IP Library Granted Patent US 11,247,605
Granted Patent B2
US 11,247,605 · App. 16/837,202 · Granted Feb 15, 2022

Image projection apparatus configured to project an image on a road surface

Inventors: Yasuhiko Kunii (Kyoto, JP); Nobuyuki Kaku (Kyoto, JP); Toshinori Sugiyama (Kyoto, JP); Hiroyuki Nakamura (Kyoto, JP); Hiroshi Chiba (Kyoto, JP); Masahiro Kishigami (Kyoto, JP); Hiroyuki Kajikawa (Kyoto, JP); Chohei Ono (Kyoto, JP); Megumi Kurachi (Kyoto, JP); Noriaki Harada (Kyoto, JP)
Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
B60Q1/38B60K31/0008B60K35/00B60Q1/04B60Q1/50B60Q1/503B60Q1/54G03B29/00H04N9/3141H04N9/3179H04N9/3185H04N9/3194B60K2370/179B60K2370/334B60K2370/5915B60K2370/797B60Q2300/45B60Q2400/50B60W2754/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,247,605
App. No.
16/837,202
Filed
Apr 1, 2020
Granted
Feb 15, 2022
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2422
USPC
348/744
Abstract

Information related to a vehicle can be displayed by projecting an image based on the information on a road surface or the like. An image projection apparatus that projects an image includes: an acquisition unit that acquires information to be displayed; and an image projection unit that projects the image based on the information to be displayed acquired by the acquisition unit.

Claims (34)

1. An image projection apparatus comprising:

one or more sensors configured to acquire information relating to a vehicle;

a projector configured to project an image on a road surface,

a processor communicatively coupled to a navigation device, the one or more sensors and the projector,

wherein the projector is further configured to project the image based on information acquired by the one or more sensors and information from the navigation device received by the processor, and

wherein, when the image includes a character image based on the information from the navigation device and a traveling speed of the vehicle acquired by the one or more sensors is greater than a predetermined speed, the projector does not project the image on the road surface, and

wherein, when the image does not include the character image based on the information from the navigation device and the traveling speed of the vehicle acquired by the one or more sensors is greater than the predetermined speed, the projector projects the image on the road surface.

2. The image projection apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the processor controls the projector to project the image to different projection positions in accordance with the information from the navigation device.

3. The image projection apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the projection positions include a driving lane of the vehicle, an opposite lane of the vehicle, and a position other than the driving lane or the opposite lane.

4. The image projection apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the processor controls the projector to project alert information received from the navigation device to a portion of the road surface of an opposite lane of the vehicle.

5. The image projection apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the processor controls the projector to project distance information to a destination received from the navigation device to a position other than a lane of the road surface.

6. The image projection apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the processor controls the projector to project at least one of a traveling direction information of the vehicle, a traveling speed information of the vehicle, and remaining fuel information of the vehicle to a portion of the road surface of a driving lane of the vehicle.

7. An image projection method comprising the steps of:

acquiring information relating to a vehicle;

communicating with a navigation device; and

projecting an image onto a road surface,

wherein the image is based on the information relating to the vehicle and information received by the navigation device,

wherein, when the image includes a character image based on the information from the navigation device and a traveling speed of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined speed, the image is not projected onto the road surface,

wherein, when the image does not include the character image based on the information from the navigation device and the traveling speed of the vehicle acquired by the one or more sensors is greater than the predetermined speed, the image is projected onto the road surface.

8. The image projection method according to claim 7 ,

wherein the image is projected to different projection positions in accordance with the information from the navigation device.

9. The image projection method according to claim 8 ,

wherein the projection positions include a driving lane of the vehicle, an opposite lane of the vehicle, and a position other than the driving lane or the opposite lane.

10. The image projection method according to claim 8 , further comprising the step of:

projecting alert information received from the navigation device to a portion of the road surface of an opposite lane of the vehicle.

11. The image projection method according to claim 8 , further comprising the step of:

projecting distance information to a destination received from the navigation device to a position other than a lane of the road surface.

12. The image projection method according to claim 8 , further comprising the step

projecting at least one of a traveling direction information of the vehicle, a traveling speed information of the vehicle, and a remaining fuel information of the vehicle to a portion of the road surface of a driving lane of the vehicle.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 3, 2021
From: MAXELL HOLDINGS, LTD.
To: MAXELL, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058666/0407 →
MERGER Recorded Nov 29, 2021
From: MAXELL, LTD.
To: MAXELL HOLDINGS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 058255/0579 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2015-080901 · Apr 10, 2015 · national
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16394607 · Apr 25, 2019
Continuation 15565543
Related Publication 20200231085A1 · Jul 23, 2020
Cited By (1)
US 12,686,330