IP Library Granted Patent US 11,249,341
Granted Patent B2
US 11,249,341 · App. 15/543,219 · Granted Feb 15, 2022

Image projection apparatus

Inventors: Yasuhiko Kunii (Osaka, JP); Nobuyuki Kaku (Osaka, JP); Masahiro Kishigami (Osaka, JP); Hiroyuki Nakamura (Osaka, JP); Megumi Kurachi (Osaka, JP); Takuya Shimizu (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: MAXELL HOLDINGS, LTD.
G02F1/1336B60Q1/0017B60Q1/04B60Q1/34B60Q1/38B60Q1/50G01C21/365G03B17/54G03B21/12G03B21/14G03B21/562G08G1/166G08G1/167H04N9/3179H04N9/3194B60Q1/24B60Q9/00B60Q2400/50G02F1/133627
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,249,341
App. No.
15/543,219
Granted
Feb 15, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Based on information about a vehicle, the information can be projected and displayed onto a road surface or the like. An image projection apparatus, which projects an image, includes an acquisition unit that acquires the information about the vehicle, and an image projection unit that projects the image based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit.

Claims (23)

1. An image projection apparatus that projects an image, the image projection apparatus comprising:

a receiver that receives, as information about a vehicle, information about a direction indicator, information about a traveling speed of the vehicle, and information about a change in a steering-wheel steering angle of a steering wheel; and

an image projection unit that projects the image onto a road surface around the vehicle based on the information from the receiver,

wherein the image projection unit has functions of displaying the projected image as a moving image and fixing or moving a display position of the moving image as the image onto the road surface depending on a behavior of the vehicle,

wherein when the vehicle is changed to a traveling state from a stopping state at an intersection and a predetermined steering angle is detected, the image projection unit is configured to:

project a traveling path image to a fixed position on a road surface in the intersection, the traveling path image indicating a traveling path on which the vehicle travels in the intersection, and

even when the vehicle is traveling on a first part of the fixed position where the traveling path image is projected, continue to project a part of the traveling path image to a second part of the fixed position where the vehicle has not reached,

wherein a leading end of the second part remains at a leading end of the fixed position on the road surface until the vehicle passes over the leading end of the fixed position of the road,

wherein the image projection unit flashes a mark representing the traveling direction of the vehicle, the mark being acquired by the receiver, and

wherein the image projection unit sets a period of the flashing of the mark in accordance with a traveling speed and a steering-wheel steering angle of the vehicle.

2. The image projection apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the image projection unit displays, as the moving image, the image representing a traveling direction of the vehicle.

3. The image projection apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the image projection unit obtains the behavior of the vehicle from information about a vehicle speed and/or a traveling direction obtained by the receiver in order to determine whether to fix or move a display position of the image displayed as the moving image.

4. The image projection apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein, after the vehicle has once stopped, the image projection unit displays the image as the moving image and determines whether to fix or move a display position of the image depending on the behavior of the vehicle.

5. The image projection apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the image displayed as the moving image by the image projection unit is an arrow moving image indicating the traveling direction of the vehicle.

6. The image projection apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the image projection unit projects a mark representing a traveling direction of the vehicle and/or an entrance track of the vehicle onto a roadway adjacent to a roadway on which the vehicle travels.

7. The image projection apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the receiver receives information about a direction indicator signal, and

wherein the image projection unit projects a mark representing a traveling direction of the vehicle and/or an entrance track of the vehicle onto a roadway adjacent to a roadway on which the vehicle travels, after a predetermined time period or more passes.

Assignments (4)
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2018
From: HITACHI MAXELL, LTD.
To: MAXELL, LTD.
Reel/Frame 045142/0208 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2017
From: KUNII, YASUHIKO; KAKU, NOBUYUKI; KISHIGAMI, MASAHIRO; NAKAMURA, HIROYUKI; KURACHI, MEGUMI; SHIMIZU, TAKUYA
To: HITACHI MAXELL, LTD.
Reel/Frame 042991/0380 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP JP2015-003961 · Jan 13, 2015 · national
JP JP2015-155164 · Aug 5, 2015 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180004020A1 · Jan 4, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,630,076