Method for displaying a perspective image and display device for at least one passenger of a motor vehicle

• US 6,947,064 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ramsle Technology Group GmbH LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Hahn, Stefan, Ziegler, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Jankus, Almis R.
• Application Number:
  US10/069,647
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/300, 701/301, 701/302, 340/461, 359/630, 345/427, 345/771, 345/958, 345/959, 345/970
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/958 Collision avoidance

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for displaying a perspective image and to a display device for at least one passenger of a motor vehicle. The air of the vehicle is to guarantee by simple means a high road safety that is substantially independent of the knowledge and skills of the driver. To this end, a method for displaying a perspective image (B) with one image element (4A to 4H) for at least one passenger of a motor vehicle is provided, said image (B) representing the view of the passenger. According to the inventive method, the image element (4A to 4H) is changed in at least one size depending on the forward travel way (F), on at least one operational parameter of the motor vehicle and/or on at least one parameter of an object (6) identified in the range of the travel way (F).

Claims

1. A process for displaying a perspective image (B) with an image element (4A through 4H) for at least one occupant of a vehicle, wherein the image (B) represents the perspective of the occupant, said process comprising:

generating a virtual display representing the operating environment of the vehicle,

displaying within the virtual display the image element (4A through 4H) as a three dimensional image,

changing at least one characteristic of an image element (4A through 4H) depending at least one of;

the roadway ahead (F),

an operating parameter of the vehicle, and

a parameter of an object (6) identified in the area of the vehicle preceding roadway (F),

wherein said display includes at least one three dimensional image element representing an operating parameter or providing warning information, and

wherein the contour of the roadway (F) in the display (B) is continuously conformed to the natural course of the stretch of road ahead of the vehicle.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the change in the image element (4A through 4H) is a change in shape, color, position and/or dimension.

3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the roadway (F) is displayed as an image element (4A).

4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the contour of the roadway (F) in the display (B) is continuously conformed to the natural course of the stretch of road ahead of the vehicle.

5. A process according to claim 1, wherein a speedometer or tachometer scale (T) is provided as an image element (4B).

6. A process according to claim 5, wherein the speedometer or tachometer scale (T) is continuously conformed to the contour of the roadway (F).

7. A process according to claim 1, wherein the speed of the vehicle is detected as an operating parameter.

8. A process according to claim 1, wherein the operating parameter of the vehicle is provided as an image element (4D).

9. A process according to claim 1, wherein the speed, type and/or dimension of the object (6) is determined and evaluated as a parameter.

10. A process according to claim 1, wherein the object (6) in the area of the roadway (F) is classified and evaluated as to a type selected from the group consisting of vehicle, obstacle, pedestrian and/or traffic sign.

11. A process according to claim 1, wherein a symbol representing the object (6) is provided as an image element (4E, 4G through 4H).

12. A process according to claim 1, wherein the actual detected value of the operating parameter of the vehicle and/or the parameter of the object (6) is provided as an image element (4D).

13. A process according to claim 1, wherein an acoustic and/or an optical signal is emitted upon exceeding and/or falling below a threshold value for a characteristic of the roadway (F), the operating parameter of the vehicle, or a parameter of the object (6) or the image elements (4A through 4H).

14. A process according to claim 13, wherein the threshold value is preset.

15. A process according to claim 5, wherein the threshold value is preset, and wherein the displayed speedometer or tachometer scale (T) is changed in at least one characteristic upon exceeding and/or falling below the threshold value of the vehicle (F), the operating parameters of the vehicle and/or the parameters of the object (6).

16. A process according to claim 1, wherein a directional indicator for the roadway preceding ones own vehicle is provided as an image element (4F).

17. A process according to claim 1, wherein the image (B) is displayed on a display surface in the dashboard or instrument panel (8) or in the field of view of the windshield of the vehicle.

18. A display device (1) for at least one occupant of a vehicle, including a segment (2) for display of a perspective image (B) of a preceding roadway (F) including an area for at least one image element (4A through 4H), wherein the image element (4A through 4H) is changeable in at least one characteristic depending upon the preceding roadway (F), at least one operating parameter of the vehicle and/or at least one parameter of an object (6) identified in the roadway (F)

wherein said display device is capable of generating a three-dimensionalized representation of the image element (4A through 4H) within a three-dimensional image (B) representing the vehicle operating environment, and

wherein said image (B) includes at least one three dimensional image element representing an operating parameter or providing warning information, and

wherein the contour of the roadway (F) in the display (B) is continuously conformed to the natural course of the stretch of road ahead of the vehicle.

19. A display device (1) according to claim 18, wherein as characteristic of the image element (4A through 4H) the shape, color, position and/or dimension thereof is changeable.

20. A display device (1) according to claim 18, wherein a roadway (F), represented three dimensionally, is provided as image element (4A).

21. A display device (1) according to claim 18, wherein at least one measurement technical means is provided for determining the vehicle path (F), the operating parameter of the vehicle and/or the parameter of the object (6).

22. A display device (1) according to claim 18, wherein a navigation information system is provided for providing information regarding the roadway (F) and/or the object (6).

23. A display device (1) according to claim 18, wherein the segment (2) is a multi-color segment.

24. A display device (1) according to claim 18, further including an acoustic emitter is provided.