GB2419118A - Traffic spacer using head-up display - Google Patents

Traffic spacer using head-up display Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2419118A
GB2419118A GB0422659A GB0422659A GB2419118A GB 2419118 A GB2419118 A GB 2419118A GB 0422659 A GB0422659 A GB 0422659A GB 0422659 A GB0422659 A GB 0422659A GB 2419118 A GB2419118 A GB 2419118A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
vehicle
head
display system
vertical position
line
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB0422659A
Other versions
GB0422659D0 (en
Inventor
Adrian James Locke
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB0422659A priority Critical patent/GB2419118A/en
Publication of GB0422659D0 publication Critical patent/GB0422659D0/en
Publication of GB2419118A publication Critical patent/GB2419118A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B27/00—Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00
    • G02B27/01—Head-up displays
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
    • B60K35/20—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
    • B60K35/28—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor 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
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
    • B60K35/20—Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
    • B60K35/29—Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01C—MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY
    • G01C3/00—Measuring distances in line of sight; Optical rangefinders
    • G01C3/22—Measuring distances in line of sight; Optical rangefinders using a parallactic triangle with variable angles and a base of fixed length at, near, or formed by the object
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K2360/00—Indexing scheme associated with groups B60K35/00 or B60K37/00 relating to details of instruments or dashboards
    • B60K2360/16—Type of output information
    • B60K2360/179—Distances to obstacles or vehicles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K2360/00—Indexing scheme associated with groups B60K35/00 or B60K37/00 relating to details of instruments or dashboards
    • B60K2360/18—Information management
    • B60K2360/191—Highlight information
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B27/00—Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00
    • G02B27/01—Head-up displays
    • G02B27/0101—Head-up displays characterised by optical features
    • G02B2027/0118—Head-up displays characterised by optical features comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B27/00—Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00
    • G02B27/01—Head-up displays
    • G02B27/0101—Head-up displays characterised by optical features
    • G02B2027/0141—Head-up displays characterised by optical features characterised by the informative content of the display

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
  • Remote Sensing (AREA)
  • Lighting Device Outwards From Vehicle And Optical Signal (AREA)

Abstract

A head-up display system projects onto a vehicle windscreen an illuminated horizontal line 2 (or band) the vertical position 5,6,8 of which is arranged to vary in direct relationship with the speed of the vehicle to indicate to the driver a safe distance at which he should be following a vehicle in front. The vertical position of the projected line may be adjustable to take into account driver height, weather conditions or alterations in ground clearance. The brightness of the projected line may be adjustable to suit ambient light.

Description

241911 8 1.
Traffic Spacer This invention relates to a device which enables vehicle drivers to know whether or not they are driving at what is considered to be a safe distance behind the vehicle in front, at varying speeds.
Road and motorway accidents are often caused by drivers driving too close to the vehicle in front and, on having to brake suddenly, not having sufficient space to avoid a collision.
To make such collisions less likely it is necessary to leave sufficient space between the two vehicles for the driver's reaction time and the braking process to take effect. On motorways it is not uncommon for the same driving fault to cause multi- vehicle 'pile- ups' resulting in deaths, injuries, damage to vehicles and delays to traffic. The cost to society of such accidents is significant. The primary purpose of this invention is to make driving safer by reducing the risk of collisions in such circumstances as just described.
The Highway Code states, inter alla, "keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front and increase the gap on wet or icy roads, or in fog". It also provides a table of Typical Stopping Distances for speeds from 20 mph to 70 mph which range respectively from 12 metres to 96 metros. The distances comprise 'thinking distance' and 'braking distance'.
For the purposes of this specification and ease of reference the distances stated are referred to as 'safe' distances.
On some motorways in the UK chevrons are painted on the road surface and signs advise drivers to keep at least three chevrons between their vehicle and the one in front. If drivers on these particular stretches of motorway comply with the advice then the risks of collisions can be reasonably expected to reduce. The chevron safe distance guidance system is not widely applied to motorways in the UK.
This invention addresses the problem which drivers have of judging the safe distance between their vehicle and the one in front. The device is applicable to all vehicles which have windscreens, on all roads and in all weathers.
It comprises a 'head-up display' system which projects onto the windscreen in front of the driver a horizontal illuminated band or line, for example of red light, which is arranged to move vertically up and down the windscreen by electronic or other connection to the speed monitoring system of the vehicle. When the vehicle is stationary the line lies near the bottom of the windscreen at an 'at rest' datum position and as the vehicle accelerates the line moves up the windscreen from the datum. As the vehicle decelerates the line moves down the" windscreen towards the datum. ,
Head-up displays are commonly used in military aircraft. They provide information for the pilot on bit windscreen so that he does not have to look down at the instrument panel and thereby take his eyes off the airspace in front of him. They have also been fitted to 2.
some vehicles to provide dashboard information such as vehicle speed, engine revolutions and even global positioning system information which the driver can view whilst still looking ahead.
The operation of this invention is described by reference to Figure 1 thus: with the vehicle 1 stationary the driver sees the illuminated line 2 lying in its datum position on the windscreen 3 as though it is on the road surface 4 ahead of his vehicle. If the device is calibrated to the Highway Code stopping distances, as the driver accelerates to 20 mph the line will rise to appear in a position 5 on the road 12 metres in front of his vehicle. As he speeds up to 70 mph it will rise to appear 90 metres ahead. Thus the line appears on the road ahead at a distance related directly to the speed of the vehicle.
By adjusting his speed so that the line appears to be in a position 6 on the road behind the rear wheels of the vehicle 7 in front he will know that he is at what is considered a safe distance from it if it should brake suddenly. When a driver sees the line 8 rising up the rear of the vehicle in front he will know that he is gaining on that vehicle and is no longer at a safe distance for braking suddenly. It will thus prompt him to slow down until the position of the line indicates that he is at a safe distance behind. A line of traffic, where the distance between each vehicle is regulated by the head-up display described, will be less likely to be involved in a 'pile-up' as vehicles will be more safely spaced apart.
The safe distances which the device projects onto the windscreen can be adjusted to meet whichever criteria the vehicle manufacturer considers appropriate for the make or type of vehicle and its braking efficiency, having regard to highway codes or other government advice or legislation.
To enhance the invention's beneficial effect on road safety, the position of the line on the windscreen can be arranged so that it projects an increased safe distance between vehicles when roads are wet or icy or foggy by means of the head-up display system having connections to the vehicle's windscreen wiper switch, external thermometer and foglight switch.
To provide drivers of different heights with the facility to use the headup display without incurring inaccuracy in the system's safe distance indication, the datum position of the line can be adjusted to suit the driver's eye height by means of a control mechanism.
On vehicles where there is the facility to raise and lower the body or chassis to give more or less ground clearance, the datum position of the line can be adjusted to allow for the vehicle's height by means of a control mechanism.
To allow for variations in ambient light the brightness of the illuminated line on the windscreen can be adjusted to ensure clarity by means of a control mechanism. 3.

Claims (5)

  1. Claims 1. A head-up display system which projects onto a vehicle
    windscreen an illuminated horizontal line, the vertical position of which is arranged to vary in a direct relationship with the speed of the vehicle and which indicates to the driver the recommended safe distance at which he should be following the vehicle in front.
  2. 2. A head-up display system as claimed in Claim 1 in which the vertical position of the projected line can also be adjusted to take account of wet weather, icy conditions and fog.
  3. 3. A head-up display system as claimed in Claim 1 in which the vertical position of the projected line can also be adjusted to take account of the different heights of drivers.
  4. 4. A head-up display system as claimed in Claim 1 in which the brightness of the projected line can be adjusted to ensure clarity in varying ambient light.
  5. 5. A head-up display system as claimed in Claim 1 in which the vertical position of the projected line can also be adjusted to take account of the variable ground clearance of vehicles which have the facility to alter it.
GB0422659A 2004-10-13 2004-10-13 Traffic spacer using head-up display Withdrawn GB2419118A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0422659A GB2419118A (en) 2004-10-13 2004-10-13 Traffic spacer using head-up display

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0422659A GB2419118A (en) 2004-10-13 2004-10-13 Traffic spacer using head-up display

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB0422659D0 GB0422659D0 (en) 2004-11-10
GB2419118A true GB2419118A (en) 2006-04-19

Family

ID=33443804

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB0422659A Withdrawn GB2419118A (en) 2004-10-13 2004-10-13 Traffic spacer using head-up display

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2419118A (en)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102005048398A1 (en) * 2005-10-10 2007-04-12 Sassin, Wolfgang, Dr. Assistance system for a vehicle driver of a public vehicle feeds mission data such as theoretical speed, destination and safety distances to a computer which is programmed so that it generates a virtual vehicle
EP1867524A1 (en) * 2006-06-05 2007-12-19 HONDA MOTOR CO., Ltd. Visual recognition assistance device for vehicle
EP1878605A2 (en) * 2006-07-14 2008-01-16 GM Global Technology Operations, Inc. Motor vehicle with a head-up display
EP1967821A1 (en) * 2007-03-09 2008-09-10 Wolfgang Dr. Sassin Assistance system for the driver of a vehicle, in particular of a motor vehicle for road traffic
US7817022B2 (en) * 2007-02-06 2010-10-19 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Vision enhancement device for use in vehicle
WO2011067170A1 (en) 2009-12-02 2011-06-09 Robert Bosch Gmbh Driver information device
DE102011121763A1 (en) 2011-12-21 2013-06-27 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Method for representing distance information to preceding vehicle on display device of motor car, involves generating virtual image portion as graphics element, and representing real image that is expanded around portion, on display device
DE102017221191A1 (en) 2017-11-27 2019-05-29 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Method for displaying the course of a safety zone in front of a vehicle or an object with a display unit, device for carrying out the method and motor vehicle and computer program
WO2023152818A1 (en) * 2022-02-09 2023-08-17 日産自動車株式会社 Information processing device and information processing method
US11990066B2 (en) 2022-03-18 2024-05-21 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. System and method to adjust inclined heads-up display perspective

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1261232A (en) * 1969-01-15 1972-01-26 James Skirving Pratt Measuring device for safety distances between moving vehicles
GB1355041A (en) * 1970-02-24 1974-06-05 Nat Res Dev Vehicle station keeping device
FR2213485A1 (en) * 1973-01-05 1974-08-02 Bellini Marcel
FR2224736A1 (en) * 1973-04-04 1974-10-31 Bellini Marcel Vehicle stopping distance indicator - safe distance between vehicles shown on windscreen
FR2539083A1 (en) * 1983-01-12 1984-07-13 Karapet James Device for displaying stopping distances or safe braking distances
GB2224475A (en) * 1988-11-05 1990-05-09 Frank Lister Speed distance head-up display
GB2395468A (en) * 2002-10-09 2004-05-26 B D I On U Ltd Distance indicating device

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1261232A (en) * 1969-01-15 1972-01-26 James Skirving Pratt Measuring device for safety distances between moving vehicles
GB1355041A (en) * 1970-02-24 1974-06-05 Nat Res Dev Vehicle station keeping device
FR2213485A1 (en) * 1973-01-05 1974-08-02 Bellini Marcel
FR2224736A1 (en) * 1973-04-04 1974-10-31 Bellini Marcel Vehicle stopping distance indicator - safe distance between vehicles shown on windscreen
FR2539083A1 (en) * 1983-01-12 1984-07-13 Karapet James Device for displaying stopping distances or safe braking distances
GB2224475A (en) * 1988-11-05 1990-05-09 Frank Lister Speed distance head-up display
GB2395468A (en) * 2002-10-09 2004-05-26 B D I On U Ltd Distance indicating device

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102005048398A1 (en) * 2005-10-10 2007-04-12 Sassin, Wolfgang, Dr. Assistance system for a vehicle driver of a public vehicle feeds mission data such as theoretical speed, destination and safety distances to a computer which is programmed so that it generates a virtual vehicle
DE102005048398B4 (en) * 2005-10-10 2007-07-05 Sassin, Wolfgang, Dr. Assistance system for the driver of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle for public roads
EP1867524A1 (en) * 2006-06-05 2007-12-19 HONDA MOTOR CO., Ltd. Visual recognition assistance device for vehicle
JP2008013163A (en) * 2006-06-05 2008-01-24 Honda Motor Co Ltd Vehicular visual recognition assist device
EP1878605A2 (en) * 2006-07-14 2008-01-16 GM Global Technology Operations, Inc. Motor vehicle with a head-up display
EP1878605A3 (en) * 2006-07-14 2009-07-01 GM Global Technology Operations, Inc. Motor vehicle with a head-up display
US7817022B2 (en) * 2007-02-06 2010-10-19 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Vision enhancement device for use in vehicle
EP1967821A1 (en) * 2007-03-09 2008-09-10 Wolfgang Dr. Sassin Assistance system for the driver of a vehicle, in particular of a motor vehicle for road traffic
WO2011067170A1 (en) 2009-12-02 2011-06-09 Robert Bosch Gmbh Driver information device
DE102010027727A1 (en) 2009-12-02 2011-06-09 Robert Bosch Gmbh Driver information device
DE102010027725A1 (en) 2009-12-02 2011-06-09 Robert Bosch Gmbh Driver information device
DE102011121763A1 (en) 2011-12-21 2013-06-27 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Method for representing distance information to preceding vehicle on display device of motor car, involves generating virtual image portion as graphics element, and representing real image that is expanded around portion, on display device
DE102011121763B4 (en) 2011-12-21 2023-04-06 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Method for displaying distance information on a display device of a vehicle and display device
DE102017221191A1 (en) 2017-11-27 2019-05-29 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Method for displaying the course of a safety zone in front of a vehicle or an object with a display unit, device for carrying out the method and motor vehicle and computer program
WO2019101491A1 (en) 2017-11-27 2019-05-31 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Method for displaying the course of a safety zone in front of a vehicle or an object by means of a display unit, device for carrying out the method, and motor vehicle and computer program
DE102017221191B4 (en) 2017-11-27 2019-06-13 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Method for displaying the course of a safety zone in front of a vehicle or an object with a display unit, device for carrying out the method and motor vehicle and computer program
US11325471B2 (en) 2017-11-27 2022-05-10 Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft Method for displaying the course of a safety zone in front of a transportation vehicle or an object by a display unit, device for carrying out the method, and transportation vehicle and computer program
WO2023152818A1 (en) * 2022-02-09 2023-08-17 日産自動車株式会社 Information processing device and information processing method
US11990066B2 (en) 2022-03-18 2024-05-21 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. System and method to adjust inclined heads-up display perspective

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB0422659D0 (en) 2004-11-10

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)