Method and device for displaying information in a vehicle

• US 8,884,789 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Wagner, Volkmar, Koegler, Indra-Lena, Canis, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Zhen Y
• Application Number:
  US13/062,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20110215950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,901 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995.14, 345/649, 701/212, 701/200, 715/764
• US Class Current: 340/995.14
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

Abstract

In a method for displaying information in a vehicle, a geographic map is displayed on a display surface, a symbol for the vehicle is displayed within the geographic map, the position of the symbol relative to the geographic map changing as a function of the geographic position of the vehicle, and a graphic object including supplementary information being displayed within the geographic map as a function of the geographic position of the vehicle. An image sequence including multiple images for the graphic object is produced and displayed as a function of the geographic position of the vehicle such that at the end of the image sequence the graphic object has disappeared or can no longer be assigned to the supplementary information. A device is adapted to implement the method described above.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information in a vehicle, comprising:

displaying a geographic map on a display surface;

displaying a symbol for the vehicle within the geographic map, a position of the symbol relative to the geographic map changing as a function of a geographic position of the vehicle;

displaying a graphic object including supplementary information within the geographic map as a function of the geographic position of the vehicle; and

producing and displaying an image sequence, including multiple images for the graphic object, wherein the graphic object rotates as a function of the distance between the symbol for the vehicle and the graphic object, such that at an end of the image sequence the graphic object at least one of (a) has disappeared or (b) is no longer assignable to the supplementary information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle symbol represents a direction of travel of the vehicle and the graphic object is shown in front of the vehicle symbol in the direction of travel.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a perspective rotation of the graphic object is shown in the image sequence.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein a perspective rotation of the graphic object about a horizontal axis is shown in the image sequence.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein in the course of the image sequence the vehicle symbol and the graphic object are shown so as to represent the graphic object as folding over as the vehicle symbol drives over it.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the rotation is divided into a first phase, in which pixels of the graphic object are moved in accelerated fashion, and a second phase, in which the pixels of the graphic object are moved in a decelerated fashion.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

measuring a speed of the vehicle; and

ascertaining at least one of (a) a duration of a total rotation or (b) a duration of the rotation of at least one of (i) the first phase or (ii) the second phase as a function of the speed of the vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the image sequence produces a representation of the graphic object as fading out.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein a transparency of the graphic object is increased, the closer the vehicle symbol is represented as being to the graphic object on the display surface.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the graphic object includes a traffic sign.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining when the geographic position of the vehicle is expected to correspond to the position on the display surface, at which the graphic object is represented; and

substantially ending the image sequence when the expected geographic position of the vehicle corresponds to the position on the display surface, at which the graphic object is represented.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the device is adapted to perform the method recited in claim 1.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed by the device recited in claim 14.

12. A method for displaying information in a vehicle, comprising:

displaying a geographic map on a display surface;

displaying a symbol for the vehicle within the geographic map, a position of the symbol relative to the geographic map changing as a function of a geographic position of the vehicle;

displaying a graphic object including supplementary information within the geographic map as a function of the geographic position of the vehicle; and

producing and displaying an image sequence, including multiple images for the graphic object, as a function of the geographic position of the vehicle such that at an end of the image sequence the graphic object at least one of (a) has disappeared or (b) is no longer assignable to the supplementary information;

wherein a perspective rotation of the graphic object is shown in the image sequence;

wherein the rotation is divided into a first phase, in which pixels of the graphic object are moved in accelerated fashion, and a second phase, in which the pixels of the graphic object are moved in a decelerated fashion; and

further comprising, for successive intermediate images for representing the rotation in the first phase, repeatedly determining;

13. A method for displaying information in a vehicle, comprising:

displaying a geographic map on a display surface;

displaying a symbol for the vehicle within the geographic map, a position of the symbol relative to the geographic map changing as a function of a geographic position of the vehicle;

displaying a graphic object including supplementary information within the geographic map as a function of the geographic position of the vehicle; and

producing and displaying an image sequence, including multiple images for the graphic object, as a function of the geographic position of the vehicle such that at an end of the image sequence the graphic object at least one of (a) has disappeared or (b) is no longer assignable to the supplementary information;

wherein a perspective rotation of the graphic object is shown in the image sequence;

wherein the rotation is divided into a first phase, in which pixels of the graphic object are moved in accelerated fashion, and a second phase, in which the pixels of the graphic object are moved in a decelerated fashion; and

further comprising, for successive intermediate images for representing the rotation in the second phase, repeatedly determining;

14. A device for displaying information in a vehicle, comprising:

a memory adapted to store a geographic map and supplementary information assigned to the geographic map and to which graphic objects are assigned;

a display device including a display surface adapted to display the information;

a position determination device adapted to determine a geographic position of the vehicle; and

a control unit adapted to control information displayed on the display surface such that within a displayed geographic map a symbol for the vehicle is displayable, a position of the symbol for the vehicle relative to the geographic map changeable as a function of the geographic position of the vehicle, and a graphic object including supplementary information is displayable within the geographic map as a function of the geographic position of the vehicle;

wherein the control unit is adapted to produce an image sequence for display on the display surface, wherein the graphic object rotates as a function of the distance between the symbol for the vehicle and the graphic object, the image sequence including multiple images for the graphic object, the graphic object at least one of (a) having disappeared at an end of the image sequence or (b) no longer assignable to the supplementary information.