Display system for a motor vehicle and method for operating a display system of a motor vehicle

Abstract

Display system (12) for a motor vehicle (10), comprising a display device (14) for displaying content on an at least partially transparent display surface and a control device (16) designed to adjust the transparency of the displayed content depending on a detected operating mode and / or driving situation of the motor vehicle (10), characterized in that the control device (16) is designed to increase the proportion of the displayed content on the display surface the more driving functions of the motor vehicle (10) are autonomously controlled.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a display system for a motor vehicle and a method for operating a display system of a motor vehicle.

[0002] Particularly in the context of autonomous and semi-autonomous driving, drivers have the opportunity to use their time in the vehicle to consume media content, such as internet browsing or watching films. However, depending on the content displayed, this can lead to an undesirable and significant distraction from the road.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a display system for a motor vehicle and a method for operating a display system of a motor vehicle, by means of which various contents can be displayed in a motor vehicle in a particularly traffic-safe manner.

[0004] German patent application DE 10 2012 220 100 A1 discloses a method for operating a head-up display in a motor vehicle. The head-up display can show content in three consecutively arranged virtual image layers. The further away a particular virtual image layer is from the driver, the more transparent the symbols displayed in that virtual image layer become.

[0005] German patent DE 10 2013 016 251 A1 discloses a method for displaying augmented content using an output unit designed as a head-up display or a head-mounted display. As soon as an oncoming vehicle or other obstacle occupies the virtual location of the overlays displayed by the output unit, the transparency level of the overlays is increased to support a perspective-correct display.

[0006] US Patent 2014 / 0168608 A1 describes a method in which, for example, the transparency of a motor vehicle's windshield is reduced so that content can be projected onto the windshield and clearly seen by vehicle occupants. This reduction in transparency occurs when the vehicle is operating in an autonomous driving mode. Furthermore, the method may involve displaying a real-time image of an area directly in front of the vehicle in a small portion of the windshield.

[0007] This problem is solved by a display system for a motor vehicle and by a method for operating a display system of a motor vehicle with the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments with expedient and non-trivial further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0008] The display system according to the invention for a motor vehicle comprises a display device for showing content on an at least partially transparent display surface and a control device designed to adjust the transparency of the displayed content depending on a detected operating mode and / or driving situation of the motor vehicle. Preferably, the display device is a head-up display or augmented reality glasses worn by a vehicle occupant, in particular by the driver of the motor vehicle in question.

[0009] The display system according to the invention enables the driver of a motor vehicle to at least peripherally observe the traffic situation despite the displayed content, in order to regain control of the vehicle in an emergency or at least to perceive a potential hazard as quickly as possible. To enable particularly rapid recognition of a critical traffic situation or hazard, the invention provides that the displayed content, which may be, for example, media content such as a film or an internet browser, is not shown on a display below the vehicle's dashboard. Instead, the at least partially transparent display area is located above the dashboard, for example, by using a head-up display or augmented reality glasses worn by the driver.The displayed content can be either moving images, such as videos, or static images, such as a menu structure. The display device can show a wide variety of content on the at least partially transparent display surface.

[0010] Because the control unit is designed to adjust the transparency of the displayed content depending on the detected operating mode and / or driving situation of the vehicle, it is possible to select the currently displayed content to suit the prevailing driving situation and / or operating mode. Depending on whether it is more beneficial for the driver to focus their concentration on the displayed content or on the traffic situation, the transparency of the displayed content can be adjusted accordingly. This ensures particularly safe driving despite the content being displayed on the at least partially transparent display area, which is preferably located above the vehicle's dashboard.

[0011] Furthermore, according to the invention, the control unit is designed to adjust the proportion of the displayed content on the display surface to a greater extent as more of the vehicle's driving functions are autonomously controlled. For example, if the display device is a head-up display, it can be provided that, during fully autonomous operation of the vehicle, the currently displayed content is projected across the entire windshield. Conversely, if the vehicle is driven entirely manually, it can be provided, for example, that the content is projected only onto a small portion of the windshield, allowing the driver to maintain an unobstructed view of the road.Furthermore, it can also be designed, for example, that as soon as a driving situation classified as critical occurs, a previously full-screen display of content on the windshield is reduced to a small portion of the windshield. A similar approach can be taken if the display device is augmented reality glasses. In that case, the displayed content would also be repositioned or scaled down accordingly on a semi-transparent display positioned close to the eye, depending on how the vehicle is being operated and / or the current driving situation.

[0012] An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the control unit is designed to adjust the transparency of the displayed content to a lower level as more vehicle functions are autonomously controlled. For example, the vehicle may have a multitude of driver assistance systems designed to fully or partially autonomously control the longitudinal and / or lateral steering of the vehicle. If, for instance, the vehicle is moving completely autonomously, so that the driver does not exert any control on the vehicle, the transparency of the displayed content is set to a particularly low level, so that the driver, in particular, can see the content very well on the at least partially transparent display surface.If, however, the driver has selected an operating mode in which they fully control both the longitudinal and lateral steering of the vehicle, the control unit may, for example, be designed to set the transparency of the displayed information to a particularly high level, so that the driver can still have a particularly good view of the traffic situation despite the displayed information. Depending on the degree of automation of the vehicle control system, the transparency is therefore adjusted to a higher or lower level, allowing the driver to maintain sufficient attention to the traffic situation. This promotes a particularly safe operating mode of the vehicle.

[0013] Another advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the control unit is designed to prevent the display of moving content, in particular the playback of videos, as long as the longitudinal and / or lateral control of the motor vehicle is manual. For example, the control unit may be designed to control the display unit in such a way that it only displays static content, such as a menu of the motor vehicle's infotainment system, as soon as it detects that the longitudinal and lateral control of the motor vehicle is entirely manual. By designing the control unit to prevent the display of moving content as long as the longitudinal and / or lateral control of the motor vehicle is manual, particularly safe operation of the motor vehicle can be ensured, since the driver is not unduly distracted from their actual driving task.

[0014] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the control unit is designed to adjust the transparency of the displayed content to a maximum value, in particular to full transparency, as soon as a driving situation classified as critical has been detected. For this purpose, the control unit can be connected to various sensors of the vehicle, for example, to determine whether a driving situation classified as critical is currently present. For example, the displayed content can be hidden by switching to full transparency as soon as a predetermined distance to another road user has been breached, emergency braking is initiated by the vehicle, a vehicle stability program, such as ESP or the like, intervenes, or, for example, the vehicle's anti-lock braking system (ABS) intervenes.By allowing the control unit to set the transparency of the displayed content to a predetermined maximum value as soon as a driving situation classified as critical has been detected, it can be ensured that the driver focuses his attention completely on the critical driving situation and no longer on the displayed content.

[0015] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the control unit is designed to adjust the contrast of the displayed content depending on the detected operating mode and / or driving situation of the motor vehicle. Adjusting the contrast also allows the driver to focus their concentration, and in particular their gaze, more strongly on the displayed content or on the driving situation, depending on the operating mode and / or driving situation. The contrast can be adjusted in an analogous manner to the selection of transparency.

[0016] The motor vehicle according to the invention comprises the display system according to the invention or an advantageous embodiment of the display system according to the invention.

[0017] In the inventive method for operating a motor vehicle display system, content is displayed on an at least partially transparent display surface by means of a display device, wherein the transparency of the displayed content is adjusted by means of a control unit depending on the detected operating mode and / or driving situation of the motor vehicle. Furthermore, the proportion of the displayed content on the display surface is increased as more driving functions of the motor vehicle are autonomously controlled. Advantageous embodiments of the inventive display system are to be regarded as advantageous embodiments of the inventive method, wherein the display system in particular includes means for carrying out the method steps.

[0018] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments and from the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as those mentioned below in the figure description and / or shown in the figures alone, can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0019] The drawing shows in the single figure a schematic representation of a motor vehicle which has a display system with a display device and a control device for controlling the display device.

[0020] A motor vehicle 10 with a display system 12 is shown schematically in the single figure. The display system 12 comprises a display device 14 and a control device 16 for controlling the display device 14. The display device 14 can be, for example, a head-up display or augmented reality glasses. The display device 14 is designed to display a wide variety of content on a display surface that is at least partially transparent. If the display device 14 is a head-up display, the at least partially transparent display surface is the windshield of the motor vehicle 10. In the case of augmented reality glasses, however, the partially transparent display surface is a display positioned near the eyes of a wearer of the augmented reality glasses.

[0021] The display device 14 is specifically designed to display media content, such as videos or websites, so that, particularly during autonomous or semi-autonomous operation of the vehicle 10, the driver of the vehicle 10 can consume said media content. A particular challenge, especially when displaying media content, is that the driver must be able to recognize a dangerous situation in time and, if necessary, take corrective action to control the vehicle 10.

[0022] Therefore, the control unit 16 is designed to adjust the transparency of the content currently displayed by the display unit 14, depending on the detected operating mode and / or driving situation of the vehicle 10. The more driving functions of the vehicle 10 are currently being autonomously controlled or regulated with regard to its longitudinal and / or lateral guidance, the less transparent the displayed content will be. For example, if the vehicle 10 is currently driving completely autonomously, the control unit 16 may be configured to control the display unit 14 in such a way that the displayed content is shown completely opaquely.If the display device 14 is a head-up display, it may be designed, for example, to project a film shown by the head-up display completely opaquely onto the windshield of the vehicle 10. If the driver of the vehicle 10 then switches, for example, from fully automatic or fully autonomous control of the vehicle 10 to an operating mode in which only the longitudinal control of the vehicle 10 is performed autonomously, it may be designed that the control unit 16 controls the display device 14 in such a way that the content is displayed at least semi-transparently. In the case of a head-up display, the driver can therefore still observe the traffic situation peripherally through the windshield.

[0023] Furthermore, the control unit 16 may also be configured to completely prevent the display of moving content by the display unit 14, in particular the playback of videos, as long as the longitudinal and / or lateral control of the motor vehicle 10 is manual. This prevents the driver of the motor vehicle 10 from being unduly distracted from driving the motor vehicle 10 by displayed moving content.

[0024] Furthermore, it is intended that the control unit 16 will control the display unit 14 in the event of a traffic situation classified as critical, for example during emergency braking or the like, in such a way that the currently displayed content is completely hidden, for example by increasing the transparency of the displayed content to a maximum value, so that the driver of the motor vehicle 10 can see through the windshield or through the augmented reality glasses without hindrance.

[0025] Furthermore, the control unit 16 is designed to increase the proportion of the displayed content on the semi-transparent display surface as more vehicle functions are being autonomously controlled. For example, if the display unit 14 is a head-up display, it may be configured so that, when the vehicle 10 is operating in fully autonomous mode, the currently displayed content is shown or projected across the entire windshield. Conversely, if the driver selects a fully manual mode for the vehicle 10, in which they control both the longitudinal and lateral steering, the control unit 16 may be configured to adjust the head-up display so that the currently displayed content occupies only a small portion of the windshield.

[0026] By means of the display system 12 according to the invention, it is therefore possible to adapt the content projected into or displayed in the driver's field of vision to the currently selected operating mode of the motor vehicle 10 and to the prevailing traffic situation, so that the driver of the motor vehicle 10 can focus sufficient attention on the current traffic situation. This achieves a particularly good compromise between the perceptibility of the currently displayed content and the driver's perception of the traffic situation.

Claims

[1] Display system (12) for a motor vehicle (10), comprising a display device (14) for displaying content on a display surface that is at least partially transparent and comprising a control device (16) designed to adjust the transparency of the displayed content depending on a detected operating mode and / or driving situation of the motor vehicle (10), characterized by , that the control device (16) is designed to increase the proportion of the displayed content on the display area the more driving functions of the motor vehicle (10) are controlled autonomously. [2] Display system (12) according to claim 1, characterized by that the display device (14) is a head-up display or augmented reality glasses. [3] Display system (12) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by, that the control device (16) is designed to set the transparency of the displayed content to a lower level the more driving functions of the motor vehicle (10) are controlled autonomously. [4] Display system (12) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the control device (16) is designed to prevent the display of moving content, in particular the playback of videos, as long as the longitudinal and / or lateral control of the motor vehicle (10) is carried out manually. [5] Display system (12) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the control device (16) is designed to set the transparency of the displayed content to a maximum value, in particular to be fully transparent, as soon as a driving situation of the motor vehicle (10) classified as critical has been detected. [6] Display system (12) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the control device (16) is designed to adjust the contrast of the displayed content depending on the detected operating mode and / or driving situation of the motor vehicle (10). [7] Motor vehicle (10) with a display system (12) according to one of the preceding claims. [8] Method for operating a display system (12) of a motor vehicle (10) in which content is displayed on an at least partially transparent display surface by means of a display device (14) and the transparency of the displayed content is adjusted by means of a control device (16) depending on a detected operating mode and / or driving situation of the motor vehicle (10), characterized by , that the proportion occupied by the displayed content on the display area is set to a greater extent the more driving functions of the motor vehicle (10) are controlled autonomously.

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