Motor vehicle with an automatic vehicle driving and electronic communication devices

• US 6,226,570 B1
• Filed: 09/29/1998
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Hahn, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/161,727
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/36, 701/35, 701/23, 701/200, 701/213
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0058 responsive to externally generated signalling
• 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: B60W 2050/0072 Controller asks driver to take over
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/28 non-mechanical , e.g. following a line or other known markers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 12/02 for vehicles operating in tandem
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

A motor vehicle has devices for temporary automatic vehicle driving and devices for the communication between a vehicle user and at least one electronic communication system. An operating device is provided by which the communication devices can be activated for implementing a communication operation and the vehicle driving devices can be activated for an automatic vehicle driving. When it is recognized that resumption of manual vehicle driving is becoming necessary, the activated vehicle driving devices transmit a take-over information signal to the communication devices, which display this take-over information on a display unit.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle comprising:

driving devices for the temporary automatic driving of the vehicle;

communication devices for communication between an operator of the vehicle and at least one system extrinsic to operation of the vehicle;

an interface for transmission of signals between said driving devices and said communication devices; and

an operating device that is operable both to activate the communication devices for the implementation of a communication operation, and to activate the driving devices for automatic vehicle driving;

wherein

said driving devices include means for recognizing that a requirement for the vehicle operator to resume manual vehicle driving is imminent, at a time when a vehicle driving device is activated; and

upon recognition that a requirement for the vehicle operator'"'"'s resumption of manual vehicle operation is imminent, the activated driving device transmits a take-over signal to the communication devices, and the communication devices display a received take-over signal on a display device.

2. Motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when a user input has not taken place for longer than a definable time period, the activated communication devices emit a user input request signal and, when still no user input takes place, transmit a driver inactivity information to the vehicle driving devices.

3. Motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the operating device comprises user input devices for the communication devices, which are arranged on a manually operated steering device of the vehicle and comprise at least one of a track ball element, mouse, joystick element and a mouse key input element.

4. Motor vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the operating device comprises user input devices for the communication devices, which are arranged on a manually operated steering device of the vehicle and comprise at least one of a track ball element, mouse, joystick element and a mouse key input element.

5. An operating device for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one automatic vehicle operation unit;

at least one electronic communications system;

a communication interface for communication between a vehicle user and said electronic communications system; and

an operating device coupled to activate said at least one electronic communications system and said at least one automatic vehicle operation system;

wherein said at least one automatic vehicle operation unit includes means for recognizing a situation in which manual driving of the vehicle will become necessary, and for transmitting a signal indicative of said situation to said communication interface, for communication to the vehicle user.

6. An operating device for a vehicle according to claim 5 further comprising means for detecting when a user input has not taken place for longer than a definable time period, and for emitting a user input request signal via said communication interface.

7. Motor vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the operating device comprises user input devices for the communication devices, which are arranged on a manually operated steering device of the vehicle and comprise at least one of a track ball element, mouse, joystick element and a mouse key input element.