Vehicle ghosting on full windshield display

• US 8,781,170 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• 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., Szczerba, Joseph F., Cui, Dehua, Seder, Thomas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Koziol, Stephen R
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONNER, SEAN M
• Application Number:
  US13/312,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20130142385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1868 according to driving situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/592 Data transfer involving external databases
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1868 according to driving situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/589 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/592 External database involved
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/73 with special adaptation to the user or to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/736 the user being the driver
• 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 35/65 Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• 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: 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

Abstract

A method to display a ghosting image upon a transparent windscreen head-up display in a vehicle includes monitoring an operating environment of the vehicle, monitoring a driver registration input, determining a registered desired location graphic illustrating a future desired location for the vehicle based upon the operating environment of the vehicle and the driver registration input, and displaying the registered desired location graphic upon the head-up display.

Claims

1. Method to display a ghosting image upon a transparent windscreen head-up display in a source vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring an operating environment of the source vehicle;

determining a first ghosting image based upon the operating environment of the source vehicle;

determining a current location and a current orientation of the source vehicle travelling upon a current roadway;

monitoring historical data for the source vehicle operating upon the current roadway in the past based on the current location and the current orientation of the source vehicle;

monitoring instantaneous vehicle behavior characteristics of the source vehicle in a first particular area of the current roadway based on the current location and the current orientation of the source vehicle;

identifying past vehicle behavior characteristics of the source vehicle in the first particular area that are indicative of the instantaneous vehicle behavior characteristics based on the monitored historical data;

comparing the identified past vehicle behavior characteristics of the source vehicle in the first particular area to a traffic flow condition;

predicting adverse traffic flow behavior in a second particular area of the roadway based on corresponding past vehicle behavior characteristics of the source vehicle in the second particular area of the current roadway when the identified past vehicle behavior characteristics satisfy the traffic flow condition, wherein the second particular area succeeds the first particular area in the direction of travel of the source vehicle upon the current roadway;

determining a historical ghosting image to prepare the source vehicle for a maneuver in the second particular area on when the adverse traffic flow behavior in the second particular area is predicted; and

displaying the first ghosting image and the historical ghosting image upon the head-up display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a driver registration input;

and

wherein the first ghosting image is a registered ghosting image determined based upon the driver registration input.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the registered first ghosting image comprises a registered desired location graphic illustrating a future desired location for the source vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

monitoring a planned route of navigation for the source vehicle; and

wherein determining the registered desired location graphic is further based upon the planned route of navigation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the registered desired location graphic comprises a graphic indicating a suggested lane change.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the registered desired location graphic comprises a graphic indicating a suggested maneuver based upon the planned route of navigation.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the operating environment of the source vehicle comprises an object in front of the source vehicle;

and

wherein the registered desired location graphic comprises a graphic indicating a desired evasive maneuver based upon the object in front of the source vehicle.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the registered desired location graphic comprises an animated parking aid.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the registered desired location graphic comprises a driver education graphic.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the registered desired location graphic is further based upon traffic laws and traffic signals.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the registered desired location graphic is further based upon an input planned route of travel.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the source vehicle comprises a commercial vehicle.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein the source vehicle comprises a military vehicle;

and

wherein determining the registered desired location graphic is further based upon a monitored command for the source vehicle.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein the source vehicle comprises a emergency response vehicle;

and

wherein determining the registered desired location graphic is further based upon an instruction from a dispatcher for the source vehicle.

15. The method of claim 3, wherein the registered desired location graphic comprises an instruction to maintain a distance from an emergency vehicle.

16. The method of claim 3, wherein the registered desired location graphic comprises an instruction to stop for a school bus.

17. The method of claim 3, wherein the source vehicle comprises a law enforcement vehicle;

and

wherein determining the registered desired location graphic is further based upon a monitored command for the source vehicle.

18. The method of claim 3, wherein the source vehicle comprises a racing vehicle;

and

wherein determining the registered ghosting image is further based upon a best lap for the source vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining a second registered ghosting image comprising a registered desired location graphic illustrating a future desired location for the source vehicle based upon the operating environment of the source vehicle and the driver registration input; and

displaying the second registered ghosting image upon the head-up display.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining the second registered ghosting image is further based upon monitored racing conditions.

21. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a desired parallel parking maneuver; and

projecting upon a side window of the source vehicle a ghosting image based upon the desired parallel parking maneuver.

22. The method of claim 2, wherein the registered first ghosting image comprises a registered desired location and orientation graphic illustrating a future desired location and a future desired orientation for the source vehicle.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the first ghosting image comprises a desired orientation graphic illustrating a future desired orientation for the source vehicle.

24. Apparatus to display a historical ghosting image and a registered desired location graphic upon a transparent windscreen head-up display in a source vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

the transparent windscreen head-up display;

an eye location sensing system;

an enhanced vision system configured to

monitor an operating environment of the source vehicle,

monitor the eye location sensing system,

determine a current location and a current orientation of the source vehicle travelling upon a current roadway,

monitor historical data for the source vehicle operating upon the current roadway in the past based on the current location and the current orientation of the source vehicle,

monitor instantaneous vehicle behavior characteristics of the source vehicle in a first particular area of the current roadway based on the current location and the current orientation of the source vehicle;

identify past vehicle behavior characteristics of the source vehicle in the first particular area that are indicative of the instantaneous vehicle behavior characteristics based on the monitored historical data,

compare the identified past vehicle behavior characteristics of the source vehicle in the first particular area to a traffic flow condition,

predict adverse traffic flow behavior in a second particular area of the roadway based on corresponding past vehicle behavior characteristics of the source vehicle in a second particular area of the current roadway when the identified past vehicle behavior characteristics satisfy the traffic flow condition, wherein the second particular area succeeds the first particular area in the direction of travel of the source vehicle upon the current roadway,

determine the historical ghosting image to prepare the source vehicle for a maneuver in the second particular area when the adverse traffic flow behavior in the second particular area is predicted,

determine the registered desired location graphic illustrating a future desired location for the source vehicle based upon the operating environment of the source vehicle and the eye location sensing system; and

a graphic projection system displaying the historical ghosting image and the registered desired location graphic upon the head-up display.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

a camera device providing a visual image of the operating environment of the source vehicle; and

a global positioning and digital map device providing information related to a location of the source vehicle; and

wherein the enhanced vision system configured to monitor the operating environment of the source vehicle comprises the enhanced vision system configured to analyze the visual image and the information related to the location of the source vehicle.