METHODS AND APPARATUS TO FACILITATE NAVIGATION USING A WINDSHIELD DISPLAY

• US 20200132489A1
• Filed: 10/25/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2018
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: DeMars, Brandon, Barretto, Eduardo Fiore, Lavoie, Erick Michael, Haley, Stephanie Rose
• Application Number:
  US16/170,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20200132489A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/176 Camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/177 Augmented reality
• 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 35/23 Head-up displays [HUD] optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• 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: B62D 15/0285 Parking performed automatically
• 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: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/31 Acquisition or tracking of other signals for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• 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: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 : Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 : involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/20 : Linear translation of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 : Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/141 : with means giving the indication of available parking spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/143 : inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/146 : where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed to facilitate navigation using a windshield display. An example vehicle comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, a transceiver, and a processor and memory. The GPS receiver receives location data. The transceiver receives second party information. The processor and memory are in communication with the GPS receiver and the transceiver and are configured to determine a navigation option using the location data and the second party information and to dynamically display an image of the navigation option via a display.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver to receive location data;

a transceiver to receive second party information; and

a processor and memory in communication with the GPS receiver and the transceiver and configured to;

determine a navigation option using the location data and the second party information; and

dynamically display an image of the navigation option via a display.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an infotainment head unit (IHU), wherein the display is included in the IHU.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a windshield, wherein the IHU includes a heads-up display (HUD) to cast the image of the navigation option on the windshield.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein, to dynamically display the image of the navigation option, the processor is configured to adjust the image in size and position on the display as the vehicle moves relative to the navigation option.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising sensors in communication with the processor to generate selection information from a driver input, wherein the processor is configured to select the navigation option based on the selection information.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the driver input is one or more of a gesture made by a driver, a button in communication with the sensors being pushed by the driver, or a touchscreen in communication with the sensors being touched by the driver.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second party information includes one or more of parking spot data, parking restriction data, or a beacon signal.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising wheels, wherein the navigation option is an available parking spot and the processor is configured to control the wheels to maneuver the vehicle into the available parking spot.

9. A method comprising:

determining, with a processor, a navigation option for a driver of a vehicle using location data received via a global positioning system receiver and second party information received via a transceiver; and

dynamically displaying an image of the navigation option via a display.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the display is included in an infotainment head unit (IHU) of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the IHU includes a heads-up display (HUD) to cast the image of the navigation option on a windshield of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein dynamically displaying the image of the navigation option comprises adjusting, with the processor, the image in size and position on the display as the vehicle moves relative to the navigation option.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising selecting, with the processor, the navigation option using selection information generated by sensors based on a driver input.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the driver input is on one or more of a gesture made by the driver, a button push, or a touchscreen touch.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the second party information includes one or more of parking spot data, parking restriction data, or a beacon signal.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the navigation option is an available parking spot and further comprising, controlling, with the processor, wheels of the vehicle to maneuver the vehicle into the available parking spot.

17. A system comprising:

a network;

a mobile device in communication with the network;

a central facility in communication with the network; and

a vehicle comprising;

a transceiver in communication with the network to receive second party information from one or more of the mobile device and the central facility;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver in communication with a GPS satellite to generate location data;

an infotainment head unit (IHU); and

a processor and memory in communication with the transceiver, the GPS receiver, and the IHU and configured to;

determine a navigation option using the location data and the second party information; and

dynamically display an image of the navigation option via the IHU.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the vehicle further comprises a windshield and the IHU includes a heads-up display (HUD) to cast the image of the navigation option on the windshield.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein to dynamically display the image of the navigation option, the processor is configured to adjust the image in size and position on a display controlled by the IHU as the vehicle moves relative to the navigation option.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein

the vehicle further comprises sensors to generate selection information based on one or more of a gesture made by a driver, a button of the IHU being pushed by the driver, or a touchscreen of the IHU being touched by the driver, and

the processor is configured to select the navigation option based on the selection information.