Adaptive heads-up user interface for automobiles

• US 7,764,247 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2006
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Blanco, Victor K., Goldthwaite, Flora P., Baumert, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu; Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, PREMAL R
• Application Number:
  US11/357,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20070194902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/810, 709/231, 340/984
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/365 Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays

Abstract

An adaptive user interface presented on a heads-up display of an automobile is provided. The adaptive user interface comprises a number of display elements that may be presented in a variety of display states. The display state for each display element is determined based on inputs from a variety of sources (e.g., the automobile).

Claims

1. One or more computer-storage media having computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for presenting one or more adaptive user interfaces on a heads-up display of an automobile, the one or more adaptive user interfaces comprising:

a plurality of display elements, each of the plurality of display elements configured to be displayed in at least four display states, each of the at least four display states configured to present a different amount of information for each of the plurality of display elements, wherein the at least four display states comprises a hidden state, a collapsed state, a preview state and a full view state, wherein each of the plurality of display elements is displayed in one of the at least four display states based at least in part on one or more inputs indicative of a driving state of the automobile and based on a priority of each of the plurality of display elements to driving the automobile, wherein a low priority display element is presented in the hidden state while the automobile is being driven and a high priority display element is presented in the collapsed state while the automobile is being driven, and wherein at least one of the display elements is displayed in one of at least four display states independent of the other display elements.

2. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 1, wherein the plurality of display elements comprise at least one of a navigation element, an information element, a people element, a speedometer element, a status element, a media element, and an environment element.

3. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 2, wherein information for each of the plurality of display elements is accessed from one or more information sources.

4. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 3, wherein the one or more information sources include at least one of an audio system, a video system, a climate control system, a navigation system, an automobile status detection device, a mobile device, a remote networked source, a user input device, and a communication system.

5. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of display elements is displayed in one of the plurality of display states based further on inputs from at least one of a user input device, a mobile device, and a remote networked source.

6. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable instructions embodied thereon further comprise one or more rules for determining one of the plurality of display states for each of the plurality of display elements based at least in part on the inputs associated with the automobile.

7. The one or more computer-storage media of claim 1, wherein the one or more rules comprise at least one of a user-defined rule and a rule based on one or more safety requirements.

8. A method for presenting an adaptive user interface on a heads-up display of an automobile, the adaptive user interface comprising a plurality of display elements, each of the plurality of display elements being configured to be presented in at least four display states, the method comprising:

receiving one or more inputs from one or more sources providing a context for the adaptive user interface, wherein the one or more inputs are received from one or more automobile status detection devices to indicate a driving state of the automobile;

determining a priority level of each of the plurality of display elements to driving the automobile;

determining a display state for each of the plurality of display elements based on the one or more inputs and based on the priority level of each of the plurality of display elements to driving the automobile, wherein each of the at least four display states presents a different amount of information for each of the plurality of display elements based on the driving state of the automobile, wherein at least one of the display elements is displayed in one of the at least four display states independent of the other display elements;

configuring the adaptive user interface to display each of the display elements in one of the at least four display states based on the driving state of the automobile and based on the priority level of each of the plurality of display elements to driving the automobile; and

presenting the adaptive user interface on the heads-up display of the automobile.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of display elements comprise at least one of a navigation element, an information element, a people element, a speedometer element, a status element, a media element, and an environment element.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of display states comprise at least one of a hidden state, a collapsed state, a preview state, and a full view state.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein determining a display state for each of the plurality of display elements based on the one or more inputs comprises:

accessing one or more rules for determining a display state for each of the plurality of display elements;

comparing the one or more inputs against the one or more rules to determine a display state for each of the plurality of display elements.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more rules for determining a display state for each of the plurality of display elements comprise at least one of a user-defined rule and a rule based on one or more safety requirements.

13. One or more computer-storage media storing computer usable instructions for performing a method for presenting an adaptive user interface on a heads-up display of an automobile, the adaptive user interface comprising a plurality of display elements, each of the plurality of display elements being configured to be presented in a plurality of display states, the method comprising:

determining the automobile is in a parked driving state;

presenting a first display element in a collapsed display state, based on determining the automobile is in the parked driving state, wherein the first display element is condensed to its smallest form and provides a limited amount of information in the collapsed display state;

receiving a first user selection of the first display element, while the automobile is in the parked driving state;

based on the first user selection, presenting the first display element in a full view display state, wherein the full view display state includes more information than the collapsed display state;

determining the automobile is in a traveling driving state;

presenting the first display element in at least one of a hidden state and the collapsed display state, based on determining the automobile is in the traveling driving state and based on a priority of the first display element to driving the automobile, wherein a low priority display element is presented in the hidden state while the automobile is being driven and a high priority display element is presented in the collapsed state while the automobile is being driven, wherein the first display element is completely removed or dimmed in the hidden state;

receiving a second user selection of the first display element, while the automobile is in the traveling driving state;

based on the second user selection, presenting the first display element in at least one of the collapsed state and a preview display state, wherein the preview display state includes more information than the collapsed state but less information than the full view display state; and

displaying a second display element in at least one of the collapsed display state, the hidden display state, preview display state and the full view display state, independent of the first display element.

14. The media of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises receiving one or more inputs from one or more automobile status devices, and wherein the automobile status devices provide automobile status information wherein the information may comprise the automobile'"'"'s speed, fuel level, oil temperature, mileage and miles per gallon information.

15. The media of claim 14, wherein the automobile status devices allow for a number of user inputs to be provided to the automobile status devices, wherein the user inputs are provided via devices associated with steering, brakes, gas, and turn signals.