Device and method for outputting information

• US 9,019,093 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2012
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Wendt, Juergen, Lohrengel, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US13/589,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20130049943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 340/439, 340/576, 340/575, 340/945, 340/573.1, 340/963, 701/45, 701/1, 701/36, 701/3
• US Class Current: 340/439
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/186 Displaying information according to relevancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/186 Displaying Information according to relevancy
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention

Abstract

A device and a method are provided for outputting items of information regarding a vehicle, in particular regarding a vehicle function. In order to impart the driver an improved knowledge of the vehicle functions, a first storage device, with which the items of information can be retrievably stored, a first device, with which a workload of the driver can be determined, a second device with which an associated priority can be provided to each item of information, and an output device are provided. If the determined workload undershoots a predeterminable limit workload, the item of information with the highest priority is output via the output device. The second device is embodied and equipped in such a manner, that following outputting of an item of information through the output device, the priority of this item of information is reduced.

Claims

1. A device for outputting information regarding vehicle functions, comprising:

a first storage device that is configured to retrievably store the information;

a first device that is configured to determine a driver workload;

a second device that is configured to associate a priority for each item of information of items of information;

a third device having a second storage device that is configured to store a history of a vehicle operating behavior for a predeterminable utilization interval of the vehicle, the third device configured to determine at least one of the vehicle operating behavior and a driver identification, wherein the second device is configured to change a priority of one or more item of information as a function of at least one of the vehicle operating behavior that occurred in the predeterminable utilization interval and the driver identification; and

an output device that is configured to output an item of information with a highest priority when a workload that is lower than a predeterminable limit workload,

wherein the second device is configured such that following the output of the item of information by the output device, the priority of the item of information is reduced.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein,

the third device is configured to determine a driver operating behavior;

and

the second device that is configured to change a priority of one or more item of information as a function of the driver operating behavior.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the driver identification comprises:

a vehicle key,

wherein the second device is configured such that priorities assigned to the item of information depend on the vehicle key.

4. The device according to claim 2, wherein the second device is configured such that the item of information regarding a function of the vehicle receives a higher priority when a current non-utilization of the function of the vehicle despite current expediency.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first device comprises an evaluation device and a sensor device that is configured to determine a surrounding of the vehicle.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an input device with which at least one of an operating modes of the device is selectable, the operating modes comprising:

the device can be switched on/off;

an operating mode, in which an automatic output of the item of information with the highest priority, takes place;

a second operating mode, in which an output of the item of information with the highest priority takes place only after an operator command;

a currently performed output of the item of information is suppressed through the operator command;

an output item of information is no longer assigned the priority through the operator command;

the item of information that is output is repeated through the operator command;

a next item of information is output in response to the operator command;

or

limit the workload can be variably predetermined.

7. A method for outputting information regarding a vehicle, comprising:

providing items of information;

providing an associated priority to each of the items of information;

determining a driver workload;

determining at least one of a vehicle operating behavior and a driver identification;

storing a history of the vehicle operating behavior for a predeterminable utilization interval of the vehicle;

changing the priority of one or more of the items of information as a function of at least one of the vehicle operating behavior that occurred in the predeterminable utilization interval and the driver identification;

outputting an item of information with a highest priority when the driver workload is lower than a predeterminable limit workload; and

reducing a priority of the item of information as the driver workload is lower than the predeterminable limit workload.

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

determining the driver identification based on a vehicle key; and

assigning priorities to the items of information based at least in part on the vehicle key.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the item of information regarding a function of the vehicle receives a higher priority when a vehicle operating behavior is determined that at least one operating error of the function of the vehicle.

10. The method according to claims 7, wherein the driver workload is determined with data of a sensor device for determining a vehicle surroundings.

11. The method according to claim 7, further comprising selecting at least one operating mode comprising an input device for switching-on.

12. A computer readable medium embodying a computer program product, said computer program product comprising:

a program for outputting information regarding a vehicle, the program configured to;

provide items of information;

provide an associated priority to each of the items of information;

determine a driver workload;

determine at least one of a vehicle operating behavior and a driver identification;

store a history of the vehicle operating behavior for a predeterminable utilization interval of the vehicle;

change the priority of one or more of the items of information as a function of the vehicle operating behavior that occurred in the predeterminable utilization interval and the driver identification;

output an item of information with a highest priority when the driver workload is lower than a predeterminable limit workload; and

reduce a priority of the item of information as the driver workload is lower than the predeterminable limit workload.

13. The computer readable medium embodying a computer program product according to claim 12, the program further configured to:

determine the driver identification based on a vehicle key; and

assign priorities to the items of information based at least in part on the vehicle key.

14. The computer readable medium embodying a computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the item of information regarding a function of the vehicle receives a higher priority when the vehicle operating behavior is determined that at least one operating error of the function of the vehicle.

15. The computer readable medium embodying a computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the driver workload is determined with data of a sensor device for determining vehicle surroundings.