VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE COMMUNICATOR ON FULL-WINDSHIELD HEAD-UP DISPLAY

• US 20100253539A1
• Filed: 09/21/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Szczerba, Joseph F., Seder, Thomas A., Cui, Dehua
• Granted Patent: US 8,269,652 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/903
• 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: G01S 13/723 by using numerical data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9319 Controlling the accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/20 Filters polarising elements G02B5/30
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A substantially transparent windscreen head up display includes one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting vision through the windscreen. A method to display a graphic describing traffic information based upon vehicle-to-vehicle communication upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display of a host vehicle includes monitoring the vehicle-to-vehicle communication, determining the traffic information based upon the vehicle-to-vehicle communication, determining the graphic describing the traffic information for display upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display, and displaying the graphic upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display.

Claims

1. Method to display a graphic describing traffic information based upon vehicle-to-vehicle communication upon a substantially transparent windscreen head up display of a host vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring the vehicle-to-vehicle communication;

determining the traffic information based upon the vehicle-to-vehicle communication;

determining the graphic describing the traffic information for display upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display; and

displaying the graphic upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display;

wherein the substantially transparent windscreen head up display comprises one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting vision through the windscreen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the traffic information based upon the vehicle-to-vehicle communication comprises detecting an impending merging maneuver involving the host vehicle and another vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the impending merging maneuver involving the host vehicle and the other vehicle comprises:

analyzing movement of the other vehicle transmitted within the vehicle-to-vehicle communication; and

determining the movement of the other vehicle to impinge upon a zone proximate to the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the impending merging maneuver involving the host vehicle and the other vehicle comprises:

analyzing movement of the other vehicle transmitted within the vehicle-to-vehicle communication;

determining the movement of the other vehicle to indicate an aggressive operation; and

determining a likely cut-off maneuver based upon the movement of the other vehicle and the indication of the aggressive operation; and

wherein determining the graphic describing the traffic information comprises determining a cut-off warning alert based upon the likely cut-off maneuver.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting the impending merging maneuver involving the host vehicle and the other vehicle comprises:

monitoring a proximate location of the other vehicle to the host vehicle;

monitoring a lane change signal of the other vehicle transmitted within the vehicle-to-vehicle communication; and

determining the lane change signal to be a request to merge based upon the lane change signal and the proximate location of the other vehicle to the host vehicle.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the host vehicle is under manual operation;

and

wherein determining the graphic describing the traffic information comprises determining a trajectory alert graphic corresponding to a trajectory of the other vehicle.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining the graphic describing the traffic information comprises determining a merging negotiation graphic corresponding to an impending merger of the other vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the host vehicle is under semi-autonomous operation;

and

wherein the merging negotiation graphic comprises a selectable request to accommodate the impending merger of the other vehicle.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the host vehicle is under autonomous operation;

and

wherein the merging negotiation graphic comprises a notification of the impending merger of the other vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the traffic information based upon the vehicle-to-vehicle communication comprises detecting an impending traffic slow-down;

and

wherein determining the graphic describing the traffic information comprises determining an impending traffic slow-down alert.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising commanding an automatic braking maneuver based upon the detecting the impending traffic slow-down.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a speed of the host vehicle; and

determining movement of another vehicle traveling in front of the host vehicle via information transmitted within the vehicle-to-vehicle communication;

wherein determining the traffic information based upon the vehicle-to-vehicle communication comprises determining an undesirable following condition based upon the speed of the host vehicle and the movement of the other vehicle; and

wherein determining the graphic describing the traffic information comprises determining an undesirable following condition alert.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the vehicle-to-vehicle communication comprises monitoring a route driven by another vehicle;

and

wherein determining the graphic describing the traffic information comprises illustration of the route driven by the other vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the vehicle-to-vehicle communication comprises monitoring a planned route communicated by another vehicle;

and

wherein the determining the graphic describing the traffic information comprises illustration of the planned route.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the vehicle-to-vehicle communication comprises monitoring an adverse driving condition ahead of the host vehicle;

and

wherein determining the graphic describing the traffic information comprises determining an adverse driving condition alert.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein monitoring the adverse driving condition comprises monitoring a traffic slow down along a planned route of the host vehicle;

and

wherein the determining the adverse driving condition alert comprises determining a suggest alternate route alert.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein monitoring the adverse driving condition comprises monitoring a slippery road condition in front of the host vehicle;

and

wherein determining the adverse driving condition alert comprises determining a slippery road ahead alert.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein monitoring the adverse driving condition comprises monitoring a road obstacle in front of the host vehicle;

and

wherein determining the adverse driving condition alert comprises determining a road obstacle ahead alert.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring location of the eyes of an operator of the host vehicle; and

wherein determining the graphic describing the traffic information for display upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display comprises determining a graphic registered to a driving scene feature visible to the operator through the substantially transparent windscreen head up display.

20. System to display a graphic upon a substantially transparent windscreen head up display of a host vehicle describing a required response of the vehicle based upon vehicle-to-vehicle communication, the system comprising:

a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device;

a sensor describing a location of the eyes of an occupant of the host vehicle;

the substantially transparent windscreen head up display comprising one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting vision through the windscreen;

an enhanced vision system manager monitoring the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device;

monitoring the sensor describing the location of the eyes of the occupant of the host vehicle;

determining movement of another vehicle based upon communication through the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device;

evaluating the movement of the other vehicle to require a response by the host vehicle; and

determining a registered display requirement based upon the required response by the host vehicle and data from the sensor describing the location of the eyes of the occupant of the host vehicle;

a graphics system generating the graphic describing the required response of the host vehicle based upon the registered display requirement; and

a graphics projection system communicating with the graphics system and displaying the graphic describing the required response of the host vehicle upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display.