Device for reducing the view of a vehicle occupant of an accident scene, vehicle and system

Abstract

Device (100) for reducing the view of an occupant of a vehicle (110) of an accident scene in order to prevent the occupant from observing the accident scene, comprising - a display device (101) with a display field (102) that is at least temporarily transparent; - an accident site location determination device (103), designed to determine the position of an accident site; and - a display control device (104), characterized in that the display control device (104) is configured, when the display field (102) is arranged in the field of vision of an occupant of a vehicle (110), to determine whether the field of vision includes a sub-area of ​​the accident site visible through a sub-area of ​​the display field (102), and if the field of vision includes the sub-area of ​​the accident site, to control the display device (101), at least to influence the sub-area of ​​the display field in such a way that the occupant's view of the sub-area of ​​the accident site is at least reduced, wherein the accident site position determination device (103) comprises a communication unit (105) for wireless information transmission, which is designed to receive accident site position information, and a location sensor unit (106), which is configured toto receive location signals from at least a sub-area of ​​the environment of the location sensor unit (106) and wherein the accident site position determination device (103) is designed to detect accident sites by evaluating the location signals and to determine associated accident site position information and to detect the position of the accident site by combining the received accident site position information and the determined accident site position information.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for reducing the view of an occupant of a vehicle of an accident scene, a vehicle with such a device and a system for reducing the view of an occupant of a vehicle of an accident scene.

[0002] A traffic accident on a country road or motorway often results in a traffic jam, partly due to the accident itself, but also because drivers of following vehicles, and especially those traveling in the opposite direction, reduce their speed to look at the accident scene without having anything to do with the necessary rescue operation – in other words, they are gawking. Some drivers even film or photograph without permission. This behavior is not only morally questionable but also generally violates the privacy rights of those involved in the accident. In particular, anyone who stops their vehicle and obstructs the emergency services can expect to be punished. Furthermore, the resulting traffic jams and the distraction of drivers from the road create a risk of secondary accidents, especially rear-end collisions.

[0003] Various systems are known to identify accident sites not as interesting objects of observation, but as dangers to other road users in advance, so that safety measures can be taken in time.

[0004] US Patent 9 720 411 B2 describes a sensor system in which markings placed at the edge of the road provide information, for example about accidents, which are detected by camera or lidar sensors or received via radio transmission, and whose evaluation, if necessary, triggers an automatic reaction of the vehicle, such as automatic braking.

[0005] US 9 849 887 B2 demonstrates that historical data on accident sites and an analysis of the surroundings can be used to identify high-risk areas for accidents and to warn drivers through visual cues.

[0006] In US Route 9,613,466 B1, high-risk accident areas are also identified based on historical data or road layout information and other environmental information, and the driver is warned by visual cues.

[0007] To make the state of driver distraction safer, WO 2017 / 212 490 A1 presents a system in which the driver's direction of gaze is detected, and then a view of the road is projected into a part of his current field of vision, which is recorded by a camera facing in the direction of travel, so that he can keep his eye on the road even if his attention is distracted by objects or events not in the direction of travel.

[0008] To reduce the likelihood of secondary accidents when vehicles approach an accident scene, additional aids can be used. For example, KR 10 2017 0 067 350 A describes a device for securing an accident scene that detects another vehicle and emits acoustic warning signals when the vehicle approaches the accident scene.

[0009] In DE 10 2014 211 803 A1, an augmented reality system for a motor vehicle is described, which has a display device with a temporarily transparent display field, as well as a device for detecting possible hazards and a control device to control the display device in such a way that a detected hazard is either clearly marked by overlaying a representation of a virtual obstacle or, by overlaying a plausible virtual background, the affected route is not even recognizable as a possible option for the driver.

[0010] In JP H07 - 257 228 A, a system for displaying information to the driver is described in which the vehicle's position is determined using received GPS signals and compared with its position on a stored map of the environment, so that a planned route to the destination can be determined and, for example, directional information can be superimposed on the real road course using a head-up display, whereby the driver's direction of gaze is detected and the vehicle width is visually proportionally displayed in the screen near obstacles on the road so that the driver can avoid contact.

[0011] US Patent 2017 / 0334455A1 concerns a vehicle control system designed to adjust the windshield's transparency depending on the driving situation and operating mode, and to override or, if necessary, obscure the real traffic situation with additional information such as warnings or route information. To assess the driving situation, the vehicle is equipped with sensors to determine its own position on the road and the positions and movement of other vehicles in the vicinity.

[0012] German patent application DE 10 2014 203 137 A1 describes a system for detecting accidents involving other road users. The system uses the vehicle's sensors to detect accidents and then either issues a warning to the driver or informs a remote location via wireless mobile communication. This remote location is, in particular, an emergency dispatch center or a server that informs the dispatch center if no corresponding accident report has already been received.

[0013] However, in order to prevent or at least make it more difficult for other road users to observe an accident scene, rescue services, such as police, fire brigade and emergency doctor, generally do not use electronic, but rather mechanical aids, in particular mobile screens or privacy fences.

[0014] In DE 20 2016 007 133 U1, a gaffer fence system for use as a privacy screen is shown, which is self-erected by air pressure, stabilized by water tanks and has LED lights for warning and illumination.

[0015] US Patent 7 600 554 B1 shows a mobile privacy screen for protecting accident scenes from the view of other road users, which has stable telescopic legs, warning signs and air holes.

[0016] However, such aids are not always available and must be brought to the accident scene by the emergency services, meaning they are not present before their arrival. Furthermore, setting them up takes time and unnecessarily ties up rescuers. In addition, the act of erecting the fences themselves can attract unwanted attention. Finally, privacy screens are exposed to the elements and can, for example, be blown over or blown away by the wind, potentially causing problems on the road.

[0017] The object of the invention is to provide a system in which a screen can be automatically created to shield an accident scene from potential onlookers without any effort on the part of rescue workers.

[0018] This problem is solved according to the invention by a device for reducing the view of an occupant of a vehicle to an accident scene according to claim 1, a vehicle according to claim 12, and a system for reducing the view of an occupant of a vehicle to an accident scene according to claim 13. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0019] According to a first aspect of the invention, a device for reducing a vehicle occupant's view of an accident scene comprises the features of claim 1. These include a display device with a display field that is at least temporarily transparent, an accident scene position detection device configured to determine the position of an accident scene, and a display control device. The display control device is configured, when the display field is arranged within the field of vision of a vehicle occupant, to determine whether the field of vision includes a portion of the accident scene visible through a sub-area of ​​the display field, and, if the field of vision includes the sub-area of ​​the accident scene, to control the display device, at least to influence the sub-area of ​​the display field in such a way that the occupant's view of the sub-area of ​​the accident scene is at least reduced.

[0020] The device is specifically designed to be integrated into a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, e.g. a passenger car, a truck or a bus.

[0021] The described device automatically prevents the occupant from giving in to the temptation to observe the accident scene and helps the driver to concentrate on the traffic situation. Depending on the design, the device can be configured to restrict the view individually for only one occupant, particularly the driver, or for several occupants, e.g., for all of them.

[0022] An occupant of the vehicle is, for example, the driver if it is a manually driven vehicle. The vehicle may have other occupants. Even though, unlike the driver, their view of the accident scene generally does not influence driving behavior and does not increase the risk of subsequent accidents, it can still be advisable to restrict their view as well, firstly for the privacy of those involved in the accident, but also to prevent harm to the occupants from potentially traumatic sights. Therefore, the use of the described device is useful not only in manually driven vehicles but also in autonomous vehicles.

[0023] If the device is installed in the vehicle, the display field, which is at least temporarily transparent, is located within the occupant's field of vision, allowing the occupant to perceive at least a portion of the surroundings through the display field. Preferably, the display field overlaps the occupant's entire field of vision, at least insofar as it covers the vehicle's surroundings and thus the area where accident sites may be located, i.e., for example, all windows within the occupant's field of vision. In this case, the display field consists of several sub-modules, e.g., one for each window in the driver's field of vision. In other embodiments, only portions of the windows or only selected windows, in particular the windshield, i.e., the front window, are visible through the display field. In a particular embodiment, the display field can also be implemented as a head-mounted display, i.e., a display field worn on the head.

[0024] If the location of an accident scene is known, the display control unit determines whether at least part of the accident scene area, i.e., a sub-area of ​​the accident scene, lies within the occupant's field of vision through at least part of the then transparent display field, i.e., a sub-area of ​​the display field. If this is the case, the display control unit instructs the display device to modify the display field, at least in the identified sub-area, for example, by switching it to an opaque mode, in order to restrict or completely block the occupant's, especially the driver's, view of the accident scene. In one embodiment, the restricted display field sub-area relates precisely to the actual accident scene. In other embodiments, for example, for the sake of simpler control, larger areas or entire modules of the display field can also be restricted.for example, the transparency of an entire side window.

[0025] Depending on the design, the driver's field of vision is determined, for example, by evaluating recordings from an interior camera of the vehicle directed at the occupant, or an approximate field of vision is assumed based on the occupant's seating position in the vehicle, possibly without determining this precisely for the occupant individually.

[0026] The display control unit is either implemented as an electronic circuit and / or comprises a programmable device with a processor and memory in which program code is stored to instruct the processor to perform the necessary calculations. The display control unit is, for example, an electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle.

[0027] The accident scene positioning system either includes sensors for detecting accident scenes in the vicinity of the vehicle, or is designed to receive and evaluate accident scene position information via a wireless interface (i.e., a communication unit for wireless information transmission), or it may have both capabilities. The accident scene positioning system receives the accident scene position data in a timely manner and / or determines it itself, enabling the display control unit to react very quickly, potentially within seconds of the accident, thus preventing distraction of the vehicle occupants or "rubbernecking" very quickly and effectively.

[0028] The accident location tracking device includes a communication unit for wireless information transmission, designed to receive accident location information. This information is primarily available through network-based or cloud-based traffic information systems that provide information about traffic events and their locations along the vehicle's route. A communication unit can be a simple receiver, receiving accident location or traffic information that is generally directed at many vehicles, or it can also include a transmitter to actively retrieve current traffic information from a traffic information system server, for example, via the internet.Obtaining accident location information via a traffic information system offers the advantage that the accident site becomes known even before the vehicle approaches it. This allows for immediate visual obstruction as soon as the accident site enters the occupant's field of vision, even before the vehicle's onboard sensors can identify it as an accident site. Furthermore, the availability of accident location information via a traffic information system provides the assurance that the accident site is already known, allowing for the assumption that any necessary rescue measures have already been initiated.

[0029] Furthermore, the accident scene positioning device includes a location sensor unit configured to receive location signals from at least a sub-area of ​​the location sensor unit's surroundings. The accident scene positioning device is designed to detect accident scenes and determine associated accident scene location information by evaluating the location signals. One or more onboard location sensor units are used to detect an accident scene and determine its position. If the location sensor unit includes, for example, a camera sensor unit, particularly a front camera system, the presence and position of an accident scene can be detected, for instance, by recognizing deformed objects or objects that are very close to each other, or by recognizing vehicle parts on the roadway.To evaluate the location signals and determine the position data, the accident site positioning device has a correspondingly configured control unit or programmable device. Alternatively, this functionality can also be integrated into the display control unit, for example. In one embodiment, the accident site positioning device determines the position of the accident site solely based on the location signals from the onboard positioning sensor unit. This ensures that the visibility restriction of accident sites is maintained even when it is not possible to receive accident site position information via a wireless communication unit. In another embodiment, accident site position information is also available via a wireless communication unit.This offers the advantage that by combining both sources of information, the location of the accident site can be determined very quickly and yet very accurately.

[0030] In one exemplary embodiment, the location sensor unit comprises a radar sensor unit, a lidar sensor unit, and / or a camera sensor unit. Each of the technologies used can provide location signals from which the position of an accident site can be determined. In particular, the reliability of accident site detection and the accuracy of position determination can be further increased by combining location signals from location sensors based on different technologies.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the device for reducing a vehicle occupant's view of an accident scene also includes a self-positioning device configured to determine its own position. A self-positioning device includes, for example, a GPS receiver (GPS - Global Positioning System) with an evaluation unit. Other positioning systems can also be used. The display control unit is connected to both the accident scene positioning device and the self-positioning device and can easily determine the remaining distance and the relative position to the accident scene using both position data and relate these values ​​to the occupant's field of vision and the display.In this way, it is easy to determine which part of the display field should (at least) be affected in order to reduce the occupant's view of the accident scene.

[0032] In one embodiment, the display field includes a head-up display (HUD). A head-up display allows the occupant to maintain their head posture and line of sight, as information displayed on the screen, or in this case at least measures to restrict vision, is projected into their field of vision. HUDs in vehicles can also, for example, have a night vision function.

[0033] In one embodiment, the display field comprises an OLED display that is at least temporarily transparent. An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display can be manufactured as a display that is at least temporarily transparent, i.e., in at least one state, and its shape can be easily adapted to the shape of the occupant's field of vision or to the vehicle interior.

[0034] In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the OLED display is applied to one or more vehicle windows, in particular, for example, to the windshield (i.e., the front window), but also to the side windows. In this way, the vision restriction functionality can be integrated into the vehicle interior without the driver or other occupants feeling that their usual visual behavior is impaired by additional display screens while driving.

[0035] In one embodiment, the display control unit is configured to control the display device, at least influencing the display area in such a way that the occupant's view of the accident scene is reduced by switching that area into an opaque state. In this way, the visibility of the accident scene is minimized, clearly signaling to the occupant that they should not be distracted but should focus their attention on the visible part of the road.

[0036] In a further embodiment, the display control unit is configured to control the display device, at least to influence the display field sub-area in such a way that the occupant's view of the accident scene sub-area is at least reduced by switching the display field sub-area into a semi-transparent, blurred state. This offers the advantage that approximate outlines of the accident scene can still be recognized, so that the driver, for example, can still get an impression of the dimensions of the accident scene without details distracting their attention from driving the vehicle.

[0037] In yet another embodiment, the display control unit is configured to control the display device, at least to influence the display area in such a way that the occupant's view of the accident scene is at least reduced by superimposing an image or image sequence onto the display area. An image can, for example, show a monochrome geometric shape, a pixelated representation of the surroundings or even the unrecognizable accident scene, a warning sign to draw attention to the road, or, in particular, a photograph or a photorealistic representation of an object or landscape, especially a motif that does not attract attention because it is perceived as a very ordinary or common sight while driving, e.g., a tree, an empty roadway, etc.This ensures that the driver's attention is not diverted from controlling the vehicle. Instead of simply obscuring the view, the view is augmented, i.e., enriched, so that the perceived position of the accident scene is altered. Furthermore, displaying a sequence of images instead of a still image offers the possibility of creating an enhanced augmented reality experience by showing a typical sequence of images rather than a static view of a typical scene. This more closely resembles the view from a moving vehicle, thus further reducing distraction.

[0038] In one exemplary embodiment, the display control unit is designed to dynamically generate the image or image sequence from camera sensor signals that are spatially or temporally related to the accident scene. This minimizes the occupant's perception of the difference between the obscured accident scene and the surrounding environment, thus preventing distraction and avoiding the urge to view the obstructed area. For example, one embodiment displays a recently captured street view, i.e., one view without the accident scene, instead of the actual accident scene. Another embodiment accesses and displays a database of previous images of the accident scene's location before the accident occurred.These recordings may, for example, have been made during previous journeys or be accessible via a wireless network connection from a server that has stored location-based street views, including position information, for all or a very large number of streets in a database and makes them available for retrieval. In yet another embodiment, it is provided that the recordings of the accident scene are segmented and the accident object segments are replaced, for example, with segments from spatially or temporally adjacent recordings using suitable image processing methods.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, the display control unit is also designed to trigger the output of a warning message when the field of vision includes the area of ​​the accident scene. The warning message preferably advises the occupants to focus their attention on the road ahead. Depending on the embodiment, the warning message can be issued via the display, but alternatively or additionally via another display, e.g., on the dashboard, or, for example, via an audible signal. In one embodiment, the warning message is also triggered as soon as the system detects that accident scene information is available. In yet another embodiment, the vehicle's route is first determined, and if the route passes close to the accident scene, the warning message is issued, possibly even if the accident scene is not yet in sight.

[0040] According to a second aspect of the invention, a vehicle with the features of claim 12 is provided, which includes a device according to one of the previously described embodiments. In this way, the advantages and special features of the device according to the invention for reducing the view of an occupant of a vehicle to an accident scene are also implemented in a vehicle equipped with such a device.

[0041] According to a third aspect of the invention, a system for reducing the view of an occupant of a vehicle of an accident scene is also provided, comprising at least one device according to one of the previously described embodiments, wherein the accident scene position detection device has a communication unit for wireless information transmission designed to receive accident scene position information.The system also includes at least one accident site wireless information transmission unit designed to transmit accident site position information, and a traffic information system designed to receive accident site position information from the at least one accident site wireless information transmission unit and transmit it to the wireless information transmission receiving unit of the at least one device.

[0042] In one exemplary embodiment, the accident location transmitter unit can be permanently installed in vehicles, for example, to automatically determine its position in the event of an accident and send it to the traffic information system. In other embodiments, the accident location transmitter unit can also be a portable device or implemented as an app on a smartphone. Such a device or app can be carried in the vehicle or on a smartphone within the vehicle as a safety measure in case of an accident. In another exemplary embodiment, rescue workers have such a device or a smartphone with such an app and bring it to the accident scene to determine the accident location information and send it to the traffic information system.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment of the system for reducing the view of a vehicle occupant to an accident scene, the traffic information system is preferably a cloud-based traffic information system.

[0044] In a particular embodiment, the traffic information system is part of the device for reducing a vehicle occupant's view of an accident scene. This means that the communication unit for wireless information transmission is configured to receive the accident scene position data directly from the accident scene transmitter unit, for example, through vehicle-to-vehicle communication between one of the vehicles involved in the accident and the vehicle in which the device for reducing a vehicle occupant's view of an accident scene is installed.

[0045] Further advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description and the illustrations. The invention is explained in more detail below in connection with the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying illustrations. These show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a system according to the invention with a vehicle which has a device according to the invention for reducing the view of an occupant of a vehicle to an accident scene, in a first exemplary embodiment; Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a system according to the invention in a second exemplary embodiment; Fig. 3 a schematic representation of a first example situation in which the view of an occupant of a vehicle to an accident scene is reduced; Fig. 4 a schematic representation of a second example situation in which the view of a vehicle occupant to an accident scene is reduced; and Fig. 5 A schematic representation of an example of the issuance of a warning message to an occupant of a vehicle.

[0046] In the figures, identical or similar elements are provided with identical or similar reference symbols, insofar as this is appropriate.

[0047] It is understood that other embodiments may be used and structural or logical modifications made without deviating from the scope of protection of the present invention. It is understood that the features of the various exemplary embodiments described above and below may be combined with one another, unless specifically stated otherwise. The description is therefore not to be interpreted restrictively, and the scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

[0048] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a system 120 according to the invention, comprising a vehicle 110, which includes a device 100 according to the invention for reducing the view of an occupant of the vehicle 110 of an accident scene, in a first exemplary embodiment. The device 100 for reducing the view of an occupant of the vehicle 110 of an accident scene is used on board the vehicle 110 and, in the example shown, is part of a system 120 that serves to reduce the view of an occupant of the vehicle 110 of an accident scene (not shown). The device 100 includes a display unit 101 with a display field 102 that is at least temporarily transparent, and which may in particular be an OLED display mounted on the windshield of the vehicle.

[0049] The device 100 of the vehicle 110 also includes an accident site positioning device 103, the function of which is to determine the position of the accident site. In the illustrated embodiment, the accident site positioning device 103 is provided to enable optimally accurate positioning of accident sites by comprising both a communication unit 105 for wireless information transmission for receiving accident site position information available via a cloud-based traffic information system 125, and a location sensor unit 106 configured to receive location signals from at least a sub-area of ​​the vicinity of the location sensor unit 106 and thus of the vehicle 110.

[0050] The accident site positioning device 103 first receives accident site position information known to the traffic information system 125 via the communication unit 105 and uses the on-board location sensor unit 106, which may be a front camera, to record location signals, or in the case of a front camera, an image sequence, at least in the vicinity of a received accident site position. The accident site positioning device 103 then detects a current, and potentially more precise, position and boundary of the accident site by evaluating the location signals with suitable object detection algorithms and transmits the associated optimized accident site position information to a display control unit 104 of the device 100. The use of a two-stage system for accident site detection offers not only increased accuracy but also increased reliability.If a connection to the traffic information system 125 is unavailable, accident location detection can only be carried out based on the evaluation of the location signals from the location sensor unit 106. If the location sensor unit 106 fails, accident locations are determined solely based on the accident location position information received via the traffic information system 125.

[0051] The position of the device 100 or the vehicle 110 can be determined, for example, by evaluating the image signals from the front camera. In the illustrated embodiment, a self-positioning device 107 is provided for determining its own position. This device is configured to determine its own position using a GPS receiver, which determines its own position based on GPS signals from GPS transmitters 127, i.e., signals emitted by satellites of the GPS system. The self-positioning device 107 can include further sensor units, such as a wheel sensor and / or speed sensor, to determine the correct relative position of the vehicle 110 with respect to the accident site over time.

[0052] The device 100 for reducing a vehicle occupant's view of an accident scene also includes the display control unit 104. The display control unit is connected directly or, for example, via a vehicle data bus, such as a CAN bus (CAN - Controller Area Network), of the vehicle 110 in which the device 100 is installed, to, among other things, the accident scene position detection device 103, the self-position detection device 107, the display unit 101, and an audio output device 108 for issuing acoustic warnings or instructions. The display control unit 104 determines whether the display field 102 is located within the field of vision of a vehicle occupant 110. If so, it determines whether the field of vision includes a portion of the accident scene visible through a sub-area of ​​the display field 102.In other words, it is determined whether the occupant can see at least a part of the accident scene through at least a sub-area of ​​display field 102. If this is the case, the display control unit 104 controls the display device 101 in such a way that the display device 101 influences the sub-area of ​​display field 102, i.e., the sub-area of ​​display field 102 in which at least a part of the accident scene is visible to the occupant, in such a way that the occupant's view of the sub-area of ​​the accident scene is prevented or at least reduced.

[0053] The system 120 shown, for reducing the view of an occupant of a vehicle 110 to an accident scene, also includes an accident scene transmitter unit 128 for wireless information transmission. This unit sends the accident scene position information to the traffic information system 125, from which the accident scene position information is then transmitted to the communication unit 105 for wireless information transmission of the device 100 of the vehicle 110.

[0054] In Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of a system 220 according to the invention for reducing the view of an occupant of a vehicle 210 of an accident scene 222 in a second exemplary embodiment. In the scenario shown, the system 220 comprises a vehicle 210 moving on a two-lane first carriageway 211, while on a two-lane second carriageway 221 in the opposite direction to the first carriageway 211, a first accident vehicle 223 and a second accident vehicle 224 are stationary at an accident scene 222.

[0055] The vehicle 210 is equipped with a device 200 according to the invention for reducing the view of an occupant of the vehicle 210 of an accident scene 222. The windshield 212 of the vehicle 210 is equipped with a display field (preferably an OLED display) of a display device applied directly to the windshield. The display field is essentially transparent in a state in which the view of the accident scene 222 is not to be reduced, but is configured to change the transparency in a sub-area of ​​the display field if this can reduce the view of an accident scene.

[0056] For determining the position of an accident scene, the accident scene positioning device of the device 200, which reduces the view of an occupant of a vehicle 210 of an accident scene, is equipped with a communication device for wireless information transmission. This device allows a traffic information system 225 to retrieve traffic information, including accident scene position information. Communication takes place via the cloud 226, through which the traffic information system 225 connects with the communication device of the device 200 of the vehicle 210. Furthermore, the accident scene positioning device of the device 200 of the vehicle 210 has a location sensor unit 213. The location signals from this unit are evaluated to precisely determine the exact position of the accident scene 222. The location sensor unit 213 has a front camera sensor and may also include a radar sensor and / or a lidar sensor.

[0057] Furthermore, the device 200 has a self-positioning unit that receives signals from GPS transmitters 227, enabling it to determine its own position. This allows for the simple determination of the relative position of the vehicle 210 to the location of the accident site 222. The GPS transmitters are satellites of the GPS system. Alternatively, another positioning system can be used, for example, either satellite-based or based on radio positioning via the mobile phone network.

[0058] In the illustrated system 220 for reducing the view of an occupant of a vehicle 210 to an accident scene 222, the position of the accident scene 222 is transmitted to the cloud-based traffic information system 225 by means of an accident scene transmitter 228. In the illustrated embodiment, the accident scene transmitter 228 comprises a smartphone with an app, which determines the position and transmits it to the traffic information system 225. This accident scene transmitter 228 can be easily brought to the accident scene 222 by rescue personnel and activated on site. In another embodiment, the accident scene transmitter 228 is installed in at least one of the vehicles involved in the accident and configured to automatically transmit the position information of the accident, at least also to the traffic information system 225, in the event of an accident.

[0059] In Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a first example situation in which the view of an occupant (not shown) of a vehicle 310 of an accident scene 322 is reduced. In the example shown, the occupant's field of vision 300 includes, in addition to the view of the front area of ​​the vehicle interior, a view of the windshield 312 of the vehicle, on which an OLED display is mounted as a display field. In the shown state, this display is still transparent, so that the occupant's field of vision 300 is still unobstructed. An accident scene 322 is visible through the windshield 312 with the display field; that is, the entire accident scene 322 is already visible to the occupant as a "partial area of ​​the accident scene" through a currently transparent partial area 302 of the display field on the windshield 312.(The position of the display field sub-area 302 on the display field of the windshield 312 is shown as a dashed rectangular outline for illustrative purposes only).

[0060] According to the invention, a visual restriction 303 is implemented, i.e., a reduction of the occupant's view of the accident scene 322 in the vehicle 310. The occupant's visual field 301, which is then restricted, comprises the windshield 312 with display field, but the display field sub-area 302 of the display field, through which the accident scene sub-area, i.e., the entire accident scene, would otherwise be visible, is switched to a visual restriction mode with a pixelated display, so that the accident scene is no longer recognizable to the occupant.

[0061] In Fig. Figure 4 shows a schematic representation of a second example situation in which the view of an occupant (not shown) of a vehicle 410 of an accident scene 422 is reduced. In this example as well, the occupant's field of vision 400 of a vehicle 410 includes, in addition to the view of the front area of ​​the vehicle interior, a view of the windshield 412 of the vehicle 410, on which, as in the example shown, an OLED display is mounted as a display field. In the shown state, this display is still transparent, so that the occupant's field of vision 400 is still unobstructed. An accident scene 422 is visible through the windshield 412 with its display field; that is, the entire accident scene 422 is already visible to the occupant as a "partial area of ​​the accident scene" through a currently transparent partial area 402 of the display field on the windshield 412.(The position of the display field sub-area 402 on the display field of the windshield 412 is shown as a dashed rectangular outline for illustrative purposes only).

[0062] According to the invention, a visual restriction 404 is implemented, i.e., a reduction of the occupant's view of the accident scene 422 in the vehicle 410. The occupant's visual field 401, now restricted, comprises the windshield 412 with display panel. However, the display panel sub-area 402, through which the accident scene sub-area (here, the entire accident scene) would otherwise be visible, is switched to a visual restriction mode, so that the accident scene is no longer recognizable to the occupant. In contrast to the Fig. In example 3, the field of view 401 is enhanced by masking the view of the accident scene in the display sub-area 402 of the display field with a representation of a tree 403, thus providing a view that corresponds to the view of the accident scene area without the accident. Depending on the embodiment, the correspondence is approximate or exact: If the representation of the tree has been replaced by a photograph of another street tree, which, for example, was taken spatially close to the accident scene but without a view of the accident scene, it is only a similar tree, not the same one. Nevertheless, this prevents the occupant from perceiving a significant change in the environment as a stimulus that could distract them.In a further embodiment, the device for reducing the view of an occupant of the vehicle 410 of an accident scene is configured to contact a street view service via the Internet, which provides street views for virtually every street, and to retrieve the appropriate street view recorded at an earlier time for the position of the accident scene and to display it in the display field sub-area 402.

[0063] In Fig.Figure 5 shows a schematic representation of an example of the output of a warning message 502 to a vehicle occupant. In the example shown, the display control unit is configured to output a warning message 502, which is intended, in particular, to warn the driver of an accident site and to prompt them to focus their attention straight ahead on the road and not to be distracted, even if an accident is visible in their field of vision. In the example shown, the warning message 502 is output via a display in the instrument panel of the dashboard 500. An additional audible output via a loudspeaker in the vehicle interior may also be provided.

[0064] The figures are not necessarily detailed or to scale and may be enlarged or reduced to provide a better overview. Therefore, the functional details disclosed here are not to be understood as limiting, but merely as an illustrative basis to guide those skilled in this field of technology in using the present invention in a variety of ways.

[0065] The expression "and / or" used here, when used in a series of two or more elements, means that each of the listed elements can be used alone, or any combination of two or more of the listed elements can be used. For example, if a composition is described as containing the components A, B, and / or C, the composition can contain A alone; B alone; C alone; A and B in combination; A and C in combination; B and C in combination; or A, B, and C in combination.

[0066] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by the preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived from them by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention. The invention is therefore not intended to be limited to individual embodiments, but only by the attached claims. Reference symbol list 100 Device for reducing visibility 101 Display device 102 Display field 103 Accident Site Position Determination Device 104 Display control unit 105 Communication unit for wireless information transmission 106 Location sensor unit 107 Own position determination device 108 Audio output device 110 vehicles 120 System for reducing visibility 125 Traffic Information System 127 GPS transmitters 128 Accident Site Transmitter Unit 200 Device for reducing visibility 210 vehicles 211 lane 212 Windscreen with display panel 213 Location sensor unit 220 System for reducing visibility 221 Lane in the opposite direction 222 Accident site 223 first accident vehicle 224 second accident vehicle 225 Traffic Information System 226 Cloud-based network 227 GPS transmitters 228 Accident Site Transmitter Unit 300 Field of view before the view restriction 301 Field of vision after the view restriction 302 Display field sub-area 304 Visibility restriction 310 vehicles 312 Windscreen with display panel 322 Accident site 400 Field of view before the view restriction 401 Field of vision after the view restriction 402 Display field sub-area 403 Tree 404 Visibility restriction 410 vehicles 412 Windscreen with display panel 422 Accident site 500 dashboard 502 Warning

Claims

[1] Device (100) for reducing the view of an occupant of a vehicle (110) of an accident scene in order to prevent the occupant from observing the accident scene, comprising - a display device (101) with a display field (102) that is at least temporarily transparent; - an accident site location determination device (103), designed to determine the position of an accident site; and - a display control unit (104), characterized by, that the display control unit (104) is configured, when the display field (102) is positioned in the field of vision of an occupant of a vehicle (110), to determine whether the field of vision includes a portion of the accident site visible through a sub-area of ​​the display field (102), and if the field of vision includes the sub-area of ​​the accident site, to control the display device (101) to at least influence the sub-area of ​​the display field in such a way as to at least reduce the occupant's view of the sub-area of ​​the accident site, wherein the accident site position determination device (103) comprises a communication unit (105) for wireless information transmission designed to receive accident site position information and a location sensor unit (106) configured toto receive location signals from at least a sub-area of ​​the environment of the location sensor unit (106) and wherein the accident site position determination device (103) is designed to detect accident sites by evaluating the location signals and to determine associated accident site position information and to detect the position of the accident site by combining the received accident site position information and the determined accident site position information. [2] Device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the location sensor unit (106) comprises a radar sensor unit, a LIDAR sensor unit and / or a camera sensor unit. [3] Device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising - a self-position determination device (107) set up to determine its own position. [4] Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the display field (102) comprises a head-up display. [5] Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the display field (102) comprises an OLED display that is at least temporarily transparent. [6] Device (100) according to claim 5, wherein the OLED display is applied to one or more vehicle windows. [7] Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the display control device (104) is configured to control the display device (101), at least to influence the display field sub-area in such a way that the occupant's view of the accident site sub-area is at least reduced by switching the display field sub-area into an opaque state. [8] Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the display control device (104) is configured to control the display device (101), at least to influence the display field sub-area in such a way that the occupant's view of the accident site sub-area is at least reduced by switching the display field sub-area into a semi-transparent blurred state. [9] Device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the display control device (104) is configured to control the display device (101), at least to influence the display field sub-area in such a way that the occupant's view of the accident site sub-area is at least reduced by displaying an image or image sequence in the display field sub-area. [10] Device (100) according to claim 9, wherein the display control unit (104) is designed to dynamically generate the image or image sequence from camera sensor signals that have a spatial or temporal reference to the accident site. [11] Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the display control unit (104) is also designed to cause a warning message to be issued when the field of view includes the accident site sub-area. [12] Vehicle (110) comprising a device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims. [13] System (120) for reducing the view of an occupant of a vehicle (110) of an accident scene in order to prevent the occupant from viewing the accident scene, comprising - at least one device (100) according to claim 1; - at least one accident site transmitter unit (128) for wireless information transmission designed to transmit accident site position information; and - a traffic information system (125) designed to receive accident site position information from the at least one accident site wireless information transmission unit (128) and to transmit it to the wireless information transmission receiving unit of the at least one device (100). [14] System (120) according to claim 13, wherein the traffic information system (125) is a cloud-based traffic information system.

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