Optimum driving path on full windshield display

• US 8,818,708 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Mathieu, Roy J., Szczerba, Joseph F., Seder, Thomas A., Cui, Dehua
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US13/309,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20130144521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 701/400, 701/410
• US Class Current: 701/410
• 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: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• 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 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/59 inside of a vehicle, e.g. relating to seat occupancy, driver state or inner lighting conditions

Abstract

A method to display a registered driving path image upon a transparent windscreen head-up display in a source vehicle includes monitoring an operating environment of the source vehicle, monitoring a driver registration input, determining a registered driving path image based upon the operating environment of the source vehicle and the driver registration input, and displaying the registered driving path image upon the head-up display.

Claims

1. Method to display a registered driving path image upon a transparent windscreen head-up display in a source vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring an operating environment of the source vehicle travelling upon a road surface, comprising;

monitoring a location of the source vehicle through a global positioning device, and

determining a geometry of the road surface proximate to the source vehicle based upon the location of the source vehicle and a three dimensional map database;

monitoring a driver registration input;

determining a registered driving path image defining a recommended plot for the source vehicle to use for travel upon a given section of the road surface based upon the operating environment of the source vehicle and the driver registration input, comprising;

when the given section of the road surface comprises a curved section, the registered driving path image including a closest point to an inside edge of the curved section that the source vehicle should reach during a turning maneuver through the curved section to enable a maximum desired vehicle speed at an exit of the curved section;

when the source vehicle operates upon public roads;

monitoring a driving priority;

monitoring historical driving paths cross-referenced with the driving priority, wherein the registered driving path image is based upon the historical driving paths; and

displaying the registered driving path image upon the head-up display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the operating environment of the source vehicle further comprises:

monitoring a vehicle sensor device; and

wherein determining the road geometry proximate to the source vehicle is further based upon the monitored vehicle sensor device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the registered driving path image comprises determining an ideal driving path illustrating a recommended path for the source vehicle irrespective of a current position of the source vehicle with respect to the road surface.

4. The method of claim 1:

wherein the operating environment of the source vehicle comprises a current position of the source vehicle with respect to the road surface; and

wherein the registered driving path image comprises a tactical driving path image illustrating a recommended path for the source vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining an ideal driving path image illustrating a recommended path for the source vehicle irrespective of the current position of the source vehicle with respect to the road surface; and

displaying the ideal driving path image upon the head-up display.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the operating environment of the source vehicle further-comprises monitoring a location of traffic proximate the source vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the source vehicle comprises a racing source vehicle operating upon a closed course.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving priority comprises fuel economy.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the operating environment of the source vehicle further comprises monitoring a planned route of travel when the source vehicle operates upon public roads.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the operating environment of the source vehicle further comprises monitoring an obstacle in a roadway.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein monitoring the obstacle in the roadway comprises monitoring historical data stored in a database.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein monitoring the obstacle in the roadway comprises monitoring vehicle-to-vehicle communications from another vehicle located in front of the source vehicle.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a current location and orientation of the source vehicle; and

comparing the current location and orientation of the source vehicle to an ideal driving path to determine a driving path variance; and

wherein determining the registered driving path image is further based upon the driving path variance.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating environment of the source vehicle comprises a proximity to an emergency vehicle.

15. System to display a registered driving path image upon a transparent windscreen head-up display in a source vehicle, comprising:

a transparent windscreen head-up display;

an enhanced vision system

monitoring an operating environment of the source vehicle travelling upon a road surface, comprising;

monitoring a location of the source vehicle through a global positioning device, and

determining a geometry of the road surface proximate to the source vehicle based upon the location of the source vehicle and a three dimensional map database,

monitoring a driver registration input, and

determining a registered driving path image for a given section of the road surface based upon the operating environment of the source vehicle and the driver registration input, comprising

when the given section of the road surface comprises a curved section, the registered driving path image including a closest point to an inside edge of the curved section that the source vehicle should reach during a turning maneuver through the curved section to enable a maximum desired vehicle speed at an exit of the curved section;

when the source vehicle operates upon public roads;

monitoring a driving priority;

monitoring historical driving paths cross-referenced with the driving priority, wherein the registered driving path image is based upon the historical driving paths; and

a graphic projection system displaying the registered driving path image upon the head-up display.