Integrated visual display system

• US 8,305,444 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hada, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Imad
• Application Number:
  US12/271,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20100123778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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 35/28 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: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/804 for lane monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A motor vehicle with an integrated visual display system for displaying proximity location information on an external object while the motor vehicle is parked or moving is provided. The integrated visual display system is operable to display information from a plurality of proximity sensors on a single display screen. The plurality of proximity sensors can be part of an autonomous and/or cooperative collision warning system.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle with an integrated visual display system for displaying proximity location information on an external object while the motor vehicle is parked or moving, the integrated visual display system operable to display the proximity location information of the external object on a single screen within the motor vehicle, said motor vehicle comprising:

a plurality of proximity sensors operable to detect an external object;

a visual display located in a driver'"'"'s line of sight when the driver is seated in a driver'"'"'s seat of said motor vehicle, said visual display in electronic communication with said plurality of proximity sensors and having;

a single display screen with a plurality of grid sections, said plurality of grid sections having a reference grid section with a symbol representing the motor vehicle and grid sections located behind, in front and on both sides of said reference grid section, wherein said plurality of grid sections is an x by y grid with y rows of x grid sections and x columns of y grid sections, said x and said y each being an integer between 2 and 10;

an illumination source, said illumination source operable to illuminate one or more of said plurality of grid sections;

said visual display operable to receive the proximity location information from at least part of the plurality of proximity sensors and illuminate one or more of said plurality of grid sections as a function of the proximity location information.

2. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein said x columns of y grid sections visually represent lanes of a road or highway said motor vehicle is traveling on.

3. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein said y rows of x grid sections visually represent a range of distances in front, beside and behind said motor vehicle.

4. The motor vehicle of claim 3, wherein at least one of said x columns is located on a right side of said reference grid section and at least one of said x columns is located on a left side of said reference grid section.

5. The motor vehicle of claim 4, wherein at least one of said y rows is located behind said reference grid section and at least one of said y rows is located in front of said reference grid section.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 5, wherein at least two of said y rows are located in front of said reference grid section.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein said x is equal to 3 and said y is equal to 4.

8. The motor vehicle of claim 7, wherein one of said 3 columns is located on a left side of said reference grid section one of said 3 columns is located on a right side of reference grid section.

9. The motor vehicle of claim 7, wherein one of said 4 rows is located behind said reference grid section and two of said 4 rows is located in front of said reference grid section.

10. The motor vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a left lane marker line on a left side of said reference grid section and a right lane marker line on a right side of said reference grid section.

11. The motor vehicle of claim 10, wherein said visual display is operable to illuminate said left lane marker line and said right lane marker line.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein said left lane marker line is illuminated when at least one of said plurality of proximity sensors detects a lane marker on a left side of said motor vehicle and said right lane marker line is illuminated when at least one of said plurality of proximity sensors detects a lane marker on a right side of said motor vehicle.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein said visual display is operable to illuminate said left lane marker line or said right lane marker line when said motor vehicle comes within a predetermined distance of said left lane marker or said right lane marker, respectively, without having a turn signal on.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 10, wherein said left lane marker line is located between a column of grid sections that said reference grid section is located on an adjacent column of grid sections located on said left side of said reference grid section, and said right lane marker line is located between said column of grid sections that said reference grid section is located on an adjacent column of grid sections located on said right side of said reference grid section.

15. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein said plurality of proximity sensors is a plurality of immediate vicinity sensors having a range of between 0 to 10 meters from said motor vehicle and a plurality of extended vicinity sensors having a range of between 10 to 300 meters from said motor vehicle.

16. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein said plurality of proximity sensors includes at least one sensor for an autonomous external object proximity location system and at least one sensor for a cooperative external object proximity location system.

17. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the external object is selected from the group consisting of another motor vehicle, a pedestrian, a traffic signal and a lane marker on a road.