Method and system for supporting path control

• US 7,656,313 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Volvo Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Volvo Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Jarlengrip, Johan, Victor, Trent
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings; Travis R
• Application Number:
  US11/421,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20070139176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.19, 340/995.1, 340/995.14, 340/979, 340/980, 340/995.17, 340/995.26, 701/1, 701/200
• US Class Current: 340/995.26
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/149 Instrument input by detecting viewing direction not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/184 Displaying the same information on different displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• 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 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• 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: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/082 using alarm actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/087 using active steering actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• 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 21/3652 Guidance using non-audiovisual output, e.g. tactile, haptic or electric stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3658 Lane guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 : Head mounted

Abstract

Method and system for supporting path control are disclosed for supporting path control especially of a vehicle on a road or in an off-road environment, or of a ship or an airplane. The supporting of path control is especially provided by conducting at least one of the following steps (a) and (b): (a) estimating an actual future path of the vehicle on the basis of vehicle movement data and at least one of optically, acoustically, and tactilely indicating the estimated actual future path to the driver, (b) detecting the actual present path of the vehicle, estimating a present deviation of the detected actual present path from a desired present path and at least one of optically, acoustically, and tactilely indicating the estimated present deviation to the driver.

Claims

1. Method for supporting a future path control of a vehicle, comprising:

estimating an actual future path of the vehicle on the basis of vehicle movement data, the estimated actual future path being a path that the vehicle will follow based on the present vehicle movement data, and

determining at least one of a head and eye position of the driver and presenting the estimated actual future path to the driver in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of deviation of the estimated actual future path from the actual driving environment.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the estimating step comprises an estimation of a future deviation of the actual future path from a desired future path and at least one of optically, acoustically, and tactilely indicating the estimated future deviation of the path to the driver.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the desired future path is given by the actual driving environment.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the distance of the presented markings from the actual driving environment increases as the amount of deviation of the estimated actual future path from the actual driving environment increases.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the presentation is provided in the form of an optical overlay of an image of the estimated actual future path over the actual driving environment.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the presentation is provided in the form of an optical continuation of the actual driving environment.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein the optical continuation comprises an optical indication of at least one borderline in the actual driving environment to the driver.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the optical continuation and the optical indication is presented by at least one of activating and deactivating of an arrangement of a plurality of LED elements.

9. Method according to claim 7, wherein the optical continuation of the actual driving environment is provided in the form of a two or three-dimensional flow of optical signals, signs and/or patterns surrounding the driver.

10. Method according to claim 6, wherein the optical continuation is presented by at least one of activating and deactivating of an arrangement of a plurality of LED elements.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein the path control is provided using an aiming device in which an aim is provided by an image of a desired future path, and the indication of the estimated actual future path is presented for supporting the driver'"'"'s steering of the vehicle.

12. Computer readable medium comprising computer program code adapted to perform a method according to claim 1 when the program is run on a programmable microcomputer.

13. Computer readable medium according to claim 12 wherein the program code is adapted to be downloaded, when run on a computer which is connected to the internet, to a system for supporting a future path control of a vehicle, the system comprising:

an arrangement for estimating an actual future path of the vehicle based on vehicle movement data, the estimated actual future path being a path that the vehicle will follow based on the present vehicle movement data,

a device for determining at least one of a head and eye position of a driver,

a display device, and

a control device for controlling the display device so that the estimated actual future path can be presented in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of deviation of the estimated actual future path from the actual driving environment.

14. Method according to claim 1, wherein in step (a) the estimated actual future path is indicated acoustically and/or tactilely to the driver.

15. Method according to claim 1, wherein the markings provide an information about the amount of the deviation of the estimated actual future path from the actual driving environment.

16. Method for supporting a future path control of a vehicle, comprising:

estimating an actual future path of the vehicle on the basis of vehicle movement data, and

determining at least one of a head and eye position of the driver and presenting the estimated actual future path to the driver in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of deviation of the estimated actual future path from the actual driving environment, wherein the presentation is provided in the form of an optical continuation of the actual driving environment, the optical continuation comprises an optical indication of at least one borderline in the actua driving environment to the driver, and at least one of the optical continuation and the optical indication is three dimensionally presented by a laser device.

17. Method for supporting a future path control of a vehicle, comprising:

estimating an actual future path of the vehicle on the basis of vehicle movement data, and

determining at least one of a head and eye position of the driver and presenting the estimated actual future path to the driver in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of deviation of the estimated actual future path from the actual driving environment, wherein the presentation is provided in the form of an optical continuation of the actual driving environment, the optical continuation comprises an optical indication of at least one borderline in the actua driving environment to the driver, and the optical indication of the at least one borderline is optically enhanced or attenuated with respect to its intensity and/or thickness and/or contrast and/or colour in correspondence with a decreasing or increasing distance between vehicle and the borderline.

18. Method for supporting a future path control of a vehicle, comprising:

estimating an actual future path of the vehicle on the basis of vehicle movement data, and

determining at least one of a head and eye position of the driver and presenting the estimated actual future path to the driver in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of deviation of the estimated actual future path from the actual driving environment, wherein the presentation is provided in the form of an optical continuation of the actual driving environment, and the optical continuation is three dimensionally presented by a laser device.

19. System for supporting a future path control of a vehicle, comprising:

an arrangement for estimating an actual future path of the vehicle based on vehicle movement data, the estimated actual future path being a path that the vehicle will follow based on the present vehicle movement data,

a device for determining at least one of a head and eye position of a driver

a display device, and

a control device for controlling the display device so that the estimated actual future path can be presented in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of deviation of the estimated actual future path from the actual driving environment.

20. System according to claim 19, wherein the arrangement comprises a first device for estimating a future deviation of the actual future path from a desired future path and for at least one of optically, acoustically, and tactilely indicating the estimated future deviation of the path to a driver.

21. System according to claim 19, wherein the display device is provided in the form of a laser projector for generating two or three-dimensional images in the interior of the vehicle.

22. System according to claim 21, wherein the control device is provided for presenting the markings with a distance from the actual driving environment which increases as the amount of deviation of the estimated actual future path from the actual driving environment increases.

23. System according to claim 19, wherein the display device is provided in the form of a plurality of LED elements.

24. System according to claim 19, wherein the system is adapted to conduct a method comprising:

estimating an actual future path of the vehicle on the basis of vehicle movement data the estimated actual future path being a path that the vehicle will follow based on the present vehicle movement data, and

determining at least one of a head and eve position of the driver and presenting the estimated actual future path to the driver in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of marking which provide information about a direction of deviation of the estimated actual future path from the actual driving environment.

25. System according to claim 19, wherein the arrangement is provided for at least one of acoustically and tactilely indicating the estimated actual future path to the driver.

26. System according to claim 19, wherein the markings provide an information about the amount of the deviation of the estimated actual future path from the actual driving environment.

32. Method according to claim 22, wherein the optical continuation comprises an optical indication of at least one borderline in the actual driving environment to the driver.

33. Method according to claim 32, wherein at least one of the optical continuation and the optical indication is presented by at least one of activating and deactivating of an arrangement of a plurality of LED elements.

34. Method according to claim 32, wherein the optical continuation of the actual driving environment is provided in the form of a two or three-dimensional flow of optical signals, signs and/or patterns surrounding the driver.

27. Method for supporting a present path control of a vehicle, comprising:

detecting an actual present path of the vehicle, the actual present path being a path that the vehicle is following based on the present vehicle movement data,

estimating a present deviation of the detected actual present path from a desired present path, and

determining at least one of a head and eye position of the driver and presenting the estimated present deviation to the driver in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of estimated present deviation.

28. Method according to claim 27, wherein the desired present path is given by the actual driving environment.

29. Method according to claim 27, wherein the presentation is provided in the form of an optical overlay of an image of the estimated present deviation over the actual driving environment.

30. Method according to claim 29, wherein at least one of the number, the size, the intensity and the color of the markings increases as the amount of the estimated present deviation increases.

31. Method according to claim 27, wherein the presentation is provided in the form of an optical continuation of the actual driving environment.

35. Method according to claim 31, wherein the optical continuation is presented by at least one of activating and deactivating of an arrangement of a plurality of LED elements.

36. Method according to claim 27, wherein the path control is provided in the form of an aiming device in which an aim is provided by an image of the desired present path, and the indication of the estimated present deviation is presented for supporting the driver'"'"'s steering of the vehicle.

37. Method according to claim 27, comprising estimating an actual future path of the vehicle on the basis of vehicle movement data and at least one of optically, acoustically, and tactilely indicating the estimated actual future path to the driver, and determining at least one of a head and eye position of the driver and presenting the estimated actual future path to the driver in an optical relation to an actual driving environment.

38. Computer readable medium comprising computer program code adapted to perform a method according to claim 27 when the program is run on a programmable microcomputer.

39. Computer readable medium comprising a computer program according to claim 38 adapted to be downloaded, when run on a computer which is connected to the internet, to a system for supporting a present oath control of a vehicle, the system comprising:

an arrangement for detecting an actual future path of the vehicle, the actual future path being a path that the vehicle will follow based on the present vehicle movement data, and estimating a present deviation of the detected actual present path from a desired present path.

a device for determining at least one of a head and eve position of a driver,

a display device, and

a control device for controlling the display device so that the estimated present deviation can be presented in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of estimated present deviation.

40. Method according to claim 27, wherein in step (a) the estimated present deviation is indicated acoustically and/or tactilely to the driver.

41. Method according to claim 27, wherein the markings provide an information about the amount of the estimated present deviation.

42. Method for supporting a present path control of a vehicle, comprising:

detecting an actual present path of the vehicle,

estimating a present deviation of the detected actual present path from a desired present path, and

determining at least one of a head and eye position of the driver and presenting the estimated present deviation to the driver in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of estimated present deviation, wherein the presentation is provided in the form of an optical continuation of the actual driving environment, the optical continuation comprises an optical indication of at least one borderline in the actual driving environment to the driver, and wherein at least one of the optical continuation and the optical indication is three dimensionally presented by a laser device.

43. Method for supporting a present path control of a vehicle, comprising:

detecting an actual present path of the vehicle,

estimating a present deviation of the detected actual present path from a desired present path, and

determining at least one of a head and eye position of the driver and presenting the estimated present deviation to the driver in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of estimated present deviation, wherein the presentation is provided in the form of an optical continuation of the actual driving environment, the optical continuation comprises an optical indication of at least one borderline in the actual driving environment to the driver, and the optical indication of the at least one borderline is optically enhanced or attenuated with respect to its intensity and/or thickness and/or contrast and/or colour in-correspondence with a decreasing or increasing distance between vehicle and the borderline.

44. Method for supporting a present path control of a vehicle, comprising:

detecting an actual present path of the vehicle,

estimating a present deviation of the detected actual present path from a desired present path, and

determining at least one of a head and eye position of the driver and presenting the estimated present deviation to the driver in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of estimated present deviation, wherein the presentation is provided in the form of an optical continuation of the actual driving environment, and the optical continuation is three dimensionally presented by a laser device.

45. System for supporting a present path control of a vehicle, comprising:

an arrangement for detecting an actual future path of the vehicle, the actual future path being a path that the vehicle will follow based on the present vehicle movement data, and estimating a present deviation of the detected actual present path from a desired present path,

a device for determining at least one of a head and eye position of a driver,

a display device, and

a control device for controlling the display device so that the estimated present deviation can be presented in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of estimated present deviation.

46. System according to claim 45, wherein the display device is provided in the form of a laser projector for generating two or three-dimensional images in the interior of the vehicle.

47. System according to claim 45, wherein the display device is provided in the form of a plurality of LED elements.

48. System according to claim 47, wherein the control device is provided for increasing at least one of the number, the size, the intensity and the color of the markings as the amount of the estimated present deviation increases.

49. System according to claim 45, wherein the system is adapted to conduct a method comprising:

detecting an actual present path of the vehicle, the actual present path being a path that the vehicle is following based on the present vehicle movement data,

estimating a present deviation of the detected actual present path from a desired present path, and

determining at least one of a head and eye position of the driver and presenting the estimated present deviation to the driver in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of estimated present deviation.

50. System according to claim 45, wherein the arrangement is provided for at least one of acoustically and tactilely indicating the estimated present deviation to the driver.

51. System according to claim 45, wherein the markings provide an information about the amount of the estimated present deviation.

52. Computer program product comprising computer program code adapted to perform a method for supporting a future path control of a vehicle, the method comprising:

estimating an actual future path of the vehicle on the basis of vehicle movement data, the estimated actual future path being a path that the vehicle will follow based on the present vehicle movement data, and

determining at least one of a head and eve position of the driver and presenting the estimated actual future path to the driver in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of deviation of the estimated actual future oath from the actual driving environment.

53. Computer program product comprising computer program code adapted to perform a method for supporting a present path control of a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting an actual present path of the vehicle, the actual present path being a path that the vehicle is following based on the present vehicle movement data,

estimating a present deviation of the detected actual present path from a desired present path, and

determining at least one of a head and eye position of the driver and presenting the estimated present deviation to the driver in a direct optical relation to an actual driving environment in the form of markings which provide information about a direction of estimated present deviation.