GRAPHICAL VEHICLE COMMAND SYSTEM FOR AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES ON FULL WINDSHIELD HEAD-UP DISPLAY

• US 20120173067A1
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Szczerba, Joseph F., Seder, Thomas A., Cui, Dehua
• Granted Patent: US 9,008,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/141 Activation of instrument input devices by approaching fingers or pens
• 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: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A method to control operation of a vehicle based upon a user input from a user of the vehicle to a graphic projection display representing a registered graphic to a view in front of the vehicle includes projecting the registered graphic to the view in front of the vehicle upon the graphic projection display, monitoring the user input to the graphic projection display, and controlling the operation of the vehicle based upon the user input to the graphic projection display.

Claims

1. Method to control operation of a vehicle based upon a user input from a user of the vehicle to a graphic projection display representing a registered graphic to a view in front of the vehicle, the method comprising:

projecting the registered graphic to the view in front of the vehicle upon the graphic projection display;

monitoring the user input to the graphic projection display; and

controlling the operation of the vehicle based upon the user input to the graphic projection display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphic projection display is a substantially full-windscreen transparent windscreen head-up display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphic projection display is a transparent windscreen head-up display.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein projecting the registered graphic to the view in front of the vehicle comprises:

monitoring a command selection to be presented to the user of the vehicle;

monitoring the view in front of the vehicle;

monitoring an eye location of the user of the vehicle; and

determining the registered graphic based upon the command selection, the view in front of the vehicle, and the eye location of the user of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein monitoring the command selection comprises monitoring a selection to be presented regarding a navigational route of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein monitoring the selection to be presented regarding the navigational route of the vehicle comprises:

monitoring traffic along a planned route of the vehicle; and

determining the selection be presented comprising an alternative route based upon the monitored traffic.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein monitoring the command selection comprises:

monitoring a user input indicated to an object in the view in front of the vehicle;

retrieving information regarding the object through a wireless connection; and

determining the command selection to be presented based upon the user input indicated to the object and the retrieved information.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising operating the vehicle through one of an autonomous method to operate the vehicle and a semi-autonomous method to operate the vehicle;

and

wherein monitoring the command selection comprises;

monitoring information regarding operating the vehicle through the one of the autonomous method to operate the vehicle and the semi-autonomous method to operate the vehicle;

determining configurable options for operating the vehicle through the one of the autonomous method to operate the vehicle and the semi-autonomous method to operate the vehicle based upon the monitored information; and

determining the command selection to be presented to the user of the vehicle based upon determined configurable options.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein operating the vehicle through the one of the autonomous method to operate the vehicle and the semi-autonomous method to operate the vehicle comprises operating the vehicle through one of an adaptive cruise control method, a lane keeping method, a lane change method, a collision preparation method, and a collision avoidance method.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein monitoring the user input to the graphic projection display comprises monitoring a hand gesture indicated to the graphic projection display.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein monitoring the hand gesture comprises utilizing an imaging device to generate three-dimensional mapping of the hand gesture;

and

determining the hand gesture to indicate to the registered graphic based upon the three-dimensional mapping of the hand gesture.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein utilizing the imaging device to generate three-dimensional mapping of the hand gesture comprises capturing images with a device utilizing one of infrared light, ultraviolet light, and a combination of infrared and ultraviolet light.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein utilizing the imaging device to generate three-dimensional mapping of the hand gesture comprises utilizing a laser spackle pattern.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein utilizing the imaging device to generate three-dimensional mapping of the hand gesture comprises utilizing pulsed modulation.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein utilizing the imaging device to generate three-dimensional mapping of the hand gesture comprises illuminating the hand gesture with beams of radiation and generating the three-dimensional mapping based upon intensity-based mapping.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphic projection display comprises a touch screen device representing the view in front of the vehicle and the registered graphic indicated to a feature of the view.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphic projection display comprises a human machine interface device representing the view in front of the vehicle and the registered graphic indicated to a feature of the view.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the human machine interface device comprises a non-transparent surface comprising luminescent materials;

wherein projecting the registered graphic to the view in front of the vehicle upon the graphic projection display comprises;

projecting the view upon the graphic projection display;

determining the registered graphic based upon the projected view; and

projecting the registered graphic upon the graphic projection display.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein projecting the registered graphic comprises projecting the registered graphic upon a pixelated field of view limited architecture.

20. Apparatus to control operation of a vehicle based upon a user input from a user of the vehicle to a graphic projection display representing a registered graphic to a view in front of the vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

the graphic projection display; and

an enhanced vision system system manager;

determining the registered graphic to be represented based upon the view in front of the vehicle;

monitoring the user input to the graphic projection display; and

controlling the operation of the vehicle based upon the user input to the graphic projection display.