Apparatus for displaying the level of danger of the instantaneous driving situation of a motor vehicle
First Claim
1. Display arrangement for indicating to an operator of a motor vehicle an instantaneous degree of danger of driving conditions, said motor vehicle having sensors for detecting speed of said vehicle and distance of said vehicle from a vehicle in front, said display arrangement comprising:
- a visual display comprising a substantially planar screen for displaying two dimensional figures having continuously variable shape and color, said visual display screen being positioned in the vehicle and visible to said operator; and
a control unit coupled to receive output signals from said speed and distance sensors and having logic circuitry for causing said visual display screen to display a two dimensional figure having predetermined arbitrary shape and color, and for continuously varying said shape and color to indicate vehicle driving conditions according to the followingwhen said vehicle speed and said distance of said vehicle from a vehicle in front fall within respective first speed and distance limits which correspond to safe driving conditions, a circular figure having a first color is displayed as said two dimensional signal;
when said vehicle speed exceeds said first speed limit but is less than a second speed limit, or when said distance between said vehicle and said vehicle in front is less than said first distance limit but greater than a second distance limit, said display gradually changes said figure to an elongated shape having a major axis which is aligned with a first direction, and said shape changes from said first color to a second color; and
if said vehicle speed exceeds said second speed limit or said distance to said vehicle in front is less than said second distance limit, said display changes said visual signal to a third color, having a predetermined shape geometrically different from said elongated shape, and easily distinguishable therefrom.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A display arrangement for depicting the level of danger associated with current driving conditions of a motor vehicle. A control unit processes the vehicle'"'"'s speed and its distance from the vehicle in front and presents a green circular area if the speed and the distance from the vehicle in front are in the permitted, instantaneously safe range. If the vehicle speed exceeds the permitted speed by a first limit amount, or if the distance from the vehicle in front becomes smaller than the distance which the vehicle covers within a first prescribed time period, the display changes gradually from the circular shape, to an elongated area with a shape which extends more horizontally than vertically, and the color of the area shown changes from green to yellow. If the permitted speed is exceeded by a second limit amount, or the distance from the vehicle in front becomes smaller than the distance which the vehicle covers within a second prescribed time period (for example, one second), the display changes to a symbol containing cognitively striking warning information and at the same time the color of the symbol shown changes from yellow to red.
79 Citations
24 Claims
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1. Display arrangement for indicating to an operator of a motor vehicle an instantaneous degree of danger of driving conditions, said motor vehicle having sensors for detecting speed of said vehicle and distance of said vehicle from a vehicle in front, said display arrangement comprising:
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a visual display comprising a substantially planar screen for displaying two dimensional figures having continuously variable shape and color, said visual display screen being positioned in the vehicle and visible to said operator; and a control unit coupled to receive output signals from said speed and distance sensors and having logic circuitry for causing said visual display screen to display a two dimensional figure having predetermined arbitrary shape and color, and for continuously varying said shape and color to indicate vehicle driving conditions according to the following when said vehicle speed and said distance of said vehicle from a vehicle in front fall within respective first speed and distance limits which correspond to safe driving conditions, a circular figure having a first color is displayed as said two dimensional signal; when said vehicle speed exceeds said first speed limit but is less than a second speed limit, or when said distance between said vehicle and said vehicle in front is less than said first distance limit but greater than a second distance limit, said display gradually changes said figure to an elongated shape having a major axis which is aligned with a first direction, and said shape changes from said first color to a second color; and if said vehicle speed exceeds said second speed limit or said distance to said vehicle in front is less than said second distance limit, said display changes said visual signal to a third color, having a predetermined shape geometrically different from said elongated shape, and easily distinguishable therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeDaimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
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Original AssigneeMercedes-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
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InventorsKuhn, Friedemann
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Primary Examiner(s)Swarthout, Brent
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Application NumberUS08/246,168Time in Patent Office509 DaysField of Search340/435, 340/903, 340/936, 340/905, 340/467, 340/479, 340/464, 340/958, 340/436US Class Current340/435CPC Class CodesB60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapt...B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposesB60W 2050/143 Alarm meansB60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating t...B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
