METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A DISPLAY DEVICE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

• US 20130154816A1
• Filed: 12/19/2012
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Schadeck, Michael, Giesler, Bjrn, Heinemann, Patrick, Stmper, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 9,221,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/338 Light strips
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/338 Light strips
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/00 Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/005 using a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes

Abstract

In a method for controlling a display device of a motor vehicle for displaying an environmental information relating to an environment of the motor vehicle, the environmental information is assigned at least one directional information which describes a detection direction of a detection device used for determining the environmental information or a direction to an object described by the environmental information based on a reference point, in particular a sitting position of the driver inside the motor vehicle, wherein the display device for displaying the environmental information which covers at least one angular range which lies in a horizontal plane is activated in a sub-range of the angular range which is assigned to the directional information.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a display device of a motor vehicle for displaying an item of environmental information relating to an environment of the motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

detecting the item of environmental information with a detection device, said detection device having a detection range which defines a direction of detection of the item of environmental information;

assigning to the item of environmental information at least one item of directional information which describes one of the direction of detection, and a direction to an object described by the environmental information, said direction to the object being defined in relation to a reference point inside the motor vehicle; and

activating the display device for displaying the environmental information, wherein the display device extends over at least one angular range defining a horizontal plane, wherein the display device is activated in a sub-range of the angular range, and wherein the sub-range is assigned to the directional information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference point is a sitting position of the driver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection device is constructed as an imaging device, and wherein the environmental information includes an image detected by the imaging device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising post-processing the image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sub-range corresponds to the direction to the object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the display device is activated for display of the environmental information in a temporally variable manner.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the display device is activated for a blinking display of the environmental information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a distance of the object to an outer limit of the motor vehicle and/or to a fixed reference point of the motor vehicle, and adjusting wherein the display of the environmental information as a function of the distance.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising outputting an acoustic signal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the acoustic signal is outputted in response to a condition being satisfied.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the condition is a reaching of or falling below a predetermined or predeterminable threshold value for the distance of the object to the outer limit of the motor vehicle and/or to the reference point.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the sitting position is detected vehicle-side and a change of the sitting position causes a corresponding change of the directional information.

13. A motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one display device extending over at least one angular range lying in a horizontal plane; and

a control device for activating the display device in a sub-range of the angular range, so as to display an item of environmental information relating to an environment of the motor vehicle, wherein the environmental information is assigned a directional information which describes one of a detection direction of a detection device of the motor vehicle and a direction to an object described by the environmental information, said direction to the object being defined in relation to a reference point inside the motor vehicle.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 13 wherein the angular range, over which the display device extends, is one of at least 90°

, at least 180°

, and at least 270°

.

15. The motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein the display device is formed by a plurality of adjacently arranged display elements.

16. The motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein the display device further comprises means for outputting an acoustic signal.

17. The motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein the detection device is constructed as at least one of an optical sensor, a radar sensor and an ultrasound sensor.

18. The motor vehicle of claim 13, further comprising a further detection device for detecting a sitting position of the driver inside the vehicle.

19. The motor vehicle of claim 18, wherein the further detection device is constructed as optical detection device.

20. The motor vehicle of claim 18, wherein the further detection device is constructed as a camera.