Vehicle adaptation to automatic driver independent control mode

• US 8,757,807 B1
• Filed: 12/11/2013
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polestar Performance AB (Polestar Automotive Holding UK Plc)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Disley, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling, William C
• Application Number:
  US14/103,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20140168608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 195 Days
• Field of Search: 353 11- 14, 353/79, 359/630, 359/452, 359/459, 359/461, 359/443, 359/13
• US Class Current: 353/13
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/879 with additional features not related to head-rest positioning, e.g. heating or cooling devices or loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/32 Details specially adapted for motion-picture projection with film moving continuously through the gate G03B41/02
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/56 Projection screens
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/60 characterised by the nature of the surface
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03

Abstract

A road vehicle which may switch between a driver dependent mode in which the control of the vehicle is dependent on a driver located in the vehicle and a driver independent mode in which the control of the vehicle is independent of a driver. The vehicle includes an image projecting system for projecting a motion picture on an interior surface of the vehicle, and at least one window glass configurable to function as a screen for showing images projected by the image projecting system. When the vehicle is controlled in the driver independent mode, an area of the window glass is changed from readily transparent to the screen for showing images projected by the image projecting system either by a change in a property of the window glass or covering the area of the window glass by an image reflecting surface.

Claims

1. A road vehicle such as a car, bus or truck, which may switch between a first, driver dependent, mode (I) in which the control of the vehicle is dependent on a driver located in the vehicle and a second, driver independent, mode (II) in which the control of the vehicle is independent of a driver located in the vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

an image projecting system for projecting a motion picture on an interior surface of the vehicle, the image projecting system including an image projecting unit; and

at least one window glass configurable to function as a screen for showing images projected by the image projecting unit;

wherein, when the vehicle is controlled in the second driver independent mode, an area of the at least one window glass is changed from readily transparent to the screen for showing images projected by the image projecting unit either by a change in a property of the window glass or covering the area of the window glass by an image reflecting surface.

2. A road vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the at least one window glass is a front windshield window glass.

3. A road vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the change in the property of the window glass comprises providing or changing an electric voltage/current to a transparency reducing means in the window glass.

4. A road vehicle according to claim 3 wherein the transparency reducing means in the window glass comprises an LCD, electrochromic film or micro-mechanical mirrors.

5. A road vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the change of the area of the at least one window glass of the vehicle from readily transparent to the screen comprises covering the area corresponding to the window glass by a sheet material screen.

6. A road vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the at least one window glass of the vehicle changes from readily transparent to the screen automatically when the vehicle driving mode is changed from its first, driver dependent mode (I) to its second, driver independent mode (II).

7. A road vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the change of the area of the at least one window glass of the vehicle from readily transparent the screen is restricted when the vehicle is in its first, driver dependent, mode (I) and controlled manually when the vehicle is in its second, driver independent, mode (II).

8. A road vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the at least one a window glass of the vehicle configurable to function as the screen comprises the front side windows and/or the rear side windows.

9. A road vehicle according to claim 8 wherein the at least one window glass of the vehicle configurable to function as the screen comprises the front windshield window, front side windows and rear side windows, which together with a vehicle roof form a concave or semi-spherical screen.

10. A road vehicle according to claim 2 wherein the image projecting system is configured to project a first motion picture on a major part of the screen formed on the area of the front windshield window glass and a second motion picture on a small area of the screen formed on the area of the front windshield screen, said second motion picture displaying a real time forward view of outside the vehicle.

11. A road vehicle such as a car, bus or truck, which may switch between a first, driver dependent, mode (I) in which the control of the vehicle is dependent on a driver located in the vehicle and a second, driver independent, mode (II) in which the control of the vehicle is independent of a driver located in the vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

an image projecting system for projecting a motion picture on an interior surface of the vehicle; and

at least one window glass configurable to function as a screen for showing images projected by the image projecting unit;

wherein, when the vehicle is controlled in the second driver independent mode, an area of the at least one window glass is changed from readily transparent to the screen for showing images projected by the image projecting system either by a change in a property of the window glass or covering the area of the window glass by an image reflecting surface.

12. An image projecting system for a road vehicle that may switch between a first, driver dependent, mode (I) in which the control of the vehicle is dependent on a driver located in the vehicle and a second, driver independent, mode (II) in which the control of the vehicle is independent of a driver located in the vehicle, the image projecting system comprising:

an image projecting unit for projecting a motion picture on an interior surface of the vehicle; and

at least one window glass adapted for use with the vehicle and configurable to function as a screen for showing images projected by the image projecting unit;

wherein, when the vehicle is controlled in the second driver independent mode, an area of the at least one window glass is changeable from readily transparent to the screen for showing images projected by the image projecting unit either by a change in a property of the window glass or covering the area of the window glass by an image reflecting surface.

13. The image projecting system of claim 12 wherein the at least one window glass is a front windshield window glass.

14. The image projecting system of claim 12 wherein the change in the property of the window glass comprises providing or changing an electric voltage/current to a transparency reducing means in the window glass.

15. The image projecting system of claim 13 wherein the transparency reducing means in the window glass comprises an LCD, electrochromic film or micro-mechanical mirrors.

16. The image projecting system of claim 12 wherein the change of the area of the at least one window glass of the vehicle from readily transparent to the screen comprises covering the area corresponding to the window glass by a sheet material screen.

17. The image projecting system of claim 12 wherein the at least one window glass of the vehicle changes from readily transparent to the screen automatically when the vehicle driving mode is changed from its first, driver dependent mode (I) to its second, driver independent mode (II).

18. The image projecting system of claim 12 wherein the change of the area of the at least one window glass of the vehicle from readily transparent the screen is restricted when the vehicle is in its first, driver dependent, mode (I) and controlled manually when the vehicle is in its second, driver independent, mode (II).

19. The image projecting system of claim 12 wherein the at least one a window glass of the vehicle configurable to function as the screen comprises the front side windows and/or the rear side windows.

20. The image projecting system of claim 13 wherein the image projecting unit is configured to project a first motion picture on a major part of the screen formed on the area of the front windshield window glass and a second motion picture on a small area of the screen formed on the area of the front windshield screen, said second motion picture displaying a real time forward view of outside the vehicle.