OPTIMUM GAZE LOCATION ON FULL WINDSCREEN DISPLAY

• US 20130188258A1
• Filed: 01/24/2012
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Mathieu, Roy J., Seder, Thomas A., Szczerba, Joseph F., Cui, Dehua
• Granted Patent: US 9,443,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects

Abstract

A method to display a registered graphic upon a substantially transparent windscreen head-up display within a source vehicle includes monitoring an operating environment of the source vehicle, monitoring a driver registration input, determining a recommended continuous gaze location based upon the operating environment and the driver registration input, and displaying the registered graphic upon the substantially transparent windscreen head-up display.

Claims

1. Method to display a registered graphic upon a substantially transparent windscreen head-up display within a source vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring an operating environment of the source vehicle;

monitoring a driver registration input;

determining a recommended continuous gaze location based upon the operating environment and the driver registration input; and

displaying the registered graphic upon the substantially transparent windscreen head-up display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the recommended continuous gaze location is based upon an estimated future position of the source vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the estimated future position of the source vehicle is based upon a current trajectory of the source vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein monitoring the operating environment of the source vehicle comprises monitoring a current position of the source vehicle based upon a global positioning device input and a 3D map database;

and

wherein the estimated future position of the source vehicle is based upon the current position of the source vehicle and a planned travel route.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising monitoring a planned vehicle maneuver;

and

wherein the estimated future position is based upon the planned vehicle maneuver.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the operating environment of the source vehicle comprises monitoring a location of a target vehicle being passed;

and

wherein the recommended continuous gaze location is based upon the location of the target vehicle being passed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the operating environment of the source vehicle comprises monitoring a visible feature in the operating environment selected from the group consisting of a lane marker, a pavement crack in a roadway in front of the source vehicle, a target vehicle in front of the source vehicle, a sign, traffic instructions painted upon the roadway, a tree, a traffic barrier lining the roadway, and fence along the roadway;

and

wherein the recommended continuous gaze location is based upon the visible feature.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the operating environment of the source vehicle comprises monitoring a traffic instruction for the source vehicle to stop;

and

wherein the recommended continuous gaze location is based upon the traffic instruction.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the operating environment comprises monitoring traffic requiring the source vehicle to stop;

wherein the recommended continuous gaze location is based upon the traffic.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the operating environment comprises monitoring road geometry proximate to the source vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the road geometry comprises a curved section of road;

and

wherein determining the recommended continuous gaze location is based upon the curved section of road.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the operating environment comprises detecting an obstacle on a roadway in front of the source vehicle;

and

wherein determining the recommended continuous gaze location is based upon avoiding the detected obstacle.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the registered graphic is displayed persistently upon the display.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the registered graphic is displayed situationally upon the display.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a newly detected object requiring an immediate gaze location graphic based upon the monitored operating environment;

suspending displaying the registered graphic; and

displaying the immediate gaze location graphic based upon the newly detected object.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the source vehicle is a racing vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein monitoring the operating environment comprises monitoring a curved section of roadway in front of the source vehicle;

further comprising;

determining a braking point for the curved section of roadway;

determining a turn in point for the curved section of roadway;

determining an apex for the curved section of roadway; and

determining a turn out point for the curved section of roadway;

wherein the recommended continuous gaze location is based upon the braking point, the turn in point, the apex, and the turn out point.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the registered graphic changes based upon the source vehicle approaching the braking point;

and

wherein the registered graphic changes based upon the source vehicle approaching the apex.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the driver registration input comprises an operator gaze location;

further comprising;

determining a mirror gaze occurrence based upon the operator gaze location; and

wherein the registered graphic is further based upon the mirror gaze occurrence indicating operator inattention to the mirror.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

referencing historical gaze locations for a current source vehicle location; and

wherein determining the recommended continuous gaze location is further based upon analyzing the historical gaze locations.

21. System to display a registered graphic within a source vehicle, comprising:

a substantially transparent windscreen head-up display; and

a control module

monitoring an operating environment of the vehicle,

monitoring a driver registration input, and

determining a recommended continuous gaze location; and

a graphics projection system displaying the registered graphic representing the continuous gaze location upon the substantially transparent windscreen head-up display.