Driving maneuver assist on full windshield head-up display

• US 8,514,101 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Mathieu, Roy J., Seder, Thomas A., Szczerba, Joseph F., Cui, Dehua
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFSASS, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US13/309,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20130141250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 340901-905, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 701/1, 701/300, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/901
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/166 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/167 Vehicle dynamics information
• 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 2370/166 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/167 Vehicle dynamics information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/785 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 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• 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 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays

Abstract

A method to dynamically register a graphic on a driving scene of a source vehicle utilizing a graphic projection display includes monitoring source vehicle information and monitoring road information. A preferred driving maneuver and a driving scene location of the preferred driving maneuver are identified based on the monitored source vehicle information and the monitored road information. A graphic exemplifying the preferred driving maneuver is determined and a location of the graphic is dynamically registering upon the graphic projection display corresponding to the driving scene. The dynamically registered location is based on the driving scene location of the preferred driving maneuver. The graphic is displayed upon the graphic projection display.

Claims

1. Method to dynamically register a graphic on a driving scene of a source vehicle utilizing a graphic projection display, comprising:

monitoring source vehicle information;

monitoring road information;

identifying a preferred driving maneuver and a driving scene location of the preferred driving maneuver based on said monitored source vehicle information and said monitored road information;

determining a graphic exemplifying the preferred driving maneuver;

dynamically registering a location of the graphic upon the graphic projection display corresponding to the driving scene, the dynamically registered location based on the driving scene location of the preferred driving maneuver; and

displaying the graphic upon the graphic projection display.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphic projection display comprises a substantially transparent windscreen head-up display comprising one of light emitting particles and microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting vision therethrough.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphic projection display comprises one of a touch screen display, a human machine interface display, a non-transparent component and a display monitor, said method further comprising projecting an image of a view corresponding to the driving scene of the source vehicle upon the graphic projection display.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring an occupant eye location wherein the dynamically registered location is further based upon the occupant eye location.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

monitoring an operator gaze location; and

dynamically updating the graphic exemplifying the preferred driving maneuver based on the operator gaze location comprising one of,

increasing emphasis to the graphic based on an increasing distance between the operator gaze location and the location at which the graphic is registered upon the graphic projection display, and

decreasing emphasis to the graphic based on a decreasing distance between the operator gaze location and the location at which the graphic is registered upon the graphic projection display.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a location and an orientation of the source vehicle based on the monitored source vehicle information; and

dynamically updating the graphic exemplifying the preferred driving maneuver based on the location and orientation of the source vehicle, comprising increasing emphasis to the graphic based on a decreasing distance between the source vehicle and the location of the preferred driving maneuver, wherein increasing emphasis comprises at least one of increasing the size of the graphic and increasing the illumination of the graphic.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said monitored source vehicle information comprises source vehicle health parameters selected from the group consisting of a fuel economy, an oil level, an engine temperature, a tire condition, a brake condition, a suspension condition and a clutch condition.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said monitored road information comprises adverse road surface conditions, and wherein said preferred driving maneuver is dynamically updated based upon said adverse road surface conditions.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said monitored source vehicle information comprises at least one of a source vehicle location and orientation and source vehicle health parameters, wherein said monitored road information comprises road geometry and wherein said preferred driving maneuver comprises a stop point based on at least one of said source vehicle location and orientation, said source vehicle health parameters and said road geometry.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said monitored source vehicle information comprises a source vehicle location and orientation, wherein said road information comprises road geometry and said preferred driving maneuver comprises at least one of lane keeping and lane changing based on said source vehicle location and orientation and said road geometry.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said monitored source vehicle information comprises source vehicle operation parameters including a source vehicle speed, an engine speed and a source vehicle transmission state.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said monitored road information comprises road geometry and said preferred driving maneuver comprises one of:

a collision avoidance maneuver based on the road geometry and the monitored vehicle information; and

a performance maneuver point based on the monitored road geometry and comprising at least one of an acceleration point, a deceleration point, a braking point, a turn-in point and a transmission shift point based on said vehicle operation parameters.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring a location and orientation of a principle vehicle along a route traveled by the source vehicle based on vehicle-to-vehicle information;

monitoring a location and orientation of the source vehicle based on the monitored source vehicle information; and

determining a proximity of said principle vehicle in relation to said source vehicle based on the monitored location and orientation of the principle vehicle and the monitored location and orientation of the source vehicle, wherein said preferred driving maneuver is further based on said proximity.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring a respective location and orientation of each of a plurality of competing race vehicles on a closed course based on vehicle-to-vehicle information;

monitoring a location and orientation of the source vehicle based on said monitored source vehicle information; and

determining a respective lap position for said source vehicle and for each of said competing race vehicles based on said respective monitored locations and orientations, wherein said preferred driving maneuver is further based on said lap positions.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphic comprises at least one of a geometric shape corresponding to the preferred driving maneuver, a highlighted road segment corresponding to the driving scene location of the preferred driving maneuver and a textual graphic.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the preferred driving maneuver and the driving scene location of the preferred driving maneuver is user-defined and user-specified according to a user input.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring source vehicle operation and source vehicle health parameters based on said monitored source vehicle information;

determining a preferred source vehicle operation based on said source vehicle health parameters;

comparing the monitored source vehicle operation and the preferred source vehicle operation;

identifying an adjusted source vehicle operation based on the comparing;

determining a second graphic exemplifying the adjusted source vehicle operation; and

displaying the second graphic upon a substantially transparent rear window display.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring source vehicle operation based on said monitored source vehicle information;

monitoring a source vehicle location and orientation based on said monitored source vehicle information;

determining a historical source vehicle operation profile based on said monitored source vehicle operation and said monitored source vehicle location and orientation; and

comparing the historical source vehicle operation profile to a preferred source vehicle operation profile.

19. Method to dynamically register a graphic on a driving scene of a source vehicle utilizing a substantially transparent windscreen head-up display, comprising:

monitoring source vehicle information comprising source vehicle health, source vehicle operation and a source vehicle location and orientation;

monitoring a closed course specific geometry, closed course surface conditions and closed course traffic;

monitoring a source vehicle occupant eye location;

identifying a performance enhanced driving maneuver and a location of the performance enhanced driving maneuver based on said monitored source vehicle information and the monitored closed course specific geometry, closed course surface conditions and closed course traffic;

determining a graphic exemplifying the performance enhanced driving maneuver;

dynamically registering a location of the graphic upon the substantially transparent windscreen head-up display corresponding to the driving scene, the dynamically registered location based on the location of the performance enhanced driving maneuver and the source vehicle occupant eye location; and

displaying the graphic upon the substantially transparent windscreen head-up display;

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