FR3086252A1 - METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE ELEMENTS OF A GRAPHIC ENVIRONMENT DISPLAYED BY A DISPLAY UNIT OF A LAND MOTOR VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for determining the elements of a graphical environment displayed by a display unit (105) of a land motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: - extracting navigation data from a medium data storage of a vehicle navigation system, - extracting driving assistance data, said driving assistance data being generated following the emission of a signal by at least one detection means (108) of the vehicle, said detection means being devoid of any photographic sensor, and establishing the elements of the graphic environment solely on the basis of navigation data and driving assistance data.

Description

Method for determining the elements of a graphic environment displayed by a display unit of a land motor vehicle

The present invention relates jointly to the field of navigation systems for land motor vehicles and the field of driver assistance systems. The invention relates in particular to a method for determining the elements of a graphic environment displayed by a display unit of a land motor vehicle. The invention applies in particular to motor vehicles.

It is known that, generally, the navigation systems of current vehicles include a screen on which are displayed map elements, guidance information, information relating to road traffic or points of interest. Driving assistance systems are also known which, by means of various signaling means, in particular light indicators, provide the driver with certain information which may be useful for driving activity. Systems for assisting in the monitoring of blind spots are known, for example, which indicate to the driver the presence of a vehicle in a blind spot by means of a remote indicator light in the rear view mirror located on the driver's side.

However, in this case, the driving assistance indications and the navigation indications are displayed independently of one another, namely on a dedicated screen for the navigation indications and by means of a remote indicator light in the rear view mirror for indications to assist in monitoring blind spots.

However, for obvious reasons of road safety, everyone knows that it is necessary to minimize as much as possible the time that a driver spends looking at something other than the road in front of him. Also, any solution which can only provide useful indications to the driver independently and / or in places separate from the vehicle cannot fully satisfy this primary constraint. Indeed, the

speed assimilation of information provided no î can that to be slowed down by the fact that the driver must focus his gaze and his be careful in places

separate.

The invention aims to provide a method to overcome these drawbacks. The object of the invention is in particular to provide a method for enabling a driver to simultaneously perceive driving assistance information and navigation information. In this way, the invention contributes to maximizing the chances that the navigation information is perceived in conjunction with the driving assistance information. In other words, the object of the invention is to provide a method which supports an environment for providing adequate information to allow minimization of the time that the driver uses to learn the navigation indications and the indications of driving assistance provided by the vehicle.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a method for determining the elements of a graphic environment displayed by a display unit arranged in a land motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

extracting navigation data from a data storage medium of a vehicle navigation system, extracting driving assistance data, said driving assistance data being generated following the emission of a signal by at least one vehicle detection means, said detection means being devoid of any photographic sensor, and constructing the elements of the graphic environment solely on the basis of navigation data and driving assistance data.

According to a variant, the detection means can be chosen from the group comprising laser remote sensing devices, radiosensing devices, sound wave detection devices and ultrasonic sensors.

According to another variant, a first element of the graphical environment can be a schematic view of the vehicle represented in a road environment whose contours are determined by the navigation data.

According to another variant, a second element of the graphic environment can be a visual representation of a direction indication positioned laterally with respect to the schematic view.

According to another variant, a third element of the graphic environment can be a visual representation of a driving aid element chosen from the group comprising the positioning aid elements on the road, the assistance elements for surveillance of safety distances, elements to aid in the monitoring of blind spots and elements to aid in the surveillance of road signs.

The invention further relates to a computer system for determining the elements of a graphic environment displayed by a display unit arranged in a land motor vehicle, the system comprising means for implementing a method such as defined above.

According to a variant, the system can comprise at least one computer and storage means in which are stored at least one program for the execution of steps according to the determination method implemented by the system.

The invention further relates to a computer program comprising instructions for the execution of the steps of a method as defined above.

The invention further relates to a medium usable in a computer on which is recorded a program as defined above.

The invention further relates to a land motor vehicle comprising a system as defined above.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a determination system according to the invention, and

- Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating certain steps of a determination method according to the invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the determination system 100 according to the present invention comprises an information processing unit 101, comprising one or more processors, data storage means 102, input and output means 103 and, optionally, display means 104. Preferably, the system 100 is on board a land motor vehicle and is distributed among one or more computers.

For certain tasks, the system 100 interacts with a display unit 105 of the vehicle, in particular by controlling the display of a graphical environment, the elements of which are determined according to the method described below. Preferably, the display unit 105 is part of a combination of digital instruments. Alternatively, the display unit 105 takes the form of a screen, for example a liquid crystal screen, independent of the instrument cluster.

For other tasks, the system 100 interacts with a data storage medium 106, preferably forming part of the vehicle navigation system. The data storage medium 106 hosts navigation data, in particular cartographic elements, which serve as the sole basis for all the usual navigation functions implemented by the vehicle navigation system, in particular the route calculation functions. , road traffic monitoring functionalities and functionalities related to the provision of additional information such as points of interest.

Finally, for other tasks, the system 100 interacts with a driving assistance system 107 of the vehicle. The driving assistance system 107 is based on a plurality of detection means 108 arranged in the vehicle. Preferably, the detection means 108 comprise a laser remote sensing apparatus, a radio sensing apparatus, a sound wave detection apparatus, an ultrasonic sensor and / or any other detection means without a photographic sensor. Conventionally, the driving assistance system 107 may include one or more computers which, according to predetermined roles, control the operation of various driving assistance devices of the vehicle (eg brake assist system emergency).

When the detection means 107 generate signals according to their respective detection profiles, the driving assistance system 107 generates driving assistance data. Advantageously, the driving assistance system 107 therefore generates data which can serve as the sole basis in the context of providing driving assistance functionalities, in particular for providing positioning assistance functionalities on the roadway, assistance in monitoring safety distances, assistance in monitoring blind spots and / or assistance in monitoring road signs.

All the elements described above contribute to allow the system 100 to implement a method for determining the elements of a graphic environment displayed by a display unit of a land motor vehicle.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, according to a step 201, the system 100 extracts navigation data from the data storage medium 106. Advantageously, the extracted navigation data contains cartographic elements which determine the contours of the road environment in which the vehicle operates. Alternatively, or cumulatively, the navigation data relates to road signs, points of interest or any other type of navigation data generally produced and / or used by traditional navigation systems. Thus, the system 100 is configured to select and recover useful data from all the navigation data used and / or produced by the navigation system which are stored on the storage medium 106.

According to a step 202, the system 100 extracts driving assistance data in parallel. As indicated above, the driving assistance data are generated by the driving assistance system 107 following the emission of a signal by at least one detection means 108 arranged in the vehicle. Depending on the detection device or device used, the driving assistance data may for example relate to the detection of a separation distance with a preceding vehicle or the detection of the crossing of a continuous line.

According to a step 203, the system 100 constructs the elements of the graphical environment by using only the navigation data and the driving assistance data. To do this, the system 100 proceeds in stages by first building different elements which are then assembled to form the graphic environment.

Indeed, the system 100 uses the navigation data to construct a first element of the graphic environment which, when the graphic environment is displayed by the display unit 105, is a schematic view of the vehicle represented in a road environment whose contours are determined by the navigation data. Preferably, the first element of the graphic environment, when displayed by the display unit 105, illustrates a perspective view from the rear of a diagrammatic vehicle traveling in a road environment which comprises at least one segment of road.

At the same time, the system 100 uses the navigation data to construct a second element of the graphical environment which, when the graphical environment is displayed by the display unit 105, is a visual representation of a direction indication. Preferably, the second element of the graphical environment is constructed such that the visual representation of the direction indication is positioned laterally with respect to the schematic vehicle view illustrated by the first element of the graphical environment.

Furthermore, the system 100 uses the driving assistance data to construct a third element of the graphic environment which, when the graphic environment is displayed by the display unit 105, is a visual representation of a driving assistance element chosen from the positioning aid elements on the roadway, the assistance elements for the monitoring of safety distances, the assistance elements for the monitoring of blind spots and the helps in monitoring road signs.

Also, concerning for example the elements for monitoring the safety distances, in particular when driving assistance data are generated following the detection by a vehicle detection means 108 of a vehicle traveling on the same road segment, the third element of the graphic environment can advantageously illustrate, when displayed by the display unit 105, a schematic view of a second vehicle.

Similarly, with regard to the positioning aid elements on the roadway, driving data generated by certain detection means 108 can be used by the system 100 for the construction of the third element of the graphical environment so that it , when displayed by the control unit 105, illustrates a visual representation of an indication relating to positioning on the roadway, for example a visual representation of an indication relating to a crossing of a continuous line.

According to a step 204, the system 100 assembles the elements of the graphical environment previously constructed to form the graphical environment. The assembly step 204 therefore ends with the determination of the complete graphics environment and with a final step of controlling the display unit 105 by the system 100 to execute the display of the graphics environment.

Consequently, under the terms of the system 100 and of the method according to the invention described above, the necessary functional bricks are made available in order to be able to provide the driver with navigation information and driving assistance information at within the same graphic environment which, advantageously, can be displayed by a single display unit.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS: 1. Method for determining by a computer system (100) the elements of a graphic environment displayed by a display unit (105) arranged in a land motor vehicle, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: extracting navigation data from a data storage medium of a vehicle navigation system, extracting driving assistance data, said driving assistance data being generated following the emission of a signal by at least one vehicle detection means (108), said detection means being devoid of any photographic sensor, and constructing the elements of the graphic environment solely on the basis of the navigation data and the driving assistance data . 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the detection means is chosen from the group comprising laser remote sensing devices, radiosensing devices, sound wave detection devices and ultrasonic sensors. 3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a first element of the graphic environment is a schematic view of the vehicle represented in a road environment whose contours are determined by the navigation data. 4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that a second element of the graphic environment is a visual representation of a direction indication positioned laterally with respect to the schematic view. 5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a third element of the graphic environment is a visual representation of a driving aid element chosen from the group comprising the positioning aid elements on the roadway, elements to aid in the monitoring of safety distances, elements to aid in the monitoring of blind spots and elements to aid in the monitoring of road signs. 6. Computer system (100) for determining the elements of a graphic environment displayed by a display unit arranged in a land motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises means (101, 102, 103, 104) for implementation of a method according to any one of the preceding claims. 7. System according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises at least one computer (101) and storage means (102) in which are stored at least one program for the execution of steps 5 according to the determination method implemented by the system. 8. Computer program comprising instructions for carrying out the steps of a method according to any one of claims 1 to 5. 9. Support usable in a computer and on which is recorded a program according to claim 8. 10. Land motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a system according to one of claims 6 or 7.