Alarm Device

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the alarm device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing images, each of which is displayed by the displaying means in one of display modes.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing images, each of which is displayed with a subsidiary screen by the displaying means in another display mode.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing images, each of which is displayed with additional information displayed on a subsidiary screen by the displaying means in further display mode.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an operation of the alarm device of the embodiment of the present invention.

EXPLANATION OF THE REFERENCE NUMERALS

1: motion sickness preventing apparatus

2: acceleration detecting means

3: image taking means

4: navigation means

5: image producing means

6: motion detecting means

7: additional information producing means

8: controlling means

9: setting means

10: displaying means

201, 202, 204, 206, 208, and 210: screen

301, 302, 306, 309, 312, and 314: screen

401, 402, 405, 408, 411, and 414: screen

203, 205, 207, 209, and 211: image

303, 307, 310, 313, and 315: subsidiary screen

304, 308, and 311: travel route

305: current position

403, 406, 409, 412, and 415: image displayed with additional information

404, 407, 410, 413, and 416: arrow

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The embodiment of the alarm device according to the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 5 are views showing an embodiment of an alarm device according to the present invention, and a vehicle provided with the alarm device. The alarm device according to the embodiment of the present invention is constituted as a motion sickness preventing apparatus.

The constitution of the alarm device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be firstly described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 1. The alarm device is mounted as a motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 on a vehicle. As shown in FIG. 1, the motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 comprises acceleration detecting means 2, image taking means 3, navigation means 4, image producing means 5, motion detecting means 6, additional information producing means 7, controlling means 8, setting means 9, and displaying means 10.

The acceleration detecting means 2 is constituted by at least one of a velocity sensor for detecting a velocity of the vehicle, an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration of the vehicle, an angular velocity sensor for detecting an angular velocity of the vehicle, and a swing sensor for detecting a frequency of a swing (pitching, rolling, and yawing) of the vehicle. The acceleration detecting means 2 detects an acceleration of the vehicle in at least one of leftward/rightward, upward/downward, and forward/backward directions on the basis of at least one of the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor, the velocity detected by the velocity sensor, the angular velocity detected by the angular velocity sensor, and the frequency of the swing detected by the swing sensor.

The motion detecting means 6 detects at least one of left-turning, right-tinning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle on the basis of the acceleration detected by the acceleration detecting means 2.

The navigation means 4 is constituted by a conventional navigation apparatus, and includes a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver for calculating a current position of the vehicle, a memory unit having road map information stored therein, an input unit for setting information on a destination, a travel route calculating unit for calculating an optimum travel route to the inputted destination from the calculated current position, and superimposing the calculated optimum travel route on a road map, and a display unit for displaying the road map with the optimum travel route.

The motion detecting means 6 detects, on the basis of information outputted by the navigation means 4, at least one of left-turning, right-tuning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle. If the navigation means 4 is in an active state to support a driver in driving to the destination through the calculated optimum travel route, the motion detecting means 6 receives information on the calculated optimum travel route from the navigation means 4. If, on the other hand, the navigation means 4 is in an inactive state not to support a driver in driving to the destination, the motion detecting means 6 receives, from the navigation means 4, the road map information such as for example angles of the right-hand and left-hand turns, a curvature of the road, an angle of a sloping road, a road surface, a width, whether or not there is no traffic light, whether or not there is no stop sign, whether or not the vehicle is traveling along a right turn lane or a left turn lane, and traffic signs such as “ONE-WAY STREET”, “STOP”, and “DO NOT ENTER”.

The image taking means 3 is constituted by a camera, and takes an image of an object near or ahead of the vehicle.

The motion detecting means 6 processes the image taken and outputted by the image taking means 3, extracts one or more features of a road ahead of the vehicle from the processed image, and detects, on the basis of the features of the road, at least one of left- turning, right-turning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle. Here, the information on one or more features of a road ahead of the vehicle extracted from the images taken by the image taking means 3 is substantially the same the information on a road ahead of the vehicle received from the navigation means 4.

The motion detecting means 6 may be constituted by a computer mounted on the vehicle, the computer having a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), and a random access memory (RAM), and the like. The motion detecting means 6 detects the motion of the vehicle by detecting how the vehicle is being operated by the driver. More specifically, the motion detecting means 6 detects, on the basis of an operating state of at least one of a steering wheel, an accelerator, a brake pedal, a direction indicator, and a hazard indicator, at least one of left-turing, right-turing, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle.

Here, the motion detecting means 6 may assume a multistage mode to detect degrees of the left-turning, right-tuning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle. If, for example, the judgment is made that the vehicle is about to be accelerated, or being accelerated, the motion detecting means 6 compares the acceleration detected by the acceleration detecting means 2 with two or more threshold levels.

The image producing means 5 is constituted by an audio visual apparatus such as for example a television set and a DVD player, a game machine, or the like.

The displaying means 10 is constituted by a liquid crystal display unit, an image projector for projecting an image on a screen, or the like, and displays an image such as a movie produced by an audio visual apparatus such as for example a television set and a DVD player, a game machine, or the like. It is preferable that the displaying means 10 may be positioned in the close vicinity of a rear seat, fixed to its ceiling, or arbitrarily positioned to allow the image displayed on the screen to be preferentially watched by vehicle occupants other than the driver. Needless to say, the image displayed on the screen may be watched by the driver.

If the image produced by the image producing means 5 is displayed by the displaying means 10, the controlling means 8 controls the displaying means 10 in each display mode on the basis of the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6. The controlling means 8 may be constituted by above-mentioned computer.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing images, each of which is displayed by the displaying means 10 in a display mode. The controlling means 8 changes, on the basis of the degrees of the left-turning, right-turing, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle, the shape of the image to be displayed on the screen 201 as shown in FIG. 2(a). More specifically, the controlling means 8 ensures that the image displayed on the screen 201 reminds the vehicle occupants of the left-turning, right-turing, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle by changing, on the basis of the degrees of the left- turing, right-turning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle, the shape of the image over a predetermined period of time if the degrees of the left-turning, right-tuning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold level, by starting to compute an elapsed time, and by restoring the changed image to the original if the elapsed time exceeds a predetermined value. The controlling means 8 changes the shape of the image displayed on the screen 201 on the basis of a position of one or more vehicle occupants sitting on sets in the vehicle.

The following description will be directed to the case that the displaying means 10 has a screen pointed in a direction opposite to the traveling direction of the vehicle, the screen being in face-to-face relationship with one or more vehicle occupants sitting on front- facing seats. If the vehicle is about to turn to the left, or turning to the left, the controlling means 8 tapers, toward the left of the screen 201, the image to be display on the screen 201. The image tapered toward the left of the screen 201 is similar to the image 203 displayed on the screen 202 and shown in FIG. 2(b), and reminds the vehicle occupants of the left-turning motion of the vehicle. If the vehicle is about to turn to the right, or turning to the right, the controlling means 8 tapers, toward the right of the screen 201, the image to be display on the screen 201. The image tapered toward the right of the screen 201 reminds the vehicle occupants of the right-tuning motion of the vehicle. If the vehicle is about to be accelerated, or being accelerated in the traveling direction, the controlling means 8 tapers, toward an upward direction of the screen 201, the image to be display on the screen 201. The image tapered toward the upward direction of the screen 201 is similar to the image 205 displayed on the screen 204 and shown in FIG. 2(c), and reminds the vehicle occupants of the accelerating motion of the vehicle. If the vehicle is about to be decelerated, or being decelerated against the traveling direction, the controlling means 8 tapers, toward a downward direction of the screen 201, the image to be display on the screen 201. The image tapered toward the downward direction of the screen 201 reminds the vehicle occupants of the decelerating motion of the vehicle. Additionally, the controlling means 8 may be tapers, toward the downward direction of the screen 201, the image to be display on the screen 201 if the vehicle is about to be accelerated, or being accelerated in the traveling direction. The controlling means 8 may taper, toward the upward direction of the screen 201, the image to be display on the screen 201 if the vehicle is about to be decelerated, or being decelerated against the traveling direction.

If the vehicle is about to turn to the left, or tuning to the left, the controlling means 8 may change, in shape, the image to be display on the screen 201 to ensure that the image changed in shape is similar to the image 207 displayed on the screen 206, and reminds the vehicle occupants of the left-tuning motion of the vehicle. If, on the other hand, the vehicle is about to turn to the right, or turning to the right, the controlling means 8 may change, in shape, the image to be display on the screen 201 to ensure that the image changed in shape is similar to the image 208 displayed on the screen 208, and reminds the vehicle occupants of the right-tuning motion of the vehicle.

The controlling means 8 decides a magnitude of the change in shape of the image on the basis of the degree of the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6. If, for example, the degree of the left-turning motion of the vehicle is relatively large, and more specifically, the vehicle is about to be accelerated, or being accelerated at an increasing rate on a left-hand sharp curve, the controlling means 8 changes from the image 201 to the image 210 with multistage approach. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the left-turning motion of the vehicle. The controlling means 8 changes, in shape, the image with multistage approach on the basis of the degree of each of the right-turning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle.

The following description will be directed to the case that the displaying means 10 has a screen pointed in a direction the same as the traveling direction of the vehicle, the screen being in face-to-face relationship with one or more vehicle occupants sitting on rear-facing seats. The controlling means 8 controls, in shape, the image to ensure that the image controlled in shape is in mirror-reversed relationship with the image displayed on the screen shown in FIG. 2(b) or FIG. 2(d). If, for example, the vehicle is about to turn to the left, or tuning to the left, the controlling means 8 changes, in shape, the image to be displayed on the screen 201 to ensure that the image changed in shape is in mirror-reversed relationship with the image shown hi FIG. 2(b), in other words, to taper, toward the right of the screen 201, the image to be display on the screen 201 to ensure that the image tapered toward the right of the screen 201 reminds the vehicle occupants sitting on the rear-facing seats of the left-turning motion of the vehicle. If, on the other hand, the vehicle is about to turn to the right, or turning to the right, the controlling means 8 changes, in shape, the image to be displayed on the screen 201 to ensure that the image changed in shape is the same in shape as the image shown in FIG. 2(b) or FIG. 2(d), and reminds the vehicle occupants sitting on the rear-facing seats of the right-tuning motion of the vehicle. Additionally, the controlling means 8 may changes the shape of the image, based on whether the vehicle occupants are sitting on the front-facing seats or the rear-facing seats, in response to the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle. From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the alarm device according to the present invention can inform and remind the vehicle occupants sitting on the rear-facing seats of the left-tuning, or right-turning motion of the vehicle.

The controlling means 8 controls the display mode of the displaying means 10 on the basis of the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6 to allow the displaying means 10 to display, on the subsidiary screen forming part of the screen, the travel route information, i.e., one or more images outputted by the navigation means 4.

The following description will be then directed to another display mode in which the subsidiary screen is superimposed on the screen by the displaying means 10. If the TV program is being displayed on the screen 301 as shown in 3(a), the controlling means 8 interrupts the TV program to allow the displaying means 10 to display the support information, i.e., one or more images outputted by the navigation means 4 on the screen over a period of time, or to ensure that the images outputted by the navigation means 4 is displayed on the subsidiary screen 303 forming part of the screen 402 as shown in FIG. 4(b).

The controlling means 6 may allow the displaying means 10 to indicate each of the accelerating, decelerating, right-turning, and left-turning motions of the vehicle by ensuring that the support information outputted by the navigation means 4 is displayed on the screen over a period of time on the basis of the detected degrees of the left-turning, right-turning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle, the TV program is then displayed on the screen after the period of time. The controlling means 8 may change either or both of the subsidiary screen 303 and the information to be displayed on the subsidiary screen 303 on the basis of the positions of the vehicle occupants sitting on seats.

If the vehicle is about to turn to the right, or turning to the right, the controlling means 8 allows the displaying means 10 to display, on a subsidiary screen 307, the travel route information produced by the navigation means 4 as shown in FIG. 3(c) to ensure that the travel route information displayed on the subsidiary screen 307 reminds the vehicle occupants of the right-tuning motion of the vehicle. From FIG. 3(c), it will be easy understood that the vehicle is about to turn to the right, or turning to the right by reason that the subsidiary screen 307 is defined on right-hand part of the screen 306. The subsidiary screen 307 may be the same in position as the subsidiary screen 303 shown in FIG. 3(b).

If the vehicle is about to be accelerated, or being accelerated in a traveling direction, the controlling means 8 allows the displaying means 10 to display the travel route information outputted by the navigation means 4 on a subsidiary screen 310 shown in FIG. 3(d) to ensure that the travel route information displayed on the subsidiary screen 310 reminds the vehicle occupants of the accelerating motion of the vehicle. If, on the other hand, the vehicle is about to be decelerated, or being decelerated in a traveling direction, the controlling means 8 allows the displaying means 10 to display the travel route information outputted by the navigation means 4 on a subsidiary screen defined in the lower part of the screen 309 shown in FIG. 3(d) to ensure that the travel route information displayed on the subsidiary screen reminds the vehicle occupants of the decelerating motion of the vehicle. Additionally, the controlling means 8 may allow the displaying means 10 to display the travel route information outputted by the navigation means 4 on a subsidiary screen 310 shown in FIG. 3(d) to ensure that the travel route information displayed on the subsidiary screen 310 reminds the vehicle occupants of the accelerating motion of the vehicle if the vehicle is about to be decelerated, or being decelerated in a traveling direction.

The controlling means 8 controls, in size, the subsidiary screen on the basis of the degree of the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6. If, for example, the degree of the left-turing motion of the vehicle is relatively large, and more specifically, the vehicle is about to be decelerated, or being decelerated at an increasing rate on a left-hand sharp curve, the controlling means 8 changes to the subsidiary screen 313 from the subsidiary screen 303 with multistage approach on the basis of the degree of the decelerating motion of the vehicle. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to degree of the left-turing motion of the vehicle. The controlling means 8 controls, in size, the subsidiary screen on the basis of the degree of the right-tuning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle.

The controlling means 8 changes, in transparency, the subsidiary screen on the basis of the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6. If the subsidiary screen has a relatively low transparency, the vehicle occupants can watch the additional information with clarity. If, on the other hand, the subsidiary screen has a relatively large transparency, the vehicle occupants can watch TV program. If one or more of the accelerating, decelerating, right-tuning, and left-turning motions of the vehicle are relatively large in degree, the controlling means 8 ensures that the subsidiary screen 303 reduced in transparency is displayed on the screen 302 over a period of time as shown in FIG; 3(b). If one or more of the accelerating, decelerating, right-turning, and left-turning motions of the vehicle becomes smaller in degree with time, the controlling means 8 ensures that the subsidiary screen 303 increased in transparency is displayed on the screen 402 over a period of time. If the vehicle is about to be accelerated, or being accelerated while turning to the left or the right, or going straight, the controlling means 8 may reduce, transparency, the subsidiary screen on the basis of the acceleration of the vehicle to ensure that the subsidiary screen reduced in transparency is displayed over a period of time.

The following description will be directed to the case that the displaying means 10 has a screen pointed in a direction the same as the traveling direction of the vehicle, the screen being in face-to-face relationship with one or more vehicle occupants sitting on rear-facing seats. The controlling means 8 may allow the image displaying means 10 to display, on the subsidiary screen reversed in position or in direction, an image over the predetermined period of time. This subsidiary screen is opposite in position or in direction to the subsidiary screen shown in FIG. 3(b) or FIG. 3(b). If, for example, the vehicle is about to turn to the left, or turning to the left, tie controlling means 8 allows the displaying means 10 to display, on the subsidiary screen, an image the same as the image displayed on the subsidiary screen shown in FIG. 3(c). In this case, the subsidiary screen is defined on the right-hand part of the screen. However, the subsidiary screen may be defined on the left-hand part of the screen. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the right-turning motion of the vehicle. The controlling means 8 allows the displaying means 10 to display, on the subsidiary screen, an image based on the left-turning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle. Even if the vehicle occupants are sitting on the rear-facing seats, the alarm device according to the present invention can inform and remind the vehicle occupants are sitting on the rear-facing seats of the right-turning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle.

The additional information producing means 7 produces additional information indicative of the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6. The additional information producing means 7 may be constituted by the above-mentioned computer. The controlling means 8 superimposes, on the basis of the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6, the additional information produced by the additional information producing means 7 on the image to be displayed on the screen by the displaying means 10.

The following description will be then directed to another display mode in which the additional information is superimposed on the image by the displaying means 10 as shown in FIG. 4. If TV program is being displayed on the screen 401 as shown in 4(a), the controlling means 8 interrupts the TV program to allow the displaying means 10 to display the additional information on the screen 401 over a period of time, or to allow the displaying means 10 to superimpose the additional information 403 on the TV program to ensure that the additional information 403 is displayed on a subsidiary screen forming part of the screen 402 as shown in FIG. 4(b).

If the degrees of the left-turing, right-turning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold level, the controlling means 8 may interrupt the TV program to allow the displaying means 10 to display, on the screen 401 over a period of time, the additional information produced by the additional information producing means 7, and to return to the TV program after the period of time so as to remind the vehicle occupants of the left-turning, right-turning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle. Additionally, the controlling means 8 may change, in shape, the additional information to be superimposed on the TV program, or to change, in position, the additional information to be superimposed on the TV program on the basis of a position of each vehicle occupant.

If the vehicle is about to turn to the right, or turning to the right, the controlling means 8 allows the displaying means 10 to display the additional information including an arrow for reminding the vehicle occupants of the right-turning motion of the vehicle. Additionally, this additional information may be the same in position as the additional information 403 shown in FIG. 4(b). In order to remind the vehicle occupants of the right-turning motion of the vehicle with ease, this additional information may be superimposed on right-hand part of the screen 402.

If the vehicle is about to be accelerated, or being accelerated hi the traveling direction, the controlling means 8 allows the displaying means 10 to display the additional information 406 including an arrow 407 for reminding the vehicle occupants of the accelerating motion of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 4(c). If the vehicle is about to be decelerated, or being decelerated in the traveling direction, the controlling means 8 allows the displaying means 10 to display the additional information 409 including an arrow 410 for reminding the vehicle occupants of the accelerating motion of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 4(d). Additionally, the controlling means 8 may control, in position, the subsidiary screen to ensure that the additional information is displayed on the subsidiary screen superimposed in the upper part of the screen 405 shown in FIG. 4(c) if the vehicle is about to be accelerated, or being accelerated, and to ensure that the additional information is displayed on the subsidiary screen superimposed in the lower part of the screen 408 shown in FIG. 4(d) if the vehicle is about to be decelerated, or being decelerated. On the other hand, the controlling means 8 may superimposes the subsidiary screen on a designated on screen position without changing, in position, the subsidiary screen hi response to the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle. If the vehicle is about to be accelerated, or being accelerated in the traveling direction, the controlling means 8 may allow displaying means 10 to display, in the subsidiary screen, an arrow 410 shown in FIG. 4(b). If, on the other hand, the vehicle may be about to be decelerated, or being decelerated in the traveling direction, the controlling means 8 allows displaying means 10 to display, in the subsidiary screen, an arrow 407 shown in FIG. 4(b).

The controlling means 8 changes, in shape, the additional information on the basis of the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6. If, for example, the vehicle is about to be accelerated, or being accelerated at an increasing rate on a left-hand sharp curve, the controlling means 8 changes, in shape, the additional information 403 including an arrow 404 for reminding the vehicle occupants of the left-turning motion of the vehicle on the basis of the degree of the left-turning motion of the vehicle. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the left-turning motion of the vehicle. The controlling means 8 changes, in shape, the arrow for reminding the vehicle occupants of the right-turning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle.

The controlling means 8 changes, in size, the additional information on the basis of the degree of the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6. If, for example, the degree of the left-tuning motion of the vehicle is relatively large, more specifically, the vehicle is about to be accelerated, or being accelerated at an increasing rate on a left-hand sharp curve, the controlling means 8 increases, in size, the additional information with multistage approach. Additionally, the controlling means 8 changes, in size, the additional information with multistage approach on the basis of the degree of each of the right-turning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle.

The controlling means 8 changes, in transparency, the additional information on the basis of the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6. If the additional information superimposed on the TV program has a relatively low transparency, the vehicle occupants can watch the additional information with clarity. If, on the other hand, the additional information superimposed on the TV program has a relatively large transparency, the vehicle occupants can watch TV program. If one or more of the accelerating, decelerating, right-turning, and left-turing motions of the vehicle are relatively large in degree, the controlling means 8 ensures that the additional information 403 reduced in transparency is displayed on the screen 402 over a period of time as shown in FIG. 4(b). If one or more of the accelerating, decelerating, right-turning, and left-turning motions of the vehicle becomes smaller in degree with time, the controlling means 8 ensures that the additional information 415 increased in transparency is displayed on the screen 402 over a period of time. If the vehicle is about to be accelerated, or being accelerated while turning to the left or the right, or going straight, the controlling means 8 may reduces, transparency, the additional information on the basis of the acceleration of the vehicle to ensure that the additional information reduced in transparency is displayed over a period of time.

The following description will be then directed to the case that the displaying means 10 has a screen pointed in a direction the same as the traveling direction of the vehicle, the screen being in face-to-face relationship with one or more vehicle occupants sitting on rear-facing seats. The controlling means 8 may allows the displaying means 10 to display, on the subsidiary screen, a mirror-reversed image indicative of the motion of the vehicle over a period of time. If, for example, the vehicle is about to turn to the right, or turning to the right, the controlling means 8 may allow the displaying means 10 to display, on the subsidiary screen, the additional information 403 shown in FIG. 4(b). In this case, the subsidiary screen 403 is defined on right-hand part of the screen 402 as shown in FIG. 4(b). However, the subsidiary screen 403 may be defined on left-hand part of the screen 402. Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the right-turing motion of the vehicle. The controlling means 8 allows the displaying means 10 to display the secondary information on the subsidiary screen on the basis of the left-turning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle. From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the alarm device according to the present invention can inform and remind the vehicle occupants sitting on the rear-facing seats of the real turn direction of the vehicle.

In FIG. 4, the additional information produced by the additional information producing means 7 is constituted by an arrow. However, the additional information may be constituted by one or more characters for reminding the vehicle occupants of the right-turning, left-turning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle, animated figures corresponding to the right-turning, left-turning, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle, or animated figures different in color from each other so as to remind the vehicle occupants of the right-turning, left-turing, accelerating, and decelerating motions of the vehicle.

The setting means 9 is constituted by a keyboard, a touch panel, or the like, and sets information on a display mode to the controlling means 8. The controlling means 8 controls the displaying means 10 in the display mode set by the setting means 9.

The setting means 9 sets whether or not to change the image to be displayed on the screen by the displaying means 10. More specifically, the setting means 9 sets, as control information needed to enhance an effect of allowing the vehicle occupants to enjoy comfortable driving, a period of time over which the image is being changed in shape, a size of the image to be displayed on the screen, or a shape of the image to be displayed on the screen.

The setting means 9 sets whether or not to allow the displaying means 10 to display, on the screen, the support information outputted by the navigation means 4. More specifically, the setting means 9 sets, as control information needed to enhance an effect of allowing the vehicle occupants to enjoy comfortable driving, a period of time with which the subsidiary screen is displayed, shape, size, position, or transparency of the additional information.

The setting means 9 sets whether or not to allow the displaying means 10 to display, on the subsidiary screen, the additional information produced by the additional information producing means 7. More specifically, the setting means 9 sets, as control information needed to enhance an effect of allowing the vehicle occupants to enjoy comfortable driving, a period of time with which the additional information is displayed on the subsidiary screen by the additional information producing means 7, shape, size, position, or transparency of the additional information.

FIG. 5 is a general flowchart showing a motion sickness preventing program to be stored by the ROM of the controlling means 8, and to be executed by the CPU of the controlling means 8. The operation of the motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 thus constructed, and constituted by the alarm device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 5.

Firstly, the motion detecting means 6 detects (in the step S1) a current motion of the vehicle. More specifically, the motion detecting means 6 detects degrees of the right and left turns of the vehicle on the basis of the acceleration detected in a horizontal direction by the acceleration detecting means 2, the steering angle of the steering wheel of the vehicle, the travel route information outputted by the navigation means 4, or the like. Here, the motion detecting means 6 may detect degrees of the right and left turns of the vehicle on the basis of an image outputted by the image taking means 3 as information on an object ahead of the vehicle.

If the vehicle is being accelerated, or about to be accelerated in the road ahead, the motion detecting means 6 detects the degree of the motion of the vehicle on the basis of the acceleration detected in the longitudinal direction by the acceleration detecting means 2, an operating state of a throttle valve (an accelerator), an operating state of a brake pedal, and the support information outputted by the navigation means 4.

The motion detecting means 6 may detect the degree of the motion of the vehicle on the basis of an acceleration calculated from information on speeds sampled at fixed intervals or the like. As another example, the motion detecting means 6 may detect the degree of the motion of the vehicle on the basis of a current speed of the vehicle calculated from current and previous images of a road ahead of the vehicle taken by the image taking means 3.

The following display modes (1), (2), and (3) are selectively set to the controlling means 8 by the setting means 9 (in the step S2).

(1): shape or size of a screen on which the image is displayed.

(2): size, position, or transparency of a subsidiary screen on which the support information outputted by the navigation means 4 is displayed, and information to be displayed on the subsidiary screen.

(3): shape, size, position, or transparency of the additional information to be produced by the additional information producing means 7.

The motion sickness preventing apparatus can enhance an effect of allowing the vehicle occupants to enjoy comfortable driving by having the controlling means 8 assume any one of the above-mentioned display modes (1), (2), and (3).

The controlling means 8 changes the shape of the image to be displayed on the screen, displays the support information outputted by the navigation means 4, or displays the additional information produced by the additional information producing means 7 on a subsidiary screen forming part of the screen, on the basis of the control information set by the setting means 9 (in the step S3).

In this embodiment, the setting means 9 allows the vehicle occupants to selectively set the above-mentioned display modes (1), (2), and (3). However, one of the above- mentioned display modes (1), (2), and (3) is previously set by the setting means 9.

The controlling means 8 starts to compute an elapsed time after completing the operation in the step S3, and judges (in the step S4) whether or not the elapsed time exceeds a predetermined value. If the judgment is made in the step S4 that the elapsed time exceeds the predetermined value, the controlling means 8 resets the displaying means 10 to an original display mode.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention can inform and remind the vehicle occupants about the current and next motions of the vehicle while allowing the vehicle occupants to watch TV or the like in a moving vehicle, reduce a burden to be imposed on the vehicle occupants watching TV or the like, and enhance an effect of allowing the vehicle occupants to enjoy comfortable driving by reason that the motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 comprises: motion detecting means 6 for detecting a motion of a vehicle; displaying means 10 for displaying an image on a screen in the vehicle; and controlling means 8 for controlling, on the basis of the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6, a display mode in which the image is displayed on the screen by the displaying means 10.

The motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 can detect the motion of the vehicle with accuracy by reason that the motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 further comprises acceleration detecting means 2 for detecting an acceleration of the vehicle, the motion detecting means 6 detects the motion of the vehicle on the basis of the acceleration detected by the acceleration detecting means 2.

The motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 can detect, with accuracy, motions such as right and left turns, acceleration, and deceleration of the vehicle by reason that the motion detecting means 6 detects the motion of the vehicle by detecting how the vehicle is being operated by a driver on the basis of operating states of a steering wheel, a brake pedal, and the like.

The motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 can inform and remind the vehicle occupants about the next motion of the vehicle by reason that the motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 further comprises image taking means 3 for taking an image of an object near or ahead of the vehicle, and the motion detecting means 6 detects the motion of the vehicle on the basis of one or more images of a load ahead of the vehicle.

The motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 can inform and remind the vehicle occupants about the next motion of the vehicle by reason that the motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 further comprises navigation means 4 for producing support information to support a driver in driving to a destination through an optimum travel route, and the motion detecting means 6 detects the motion of the vehicle on the basis of the travel route information outputted by the navigation means 4. Additionally, the motion detecting means 6 may be adapted to detect the motion of the vehicle on the basis of at least one or more of information on how the vehicle is being operated by a driver, one or more images taken by the image taking means 3, and the information outputted by the navigation means 4.

The motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 can inform and remind the vehicle occupants about the current and next motions of the vehicle while allowing the vehicle occupants to watch TV or the like in a moving vehicle, reduce a burden to be imposed on the vehicle occupants watching TV or the like, and enhance an effect of allowing the vehicle occupants to enjoy comfortable driving by reason that the controlling means 8 changes, on the basis of the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6, one or more of a size, an on-screen position, a transmission factor, and an image to be displayed on the subsidiary screen.

The motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 can inform and remind the vehicle occupants about the current and next motions of the vehicle by changing an on-screen position of an image to be displayed on one or more of the screen and the subsidiary screen if the vehicle is about to turn to the right or the left the controlling means 8 is adapted to change, on the basis of a position of a vehicle occupant sitting on a seat in the vehicle, an image to be displayed on one or more of the screen and the subsidiary screen.

The motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 can inform and remind the vehicle occupants about the current and next motions of the vehicle while allowing the vehicle occupants to watch TV or the like in a moving vehicle, reduce a burden to be imposed on the vehicle occupants watching TV or the like, and enhance an effect of allowing the vehicle occupants to enjoy comfortable driving by changing one or more of a shape and a size of the image on the basis of the motion of the vehicle by reason that the controlling means 8 is adapted to change, on the basis of the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6, one or more of a shape and a size of the image displayed on the screen by the displaying means 10.

The motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 can change, on the basis of a position of a vehicle occupant sitting on a seat in the vehicle, the shape of the image to be displayed on the screen by reason that the controlling means 8 is adapted to change, on the basis of a position of a vehicle occupant sitting on a seat in the vehicle, the shape of the image displayed on the screen. The motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 can inform and remind the vehicle occupants about a direction in which the vehicle is turning if the vehicle is about to turn to the right or the left.

The motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 can inform and remind the vehicle occupants about the current and next motions of the vehicle while allowing the vehicle occupants to watch TV or the like in a moving vehicle, reduce a burden to be imposed on the vehicle occupants watching TV or the like, and enhance an effect of allowing the vehicle occupants to enjoy comfortable driving by reason that the motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 further comprises additional information producing means 7 for producing additional information related to the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6, the displaying means 10 for displaying, on the screen, the additional information produced by the additional information producing means 7 by superimposing, on the image, the additional information produced by the additional information producing means 7.

The motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 can inform and remind the vehicle occupants about the current and next motions of the vehicle while allowing the vehicle occupants to watch TV or the like in a moving vehicle, reduce a burden to be imposed on the vehicle occupants watching TV or the like, and enhance an effect of allowing the vehicle occupants to enjoy comfortable driving by reason that the controlling means 8 changes, on the basis of the motion of the vehicle detected by the motion detecting means 6, one or more of a shape, a size, an on-screen position, and a transmission factor of the additional information.

The motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 can inform the vehicle occupants about a direction in which the vehicle is turning, or about to turn by changing, on the basis of one or more positions of vehicle occupants, one or more of the shape and the on-screen position of the additional information by reason that the controlling means 8 changes, on the basis of one or more positions of vehicle occupants, one or more of the shape and the on-screen position of the additional information.

The motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 can allow each vehicle occupant to set a display mode to the controlling means 8 so as to allow the controlling means 8 to control the displaying means 10 with the display mode by reason that motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 further comprises setting means 9 for setting control information on a display mode in which the image is displayed on the screen by the displaying means 10. The controlling means 8 controls the displaying means 10 on the basis of control information on the display mode set by the setting means 9.

The vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention can inform the vehicle occupants about the current and next motions of the vehicle while allowing the vehicle occupants to watch TV or the like in a moving vehicle, reduce a burden to be imposed on the vehicle occupants watching TV or the like, and enhance an effect of allowing the vehicle occupants to enjoy comfortable driving by reason that the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention comprises a motion sickness preventing apparatus 1.

The controlling means 8 may be adapted to change the shape of the image to be displayed on the screen, to display the support information outputted by the navigation means 4, or to display the additional information produced by the additional information producing means 7 on a subsidiary screen forming part of the screen, on the basis of the control information set by the setting means 9.

In this embodiment, the motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 comprises one displaying means 10. However, the motion sickness preventing apparatus 1 may comprise two or more displaying means 10. The controlling means 8 may be adapted to control display modes of each displaying means 10. The setting means 9 may be adapted to independently set control information to each displaying means 10.

In this embodiment, the motion detecting means 6 decides the degree of the motion of the vehicle on the basis of each degree of an acceleration, a deceleration a right turn, and a left turn of the vehicle. However, the motion detecting means 6 may be adapted to detect whether or not the vehicle is being accelerated, whether or not the vehicle is being decelerated, whether or not the vehicle is turning to the right, and whether or not the vehicle is turning to the left.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

As will be seen from the foregoing description, the alarm device according to the present invention has an advantageous effect of inform and remind the vehicle occupants about the current and next motions of the vehicle while allowing the vehicle occupants to watch TV or the like in a moving vehicle, and reduce a burden to be imposed on the vehicle occupants, and useful as an apparatus for enhancing an effect of allowing the vehicle occupants to enjoy comfortable driving.

Alarm Device

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