Head-up display system and method for carrying out the location-correct display of an object situated outside a vehicle with regard to the position of the driver

• US 20040178894A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Janssen, Holger
• Granted Patent: US 7,605,773 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/149 Instrument input by detecting viewing direction not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/785 on or in relation to the windshield or windows
• 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 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/107 using stereoscopic cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• 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 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A head-up display system for representing an object of a space external to the vehicle, having a device for recording a position of a passenger of the vehicle and a device for the correct-location representation of the object with respect to the position of the driver. The head-up display system may be applied to navigation systems and to automatic cruise control systems.

Claims

1. A head-up display system for representing an object in the space external to the vehicle, having

means (2,104) for recording a position of at least one of the passengers of the vehicle and having

means (3, 13, 102) for the correct-location representation of the object with respect to the position.

2. The head-up display system as recited in claim 1, having means (1, 106) for recording the object in the space external to the vehicle.

3. The head-up display as recited in claim 2,

the means for recording the object having one or more of the following sensors:

video camera, radar sensor, lidar sensor, range imager, time-off flight sensor, night vision sensor, infrared sensor.

4. The head-up display system, as recited in claim 2 or 3, having sensors for generating a two or three-dimensional image of a region of the space exterior to the vehicle, particularly stereo sensors.

5. The head-up display system as recited in one of the preceding claims 1 through 4,

in which the means are developed for recording a position, for recording the head position and/or the position of the eyes of the driver and/or of the front-seat passenger.

6. The head-up display system as recited in one of claims 1 through 5,

in which the means for recording a position include a sensor device having at least one or more sensors, and as sensors, preferably video cameras, radar sensors, lidar sensors, range imagers, time-off flight sensors, night vision sensors and infrared sensors are used, as well as other sensors for generating a two or three-dimensional image of the vehicle'"'"'s passenger compartment.

7. The head-up display system as recited in one of claims 1 through 6,

having the means (13, 102) for computing image data for the correct-location representation of the object based upon the data supplied by the means for recording a position.

8. The head-up display system as recited in one of the preceding claims 1 through 7,

having means for highlighting and/or marking the object in the representation, in the case of the object, for example, a person in the space external to the vehicle, especially a pedestrian, a cyclist or another traffic participant, a traffic sign, traffic lights, priority highways, pedestrian crosswalks, roadway markings, or the like, being involved.

9. The head-up display system as recited in one of the preceding claims 1 through 8,

having means (26) for generating warning signs, recommendations and/or danger information with regard to the object shown.

10. The head-up display system as recited in one of preceding claims 1 through 9,

having means for the correct-location representation of a warning as a function of the driving situation, especially during leaving of the roadway.

11. The head-up display system as recited in one of the preceding claims 1 through 10,

having means for the correct-location representation of an assistance function as a function of the driving situation, especially for assistance upon making a lane change and upon making a change to turn-off lanes.

12. The head-up display system as recited in one of preceding claims 1 through 11,

having means for the correct-location representation of evasive maneuvers (27), for example, going around the object.

13. The head-up display system as recited in claim 12,

having means for computing an evasive maneuver.

14. The head-up display system as recited in one of preceding claims 1 through 13,

having means for fading in an information and/or a warning if the head of the driver and/or of the front-seat passenger is in an unfavroable position especially with respect to an air bag.

15. The head-up display system as recited in one of preceding claims 1 through 14,

having means for automatic cruise control, the displayed object being selectable as the reference object.

16. The head-up display system as recited in one of the preceding claims 1 through 15,

having computing means for computing a representation of the object by access to a databank or a data file.

17. The head-up display as recited in claim 16,

in which, as the databank, a navigation databank of a navigation system is involved.

20. The head-up display system as recited in one of claims 1 through 19,

in which the means for recording a position are also developed for recording at least one front-seat passenger position and the means for the correct-location representation of the object are at least also developed for the representation with respect to the position of the front-seat passenger.

21. A navigation system having means for determining a vehicle position and having a head-up display system as recited in one of preceding claims 1 through 20, in the case of the object, a route information being involved.

22. An automatic cruise control system having means for recording a distance from an object traveling ahead, and having a head-up display system as recited in one of preceding claims 1 through 20,

the object traveling ahead being used as reference point for the automatic cruise control, and the object traveling ahead being represented in a correct-location manner.

23. The automatic cruise control system as recited in claim 22,

having means for the selection of an object represented in a correct-location manner as the reference object.

18. The head-up display system,

in which video data, such as of a TV transmission or of a DVD playback device, or video data of an information service are involved.

19. The head-up display as recited in claim 18,

in which the representation of the system is released below a maximum vehicle speed.

24. A method for the correct-location head-up representation of an object of a space external to a vehicle on a windshield having the following steps:

the recording of a position of a vehicle passenger, preferably of the driver or the front-seat passenger,

the computation of the image data for the correct-location representation of the object with respect to the position,

the head-up projection of the image data.

25. The method as recited in claim 24,

in the case of the position, a position of the eyes, preferably the position of the eyes of the driver or of the front-seat passenger being involved.

26. The method as recited in claim 24 or 25,

in which the object being recorded using one or more sensors in the space external to the vehicle.

27. The method as recited in claim 26,

in which the recording of an object in the space external to the vehicle is supplied to an evaluation unit, so as to project, if necessary, information, a warning or a correct-location marking in a head-up manner.

28. The method as recited in one of claims 24 through 27,

in which access is made to a databank or a data file for the representation of the object.

29. The method as recited in claim 28,

in which a navigation databank is involved.

30. The method as recited in claim 28,

in which TV transmission data or video data, such as of a DVD playback device, or the data of an information service are involved.

31. A computer program product on a computer-readable medium or on a data file transmittable via a computer network having programming means for carrying out a method as recited in one of the preceding claims 24 through 30, if the computer program is executed on an electronic system, especially a head-up display system or a navigation system or a system for automatic cruise control.