Patent Publication Number: US-2023150420-A1

Title: Drawing apparatus for vehicle

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-185984 filed on Nov. 15, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety including the specification, claims, drawings, and abstract. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a drawing apparatus for a vehicle, the drawing apparatus being mounted to a vehicle and drawing a specified drawing pattern on a road surface in an advancing direction of a vehicle, using light. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Various proposals have been made for an apparatus that assists vehicle travel, and various proposals have been made for an apparatus that draws a specified drawing pattern on a road surface (see PATENT LITERATURE 1). 
     The apparatus disclosed in PATENT LITERATURE 1 can clearly display, on the road surface, an image according to an inter-vehicular distance from a preceding vehicle. 
     CITATION LIST 
     PATENT LITERATURE 1: JP 2019-119344 A 
     SUMMARY 
     Here, in PATENT LITERATURE 1, the basis of the apparatus is to project a fixed pattern recorded in memory, and a projection distance is changed by changing a curvature of a mirror. Accordingly, in the case where the drawing pattern is changed, the memory has to be rewritten, and a recording medium has to be updated or replaced. For this reason, the vehicle has to be taken into a vehicle maintenance shop to change the drawing pattern. 
     A drawing apparatus for a vehicle according to the present disclosure is a drawing apparatus for a vehicle that is mounted to a vehicle and draws at least one of plural drawing patterns on a road surface in an advancing direction of the vehicle, using light, and has: a storage unit that stores the plural drawing patterns; a communication unit that receives update information on at least one of the plural drawing patterns; and a processor that updates a storage content of the storage unit by using the received update information. 
     The processor can select whether to update the storage content of the storage unit according to an update pattern included in the update information. 
     The plural drawing patterns stored in the storage unit include a default drawing pattern and the update pattern. 
     The update patterns include an automatic update pattern and a selective update pattern, the processor automatically receives the automatic update pattern and updates the storage content of the storage unit when the automatic update pattern is sent, and the processor shows a selection screen, receives the selective update pattern upon a user&#39;s request, and updates the storage content of the storage unit when the selective update pattern is sent. 
     The processor can select a drawing pattern to be used from the plural drawing patterns that are stored in the storage unit. 
     According to the present disclosure, the drawing pattern can be updated according to the received update information. Therefore, even in a case where the drawing pattern is changed in response to revision of a law or the like, there is no need to bring the vehicle to a vehicle maintenance shop for change of the stored drawing pattern. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Embodiment(s) of the present disclosure will be described based on the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a drawing apparatus  10  for a vehicle according to an embodiment; 
         FIG.  2    is a view illustrating an example of a notification display (a direction display) on a road surface when a vehicle changes course to the left; 
         FIG.  3    is a view illustrating an example of a notification display (a start display) on the road surface when the vehicle starts forward; 
         FIG.  4    is a flowchart illustrating processing at the time of receiving update information; 
         FIG.  5    is a view illustrating another example of the direction display to the left; 
         FIG.  6 A  illustrate an example of the start display at the time when the vehicle starts in reverse, 
         FIG.  6 B  illustrate an example of the start display at the time when the vehicle starts in reverse, 
         FIG.  7 A  illustrate a display situation of the start display at an intersection; and 
         FIG.  7 B  illustrate a display situation of the start display at an intersection. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     A description will hereinafter be given on an embodiment of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment described herein. 
     Overall Configuration 
       FIG.  1    is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a drawing apparatus  10  for a vehicle according to the embodiment. 
     The drawing apparatus  10  for a vehicle is mounted to a vehicle, and draws a course display in an advancing direction on a road surface around the vehicle. 
     A location detector  12  includes a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and detects a location of the vehicle in which it is mounted. The location detector  12  may acquire location information from communications equipment (for example, a beacon) provided at an intersection or the like, information from a traffic management center, or another vehicle, and the like, by communication, or may refer to a travel situation of the vehicle and a video image of the surroundings. 
     A navigation system  14  has a map database and assists vehicle travel by showing a map on a display, showing the location of the vehicle on a map display, showing a route that is acquired by a route search to a destination, and changing the route by acquiring traffic jam information. 
     A camera  16  acquires the video image of the surroundings of the vehicle in order to assist the vehicle travel. The camera  16  acquires a video signal using an imaging element such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) or a complementary MOS (CMOS). 
     A sensor  18  detects a vehicle state and includes a vehicle speed sensor, a brake sensor, an accelerator sensor, a steering amount sensor, a shift position sensor, a parking brake sensor, and the like. The vehicle speed sensor detects a vehicle speed from a rotation speed of a drive shaft, the brake sensor detects a depression amount of a brake pedal, the accelerator sensor detects a depression amount of an accelerator pedal, the shift position sensor detects a shift position (for example, a shift lever position such as park, reverse, drive, or low) that is based on an operation of a shift lever, and the parking brake sensor detects an operation state of a parking brake (may also be referred to as a side brake). 
     A turn switch  24  generates a right/left turn signal when operated by a driver. A corresponding turn lamp is lit and made to blink by the signal from this turn switch  24 . That is, a right turn lamp is made to blink when changing course to the right, and a left turn lamp is made to blink when changing course to the left. 
     The signals from the location detector  12 , the navigation system  14 , the camera  16 , the sensor  18 , and the turn switch  24  are supplied to a processor  20 . The processor  20  is constructed of a computer having: an arithmetic section such as a CPU; a storage section such as RAM and ROM; and the like, and executes various programs stored in the storage section to execute various types of data processing. 
     In this example, the processor  20  detects a start of the vehicle on the basis of detection results by the brake sensor, the parking brake sensor, and the shift position sensor, to control a notification display, and draws the notification display in a specified shape on the road surface in response to the signal from the turn switch  24 . 
     A communication unit  22  is connected to the processor  20 . The communication unit  22  performs various types of wireless communication with external communications equipment. Required data for the navigation system  14  and the location detector  12 , the video image of the surrounding environment, information on a travel situation of the other vehicle, and the like, can be acquired via the communication unit  22 . 
     A storage unit  26  is connected to the processor  20  and stores various programs and data. Here, this storage unit  26  stores drawing patterns of notification display shapes to be drawn by a drawing device  30 , which will be described below, on the road surface. There are plural types of drawing patterns, and at least one currently-used drawing patterns is stored in a use pattern storage unit  26   a,  at least one of drawing pattern that is stored in advance is stored in a default pattern storage unit  26   b,  at least one of drawing pattern that is automatically updated is stored in an automatic update pattern storage unit  26   c,  and at least one of drawing pattern that is updated upon a request through selection by a user is stored in a selective update pattern storage unit  26   d.    
     The drawing device  30  is connected to the processor  20 . This drawing device  30  draws the notification display in the specified shape, which indicates the advancing direction, on the road surface, and is constructed of a projector that projects an image by using light from a LED or the like. In addition, the drawing device  30  is supplied with pattern data that is stored in the use pattern storage unit  26   a  of the above-described storage unit  26 , changes this pattern data to a drawing signal, and draws the corresponding notification display. The drawing pattern used in each situation is determined in advance, and each of the drawing patterns stored in the use pattern storage unit  26   a  is linked with the notification display that is shown according to the situation. Thus, according to the situation, the processor  20  reads the corresponding use pattern from the use pattern storage unit  26   a,  and supplies the corresponding use pattern to the drawing device  30  for drawing. 
     Any of various devices can be adopted as the drawing device  30 . For example, a drawing device  30  that has a light source  30   a,  a modulation unit  30   b,  and an optical system  30   c  can be adopted, in which light from the light source  30   a  is modulated by the modulation unit  30   b  and the modulated light is projected onto a specified position on the road surface by the optical system  30   c.  The light source  30   a  can be constructed of the LED, the modulation unit  30   b  can be constructed of a reflective digital light deflector (DMD: Digital Mirror Device), and the optical system  30   c  can be constructed of plural lenses, plural mirrors, and the like. A transmissive liquid-crystal projector or the like can also be adopted as the modulation unit  30   b.  The drawing device  30  is exemplified in PATENT LITERATURE 1. 
     The drawing device  30  is supplied with the drawing pattern, which is stored in the storage unit  26 , from the processor  20 , controls the modulation unit  30   b,  and can thereby draw the notification display in the desired drawing pattern. 
     For example, the drawing device  30  projects the notification display, which indicates the start of the vehicle, onto the road surface at the start. In a state where the signal in the right direction is output from the turn switch  24  and the turn lamp for the right direction blinks, the drawing device  30  projects, onto the road surface, a display including an arrow indicating that the vehicle travels to the right (or to the left) from a position ahead, an arrow indicating an expected travel path, and the like. 
     Furthermore, a display unit  32  and an input unit  34  are connected to the processor  20 . A flat display such as a liquid-crystal display (LCD) or an organic EL display can be adopted as the display unit  32 , and a touchscreen or the like that cooperates with the display unit  32  can be used as the input unit  34 . Furthermore, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone can also be used as the input unit  34  and the display unit  32 . In this case, the mobile terminal is connected to the processor  20  by the communication using the communication unit  22 . 
     Direction Display 
       FIG.  2    is a view illustrating an example of the notification display (referred to as a direction display) on the road surface at the time when the turn switch  24  is turned on in order to change the course of the vehicle to the left (for example, make a left turn) in the case where the vehicle changes course to the left. As described above, the turn lamp blinks when the turn switch  24  is turned on. 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  2   , a direction display  42  is drawn on the road surface and is for the advancing direction that is indicated by arranging three inverted V-shaped marks in a 45-degree direction to the left in front of a vehicle  40 . In this way, the surrounding vehicle, pedestrians, and the like can acknowledge the advancing direction of the vehicle  40  by seeing this direction display  42 . At this time, the turn switch  24  of the vehicle  40  is operated normally. In a case of changing course to the right (for example, making a right turn), the right-left direction only needs to be reversed from the case of the left direction. 
     As the notification display (the direction display) in the case of changing course to the right or the left, various displays such as a display of the right turn or a display of an arrow at 45 degrees to the right can also be adopted. 
     The direction display may be provided in response to steering. That is, the processor  20  can predict the course of the vehicle  40  by using information from the location detector  12 , the navigation system  14 , the camera  16 , the sensor  18 , and the like. Thus, the direction display can also be controlled according to this prediction. In particular, when corresponding steering is initiated at a point where the course change to the left or the right is predicted, the direction display can be provided on the basis of a determination that the course change as predicted is made at that time point. 
     Start Display 
       FIG.  3    is a view illustrating an example of a start display  44  that is a notification display on the road surface at the time when the vehicle starts forward. As illustrated in  FIG.  3   , upon the start, the start display  44  that includes two straight lines (bold lines) in front of the vehicle  40  is drawn on the road surface. In this way, it is possible to notify that the vehicle  40  plans to travel forward. In the case of reversing, a similar display only needs to be drawn behind the vehicle  40 . 
     Here, description will be given on the start time. First, during parking at a parking lot or the like, a power switch of the vehicle  40  is off, and a drive source such as an engine or a motor is in an off state. In addition, the shift position is park, and the parking brake is on. In the case of starting, a series of the following operations is performed. First, the power switch is turned on, thereafter a foot brake is turned on, and the shift position is moved to drive. In this way, drive power from the drive source such as the engine or the motor can be transmitted to wheels, and the vehicle  40  is in a state capable of starting when the foot brake is released. A time when the vehicle  40  is brought into this start-enabled state may be included in the scope of the start time. 
     There is often a case where, when the vehicle is waiting at a traffic light or is temporarily stopped on a shoulder of the road, the vehicle is stopped with the power switch remaining on. In this case, the brake is on while the shift position remains in drive. In this state, the vehicle  40  starts when the brake is turned off. Thus, this state may be included in the scope of the start time. 
     At this start time, the notification display in  FIG.  3    is drawn on the road surface. Then, the notification display is maintained until a time after the vehicle  40  starts moving and actually starts traveling. Thereafter, the notification display is turned off when the vehicle  40  moves several meters, for example. 
     There is often a case where the start display cannot be drawn on the road surface due to presence of a preceding vehicle when the vehicle  40  is stopped and waiting at the traffic light at an intersection. In such a case, the start display may not be provided. 
     Update of Drawing Pattern 
     The drawing apparatus for a vehicle according to this embodiment can draw the direction display, the start display, and the like on the road surface. Here, there is also a case where it is desired to change the drawing pattern to be used. For example, in the case where it is attempted to draw a drawing pattern such as a traffic sign that is defined by a law and the drawing pattern is changed by the law, the drawing pattern to be used also has to be changed. In addition, it is convenient when plural drawing patterns are available for the direction display and the start display, and the drawing pattern can be selected according to the user&#39;s preference. 
     Accordingly, in this embodiment, the drawing pattern for the notification display is supplied from an external center or the like by over-the-air (OTA) communication by the communication unit  22 , and storage contents of the storage unit  26  are updated. In this way, the drawing pattern used in the drawing device  30  can be changed. 
       FIG.  4    is a flowchart illustrating processing at the time of receiving update information. The processor  20  determines whether an update pattern of the notification display can be received according to the information from the communication unit  22  (S 11 ). If a determination result in S 11  is NO, the processing is terminated. 
     If a determine result is YES in step S 11 , it is determined whether the drawing pattern to be updated is an automatic update pattern on the basis of the received update information (S 12 ). If YES is determined, the automatic update pattern is received, and is stored in the automatic update pattern storage unit  26   c  (S 13 ). The automatic update pattern is the drawing pattern, the update of which, such as an update based on the law, is strongly recommended, and is automatically received when becoming available. 
     Then, the received automatic update pattern is also stored in the use pattern storage unit  26   a  (S 14 ). Thus, the automatic update pattern is automatically updated at the time of reception, and is then used. 
     If NO is determined in S 12 , the provided update pattern is a selective update pattern, and a selection screen for selecting whether to receive the selective update pattern is shown in the display unit  32  (S 15 ). On this selection screen, a price for receiving and using the selective update pattern may be shown, or an image of the selective update pattern, and the like, may be shown. 
     Then, the processing waits for input by the input unit  34 , and it is determined whether the user receives the selective update pattern (S 16 ). If YES is determined in S 16 , that is, if the user has performed the input to request the reception, the selective update pattern is received, and the received selective update pattern is stored in the selective update pattern storage unit  26   d  of the storage unit  26  (S 17 ). In the case where the plural selective update patterns are available, the drawing pattern to be received can be selected, and a plurality thereof may be selected. Then, an inquiry as to whether to set the received selective update pattern as the use pattern is made, and the user&#39;s input is determined (S 18 ). If YES is determined in this S 18 , the received selective update pattern is stored in the use pattern storage unit  26   a  for the update (S 14 ), and the processing is terminated. Consequently, the received selective update pattern starts being used. If NO is determined in S 18 , the use pattern is not updated, and the processing is terminated. 
     As described above, according to this embodiment, the drawing pattern for the notification display is updated through the OTA on the basis of the information on the sent update pattern. Thus, even in a case where the drawing pattern is changed in response to revision of the law or the like, the drawing pattern can be automatically changed, and there is no need to bring the vehicle to a vehicle maintenance shop for the update of the drawing pattern. 
     In addition, in the case of the selective update pattern, an inquiry as to whether to receive the selective update pattern (download data) is made when the selective update pattern becomes available and can be received. When the selective update pattern is unnecessary, the selective update pattern is not received. Thus, it is possible to prevent addition of the unnecessary drawing pattern, which confuses the user when the user selects the drawing pattern. In addition, when a price is set for the drawing pattern, unnecessary expense can be avoided. 
     In the case where plural candidates are available, the user can select any thereof on the basis of their preference. That is, when the plural drawing patterns are stored for a single situation, the user&#39;s selection range based on their preference is expanded. 
     As described above, since the drawing pattern that is not set as the use pattern is also stored in the storage unit  26 , it is possible to invoke such a drawing pattern when necessary to update the use pattern. For example, the drawing patterns that can be shown according to a condition are shown upon request, and the user can select the use pattern from those shown patterns. In this way, the use pattern can be changed at any time. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the default patterns are stored in the default pattern storage unit  26   b  of the storage unit  26 , it is not essential to download the drawing pattern. 
     Display Examples 
       FIG.  5    is a view illustrating another example of the direction display  42  to the left. As illustrated in  FIG.  5   , an arrow that turns to the left can be adopted. 
       FIGS.  6 A and  6 B  illustrate examples of the start display  44  at the time of starting the vehicle in reverse. In  FIG.  6 A , similar to the forward start, two bold straight lines are shown. However, the two bold straight lines are arrows. In the right drawing, the start display  44  is in a shape that expands in fan-like fashion to the rear. That is, the two patterns, each of which extends rearward, expand outward to the rear, and each of the two patterns is divided into three sections to the rear. In  FIG.  6 B , the monochrome pattern is schematically illustrated. 
       FIGS.  7 A and  7 B  illustrate display situations of the start display  44  at the intersection. When the vehicle  40 , which is stopped in front of the intersection, makes the start display when starting, a bicycle that is about to pass the intersection can effectively be notified of the start. In  FIG.  7 A , two straight lines are adopted. In  FIG.  7 B , a top view, two straight lines, each of which is formed by aligning triangles, are adopted.