Method and apparatus for warning of objects

• US 9,959,767 B1
• Filed: 11/03/2016
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Canella, David A., Weigert, Norman J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US15/342,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20180122241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 340435, 340903, 701400
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/178 Warnings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/179 Distances to obstacles or vehicles
• 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 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/00 Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit , e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30241 Trajectory
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30261 Obstacle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications

Abstract

A method and apparatus for warning of occluded or obstructed objects are provided. The method includes: detecting a presence of at least one object in a predetermined area, the predetermined area being visually obstructed from an operator of a machine; determining whether at least one condition for displaying the detected at least one object is met; and in response to determining that the at least one condition is met, displaying a graphical indicator corresponding to the detected at least one object. The method and apparatus may be implemented in a vehicle to display graphical indicators warning of object on obstructing portions of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for warning of objects, the method comprising:

detecting a presence of a plurality of objects in a predetermined area, the predetermined area being visually obstructed from an entity in a vicinity of the predetermined area;

detecting depths, trajectories and locations of the plurality of objects;

determining whether at least one condition for displaying the detected plurality of objects is met, the at least one condition comprising at least one from among a speed of the entity, a reaction time of the entity, and a number of the plurality of objects; and

in response to determining that the at least one condition is met, displaying a plurality of graphical indicators corresponding to the detected depths, trajectories and locations of the plurality of objects,

wherein the displaying the plurality of graphical indicators comprises displaying the plurality of graphical indicators with depth, location and trajectory cues including one or more from among a shading of a graphical indicator, a transparency of a graphical indicator, an outlining of a graphical indicator, a size of a graphical indicator, a size of a graphical indicator relative to other graphical indicators, a color of a graphical indicator, a shape of a graphical indicator, a location of a graphical indicator, a motion of a graphical indicator, an occlusion of a graphical indicator by another, and an image displayed with a graphical indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the at least one condition for displaying the detected plurality of objects is met comprises:

determining a distance between at least one object of the plurality of objects and a machine; and

determining that the condition is met if the distance is less than a predetermined distance of the machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the at least one condition for displaying the detected plurality of objects is met comprises:

determining a position of at least one object of the plurality of objects, and

determining that the condition is met if the position of the at least one object is within the predetermined area.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining whether the at least one condition for displaying the detected plurality of objects is met further comprises:

determining a distance between at least one object of the plurality of objects and a machine, and

determining that the condition is met if the distance is less than a predetermined distance from the machine and the position of the at least one object is within a predetermined area corresponding to the position of the machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying the plurality of graphical indicators comprises displaying the plurality of graphical indicators on a portion of a machine that visually obstructs the predetermined area.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the machine comprises a vehicle and the portion comprises a pillar of the vehicle, and

wherein the pillar comprises at least one from among an A-Pillar, a B-Pillar and a C-Pillar.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the at least one condition for displaying the detected plurality of objects is met comprises:

determining a trajectory of at least one object of the plurality of objects or a machine, and

determining that the condition is met if the determined trajectory indicates that a trajectory of the at least one object will be within a predetermined distance of a trajectory of the machine.

8. An apparatus for warning of objects, the apparatus comprising:

at least one memory comprising computer executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to read and execute the computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing the at least one processor to;

detect a presence of a plurality of objects in a predetermined area, the predetermined area being visually obstructed from an entity in a vicinity of the predetermined area;

detect depths, trajectories and locations of the plurality of objects;

determine whether at least one condition for displaying the detected plurality of objects is met, the at least one condition comprising at least one from among a speed of the entity, a reaction time of the entity, and a number of the plurality of objects; and

in response to determining that the at least one condition is met, display a plurality of graphical indicators corresponding to the detected depths, trajectories and locations of the plurality of objects,

wherein the displaying the plurality of graphical indicators comprises displaying the plurality of graphical indicators with depth, location and trajectory cues including one or more from among a shading of a graphical indicator, a transparency of a graphical indicator, an outlining of a graphical indicator, a size of a graphical indicator, a size of a graphical indicator relative to other graphical indicators, a color of a graphical indicator, a shape of a graphical indicator, a location of a graphical indicator, a motion of a graphical indicator, an occlusion of a graphical indicator by another, and an image displayed with a graphical indicator.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the computer executable instructions cause the at least one processor to determine whether the at least one condition for displaying the detected plurality of objects is met by:

determining a distance between at least one object of the plurality of objects and a machine; and

determining that the condition is met if the distance is less than a predetermined distance of the machine.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to determine whether the at least one condition for displaying the detected plurality of objects is met by:

determining a position of at least one object of the plurality of objects, and

determining that the condition is met if the position of the at least one object is within the predetermined area.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to determine whether the at least one condition for displaying the detected plurality of objects is met by:

determining a distance between at least one object of the plurality of objects and a machine, and

determining that the condition is met if the distance is less than a predetermined distance from the machine and the position of the at least one object is within a predetermined area corresponding to the position of the machine.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to display the plurality of graphical indicators by displaying the plurality of graphical indicators on a portion of the machine that visually obstructs the predetermined area.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the machine comprises a vehicle and the portion comprises a pillar of the vehicle, and

wherein the pillar comprises at least one from among an A-Pillar, a B-Pillar and a C-Pillar.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions executable by a processor to perform a method for warning of objects, the method comprising:

detecting a presence of a plurality of objects in a predetermined area, the predetermined area being visually obstructed from an entity in a vicinity of the predetermined area;

detecting depths, trajectories and locations of the plurality of objects;

determining whether at least one condition for displaying the detected plurality of objects is met, the at least one condition comprising at least one from among a speed of the entity, a reaction time of the entity, and a number of the plurality of objects; and

in response to determining that the at least one condition is met, displaying a plurality of graphical indicators corresponding to the detected depths, trajectories and locations of the plurality of objects on a display corresponding to the visually obstructed area,

wherein the displaying the plurality of graphical indicators comprises displaying the plurality of graphical indicators with depth, location and trajectory cues including one or more from among a shading of a graphical indicator, a transparency of a graphical indicator, an outlining of a graphical indicator, a size of a graphical indicator, a size of a graphical indicator relative to other graphical indicators, a color of a graphical indicator, a shape of a graphical indicator, a location of a graphical indicator, a motion of a graphical indicator, an occlusion of a graphical indicator by another, and an image displayed with a graphical indicator.