Safety visualizations for navigation interface

• US 9,770,987 B1
• Filed: 08/18/2016
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Glaser, Erik, Camhi, Jaime, Jayaratna, Dij
• Primary Examiner(s): File, Erin
• Application Number:
  US15/240,759
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/188 Displaying information using colour changes
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/349 Adjustment of brightness
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• 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: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

Abstract

An in-vehicle safety visualization system and method for coordinating driver alerts with a navigation system. Driver alert systems are interfaced with a display that is also used for depiction of navigation system images and information, allowing driver alerts to be shown at a location in which the driver'"'"'s attention is likely to be directed, in addition to the locations dictated by the driver alert systems.

Claims

1. A safety visualization system for use with one or more vehicle alert systems operable to generate a primary vehicle alert signal, the safety visualization system comprising:

a means for generating supplemental vehicle alerts from the one or more vehicle alert systems on a navigation system display when the navigation system is activated to supplement primary vehicle alerts generated by the vehicle alert systems in other locations, wherein the means for generating the supplemental vehicle alerts from the one or more vehicle alert systems on the navigation system display comprises;

a display device configured to display information from the navigation system;

a control system operable to depict the supplemental vehicle alert on the navigation system display generated by the one or more vehicle alert systems;

the control system configured to determine whether the navigation system is activated;

the control system having;

one or more processors for receiving signals from the one or more vehicle alert systems;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in which is stored computer code that when executed on the one or more processors causes the control system to perform the method of;

once the navigation system is activated, receiving a signal from the one or more vehicle alert systems; and

presenting the supplemental vehicle alert simultaneously with navigation system information;

wherein the system is configured to generate the supplemental vehicle alert on the navigation system display; and

wherein the supplemental vehicle alert is positioned to reflect the spatial relationship of a hazard that triggered the supplemental vehicle alert with respect to a carsor depicted on the display device.

2. The safety visualization system of claim 1 wherein the method performed by the control system includes:

determining an urgency level of the primary vehicle alert and configuring attributes of the supplemental vehicle alert based on the urgency level.

3. The safety visualization system of claim 2 wherein attributes are selected from the group consisting of light intensity, color, background, position and size.

4. The safety visualization system of claim 1 wherein the system is configured to represent the supplemental vehicle alert as a graphic showing the spatial relationship of the hazard with respect to the vehicle.

5. The safety visualization system of claim 4 wherein the spatial relationship of the hazard with respect to the vehicle is shown in real time.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which is stored computer code, which when executed on one or more processors causes a computer system to perform the method of:

receiving by a control system a signal indicating a navigation system is activated;

upon receiving the signal that the navigation system is activated, activating a safety visualization system;

receiving by the control system a signal from a vehicle alert system indicating the vehicle is encountering a hazard; and

displaying on a display device of the navigation system a supplemental vehicle alert based on the signal received from the vehicle alert system;

wherein the supplemental vehicle alert displayed by the control system is in addition to one or more primary vehicle alerts displayed by the vehicle alert system; and

wherein the supplemental vehicle alert is positioned to reflect the spatial relationship of a hazard that triggered the supplemental vehicle alert with respect to a carsor depicted on the display device.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 wherein the method includes determining an urgency level of the primary vehicle alert and configuring attributes of the vehicle alert based on the urgency level.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 wherein attributes are selected from the group consisting of light intensity, color, background, position and size.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 comprising generating the supplemental vehicle alert on the navigation system display positioned relative to a carsor corresponding to the relative position of the vehicle to a hazard that triggered the primary vehicle alert.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 wherein the method further includes representing the supplemental vehicle alert as a graphic showing the spatial relationship of the hazard with respect to the vehicle.

11. The safety visualization system of claim 10 wherein the method further comprises representing the spatial relationship of the hazard with respect to the vehicle in real time.

12. A vehicle having a safety visualization system for use with one or more vehicle alert systems operable to generate a primary vehicle alert signal, the safety visualization system comprising:

a means for generating supplemental vehicle alerts from the one or more vehicle alert systems on a navigation system display when the navigation system is activated to supplement the primary vehicle alerts generated by the vehicle alert systems in other locations wherein the means for generating the supplemental vehicle alerts from the one or more vehicle alert systems on the navigation system display comprises;

a display device configured to display information from the navigation system;

a control system operable to depict the supplemental vehicle alert on the navigation system display generated by the one or more vehicle alert systems;

the control system configured to determine whether the navigation system is activated;

the control system having;

one or more processors for receiving signals from the one or more vehicle alert systems;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in which is stored computer code that when executed on the one or more processors causes the control system to perform the method of;

once the navigation system is activated, receiving a the primary vehicle alert signal from the one or more vehicle alert systems; and

presenting the supplemental vehicle alert simultaneously with navigation system information on the display device;

wherein the supplemental vehicle alert is positioned to reflect the spatial relationship of a hazard that triggered the supplemental vehicle alert with respect to a carsor depicted on the display device.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 wherein the method performed by the control system includes representing the supplemental vehicle alert as a graphic showing the spatial relationship of the hazard with respect to the vehicle.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the method performed by the control system further comprises representing the spatial relationship of the hazard with respect to the vehicle in real time.