System and method for providing information in a vehicle

• US 20090091432A1
• Filed: 10/07/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford University), Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford University), Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Schmid, Johannes, Obermuller, Anton, Horwick, Markus, Ho, Michael Shyh-Yen, Koch, Tilo, Horenburg, Tim, Jackson, David, Koser, Uwe, Klaus, David, Arnold, Edith
• Granted Patent: US 7,944,343 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4041 Position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18009 related to particular drive situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18172 Preventing, or responsive to skidding of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/00 Estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters for road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub unit, e.g. by using mathematical models
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/10 related to vehicle motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3652 Guidance using non-audiovisual output, e.g. tactile, haptic or electric stimuli

Abstract

A system for providing information to a vehicle occupant includes a haptic control element which is provided in the vehicle and is configured to generate a haptic signal. An electronic control unit is operatively connected to the haptic control element and activates the haptic control element in order to indicate with a haptic signal that information is available for retrieval.

Claims

1. In combination with a vehicle, a system for providing information, comprising:

a haptic control element provided in the vehicle and being configured to generate a haptic signal; and

an electronic control unit operatively connected to said haptic control element, wherein said electronic control unit activates said haptic control element in order to indicate with a haptic signal that information is available for retrieval.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said haptic control element is configured as an actuating device such that the information that is available for retrieval is retrieved upon actuating said haptic control element.

3. The system according to claim 1, including an actuating device operatively connected to said electronic control unit such that the information that is available for retrieval is retrieved upon actuating said actuating device.

4. The system according to claim 1, including:

a microphone operatively connected to said electronic control unit; and

said electronic control unit being configured to recognize speech wherein the information that is available for retrieval is retrieved with a speech command.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said electronic control unit filters information based on a user profile and activates said haptic control element if user-relevant information is available for retrieval.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said electronic control unit filters information based on a current driving situation in order to reduce distraction.

7. The system according to claim 1, including:

a point of interest database operatively connected to said electronic control unit for providing information to said electronic control unit; and

said electronic control unit filtering the information from said point of interest database based on a current position of the vehicle and activating said haptic control element if information related to the current position of the vehicle is available for retrieval.

8. The system according to claim 1, including:

a transceiver operatively connected to said electronic control unit, said transceiver being configured to receive information from at least one of an external database and an external transmitter; and

said electronic control unit filtering information based on a current position of the vehicle and activating said haptic control element if information related to the current position of the vehicle is available for retrieval.

9. The system according to claim 1, including:

a transceiver operatively connected to said electronic control unit, said transceiver being configured to receive a message selected from the group consisting of a text message, a voice message and an e-mail message; and

said electronic control unit activating said haptic control element in order to indicate with a haptic signal that the message is available for retrieval.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

said electronic control unit stores a task list including tasks that are related to locations; and

said electronic control unit activates said haptic control element if the vehicle is in a vicinity of one of the locations.

11. The system according to claim 1, including a steering wheel, said haptic control element being mounted on said steering wheel.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said haptic control element is configured to generate a haptic signal selected from the group consisting of a continuous vibration, an intermittent vibration, an electrical stimulation, a change in shape, a change in surface texture, a change in stiffness, a change in temperature, a blocking of a pushbutton function and a movement of the haptic control element.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said haptic control element is a movable element having at least a first and a second position, and said haptic control element generates a haptic signal by selectively moving into the first and the second position.

14. A method for providing information in a vehicle, the method which comprises:

processing information with an electronic control unit of a vehicle in order to determine user-relevant information;

activating a haptic control element provided in the vehicle in order to provide a haptic signal wherein the haptic signal indicates that user-relevant information is available for retrieval; and

subsequently retrieving the user-relevant information.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of processing information with the electronic control unit includes filtering information based on a user profile in order to determine user-relevant information.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of processing information with the electronic control unit includes filtering information as a function of driving situation data.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of processing information with the electronic control unit includes filtering the information based on a current position of the vehicle.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of processing information with the electronic control unit includes filtering information stored in a point of interest database as a function of a current position of the vehicle.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of processing information with the electronic control unit includes checking a task list having tasks related to respective locations and filtering the tasks in the task list as a function of a current position of the vehicle.

20. The method according to claim 14, which comprises:

receiving a message selected from the group consisting of a text message, a voice message and an e-mail message; and

activating the haptic control element in order to indicate with a haptic signal that the message is available for retrieval.