Patent Publication Number: US-2022238059-A1

Title: Head-up display control system and head-up display display method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based upon and claims priority from the Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-010801, filed on Jan. 27, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a head-up display control system and a head-up display display method. 
     Related Art 
     For example, JP 2020-175761 A discloses a structure in which a display panel is installed on a back side of an eccentric steering wheel and in a front position of a driver&#39;s seat of an instrument panel. 
     The display panel is provided so as to be able to appropriately switch between display of a current driving status such as a vehicle speed, display of a navigation screen and the like by a switching operation of a changeover switch, for example. 
     SUMMARY 
     Conventionally, for example, there is known a vehicle provided with a head-up display (hereinafter, referred to as a head-up display (HUD) device) that displays an image regarding basic information for a driver on a front window. 
     In a case where a mobile terminal such as a tablet is installed on the back side of the eccentric steering wheel in place of the display panel disclosed in JP 2020-175761 A, for example, there is a risk that an installation region of the mobile terminal and a display region of the HUD device superimpose on each other depending on a size of the installed mobile terminal. In a case where a holder for a mobile terminal is installed on the instrument panel also, a similar problem might occur depending on the size of the mobile terminal installed on the holder. 
     The present invention is achieved in view of the above-described points, and an object thereof is to provide a head-up display control system and a head-up display display method capable of avoiding an installation region of a mobile terminal and a display region of a head-up display device from superimposing on each other. 
     In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention is provided with a head-up display device that is installed in a vehicle and displays display information in a position overlapping with a window, a terminal holder installed in the vicinity of the window in a vehicle interior, a mobile terminal installation detection unit that detects whether a mobile terminal is installed on the terminal holder, and a control unit that controls the head-up display device, in which the head-up display device includes a display position change unit that changes a display position of the display information, and the control unit changes the display position from a first display position to a second display position when the installation of the mobile terminal is detected by the mobile terminal installation detection unit. 
     Furthermore, the present invention is a head-up display display method using the head-up display control system, the method provided with detecting, by the mobile terminal installation detection unit, whether the mobile terminal is installed on the terminal holder, and outputting, by a control unit, a display position change signal that changes a display position from the head-up display device to the head-up display device when the mobile terminal installation detection unit detects that the mobile terminal is installed on the terminal holder. 
     The present invention may realize a head-up display control system and a head-up display display method capable of avoiding an installation region of a mobile terminal and a display region of a head-up display device from superimposing on each other. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block configuration diagram of a head-up display control system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating a display principle of an optical system forming a head-up display device illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial virtual perspective view illustrating a state in which a mobile terminal is installed on a terminal holder illustrated in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective view illustrating a state in which the mobile terminal is installed on the terminal holder illustrated in  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 4B  is an illustrative view illustrating a relationship between an area of a holder projection region obtained by projecting the terminal holder illustrated in  FIG. 4A  and an area of a terminal projection region obtained by projecting the mobile terminal illustrated in  FIG. 4A ; 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective view illustrating a state in which another mobile terminal is installed on another terminal holder, and  FIG. 5B  is an illustrative view illustrating a relationship between the area of the holder projection region obtained by projecting the other terminal holder and the area of the terminal projection region obtained by projecting the other mobile terminal; and 
         FIG. 6A  is a schematic diagram illustrating a first display position of a virtual image of the head-up display device in a state in which the mobile terminal is not installed on the terminal holder, and  FIG. 6B  is a schematic diagram illustrating a second display position of the virtual image of the head-up display device in a state in which the mobile terminal is installed on the terminal holder. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Next, an embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. In  FIGS. 3 and 4A , “front/rear” indicates a vehicle front-and-rear direction, “right/left” indicates a vehicle width direction (right-and-left direction), and “up/down” indicates a vehicle up-and-down direction (vertical up-and-down direction). 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a head-up display control system  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided with a head-up display device  12  (hereinafter, referred to as a HUD device  12 ), a terminal holder  14 , a mobile terminal installation detection unit  16 , and a control unit  18 . 
     The HUD device  12  displays display information such as, for example, a vehicle speed, a shift position, travel guidance, warning display, and an operation status of a drive support function in a position overlapping with a window. Specifically, for example, this is displayed on a lower side of a front window (window)  22  as a virtual image  20  so as to float in a vehicle front position with respect to a driver. The HUD device  12  includes an optical system  24  and a display position change unit  26  (refer to  FIG. 1 ). 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the optical system  24  is provided with a light source  28 , a reflection mirror (plane mirror)  30 , and concave mirror (magnifier)  32 . The optical system  24  is mounted, for example, in a space on a back side of an instrument panel located on a vehicle front side with respect to the driver. The light source  28  is formed of, for example, a cold cathode tube or a light emitting diode, and outputs visible light corresponding to the virtual image  20  visually recognized by the driver. The visible light (information) emitted from the light source  28  is returned back by the reflection mirror  30  to be enlarged by the concave mirror  32 . The display enlarged by the concave mirror  32  is reflected by the front window  22 , and the driver may visually recognize the same as the virtual image  20 . 
     The HUD device  12  includes the display position change unit  26  that changes a display position of the display information (virtual image  20 ) of the HUD device  12 . The display position change unit  26  switches the display position of the virtual image  20  from a first display position P 1 , which is a normal display position of the virtual image  20  of the HUD device  12 , to a second display position P 2  to display the virtual image in another position not superimposed on the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal installation detection unit detects that the mobile terminal is installed on a terminal holder (P 1 →P 2 ). Switching from the first display position P 1  to the second display position P 2  is performed by a switch mechanism illustrated in  FIG. 1  or an actuator not illustrated that drives, the reflection mirror (plane mirror)  30  or the concave mirror (magnifier)  32 , for example. 
     The terminal holder  14  is arranged in the vicinity of the front window  22  in a vehicle interior, on a rear side of the instrument panel, and on a back side (front side) of a steering wheel  40 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the terminal holder  14  supports a rear surface of a mobile terminal  36  including a display screen  34  on a front surface visible to the driver, so that the mobile terminal  36  is installed thereon. 
     The terminal holder  14  has a horizontally long rectangular shape in a horizontal direction as seen from a vehicle rear side, and is arranged behind the steering wheel  40  in an annular shape that forms a steering mechanism  38  of a vehicle (vehicle front side). The installed mobile terminal  36  is in a state in which the display screen  34  is exposed from the inside of the steering wheel  40  toward the vehicle rear side. That is, the mobile terminal  36  is installed on the terminal holder  14  in a state in which the driver may look straight at the display screen  34  inside the steering wheel  40 . Both ends in the vehicle width direction of the terminal holder  14  are supported by a pair of arms  52  and  52  to be described later (refer to  FIG. 3 ). 
     A shaft  42  is inserted into a cylindrical portion  48  extending in the vehicle front-and-rear direction of a steering hanger  46 . A rod (steering hanger pipe)  50  of the steering hanger  46  is fixed above the cylindrical portion  48  so as to be orthogonal to the cylindrical portion  48 . The rod  50  extends in the vehicle width direction, and the pair of arms  52  and  52  is fixed to positions equidistant from a position orthogonal to the cylindrical portion  48  to both right and left sides. 
     Each arm  52  protrudes to extend to the vehicle front side. The terminal holder  14  is supported by support units  54  and  54  at distal ends of the pair of extending arms  52  and  52 . A disk  44  is fixed to a distal end of the shaft  42  on a side opposite to the cylindrical portion  48 . The disk  44  is arranged so as to be spaced apart from the terminal holder  14  with a clearance therebetween. 
     In a case where the mobile terminal  36  is installed on the terminal holder  14  as illustrated in  FIG. 4A , an area (S 1 ) of a holder projection region  56  obtained by projecting the terminal holder  14  onto a plane parallel to the display screen  34  of the mobile terminal  36  is smaller than an area (S 2 ) of a terminal projection region  58  obtained by projecting the mobile terminal  36  onto the plane (S 1 &lt;S 2 ) (refer to  FIG. 4B ). 
     The same applies to a case where another mobile terminal  36   a  is installed on another terminal holder  14   a  fixed onto the instrument panel so as to be gripped in an up-and-down direction as illustrated in  FIG. 5A . That is, the area (S 1 ) of the holder projection region  56  obtained by projecting the terminal holder  14   a  onto the plane parallel to the display screen  34  of the mobile terminal  36   a  is smaller than the area (S 2 ) of the terminal projection region  58  obtained by projecting the mobile terminal  36   a  onto the plane (S 1 &lt;S 2 ) (refer to  FIG. 5B ). 
     The first display position P 1  is a position that does not overlap with the holder projection region  56  in the vehicle front-and-rear direction but overlaps with the terminal projection region  58  (refer to  FIGS. 6A and 4B ). The second display position P 2  is a position that does not overlap with the holder projection region  56  or the terminal projection region  58  in the vehicle front-and-rear direction (refer to  FIGS. 6B and 4B ). 
     The first display position P 1  and the second display position P 2  may be manually set in advance by an operator, for example, or it is possible to detect a size of the mobile terminal  36  by an imaging sensor not illustrated installed in the vehicle, and the control unit  18  automatically determines the second display position P 2  using detection information thereof. 
     The mobile terminal installation detection unit  16  detects whether the mobile terminal  36  is installed on the terminal holder  14 . The mobile terminal installation detection unit  16  includes, for example, one that detects installation by a mechanical means and one that detects installation by an electric means or a magnetic means such as a sensor. As the mechanical means, for example, a switch mechanism may be provided in which a plate spring not illustrated having conductivity is mounted on a front surface of the terminal holder  14  in contact with the rear surface of the mobile terminal  36  or a lower surface of the terminal holder  14  in contact with a lower surface of the mobile terminal  36 , and the plate spring is elastically deformed by being pressed by the mobile terminal  36  installed on the terminal holder  14  to be brought into contact with a conductive metal plate arranged in the vicinity of the plate spring, so that a switch is switched from an off state to an on state. 
     As the electric means, for example, a proximity switch (proximity sensor) and the like not illustrated may be mounted on the terminal holder  14 , and the installation of the mobile terminal  36  on the terminal holder  14  may be detected by a detection signal output from the proximity switch. 
     The control unit  18  controls the HUD device  12 . The control unit  18  changes the display position of the virtual image  20  of the HUD device  12  from the first display position P 1  to the second display position P 2  when the installation of the mobile terminal  36  is detected by the mobile terminal installation detection unit  16 . 
     In this manner, when the installation of the mobile terminal  36  on the terminal holder  14  is detected by the mobile terminal installation detection unit  16 , the control unit  18  may change the display position of the virtual image  20  in a direction away from the steering wheel  40 . 
     The head-up display control system  10  according to this embodiment is basically configured as described above, and functions and effects thereof are next described. 
     First, in this embodiment, the mobile terminal installation detection unit  16  detects whether the mobile terminal  36  is installed on the terminal holder  14 . In a state in which the mobile terminal  36  is not installed on the terminal holder  14 , the display position of the virtual image  20  of the HUD device  12  is kept in the first display position P 1 , which is the normal position. 
     When the mobile terminal installation detection unit  16  detects that the mobile terminal  36  is installed on the terminal holder  14 , the mobile terminal installation detection unit  16  outputs a detection signal to the control unit  18 . When the detection signal is input to the control unit  18 , the control unit  18  outputs a display position change signal that changes the display position of the virtual image  20  from the HUD device  12  from the first display position P 1  to the second display position P 2  to the HUD device  12 . Accordingly, for example, the display position of the virtual image  20  of the HUD device  12  is switched from the first display position P 1  on the lower side of the front window  22 , which is the normal position, to the second display position P 2  in which the virtual image  20  is displayed above the normal position. 
     As a result, in this embodiment, even in a case where the mobile terminal  36  is installed on the terminal holder  14 , it is possible to suitably avoid an installation region of the mobile terminal  36  and a display region (virtual image  20 ) of the HUD device  12  from superimposing on each other. 
     Furthermore, in this embodiment, in a case where the mobile terminal  36  is installed on the terminal holder  14  as illustrated in  FIG. 4A , the area (S 1 ) of the holder projection region  56  obtained by projecting the terminal holder  14  onto the plane parallel to the display screen  34  of the mobile terminal  36  is smaller than the area (S 2 ) of the terminal projection region  58  obtained by projecting the mobile terminal  36  onto the plane (S 1 &lt;S 2 ) (refer to  FIG. 4B ). 
     In this embodiment, before the installation of the mobile terminal  36  on the terminal holder  14 , the area (S 1 ) of the holder projection region  56  obtained by projecting the terminal holder  14  onto the plane parallel to the display screen  34  of the mobile terminal  36  is smaller than the area (S 2 ) of the terminal projection region  58  obtained by projecting the mobile terminal  36  onto the plane, and is less likely to obstruct the display region of the virtual image  20  of the HUD device  12 , so that the virtual image  20  of the HUD device  12  may be displayed in the normal position (refer to  FIG. 6A ). As a result, in this embodiment, the driver who visually recognizes both the virtual image  20  of the HUD device  12  displayed in the normal position (first display position) and the virtual image  20  of the HUD device  12  displayed in the second display position after position change is less likely to feel discomfort. 
     In this embodiment, the first display position P 1  is a position that does not overlap with the holder projection region  56  in the vehicle front-and-rear direction but overlaps with the terminal projection region  58  (refer to  FIGS. 6A and 4B ). In this embodiment, the second display position P 2  is a position that does not overlap with the holder projection region  56  or the terminal projection region  58  in the vehicle front-and-rear direction (refer to  FIGS. 6B and 4B ). Accordingly, in this embodiment, the driver who visually recognizes the virtual image  20  of the HUD device  12  displayed in the normal first display position P 1  and the virtual image  20  of the HUD device  12  displayed in the second display position P 2  after the position change is less likely to feel discomfort. 
     Furthermore, in this embodiment, the terminal holder  14  is arranged on the vehicle rear side with respect to the instrument panel and on the back side of the steering wheel  40 . When the installation of the mobile terminal  36  on the terminal holder  14  is detected by the mobile terminal installation detection unit  16 , the control unit  18  changes the display position of the virtual image  20  of the HUD device  12  in the direction away from the steering wheel  40 . 
     In this embodiment, in the vehicle in which the mobile terminal  36  may be installed on the terminal holder  14  arranged on the vehicle rear side with respect to the instrument panel and on the back side of the steering wheel  40 , the display position of the virtual image  20  of the HUD device  12  may be changed in the direction away from the steering wheel  40  when the mobile terminal  36  is installed on the terminal holder  14 . As a result, in this embodiment, visibility of the driver who operates the steering mechanism  38  may be secured, and the visibility for the virtual image of the HUD device  12  may be further improved. 
     In this embodiment, a case where the virtual image  20  of the HUD device  12  is directly displayed on the front window  22  is illustrated as the “position overlapping with the window”, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, a case where the display information of the HUD device  12  is displayed on a half mirror not illustrated fixed onto the instrument panel and installed in front of the front window  22  is also included.