

These cameras are equipped with an image pickup optical system having a wide-angle lens, and are equipped with a CCD type or CMOS type image pickup element, and have a function of outputting a captured image as a moving image of several frames or more per second.

In this passenger car, by receiving radio signals from multiple GPS satellites, the position of the vehicle body B is acquired as position information represented by the longitude and latitude of the earth, and the position indicated by the acquired position information is displayed on the corresponding map. It is equipped with a navigation system 25 (see Fig. 5) that generates a navigation image to be displayed in.

As shown in FIG. 7, the monitor 16 has a navigation image (HN) generated by the navigation system 25, a back image (HR) taken by the back camera 22, and a road surface image (VL) taken by the left side camera 24L. ) And the top view image (VT) etc. are displayed.

In particular, when generating the top view image (VT), the images from the front camera 21, the back camera 22, the left side camera 24L, and the right side camera 24R are viewed from above the vehicle body B. Create images Tf, Tb, Ts, and Ts that have been projected and transformed so as to perform viewpoint conversion. Then, an image in which these images Tf, Tb, Ts, and Ts are mapped to positions surrounding the image of the vehicle body B is generated.

The vehicle body B is equipped with a monitor control ECU 30 as a display control unit that selects and displays any one of these plurality of images.

[Display control system] Figure 5 shows the outline of the display control system. The monitor control ECU 30 is equipped with an image interface 31 for acquiring images of the front camera 21, the back camera 22, the left side camera 24L, and the right side camera 24R, respectively. In addition, the monitor control ECU is equipped with a viewpoint conversion unit 32 as a viewpoint conversion means for generating a top view image from each of the four types of images acquired via the image interface 31, and is parked in the image taken by the back camera 22. It is equipped with a parking support image compositing unit 33 that synthesizes support images.

The top view image from the viewpoint conversion unit 32, the image from the back camera 22 in which the parking support image is combined by the parking support image compositing unit 33, the road surface image taken by the left side camera 24L, and the navigation system 25 are generated. It is provided with a selector 34 for selecting one of the navigation images. Further, it includes a display mode selection unit 35 that controls the selector 34. Then, the display mode selection unit 35 gives information corresponding to a plurality of display modes, which will be described later, to the selector 34, and the selector 34 performs processing (transition in the mode) in the display mode for switching the image displayed on the monitor 16. Will do.

The viewpoint conversion unit 32 has a signal system input by the steering angle sensor 11 and the moving distance sensor 12, and also has a front camera 21, a back camera 22, a left side camera 24L, and a right side camera acquired via the image interface 31. Images Tf, Tb, Ts, and Ts are created by projecting four types of images from the side camera 24R by viewpoint conversion, which is an image looking down from the viewpoint above the vehicle body B. Then, by mapping these images Tf, Tb, Ts, and Ts to positions surrounding the image of the vehicle body B, a top view image (VT) (see FIG. 7) that is an image viewed from above the vehicle body B. ) Is generated.

The parking support image compositing unit 33 displays a parking support image such as an area where the vehicle body B should be introduced with respect to the image taken by the back camera 22 and an area indicating the position where the vehicle body B reaches when the vehicle body B moves a set distance. It is displayed on the monitor 16 in the form of drawing on.

The display mode selection unit 35 includes a microprocessor (not shown) and outputs a control signal to the selector 34 based on the signals input from the shift position sensor 7S, the monitor attitude sensor 17, and the display selection switch 18. To do.

The display mode selection unit 35 includes software for selecting one of a front image display mode, a navigation image display mode, a back image display mode, a side image display mode, and a top view image display mode. Signals from the monitor attitude sensor 17, the shift position sensor 7S, the display selection switch 18, and the top view image display switch 19 are input to the display mode selection unit 35.

The front image display mode is selected when the display selection switch 18 is turned ON while the monitor 16 is set to the reference posture (horizontal posture). That is, the image displayed on the monitor 16 is changed to the image taken by the front camera 21 in conjunction with the ON operation of the display selection switch 18.

In the navigation image display mode, the monitor 16 is set to the reference posture (horizontal posture), the display selection switch 18 is in the OFF state, and the shift position detected by the shift position sensor 7S is a position other than the reverse position. Selected if it is in. That is, when the monitor 16 is in the reference posture, the display selection switch 18 is in the OFF state, and the shift position sensor 7S reaches the situation where the shift position is in the reverse position, the image displayed on the monitor 16 is linked to this. Transition to the navigation image.

The back image display mode is selected when the monitor 16 is set to the reference posture (horizontally long posture) and the shift position detected by the shift position sensor 7S is in the reverse position. That is, when the monitor 16 is in the reference posture and the shift position sensor 7S reaches the state where the shift position is in the reverse position, the image displayed on the monitor 16 changes to the image taken by the back camera 22 in conjunction with this. To do.

In the side image display mode, the left road surface image (photographed image) taken by the left side camera 24L is selected when the monitor 16 is switched from the reference posture to the left rotation posture, and the monitor 16 changes from the reference posture to the right rotation posture. When the switch is made, the right road surface image (captured image) taken by the right side camera 24R is selected. That is, the image displayed on the monitor 16 in conjunction with the switching transitions from the left road surface image to the right road surface image, or vice versa.

In the top view image display mode, when the top view image display switch 19 is turned ON while the monitor 16 is in the left rotation posture or the right rotation posture, the top view image generated by the viewpoint conversion unit 32 is displayed on the monitor 16. Be selected. That is, the image displayed on the monitor 16 transitions to the top view image in conjunction with the ON operation of the top view image display switch 19.

[Display control] In the display device of the present invention, the display mode selection unit 35 selects an image to be displayed on the monitor 16 based on the posture of the monitor 16 and the shift position of the shift lever 7. The outline of the control mode can be shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, and the display state of the monitor 16 corresponding to this control mode is shown in FIG.

When the display selection switch (display selection SW) 18 is in the OFF state when the monitor 16 is in the reference posture, the front image (HF) is displayed on the monitor 16. Then, when the display selection switch 18 is turned ON, the navigation image (HN) is displayed on the monitor 16. Further, when the display selection switch 18 is in the OFF state and the shift lever 7 is in the reverse position (shift = R), the back image (HB) is displayed on the monitor 16 (steps # 101 to # 103).

These front images (HF), navigation images (HN), and back images (HB) are reference images of the present invention. When the monitor 16 is operated in the left rotation posture while any of these three types of reference images is displayed, the left road surface image (VL) is displayed and the monitor 16 is operated in the right rotation posture. If so, the right road surface image (VR) is displayed (steps # 105 to # 108).

That is, when the monitor 16 in the reference posture is rotated to the left to switch to the vertically long posture (left-handed posture), the image of the road surface on the left side of the vehicle body B is displayed on the monitor 16. Further, when the monitor 16 in the reference posture is rotated to the right to switch to the vertically long posture (right rotation posture), the image of the road surface on the right side of the vehicle body B is displayed on the monitor 16.

In this way, when the monitor 16 is operated from the vertically long posture (left rotation posture or right rotation posture) to the reference posture and then the monitor 16 is returned to the reference posture, the front image (HF) and the navigation image (HN) are displayed. , The back image (HB) is displayed on the monitor 16 (# 109, # 110 steps).

As a specific display form, when the monitor 16 is returned from the vertically long posture (left rotation posture or right rotation posture) to the reference posture, the shift lever 7 is in the shift position (shift R) other than the reverse position, and the display is selected. When the switch 18 is in the OFF state, the front image (HF) is displayed on the monitor 16.

When the monitor 16 is returned from the vertically long posture (left rotation posture or right rotation posture) to the reference posture, and the shift position of the shift lever 7 is in the reverse position (shift = R), the back image (HR) is displayed. Is displayed on monitor 16.

Further, when the monitor 16 is returned from the vertically long posture (left rotation posture or right rotation posture) to the reference posture, the shift lever 7 is in the shift position (shift R) other than the reverse position, and the display selection switch 18 is in the ON state. If so, the navigation image (HN) is displayed on monitor 16.

When the top view image display switch (top view image display SW) 19 is turned ON in a situation where the monitor 16 is in the right rotation posture or the left rotation posture, the top view image (VT) is displayed on the monitor 16 ( # 111 ~ # 113 steps).

In this control, when the top view image display switch 19 is turned off, the left road surface image (VL) or the right road surface image (VR) is displayed on the monitor 16 instead of the top view image (VT). When the top view image display switch 19 is kept OFF, the display of the left road surface image (VL) or the right road surface image (VR) that has already been displayed continues (# 104, # 111 to # 113 steps).

In this control, when the monitor 16 is set to the left rotation posture or the right rotation posture, the displayed image is maintained even if the shift lever 7 is operated. Therefore, when the vehicle body B is introduced to the parking position. When the shift lever 7 is switched between the reverse position and the position other than the reverse position as in the above, the display of the monitor 16 is maintained even if the vehicle body B is repeatedly moved backward and forward, and the driver cannot visually confirm the area. Can be grasped from the monitor 16.

By performing such a display, when the vehicle body B is moved backward and introduced into the parking position, the required image from the posture and shift position of the monitor 16 is displayed on the monitor 16, and the vehicle body B is displayed from this image. Not only can the rear part of the vehicle be confirmed, but also the condition of the road surface around the vehicle body B can be confirmed when the top view image is displayed, and the road surface on the left side of the vehicle body can be confirmed by the road surface image.

[Effect of Embodiment] As described above, in the display device of the present invention, when the monitor 16 is in the horizontally long reference posture and the shift lever 7 is not in the reverse position (shift R), the front image (HF) and the navigation image (HN) are displayed. Is displayed. This makes it possible to display a wide area in front of the vehicle body on the monitor 16 to easily check the front and to grasp the position of the vehicle body B on the map. When the monitor 16 is in the horizontally long reference posture and the shift lever 7 is in the reverse position (shift = R), the back image (HR) is combined with the image of the area behind the vehicle body for parking. The vehicle body B can be easily introduced to the parking position according to the support image.

When either the front image (HF), the navigation image (HN), or the back image (HR) is displayed on the monitor 16 in the reference posture, rotate the monitor 16 counterclockwise to set the counterclockwise posture. Then, the left road surface image (VL) taken by the left side camera 24L is displayed on the monitor 16. Similarly, when the monitor 16 is rotated clockwise and set to the right rotation posture, the right road surface image (VR) taken by the right side camera 24R is displayed on the monitor 16. That is, when the driver checks the road surface on the left side of the vehicle body B, the monitor 16 only needs to be rotated counterclockwise, and when the driver confirms the road surface on the right side of the vehicle body B, the monitor 16 is rotated clockwise. That's all.

Further, when the monitor 16 is operated in the left rotation posture to display the road surface image (VL), or when the monitor 16 is operated in the right rotation posture to display the road surface image (VR), the top view image display switch is displayed. By operating 19, the top view image (VT) can be displayed on the monitor 16 and the vehicle body can be easily introduced into the parking position. Further, by operating the top view image display switch 19 again while the top view image (VT) is displayed, the original road surface image (VL) (VR) can be displayed and the road surface condition can be confirmed. ..

<figref num="1">Top view showing the outline of the car body</figref><figref num="2">Top view of the area near the driver's seat</figref><figref num="3">Diagram showing monitor layout</figref><figref num="4">The figure which shows the posture change of the monitor by rotation</figref><figref num="5">Control system block circuit diagram</figref><figref num="6">Flowchart of display control routine</figref><figref num="7">Diagram showing the posture of the monitor and the image displayed on the monitor</figref>

Code description

7S shift position sensor 16 monitor 16S display surface 21 Front camera 22 back camera 24L left side camera 24R right side camera 25 Navigation system 30 Display control unit (monitor control ECU) B body T transmission HF reference image (front image) HN reference image (navigation image) HB reference image (back image)