User display providing obstacle avoidance

• US 9,415,754 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2012
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Florida Institute Of Human & Machine Cognition
• Original Assignee: Florida Institute For Human And Machine Cognition, Inc.
• Inventors: Eskridge, Thomas, Johnson, Matthew, Kenny, Chua Wei Liang
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Braniff, Christopher T
• Application Number:
  US13/705,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93

Abstract

A visual display for use by a user for navigation and obstacle avoidance. A typical user employs the invention in operating a vehicle. The display may include a conventional video feed. A visual arch metaphor is also provided. A ranging device mounted on the vehicle collects ranging data around the vehicle. As an example, the ranging device might collect 180 degrees of ranging data extending from the vehicle'"'"'s left side, across the vehicle'"'"'s front, and over to the vehicle'"'"'s right side. The ranging data is correlated to a predefined color scale. The ranging data is also correlated to a position on the arch metaphor.

Claims

1. A method of providing a display for an operator of a vehicle, said vehicle having a right boundary, a left boundary, a video camera, and a ranging device, comprising:

a. providing a video display, including a left side, a top, and a right side, wherein said video display displays images from said video camera on said vehicle;

b. providing an arch metaphor, extending from said left side of said video display, over said top, to said right side of said video display;

c. displaying ranging data collected by said ranging device on said arch metaphor, wherein,

i. said ranging data is dividing into ranging sectors,

ii. each of said ranging sectors is correlated to an arc sector on said arch metaphor,

iii. a range for each ranging sector is correlated to a color selected from a predefined color scale,

iv. said ranging data is displayed on said arch metaphor according to said correlated arc sector and said correlated color;

d. providing a right clearance indicator movable along said arch metaphor, with a position of said right clearance indicator along said arch metaphor being determined by a first amount of clearance between a projected right boundary of said vehicle and a first object that is nearest to a right side of said vehicle; and

e. providing a left clearance indicator movable along said arch metaphor, with a position of said left clearance indicator along said arch metaphor being determined by a second amount of clearance between a projected left boundary of said vehicle and a second object that is nearest to a left side of said vehicle;

f. wherein said position of said right clearance indicator is determined on said arch metaphor by

i. providing a central axis extending outward from said vehicle in a forward direction,

ii. providing a projected right boundary extending forward from said right boundary of said vehicle,

iii. of those ranging sectors lying to the right of said central axis, determining a closest point that is closest to said ranging device,

iv. passing a first range vector arc through said closest point on said right of said central axis,

v. determining a right boundary intersection lying at the intersection of said first range vector arc and said closest point on said right of said central axis,

vi. determining a right boundary vector passing from said ranging device through said right boundary intersection,

vii. using said right boundary vector to control movement of said right clearance indicator along said arch metaphor;

g. wherein said position of said left clearance indicator is determined on said arch metaphor by

i. providing a projected left boundary extending forward from said left boundary of said vehicle,

ii. of those ranging sectors lying to the left of said central axis, determining a closest point that is closest to said ranging device,

iii. passing a second range vector arc through said closest point on said left of said central axis,

iv. determining a left boundary intersection lying at the intersection of said second range vector arc and said closest point on said left of said central axis,

v. determining a left boundary vector passing from said ranging device through said left boundary intersection, and

vi. using said left boundary vector to control movement of said left clearance indicator along said arch metaphor.

2. A method of providing a display for an operator of a vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein said color scale comprises shades of gray.

3. A method of providing a display for an operator of a vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein said arch metaphor includes an aiming point indicator at its center.

4. A method of providing a display for an operator as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing left and right proximity bars that indicate the presence of an object lying close alongside said vehicle.

5. A method of providing a display for an operator of a vehicle, said vehicle having a right boundary, a left boundary, and a ranging device, comprising:

a. providing an arch metaphor, including an aiming point indicator in its center, wherein said aiming point indicator indicates a current heading of said vehicle;

b. displaying ranging data collected by said ranging device on said arch metaphor, wherein,

i. said ranging data is dividing into ranging sectors,

ii. each of said ranging sectors is correlated to an arc sector on said arch metaphor,

iii. a range for each ranging sector is correlated to a color selected from a predefined color scale,

iv. said ranging data is displayed on said arch metaphor according to said correlated arc sector and said correlated color;

c. providing a right clearance indicator movable along said arch metaphor, with a position of said right clearance indicator along said arch metaphor being determined by a first amount of clearance between a projected right boundary of said vehicle and a first object that is nearest to a right side of said vehicle;

d. providing a left clearance indicator movable along said arch metaphor, with a position of said left clearance indicator along said arch metaphor being determined by a second amount of clearance between a projected left boundary of said vehicle and a second object that is nearest to a left side of said vehicle;

e. wherein said position of said right clearance indicator is determined on said arch metaphor by

i. providing a central axis extending outward from said vehicle in a forward direction,

ii. providing a projected right boundary extending forward from said right boundary of said vehicle,

iii. of those ranging sectors lying to the right of said central axis, determining a closest point that is closest to said ranging device,

iv. passing a first range vector are through said closest point on said right of said central axis,

v. determining a right boundary intersection lying at the intersection of said first range vector arc and said closest point on said right of said central axis,

vi. determining a right boundary vector passing from said ranging device through said right boundary intersection,

vii. using said right boundary vector to control movement of said right clearance indicator along said arch metaphor;

f. wherein said position of said left clearance indicator is determined on said arch metaphor by

i. providing a projected left boundary extending forward from said left boundary of said vehicle,

ii. of those ranging sectors lying to the left of said central axis, determining a closest point that is closest to said ranging device,

iii. passing a second range vector arc through said closest point on said left of said central axis,

iv. determining a left boundary intersection lying at the intersection of said second range vector arc and said closest point on said left of said central axis,

v. determining a left boundary vector passing from said ranging device through said left boundary intersection, and

vi. using said left boundary vector to control movement of said left clearance indicator along said arch metaphor.

6. A method of providing a display for an operator of a vehicle as recited claim 5, wherein said color scale comprises shades of gray.

7. A method of providing a display for an operator of a vehicle as recited in claim 5, wherein said arch metaphor, said right clearance indicator, and said left clearance indicator include a hash mark.

8. A method of providing a display for an operator as recited in claim 5, further comprising providing left and right proximity bars that indicate the presence of an object lying close alongside said vehicle.