User interface for displaying object-based indications in an autonomous driving system

• US 8,903,592 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2014
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Mariet, Robertus Christianus Elisabeth, Clement, Manuel Christian, Nemec, Philip, Cullinane, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, DREW J
• Application Number:
  US14/171,904
• Time in Patent Office: 301 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701 23- 25, 701/27, 701/28, 701/41, 701/44, 701408-410, 701/301, 701/302, 340/425.5, 340/435, 340/438, 340/902, 340/903, 342/386
• US Class Current: 701/28
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/40 High definition maps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18159 Traversing an intersection
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0016 of the vehicle or its occupants
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/367 Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle has a plurality of control apparatuses, a user input, a geographic position component, an object detection apparatus, memory, and a display. A processor is also included and is programmed to receive the destination information, identify a route, and determine the current geographic location of the vehicle. The processor is also programmed to identify an object and object type based on object information received from the object detection apparatus and to determine at least one warning characteristic of the identified object based on at least one of: the object type, a detected proximity of the detected object to the vehicle, the location of the detected object relative to predetermined peripheral areas of the vehicle, the current geographic location of the vehicle, and the route. The processor is also configured to select and display on the display an object warning image based on the at least one warning characteristic.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a geographic position component configured to determine a current location of the vehicle;

an object detection apparatus configured to detect object information of an object in or proximate to a roadway;

a display device configured to display information to a person in the vehicle; and

one or more processors coupled to the object detection apparatus, the geographic position component, and the display device, the one or more processors being configured to;

receive the current location of the vehicle from the geographic position component;

identify the object and an object type of the object based on the object information detected by the object detection apparatus;

determine a warning characteristic of the identified object;

select an object warning image based on the warning characteristic; and

cause the selected object warning image to be displayed on the display device.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the warning characteristic of the identified object based on one or more of:

the object type, a detected proximity of the identified object to the vehicle, a location of the identified object relative to one or more predetermined peripheral areas of the vehicle, the current location of the vehicle, and a route of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the warning characteristic is a route-based warning characteristic that is based on the identified object, the current location of the vehicle, and a route of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to control an action to be taken by the vehicle in response to the route-based warning characteristic.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the warning characteristic relates to deceleration of the identified object when the identified object is positioned in front of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the one warning characteristic based on route information the presence of the identified object within a predetermined path of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the predetermined path includes movement from a current lane of travel to an adjacent lane, and wherein the identified object is a moving object in the adjacent lane.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the object warning image includes an icon and a positional indication relating to the location of the identified object relative to a peripheral area of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to prepare, for presentation on the display device, a non-warning indication image relating to a peripheral area of the vehicle that is not associated with the warning characteristic.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to prepare, for presentation on the display device, respective locations of a plurality of identified objects relative to the vehicle, and wherein the object warning image includes an indication of the identified object associated with the warning characteristic.

11. A method for selecting images for presentation on a display apparatus of a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a current location of the vehicle;

detecting object information of an object in or proximate to a roadway;

identifying, by one or more processors, the object and an object type of the object based on the object information;

determining, by the one or more processors, a warning characteristic of the identified object;

selecting, by the one or more processors, an object warning image based on the warning characteristic; and

preparing the selected object warning image for display on a display device of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the warning characteristic of the identified object is based on one or more of:

the object type, a detected proximity of the identified object to the vehicle, a location of the identified object relative to one or more predetermined peripheral areas of the vehicle, the current location of the vehicle, and a route of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the warning characteristic is a route-based warning characteristic that is based on the identified object, the current location of the vehicle, and a route of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling the vehicle to deviate from the route in response to the route-based warning characteristic.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the selected warning image includes an icon and a positional indication, the positional indication relating to the location of the detected object relative a peripheral area of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, further including preparing, for presentation on the display device, a non-warning indication image relating to a peripheral area of the vehicle that is not associated with the warning characteristic.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the object warning image includes an indication of the object type.

18. A non-transitory recording medium storing computer implementable instructions thereon, the instruction, when run, causing one or more processors to implement a method for selecting images for presentation on a display apparatus of a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a current location of the vehicle;

detecting object information of an object in or proximate to a roadway;

identifying, by one or more processors, the object and an object type of the object based on the object information;

determining, by the one or more processors, a warning characteristic of the identified object;

selecting, by the one or more processors, an object warning image based on the warning characteristic; and

preparing the selected object warning image for display on a display device of the vehicle.

19. The non-transitory recording medium of claim 18, wherein determining the warning characteristic of the identified object is based on one or more of:

the object type, a detected proximity of the identified object to the vehicle, a location of the identified object relative to one or more predetermined peripheral areas of the vehicle, the current location of the vehicle, and a route of the vehicle.

20. The non-transitory recording medium of claim 19, the method further comprising controlling the vehicle to deviate from the route in response to the route-based warning characteristic.