Head-up display device
A head-up display device (HUD) 1 includes a sound analysis portion 42 that determines whether a specific alarm is involved in sound signals from microphones 40 a to 40 d to collect ambient sound around a vehicle 2. When a specific alarm has been detected as determined by the sound analysis portion 42, an image display unit 30 displays icons 91, 92 representing the specific alarm. The specific alarm includes a siren sound given from an emergency vehicle and a horn sound given from a general vehicle and the sound analysis portion 42 analyzes frequency of input sound signals and thereby determines whether the sound is the specific alarm.
1. A head-up display apparatus to be mounted in a vehicle, the head-up display apparatus comprising:
processing circuitry configured to
receive sound signals from microphones set in place on the vehicle to collect ambient sound around the vehicle,
determine whether the sound signals from the microphone is valid, and
determine whether a specific alarm is involved in the sound signals;
a display configured to generate image light of an image and project the image light toward a windshield of the vehicle, so that a virtual image is displayed in front of the vehicle by reflecting the image light on the windshield, wherein
in response to determining that the sound signals from the microphone is valid, and determining that the specific alarm is involved in the sound signals, the processing circuitry adds an icon representing the specific alarm to the virtual image and controls the display to display the virtual image and the icon,
in response to determining that the sound signals from the microphone is not valid, in a case where the icon representing the specific alarm involved in the sound signals that have been determined to be not valid is being displayed, the processing circuitry deletes the icon, and
wherein the processing circuitry causes the display to display different icons depending on a type of the specific alarm detected.
2. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the specific alarm includes a siren sound given from an emergency vehicle and a horn sound given from a general vehicle; and
the processing circuitry analyzes frequency of the sound signals and thereby determines whether the ambient sound includes the specific alarm.
3. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the microphones are set beforehand in multiple positions on the vehicle;
the processing circuitry compares times at which multiple sound signals have been input from the microphones or amplitude levels of the sound signals, and determines a direction from which the detected specific alarm comes; and
the processing circuitry controls the display to change a way of displaying the icon depending on the direction from which the detected specific alarm comes.
4. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein priority of displaying the specific alarm is set beforehand depending on alarm types and occurrence situations of the specific alarm; and
when a plurality of the specific alarms have been detected by the processing circuitry, the processing circuitry restricts the number of icons to be displayed by the display depending on the priority that has been set.
5. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
when the specific alarm has a higher priority than a currently displayed alarm, the processing circuitry controls the display to display icons corresponding to the specific alarm having higher priority and erases an icon for the currently displayed alarm.
6. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the display is configured to project the image light toward the windshield of the vehicle via at least one mirror.
7. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the display includes:
a first minor; and
a second minor, and
the display is configured to project the image light toward the windshield of the vehicle via the first minor and the second minor.
8. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the display includes a mirror driver configured to drive the second minor and adjust a display position of the virtual image.
9. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the sound signals from the microphone are valid in response to determining that amplitude of the sound signals is at or above a predetermined value.
10. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to determine that the sound signals from the microphone are valid in response to determining that duration of the sound signals is at or above a predetermined length of time.
11. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to determine the sound signals from the microphone are valid in response to determining that amplitude of the sound signals is at or above a predetermined value and duration of the sound signals is at or above a predetermined length of time.