Method for Providing Driver Information in a Motor Vehicle

• US 20100225762A1
• Filed: 03/16/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: AUGST, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 9,802,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/31 providing stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/50 characterised by the display information being shared, e.g. external display, data transfer to other traffic participants or centralised traffic controller
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A method provides driver information in a motor vehicle, in which method a recording device of the motor vehicle captures an image flow containing images of at least one part of the environment of the motor vehicle. A display unit in the interior of the motor vehicle reproduces at least one image section of the image flow. A display control unit of the motor vehicle automatically modifies the environmental section shown to the driver by reproducing the image section using the display unit. During the reproduction of the image section, in addition to the representation of the environmental section, at least first optical information relating to the position of the environmental section relative to the motor vehicle is output to the driver.

Claims

1. A method for providing information to a driver in a motor vehicle, the method comprising the acts of:

capturing an image flow containing images of at least one part of an environment of the motor vehicle using a recording device of the motor vehicle;

reproducing at least one image section of the image flow on a display unit in an interior of the motor vehicle;

automatically modifying via a display control unit of the motor vehicle an environmental section displayed for a driver by reproducing the image section using the display unit; and

during the reproducing of the image section, in addition to a representation of the environmental section, displaying for the driver at least first optical information relating to a position of the environmental section relative to the motor vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of reproducing the image section further comprises the reproducing of the image section as a function of the position of the environmental section relative to the motor vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the act of arranging the image section, corresponding to the position of the environmental section relative to the motor vehicle, within a larger display surface of the display unit.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the display unit is integrated into a reflecting surface of a rear-view mirror of the motor vehicle or is formed as the reflecting surface of the rear-view mirror, and further comprising the act of transferring a display surface not used for representing the environmental section into a reflective state.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image section is reproduced in a distorted manner corresponding to the position of the environmental section relative to the motor vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image section is arranged, corresponding to the position of the environmental section relative to the motor vehicle, in a defined plane of a three-dimensional representation.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image section is arranged, corresponding to a zoom factor or aperture angle used for determining the environmental section or resulting from the determination of the environmental section, in a defined plane of a three-dimensional representation.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction of the image section is accompanied by a symbolic representation of the position of the environmental section relative to the motor vehicle.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction of the image section is accompanied by one of a symbolic representation of a zoom factor and an aperture angle used for determining the environmental section or resulting from the determination of the environmental section.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image section is compressed, at least intermittently, in at least one border area in relation to a central image area.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit determines at least one previous position of the motor vehicle and the display control unit adapts the environmental section as a function of the previous position of the motor vehicle.