Scan loop optimization of vector projection display

• US 8,330,673 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2010
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Cui, Dehua, Seder, Thomas A., Szczerba, Joseph F., Aase, Jan H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ghafari, Sepideh
• Application Number:
  US12/730,397
• Publication Number:
  US 20100253688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/8, 345/9, 348/115
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/723 by using numerical data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9319 Controlling the accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/10 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays

Abstract

A method for creating an efficient scan loop for displaying a vector projection graphic upon a substantially transparent windscreen head-up display includes determining a plurality of candidate scan loops to create a desired vector projection graphic, determining an efficiency metric for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops, determining the efficient scan loop for displaying the vector projection graphic based upon comparing the efficiency metrics, and utilizing the efficient scan loop to create the desired vector projection graphic upon the substantially transparent windscreen head-up display.

Claims

1. Method for creating an efficient scan loop for displaying a vector projection graphic upon a substantially transparent windscreen head-up display, the method comprising:

determining a plurality of candidate scan loops to create a desired vector projection graphic;

determining an efficiency metric for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops;

determining the efficient scan loop for displaying the vector projection graphic based upon comparing the efficiency metrics; and

utilizing the efficient scan loop to create the desired vector projection graphic upon the substantially transparent windscreen head-up display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the efficiency metric for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops comprises:

determining a total scan length for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops; and

wherein determining the efficient scan loop for displaying the vector projection graphic based upon comparing the efficiency metrics comprises selecting the candidate scan path with a shortest total scan length.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the desired vector projection graphic comprises a plurality of graphic segments;

wherein determining the plurality of candidate scan loops to create the desired vector projection graphic comprises;

for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops, determining a blanked segment connecting two nonintersecting graphic segments of the plurality of graphic segments; and

wherein determining the total scan length for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops is based upon the graphic segments and the blanked segment.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the desired vector projection graphic comprises a plurality of graphic segments;

wherein determining the plurality of candidate scan loops to create the desired vector projection graphic comprises;

for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops, determining a plurality of blanked segments, each connecting two nonintersecting graphic segments of the plurality of graphic segments; and

wherein determining the total scan length for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops is based upon the graphic segments and the blanked segments.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired vector projection graphic comprises a plurality of graphic segments;

wherein determining the efficiency metric for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops comprises;

for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops, monitoring intersections between sequentially projected graphic segments;

determining a respective turning angle between sequentially projected graphic segments; and

summing the turning angles between the sequentially projected graphic segments for each of the plurality of scan loops to determine a total turning angle for each of the plurality of scan loops;

wherein determining the efficient scan loop for displaying the vector projection graphic based upon comparing the efficiency metrics comprises selecting the candidate scan path with the smallest total turning angle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the plurality of candidate scan loops to create the desired vector projection graphic comprises:

for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops, determining a blanked segment connecting two nonintersecting graphic segments;

wherein determining the efficiency metric for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops further comprises;

for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops, monitoring intersections between the nonintersecting graphic segments and the blanked segment; and

determining a respective turning angle between each intersection of the blanked segment and the two nonintersecting graphic segments; and

wherein summing the turning angles for each of the plurality of scan loops to determine a total turning angle for each of the plurality of scan loops comprises;

summing the turning angle between each intersection of the blanked segment and the two nonintersecting graphic segments.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein determining the plurality of candidate scan loops to create the desired vector projection graphic comprises:

for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops, determining a plurality of blanked segments each connecting two respective nonintersecting graphic segments;

wherein determining the efficiency metric for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops further comprises;

for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops, monitoring intersections between the nonintersecting graphic segments and the blanked segments; and

determining a respective turning angle between each intersection of the blanked segments and the two nonintersecting graphic segments; and

wherein summing the turning angles for each of the plurality of scan loops to determine a total turning angle for each of the plurality of scan loops comprises;

summing the turning angle between each intersection of the blanked segments and the two nonintersecting graphic segments.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the efficiency metric for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops comprises:

determining a total radius of curvatures for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops; and

wherein determining the efficient scan loop for displaying the vector projection graphic based upon comparing the efficiency metrics comprises selecting the candidate scan path with a largest total radius of curvatures.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the efficiency metric for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops comprises:

determining a total radius of curvatures for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops; and

determining a total scan length for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops; and

wherein determining the efficient scan loop for displaying the vector projection graphic based upon comparing the efficiency metrics comprises selecting the candidate scan path based upon the total radius of curvatures for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops and the total scan length for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops.

10. Method for selecting an efficient scan loop for displaying a vector projection graphic upon a substantially transparent windscreen head-up display, the method comprising:

determining a plurality of candidate scan loops to create the desired vector projection graphic comprising a plurality of graphic segments, wherein determining each of the plurality of candidate scan loops comprises;

determining a closed loop sequence to project the graphic segments including at least one blanked segment connecting two nonintersecting graphic segments;

determining an efficiency metric for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops;

determining the efficient scan loop for displaying the vector projection graphic based upon comparing the efficiency metrics;

utilizing the efficient scan loop to create the desired vector projection graphic; and

utilizing a mechanical scan blanking device to create said at least one blanked segment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the efficiency metric for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops comprises:

determining a total scan length for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops; and

wherein determining the efficient scan loop for displaying the vector projection graphic based upon comparing the efficiency metrics comprises selecting the candidate scan path with a shortest total scan length.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the efficiency metric for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops comprises:

for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops, monitoring intersections between the graphic segments based upon the closed loop sequence;

at each intersection between the graphic segments, determining a turning angle between the graphic segments;

for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops, monitoring intersections between the graphic segments and said at least one blanked segment based upon the closed loop sequence;

determining a respective turning angle between each intersection of one of the blanked segments and the respective graphic segment;

summing the turning angles for each of the plurality of scan loops to determine a total turning angle for each of the plurality of scan loops;

wherein determining the efficient scan loop for displaying the vector projection graphic based upon comparing the efficiency metrics comprises selecting the candidate scan path with the smallest total turning angle.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the efficiency metric for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops comprises determining a total radius of curvatures for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops;

and

wherein determining the efficient scan loop for displaying the vector projection graphic based upon comparing the efficiency metrics comprises selecting the candidate scan path with a largest total radius of curvatures.

14. System for generating an efficient scan loop for displaying a vector projection graphic upon a substantially transparent windscreen head-up display, the system comprising:

the substantially transparent windscreen head-up display;

a scan loop selection module;

determining a plurality of candidate scan loops to create a desired vector projection graphic;

determining an efficiency metric for each of the plurality of candidate scan loops; and

determining the efficient scan loop for displaying the vector projection graphic based upon comparing the efficiency metrics; and

a graphics projection system generating light for projection upon the substantially transparent windscreen head-up display based upon the efficient scan loop.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the graphics projection system comprises a mechanical blanking device selectively blocking the light for projection based upon the efficient scan loop.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the mechanical blanking device comprises a knife-edge device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the mechanical blanking device comprises a pin-hole device.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the mechanical blanking device comprises a refractive device.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the mechanical blanking device comprises a mirror device.