Integrated guidance system for vehicle and method for controlling the same

Abstract

An integrated guidance system for a vehicle and a method for controlling the integrated guidance system, the integrated guidance system may include: a sensor configured to collect vehicle information of the vehicle; a lamp configured to selectively illuminate points including doors or seats in the interior space of the vehicle when emitting light; a projector configured to display guidance information on a projection surface of the interior space of the vehicle; and a controller connected to the sensor, the lamp and the projector, and configured to control whether the lamp emits light and the illuminated points according to the vehicle information, generate guidance information for guiding passengers of the vehicle, and provide the guidance information to the projector.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an integrated guidance system and a method for controlling the integrated guidance system. The integrated guidance system can assist passengers in entering / exiting by collecting vehicle information from vehicle sensors and controlling lights based on the vehicle information, and can provide guidance information to passengers by controlling a projector to display the guidance information on a projection surface in an interior space of the vehicle to guide the passengers. Background Art

[0002] Controlling vehicle lighting and providing passengers with information about the vehicle's operation are essential functions. Typically, in conventional vehicles, these functions are primarily provided to the driver, meaning information is displayed only to the driver's side, or the driver's side is primarily permitted to control the vehicle's lighting, except when individual seats require lighting, where the lighting is controlled from an overhead console in the vehicle's ceiling.

[0003] At the same time, with recent advances in autonomous vehicles, the importance of the driver has diminished. Furthermore, the concept of a vehicle has gradually shifted from a private possession owned by an individual to a convenient item shared by multiple people. Therefore, there is a need to develop a new system that goes beyond the traditional driver-centric control system and allows individual vehicle occupants to easily and conveniently operate vehicle functions and provide them with vehicle driving information.

[0004] The items referred to as background art are provided only to enhance understanding of the background of the present invention and should not be construed as an admission that these items correspond to conventional art known to one skilled in the art to which various exemplary embodiments of the present invention pertain. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Various aspects of the present invention are directed to an integrated guidance system and a method of controlling the integrated guidance system, wherein the integrated guidance system allows lights to illuminate doors to assist passengers in entering and exiting a vehicle when passengers wish to enter and exit the vehicle, allows lights to illuminate individual seats, and includes a projector that displays guidance information on the floor of the vehicle to provide guidance to seats assigned to corresponding passengers, or provides vehicle travel information such as a destination, time to arrive at the destination, and route.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, an integrated guidance system for a vehicle includes: a sensor configured to collect vehicle information of the vehicle; a lamp configured to selectively illuminate points including doors or seats in the interior space of the vehicle when emitting light; a projector configured to display guidance information on a projection surface of the interior space of the vehicle; and a controller connected to the sensor, the lamp and the projector, and configured to control whether the lamp emits light and the illuminated points according to the vehicle information, generate guidance information for guiding passengers of the vehicle, and provide the guidance information to the projector.

[0007] The controller is configured to generate guidance information based on vehicle travel information, where the vehicle travel information includes passenger information, destination, route, or time to arrive at the destination.

[0008] Vehicle information may include whether a door is open, a seat is occupied, a seat belt is fastened, or the vehicle's surroundings are safe.

[0009] The lights may include door lights configured to illuminate doors, seat lights configured to illuminate individual seats, or mood lights configured to illuminate all seats of the vehicle, and the lights may have a variety of colors of light.

[0010] Door lights illuminate open doors when passengers enter or exit the vehicle.

[0011] The seat lamp may illuminate a seat assigned to a passenger among all seats when a passenger enters or exits the vehicle, and after the passenger is accommodated in the vehicle, the direction of light of the lamp may be selectively adjusted according to the passenger's operation.

[0012] Ambient lighting can illuminate all seats while the projector displays guidance information.

[0013] The lamp may illuminate all seats during an emergency situation of the vehicle, and the projector may display guidance information regarding the emergency situation of the vehicle on a projection surface in the interior space of the vehicle.

[0014] The sensor may collect information about the body movement of the person, and the controller may be configured to control the lighting of the lamp according to the information related to the body movement of the person.

[0015] The vehicle may be an autonomous vehicle, and a light or a projector may be provided in a roof of the vehicle to illuminate a floor of the vehicle or display guidance information on the floor of the vehicle.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling an integrated guidance system of a vehicle includes: an entry guidance step of controlling a light to illuminate an open door when a passenger enters the vehicle; a seating guidance step of controlling a light to illuminate a seat assigned to the passenger and displaying guidance information on a projection surface of an interior space of the vehicle using a projector; and a departure guidance step of controlling a light to illuminate an open door when a passenger leaves the vehicle.

[0017] The seating guidance step may include, in the leaving guidance step, when the passenger is not wearing a seat belt or a hazard is detected around the vehicle, notifying the passenger of the situation by controlling a light to illuminate the passenger's seat or controlling a projector to display guidance information on a projection surface in the interior space of the vehicle.

[0018] When an emergency occurs after the seating guidance step, a lamp emits light or a projector may inform passengers of the emergency by displaying guidance information, and the vehicle may be decelerated or stopped.

[0019] The integrated guidance system of the present invention and the method for controlling the integrated guidance system allow lights to illuminate doors to assist passengers in entering and exiting the vehicle when passengers wish to enter and exit the vehicle, allow lights to illuminate individual seats, and include a projector that displays guidance information on the floor of the vehicle to provide guidance to the seat assigned to the passenger, or provides vehicle travel information such as the destination, time to arrive at the destination, and route.

[0020] The methods and apparatus of the present invention have other features and advantages that will become apparent from or be set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, which together serve to explain certain principles of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an integrated guidance system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 is a view exemplarily showing a state in which lights in the integrated guidance system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention are configured to illuminate doors and seats and a projector displays guidance information on a floor of the vehicle.

[0023] Figure 3 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an integrated guidance system of a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention when the vehicle travels to a destination after a passenger enters the vehicle.

[0024] Figure 4 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an integrated guidance system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention when a passenger leaves the vehicle after the vehicle arrives at a destination.

[0025] It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and present a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrating the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the present invention as incorporated herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.

[0026] In the drawings, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings and described below. Although the present invention will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that this description is not intended to limit the present invention to those exemplary embodiments. On the other hand, the present invention is intended to cover not only exemplary embodiments of the present invention, but also various alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, all of which may be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an integrated guidance system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2 is a view exemplarily showing a state in which lights in the integrated guidance system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention are configured to illuminate doors and seats and a projector displays guidance information on a floor of the vehicle. Figure 3 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an integrated guidance system of a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention when the vehicle travels to a destination after a passenger enters the vehicle. Figure 4 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an integrated guidance system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention when a passenger leaves the vehicle after the vehicle arrives at a destination.

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an integrated guidance system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the lights in an integrated guidance system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention are configured to illuminate doors and seats, and a projector displays guidance information on the vehicle floor. An integrated guidance system for a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention includes: a sensor 130 configured to collect vehicle information; lights 100, 110, and 150 configured to selectively illuminate points within the vehicle's interior space, including doors or seats, when emitting light; a projector 120 configured to display guidance information on a projection surface within the vehicle's interior space; and a controller 140 configured to control whether the lights emit light and the illuminated points based on the vehicle information, generate guidance information for guiding vehicle passengers, and provide the guidance information to the projector. Furthermore, the vehicle information may indicate whether a door is open, a seat is occupied, a seat belt is fastened, or whether the vehicle's surroundings are safe.

[0030] Specifically, in Figure 3In the embodiment of the present invention, when a passenger has reserved a vehicle, the door of the vehicle is opened when the passenger is authenticated after the vehicle is assigned to the passenger (S200 and S210). In the integrated guidance system of the vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the door is opened, the sensor 130 detects this, and the light 110 illuminates the door, whereby the passenger safely enters the vehicle (S220 and S230). Thereafter, the light 100 illuminates the designated seat to help the passenger find the seat, and the projector 120 displays the passenger's name or ID on the designated seat to help the passenger find the seat assigned to him or her (S220 and S230). When the passenger is accommodated in the seat, the light 100 emits light, or guidance information for fastening the seat belt is displayed on the floor of the vehicle by the projector 120 to prompt the passenger to fasten the seat belt (S240, S250, S260 and S270).

[0031] Further, in Figure 1 and Figure 4 In the embodiment, after the vehicle arrives at the destination, only when the safety of the surrounding environment of the vehicle is guaranteed, the door is opened and the light 110 illuminates the door, thereby allowing passengers to safely leave the vehicle, and the projector 120 can display "Goodbye" ( Figure 2 S280, S300, S310, S320 and S330 in the Figure 4 In the present invention, when a danger is detected around the vehicle, the lamp 100 emits light or the projector 120 displays information about the danger around the vehicle on the floor of the vehicle without opening the door of the vehicle, thereby notifying the passengers of the situation (S350, S360 and S370).

[0032] In an integrated guidance system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the controller 140 can generate guidance information based on vehicle driving information, which includes passenger information, destination, route, or time of arrival at the destination. Therefore, before the vehicle starts, the projector 120 displays driving information, such as passenger information, destination, route, or time of arrival at the destination, on the vehicle floor, allowing the passenger to confirm whether the destination is the desired destination. Once the destination is confirmed, the vehicle begins driving. Furthermore, if the destination is the desired destination, the passenger can use the vehicle after resetting the destination using the mobile platform, or can use another vehicle.

[0033] In the integrated guidance system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the lights 100, 110, and 150 may include a door light 110 configured to illuminate a door, a seat light 100 configured to illuminate a single seat, or an ambient light 150 configured to illuminate all seats of the vehicle, and these lights emit light of multiple colors. Since these lights emit light of multiple colors, a color suitable for a certain situation, such as red, can be used.

[0034] The door light 110 can illuminate the open door when the passenger enters or leaves the vehicle. The door light 110 can assist the passenger to enter or leave the vehicle safely by illuminating the door of the vehicle.

[0035] Furthermore, the seat lights 100 can illuminate the passenger's assigned seat when a passenger enters or exits the vehicle, and can be controlled so that the passenger can selectively emit light after the passenger is seated in the vehicle. Multiple seat lights 100 can be provided to illuminate each individual seat, or a single seat light can illuminate each individual seat while changing the illumination point. The seat lights 100 can be controlled for each individual seat after the passenger is seated, so that only the passenger who needs the seat light 100 can use the seat light 100 that illuminates their seat.

[0036] At the same time, the ambient light 150 can illuminate all seats when the projector displays guidance information. When all passengers wish to illuminate their seats, the ambient light 150 can illuminate all seats. When the projector 120 displays guidance information that needs to be provided to all passengers on the floor, it can attract the attention of passengers and emphasize the displayed guidance information by illuminating the area around the display point.

[0037] Furthermore, in the integrated guidance system for a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the lights 100, 110, and 150 can illuminate all seats during an emergency situation in the vehicle, and the projector 120 can display guidance information about the emergency situation in the vehicle on a projection surface in the interior space of the vehicle. An emergency situation refers to a critical situation, such as when the driver of the vehicle changes, when the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, when the autonomous mode changes to the manual mode, when a medical emergency occurs in the vehicle, or when a problem occurs in the vehicle.

[0038] For example, when a medical emergency occurs in a vehicle, projector 120 can notify passengers of the emergency by displaying "Emergency" on the vehicle floor and controlling lights 100, 110, and 150 to emit red light. When a patient requires CPR, projector 120 can display a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guide inside the vehicle, and lights 100, 110, and 150 can also assist CPR by adjusting the lighting period according to the CPR guide.

[0039] Furthermore, in the event that the control privilege of the vehicle must be transferred due to an accident or a problem in the autonomous vehicle so that the passenger can manually drive the vehicle in the autonomous driving mode, in this case, the lamps 100, 110, and 150 may emit red light, and the projector 120 may display "Emergency," information about the transfer of control privilege, and a method for transferring the control privilege on the floor of the vehicle to inform the passenger of the emergency. Thereafter, when the control privilege is transferred to the passenger who can drive the vehicle so that the vehicle is manually driven or the control privilege cannot be transferred, the vehicle may be stopped, and the lamps 100, 110, and 150 may emit red light to inform people in the surrounding environment of the vehicle that the emergency has occurred.

[0040] At the same time, in the integrated guidance system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the sensor 130 can collect information about the body movement of the person, and the controller 140 can control the lights 100, 110, and 150 based on the information related to the body movement of the person. Therefore, a gesture sensor that recognizes the body movement of the person can be used, and the integrated guidance system of the vehicle according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention can communicate with the passenger by using the gesture sensor, and the passenger can control the functions in the vehicle.

[0041] For example, when a passenger confirms their destination after boarding a vehicle, if they make an "OK" gesture indicating that the destination is their desired destination, the gesture sensor can recognize the shape of their hand and the vehicle can be started. Furthermore, if the passenger makes an "X" gesture, the passenger's destination can be changed and another vehicle can be assigned to them. Furthermore, if it is necessary to transfer control privileges in an autonomous vehicle, the transfer of control privileges can be based on a gesture made by a passenger who is capable of driving the vehicle.

[0042] Furthermore, even when the interior of the vehicle is not individually touched, passengers can manipulate the functions of the vehicle by using gesture sensors, which can prevent infection due to contact by many unspecified users of the shared vehicle being used, and this is advantageous from the perspective of personal hygiene of the passengers.

[0043] In the integrated guidance system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, and the lights 100, 110, and 150 or the projector 120 are installed in the vehicle's ceiling, thereby illuminating the vehicle's floor or displaying guidance information on the vehicle's floor by the lights 100, 110, and 150. The lights 100, 110, and 150, the projector 120, and the controller 140 can be installed in the vehicle's ceiling in the form of an overhead console, making it easily applicable to various vehicles. In addition, the system can be applied to autonomous vehicles, allowing passengers to control various functions, such as lighting their seat individually, if desired, in a vehicle without a driver, and the projector 120 can conveniently provide guidance information to all passengers. Furthermore, the sensor 130 can be located in a seat or door and can be directly mounted on the overhead controller to identify passengers.

[0044] Figure 3 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an integrated guidance system of a vehicle according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention when the vehicle travels to a destination after a passenger enters the vehicle. Figure 4 The present invention is a flowchart of a method for controlling an integrated guidance system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention when a passenger leaves the vehicle after the vehicle arrives at a destination. A method for controlling an integrated guidance system according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention includes: an entry guidance step (S220) of controlling the light 110 to illuminate an open door when a passenger enters the vehicle (S200 and S210); a seating guidance step (S230) of controlling the light 100 to illuminate a seat assigned to a passenger and displaying guidance information on a projection surface of an interior space of the vehicle by using the projector 120 (S250, S260, and S270); and a departure guidance step (S350) of controlling the light 100 to illuminate an open door when a passenger leaves the vehicle (S280).

[0045] In a method for controlling an integrated guidance system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when a passenger is not wearing a seat belt or a hazard is detected around the vehicle in the exit guidance step (S330), the light 100 can illuminate the passenger's seat or the projector 120 can display guidance information on a projection surface in the interior space to inform the passenger of the situation.

[0046] In a method for controlling an integrated guidance system of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when an emergency occurs after the seating guidance step (S230), the lights 100, 110, and 150 may emit light or the projector 120 may notify passengers of the emergency by displaying guidance information, and the vehicle may be slowed down or stopped by the controller.

[0047] According to the integrated guidance system and the method of controlling the integrated guidance system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, by controlling the lights 100, 110 and 150 or the projector 120, smart interior display, lighting and its operation system for personal convenience can be provided to many unspecified users who use shared autonomous vehicles (such as ROBO taxis), and infection and spread of diseases among many unspecified users can be prevented by providing a contactless operation system using a gesture sensor, whereby passengers can use the interior space in a hygienic manner.

[0048] Furthermore, terms related to control devices such as "controller," "control unit," "control device," or "control module" refer to a hardware device including a memory and a processor that is configured to execute one or more steps interpreted as an algorithmic structure. The memory stores the algorithmic steps, and the processor executes the algorithmic steps to implement one or more processes of the method according to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The controller according to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be implemented by a non-volatile memory and a processor, the non-volatile memory being configured to store algorithms for controlling the operation of various components of the vehicle or data regarding software commands for executing the algorithms, and the processor being configured to implement the above-mentioned operations using data stored in the memory. The memory and the processor can be separate chips. Alternatively, the memory and the processor can be integrated into a single chip. The processor can be implemented as one or more processors.

[0049] The control device may be at least one microprocessor operated by a predetermined program, which may include a series of commands for executing the methods included in the aforementioned various exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

[0050] The aforementioned invention may also be embodied as computer-readable code on a computer-readable recording medium. A computer-readable recording medium is any data storage device that can store data that can be subsequently read by a computer system. Examples of computer-readable recording media include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), silicon disk drives (SDDs), read-only memories (ROMs), random-access memories (RAMs), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, and the like, as well as implementations as carrier waves (e.g., transmission via the Internet).

[0051] In various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, each of the operations described above may be implemented by a controller, and the controller may be configured by a plurality of controllers or an integrated single controller.

[0052] For ease of explanation and accurate definition in the appended claims, the terms "up," "down," "inside," "outside," "upward," "downwardly," "front," "back," "backside," "inside," "outside," "inwardly," "outwardly," "inner," "outer," "interior," "exterior," "forward," and "rearward" are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the positions of such features as shown in the figures. It will be further understood that the term "connect" or its derivatives refers to both direct and indirect connections.

[0053] The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and many modifications and variations are obviously possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of the invention and their practical application, so as to enable others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the invention and various alternatives and modifications thereof. The scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An integrated guidance system for a vehicle, comprising: a sensor configured to collect vehicle information of the vehicle; a light configured to selectively illuminate a point in an interior space of the vehicle including a door or a seat when emitting light; a projector configured to display guidance information on a projection surface of the interior space of the vehicle; and a controller connected to the sensor, the lamp, and the projector, and configured to control whether the lamp emits light and an illuminated point according to the vehicle information to generate the guide information for guiding passengers of the vehicle, and provide the guide information to the projector, Wherein, the lights include ambient lights, which are configured to illuminate all seats of the vehicle during an emergency situation of the vehicle, and the projector displays the guidance information about the emergency situation of the vehicle on the projection surface of the interior space of the vehicle during the emergency situation of the vehicle, so that when the projector displays the guidance information that needs to be provided to all passengers, the attention of the passengers is attracted, and the displayed guidance information is emphasized by illuminating the surroundings of the display point.

2. The integrated guidance system according to claim 1, wherein: The controller is configured to generate the guidance information based on vehicle travel information, where the vehicle travel information includes passenger information, a destination, a route, or a time to arrive at the destination.

3. The integrated guidance system according to claim 1, wherein: The controller is configured to: controlling the light to illuminate a door that opens when the passenger enters the vehicle; controlling the lamp to illuminate the seat assigned to the passenger and displaying the guide information on the projection surface of the interior space of the vehicle by using the projector; as well as The light is controlled to illuminate a door that opens when the passenger exits the vehicle.

4. The integrated guidance system according to claim 1, wherein: When the passenger is not wearing a seat belt or a hazard is detected around the vehicle, the controller is configured to notify the passenger by controlling the light to illuminate the passenger's seat or controlling the projector to display the guide information on the projection surface of the interior space of the vehicle.

5. The integrated guidance system according to claim 1, wherein: When the emergency situation occurs, the controller is configured to perform control to decelerate or stop the vehicle.

6. The integrated guidance system according to claim 1, wherein: The vehicle information includes whether the door is open, whether the seat is occupied, whether the seat belt is fastened, or whether the surrounding environment of the vehicle is safe.

7. The integrated guidance system according to claim 1, in, The lights also include door lights configured to illuminate the door or seat lights configured to illuminate individual seats.

8. The integrated guidance system according to claim 7, in, The door lights, the seat lights, and the ambient lights emit light of multiple colors.

9. The integrated guidance system according to claim 7, wherein: The door lights are configured to illuminate an open door when the passenger enters or exits the vehicle.

10. The integrated guidance system according to claim 7, wherein: The seat lamp is configured to illuminate a seat assigned to the passenger among all the seats when the passenger enters or exits the vehicle, and selectively adjust a direction of light emitted by the lamp according to an instruction of the passenger after the passenger is accommodated in the vehicle.

11. The integrated guidance system of claim 1 , wherein: The sensor is configured to collect information about body movements of a person, and the controller is configured to control illumination of the lamp according to the information related to the body movements of the person.

12. The integrated guidance system of claim 1, wherein: The vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, and the lamp or the projector is provided in a ceiling of the vehicle to illuminate a floor of the vehicle or display the guide information on the floor of the vehicle.

13. A method of controlling the integrated guidance system of the vehicle according to claim 1, the method comprising: an entry guidance step of controlling the light by the controller to illuminate an open door when the passenger enters the vehicle; a seating guidance step of controlling, by the controller, the lamp to illuminate the seat assigned to the passenger and displaying, by the controller, the guidance information on the projection surface of the interior space of the vehicle using the projector; as well as The controller controls the light to illuminate an exit guidance step of an open door when the passenger exits the vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein The seating guidance step includes: In the exit guidance step, when the passenger is not wearing a seat belt or danger is detected around the vehicle, the controller notifies the passenger by controlling the light to illuminate the passenger's seat or controlling the projector to display the guidance information on the projection surface of the interior space of the vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein When an emergency occurs after the seating guidance step, the lamp emits light or the projector notifies the passenger of the emergency by displaying the guidance information, and the vehicle is decelerated or stopped by the controller.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein: The controller includes: processor; and A non-transitory storage medium having a program for executing the method according to claim 13 recorded thereon, wherein the program is executed by the processor. 17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method according to claim 13 .

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