Method for projecting at least one light pattern into a vehicle environment and vehicle with at least one projector

Abstract

Method for projecting at least one light pattern (1) into a vehicle environment with at least one projector (3) comprised by a vehicle (2), wherein a projector (3) integrated into an exterior mirror (7) of the vehicle (2) is used to project the at least one light pattern (1) into the vehicle environment, characterized in that the light pattern (1) comprises a navigation instruction for continuing navigation in the form of a route to be selected to reach a navigation destination (4) in order to point a person in the direction of the navigation destination (4) after parking the vehicle (2); the light pattern (1) is specifically aligned with the vehicle surroundings so that the light pattern (1) is projected into the vehicle surroundings with a defined orientation; and a door opening angle of a vehicle door to which the exterior mirror (7) is connected is taken into account when specifically aligning the light pattern (1) with respect to the vehicle surroundings.

Description

The invention relates to a method for projecting at least one light pattern into a vehicle environment, having at least one projector, which is comprised by a vehicle, of the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 1, and to a vehicle of the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 6.Nowadays, with the aid of modern navigation systems, persons can be oriented comfortably and easily. Thus, a person is able to search a foreign location reliably using a vehicle and without the need to plan a corresponding travel route manually, for example with the aid of a road map, using route guidance. In addition, the person does not have to note a corresponding travel route. Corresponding navigation systems can be integrated permanently in a vehicle or can also be embodied as a mobile terminal.Often, however, a trip with the vehicle does not end in an immediate environment to the destination, but at some distance from it. One possible cause is a lack of free parking spaces in the area of the destination. Thus, a vehicle-guiding person, in particular in cities with a poor parking space situation, must use a free parking space before reaching the destination, or must pass the destination and search behind the destination for a free parking space.If the vehicle-guiding person has then found a suitable parking space and gets out of the vehicle in order to get to the foot to the destination, the vehicle-guiding person must be re-oriented in order to find itself from the parking location of the vehicle to the destination. The longer it had to search for a free parking space and the farther it is from the actual destination, the more complicated is the travel finding of the navigation following the trip to the foot.In particular when using an in-vehicle navigation device, navigation instructions are no longer available after leaving the vehicle, which makes it more difficult to find the fastest route to the destination. For navigation, the vehicle-guiding person can then use his smartphone. However, the vehicle-guiding person must then reprogram the target into the smartphone, which is associated with an increased time outlay. If the vehicle-guiding person is in a time-critical situation, such as on the way to a deadline, valuable time is lost as a result.Methods and devices for projecting light patterns into a vehicle environment are known from the general prior art. For example, DE 10 2018 120 330 A1 discloses a method for image projection in vehicles. In this case, a vehicle with corresponding projectors projects symbols into the vehicle environment as a function of a trajectory of the vehicle. Such an icon may include, for example, an indication of whether the vehicle is being autonomously or manually controlled. The symbol can also include environmental features such as a current signal of a traffic light system, for example, in order to point a person looking down on his smartphone to have a red color and to point out that the vehicle projecting light pattern is turning in front of the person looking on his smartphone. The symbols projected by the vehicle into the environment are oriented in accordance with the target objects for which they apply.Furthermore, an assistance system for a vehicle is known from DE 10 2018 000 275 A1. The assistance system enables driving of vehicle headlights to illuminate a navigation target in order to make it possible for a vehicle-guiding person to find the target object of their route guidance particularly easily. Thus, the vehicle-guiding person does not first have to check, for example, the house numbers of different buildings in order to find their destination. However, illuminating the navigation target requires that the vehicle be within range of view to the destination or target object.Furthermore, DE 10 2013 012 891 A1 discloses a method for projecting graphically representable display content by a motor vehicle into the surroundings of the motor vehicle. The motor vehicle can here cast a navigation instruction for finding an emergency exit onto a ground or a wall by means of a projector integrated into an external mirror. This allows a person to quickly follow an escape route, for example, in a tunnel.U.S. Pat. No. 2018 / 0 004 020 A1 also discloses an on-board device for projecting images. The vehicle can cast images into its environment in a contact-analogous manner with the device, so that, for example, when driving a curve, a light arrow cast in front of the vehicle into an intersection region appears to stick as it is on the roadway despite the vehicle being bent around.Furthermore, DE 10 2013 009 873 A1 discloses a method for illuminating an area in the front and / or in the interior of a motor vehicle when the doors of the motor vehicle are opened or closed or unlocked or locked. If a door of the motor vehicle is opened, a projector integrated into a B-pillar or into a sill can cast a light pattern into the environment, which is varied in size in proportion to a degree of door opening.The present invention is based on the object of specifying an improved method for projecting at least one light pattern into a vehicle environment, having at least one projector which is comprised by a vehicle and with the aid of which a vehicle-guiding person is guided particularly reliably and comfortably to a navigation destination after parking his vehicle.According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for projecting at least one light pattern into a vehicle environment, having at least one projector, which is comprised by a vehicle and has the features of claim 1, and a vehicle having the features of claim 6. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are evident from the claims dependent thereon.In a method for projecting at least one light pattern into a vehicle environment, having at least one projector comprised by a vehicle, wherein a projector integrated into an external mirror of the vehicle is used for projecting the at least one light pattern into the vehicle environment, according to the invention the light pattern comprises a navigation instruction for navigation continuation in the form of a path to be selected for reaching a navigation target in order to point a vehicle-guiding person in the direction of the navigation target after parking the vehicle, the light pattern is aligned in a targeted manner with respect to the vehicle environment, such that the light pattern is projected into the vehicle environment with a fixed orientation, and a door opening angle of a vehicle door to which the external mirror is connected is taken into account in the targeted alignment of the light pattern with respect to the vehicle environment.With the aid of the method according to the invention, it is made possible for the person to reliably reach the navigation destination of a navigation carried out during the use of the vehicle even after the vehicle has been shut down. Thus, thanks to the navigation instruction, the person is able to quickly and easily choose the most suitable path to get to the foot of the navigation destination. Suitable means here that the path to be traveled to the foot has, for example, a particularly short path length and / or can be traveled particularly quickly in time. It is immaterial whether the vehicle is within range of view of the target object. This enables a reliable path finding for the person, even if he is parking his vehicle in a parking space before reaching the navigation destination, within the range of view of the navigation destination or even after passing the navigation destination. In addition, the person now no longer has to use his smartphone or similar mobile terminal for finding the way, as a result of which he saves time.For projecting the at least one light pattern into the vehicle environment, a projector integrated into an exterior mirror of the vehicle is used. If the vehicle is parked in a narrow parking space, then a light pattern with sufficient perceptibility for the person can possibly not be projected into the environment by means of the vehicle headlights, since a light beam path is blocked by a further vehicle parked in front of the vehicle. However, projectors integrated into the exterior mirrors of the vehicle can be used to cast a perceptible light pattern into the vehicle environment even in demanding parking situations. The projectors can be integrated at any desired location in a corresponding external mirror. For example, the projectors can be integrated into an exterior mirror on an underside thereof and be oriented in the direction of a substrate.Various technologies may be used to project the light pattern. For example, the vehicle headlights and / or the projectors can comprise lasers or other lighting means such as LEDs, fluorescent tubes, halogen lamps or the like. In addition to at least one lighting means, a corresponding projector typically comprises further components such as mirrors, lenses, filters, actuators and the like.By means of the targeted alignment of the light pattern with respect to the vehicle environment, an orientation for the person can be improved. For example, in the case of a light pattern in the form of a card, the card can be aligned with respect to the environment in such a way that the card's celestial directions coincide with the actual celestial directions. Thus, the components such as roads included in the map also correspond to an actual orientation.If the door opening angle were not taken into consideration, the alignment of the light pattern changes when the vehicle door is opened and closed with respect to the environment. Thus, the person could no longer intuitively grasp the path to be selected. However, by balancing the door opening angle of the vehicle door, the light pattern is projected into the vehicle environment according to the specified orientation even when the door is open, closed, or moved.An advantageous development of the method provides that text, at least one symbol and / or at least one map is projected into the vehicle environment using the light pattern. With the aid of text, symbols and / or a map, the route to be selected for reaching the navigation destination can be detected by the person in a particularly intuitive and thus easily comprehensible manner. For example, indications can be output in text form, such as, for example, direction indications such as "left", "straight ahead", "around the corner", distance indications such as "in 100 meters" or the like, or else indications such as "start", "destination", "cross intersection", road names, house numbers or the like.Directional symbols such as arrows can be represented as the symbol, or else pictograms, for example in the form of a house, a factory, a road, a destination marker, a start marker, a destination flag or the like.A map is particularly preferably projected into the vehicle environment. With the aid of a map, the person can detect particularly quickly what way he must take in order to reach the navigation destination. The map can be abstracted as much as desired. The map can either be detailed and include all relevant roads, buildings, together with street names and house numbers, or the map can only include the route to be selected by the person. In particular, the map is limited to a map section which is as small as possible and at the edges of which the (parked) vehicle and the navigation destination lie. Thus, the display of irrelevant information is avoided, which simplifies intuitive detection of the path to be selected for the person.According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the light pattern is projected onto a substrate. By projecting the light pattern onto a ground such as the ground on which the vehicle is placed, it is ensured that the light pattern can also be cast into the vehicle environment in various situations. If no vertical projection surfaces such as walls of houses are available and / or if the vehicle is parked in a parking space, so that further vehicles are located directly in front of and behind the vehicle, then a disturbance-free projection of the light pattern onto the underlying surface is nevertheless possible. The underlying surface can have any desired structure. For example, it can be asphalt, curbstones, gravel or the like. In addition, the person also moves on the underlying surface, as a result of which he can be displaced into the card particularly easily, for example in the case of a light pattern with a card.A further advantageous embodiment of the method further provides that at least a part of a light pattern is animated. For example, individual light pattern segments such as text blocks, individual symbols and / or map sections can blink, move, or any desired dynamics change such as brightness, contrast and / or their color. Also, individual parts of the light pattern can change their size. For example, a map of the closer vehicle environment can be projected into the vehicle environment, the path extending from the person to the navigation destination can be emphasized more brightly and a particularly brightly luminous and / or flashing arrow can move along the path on this path. Potential hazard spots can also be highlighted, such as a spot at which the person must cross a road, for example at a traffic light or at a pedestrian crossing. In this case, a corresponding region of the map can blink red, for example.The door opening angle is preferably detected by means of an angle sensor and / or by evaluating camera images generated with a camera integrated into the exterior mirror. Various technologies can be used to form the angle sensor, such as the use of magnets and / or potentiometers. A corresponding angle sensor can be connected to the vehicle door at any point between the vehicle and the vehicle door. However, the provision of cameras makes it possible to dispense with the use of movable parts or sensors, which enables reliable detection of a door opening angle. For example, angle sensors using a potentiometer can wear over their service life, which causes an erroneous angle detection. This can be avoided by using cameras to detect a door opening angle. Camera images generated by corresponding cameras can be evaluated on any computing unit in the vehicle.In a vehicle having at least one projector, a navigation device and a computing unit, the projector, the navigation device and the computing unit are configured according to the invention to carry out a method described above. The vehicle may be any vehicle such as a car, truck, transporter, bus, or the like. A route that a person drives with the vehicle is calculated by means of the navigation device in order to arrive at a navigation destination from a starting point. If the person then stops his vehicle at a certain distance from the actual navigation destination, he is able to get to the foot around the navigation destination quickly, easily and intuitively with the aid of the method according to the invention and the vehicle according to the invention.The navigation device thus detects the location at which the vehicle is parked and, with the aid of the person's navigation instruction projected into the surroundings of the vehicle, indicates which path it still has to travel to the foot in order to reach the actual navigation destination. The navigation device can be a navigation system which is fixedly integrated into the vehicle. It can also be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a mobile navigation device, usually referred to as "navi". For determining a geoposition of the vehicle or of the navigation device, a global navigation satellite system such as GPS, Beidou, Galileo or the like can be used. The computing unit can be integrated into the navigation device, the projector or also into the vehicle. For example, the computing unit may be a central on-board computer, a telematics unit or another control device of a vehicle subsystem. With the aid of the arithmetic unit or else a separate arithmetic unit, control commands for actuating the at least one projector are generated.Further advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention and of the vehicle also result from the exemplary embodiments which are described in more detail below with reference to the figures.The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a top view of a parked vehicle according to the invention, which projects a navigation instruction for navigation progression into a vehicle environment; FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of a simple navigation instruction; and FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of a complex navigation instruction.FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a vehicle 2 according to the invention, which has been parked in a free parking space 11. This is a parking lot 11 in a city. Thus, the parking facility 11 is located on a sidewalk 12 between a road 13 and a house wall 14.A vehicle-guiding person of the vehicle 2 travels with the vehicle 2 from a starting location to a navigation destination 4, which is shown symbolically in FIGS. 2 and 3. However, no free parking space is available in immediate proximity to the navigation destination 4, which is why the vehicle-guiding person has parked his vehicle 2 in the free parking space 11. In order to reach the navigation destination 4, however, the person must now travel a remaining route to foot. The farther the free parking space 11 is away from the navigation destination 4 and the more angled the city, the more difficult the person is to find the way. In addition, after parking the vehicle 2 in the free parking space 11, it must first orient itself in order to find out in which direction the actual navigation destination 4 is now located.In order to make it easier for the person to reach the navigation target 4 after parking the vehicle 2, the vehicle 2 according to the invention comprises at least one projector 3 for projecting navigation instructions into a vehicle environment, as well as a navigation device 9 for route finding and a computing unit 10 for evaluating sensor signals, route calculation and / or actuation of the at least one projector 3.A projector 3 is integrated into an exterior mirror 7 of the vehicle 2 and can additionally also be formed by a headlight 3.1 of the vehicle 2. With the aid of such a projector, a light pattern 1 is cast into the vehicle environment, the light pattern 1 comprising the navigation instruction for navigation continuation. The navigation instruction itself comprises a path to be selected by the person to reach the navigation destination 4.The light pattern 1 can be cast onto a ground in front of, next to and / or behind the vehicle. It is generally also possible for the light pattern 1 to be cast onto vertical surfaces such as the house wall 14. In the example in FIG. 1, the vehicle 2 projects the light pattern 1 in front of it only with its right headlight 3.1. However, it is generally also possible for both vehicle headlights 3.1 to be used for projecting the light pattern 1. As a result, a particularly large light pattern 1 can be generated. If, however, a further vehicle, not shown here, parks in front of the vehicle 2, then a perceptible light pattern 1 cannot be cast into the environment for the person. However, with the aid of a projector 3 integrated into an external mirror 7, the perceptibility of the light pattern 1 for the person can also be ensured in such a situation. In FIG. 1, a light pattern 1 is generated only with a projector 3 integrated into the right exterior mirror 7 of the vehicle 2. In general, such a light pattern 1 can also be generated with a projector 3 integrated into the left outer mirror 7. In the example in FIG. 1, however, this would be thrown onto the road 13, which would require the person to turn to see the corresponding light pattern 1 (not shown) in the region of the road 13. As a result, it would influence traffic running or even risk of being involved in an accident. Therefore, a projection of the light pattern 1 in the direction of the sidewalk 12 or the house wall 14 is to be preferred. In general, the vehicle 2 can also have projectors 3 at further points. For example, a projector 3 may also be integrated into a bumper, a door, a tailgate or the like.With the aid of the light pattern 1 or the navigation instruction included in the light pattern 1, the person is alerted in the direction of the navigation destination 4 originally to be reached with the vehicle 2. As a result, the person can detect particularly easily and quickly in which direction the navigation target 4 is located and move to the foot in the direction of the navigation target 4.FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of a light pattern 1, which shows a section of the vehicle 2 with a corresponding outer mirror 7. In addition to the projector 3, the exterior mirror 7 also comprises a camera 8. A background and a section of the vehicle 2 are captured with the aid of the camera 8, as a result of which it is possible to infer, by an orientation of the vehicle 2 and the background in camera images generated by the camera 8, the door opening angle at which a vehicle door comprising the exterior mirror 7 is currently open. This information is used to adapt an alignment of the light pattern 1 with respect to the vehicle environment. This can ensure that the light pattern 1 is always projected into the environment in such a way that the navigation instruction included in the light pattern 1 actually points in the direction of the navigation target 4.In FIG. 2, the light pattern 1 comprises a symbol 5 in the form of an arrow. The arrow points in the direction of the navigation target 4, whereupon the person can quickly and easily perceive in which direction he must move to the navigation target 4. The navigation target 4 is symbolized in FIGS. 2 and 3 by a target flag.According to an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the light pattern 1, or a part of the light pattern 1, can also be animated. For example, the arrow shown in FIG. 2 can also move in the direction of the navigation destination 4. This is symbolized by an arrow with a solid line and an arrow with a dashed line. Thus, the solid line arrow may move to the dashed line arrow position. With the aid of animations, the person can detect even more quickly and intuitively in which direction he must move in order to reach the navigation destination 4.If, however, the person does not simply park his vehicle 2 "down the road", but if it were necessary to enter one or more cross roads in order to find a free parking space 11, a navigation notice in the form of a simple arrow is no longer sufficient to inform the person how he can reach the navigation destination 4 to the foot.With the aid of a catheter 6 shown in FIG. 3, however, an indication can be given to the person, even in complex parking situations, as he can reach the navigation destination 4. In this case, the map 6 illustrated in FIG. 3 shows only a comparatively small map section, which is however sufficient for the person to detect which path 15 it must choose to reach the navigation destination 4. The card 6 can be abstracted as desired. For example, the map 6 may include only roads 13, the vehicle 2, and the navigation destination 4. Street names can also be represented in the form of text.However, the map 6 can also comprise additional information, for example information that the path 15 is passing over the respective road 13 in two places. This is symbolized by two hatched areas 16. The hatched areas 16 can be, for example, the area of a traffic light or of a crosswalk. Here, too, the light pattern 1 can have animations. Thus, for example, the hatched areas 16 can blink and / or the individual lines from which the path 15 is composed can move in the direction of the navigation destination 4.Information can also be displayed as to how far the navigation destination 4 is currently away from the vehicle 2. Such an indication may comprise a temporal indication such as "3 minutes to foot" and / or a path length such as "500 meters". If the person is in eile, then he can thereby estimate whether he can still see a deadline in good time or, if applicable, comes too late.To further improve comfort for the person, point of interest (POI) can also be drawn into the map 6, for example. If, for example, a coffee is on the path 15 to the navigation destination 4, the person can still buy a coffee there.In this case, when initially programming the navigation route into the navigation device 9 of the vehicle 2, the person can define the abstraction level with which the light pattern 1 is intended to output the navigation instruction. As a result, the person can meet his suitable demands on the display of navigation instructions after parking of the vehicle 2.

Claims

Method for projecting at least one light pattern (1) into a vehicle environment, having at least one projector (3) which is comprised by a vehicle (2), wherein a projector (3) which is integrated into an external mirror (7) of the vehicle (2) is used for projecting the at least one light pattern (1) into the vehicle environment, characterized in that the light pattern (1) comprises a navigation instruction for navigation continuation in the form of a path which is to be selected for reaching a navigation destination (4) in order to point a person in the direction of the navigation destination (4) after the vehicle (2) has been shut down; the light pattern (1) is aligned in a targeted manner with respect to the vehicle environment, such that the light pattern (1) is projected into the vehicle environment with a fixed orientation; and a door opening angle of a vehicle door to which the exterior mirror (7) is connected, is taken into account in the targeted alignment of the light pattern (1) with respect to the vehicle environment.Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that text, at least one symbol (5) and / or at least one map (6) is projected into the vehicle environment using the light pattern (1).Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the light pattern (1) is projected onto a substrate.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least part of a light pattern (1) is animated.Method according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the door opening angle is detected by means of an angle sensor and / or by evaluating camera images generated with a camera (8) integrated into the outer mirror (7).Vehicle (2) having at least one projector (3), a navigation device (9) and a computing unit (10), characterized in that the projector (3), the navigation device (9) and the computing unit (10) are configured to carry out a method according to one of Claims 1 to 5.

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