CUSTOMIZABLE VIRTUAL LANE MARK DISPLAY

• US 20110301813A1
• Filed: 06/07/2010
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Sun, Bo, Arms, Christopher A., Giannotti, Carolina M., McBride, Justin, Pham, Nhi Van, Nespolo, Martin E., Pala, Silviu, Tran, Daniel P., Chachich, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/795,131
• Publication Number:
  US 20110301813A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3658 Lane guidance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A method of displaying virtual lane markings relative to a vehicle position within a roadway lane may entail reading vehicle data such as speed into a vehicle control module, determining if the vehicle data is above a particular threshold, switching a virtual lane display switch, determining weather conditions, and displaying virtual lane markings upon a vehicle windshield based upon a result of determining weather conditions. Detecting actual lane markings on one or both of a left side of the roadway lane and a right side of the roadway lane may be accomplished with a vehicle-mounted camera. Moreover, determining whether a steering wheel has rotated a predetermined number of degrees may further play a role in displaying the virtual lane markings on a windshield of the vehicle. From a driver viewing perspective through a windshield, virtual lane markings may be displayed on the windshield to overlay actual lane markings.

Claims

1. A method of displaying virtual lane markings on a vehicle windshield comprising:

reading vehicle data into a vehicle control module;

determining if the vehicle data is above a particular threshold;

enabling a virtual lane display switch based upon the vehicle data;

switching the virtual lane display switch; and

displaying virtual lane markings on the vehicle windshield on each side of a roadway lane relative to a driver'"'"'s perspective.

2. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining if actual lane markings exist or do not exist on the roadway lane; and

displaying virtual lane markings on the vehicle windshield with a holographic projector.

3. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 1,

determining if weather conditions meet a threshold weather condition;

and

from a perspective of a view of a vehicle driver through a windshield, displaying virtual lane markings on the windshield of the vehicle that overlay actual roadway lane markings upon determining the weather conditions meet a threshold weather condition.

4. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 2, wherein determining if actual lane markings exist on the roadway lane further comprises reading an image of the roadway lane from a camera.

5. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 3, wherein displaying virtual lane markings further comprises:

overlaying the actual lane markings with the virtual lane markings.

6. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 2, wherein displaying virtual lane markings on a vehicle windshield on each side of the roadway lane further comprises:

determining whether a steering wheel is not rotating.

7. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 2, wherein displaying virtual lane markings on a vehicle windshield on each side of the roadway lane further comprises:

determining whether a steering wheel has rotated a predetermined number of degrees.

8. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 4, further comprising:

determining that actual lane marking are detectable by the camera; and

stopping the displaying of virtual lane markings.

9. A method of displaying virtual lane markings relative to a vehicle position within a vehicle roadway lane comprising:

reading vehicle data into a vehicle control module;

determining if the vehicle data is above a particular threshold;

switching a virtual lane display switch; and

displaying virtual lane markings on a vehicle windshield depending upon a response of determining if actual lane markings exist or do not exist on the roadway lane.

10. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 9, further comprising:

determining a status of actual lane markings on the roadway lane.

11. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 9, wherein determining a status of actual lane markings on the roadway lane further comprises determining if actual lane markings exist or do not exist on the roadway lane.

12. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 9, wherein determining a status of actual lane markings on the roadway lane further comprises determining if actual lane markings exist on one of a left side of the roadway lane and a right side of the roadway lane.

13. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 9, further comprising:

determining that at least one of a left side and a right side lane markings are not detectable by a camera.

14. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 13, further comprising:

displaying virtual lane markers on a vehicle windshield where the at least one of a left side and a right side lane markings are not detectable by the camera.

15. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 14, further comprising:

displaying virtual lane markings on a windshield of the vehicle that overlay actual roadway lane markings of a roadway.

16. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 15, further comprising:

determining whether a steering wheel has rotated a predetermined number of degrees.

17. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 16, further comprising:

displaying the virtual lane markings on a windshield of the vehicle in accordance with the predetermined number of degrees that the steering wheel has been rotated.

18. A method of displaying virtual lane markings relative to a vehicle position within a roadway lane comprising:

reading vehicle data into a vehicle control module;

determining if the vehicle data is above a particular threshold;

switching a virtual lane display switch to automatic mode;

determining weather conditions; and

displaying virtual lane markings upon determining weather conditions.

19. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 18, further comprising:

determining if the weather conditions meet a threshold weather condition;

displaying virtual lane markings upon determining the weather conditions meet a threshold weather condition; and

using a vehicle-mounted camera, determining if actual lane markings upon the roadway lane are detectable on one or both of a left side of the roadway lane and a right side of the roadway lane.

20. The method of displaying virtual lane markings according to claim 19, further comprising:

determining whether a steering wheel has rotated a predetermined number of degrees;

displaying the virtual lane markings on a windshield of the vehicle in accordance with the predetermined number of degrees that the steering wheel has been rotated; and

from a perspective of a view of a vehicle driver through a windshield, displaying virtual lane markings on the windshield of the vehicle that overlay actual roadway lane markings.