Rear view mirror on full-windshield head-up display

• US 8,482,486 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2009
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Seder, Thomas A., Szczerba, Joseph F., Cui, Dehua
• Primary Examiner(s): Tzeng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US12/564,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20100253597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/8, 345/576, 340/903, 340/905, 340/435
• US Class Current: 345/7
• 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 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• 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 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/308 by overlaying the real scene, e.g. through a head-up display on the windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8046 for replacing a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/723 by using numerical data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9319 Controlling the accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 : using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 : for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 : in the front of the vehicles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 : Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A substantially transparent windscreen head up display includes one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting vision through the windscreen. A method to display a virtual rearview mirror graphic upon a substantially transparent windscreen head up display of a vehicle includes monitoring a camera configured to generate a view behind the vehicle, determining the virtual rearview mirror graphic based upon monitoring the camera, displaying the virtual rearview mirror graphic upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display.

Claims

1. Method to display a virtual rearview mirror graphic upon a substantially transparent windscreen head up display of a vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring a camera configured to generate a view behind the vehicle;

determining the virtual rearview mirror graphic based upon monitoring the camera;

producing an excitation light for projecting the virtual rearview mirror graphic directly upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display for display using one of a laser and a projector device; and

wherein the substantially transparent windscreen head up display comprises one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting vision through the windscreen.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring informational inputs describing the operational environment for the vehicle;

processing the informational inputs to synthesize an operational environment model, the processing comprising

determining the informational inputs to indicate critical information,

determining spatial relationships of the critical information to the vehicle, and

synthesizing the critical information based upon the spatial relationships to form the operational environment model;

converting the environmental model into graphical images describing the critical information according the environmental model for display within the virtual rearview mirror graphic; and

displaying the graphical images within the virtual rearview mirror graphic.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein monitoring the informational inputs describing the operational environment for the vehicle comprises fusing radar information and information from the camera configured to generate the view behind the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein processing the informational inputs further comprises:

determining an importance for the critical information; and

wherein converting the environmental model into the graphical images is selectively emphasized based upon the determined importance for the critical information.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the informational inputs to indicate critical information comprises identifying critical object tracking data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein identifying critical object tracking data comprises determining a likelihood of collision.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein identifying critical object tracking data comprises comparing a range to a target object to a recommended range.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a plurality of cameras configured to generate views around a portion of the vehicle; and

wherein determining the virtual rearview mirror graphic further comprises determining a composite graphic based on the plurality of cameras.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a desired rearview mirror size;

and

wherein determining the virtual rearview mirror graphic is further based upon the desired rearview mirror size.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring a desired rearview mirror location;

and

wherein determining the virtual rearview mirror graphic is further based upon the desired rearview mirror location.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring an ambient light level; and

determining an auto-dimmer control for the virtual rearview mirror graphic based upon monitoring the ambient light level; and

wherein determining the virtual rearview mirror graphic is further based upon the auto-dimmer control.

12. Method to display a virtual rearview mirror graphic upon a substantially transparent windscreen head up display of a vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring a camera configured to generate a view behind the vehicle;

determining the virtual rearview mirror graphic based upon monitoring the camera configured to generate the view behind the vehicle;

monitoring informational inputs describing the operational environment for the vehicle;

processing the informational inputs to identify critical information for display upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display;

determining graphical images for display upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display based upon the critical information;

determining an enhanced vision display comprising

the graphical images based upon the critical information, and

the virtual rearview mirror graphic based upon monitoring the camera configured to generate the view behind the vehicle, and

producing an excitation light for projecting the enhanced vision display directly upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display for display using one of a laser and a projector device; and

wherein the substantially transparent windscreen head up display comprises one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting vision through the windscreen.

13. System to display a virtual rearview mirror graphic upon a substantially transparent windscreen head up display of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a sensor configured to monitor a view behind the vehicle;

the substantially transparent windscreen head up display comprising one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting vision through the windscreen;

an enhanced vision system (EVS) system manager

monitoring the sensor configured to monitor the view behind the vehicle, and

determining a display requirement based upon data from the sensor configured to monitor the view behind the vehicle;

a graphics system communicating with the EVS system manager and generating for display upon the substantially transparent head up display the virtual rearview mirror graphic based upon the display requirement; and

a graphics projection system communicating with the graphics system, the graphic projection system comprising one of a laser and a projector device to produce an excitation light for projecting the virtual rearview mirror graphic directly upon the substantially transparent head up display for display.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor configured to monitor the view behind the vehicle comprises a camera configured to generate a view behind the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising EVS system manager

analyzing data from the camera, and

identifying critical information based upon the analysis of the data;

and

wherein the display requirement is further based upon the identified critical information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein analyzing data from the camera comprises identifying an unsafe distance between the vehicle and a following vehicle.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein analyzing data from the camera comprises identifying a presence of an emergency vehicle behind the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein analyzing data from the camera comprises identifying an approaching vehicle failing to stop.