Traffic infrastructure indicator on head-up display

• US 8,395,529 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2009
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Seder, Thomas A., Szczerba, Joseph F., Cui, Dehua
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFSASS, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US12/564,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20100253541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 340900-905, 340/438, 340/425.5, 340/937, 345/7, 701/117, 382/104
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/723 by using numerical data
• 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 17/931 of land vehicles
• 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 17/006 Systems in which light light is reflected on a plurality of parallel surfaces, e.g. louvre mirrors, total internal reflection [TIR] lenses Fresnel mirrors G02B5/09, Fresnel lenses G02B3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/20 Filters polarising elements G02B5/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/005 Projectors using an electronic spatial light modulator but not peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 : for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 : for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 : Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 : Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A substantially transparent windscreen head up display includes one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting vision through the windscreen. A method to display a graphic based upon a traffic infrastructure indication upon a substantially transparent windscreen head up display of a vehicle includes monitoring the traffic infrastructure indication, analyzing the traffic infrastructure indication, and displaying the graphic upon the transparent windscreen head up display based upon analyzing the traffic infrastructure indication.

Claims

1. Method to display a graphic based upon a traffic infrastructure indication upon a substantially transparent windscreen head up display of a vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring the traffic infrastructure indication;

monitoring an occupant eye location;

analyzing the traffic infrastructure indication; and

displaying the graphic upon the transparent windscreen head up display based upon analyzing the traffic infrastructure indication; and

wherein the substantially transparent windscreen head up display comprises one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting vision through the windscreen;

wherein the graphic includes a registered graphic with a location upon the transparent windscreen head up display based upon the traffic infrastructure indication and the occupant eye location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the traffic infrastructure indication comprises monitoring a street sign.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the street sign is a speed limit sign.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the street sign is a school zone indicator.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the street sign is a cautionary indicator.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphic includes a persistent indication of a content of the street sign remaining upon the display for a time period.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the traffic infrastructure indication comprises monitoring a traffic light.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the traffic infrastructure indication comprises monitoring a railroad crossing indicator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the traffic infrastructure indication comprises monitoring a configurable traffic message sign.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the traffic infrastructure indication comprises monitoring a vehicle to infrastructure communication link.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a GPS digital map device;

and

wherein monitoring the traffic infrastructure indication comprises determining a traffic direction signal based upon data from the GPS digital map device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising monitoring a low visibility condition in the operating environment of the vehicle;

and

wherein the graphic comprises a low visibility traffic direction aid.

13. Method to selectively project graphical images upon a transparent windscreen head up display of a vehicle based upon recognition of roadside signs, the method comprising:

monitoring data from a camera system;

monitoring an occupant eye location;

analyzing the data from the camera system to identify an image of a roadside sign;

analyzing the image of the roadside sign to describe a threshold condition;

processing the threshold condition to generate a registered graphical image for projection upon the transparent windscreen head up display; and

projecting the registered graphical image upon the transparent windscreen head up display, wherein a location of the registered graphical image is based upon the data from the camera system and the occupant eye location; and

wherein the substantially transparent windscreen head up display comprises one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting vision through the windscreen.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring informational inputs describing operation of the vehicle; and

wherein analyzing the image of the roadside sign to describe a threshold condition is based upon the monitored informational inputs.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein monitoring informational inputs describing operation of the vehicle comprises monitoring a speed of the vehicle;

and

wherein analyzing the image of the roadside sign to indicate the threshold condition comprises

analyzing the image of the roadside sign utilizing pattern recognition to discern a speed limit indication,

comparing the monitored speed of the vehicle to the speed limit indication, and indicating the threshold condition based upon the comparing.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the monitoring informational inputs describing operation of the vehicle comprises monitoring a lane in which the vehicle is currently travelling;

and

wherein analyzing the image of the roadside sign to indicate the threshold condition comprises;

analyzing the image of the roadside sign utilizing pattern recognition to discern a lane ending indication;

comparing the monitored lane in which the vehicle is currently travelling to the lane ending indication; and

indicating the threshold condition based upon the comparing.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising monitoring an operator-defined search priority;

and

wherein analyzing the image of the roadside sign to indicate the threshold condition comprises

analyzing a content of the roadside sign,

comparing the content of the roadside sign to the operator-defined search priority, and identifying the roadside sign to indicate the threshold condition based upon the comparing.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the operator-defined search priority comprises a priority selected from the group consisting of a vehicle maintenance center, a lodging facility, a restaurant, a grocery store, an entertainment facility, an emergency health facility, and a shopping facility.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising monitoring a vehicle status-defined search priority;

and

wherein analyzing the image of the roadside sign to indicate the threshold condition comprises

analyzing a content of the roadside sign,

comparing the content of the roadside sign to the vehicle status-defined search priority, and

identifying the roadside sign to indicate the threshold condition based upon the comparing.