FR3048289A1 - METHOD FOR MANAGING A HIGH HEAD DISPLAY AND DISPLAY INSTALLATION APPLYING THE METHOD - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of managing a head-up display comprising: capturing the current position and the direction of traffic or the path of the vehicle by a satellite navigation system, determining a point of maneuver for the movement of the vehicle, and projecting one or more arrows operating maneuver (6) depending on the distance between the vehicle and the maneuver point, the maneuvering arrows (6) being presented as virtual safety slides (8).

Description

Field of invention

The present invention relates to a method for managing a motor vehicle head-up display according to which, according to the current traffic data, the head-up display projects indications in the driver's field of vision. The invention also relates to a head-up display installation implementing such a method.

State of the art

According to the state of the art, methods and head-up display systems as defined above are known. To display the information for the driver, it is usual to represent them in an area of the vehicle that the driver can see without having to look too much away from the traffic. The head-up display makes it possible to project the indication or indications directly into the driver's field of vision so that the driver does not have to look away from the traffic. For this, the indication is projected on the windshield of the vehicle so that this information appears as floating above the taxiway for the driver.

Description and advantages of the invention

The subject of the present invention is a method for managing a motor vehicle head-up display according to which, according to the current traffic data, the head-up display projects indications into the driver's field of vision, this method consisting in : enter the current position and the direction of travel or the route of the vehicle by a satellite navigation system, determine a point of maneuver for the movement of the vehicle, project one or more maneuvering arrows according to the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle. point of maneuver, the maneuvering arrows being presented as virtual safety slides.

The method according to the invention has the advantage of presenting to the driver warning indications in a simple and intuitive manner, and which integrate into the traffic events so that the driver perceives them intuitively and that he can recognize driving situations particularly quickly. Thus, according to the method presented above, a virtual guide slide with direction indication is projected in the form of maneuvering arrows in the field of vision so that the maneuvering arrows appear in front of the driver with reference to the environment. To correctly associate the virtual guardrail, for example with the traffic lane, it is not necessary to enter the environment by a camera. The driver will understand the virtual crash barrier even if it is not precisely embedded or analogous to a contact in the field of view. In general, the driver will automatically follow the maneuvering arrows. As well, the maneuvering arrows are projected according to the distance of the vehicle from the maneuver point, where the maneuver indicated by the maneuvering arrows must be carried out, the driver will perceive in a simple way the need of the indication. The maneuver point is for example a curve or a derivation of the path of the vehicle or a vehicle that precedes and that the driver must avoid. The maneuvering points related to the driving line are determined with the navigation system and the current position of the vehicle and, if applicable, the vehicle path.

It is not necessary to use environmental sensors such as for example a camera system or similar means. As a result, the means for the implementation carried out by the driver are reduced and economical. As a point of maneuver, it also determines the bypass of a preceding vehicle or an unforeseeable obstacle through environmental sensors, preferably at least one camera installation and / or radar installation for detecting preceding vehicles or obstacles on the journey of the vehicle. Depending on the obstacles seized and the current path, a change in the path is calculated or a point of maneuver is determined where the driver will have to act on the driving of the vehicle to escape an obstacle or bypass it.

According to a preferred development of the invention, for the representation, the maneuvering arrows are represented in the form of virtual safety barriers, one behind the other along a virtual curve. The curved shape realizes the virtual guardrail as a guiding path interpreted intuitively and along which the driver of the vehicle will have to orient himself.

According to another preferred characteristic, the respective distance between the adjacent maneuvering arrows increases as the distance from the operating point is reduced so that the maneuvering arrows will be deployed. This creates the impression that the driver is getting closer to the virtual safety slide, which allows him to orient himself very easily.

According to another preferred characteristic, the radius of the virtual curve decreases with the reduction of the distance from the maneuver point. In this case too, the driver is given the impression that he is getting closer to the maneuver point.

According to another preferred characteristic, the size of the maneuvering arrows is increased as a function of the reduction of the distance from the maneuvering point. It also serves to intuitively communicate to the driver that he is approaching the point of maneuver so that he can thus influence the driving of the vehicle appropriately.

According to a preferred development of the invention, the distance and / or the dimension of the maneuvering arrows is increased for the nearest maneuvering arrows according to the driver of the virtual curve, with respect to the maneuvering arrows less distant. This results in a three-dimensional formatting of the virtual guardrail which will be even easier to be grasped by the driver.

According to another preferred feature, the maneuvering arrows are laterally disengaged from the driver's field of view when the latter follows directional indications of the maneuvering arrows with the vehicle. If the driver follows the indication corresponding to the maneuvering arrows, that is to say the directional indication, the maneuvering arrows will be released laterally from the driver's field of vision, in particular as a function of the speed of movement and the radius curvature selected. This gives the driver the impression that he is passing along the virtual safety barriers.

Advantageously, the maneuvering arrows of the field of vision are disengaged in the opposite directions from those of the vehicle driving.

According to another preferred feature, the maneuvering arrows are eliminated and / or the color is changed if the driver guides his vehicle in a direction which deviates from the maneuvering arrows. This makes the driver aware that he is not following the directional indication of the maneuvering arrows. In any case, the driver will perceive that the maneuvering arrows are emerging in an unusual way from the field of view so that he will quickly know that he is not following the directional indications of the maneuvering arrows.

According to another preferred feature, the representation is modified, in particular the shape and / or the color of the maneuvering arrows according to the current conditions of about or the current driving situation. It is expected that for example changes the color of the maneuvering arrows according to the outside temperature, to draw the attention of the driver to the fact that the temperatures arrive at the freezing point. It is for example provided that when reaching low temperatures, especially below 0 ° C, the operating arrows are tinted red while for temperatures above 5 ° C for example, they are presented for example in white .

Preferably, in addition, the nature of representing the maneuvering arrows is modified so that in addition to or in a variant of a few maneuvering arrows shown, warning symbols are embedded. Thus, for example, as a warning symbol, pictograms of snowflakes or raindrops are used to indicate that it is moisture during freezing or moisture circulation. The additional indications are preferably embedded between the adjacent maneuvering arrows to draw the driver's attention to the risk situation or the environmental conditions.

According to another preferred feature, the distance, the dimension and the radius are modified step by step as a function of the decrease in the distance from the maneuver point. In principle, it is also possible to continuously vary the distance, the size and / or the radius when the driver or his vehicle approaches the point of maneuver. The modification, preferably stepwise, of the distance, the size and / or the radius makes the modification more easily perceptible by the driver so that he will more quickly grasp the approach of the maneuver point. In particular, it is planned to modify the distance, the size and / or the radius or the representation of the maneuvering arrows in at least three steps, preferably in five steps. In particular, the variation is according to whether the vehicle is traveling in town, on a national road or a motorway and in principle, different speeds or speed limits will be displayed. The method is thus advantageously adapted to the state of circulation and in particular to the current speed of the driver of the vehicle to always attract the attention of the driver, in time, the fact that one approaches the point of maneuver. The head-up display installation according to the invention as defined above is characterized by a control apparatus specially designed to implement the method of the invention. The resulting benefits are those developed above.

drawings

The present invention will be described in more detail below with the aid of exemplary embodiments of a method and an installation for managing a head-up display, represented in the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a very simplified representation of a head-up display installation, FIG. 2 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a projection for the head-up display installation, FIG. 3 is a second example of the projection, the FIG. 4 shows a third exemplary embodiment, FIG. 5 shows a fifth exemplary embodiment, FIG. 6 shows a management method of the head-up display installation, and FIG. 7 shows another management method of the head-up display installation; head-up display installation.

Description of embodiments

FIG. 1 is a very simplified representation of a head-up display installation 1 of a non-detailed vehicle. The head-up display installation 1 comprises a projector 2 which embeds indications in the driver's field of vision by projecting these indications onto the windshield of the vehicle so that these indications appear in a floating manner in front of the vehicle for the driver. The head-up display installation 1 also has a control device 3 which controls the projector 2 to represent the indications. The control unit 3 is connected to a navigation system 4 and optionally to environmental sensors 5 to determine the indications to be represented according to the data entered.

The navigation system 4 supplies the control unit 3 with the current position of the vehicle as well as the current traffic direction and, if applicable, the path predefined by the navigation system. Based on such data, the control device 3 determines the closest point of maneuver for the vehicle where the direction of the vehicle must be influenced. This may result for example from the path determined by the navigation system 4 or driving statistics data. Thus, for example, a maneuver point will be recognized even if without having predefined a path, a curve or a derivation appears on the path that the driver must follow for reasons related to the highway code. The apparatus 3 controls the projector 2 so that depending on the distance of the vehicle from the point of maneuver, it projects several maneuvering arrows 6 appearing or designed as virtual safety barriers 8. For this purpose, the maneuvering arrows 6 are displayed to follow a virtual curve 7 appearing in the driver's field of vision as shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows the traffic in front of the vehicle from the driver's point of view as well as the arrows. 6, which are distributed along a virtual curve 7. The curve 7 is thus oriented in the direction towards which the maneuvering arrows are oriented and which control the vehicle at the point of maneuver. The maneuvering arrows 6 are shown so that seen along the curve 7, they appear with different dimensions and different intervals to give the three-dimensional impression of the curve or the guardrail 8.

According to the exemplary embodiment, the determined maneuvering point is a curve on the left or a bypass on the left so that the maneuvering arrows 6 are oriented to the left and the curve 7 goes to the left. The maneuvering boom at the next maneuvering point is the smallest and the maneuvering arrow closest to the vehicle is the largest so that there is a three-dimensional impression of the virtual safety slide 8. Arrows intermediate maneuvering 6 are distributed over the virtual curve 7 with a decreasing dimension. According to the present embodiment, the virtual curve 7 is oriented from the right border of the taxiway 9 to the left towards the roadway where the vehicle will be deflected.

With the reduction of the distance between the vehicle and the maneuvering point, the representation of the maneuvering arrows 6 changes as shown for example in Figure 3. While Figure 2 shows a situation in which the vehicle is still far from the point maneuver, in Figure 3 it is right in front of the maneuvering point. To draw the attention of the driver to the fact that he must now turn to follow the curve, the maneuvering arrows 6 are shown enlarged and the virtual curve 7 is longer or has a smaller radius of curvature so that the arrows 6 also extend on the roadway 9 as shown in FIG. 3. If necessary, the color of the maneuvering arrows is also modified to draw the driver's attention to the necessity and urgency of the indications.

It is intended to change the size and spacing of the maneuvering arrows and the radius of the curve continuously while the vehicle approaches the point of maneuver. As a variant, the representation is preferably modified step by step and limit values are given in relation to the distance from the operating point; when the limit values are exceeded, the representation will be modified each time. In a particularly preferred manner, the limit values are predefined as a function of the current speed of circulation and / or the current state of the traffic. In particular, we will distinguish between the different types of pavements such as streets, national roads or motorways to adapt the representation to the foreseeable speed of circulation.

If, as indicated above, with reference to FIG. 1, the control device 3 is connected to environmental sensors 5, their data will be used in particular with respect to the traffic events upstream of the vehicle. If the environmental sensors consist for example of a radar sensor or a camera sensor, to seize the preceding vehicles, it will be possible to determine the overtaking maneuver or to use the preceding vehicle as a maneuver point as this is shown in Figure 4.

This figure shows the view of the roadway 9 by the driver; the traffic lane of the vehicle is occupied by another vehicle 10 which precedes. The control device 3 recognizes this obstacle or object on the path of the vehicle and defines it as a maneuver point. The virtual security slide 8, will be embedded with the maneuvering arrows 6 to indicate to the driver that he must pass his vehicle on the object, that is to say next to the other vehicle 10. In this In this illustration, the maneuvering arrows 6 will advantageously be modified according to the reduction of the distance relative to the vehicle 10 to display the urgency or necessity of the maneuver that the driver must perform.

FIG. 5 shows another exemplary embodiment according to which additional indications are presented to the driver. For this, the control device 3 determines the current environmental conditions using environmental sensors 5 such as for example the ambient temperature. For example, it can be observed that the ambient temperature is below the critical threshold under which ice can form on the roadway, so that the headlamp 2 will be controlled to additionally represent maneuvering arrows 6 or alternatively some of the maneuvering arrows. 6, also symbols 11, preferably in the form of snowflakes to draw the driver's attention to the risk of ice. In addition, the color of the maneuvering arrows and symbols is preferably modified to emphasize urgency and necessity. For this, the maneuvering arrows are for example presented in red color.

FIG. 6 schematically shows a flowchart of the management method of a head-up display installation 1. In step S1, the head-up display installation 1 is activated. In step S2, it is determined the distance between the vehicle and the maneuver point. If this distance is greater than a first predefined limit, no maneuvering arrow will be displayed. As soon as the first limit is however exceeded, in the next step S3, there will be a first display of the virtual guardrail 8 with the maneuvering arrows 6 as shown for example in Figure 2. For this, in addition, the distance of the vehicle from the maneuver point is monitored. It is only when passing below a second limit or threshold lower than the first threshold that in the following step S4, the representation of the virtual security slide 8 is modified. For this, in this step, one increases the distance between the maneuvering arrows 6 and / or reduces the radius of the virtual curve 7 so that the maneuvering arrows 6 now overflow the road or the field of vision of the driver.

If a third threshold or limit value, lower than the second threshold, is exceeded in step S5, the radius is decreased and / or the size of the maneuvering arrows 6 is increased. In addition, the color is changed as an option. maneuvering arrows to emphasize the urgency and the need for directional indications.

If we pass under a fourth threshold below the third threshold, it is recognized that the driver has arrived at the point of maneuver and is started away from the virtual safety rails 8 of the driver's field of vision. For this, first in step S7, it is asked whether the driver directs the vehicle in the direction indicated by the maneuvering arrows 6 or not. If the driver directs the vehicle in the indicated direction (j), then in the following step S8, the virtual safety slides 8 are moved in the opposite direction to the steering direction, to release them laterally from the driver's field of vision. as indicated by the arrow 11 in Figure 3. This gives the driver the impression that he has passed the vehicle next to the virtual safety slides 8. As soon as the vehicle reaches the point of maneuver and has exceeded this point, the process starts again with step S2.

If however, in the request S7, it is recognized that the driver does not control the vehicle in the direction indicated then the control device 3 controls the projector 2 to embed the maneuvering arrow 6 in the step S9, for example by increasing its transparency. Optionally, it also changes the color of the maneuvering arrows 6 to present them for example in red. This indicates to the driver that he does not follow the directional arrows. At the same time, it indicates to the driver that he must no longer follow the directional arrows and not consider them as valid for the next point of maneuver. At this time, the process starts again at step S2.

FIG. 7 is a simplified representation of another example embodiment of the method taken into account so that the maneuvering indications can also overlap in time if a first point of maneuver is not yet reached and if the distance the next maneuvering point has already decreased so much that it is now necessary to display the maneuvering arrows. Figure 7 shows for this purpose in several variants A), B), C), D), E), the passage of a maneuver point Ml at the next point M2.

As already described with reference to FIG. 6, the stepwise variation of the representation of the maneuvering arrows 6 or the virtual security slides 8 is done step by step. The different representations will hereinafter be called state Z1, state Z2, state Z3, state Z4, state Z5; the states Z1-Z4 represent the maneuvering boom 6 and its variations; the state Z5 represents the suppression of the maneuvering arrow or its clearing of the field of vision. The states distinguish according to the distance between the vehicle and the point of maneuver and are modified when reaching the limit values mentioned above. The state Z1 corresponds to the step S3 described previously; the state Z2 corresponds to the step S4; the state Z3 corresponds to the step S5 and the state Z4 corresponds to the step S6.

As the vehicle approaches the maneuvering point, the maneuvering arrows first shown in the sail manner appear in the Zl state. In the state Z2, when the distance to the point of maneuver has decreased, the arrows begin to flatten so that their distance increases and their dimensions themselves too, which results in a relief effect. In the states Z3 and Z4, the sails or maneuvering arrows 6 unfold even more until they are deployed completely, that is to say at most for the state Z4 and the maneuvering arrow 6 or sail the (the) most forward, that is to say the farther for the driver will have reached its maximum size on the virtual curve 7. Optionally, we reach the maximum development and size already in the Z3 state and then in the state Z4, when the distance to the point of maneuver will have further decreased, the maneuvering boom 6 will be tinted to signal the driver that he must start the steering maneuver or change of direction. If the driver controls the vehicle in the direction indicated, the maneuvering arrows or the sails will be cleared laterally of the field of vision as described above and in the Z5 state, the arrows will be cleared or neutralized if the driver do not follow the directional arrows.

Figure 7 shows examples of situations where two maneuvering points are so close to the vehicle path that it is necessary to consider both the first maneuvering point ahead and the second maneuvering point behind, by the control device to represent the security virtual slide 8.

According to the example of FIG. 7A, the first maneuvering point Ml and the second maneuvering point M2 overlap so that, when leaving state 4 with respect to the first maneuver point M1, the second state Z2 will already be set for the second M2 maneuver point. This is done so that only when the state Z4 has passed the first maneuver point Μ1 or has left it, instead of eliminating according to the state Z5, the state Z2 is displayed for the second point of maneuver (M2).

Similarly to FIG. 7B, the second maneuvering point is even closer to the first maneuver point so that one goes directly from state Z4 to state Z3 of second point of maneuver M2. According to FIG. 7B, the end of the state Z4 is still in the state plate ZI of the second maneuvering point M2 and already more than 50% of the path for the state Z2 for the maneuvering point M2 is traveled . This is why according to the embodiment of Figure 7B, we go from the Z4 state of the maneuvering point Μ1 directly to the Z3 state of the maneuvering point M2. The embodiment of FIG. 7C differs from the above in that the state Z4 referred to the first operating point M1 is reached for less than 25% of the path traveled from the state Z3 with respect to the second M2 maneuvering point. In this case, the display changes from the representation of the state Z4 reported at the maneuvering point M1 to the representation of the state Z3 reported at the maneuvering point M2.

FIG. 7D shows the case of the overlap of the states Z4 of the two maneuver points M1, M2 because these maneuver points M1, M2 are sufficiently close to one another. In this case, it is preferentially provided that, in spite of the overlap, the status Z3 associated with the second maneuvering point M2 is first displayed to indicate to the driver that the display of the second maneuvering point M2 applies.

If the maneuvering points are so far apart that one reaches the state Z5 for the first maneuvering point M1 before having determined or represented the state ZI reported to the second maneuvering point M2, then one does not neutralize or step aside laterally the maneuvering boom 6; instead, one goes to the ZI state or as presented above in the Z2 state. The state Z5 thus describes the neutralization of the maneuvering arrows and thus the step S7 in which it is decided whether the maneuver has been executed correctly and results in the corresponding animation of the maneuvering arrows 6. As described above, then passes either to the animation described in step S8 for a correctly executed maneuver or to animation of a poorly executed maneuver as described for step S9.

Advantageously, the limit values are given in seconds or in the time necessary to reach the maneuver point, in particular according to the current speed or the speed allowed on the current roadway. This is how we set the first threshold in urban areas at 8-6 seconds; on national roads, it is set at 20-10 seconds and on highway, it is set at 60-30 seconds. The second threshold is advantageously 5-3 seconds in urban traffic; on national roads, it is between 10 and 5 seconds and on highways, between 15 and 5 seconds. The third threshold is advantageously set in urban areas at 2-1 seconds, on national roads, 2.5-1.5 seconds and on highways, between 4 and 2 seconds. The fourth threshold is advantageously set in urban areas at 1-0 seconds, on national roads at 1.5-0.5 seconds and on motorways at 2-1 seconds. The fifth threshold for which maneuvering arrows 6 are neutralized or cleared from the driver's field of vision when the maneuver point is reached corresponds to a fifth threshold in the urban zone between 0 and -2 seconds, on national roads between 0 and -2 seconds and on highways, between 0 and -2 seconds. Advantageously, the duration of the neutralization of maneuvering arrows 6 also depends on the driving state or the speed of circulation. It is thus expected that in urban areas, 3-5 seconds after reaching the moment of the maneuver, the neutralization ends; on a national road, it ends between 3 and 5 seconds after reaching the maneuver point and on the highway, it ends between 3 and 5 seconds after reaching the maneuver point.

In principle, it is preferentially provided to determine the limit values according to the current speed or the current limitation of the speed. The first threshold is advantageously such that the current speed is multiplied by a coefficient x = 0.15, the second threshold with a coefficient X2 = 0.08, the third threshold with a coefficient X3 = 0.02 and the fourth threshold with a coefficient X4 = 0.01. The situation is similar for durations or thresholds of suppression or shifting sails maneuver. As after the deflection maneuver, the speed of movement is generally the same, fixed durations have been preferably provided as previously described for the neutralization or elimination of the maneuvering arrows 6.

NOMENCLATURE OF KEY ELEMENTS 1 Head-up Display Installation 2 Headlamp 3 Control Unit 4 Navigation System 5 Environmental Sensors 6 Control Arrow 7 Virtual Curve 8 Virtual Safety Slide 9 Roadway 10 Vehicle ahead / other vehicle 11 Representative symbol operating arrows S1-S9 Process steps Z1-Z5 Operating states Ml, M2

Claims (12)

1 °) A method of managing a head-up display of a motor vehicle according to which, according to the current traffic data, the head-up display projects indications in the field of vision of the driver, characterized in that it consists in: entering the current position and the direction of traffic or the path of the vehicle by a satellite navigation system (4), determining a point of maneuver (Ml, M2) of the movement of the vehicle, and - projecting one or more arrows maneuvering device (6) according to the distance between the vehicle and the maneuvering point (Ml, M2), the maneuvering arrows (6) being presented as virtual safety slides (8). Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that to represent the maneuvering arrows (6) as virtual safety slides (8), they are assembled one behind the other along a virtual curve (7). ). 3) Method according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that one increases the respective distance between adjacent maneuvering arrows as a function of the reduction of distance from the point of maneuver. 4) Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the radius of the virtual curve (8) is reduced as a function of the decreasing distance to the maneuver point (Ml, M2). 5 °) Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that one increases the size of the maneuvering arrows (6) as a function of the reduction of the distance from the maneuver point (Ml, M2). Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the distance and / or the size of the maneuvering arrows (6) are increased more sharply for the maneuvering arrows (6) located on the curve. virtual (7) near the driver than the maneuvering arrows (6) farther away. 7 °) Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the maneuvering arrows (6) are shifted laterally from the driver's field of vision when the driver follows the directional indications of the maneuvering arrows (6). with his vehicle. 8 °) Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that one neutralizes the maneuvering arrows (6) and / or changes their colors when the driver directs the vehicle in a direction that deviates from that of the maneuvering arrows (6). 9 °) Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that one modifies the representation including the shape and / or the color of the maneuvering arrows (6) according to the current environmental conditions or the current state of conduct. 10 °) Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that according to the current environmental conditions, it increments additional indications, in particular between adjacent maneuvering arrows (6). 11 °) Method according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the distance, the dimension and the radius are changed step by step as a function of the decrease of the distance from the maneuver point (Μ 1 , M2). 12 °) head-up display installation (1) for a motor vehicle comprising a head-up display for projecting indications in the field of vision of the driver of the vehicle and a satellite navigation system (4), an installation characterized in that it comprises a control apparatus (3) for applying the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, according to which, according to the current traffic data, the head-up display projects indications in the field of view of the conduct, the method of: capturing the current position and the direction of traffic or the path of the vehicle by a satellite navigation system (4), determining a point of maneuver (Ml, M2) of the movement of the vehicle, and projecting a or several maneuvering arrows (6) depending on the distance between the vehicle and the maneuvering point (Ml, M2), the maneuvering arrows (6) being presented as slideways s virtual security (8).