JP2009184428A - Vehicular lighting system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicular lighting system capable of adequately transmitting information by the lighting to other object than one's own vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: The vehicular lighting system includes a GPS receiver 11 for detecting the position of one's own vehicle, an object detection device 13 for detecting an object and specifying the position of the object, an image storage device 14 for storing an information providing image indicating the information providing content, a plotted pattern generating device 16 for performing the image processing of turning the direction of the information providing image stored in the image storage device 14 to the direction of the position of the object with the center of projection as the reference based on the position of one's own vehicle detected by the GPS receiver 11 and the position of the object predetermined by the object detection device 13, and an illumination device 17 for irradiating the light of the information providing image subjected to the image processing by the plotted pattern generating device 16 on a road surface. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle lighting device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, lighting devices that provide information to a driver by irradiating information such as graphics and characters on a road surface are known. However, when the figure and the character irradiated so that it is easy to see from the own vehicle are viewed from a position other than the own vehicle, the information on the figure and the character is not transmitted because it is distorted on the road surface.

  For example, when the heading warning device wants to tell the driver of the vehicle that there is a vehicle approaching from the right crossing road, the driver of the vehicle is drawn by drawing a graphic indicating the right caution (eg, an arrow mark) on the road surface. Can communicate information to However, since the viewpoint is different for the crossing vehicle, there is a problem that the driver of the crossing vehicle cannot understand because the figure is deformed.

On the other hand, a technique for converting the coordinate position of the generated image to correct distortion of the image projected on the screen is disclosed (see Patent Document 1). In the technique of Patent Document 1, in the process from when an image signal input from a PC or the like is stored in a frame memory to being written into a liquid crystal projector for display, the coordinate conversion equations (3) and (4) of the same document are used. ) Is used to correct image distortion.
JP 2003-29714 A

  However, the technique of Patent Document 1 merely deforms the projection image based on the angle of the screen surface with respect to the projector, and does not consider the direction of the observer of the projection image with respect to the screen. For this reason, even if the technique of Patent Literature 1 is applied to the head-of-head warning device, there is still a problem that the driver of the crossing vehicle cannot understand the figure.

  The present invention has been proposed to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular illumination device that can appropriately transmit information by illumination to an object other than the subject vehicle.

  The vehicle lighting device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes an own vehicle position detecting means for detecting the own vehicle position, and an object for detecting the object or receiving information indicating the position of the object to identify the object position. Position specifying means, information providing image storing means for storing an information providing image representing the contents of information provision, the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detecting means, and the object specified by the object position specifying means Image processing means for performing image processing for rotating the direction of the information providing image stored in the information providing image storage means in the direction of the object position based on the projection center, based on the position, and the image processing means Irradiating means for irradiating the road surface with the light of the information providing image that has been subjected to the image processing.

  The invention of claim 2 is the vehicle lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the image processing means is a target when the object positions for a plurality of objects are specified by the object position characteristic means. The information providing image is processed for each object, and the irradiating unit irradiates the road surface with the light of the plurality of information providing images subjected to the image processing.

  A third aspect of the present invention is the vehicle lighting device according to the first or second aspect, further comprising map information storage means for storing map information, wherein the image processing means includes the vehicle position and the vehicle position. Image processing is performed on the information providing image determined based on the map information stored in the map information storage means.

  A fourth aspect of the present invention is the vehicle lighting device according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the irradiation unit is a map stored in the vehicle position and the map information storage unit. The road surface is irradiated with the light of the information providing image that has been subjected to the image processing at a timing based on the information.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the direction of the information providing image is rotated in the direction of the object position based on the projection center based on the own vehicle position and the object position, By irradiating the road surface with light, it is possible to appropriately provide information to the object by illumination.

  According to the invention of claim 2, even when there are a plurality of objects, it is possible to appropriately provide information by illumination to each object.

  According to invention of Claim 3, the optimal information content according to the own vehicle position can be provided.

  According to the invention of claim 4, it is possible to provide information to the object at an optimal timing.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicular illumination device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle lighting device according to the present embodiment is mounted on a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as “own vehicle”), and irradiates light on which a figure corresponding to the content of information provided appears on the road surface. (Hereinafter referred to as “other vehicles”).

  The vehicle lighting device includes a GPS (Global Positioning System) device 11 that detects the position of the vehicle, a map information storage device 12 that stores map information, and a target to be provided with information (hereinafter simply referred to as “target”). A target detection device 13 for detecting, an image storage device 14 for storing an image, a deformation amount calculation device 15 for calculating a deformation amount of an image, a drawing figure generation device 16 for generating a drawing figure, and an illumination device 17 for irradiating light are provided. Yes.

  The GPS receiver 11 receives the radio wave transmitted from the satellite and detects the latitude and longitude that are the vehicle position. The GPS receiver 11 is not essential, and other devices may be used as long as the relative positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle can be understood. For example, you may use the apparatus which acquires the vehicle information which approaches from the roadside system. The map information storage device 12 stores map information representing roads and buildings.

  The target detection device 13 detects a target for which information is to be provided, and specifies the position of the target. The target detection device 13 is not particularly limited as long as the position of the target can be detected. For example, the target detection device 13 may be a laser radar or an imaging device. In the present embodiment, the object detection device 13 is assumed to be a laser radar, and detects the relative position (distance, direction) of the object with respect to the vehicle position.

 The image storage device 14 stores an image representing information to be provided. FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating an image of an exclamation mark “!” Stored in the image storage device 14. In this embodiment, an exclamation point image is used to call attention to the driver, but an image representing an arrow, an image representing a character, or the like may be used.

  The deformation amount calculation device 15 calculates the rotation angle α of the figure as the deformation amount based on the own vehicle position detected by the GPS receiver 11 and the relative position detected by the object detection device 13.

  The drawing graphic generation device 16 generates a drawing graphic by performing a deformation process on the image stored in the image storage device 14 using the rotation angle α calculated by the deformation amount calculation device 15. The illuminating device 17 irradiates light so that the drawing figure generated by the drawing figure generating device 16 appears at a predetermined distance from the own vehicle in the traveling direction.

  The vehicle illumination device configured as described above controls the vehicle illumination by executing the following vehicle illumination control routine.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a vehicle lighting control routine. Here, description will be made assuming the following situation. FIG. 4A is a diagram showing a situation where another vehicle (B vehicle) is traveling from the left side to the right side when viewed from the own vehicle (A vehicle), and FIG. 4 (B) shows the own vehicle viewed from above. It is a figure which shows the condition of another vehicle.

  In step S1 shown in FIG. 3, the GPS receiver 11 detects the own vehicle position, and the target detection device 13 detects the relative position to the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle position. And the map information storage apparatus 12 reads the map information of the own vehicle position and its periphery, and transfers to step S2.

  In step S <b> 2, the deformation amount calculation device 15 is based on the own vehicle position detected by the GPS receiver 11 and the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle position detected by the target detection device 13. The rotation angle α is calculated as the amount of change of the graphic stored in the table, and the process proceeds to step S4.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the own vehicle position P and the other vehicle position Q on the same plane road. Here, for simplification, it is assumed that the points P and Q are on the same plane.

  Here, the normal line projected from the point P is L1, the intersection of the normal line L1 and the road surface is A, the angle between the normal line L1 and the road surface is θ, and the angle between the point B and the point Q on the horizontal plane is α. To do. Further, the projector coordinate system is UV, the virtual projection coordinate system before the road surface is U'-V ', the road surface coordinate system from the point P is XY, and the road surface coordinate system from the point Q is X'-Y'. And Furthermore, the height of projection of the vehicle position at point P is h, the distance to point A is L, and the distance between the projection center P and the projector surface is f. Note that the heights of the points P and Q are the same.

  Since (u, v) is projected to (u ′, v ′) at a magnification k, Expression (1) is established.

ここで、

here,

であることを考慮すると、式（２）となる。

Taking this into account, Equation (2) is obtained.

  Furthermore, considering that the headlight is vertically long and spreads horizontally and radiates far away, L is sufficiently larger than h, the projection surface is narrower than L, and the road surface drawing area is trapezoidal. If it is assumed that there is a rectangle, Equation (3) is established.

  Since the coordinate system X′-Y ′ viewed from the point Q rotates α, Equation (4) is established.

  Therefore, Expression (5) is derived from Expressions (2) to (4).

  In step S2, the distance between PA and QA is known, and the distance between PQ corresponds to the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle. Therefore, the deformation amount calculation device 15 calculates the rotation angle α using these pieces of information, and proceeds to step S4.

  Here, in Expression (5), the angle θ formed by the road surface and the projection normal L1 and the focal lengths f and L are values (known) specific to the own vehicle, but only α is a variable.

  Therefore, in step S3, the drawing graphic generation device 16 applies α to the image given by the uv coordinates by using α calculated in step S2, thereby applying an α-rotated image, That is, a drawing figure is generated and the process proceeds to step S4.

  FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the exclamation mark image “!” Illustrated in FIG. As shown in the figure, when Expression (5) is applied to the exclamation point image given by the uv coordinate, an exclamation point image (drawn figure) rotated by α is obtained.

  In step S5, the illuminating device 17 irradiates the road surface with the light of the drawing graphic generated by the drawing graphic generation device 16, and ends the processing. Here, the illuminating device 17 determines, for example, that the own vehicle and the other vehicle are based on the own vehicle position detected by the GPS receiver 11 and the map information around the own vehicle position stored in the map information storage device 12. Light may be emitted when the vehicle position is within a predetermined distance from an approaching intersection.

  As described above, the vehicular lighting device according to the present embodiment generates a drawing figure by rotating and deforming an exclamation point image representing “attention” in accordance with the traveling direction of another vehicle that is a target for providing information. Then, this drawing figure is irradiated on the road surface. Thereby, the said illuminating device for vehicles can make it easy to see the drawing figure of an exclamation mark from another vehicle.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that the present invention can also be applied to a design modified within the scope described in the claims.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the other vehicle is described as an example of the target object that the own vehicle should provide information, but a pedestrian or a two-wheeled vehicle may be used.

  In the embodiment described above, when the target detection device 13 detects a plurality of other vehicles, the drawing graphic generation device 16 generates a drawing graphic for each other vehicle, and the lighting device 17 is generated by the drawing graphic generation device 16. What is necessary is just to irradiate the light of each drawing figure to a road surface by a time division in order from the thing with the short relative distance of the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the image representing the information provision content is an exclamation point image, but may be determined based on the vehicle position and the map information. For example, the image showing the information provided may change to “!”, “!!”, “!!” as your vehicle approaches the intersection where your vehicle and other vehicles are close. It may be a number representing the distance from the car to the intersection.

  Moreover, the vehicle lighting device may include a receiver that receives position information of other vehicles, instead of the target detection device 13 illustrated in FIG. 1. At this time, the receiver may receive the position information of the other vehicle directly from the other vehicle or may receive it via the base station.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the illuminating device for vehicles which concerns on embodiment of this invention. (A) is a diagram showing an image of an exclamation mark “!” Stored in the image storage device, and (b) is a diagram showing a state where the exclamation mark image “!” Shown in (a) is rotated α. is there. It is a flowchart which shows the illumination control routine for vehicles. (A) is a view showing a situation where another vehicle (B vehicle) is traveling from the left side to the right side when viewed from the own vehicle (A vehicle), and (B) is a situation of the own vehicle and the other vehicle seen from above. FIG. It is a figure which shows the own vehicle position P and the other vehicle position Q which are on the road of the same plane.

Explanation of symbols

11 GPS receiver 12 Map information storage device 13 Object detection device 14 Image storage device 15 Deformation amount calculation device 16 Drawing figure generation device 17 Illumination device

Claims (4)

Own vehicle position detecting means for detecting the own vehicle position;
Object position specifying means for detecting the object or receiving information indicating the position of the object and specifying the object position;
Information providing image storage means for storing an information providing image representing the content of the information provision;
Based on the own vehicle position detected by the own vehicle position detecting means and the object position specified by the object position specifying means, the direction of the information providing image stored in the information providing image storage means is projected. Image processing means for performing image processing to rotate in the direction of the object position with respect to the center;
Irradiating means for irradiating the road surface with the light of the information providing image processed by the image processing means;
A vehicle lighting device comprising: The image processing means performs image processing of the information providing image for each object when the object positions for the plurality of objects are specified by the object position characteristic means,
The vehicle illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the irradiation unit irradiates a road surface with light of a plurality of information-provided images that have undergone image processing. Map information storage means for storing map information is further provided;
The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit performs image processing on an information providing image determined based on the vehicle position and map information stored in the map information storage unit. Lighting equipment. The irradiation unit irradiates a road surface with light of an information processing image that has been subjected to image processing at a timing based on the vehicle position and the map information stored in the map information storage unit. The vehicle lighting device according to claim 1.

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