System and method for dynamic in-vehicle virtual reality

• US 9,630,631 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Alaniz, Arthur, Whinnery, Joseph, Murrish, Robert Wesley, Gleeson-May, Michael Eamonn
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Jacinta M
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBINSON, TERRELL M
• Application Number:
  US14/541,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20150100179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 345633
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/00 Video games, i.e. games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions gaming systems which provide a financial reward G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/20 characterised by the type of display used
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/80 characterised by the intended use of the viewing arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and system for in-vehicle dynamic virtual reality includes determining a spatial environment around a vehicle and one or more maneuver paths for the vehicle in the spatial environment. The method includes updating a virtual view based on the spatial environment and the maneuver paths. Updating the virtual view includes augmenting one or more components of a virtual world model to indicate the spatial environment and the maneuver paths. The virtual view is rendered to an output device. The method includes generating a vehicle maneuver request for the vehicle. The vehicle maneuver request includes at least a desired vehicle maneuver and the vehicle maneuver request is based at least in part on the spatial environment. The method includes controlling one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle based on the vehicle maneuver request.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for in-vehicle dynamic virtual reality, comprising:

receiving vehicle data, user data, and a virtual world model and generating a virtual view based on the vehicle data, the user data, and the virtual world model, wherein the vehicle data includes an orientation, a location and a motion of a vehicle, wherein the user data includes an orientation, a location and a motion of a user, wherein the virtual world model includes one or more components that defines the virtual view;

determining a temporal-motion rendering speed based on the vehicle data and the user data, wherein the temporal-motion rendering speed is a time-based correlation of differences between the orientation, the location and the motion of the user relative to the orientation, the location, and the motion of the vehicle;

determining a spatial environment around the vehicle and maneuver paths for the vehicle in the spatial environment;

updating the virtual view based on the spatial environment, the maneuver paths, and the temporal-motion rendering speed, wherein updating the virtual view includes augmenting the one or more components of the virtual world model to indicate the spatial environment and the maneuver paths, and rendering the virtual view to an output device;

generating a vehicle maneuver request for the vehicle, wherein the vehicle maneuver request includes a desired vehicle maneuver and the vehicle maneuver request is based on the spatial environment;

updating the virtual view based on the vehicle maneuver request, wherein updating the virtual view based on the vehicle maneuver request includes adjusting the temporal-motion rendering speed based on the vehicle maneuver request; and

controlling one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle based on the vehicle maneuver request, wherein the one or more vehicle systems implement a vehicle command based on the vehicle maneuver request.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein updating the virtual view based on the spatial environment, the maneuver paths, and the temporal-motion rendering speed comprises augmenting the one or more components of the virtual world model to provide an indication that designates unavailable maneuver paths and a graphical pop-up user menu that illustrates at least one vehicle maneuver option that corresponds to a desired movement of a virtual object to affect movement of the vehicle.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein updating the virtual view based on the spatial environment, the maneuver paths, and the temporal-motion rendering speed comprises augmenting the one or more components of the virtual world model to provide an indication that designates available maneuver paths.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising determining the spatial environment around the vehicle and the maneuver paths for the vehicle based on the vehicle data, wherein the vehicle data is received from the one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the spatial environment around the vehicle and the maneuver paths for the vehicle are based on a future position of the vehicle.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising determining an availability status of the vehicle maneuver request based on the spatial environment and the maneuver paths.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein determining the availability status of the vehicle maneuver request comprises comparing the vehicle maneuver request that includes the desired vehicle maneuver to the spatial environment and maneuver paths and determining if the vehicle maneuver request is valid with respect to the spatial environment and the maneuver paths.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the maneuver paths are at least one of an available maneuver path or an unavailable maneuver path.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the vehicle maneuver request comprises generating the vehicle maneuver request based on a user input to the output device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the vehicle maneuver request comprises generating the vehicle maneuver request based on the virtual world model of the virtual view currently displayed on the output device.

11. A computing system for in-vehicle dynamic virtual reality, comprising:

an output device for displaying a virtual view;

a processor operably connected to the output device and a vehicle;

a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to;

receive vehicle data, user data, and a virtual world model and generate the virtual view based on the vehicle data, the user data, and the virtual world model, wherein the vehicle data includes an orientation, a location and a motion of the vehicle, wherein the user data includes an orientation, a location and a motion of a user, wherein the virtual world model includes one or more components that defines the virtual view;

determine a temporal-motion rendering speed based on the vehicle data and the user data, wherein the temporal-motion rendering speed is a time-based correlation of differences between the orientation, the location and the motion of the user relative to the orientation, the location, and the motion of the vehicle;

determine a spatial environment around the vehicle and maneuver paths for the vehicle in the spatial environment;

update the virtual view based on the spatial environment, the maneuver paths, and the temporal-motion rendering speed, wherein updating the virtual view includes augmenting the one or more components of the virtual world model to indicate the spatial environment and the maneuver paths, and a rendering module renders the virtual view to the output device;

generate a vehicle maneuver request for the vehicle, wherein the vehicle maneuver request includes a desired vehicle maneuver and the vehicle maneuver request is based on the spatial environment;

update the virtual view based on the vehicle maneuver request, wherein updating the virtual view based on the vehicle maneuver request includes adjusting the temporal-motion rendering speed based on the vehicle maneuver request; and

control one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle based on the vehicle maneuver request, wherein the one or more vehicle systems implement a vehicle command based on the vehicle maneuver request.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein updating the virtual view based on the spatial environment, the maneuver paths, and the temporal-motion rendering speed comprises augmenting the one or more components of the virtual world model to provide an indication that designates unavailable maneuver paths and a graphical pop-up user menu that illustrates at least one vehicle maneuver option that corresponds to a desired movement of a virtual object to affect movement of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein updating the virtual view based on the spatial environment, the maneuver paths, and the temporal-motion rendering speed comprises augmenting the one or more components of the virtual world model to provide an indication that designates available maneuver paths.

14. The system of claim 11, comprising determining an availability status of the vehicle maneuver request based on the spatial environment and the maneuver paths, wherein determining the availability status of the vehicle maneuver request comprises comparing the vehicle maneuver request that includes the desired vehicle maneuver to the spatial environment and maneuver paths and determining if the vehicle maneuver request is valid or invalid with respect to the spatial environment and the maneuver paths.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein determining the availability status as valid or invalid includes comparing the vehicle maneuver request to the spatial environment and the maneuver paths.

16. The system of claim 15, comprising transmitting an inter-vehicle request based on the vehicle maneuver request to one or more vehicles in the spatial environment upon determining the availability status is invalid, the inter-vehicle request including one or more vehicle commands for the one or more vehicles to allow the vehicle maneuver request.

17. The system of claim 15, comprising receiving an authorization status in response to the inter-vehicle request from the one or more vehicles, and determining an updated spatial environment of the vehicle and the availability status of the vehicle maneuver request based on the updated spatial environment upon determining the authorization status is approved.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle maneuver request includes a temporal parameter for executing the desired vehicle maneuver, and wherein the spatial environment and the maneuver paths are determined based on the temporal parameter.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving vehicle data, user data, and a virtual world model and generating a virtual view based on the vehicle data, the user data, and the virtual world model, wherein the vehicle data includes an orientation, a location and a motion of a vehicle, wherein the user data includes an orientation, a location and a motion of a user, wherein the virtual world model includes one or more components that defines the virtual view;

determining a temporal-motion rendering speed based on the vehicle data and the user data, wherein the temporal-motion rendering speed is a time-based correlation of differences between the orientation, the location and the motion of the user relative to the orientation, the location, and the motion of the vehicle;

determining a spatial environment around the vehicle and maneuver paths for the vehicle in the spatial environment;

updating the virtual view based on the spatial environment, the maneuver paths, and the temporal-motion rendering speed, wherein updating the virtual view includes augmenting the one or more components of the virtual world model to indicate the spatial environment and the maneuver paths, and rendering the virtual view to an output device;

generating a vehicle maneuver request for the vehicle, wherein the vehicle maneuver request includes a desired vehicle maneuver and the vehicle maneuver request is based on the spatial environment;

updating the virtual view based on the vehicle maneuver request, wherein updating the virtual view based on the vehicle maneuver request includes adjusting the temporal-motion rendering speed based on the vehicle maneuver request; and

controlling one or more vehicle systems of the vehicle based on the vehicle maneuver request, wherein the one or more vehicle systems implement a vehicle command based on the vehicle maneuver request.