System for a vehicle

• US 10,071,747 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Roth, Hans, Preissner, Olaf, Reifenrath, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jay
• Assistant Examiner(s): Habib, Irfan
• Application Number:
  US14/654,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20150331238A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,727 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/16 Type of output information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/182 Distributing information between displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/27 using semi-transparent optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/213 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/00 Dashboards as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0229 for displays, e.g. cathodic tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 : Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 : Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 : Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 : based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/00 : Traffic control systems for road vehicles arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00 ; automatic vehicle control B62D
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 : Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 : adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/543 : Call deflection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 : using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/279 : the virtual viewpoint locations being selected by the viewers or determined by tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/282 : for generating image signals corresponding to three or more geometrical viewpoints, e.g. multi-view systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 : using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 : Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/31 : Projection devices for colour picture display , e.g. using electronic spatial light modulators [ESLM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 : for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Embodiments are disclosed for systems for a vehicle. An example system for a vehicle includes a head-up display and a circuit, which is connected to the head-up display, wherein the head-up display is configured to project an image onto a front windshield of the vehicle or onto a separate combiner, wherein the circuit is configured to output image data to the head-up display, whereby the image data have a set of objects which include messages for the user, to determine a user'"'"'s workload level, based on a set of driving conditions, to switch between at least one first workload mode and a second workload mode based on the level, whereby the second workload mode is assigned a higher level than the first workload mode, and in the second workload mode to reduce at least one object, which is output in the first workload mode.

Claims

1. A system for a vehicle, comprising:

a head-up display; and

a circuit, which is connected to the head-up display,

wherein the head-up display is configured to project an image onto a front windshield of the vehicle or onto a separate combiner,

wherein the circuit is configured to output image data to the head-up display in order to generate the image, whereby the image data has a set of objects which includes messages for a user,

wherein the circuit is configured to determine a user'"'"'s workload level for operating the vehicle, based on a set of driving conditions, the set of driving conditions including at least a road situation,

wherein the circuit is configured, based on the user'"'"'s workload level, to switch between at least one first workload mode and a second workload mode, whereby the second workload mode is assigned a higher user'"'"'s workload level than the first workload mode,

wherein the circuit is configured, in the second workload mode, to reduce at least one object, which is output in the first workload mode such that a combined user'"'"'s workload comprising the user'"'"'s workload level for operating the vehicle and a user'"'"'s workload for comprehending a content of the image is reduced in the second workload mode as compared to the first workload mode, and

wherein, to reduce the at least one object, the circuit is configured

to make the object in the image smaller, or

to increase a transparency of the object and fade out the object.

2. The system according to claim 1,

wherein, to reduce the at least one object, the circuit is further configured

to move the object within the image away from a central position into a predetermined area.

3. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the circuit is configured, during or after the reduction, to output a message associated with the object by means of another object in another display apart from the front windshield or combiner.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the circuit is configured to determine an input by the user, and

the circuit is configured, based on the input, to start an application program, whereby the object is associated with the application program.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the circuit is configured to prioritize the objects of the set, and

the circuit is configured to reduce first the object with a lowest priority in the second workload mode.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the circuit is configured to switch to a warning mode, and

the circuit is configured, in the warning mode, to reduce at least one of the objects of the set and to output at least one warning object at least temporarily in the image data.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the circuit is configured to determine the user'"'"'s workload level based on a traffic density.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein, to reduce the at least one object, the circuit is configured to move the object within the image away from a central position to an edge area of the image.

10. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one object comprises a video object,

wherein the circuit is configured to determine the user'"'"'s workload level based on a remaining time of a red phase of a traffic light, and

wherein the circuit is configured, in the second workload mode, to stop and fade out the video object.

11. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one object comprises a text object,

wherein the circuit is configured to determine the user'"'"'s workload level based on a transition of the vehicle from standing still to moving, and

wherein the circuit is configured, in the second workload mode, to move the text object within the image from a central position to a lower edge of the image.

7. A method for controlling a head-up display for a vehicle, comprising:

projecting an image onto a front windshield of the vehicle or onto a separate combiner by means of the head-up display,

outputting image data from a circuit, connected to the head-up display, to the head-up display to generate the image, whereby the image data has a set of objects that includes messages for a user,

determining a level of a user'"'"'s workload for operating the vehicle based on a set of driving conditions by means of the circuit, the set of driving conditions including at least a road situation,

switching between at least a first workload mode and a second workload mode based on the user'"'"'s workload level, whereby the second workload mode is assigned a higher user'"'"'s workload level than the first workload mode, and

reducing at least one object of the set, output in the first workload mode, in the second workload mode, such that a combined user'"'"'s workload comprising the user'"'"'s workload level for operating the vehicle and a user'"'"'s workload for comprehending a content of the image is reduced in the second workload mode as compared to the first workload mode,

wherein reducing the at least one object includes

moving the object within the image away from a central position into a predetermined area, and

fading out the object.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising prioritizing the objects of the set, and wherein reducing the at least one object includes reducing first the object with a lowest priority in the second workload mode.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining the user'"'"'s workload level based on a traffic density.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one object comprises a text object, the method further comprising determining the user'"'"'s workload level based on a transition of the vehicle from standing still to moving, and, in the second workload mode, moving the text object within the image from a central position to a lower edge of the image.

12. A system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a head-up display; and

a circuit, which is connected to the head-up display,

wherein the head-up display is configured to project an image onto a front windshield of the vehicle or onto a separate combiner,

wherein the circuit is configured to output image data to the head-up display in order to generate the image, whereby the image data has a set of objects that include messages for a user,

wherein the circuit is configured to determine a user'"'"'s workload level based on a set of driving conditions,

wherein the circuit is configured, based on the user'"'"'s workload level, to switch between at least one first workload mode and a second workload mode, whereby the second workload mode is assigned a higher user'"'"'s workload level than the first workload mode,

wherein the circuit is configured, in the second workload mode, to reduce at least one object, which is output in the first workload mode,

wherein the at least one object comprises a video object,

wherein the circuit is configured to determine the user'"'"'s workload level based on a remaining time of a red phase of a traffic light, and

wherein the circuit is configured, in the second workload mode, to stop and fade out the video object.