Method for supporting a driver using a portable device in a vehicle

• US 9,466,217 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2011
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Bonhoure, Patrick, Kuoch, Siav Kuong
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US14/118,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20140085113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,971 Days
• Field of Search: 340/432.2, 340/903, 340/435, 340/436
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/173 Reversing assist
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• 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: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/00 Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for supporting a driver of a motor vehicle (2) while driving the vehicle (2), wherein a sound signal indicating an information generated by a driver assistance system (3) of the vehicle (2) is output by a sound output device (7, 8) of the driver assistance system (3). The method comprises receiving acoustic sound by a microphone of a portable communication device (9) and checking by the portable communication device (9) whether or not the received acoustic sound comprises the sound signal of the driver assistance system (3) as well as, upon detecting the sound signal of the driver assistance system (3), generating a display (15) on a display means (14) of the portable communication device (9) in dependence on the information extracted from the sound signal.

Claims

1. A method for supporting a driver of a motor vehicle while driving the vehicle, wherein a sound signal indicating an information generated by a driver assistance system of the vehicle is output by a sound output device of the driver assistance system, the method comprising:

receiving acoustic sound by a microphone of a portable communication device and checking by the portable communication device whether or not the received acoustic sound comprises the sound signal of the driver assistance system; and

upon detecting the sound signal of the driver assistance system, generating a display on a display means of the portable communication device in dependence on the information extracted from the sound signal,

wherein, for supporting the driver while maneuvering the vehicle, a distance between the vehicle and an obstacle external to the vehicle is measured by means of a sensing device of the driver assistance system, wherein the output sound signal indicates the measured distance as the information and the display on the display means of the portable communication device is generated in dependence on the measured distance, and

wherein to determine the distance based on the sound signal, beeps of the sound signal are detected and a repetition rate of the beeps is determined by the portable communication device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated display indicates the measured distance.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generated display comprises a vehicle image and a distance indicating image which indicates the measured distance.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the distance indicating image comprises bars, the number of which is set in dependence on the distance.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensing device is an ultrasonic sensor device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the driver assistance system is a park assistant system.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein by the portable communication device, it is continuously checked whether or not the sound signal is present in the received acoustic sound, wherein the display is generated upon detecting the sound signal.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein after generating the display, it is continuously checked by the portable communication device whether or not the sound signal is still present, wherein the display is deactivated, if no sound signal is detected for a predefined period of time.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein for detecting the sound signal in the received acoustic sound, a comparison signal is provided in the portable communication device and the received acoustic sound is compared with the comparison signal.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the comparison signal is downloaded from a database through the internet for at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a given vehicle model, and a vehicle'"'"'s year of manufacture.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein for detecting the sound signal, at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a frequency, and an amplitude of the received acoustic sound is analyzed by the portable communication device to determine whether the amplitude of the received sound at a predefined frequency value is greater than a predefined threshold value.

12. A computer program product which is formed for performing a method according claim 1, when it is executed on a portable communication device.

13. A portable communication device comprising:

a microphone for receiving acoustic sound;

a controller for processing the received acoustic sound;

a comparison signal downloaded from a database through the internet for at least one selected from the group consisting of;

a given vehicle model, and a vehicle'"'"'s year of manufacture; and

a display means,

wherein the controller is adapted;

to compare the received acoustic sound with the comparison signal;

to detect in the received acoustic sound a predefined sound signal of a driver assistance system of a vehicle based on the comparison;

to extract information from the sound signal generated by the driver assistance system; and

to generate a display on the display means in dependence on the extracted information.

14. A system for a motor vehicle, comprising a driver assistance system and a portable communication device according to claim 13.