# US 11,077,753 B2 · Information provision device, information provision method, and recording medium storing information provision program for a vehicle display

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- Number: US 11,077,753 B2
- Document ID: US11077753B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/027,876
- Filed: 2018-07-05
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2014-12-10
- Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Yoshiaki Nishizaki; Michinari Shinohara
- Inventors: Yoshiaki Nishizaki; Michinari Shinohara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077753B2

## CPC

- G09G 3/025: {with scanning or deflecting the beams in two directions or dimensions}
- B60K 35/213: {Virtual instruments}
- B60K 35/22: Display screens
- B60K 35/234: controlling the brightness, colour or contrast of virtual images depending on the driving conditions or on the condition of the vehicle or the driver
- B60K 35/28: characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
- B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10)
- B60K 35/81: for controlling displays
- B60K 37/20: Dashboard panels
- G02B 27/01: Head-up displays
- G09G 3/002: {to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT}
- G09G 5/377: for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns (G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence)
- B60K 35/29: Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
- B60K 2360/166: Navigation
- B60K 2360/167: Vehicle dynamics information
- B60K 2360/168: Target or limit values
- B60K 2360/177: Augmented reality
- B60K 2360/178: Warnings
- B60K 2360/179: Distances to obstacles or vehicles
- B60K 2360/186: Displaying information according to relevancy
- B60K 2360/191: Highlight information
- B60K 2360/195: Blocking or enabling display functions
- B60K 2360/333: Lasers
- B60K 2360/334: Projection means
- G01C 21/365: {Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself}
- G02B 2027/014: {comprising information/image processing systems}
- G02B 2027/0141: {characterised by the informative content of the display}
- G09G 3/3413: {Details of control of colour illumination sources}
- G09G 2320/0626: for control of overall brightness
- G09G 2340/125: wherein one of the images is motion video
- G09G 2360/16: Calculation or use of calculated indices related to luminance levels in display data
- G09G 2380/10: Automotive applications
- G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00)
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)

## Abstract

An information provision device, information provision method, and a non-transitory recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the information provision method. Each of the information provision device and the information provision method includes projecting an image light to a light transmission member to display a for-driver information image indicating for-driver information to be provided to a driver of a mobile object in a prescribed display area, and displaying at a first point where a normal for-driver information image is displayed a priority for-driver information image in place of the normal for-driver information image, where the displaying includes displaying the normal for-driver information image at a second point different from the first point for at least some of a period during which the priority for-driver information image is displayed at the first point.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image display apparatus, comprising:
a display to display current speed information of a mobile object in a first horizontal region in such a manner that the current speed information is visible to a driver via a light transmission member through which the driver is able to visually check outside of the mobile object; and
processing circuitry configured to control the display to display, only in the first horizontal region, road-specific information, including road-identifying information identifying a current road on which the mobile object is travelling, and a current speed limit for the road, together with the current speed information,
wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the display to display first passive information in a second horizontal region immediately above the displayed current speed information displayed in the first horizontal region, wherein the first passive information includes following distance information and is other than a location on a route or a route map, and other than a route map or route map information, and is used by the driver to drive the mobile object, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to display the following-distance information only in the second horizontal region, between the first horizontal region and a third horizontal region, and
wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the display to display second passive information on an upper side of the second horizontal region in the third horizontal region immediately above the second horizontal region, the second passive information including an item of information that is to be used by the driver later than the first passive information to drive the mobile object displayed in the second horizontal region.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the display to display the first passive information, which is security information for driving.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the display to display security information for driving, including an alert about braking.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The image display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a projector configured to project the current speed information and the first and second passive information to the light transmission member,
wherein the current speed information and the first and second passive information are visually recognized by the driver as if the current speed information and the first and second passive information are displayed ahead of the light transmission member.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to present the first passive information to the driver at a prescribed timing.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The image display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the display to always display the first passive information immediately above the first horizontal region in which the current speed information is displayed such that no information is displayed between the current speed information and the first passive information in a vertical direction of the display.

### Claim 7

A mobile object, comprising:
a light transmission member through which a driver is able to visually check outside of the mobile object;
a display configured to display current speed information of the mobile object in a first horizontal region in such a manner that the current speed information is visible to the driver via the light transmission member; and
processing circuitry configured to control the display to display, only in the first horizontal region, road-specific information, including road-identifying information identifying a current road on which the mobile object is travelling, and a current speed limit for the road, together with the current speed information,
wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the display to display first passive information in a second horizontal region immediately above the displayed current speed information displayed in the first horizontal region, wherein the first passive information includes following distance information and is other than a location on a route or a route map, and other than a route map or route map information, and is used by the driver to drive the mobile object, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to display the following-distance information only in the second horizontal region, between the first horizontal region and a third horizontal region, and
wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to control the display to display second passive information on an upper side of the second horizontal region in a third horizontal region immediately above the second horizontal region, the second passive information including an item of information that is to be used by the driver later than the first passive information to drive the mobile object displayed in the second horizontal region.

### Claim 8

A computer-readable non-transitory recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a method, the method comprising:
displaying current speed information of a mobile object in a first horizontal region in such a manner that the current speed information is visible to a driver via a light transmission member through which the driver is able to visually check outside of the mobile object;
displaying, only in the first horizontal region, road-specific information, including road-identifying information identifying a current road on which the mobile object is travelling, and a current speed limit for the road, together with the current speed information;
displaying first passive information in a second horizontal region immediately above the displayed current speed information displayed in the first horizontal region, wherein the first passive information includes following distance information and is other than a location on a route or a route map, and other than a route map or route map information, and is to be used by the driver to drive the mobile object, the method further comprising displaying the following-distance information only in the second horizontal region, between the first horizontal region and a third horizontal region, and
displaying second passive information on an upper side of the second horizontal region in the third horizontal region immediately above the second horizontal region, the second passive information including an item of information that is to be used by the driver later than the first passive information to drive the mobile object displayed in the second horizontal region.

### Claim 9

A method of displaying an image, the method comprising:
displaying current speed information of a mobile object in a first horizontal region in such a manner that the current speed information becomes visible to a driver through a light transmission member through which the driver is able to visually check outside of the mobile object;
displaying, only in the first horizontal region, road-specific information, including road-identifying information identifying a current road on which the mobile object is travelling, and a current speed limit for the road, together with the current speed information;
displaying first passive information on an upper side of the speed information in a second horizontal region immediately above the displayed current speed information displayed in the first horizontal region, wherein the first passive information includes following distance information and is other than a location on a route or a route map and other than a route map or route map information, and is used by the driver to drive the mobile object, wherein the method further comprises displaying the following-distance information only in the second horizontal region, between the first horizontal region and third horizontal region, and
displaying second passive information on an upper side of the second horizontal region in the third horizontal region immediately above the second horizontal region, the second passive information including an item of information that is to be used by the driver later than the first passive information to drive the mobile object displayed in the second horizontal region.