System and method for annotating points of interest on head-up display

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a system and method for annotating a point of interest on a head-up display. A vehicle including a head-up display (HUD), a transceiver, and a detection unit is disclosed. The transceiver may be configured to receive vehicle information and information associated with a geographic area in which the vehicle may be located. The detection unit may be configured to detect a user's eye gaze direction. The vehicle may also include a processor configured to obtain the vehicle information, the information associated with the geographic area, and the user eye gaze direction in response to obtaining a trigger signal. A processor may determine an object in the geographic area that a user may be viewing based on the vehicle information, the information associated with the geographic area, and the user's eye gaze direction. The processor may also, in response to determining the object, render an object identifier associated with the object on the HUD until the vehicle travels through the object.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for annotating points of interest (POIs) on a vehicle heads-up display (HUD), and more particularly to systems and methods for annotating POIs on a vehicle HUD based on a user's eye gaze direction. Background Art

[0002] Many modern vehicles include a heads-up display that displays important vehicle information that can assist a user while the vehicle is in motion. For example, a heads-up display (HUD) can display information associated with navigation instructions, vehicle speed, battery state of charge (SoC) / fuel level, etc., which can assist a user while driving the vehicle.

[0003] While the vehicle information displayed on the HUD may be beneficial to the user, there may be circumstances where the user may desire additional information. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present disclosure describes a vehicle including an augmented reality head-up display (HUD) configured to display information that can assist a driver in driving a vehicle. For example, the HUD can display vehicle speed, battery state of charge (SoC) / fuel level, navigation instructions, etc., which can assist the driver in driving the vehicle. The HUD can be further configured to display information associated with objects that the driver may be interested in knowing information about, for example, points of interest (POIs). Specifically, the HUD can be configured to display the names (or other details) of buildings / structures that the driver can see through the front windshield when driving the vehicle on a road. The HUD can display the building name for a preset duration and / or until the vehicle passes the building, which can enable the driver to view the building name on the HUD when the driver returns his gaze from the building to the HUD.

[0005] The vehicle may include an eye gaze detection unit that can detect the driver's eye gaze direction when the driver is looking at a building. The vehicle may also be configured to obtain a real-time vehicle geographic location, a vehicle orientation / posture, and a digital map of a geographic area where the vehicle may be located. The vehicle may associate the driver's eye gaze direction with the real-time vehicle geographic location, the vehicle orientation / posture, and the digital map of the geographic area to determine the building that the driver may be looking at. In response to determining the building that the driver may be looking at, the processor may also determine the building name based on the digital map of the geographic area.

[0006] In some aspects, the driver may provide the vehicle with preferences for the types of buildings / structures the driver wishes to view the corresponding names of. For example, the driver may provide preferences indicating that the driver wishes to view the names of tourist attractions, restaurants, etc. while driving on a road. In this case, in response to determining that the driver may be viewing a building, the vehicle may additionally determine the type of building based on a digital map of the geographic area. When the building type matches the type of building / structure the driver wishes to view the name of, the vehicle may display the building name on the HUD.

[0007] The present disclosure discloses a vehicle that displays information associated with a POI on a HUD. Since the vehicle displays information associated with a building that the driver may be viewing, the displayed information is relevant to the driver. In addition, the information displayed on the HUD can help the driver understand the details of buildings along the roadside during low visibility weather conditions (e.g., during fog, snowfall, rain, etc.). In addition, the information stays on the HUD for a predefined short duration or until the vehicle drives past the building, thereby ensuring that the displayed information does not distract the driver when driving the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and / or components other than those shown in the accompanying drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. The elements and / or components in the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, singular and plural terms may be used interchangeably, depending on the context.

[0009] Figure 1 An exemplary environment is depicted in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented.

[0010] Figure 2 A block diagram of an exemplary system for annotating objects on a vehicle heads-up display (HUD) according to the present disclosure is depicted.

[0011] Figure 3 Depicted are exemplary views of a driver's eye gaze direction in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 4 Depicted are exemplary snapshots showing a vehicle vector, a driver eye gaze vector, and a point of interest (POI) vector in accordance with the present disclosure.

[0013] Figure 5 A flow chart is depicted of an exemplary method for annotating objects on a vehicle HUD in accordance with the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] The present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are shown and which are not intended to be limiting.

[0015] Figure 1 An exemplary environment 100 is depicted in which techniques and structures for providing the systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented. The environment 100 may include a vehicle 102, which may take the form of any passenger or commercial vehicle, such as, for example, a car, a work vehicle, a crossover vehicle, a truck, a van, a minivan, a taxi, a bus, etc. The vehicle 102 may be a manually driven vehicle and / or may be configured to operate in a partially autonomous mode, and may include any powertrain, such as, for example, a gasoline engine, one or more electrically actuated motors, a hybrid powertrain, etc. A vehicle user 104 (or driver 104) may drive the vehicle 102 on a road 106. The road 106 may be located in a geographic area including one or more buildings 108, tourist attractions, restaurants, parking lots, gas stations / electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, etc.

[0016] The vehicle 102 may include an augmented reality head-up display 110 (or HUD 110) that may be disposed on (or near) the front windshield of the vehicle. The HUD 110 may be configured to display information that may assist the driver 104 as the driver 104 drives the vehicle 102. For example, the HUD 110 may display important vehicle information such as vehicle speed, battery state of charge (SOC) / fuel level, etc., navigation instructions, information associated with weather conditions, date and time, distance to the vehicle ahead, etc. In some aspects, the HUD 110 may be communicatively coupled with a user device (not shown) and / or one or more vehicle components that may enable the HUD 110 to receive and display the above-described information.

[0017] In some aspects, the driver 104 may activate a POI annotation mode of the HUD 110, which may enable the HUD 110 to display additional information. For example, when the driver 104 activates the POI annotation mode, the HUD 110 may display information associated with one or more POIs that may be located along the road 106. In some aspects, the driver 104 may activate the POI annotation mode by actuating a dedicated actuator / button that may be disposed inside the vehicle 102 (e.g., on the vehicle steering wheel). In other aspects, the driver 104 may activate the POI annotation mode by voice command, predefined gestures, via a user device or vehicle infotainment system, etc.

[0018] In an exemplary aspect, when the driver 104 activates the POI annotation mode, the HUD 110 may display information associated with one or more objects (e.g., structures or buildings) that may be present in the geographic area in which the vehicle 102 may be traveling. Specifically, the HUD 110 may display information associated with buildings / structures (“POIs”) that the driver 104 may be viewing through the vehicle windshield. For example, when the driver 104 is viewing Building 1 through the vehicle windshield, the HUD 110 may display information associated with “Building 1” (which may be one of the buildings 108 located along the road 106). The information associated with Building 1 that may be displayed on the HUD 110 may include the building name (e.g., Figure 1 ) and / or any other additional information that may be helpful to the driver 104. As an example, when the driver 104 may be viewing the parking lot of Building 1 through the front windshield of the vehicle, the HUD 110 may display “Parking Lot of Building 1”. Hereinafter, the terms “object” and “POI” may be used interchangeably.

[0019] By displaying information associated with an object that the driver 104 may be viewing on the HUD 110, the present disclosure provides additional functionality. For example, in a conventional HUD system, when the driver 104 arrives at the destination location (e.g., building 1), the HUD 110 or user device may only display and notify the driver 104 that the destination location has been reached. However, when the destination location may be a large building, a university, or a group of office buildings, etc., the driver 104 may desire additional information that can assist the driver 104 when driving (e.g., knowing whether the object / structure that the driver 104 may be viewing is the entrance of the building, the exit of the building, a parking lot, etc.). The present disclosure enables the driver 104 to view such additional information based on the object that the driver 104 may be viewing.

[0020] The present disclosure may also assist the driver 104 when the driver 104 may be driving through a geographic area that the driver 104 may not be aware of. For example, when the driver 104 may be driving through a geographic area as a tourist (e.g., for the first time), the driver 104 may desire to view the names and additional information associated with objects / structures along the road 106. The present disclosure enables the driver 104 to view such additional information. In this case, the driver 104 may provide input to the vehicle 102 (e.g., via a user device or a vehicle infotainment system), the input indicating the type of object that the driver 104 may be interested in viewing additional information about, and the HUD 110 may display information about the object that the driver 104 may be interested in. For example, before starting a trip or during a trip, the driver 104 may provide input to the vehicle 102, the input indicating that the driver 104 is interested in viewing information about tourist attractions when the vehicle 102 passes through the road 106. In this case, when the driver 104 is viewing those objects / structures on the road 106 that may be tourist attractions through the vehicle windshield, the HUD 110 may only display information about them (and may not display information about other objects / structures).

[0021] In some aspects, the HUD 110 may display information associated with an object (e.g., a POI) for a predefined duration or until the vehicle 102 drives past the object. In addition, to enable the HUD 110 to display information associated with the POI, the vehicle 102 may include a detection unit (e.g., a vehicle interior camera) that can detect the driver's eye gaze direction when the driver 104 is viewing the POI along the road 106. In this case, the vehicle 102 may communicate with an external server (on Figure 2 The vehicle 102 may be communicatively coupled to an external server (shown as server 206 in FIG. 1 ) that may provide the vehicle 102 with a real-time vehicle geographic location and a digital map of a geographic area in which the vehicle 102 may be located. The vehicle 102 may additionally include an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that may detect a vehicle orientation / heading (or vehicle attitude) as the vehicle 102 travels on the road 106. The vehicle 102 may correlate the detected driver eye gaze direction with the real-time vehicle geographic location, vehicle orientation / heading, and digital map of the geographic area to determine and display on the HUD 110 information associated with a POI that the driver 104 may be viewing (e.g., a POI name).

[0022] Combined with the following Figure 2 Further details of vehicle 102 are described.

[0023] The vehicle 102 and / or driver 104 implement and / or perform operations as described herein in the present disclosure in accordance with the vehicle owner's manual and safety guidelines.

[0024] Figure 2 A block diagram of an exemplary system 200 for annotating objects on a vehicle heads-up display (eg, HUD 110) according to the present disclosure is depicted. Figure 2 When you can refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 .

[0025] System 200 may include a vehicle 202, a user device 204, and one or more servers 206 that are communicatively coupled to each other via one or more networks 208. Vehicle 202 may be combined with the above Figure 1 The user device 204 may be associated with the driver 104 and may include, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a laptop, a computer, a tablet, a wearable device, or any other similar device having communication capabilities. The server 206 may be part of a cloud-based computing infrastructure and may be associated with and / or include a telematics service delivery network (SDN) that provides services to the vehicle 202 and other vehicles that may be part of a commercial vehicle fleet ( Figure 2 In another aspect, the server 206 may store information associated with a geographic area where the vehicle 202 may be located. The information associated with the geographic area may include, but is not limited to, the names of objects (buildings, structures, etc.) located in the geographic area, digital maps of the geographic area, building / structure types (e.g., office buildings, tourist attractions, gas stations or charging stations, restaurants, etc.), etc. In an additional aspect, the server 206 may be configured to provide navigation instructions to the vehicle 202, the user device 204, and multiple other vehicles and user devices (not shown) based on the source location and destination location provided to the server 206 by the corresponding vehicle / user device.

[0026] The network 208 illustrates an exemplary communication infrastructure in which the connected devices discussed in the various embodiments of the present disclosure can communicate. The network 208 can be and / or include the Internet, a private network, a public network, or other configurations that operate using any one or more known communication protocols, such as, for example, Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), Wi-Fi, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.11, and cellular technologies such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPDA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and Fifth Generation (5G), to name a few examples.

[0027] The vehicle 202 may include a plurality of units including, but not limited to, a vehicle computer 210, a vehicle control unit (VCU) 212, and a POI annotation system 214. The VCU 212 may include a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs) 216 arranged to communicate with the vehicle computer 210.

[0028] The user device 204 may be connected to the vehicle computer 210 and / or the POI annotation system 214 via a network 208, which may communicate via one or more wireless connections, and / or the user device may communicate using a near field communication (NFC) protocol, Protocol, Wi-Fi, ultra-wideband (UWB), and other possible data connection and sharing technologies to connect directly with the vehicle 202.

[0029] In some aspects, according to the present disclosure, the vehicle computer 210 and / or the POI annotation system 214 can be installed in the vehicle engine compartment (or elsewhere in the vehicle 202). In addition, the vehicle computer 210 can operate as a functional part of the POI annotation system 214. The vehicle computer 210 can be or include an electronic vehicle controller having one or more processors 218 and a memory 220. In addition, the POI annotation system 214 can be separate from the vehicle computer 210 (e.g., Figure 2 ), or may be integrated as part of the vehicle computer 210.

[0030] The processor 218 may be configured to communicate with one or more memory devices (eg, memory 220 and / or memory 224) configured to communicate with a corresponding computing system. Figure 2 The processor 218 may utilize the memory 220 to store programs and / or store data in code form to perform various aspects of the present disclosure. The memory 220 may be a non-transitory computer-readable memory that stores POI annotation program code. The memory 220 may include any one or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), etc.), and may include any one or more non-volatile memory elements (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), etc.).

[0031] According to some aspects, the VCU 212 can share a power bus with the vehicle computer 210 and can be configured and / or programmed to communicate between vehicle systems, connected servers (e.g., server 206), and other vehicles operating as part of a vehicle fleet (e.g., Figure 2The VCU 212 may include or communicate with any combination of ECUs 216, such as, for example, a body control module (BCM) 222, an engine control module (ECM) 224, a transmission control module (TCM) 226, a telematics control unit (TCU) 228, a driver assistance technology (DAT) controller 230, etc. The VCU 212 may also include and / or communicate with a vehicle perception system (VPS) 232, which connects and / or controls one or more vehicle sensing systems 234. The vehicle sensing system 234 may include one or more vehicle sensors, including, but not limited to, radio detection and ranging (RADAR or "radar") sensors configured to detect and locate objects inside and outside the vehicle 202 using radio waves, seating area lock sensors, seating area sensors, light detection and ranging (LiDAR or "laser radar") sensors, door sensors, proximity sensors, temperature sensors, wheel sensors, ambient weather sensors, vehicle interior and exterior cameras, steering wheel sensors, inertial measurement units (IMUs), etc. In an exemplary aspect, the vehicle interior camera and / or radar sensor may be configured to capture the eye gaze movement of the driver 104 as the driver 104 drives the vehicle 202. Additionally, the IMU may be configured to detect vehicle orientation, heading, or attitude as the vehicle 202 may be traveling on the road 106.

[0032] In some aspects, VCU 212 may control aspects of vehicle operation and implement one or more instruction sets received from user device 204 , from one or more instruction sets stored in memory 220 , including instructions to operate as part of POI annotation system 214 .

[0033] The TCU 228 may be configured and / or programmed to provide vehicle connectivity to wireless computing systems on and off the vehicle 202 and may include a navigation (NAV) receiver 236 for receiving and processing GPS signals, module (BLEM) 238, a Wi-Fi transceiver, a UWB transceiver, and / or may be configured to communicate between the vehicle 202 and other systems (e.g., a vehicle key fob, Figure 2 Other wireless transceivers (not shown), wireless communications (including cellular communications) between the computer and the module Figure 2 216). The TCU 228 may be configured to communicate with the ECU 216 via a bus.

[0034] ECU 216 may control various aspects of vehicle operation and communication using input from a human driver, input from an autonomous vehicle controller, input from POI annotation system 214, and / or input via wireless signals received from other connected devices (such as user device 204, server 206, etc.) over a wireless connection.

[0035] BCM 222 generally includes an integration of sensors, vehicle performance indicators, and varactors associated with vehicle systems, and may include processor-based power distribution circuits that may control functions associated with the vehicle body, such as lights, windows, security devices, cameras, audio systems, speakers, wipers, door locks and access controls, and various comfort controls. BCM 222 may also operate as a gateway for bus and network interfaces to communicate with remote ECUs ( Figure 2 In some aspects, the BCM 222 can additionally control the operation of the HUD 110.

[0036] The DAT controller 230 may provide Level 1 to Level 3 autonomous driving and driver assistance functions, which may include features such as active park assist, vehicle back-up assist, adaptive cruise control, and / or lane keeping. The DAT controller 230 may also provide various aspects of user and environmental input that may be used for user authentication.

[0037] In some aspects, the vehicle computer 210 can be connected to an infotainment system 240. The infotainment system 240 can include a touch screen interface portion, and can include a voice recognition feature, a biometric recognition capability that can recognize a user based on facial recognition, voice recognition, fingerprint recognition, or other biometric recognition means. In other aspects, the infotainment system 240 can also be configured to receive user commands via the touch screen interface portion, and / or display notifications (including visual alert notifications), navigation maps, etc. on the touch screen interface portion.

[0038] The vehicle 202 may also include a HUD 110, as described above in conjunction with Figure 1 The vehicle computer 210 and / or the POI annotation system 214 may control the HUD operation via the BCM 222 .

[0039] The computing system architecture of the vehicle computer 210, VCU 212 and / or POI annotation system 214 may omit certain computing modules. Figure 2 The computing environment depicted in FIG. 1 is an example of possible implementations according to the present disclosure and, therefore, should not be considered limiting or exclusive.

[0040] According to some aspects, the POI annotation system 214 can be integrated with and / or executed as part of the ECU 216. Whether it is integrated with the vehicle computer 210 or the ECU 216, or whether it operates as a standalone computing system in the vehicle 202, the POI annotation system 214 can include a transceiver 242, a processor 244, and a computer-readable memory 246.

[0041] The transceiver 242 may be configured to receive information / input from one or more external devices or systems (e.g., user device 204, server 206, etc.) via the network 208. In addition, the transceiver 242 may transmit notifications (e.g., alarm / alarm signals) to the external devices or systems. In addition, the transceiver 242 may be configured to receive information / input from vehicle components (such as the infotainment system 240, the NAV receiver 236, the vehicle sensing system 234 (including the vehicle interior camera and IMU), etc.). In addition, the transceiver 242 may transmit signals (e.g., command signals) or notifications to vehicle components (such as the infotainment system 240, the BCM 222, the HUD 110, etc.).

[0042] The processor 244 and the memory 246 may be the same or similar to the processor 218 and the memory 220, respectively. In some aspects, the processor 244 may utilize the memory 246 to store programs and / or store data in code form for performing various aspects according to the present disclosure. The memory 246 may be a non-transitory computer-readable memory that stores POI annotation program code. In some aspects, the memory 246 may additionally store information associated with the vehicle 202, input or information obtained from the user device 204 and the server 206, and one or more sensory inputs received from the vehicle sensing system 234.

[0043] In operation, the driver 104 may activate a control button that may be located inside the vehicle 202 (e.g., on the vehicle steering wheel, as described above in conjunction with Figure 1 240). In response to the driver 104 activating the actuator, the actuator can generate a trigger signal and transmit it to the transceiver 242. In other aspects, the driver 104 can activate the POI annotation mode through a voice command, a predefined gesture, via the user device 204, the infotainment system 240, etc. In this case, the user device 204 or the infotainment system 240 can generate a trigger signal and transmit it to the transceiver 242.

[0044] The transceiver 242 may receive a trigger signal from an actuator, a user device 204, or an infotainment system 240, and may send the trigger signal to the processor 244. In addition, the transceiver 242 may receive input associated with the driver's eye gaze movement and vehicle orientation / attitude from the vehicle sensing system 234 (e.g., real-time images), real-time vehicle geographic location from the NAV receiver 236, and information associated with a geographic area where the vehicle 202 may be located from the server 206. In response to receiving the vehicle information (e.g., real-time vehicle geographic location and vehicle orientation / attitude), input associated with the driver's eye gaze movement, and information associated with a geographic area where the vehicle 202 may be located, the transceiver 242 may send the received information to the memory 246 for storage purposes.

[0045] The processor 244 may obtain the trigger signal from the transceiver 242. In response to obtaining the trigger signal, the processor 244 may retrieve or obtain the vehicle information, the input associated with the eye gaze movement of the driver, and the information associated with the geographic area from the memory 246 or directly from the transceiver 242. In some aspects, the processor 244 may determine the eye gaze direction of the driver 104 relative to the direction of vehicle travel based on the input associated with the eye gaze movement of the driver. Figure 3 An exemplary view of the driver's eye gaze direction is depicted in FIG.

[0046] like Figure 3 As shown, the vehicle 202 may be traveling along the driving direction 302, and the driver 104 may rotate the eyes to the left by an angle "α" relative to the driving direction 302 to view the building 304 while driving the vehicle 202. Similarly, the driver 104 may rotate the eyes to the right by an angle "β" relative to the driving direction 302 to view the building 306 while driving the vehicle 202. In some aspects, the processor 244 may be configured to determine the angles "α" and "β" based on input associated with the driver's eye gaze movement obtained from the memory 246 or the transceiver 242.

[0047] Although the above description describes aspects of the processor 244 determining the driver's eye gaze direction, in some aspects, the eye gaze direction may be provided by the vehicle sensing system 234 itself or by any other vehicle component.

[0048] In response to determining or obtaining the driver's eye gaze direction, the processor 244 may determine an object (e.g., building 304 or building 306) that the driver 104 may be viewing while driving the vehicle 202 based on the vehicle information, the information associated with the geographic area, and the driver's eye gaze direction. Specifically, the processor 244 may associate the vehicle information, the information associated with the geographic area, and the driver's eye gaze direction to determine a building (e.g., building 304) that the driver 104 may be viewing. In an exemplary aspect, the processor 244 may perform vector recognition and addition to determine the building 304 based on the above information. Figure 4 An exemplary snapshot illustrating vector addition is depicted in FIG.

[0049] Specifically, the processor 244 may determine a vehicle vector “V_veh” (eg, a vehicle vector “V_veh”) in a coordinate space (eg, on a digital map of the geographic area) based on the real-time vehicle geographic location, the vehicle orientation, and information associated with the geographic area in which the vehicle 202 may be located. Figure 4 ). The processor 244 may then generate an eye gaze vector “V_gaze” based on the driver's eye gaze direction and the vehicle orientation. The processor 244 may then determine an object (e.g., building 304) that the driver 104 may be looking at based on the intersection of the vector “V_gaze” and the building 304. The processor 244 may determine the vector “V_poi” of the building 304 (or coordinates associated with the building 304) by using the exemplary expression V_poi=V_veh+V_gaze.

[0050] In response to determining the coordinates associated with the building 304, the processor 244 may determine an object (e.g., the building 304) that the driver 104 may be viewing based on information associated with the geographic area and an object identifier or POI identifier of the building 304. In some aspects, the POI identifier may include a building name (e.g., as described above in conjunction with Figure 1 “Building 1 ” described herein) and / or other details associated with building 304 .

[0051] In response to determining the POI identifier, the processor 244 may (e.g., via the BCM 222) render or display the POI identifier on the HUD 110. In this manner, when the driver 104 returns gaze from the building 304 to the HUD 110, the driver 104 may view the name (and / or other details) of the building 304 on the HUD 110. This may be beneficial to the driver 104, particularly when the driver 104 may not know the details of the building 304 (e.g., name, exit / entrance points, parking lot location, etc.), or when the driver 104 may be driving the vehicle 202 in low visibility weather conditions.

[0052] In some aspects, the processor 244 may render the POI identifier on the HUD 110 for a predefined duration (e.g., 2 to 5 seconds). In an exemplary aspect, the predefined duration may be preset. In other aspects, the driver 104 may set the predefined duration via the user device 204 or the infotainment system 240.

[0053] In further aspects, the processor 244 may render the POI identifier on the HUD 110 until the vehicle 202 drives past the building 304. In this case, the processor 244 may determine that the vehicle 202 may have driven past the building 304 based on the real-time vehicle geographic location obtained from the NAV receiver 236. In response to determining that the vehicle 202 may have driven past the building 304, the processor 244 may cause the HUD 110 to stop displaying the POI identifier. In additional aspects, the HUD 110 may display the POI identifier for a preset short duration (which may be set by the driver 104) even after the vehicle 202 drives past the building 304.

[0054] In additional aspects, the driver 104 may set preferences for the types of objects for which the driver 104 may desire to view POI identifiers on the HUD 110. For example, before initiating a trip or while on a trip, the driver 104 may provide input or user preferences to the transceiver 242 (e.g., via the user device 204 or the infotainment system 240) indicating that the driver 104 desires to view POI identifiers of tourist attractions, restaurants, gas stations, or electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, etc. on the road 106. In response to receiving the input from the driver 104, the transceiver 242 may generate a trigger signal (as described above) and send the trigger signal to the processor 244 along with the input received from the driver 104.

[0055] The processor 244 may obtain the trigger signal and the input / user preference from the transceiver 242. In response to obtaining the trigger signal, the processor 244 may track the driver's eye gaze movement to determine the object (e.g., building 304) that the driver 104 may be viewing, as described above. In response to determining that the driver 104 may be viewing the building 304, the processor 244 may determine whether the building 304 may be associated with the type of object (e.g., restaurant) that the driver 104 expects to view the POI identifier based on information associated with the geographic area. When the processor 244 determines that the building 304 may not be a restaurant, the processor 244 may not render / display the POI identifier of the building 304 on the HUD 110. On the other hand, when the processor 244 determines that the building 304 may be a restaurant, the processor 244 may render / display the POI identifier of the building 304 on the HUD 110. As described above, the processor 244 may display the POI identifier for a predefined duration or until the vehicle 202 drives past the building 304.

[0056] Figure 5 A flow chart depicts an exemplary method 500 for annotating an object on a vehicle head-up display according to the present disclosure. Figure 5 The following process is exemplary and is not limited to the steps described below. Furthermore, alternative embodiments may include more or fewer steps than shown or described herein, and may include the steps in an order different from the order described in the following exemplary embodiments.

[0057] The method 500 begins at step 502. At step 504, the method 500 may include obtaining a trigger signal by the processor 244. As described above, the processor 244 may obtain the trigger signal when the driver 104 activates the POI annotation mode of the HUD 110 or when the driver 104 inputs (and transmits to the transceiver 242) a preference for the type of object for which the driver 104 desires to view POI identifiers on the HUD 110.

[0058] At step 506, the method 500 may include obtaining, by the processor 244, vehicle information, information associated with the geographic area in which the vehicle 202 may be located, and the user eye gaze direction, as described above. At step 508, the method 500 may include determining, by the processor 244, an object (e.g., a building 304) in the geographic area that the driver 104 may be viewing based on the vehicle information, the information associated with the geographic area, and the user eye gaze direction.

[0059] At step 510, method 500 may include rendering, by processor 244, an object identifier associated with the determined object on HUD 110 for a predefined duration or until vehicle 202 drives past the object, as described above. The object identifier may be, for example, an object / building name.

[0060] Method 500 may end at step 512 .

[0061] In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings that form a part of the above disclosure, which illustrate specific embodiments in which the present disclosure can be practiced. It should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References to "one embodiment," "embodiment," "example embodiment," etc. in this specification indicate that the described embodiment may include specific features, structures, or characteristics, but each embodiment may not necessarily include the specific features, structures, or characteristics. In addition, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, when features, structures, or characteristics are described in conjunction with an embodiment, whether or not explicitly described, those skilled in the art will recognize such features, structures, or characteristics in conjunction with other embodiments.

[0062] In addition, where appropriate, the functions described herein may be performed in one or more of the following: hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) may be programmed to perform one or more of the systems and programs described herein. Certain terms are used throughout the specification and claims to refer to specific system components. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, components may be referred to by different names. This document is not intended to distinguish between components that have different names but the same function.

[0063] It should also be understood that the word "example" as used herein is intended to be non-exclusive and non-limiting in nature. More specifically, the word "example" used herein indicates one of several examples, and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is placed on the specific example described.

[0064] Computer-readable media (also referred to as processor-readable media) include any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) media that participate in providing data (e.g., instructions) that can be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor of a computer). Such media can take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media and volatile media. A computing device may include computer-executable instructions, where the instructions are executable by one or more computing devices (such as those listed above) and stored on a computer-readable medium.

[0065] With respect to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes may be practiced by performing the described steps in an order different from that described herein. It should also be understood that certain steps may be performed simultaneously, other steps may be added, or certain steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of the processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed as limiting the claims.

[0066] Therefore, it should be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Upon reading the above description, many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided will be apparent. The scope should not be determined with reference to the above description, but should be determined with reference to the entire scope of the appended claims and equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and expected that the technology discussed herein will develop in the future, and the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In short, it should be understood that the present application is capable of modification and change.

[0067] Unless explicitly indicated to the contrary in this article, all terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meanings as understood by the skilled person described herein. Specifically, unless the claims state an explicit limitation to the contrary, the use of singular articles such as "one", "the", "said" and the like should be interpreted as describing one or more of the indicated elements. Unless otherwise specifically stated or understood in other ways within the context when used, conditional language such as, in particular, "can", "may", "can" or "may" is generally intended to express that certain embodiments may include certain features, elements and / or steps, while other embodiments may not include certain features, elements and / or steps. Therefore, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments require each feature, element and / or step in any way.

[0068] In one aspect of the present invention, the method includes: obtaining a user preference for an object type of interest to the user; determining that the object is associated with the object type of interest to the user based on the information associated with the geographic area; and rendering the object identifier in response to determining that the object is associated with the object type of interest to the user.

[0069] In one aspect of the invention, the method comprises: receiving the user preference; and obtaining a trigger signal in response to receiving the user preference.

[0070] In one aspect of the invention, the method includes rendering the object identifier on the heads-up display for a preset duration.

[0071] In one aspect of the invention, the object identifier comprises an object name.

[0072] According to the present invention, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided, on which instructions are stored, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to: obtain a trigger signal; obtain vehicle information, information associated with a geographic area where the vehicle is located, and a user's eye gaze direction in response to obtaining the trigger signal; determine an object in the geographic area that the user is viewing based on the vehicle information, the information associated with the geographic area, and the user's eye gaze direction; and in response to determining the object, render an object identifier associated with the object on a head-up display until the vehicle drives past the object.

Claims

1. A vehicle, include: Head-up display; a transceiver configured to receive vehicle information and information associated with a geographic area in which the vehicle is located; A detection unit, wherein the detection unit is configured to detect a gaze direction of a user's eyes; and a processor communicatively coupled to the heads-up display, the transceiver, and the detection unit, wherein the processor is configured to: Get a trigger signal; obtaining the vehicle information, the information associated with the geographic area, and the user eye gaze direction in response to obtaining the trigger signal; determining an object in the geographic area that the user is viewing based on the vehicle information, the information associated with the geographic area, and the user eye gaze direction; and In response to determining the object, an object identifier associated with the object is rendered on the heads-up display until the vehicle travels past the object.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle information includes a vehicle geographic location and a vehicle orientation.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and an inertial measurement unit (IMU), wherein the transceiver receives the vehicle information from the GPS receiver and the IMU.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the geographic area includes a digital map of the geographic area. 5 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain the trigger signal from a user device, a vehicle infotainment system, or an actuator.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: Obtaining user preferences for object types that the user is interested in; determining, based on the information associated with the geographic area, that the object is associated with the type of object of interest to the user; and The object identifier is rendered in response to determining that the object is associated with the object type of interest to the user.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive the user preference, and wherein the processor is configured to obtain the trigger signal from the transceiver. 8 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to render the object identifier on the heads-up display for a preset duration.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive input associated with the preset duration from a user device or a vehicle infotainment system.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the object identifier comprises an object name.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the object name based on the information associated with the geographic area.

12. A method for annotating an object on a head-up display of a vehicle, the method include: A trigger signal is obtained by the processor; In response to obtaining the trigger signal, obtaining, by the processor, vehicle information, information associated with a geographic area where the vehicle is located, and a user's eye gaze direction; determining, by the processor, an object in the geographic area being viewed by the user based on the vehicle information, the information associated with the geographic area, and the user eye gaze direction; and In response to determining the object, an object identifier associated with the object is rendered, by the processor, on the heads-up display until the vehicle travels past the object.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the vehicle information includes a vehicle geographic location and a vehicle orientation.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the information associated with the geographic area comprises a digital map of the geographic area.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein obtaining the trigger signal comprises obtaining the trigger signal from a user device, a vehicle infotainment system, or an actuator.

Images