Visual Driver Information and Warning System for a Driver of a Motor Vehicle

• US 20130181823A1
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Company HG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Sthlin, Ulrich, Swoboda, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 8,994,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/16 Type of output information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/16 Type of information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18154 Approaching an intersection
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

The invention describes a visual driver information and warning system for a driver of a motor vehicle, which driver information and warning system comprises an information display device, at least one data detection means for information relating to the surrounding area and at least one data interchange device for information relating of he surrounding area, wherein a two-dimensional projection of at least one three-dimensional model of an actually existing, stationary or moving object which cannot be seen by the driver is displayed to the driver.

Claims

1. A visual driver information and warning system for a driver of a motor vehicle, which comprises an information presentation device, at least one ambient information data capture device, and at least one ambient information data interchange device, the system is configured such that the information presentation device presents to the driver two-dimensional projection of a three-dimensional model of at least one stationary or moving object which is actually present and which is not visible to the driver.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising in that the two-dimensional projection is inserted into a camera image of the surroundings of the vehicle which is likewise presented to the driver by the information presentation device.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising;

in that the two dimensional projection of the at least one object is inserted into a two-dimensional projection of a three-dimensional surroundings model, which projection is likewise presented to the driver by the information presentation device.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising in that the system is permanently activated during the operation of the vehicle.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising in that the system, upon identifying a danger of collision with one of the at least one object, changes the type of presentation of the projection of the object with which there is the danger of collision.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising in that the system, upon identifying a danger of collision with one of the at least one object, no longer presents projections of other of the objects below a prescribed threshold size.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein in that the system additionally comprises an ambient information data evaluation device which reads at least one of the following:

signals from the ambient information data capture device,

signals from the ambient information data interchange device,

signals from an ESP sensor,

signals from a position finding unit, and

signals from a navigation unit.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising in that the ambient information data capture device captures ambient information data on the basis of at least one of a radar, a camera, a lidar, and a laser.

9. The system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising in that the ambient information data evaluation device analyzes the data captured by means of the ambient information data capture device or the ambient information data interchange device for a possible danger of collision between the vehicle and one of the at least one objects which is not visible to the driver.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, further comprising in that the object which is not visible to the driver is perceptible exclusively by means of vehicle-to-X communication is categorized as “

not visible to the driver”

.

11. The system as claimed in claim 9 further comprising in that the object which is perceptible by means of at least one ambient sensor is categorized as “

visible to the driver”

.

12. The system as claimed in claim 9 further comprising in that the ambient information data evaluation device calculates the three-dimensional surroundings model from the data captured by the ambient information data capture device or from the data received from the ambient information data interchange device.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1, in that the information presentation device is a head up display.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13 further comprising in that the heads up display projects the projection into the whole traffic observation field of vision of the driver.

15. The system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising in that the projection in the field of perception of the driver is mixed with actual surroundings in the field of perception of the driver in a manner that is true to location and true to size.

16. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising in that the information presentation device is an a LC, an OLED or a LED display.

17. A method of providing visual driver information and warning for a driver of a motor vehicle, comprising the following steps:

providing an information presentation device,

providing at least one ambient information data capture device,

providing at least one ambient information data interchange device,

collecting ambient information data by means of the ambient information data capture device,

evaluating the ambient information data by means of the ambient information data evaluation device, and

presenting in the field of vision of the driver a two-dimensional projection of a three-dimensional model of at least one stationary or moving object which is actually present and which is not visible to the driver is presented.