Displaying computer information to a driver of a vehicle

• US 5,949,345 A
• Filed: 05/27/1997
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zhou, Li, Moeller, Mark M., Beckert, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LA, ANH V
• Application Number:
  US08/863,377
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 340/439, 340/459, 340/461, 340/462, 340/525, 340/441, 340/466, 340/815.41, 701/29, 701/32, 348/837, 353/13, 353/14
• US Class Current: 340/815.41
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• 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 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/265 constructional aspects of navigation devices, e.g. housings, mountings, displays G01C21/3688 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/002 giving both analog and numerical indication

Abstract

A vehicle computer system includes a display device that is configurable for viewing by a driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is moving. The display device is responsive to a processor that executes application programs in conjunction with an operating system. A plurality of sensors are used to indicate the position of the display device, to indicate vehicle motion, and to indicate the state of a chosen vehicle control such as a parking brake. Application programs open display windows in conjunction with the operating system. In opening a window, an application program can indicate whether the window will contain driving-related information. The operating system monitors the sensors and prevents the display of non-driving-related windows to the driver when the vehicle is in motion or when it has the potential for motion. Specifically, the operating system in such a situation hides any windows that have not been specified as being driving-related. Initially, all windows are assumed to contain non-driver related information; hence, they are hidden until it is determined what type of information they display.

Claims

1. A vehicle computer system comprising:

a processor that is capable of executing application programs;

a display device that is configurable for viewing by a driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is moving, the display device being responsive to the processor;

an operating system that is executed by the processor;

the operating system being configured to prevent display of non-driving-related information from the application program to the driver when the vehicle is moving;

wherein the operating system allows application programs to designate certain information as being driving-related so that such information is displayed on the display device even when the vehicle is moving.

2. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the operating system allows application programs to open display windows on the display device;

the application programs specify attributes relating to such windows; and

such attributes include an indication of whether the windows contain driving-related information.

3. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the display device is moveable between a first position in which it is viewable by the driver and a second position in which it is not viewable by the driver, the vehicle computer system further comprising:

a sensor that indicates when the display device is moved to its first position;

wherein the sensor is connected to be read by the processor.

4. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the display device is moveable between a first position in which it is viewable by the driver and a second position in which it is not viewable by the driver, the vehicle computer system further comprising:

a sensor that indicates when the display device is moved to its second position;

wherein the sensor is connected to be read by the processor;

wherein the operating system is further configured to allow display of non-driving-related information on the display device when the display device is moved to its second position.

5. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the operating system is further configured to allow display of non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle is not moving.

6. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, further comprising;

one or more sensors that detect when the vehicle is moving;

wherein the operating system is responsive to the one or more sensors to allow display of non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle is not moving.

7. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, further comprising;

a first sensor that detects when the vehicle is moving;

a second sensor that detects a vehicle control state indicating a potential for vehicle movement;

wherein the operating system is responsive to the sensors to allow display of non-driving-related information to the driver when both of the following conditions are true;

(a) the first sensor indicates that the vehicle is not moving and (b) the second sensor indicates that there is no potential for vehicle movement.

8. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the operating system is configured to prevent display of non-driving-related information on the display device only when the display device is configured for viewing by the driver.

9. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the operating system is configured to allow display of non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle is not moving; and

the operating system is configured to allow display of non-driving-related information on the display device when the display device is not configured for viewing by the driver.

10. A vehicle computer system comprising:

a processor that is capable of executing application programs;

a display device that is configurable for viewing by a driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is moving, the display device being responsive to the processor;

a first sensor that indicates when the display device is configured for viewing by the driver;

at least a second sensor that indicates when the vehicle is moving;

an operating system that is executed by the processor;

the operating system being responsive to the sensors to allow display of non-driving-related information on the display device only when either of the following conditions are true;

(a) the display is not configured for viewing by the driver or (b) the vehicle is not moving;

wherein the operating system allows application programs to designate certain information as being driving-related so that such information is displayed on the display device even when neither of the conditions are true.

11. A vehicle computer system as recited in claim 10, wherein:

the operating system allows application programs to open display windows on the display device;

the application programs specify attributes relating to such windows; and

such attributes indicate whether the windows contain driving-related information.

12. A computer-readable storage medium containing an application program that is to be executed by a vehicle computer system, the application program having instructions for performing steps comprising:

interacting with an operating system to open one or more display windows;

indicating to the operating system whether respective windows are driving-related and whether the windows are to be displayed to the driver when the vehicle is moving, wherein non-driving-related windows are not to be displayed to a driver of a vehicle when the vehicle is moving.

13. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 12, wherein the indicating step comprises setting an attribute when opening a window to indicate that the window is driving-related.

14. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that are executable by a computer system on a vehicle to perform steps comprising:

opening windows in response to requests by application programs, wherein the requests indicate whether the windows contain driving-related information;

detecting when the vehicle is moving;

preventing display of non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle is moving;

allowing display of non-driving-related information on the display device when the display device is not viewable by the driver.

15. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 14, wherein the detecting step comprises responding to more than one sensor.

16. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 14, wherein the detecting step comprises responding to at least two sensors, a first of the sensors indicating vehicle motion, a second of the sensors indicating a potential for vehicle movement.

17. A method of displaying information to a driver of a vehicle, comprising the following steps:

submitting requests to an operating system to open display windows on a display device in a vehicle;

indicating in the requests whether the respective windows contain driving-related information;

displaying only windows containing driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle is moving, and allowing display of windows containing non-driving-related information on the display device when the display device is not viewable by the driver.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the following additional steps:

detecting a vehicle control state indicating a potential for vehicle movement;

preventing display of windows containing non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle control state indicates a potential for vehicle movement.

19. A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the following additional steps:

detecting when the vehicle is in a park setting;

preventing display of windows containing non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle is in the park setting.

20. A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the following additional steps:

detecting when the vehicle has its parking brake set;

allowing display of windows containing non-driving-related information to the driver when the vehicle has its parking brake set.