Method for automatically positioning a display

Abstract

A method (100) for automatically positioning a display (52) relative to an occupant (56) interacting with the display (52) in a vehicle (10), comprising: Identifying (104) user preferences for a position of the display (52) relative to the occupant (56) in the vehicle (10) with a system controller (34A); Monitoring (106) the posture, hand position, hand movements, head movements and gaze of the occupant (56) with an occupant monitoring system (50) within the vehicle (10) and in communication with the system controller (34A); Receiving (108) a verbal input from the occupant (56) with the system controller (34A) via a microphone (58) in communication with the system controller (34A); Determining (110), with the system controller (34A), based on the data received from the occupant monitoring system (50) and the microphone (58), that the occupant (56) is performing one of the following: Reaching towards the display (52); or Viewing the display (52); when the system controller (34A) determines that the occupant (56) is reaching for the display (52), automatically moving (112) the display (52) to a first position optimal to facilitate physical interaction of the occupant (56) with the display (52); and when the system controller (34A) determines that the occupant (56) is viewing the display (52), automatically moving (114) the display (52) to a second position that is optimal for the occupant (56) to view the display (52), characterized in that identifying (104) user preferences for a position of the display (52) relative to the occupant (56) in the vehicle (10) with the system controller (34A) further includes at least one of the following: Receiving a real-time input from the occupant (56) with the system controller (34A); and Accessing, with the system controller (34A), a machine learning model (60) of the occupant's (56) preferences based on previous interactions.

Description

INTRODUCTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for automatically positioning a display relative to an occupant interacting with the display in a vehicle.

[0002] The document US 2022 / 0 075 191 A1 discloses a method for automatically positioning a display according to the preamble of claim 1. The document DE 10 2020 206 320 A1 discloses a related method.

[0003] Vehicles are equipped with displays that provide information to the vehicle's occupants and allow the vehicle's occupants to input information, for example, using a touchscreen display. Fixed-position displays do not allow for optimal occupant interaction. When viewing the display, optimal positioning of the display would be higher and farther from the occupant. However, when the occupant interacts with the display by reaching forward to touch the display, optimal positioning of the display would be lower and closer to the occupant.

[0004] Therefore, while current systems and methods serve their purpose, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved method for automatically positioning a display relative to an occupant in a vehicle. SUMMARY

[0005] The aforementioned object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments emerge from the subclaims.

[0006] A method for automatically positioning a display relative to an occupant interacting with the display in a vehicle includes identifying user preferences for a position of the display relative to the occupant in the vehicle with a system controller; monitoring the occupant's posture, hand position, hand movements, head movements, and gaze with an occupant monitoring system in the vehicle and in communication with the system controller; receiving verbal input from the occupant with the system controller via a microphone in communication with the system controller; determining, with the system controller, based on data received from the occupant monitoring system and the microphone, that the occupant is either reaching for the display or viewing the display when the system controller determines that the occupant is reaching for the display; automatically moving the display to a first position;which is optimal to facilitate physical interaction with the display by the occupant, and when the system controller determines that the occupant is viewing the display, automatically moving the display to a second position that is optimal to enable the occupant to view the display.

[0007] Identifying user preferences with a system controller for a position of the display relative to the occupant in the vehicle further comprises at least one of the following: receiving real-time inputs from the occupant with the system controller; and accessing, with the system controller, a machine learning model of the occupant's preferences based on past interactions.

[0008] In another aspect, the method further comprises identifying a seating position of the occupant in the vehicle with the system controller based on data received from the occupant monitoring system and automatically rotating and tilting the display to an orientation optimal for occupant interaction.

[0009] In another aspect, automatically rotating and tilting the display to an orientation optimal for occupant interaction further comprises accessing a machine learning model of the occupant's preferences with the system controller based on previous interactions.

[0010] According to another aspect, automatically moving the display to a first position optimal for facilitating physical interaction of the occupant with the display further comprises automatically moving the display via a motorized carriage in communication with the system controller and on which the display is mounted, along a rail in which the motorized carriage is mounted, to the first position optimal for facilitating physical interaction of the occupant with the display, wherein automatically moving the display to a second position optimal for allowing the occupant to view the display further comprises automatically moving the display via the motorized carriage along the rail to the second position optimal for allowing the occupant to view the display,and automatically rotating and tilting the display into an orientation optimal for occupant interaction, further comprising automatically rotating and tilting the display into an orientation optimal for occupant interaction via a motorized articulating mount that is in communication with the system controller and supports the display on the motorized carriage.

[0011] According to another aspect, automatically moving the display to a first position optimal for facilitating physical interaction of the occupant with the display further comprises automatically moving the display via a mechanized articulated arm in communication with the system controller and to which the display is mounted to the first position optimal for facilitating physical interaction of the occupant with the display, wherein automatically moving the display to a second position optimal for enabling the occupant to view the display further comprises automatically moving the display via the mechanized articulated arm to which the display is mounted to the second position optimal for enabling the occupant to view the display,and automatically rotating and tilting the display into an optimal orientation for occupant interaction further comprises automatically rotating and tilting the display via the mechanized articulated arm on which the display is mounted into an optimal orientation for occupant interaction.

[0012] In another aspect, the method further comprises receiving real-time preferences of the occupant regarding a desired position and orientation of the display with the system control, moving the display to the desired position with the system control, and rotating and tilting the display to the desired orientation with the system control.

[0013] According to another aspect, the method includes receiving input from the occupant selecting an application with the system controller, accessing the machine learning model of the occupant's preferences based on previous interactions with the system controller when the occupant used the selected application, automatically moving the display with the system controller to an appropriate position to allow the occupant to interact with the selected application, and automatically rotating and tilting the display with the system controller to an appropriate orientation to allow the occupant to interact with the selected application.

[0014] In another aspect, the method includes determining with the system controller that a specific application is required based on current vehicle conditions, activating the specific application with the system controller, accessing with the system controller the machine learning model of the occupant's preferences based on previous interactions when the occupant used the specific application, automatically moving the display with the system controller to an appropriate position to allow the occupant to interact with the specific application, and automatically rotating and tilting the display with the system controller to an appropriate orientation to allow the occupant to interact with the selected application.

[0015] In another aspect, the method further comprises receiving data from a plurality of sensors in the vehicle and the occupant monitoring system with the system controller, and automatically adjusting a positioning and orientation of the display based on the vehicle configuration, the occupant characteristics, and the environmental conditions of the vehicle.

[0016] In another aspect, the method includes updating the machine learning model taking into account adjustments made to the positioning and orientation of the display based on the vehicle configuration, occupant characteristics, and vehicle environmental conditions.

[0017] In another aspect, the method includes updating the machine learning model of the occupant's preferences with the system controller when the system controller receives real-time preferences from the occupant for the positioning and orientation of the display.

[0018] According to several aspects of the present disclosure, a system for automatically positioning a display relative to an occupant interacting with the display in a vehicle includes a system controller configured to identify user preferences for a position of the display relative to the occupant in the vehicle, an occupant monitoring system in communication with the system controller and configured to monitor the occupant's posture, hand position, hand movements, head movements, and gaze, a microphone in communication with the system controller and configured to receive verbal input from the occupant, the system controller further configured to determine, based on data received from the occupant monitoring system and the microphone, that the occupant is either reaching for the display or looking at the display,and automatically move the display to a first position optimal to facilitate physical interaction of the occupant with the display when the system controller determines that the occupant is reaching for the display, automatically move the display to a second position optimal to allow the occupant to view the display when the system controller determines that the occupant is viewing the display, and based on data received from the occupant monitoring system, identify a seating position of the occupant in the vehicle and automatically rotate and tilt the display to an orientation optimal for occupant interaction.

[0019] According to another aspect, the system controller is further configured to automatically move the display, via a motorized carriage in communication with the system controller and on which the display is mounted, along a rail in which the motorized carriage is mounted, to the first position optimal for facilitating physical interaction of the occupant with the display when the system controller determines that the occupant is reaching for the display;to automatically move the display via the motorized carriage along the track to the second position optimal for allowing the occupant to view the display when the system controller determines that the occupant is viewing the display, and to automatically rotate and tilt the display via a motorized articulating mount in communication with the system controller and supporting the display on the motorized carriage to the orientation optimal for occupant interaction;

[0020] In another aspect, the system controller is further configured to automatically move the display, via a mechanized articulated arm in communication with the system controller and to which the display is mounted, to the first position optimal for facilitating physical interaction of the occupant with the display when the system controller determines that the occupant is reaching for the display; automatically move the display, via the mechanized articulated arm, to the second position optimal for allowing the occupant to view the display when the system controller determines that the occupant is viewing the display; and automatically rotate and tilt the display, via the mechanized articulated arm, to the orientation optimal for occupant interaction.

[0021] According to another aspect, when identifying user preferences for a position of the display relative to the occupant in the vehicle and rotating and tilting the display to an orientation optimal for occupant interaction, the system controller is further configured to at least one of receive real-time input from the occupant and access a machine learning model of the occupant's preferences based on previous interactions, and when the system controller receives real-time preferences from the occupant related to a desired position and orientation of the display, the system controller is further configured to move the display to the desired position, rotate the display to the desired orientation, and update the machine learning model of the occupant's preferences for the position and orientation of the display.

[0022] According to another aspect, the system controller is further configured to receive input from the occupant selecting an application, access the machine learning model of the occupant's preferences based on previous interactions when the occupant used the selected application, automatically move the display to an appropriate position to allow the occupant to interact with the selected application, and automatically rotate and tilt the display to an appropriate orientation to allow the occupant to interact with the selected application.

[0023] According to another aspect, the system controller is further configured to determine that a particular application is required based on current vehicle conditions, activate the particular application, access the machine learning model of the occupant's preferences based on previous interactions when the occupant used the particular application, automatically move the display to an appropriate position to allow the occupant to interact with the particular application, and automatically rotate and tilt the display to an appropriate orientation to allow the occupant to interact with the particular application.

[0024] According to another aspect, the system controller is further configured to receive data related to the vehicle configuration, the occupant characteristics, and the environmental conditions of the vehicle from a plurality of sensors within the vehicle and the occupant monitoring system, automatically adjust a position and orientation of the display based on the vehicle configuration, the occupant characteristics, and the environmental conditions of the vehicle, and update the machine learning model taking into account the adjustments made to the positioning and orientation of the display based on the vehicle configuration, the occupant characteristics, and the environmental conditions of the vehicle.

[0025] Further areas of application will become apparent from the present description. It is understood that the description and specific examples are for illustrative purposes only. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle having a system for automatically positioning a display relative to an occupant interacting with the display within a vehicle, according to an exemplary embodiment; Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the system according to an exemplary embodiment; Fig. 3A is a schematic diagram of a vehicle interior with an occupant seated therein, the occupant viewing the display and the display in a second position; Fig. 3B is a schematic diagram of a vehicle interior with an occupant seated therein, the occupant reaching toward the display and the display in a first position; Fig. Figure 4A is a schematic diagram illustrating how the display moves linearly along a rail and rotates; Fig. Figure 4B is a schematic diagram illustrating how the display is tilted; Fig. 5A is a schematic diagram of a vehicle interior with the display in the second position; Fig. 5B is a schematic diagram of a vehicle interior in which the display moves downward toward the occupant to the first position and rotates toward a driver's seat; Fig. 5C is a schematic diagram of a vehicle interior in which the display moves downward toward the occupant to the first position and rotates toward a passenger seat; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment having a mechanized articulated arm to which the display is mounted; and Fig. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for automatically positioning a display relative to an occupant interacting with the display in a vehicle, according to an example embodiment.

[0027] The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or reduced in size, e.g., to show details of certain components. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following description is merely exemplary. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. As used herein, the term module refers to any hardware, software, firmware, electronic control component, processing logic, and / or processor device, individually or in any combination, including, but not limited to: an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or as a group), and memory executing one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and / or other suitable components that provide the described functionality.Although the figures shown herein represent an example with particular arrangements of elements, actual embodiments may include additional intermediate elements, devices, features, or components. It is also understood that the figures are for illustrative purposes only and may not be drawn to scale.

[0029] The term "vehicle" used here is not limited to motor vehicles. Although the present technology is described primarily in the context of motor vehicles, the technology is not limited to motor vehicles. The concepts can be used in a wide variety of applications, such as aircraft, watercraft, other vehicles, and consumer electronics components.

[0030] In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, Fig. 1 shows a vehicle 10 with an associated system 11 for automatically positioning a display relative to an occupant 56 in a vehicle 10 according to various embodiments. In general, the system 11 cooperates with other systems within the vehicle 10 to display various information and infotainment content to the occupant. The vehicle 10 generally includes a chassis 12, a body 14, front wheels 16, and rear wheels 18. The body 14 is disposed on the chassis 12 and substantially encloses components of the vehicle 10. The body 14 and the chassis 12 together may form a frame. The front wheels 16 and the rear wheels 18 are each rotatably coupled to the chassis 12 near a corner of the body 14.

[0031] In various embodiments, the vehicle 10 is an autonomous vehicle, and the system 11 is integrated into the autonomous vehicle 10. For example, an autonomous vehicle 10 is a vehicle 10 that is automatically controlled to transport passengers from one location to another. The vehicle 10 is shown as a passenger car in the illustrated embodiment; however, it should be understood that any other vehicle, including motorcycles, trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), recreational vehicles (RVs), etc., may also be used. In one exemplary embodiment, the vehicle 10 is equipped with a so-called Level Four or Level Five automation system.A Level Four system indicates a "high degree of automation" and refers to the driving mode-specific execution of all aspects of the dynamic driving task by an automated driving system, even if a human driver does not respond appropriately to a request for intervention. A Level Five system indicates "full automation," meaning that an automated driving system fully executes all aspects of the dynamic driving task under all road and environmental conditions that can be handled by a human driver. The novel aspects of the present disclosure are also applicable to non-autonomous vehicles.

[0032] As illustrated, the vehicle 10 generally includes a propulsion system 20, a transmission system 22, a steering system 24, a braking system 26, a sensor system 28, an actuator system 30, at least one data storage device 32, a vehicle controller 34, and a wireless communications module 36. In an embodiment where the vehicle 10 is an electric vehicle, a transmission system 22 may not be present. The propulsion system 20, in various embodiments, may include an internal combustion engine, an electric machine such as a traction motor, and / or a fuel cell propulsion system. The transmission system 22 is configured to transfer power from the propulsion system 20 to the front wheels 16 and the rear wheels 18 of the vehicle according to selectable gear ratios.According to various embodiments, the transmission system 22 may be a stepped automatic transmission, a continuously variable transmission, or other suitable transmission. The braking system 26 is configured to provide braking torque to the front wheels 16 and the rear wheels 18 of the vehicle. In various embodiments, the braking system 26 may include friction brakes, brake-by-wire, a regenerative braking system such as an electric machine, and / or other suitable braking systems. The steering system 24 influences the position of the front wheels 16 and the rear wheels 18. Although a steering wheel is shown for illustrative purposes, the steering system 24 may not include a steering wheel in some embodiments contemplated by the present disclosure.

[0033] The sensor system 28 includes one or more sensing devices 40a-40n that sense observable conditions of the external environment and / or the internal environment of the autonomous vehicle 10. The sensing devices 40a-40n may include, among others, radars, lidar devices, global positioning systems, optical cameras, thermal cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and / or other sensors. The cameras may include two or more digital cameras spaced apart from each other, wherein the two or more digital cameras are used to obtain stereoscopic images of the environment to obtain a three-dimensional image or map. The plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n are used to determine information about the environment of the vehicle 10.In one exemplary embodiment, the plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n includes at least one of an engine speed sensor, an engine torque sensor, an electric drive motor voltage and / or current sensor, an accelerator pedal position sensor, a coolant temperature sensor, a cooling fan speed sensor, and a transmission oil temperature sensor. In another exemplary embodiment, the plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n further includes sensors for determining information about the surroundings of the vehicle 10, such as an ambient air temperature sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, and / or a photo and / or video camera positioned to view the surroundings in front of the vehicle 10. In another exemplary embodiment, at least one of the plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n is capable of measuring distances in the surroundings of the vehicle 10.

[0034] In one non-limiting example, where the plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n includes a camera, the plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n measure distances using an image processing algorithm configured to process images from the camera and determine distances between objects. In another non-limiting example, the plurality of vehicle sensors 40a-40n includes a stereo camera with distance measurement capabilities. In one example, at least one of the plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n is mounted inside the vehicle 10, e.g., in a headliner of the vehicle 10, with visibility through the windshield of the vehicle 10.In another example, at least one of the plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n is a camera mounted outside the vehicle 10, for example, on a roof of the vehicle 10, that provides a view of the surroundings of the vehicle 10 and is configured to collect information (images) related to the surroundings outside the vehicle 10. It is understood that various additional types of sensing devices, such as LiDAR sensors, ultrasonic ranging sensors, radar sensors, and / or time-of-flight sensors, are within the scope of the present disclosure. The actuator system 30 includes one or more actuation devices 42a-42n that control one or more functions of the vehicle 10, such as, but not limited to, the drive system 20, the transmission system 22, the steering system 24, and the braking system 26.

[0035] The vehicle controller 34 includes at least one processor 44 and a computer-readable storage device or medium 46. The at least one data processor 44 may be any custom or off-the-shelf processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an auxiliary processor of a plurality of processors connected to the vehicle controller 34, a semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chipset), a macroprocessor, any combination thereof, or generally any device for executing instructions. The computer-readable storage devices or media 46 may include, for example, volatile and non-volatile storage such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and keep-alive memory (KAM).KAM is persistent or non-volatile memory that can be used to store various operating variables while at least one data processor 44 is powered off. The computer-readable storage device(s) or media 46 can be implemented using any number of known storage devices, such as PROMs (programmable read-only memories), EPROMs (erasable PROMs), EEPROMs (electrically erasable PROMs), flash memory, or any other electrical, magnetic, optical, or combination storage devices capable of storing data, some of which represent executable instructions used by the controller 34 in controlling the vehicle 10.

[0036] The instructions may comprise one or more separate programs, each containing an ordered list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor 44, receive and process signals from the sensor system 28, perform logic, calculations, methods, and / or algorithms to automatically control the components of the vehicle 10, and generate control signals for the actuator system 30 to automatically control the components of the vehicle 10 based on logic, calculations, methods, and / or algorithms. Although only one controller 34 in Fig. 1, embodiments of the vehicle 10 may include any number of controllers 34 that communicate via any suitable communication medium or combination of communication media and that cooperate to process the sensor signals, perform logic, calculations, methods and / or algorithms, and generate control signals to automatically control functions of the autonomous vehicle 10.

[0037] In various embodiments, one or more instructions of the vehicle controller 34 are executed in a trajectory planning system and, when executed by the at least one data processor 44, generate a trajectory output that accounts for kinematic and dynamic constraints of the environment. The instructions receive, for example, process sensor and map data as input. The instructions follow a curve-based approach with an adapted cost function to handle different road scenarios, both in cities and on highways.

[0038] The wireless communication module 36 is configured to wirelessly communicate information to and from other remote units 48, such as, but not limited to, other vehicles ("V2V" communication), infrastructure ("V21" communication), remote systems, remote servers, cloud computers, and / or personal devices. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication system 36 is a wireless communication system configured to communicate over a wireless local area network (WLAN) using IEEE 802.11 standards or using radio data communication. However, additional or alternative communication methods, such as a Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) channel, are also contemplated within the scope of the present disclosure.DSRC channels refer to short- to medium-range, one-way or two-way wireless communication channels specifically designed for use in vehicles, along with a corresponding set of protocols and standards.

[0039] The vehicle controller 34 is a non-generalized electronic control device including a preprogrammed digital computer or processor, a memory or non-transitory computer-readable medium used to store data such as control logic, software applications, instructions, computer code, data, lookup tables, etc., and a transceiver (or input / output ports). Computer-readable media includes any type of media accessible by a computer, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), hard disk drive, compact disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), or any other type of storage. A "non-transitory" computer-readable medium excludes wired, wireless, optical, or other communication links that carry transitory electrical or other signals.A non-transitory computer-readable medium includes media on which data can be permanently stored and media on which data can be stored and later overwritten, such as a rewritable optical disk or an erasable storage device. Computer code includes all types of program code, including source code, object code, and executable code.

[0040] Referring to Fig. 2, a schematic diagram of system 11 is shown. System 11 includes a system controller 34A in communication with a plurality of sensing devices (onboard sensors) 40a-40n. System controller 34A may be the vehicle controller 34, or system controller 34A may be a separate controller in communication with the vehicle controller 34. In addition to the plurality of onboard sensors 40a-40n, system controller 34A is in communication with an occupant monitoring system 50 configured to monitor the posture, hand position, hand movements, head movements, and gaze of occupant 56.The system 11 further includes a display 52 in communication with the system controller 34A and configured to be viewed by the occupant 56 within the vehicle 10, a database 54 in communication with the system controller 34A, a microphone 58 in communication with the system controller 34A and configured to receive verbal input from the occupant 56, and a machine learning model 60 in communication with the system controller 34A and the database 54.

[0041] In an exemplary embodiment, the display 52 is a touchscreen human machine interface (HMI) display configured to display information to the occupant 56 and to enable the occupant 56 to interact with the system controller 34A and enter information into the system controller 34A by touching the display 52.

[0042] Referring to Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B, in an exemplary embodiment, the display 52 is mounted on a motorized carriage 62 that is movably supported within a track 64 mounted within the vehicle 10, such as, by way of non-limiting example, an instrument panel 66. The rail 64 could be supported on a structure extending upward from the floor of the vehicle 10, on a structure extending downward from the roof of the vehicle 10, or on a structure extending from another portion of the interior of the vehicle 10, such as the center console. The motorized carriage 62 is in communication with the system controller 34A. Based on instructions received from the system controller 34A, the motorized carriage 62 moves the display 52 back and forth within the track 64, as indicated by arrow 68.The motorized carriage 62 may include a rotary motor and a ball screw, a linear actuator, a linear motor, or any other known mechanism suitable for moving the motorized carriage 62 back and forth within the rail 64.

[0043] The system controller is configured to identify user preferences for a position of the display 52 relative to the occupant 56 within the vehicle 10 and, based on data received from the occupant monitoring system 50 and the microphone 58, determine that the occupant 56 is either reaching for the display 52 or merely viewing the display 52.

[0044] If the system controller 34A determines that the occupant 56 is only viewing the display 52, the system controller 34A automatically moves the display via the motorized carriage 62 along the track to a second position that is optimal for the occupant 56 to view the display 52. As shown in Fig. 3A, the system controller 34A positions the display 52 in a higher position, farther from the occupant 56, which is optimal for the occupant to view the display 52. If the display 52 is already in the second position, the system controller 34A takes no action and leaves the display 52 in the second position.

[0045] When the system controller 34A determines that the occupant 56 is reaching for the display 52, as indicated by arrow 70 in Fig. 3B, the system controller 34A automatically moves the display 52 via the motorized carriage 62 along the rail 64 to a first position that is optimal to facilitate the physical interaction of the occupant 56 with the display 52. As shown in Fig. 3B, the system controller 34A positions the display 52 in a lower position closer to the occupant 56, which is optimal for the occupant 52 to reach and touch the display 52. If the display 52 is already in the first position, the system controller 34A takes no action and leaves the display 52 in the second position.

[0046] In an exemplary embodiment, the system controller 34A is further configured to identify a seating position of the occupant 56 within the vehicle 10 based on the data received from the occupant monitoring system 50 and to automatically rotate and tilt the display 52 to an orientation optimal for interaction with the occupant 56 via a motorized articulating mount 72 that is in communication with the system controller 34A and supports the display 52 on the motorized carriage 62. Referring to Fig. 4A, the motorized carriage 62 moves the display back and forth along the rail 64, as indicated by arrow 74, and the motorized pivot mount 72 can rotate the display 52 left and right about a vertical axis, as indicated by arrow 76. Furthermore, with reference to Fig. 4B, the motorized articulating mount 72 tilts the display 52 as indicated by arrow 78 to accommodate the height of the occupant 56 and reduce glare from the sun on the display 52.

[0047] For example, with reference to Fig. 5A, the display 52 is shown located at the uppermost end of the rail 64, which is farthest from the occupants 56 in the vehicle 10. When the system controller 34A determines that an occupant 56 seated in the driver seat 80 is reaching for the display 52 to interact therewith, with reference to Fig. 5B, the system controller 34A moves the display 52 via the motorized carriage 62 along the rail to the first position, which is lower in the vehicle 10 and closer to the occupant 56, as indicated by arrow 82, and rotates the display 52 via the motorized articulating mount 72 so that the display 52 faces the driver seat 80, as indicated by arrow 84. Depending on the height of the occupant 56 in the driver seat 80, the system controller 34A may also tilt the display 52 accordingly. Similarly, if the system controller 34A determines that an occupant 56 seated in the front passenger seat 86 is reaching for the display 52 to interact with it, with reference to Fig. 5C, the system controller 34A moves the display 52 via the motorized carriage 62 along the rail to the first position, which is lower in the vehicle 10 and closer to the occupant 56, as indicated by arrow 88, and rotates the display 52 via the motorized pivot mount 72 so that the display 52 faces the passenger seat 86, as indicated by arrow 90. Depending on the height of the occupant 56 in the passenger seat 80, the system controller 34A may also tilt the display 52 accordingly.

[0048] In another exemplary embodiment, the display 52 is supported by a mechanized articulated arm 92. Referring to Fig. 6, an example of a mechanized articulated arm 92 includes three parts: a wrist 92A, an elbow 92B, and a shoulder 92C, which include joints to allow the mechanized articulated arm 92 to move freely in any direction. The mechanized articulated arm 92 can move forward, backward, up, and down, as well as rotate and gyrate. The joints of the wrist 92A, elbow 92B, and shoulder 92C act as axes that allow a certain degree of movement. The mechanized articulated arm 92 can include three, four, or six joints. It is understood that the mechanized articulated arm 92 can have any number of joints.Stepper motors, in communication with the system controller 34A and located at the joints, move the wrist 92A, elbow 92B, and shoulder 92C in precise increments, allowing the mechanized articulated arm 92 to repeatedly move the display 52 in a very precise manner with a high degree of accuracy and reliability to adjust the position and orientation of the display 52 for the occupant 56. A base 94 of the mechanized articulated arm 92 can be mounted to any suitable structure within the vehicle 10, such as the instrument panel 66, a center console, the roof, or the floor of the vehicle 10.

[0049] In an exemplary embodiment, in identifying user preferences for a position of the display 52 relative to the occupant 56 within the vehicle 10 and rotating and tilting the display 52 to an orientation optimal for interaction with the occupant 56, the system controller 34A is further configured to 1) receive real-time input from the occupant 56 and 2) access the machine learning model 60 to obtain preferences of the occupant 56 based on previous interactions.

[0050] The system controller 34A is configured to collect, through communication with the plurality of on-board sensors 40a-40n, real-time data related to occupant preferences regarding the positioning and orientation of the display 52, as well as a location of the vehicle 10 and operating conditions of the vehicle 10, such as weather, time of day, etc. The database 54 is in communication with the system controller 34A and is configured to store data related to past preferences and operating conditions of the vehicle 10, if such past preferences have been recorded.

[0051] The system controller 34A, using the machine learning model 60, predicts the first and second optimal positions based on 1) identification of the occupant, 2) current operating conditions of the vehicle, 3) current real-time input from the occupant of preferences regarding positioning and orientation of the display 52, and accessing the database 54 and the machine learning model 60. If current real-time input is received from the occupant 56, it takes precedence over predictions from the system controller 34A. However, if there is no current real-time input from the occupant 56, the system controller 34A uses the machine learning model 60 for the occupant 56 and the current operating conditions of the vehicle to predict an optimal positioning and orientation for the display 52.Various techniques are used to extract meaningful features from sensor readings and data, including time series analysis, frequency domain analysis, and spatiotemporal patterns. The machine learning model 60 may be one of the following, but is not limited to: Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), Decision Trees, Random Forests, Support Vector Machines (SVM), Neural Networks (NN), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Gradient Boosting, and Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN).

[0052] Thus, the system controller 34A uses the machine learning model 60 and machine learning techniques to predict optimal positioning and orientation of the display 52 based on the analysis of the real-time data of the location of the vehicle 10 and the operating conditions of the vehicle 10 with respect to the data received from the database 54, including previous preferences regarding the optimal positioning and orientation of the display 52 and the locations and operating conditions of the vehicle 10 when such previous preferences were recorded.

[0053] Each time the system controller 34A receives real-time preferences from the occupant 56 regarding a desired position and orientation of the display 52, the system controller 34A moves the display to the desired position via the motorized carriage 62, rotates and tilts the display 52 to the desired orientation via the motorized articulating mount 72, and updates the machine learning model 60 of the occupant 56's preferences for the position and orientation of the display 52.

[0054] In an exemplary embodiment, the system controller is further configured to receive input from the occupant 56 to select an application. The occupant 56 may provide such input via the display 52, where the display 52 is a touchscreen display of an HMI, or the system controller 34A may receive such input from the occupant 56 from other systems within the vehicle 10, where the display 52 is used to display information relevant to the occupant 56 regarding the selected application.The system controller 34A accesses the machine learning model 60 of preferences of the occupant 56 based on previous interactions when the occupant 56 used the selected application, automatically moves the display 52 via the motorized carriage 62 to an appropriate position to allow the occupant 56 to interact with the selected application, and automatically rotates and tilts the display 52 via the motorized articulating mount 72 to an appropriate orientation to allow the occupant 56 to interact with the selected application.

[0055] The appropriate position is either a first position (when the occupant 56 reaches for the display 52) or a second position (when the occupant 56 is viewing the display 52), which is determined based on data from the database 54 and a prediction by the machine learning model 60 of an optimal position for that occupant 56 using this application under the current operating and environmental conditions of the vehicle 10. The appropriate orientation is determined based on data from the database 54 and a prediction by the machine learning model 60 of an optimal orientation for that occupant 56 using this application under the current operating and environmental conditions of the vehicle 10.

[0056] As mentioned above, each time the system controller 34A receives real-time preferences from the occupant 56 regarding a desired position and orientation of the display 52, the system controller 34A updates the machine learning model 60 of the occupant's 56 preferences for the position and orientation of the display 52. For example, as described above, the system controller 34A accesses the machine learning model 60 of the occupant's 56 preferences based on previous interactions when the occupant 56 used the selected application and automatically moves the display 52 to an appropriate position for the occupant 56 to interact with the selected application, and automatically rotates and tilts the display 52 to an appropriate orientation for the occupant 56 to interact with the selected application.The occupant 56 may provide real-time input to request that the position and / or orientation of the display 52 be further adjusted based on personal preferences or due to environmental conditions, such as solar glare at that time of day. As additional real-time preferences are provided by the occupant 56, the system controller 34A updates the machine learning model 60 such that the machine learning model 60 provides more accurate predictions of the optimal position and orientation of the display in the future.

[0057] In another exemplary embodiment, system controller 34A is further configured to determine that a particular application is required based on current vehicle conditions. This determination may be made by accessing database 54 and machine learning model 60 to identify previous instances where the vehicle's operating conditions, such as location, speed, weather, day / night, number of passengers, passenger identity, etc., when the specific application was used by the occupant, match the current operating conditions.The system controller 34A activates the specific application, accesses the machine learning model 60 of the occupant 56's preferences for the positioning / position and orientation of the display 52 based on previous interactions when the occupant 56 used the specific application, automatically moves the display 52 via the motorized carriage 62 to an appropriate position for the occupant 56 to interact with the specific application, and automatically rotates and tilts the display 52 via the motorized articulating mount 72 to an appropriate orientation for the occupant 56 to interact with the specific application.

[0058] In another exemplary embodiment, the system controller 34A is further configured to receive data related to the vehicle configuration (seat height, seat position, seat back angle, etc.), occupant characteristics (height, seat position within the vehicle 10), and vehicle environmental conditions (weather, sunny, cloudy, speed, etc.) from the plurality of sensors 40a-40n within the vehicle 10 and the occupant monitoring system 50, automatically adjust the positioning and orientation of the display 52 based on the vehicle configuration, the occupant characteristics, and the vehicle environmental conditions, and update the machine learning model 60 with respect to the adjustments made to the positioning and orientation of the display 52 based on the vehicle configuration, the occupant characteristics, and the vehicle environmental conditions.In this way, the system controller 34A performs the “fine-tuning” of the positioning / position and orientation of the display 52 for the occupant 56 and the current conditions.

[0059] Referring to Fig.6 includes a method 100 for automatically positioning a display 52 relative to an occupant 56 interacting with the display 52 in a vehicle 10, beginning at block 102, wherein at least one occupant 56 is traveling in the vehicle 10, and continuing with block 104, identifying user preferences for a position of the display 52 relative to the occupant 56 in the vehicle 10 with a system controller 34A, continuing with block 106, monitoring, with an occupant monitoring system 50 within the vehicle 10 and in communication with the system controller 34A, the posture, hand position, hand movements, head movements, and gaze of the occupant 56, continuing with block 108, receiving, with the system controller 34A, via a microphone 58 in communication with the system controller 34A, verbal input from the Occupant 56, continuing with block 110, determining, with the system controller 34A,based on data received from the occupant monitoring system 50 and the microphone 58 that the occupant 56 is either reaching for the display 52 or viewing the display 52, and from block 110, proceeding to block 112, if the system controller 34A determines that the occupant 56 is reaching for the display 52, automatically moving the display 52 to a first position optimal to facilitate physical interaction of the occupant 56 with the display 52, or, from block 110, proceeding to block 114, if the system controller 34A determines that the occupant 56 is viewing the display 52, automatically moving the display 52 to a second position optimal to enable the occupant 56 to view the display 52.

[0060] In an exemplary embodiment, identifying user preferences for a position of the display 52 relative to the occupant 56 within the vehicle 10 with a system controller at block 104 further comprises at least one of 1) receiving real-time input from the occupant 56 with the system controller 34A and 2) accessing a machine learning model 60 of preferences of the occupant 56 based on past interactions with the system controller 34A.

[0061] In another exemplary embodiment, the method 100 further includes, from blocks 112 and 114, proceeding to block 116, identifying, with the system controller 34A based on data received from the occupant monitoring system 50, a seating position of the occupant 56 within the vehicle 10 and, proceeding to block 118, automatically rotating and tilting the display 52 to an orientation optimal for interaction with the occupant 56.

[0062] In an exemplary embodiment, automatically moving the display 52 to a first position optimal to facilitate physical interaction of the occupant 56 with the display 52 at block 112 further comprises automatically moving the display 52 via a motorized carriage 62 in communication with the system controller 34A and on which the display 52 is mounted, along a track 64 in which the motorized carriage 62 is supported, to the first position optimal to facilitate physical interaction of the occupant 56 with the display. Automatically moving the display 52 to a second position optimal to enable the occupant 56 to view the display 52 at block 114 further comprises automatically moving the display 52 via the motorized carriage 62 along the track 64 to the second position optimal to enable the occupant 56 to view the display 52.Automatically rotating and tilting the display 52 into an orientation optimal for interaction with the occupant 56 at block 118 further includes automatically rotating and tilting the display 52 into an orientation optimal for interaction with the occupant 56 via a motorized articulating mount 72 in communication with the system controller 34A and supporting the display 52 on the motorized carriage 62.

[0063] In another exemplary embodiment, automatically moving the display 52 to a first position optimal to facilitate physical interaction of the occupant 56 with the display 52 at block 112 further comprises automatically moving the display 52 via a mechanized articulated arm 92 in communication with the system controller 34A and to which the display 52 is mounted, to the first position optimal to facilitate physical interaction of the occupant 56 with the display. Automatically moving the display 52 to a second position optimal to enable the occupant 56 to view the display 52 at block 114 further comprises automatically moving the display 52 via the mechanized articulated arm 92 to the second position optimal to enable the occupant 56 to view the display 52.The automatic rotation and tilting of the display 52 into an orientation optimal for interaction of the occupant 56 at block 118 further includes the automatic rotation and tilting of the display 52 via the mechanized articulated arm 92 into an orientation optimal for interaction of the occupant 56.

[0064] In an exemplary embodiment, automatically rotating and tilting the display 52 to an orientation optimal for the interaction of the occupant 56 at block 118 further includes accessing with the system controller a machine learning model 60 of the preferences of the occupant 56 based on previous interactions.

[0065] In another exemplary embodiment, the method 100 further comprises, from block 118 proceeding to block 120, receiving, with the system controller 34A, real-time preferences from the occupant 56 regarding a desired position and orientation of the display 52, proceeding to block 122, moving the display 52 to the desired position with the system controller 34A, and proceeding to block 124, rotating and tilting the display 52 to the desired orientation with the system controller 34A.

[0066] In another exemplary embodiment, the method 100 further includes, from block 118 proceeding to block 126, receiving, with the system controller 34A, input from the occupant 56 selecting an application, proceeding to block 128, accessing the machine learning model 60 of the preferences of the occupant 56 with the system controller 34A based on previous interactions when the occupant 56 used the selected application, proceeding to block 130, automatically moving the display 52 with the system controller 34A to an appropriate position to allow the occupant 56 to interact with the selected application, and proceeding to block 132, automatically rotating and tilting the display 52 with the system controller 34A to an appropriate orientation to allow the occupant 56 to interact with the selected application.

[0067] In an exemplary embodiment, the method 100 further includes, from block 132 proceeding to block 134, if the system controller 34A receives real-time preferences from the occupant 56 related to a desired position and orientation of the display 52 while using the selected application, then the method 100 includes, from block 134 proceeding to block 122, moving the display 52 to the desired position with the system controller 34A and, proceeding to block 124, rotating and tilting the display 52 to the desired orientation with the system controller 34A. If the system controller 34A does not receive real-time preferences from the occupant 56, the system controller 34A makes no further adjustments to the position or orientation of the display 52 from block 134 proceeding to block 136.

[0068] In another exemplary embodiment, the method 100 includes, from block 118 proceeding to block 138, determining with the system controller 34A that a specific application is required based on current vehicle conditions, proceeding to block 140, activating the specific application with the system controller 34A, proceeding to block 142, accessing with the system controller 34A the machine learning model 60 of the preferences of the occupant 56 based on previous interactions when the occupant 56 used the specific application, proceeding to block 144, automatically moving the display 52 to an appropriate position with the system controller 34A to allow the occupant 56 to interact with the specific application, and proceeding to block 146, automatically rotating and tilting the display 52 with the system controller 34A to an appropriate orientation to allow the occupant 56 to interact with the specific application.

[0069] In an exemplary embodiment, the method 100 further includes, from block 146 proceeding to block 148, if the system controller 34A receives real-time preferences from the occupant 56 related to a desired position and orientation of the display 52 during use of the specific application, then the method 100 includes, from block 148 to block 122, moving the display 52 with the system controller 34A to the desired position, and, proceeding to block 124, rotating and tilting the display 52 with the system controller 34A to the desired orientation. If the system controller 34A does not receive real-time preferences from the occupant 56, the system controller 34A makes no further adjustments to the position or orientation of the display 52 from block 148 proceeding to block 150.

[0070] In another exemplary embodiment, the method 100 further includes, from block 118 proceeding to block 152, receiving data from a plurality of sensors 40a-40n within the vehicle 10 and the occupant monitoring system 50 with the system controller 34A and, proceeding to block 154, automatically adjusting a position and orientation of the display 52 based on the vehicle configuration, occupant characteristics, and vehicle environmental conditions.

[0071] In an exemplary embodiment, the method 100 further includes, from block 154 proceeding to block 156, updating the machine learning model 60 taking into account the adjustments made to the positioning and orientation of the display 52 based on the vehicle configuration, occupant characteristics, and vehicle environmental conditions.

[0072] In another exemplary embodiment, if the system controller receives real-time preferences for the position / positioning and orientation of the display at one of blocks 120, 134, or 148, then after the display 52 has been moved with the system controller 34A via the motorized carriage 62 along the rail 64 on which the display 52 is mounted to the desired position at block 122, and the display 52 has been rotated and tilted with the system controller 34A via the motorized articulating mount 72 to the desired orientation at block 124, the method 100 further includes, from block 124 proceeding to block 156, updating the machine learning model 60 of the preferences of the occupant 56 with the system controller 34A.

[0073] A system and method of the present disclosure provides the advantage of automatically positioning a display relative to an occupant interacting with the display in a vehicle.

Claims

[1] A method (100) for automatically positioning a display (52) relative to an occupant (56) interacting with the display (52) in a vehicle (10), comprising: Identifying (104) user preferences for a position of the display (52) relative to the occupant (56) in the vehicle (10) with a system controller (34A); Monitoring (106) the posture, hand position, hand movements, head movements and gaze of the occupant (56) with an occupant monitoring system (50) within the vehicle (10) and in communication with the system controller (34A); Receiving (108) a verbal input from the occupant (56) with the system controller (34A) via a microphone (58) in communication with the system controller (34A); Determining (110), with the system controller (34A), based on the data received from the occupant monitoring system (50) and the microphone (58), that the occupant (56) is performing one of the following: Reaching towards the display (52); or Viewing the display (52); when the system controller (34A) determines that the occupant (56) is reaching for the display (52), automatically moving (112) the display (52) to a first position optimal to facilitate physical interaction of the occupant (56) with the display (52); and when the system controller (34A) determines that the occupant (56) is viewing the display (52), automatically moving (114) the display (52) to a second position that is optimal for the occupant (56) to view the display (52), characterized by , that identifying (104) user preferences for a position of the display (52) relative to the occupant (56) in the vehicle (10) with the system controller (34A) further includes at least one of the following: Receiving a real-time input from the occupant (56) with the system controller (34A); and Accessing, with the system controller (34A), a machine learning model (60) of the occupant's (56) preferences based on previous interactions. [2] The method (100) of claim 1, further comprising: Identifying (116) a seating position of the occupant (56) in the vehicle (10) with the system controller (34A) based on data received from the occupant monitoring system (50); and automatic rotation and tilting (118) of the display (52) into an orientation optimal for the interaction of the occupant (56). [3] The method (100) of claim 2, wherein automatically rotating and tilting (118) the display (52) to an orientation optimal for the interaction of the occupant (56) further comprises accessing, with the system controller (34A), the machine learning model (60) of the preferences of the occupant (56) based on previous interactions. [4] The method (100) of claim 3, wherein: automatically moving (112) the display (52) to a first position optimal for facilitating physical interaction of the occupant (56) with the display (52), further comprising automatically moving the display (52) via a motorized carriage (62) in communication with the system controller (34A) and on which the display (52) is mounted, along a rail (64) in which the motorized carriage (62) is mounted, to the first position optimal for facilitating physical interaction of the occupant (56) with the display (52); automatically moving (114) the display (52) to a second position optimal for allowing the occupant (56) to view the display (52), further comprising automatically moving the display (52) via the motorized carriage (62) along the rail (60) to the second position optimal for allowing the occupant (56) to view the display (52); and automatically rotating and tilting (118) the display (52) into an orientation optimal for interaction of the occupant (56) further comprising automatically rotating and tilting the display (52) via a motorized articulating mount (72) that is in communication with the system controller (34A) and supports the display (52) on the motorized carriage (62) into an orientation optimal for interaction of the occupant (56). [5] The method (100) of claim 3, wherein: automatically moving (112) the display (52) to a first position optimal for facilitating physical interaction of the occupant (56) with the display (52), further comprising automatically moving the display (52) via a mechanized articulated arm (92) in communication with the system controller (34A) and on which the display (52) is mounted, to the first position optimal for facilitating physical interaction of the occupant (56) with the display (52); automatically moving (114) the display (52) to a second position optimal for allowing the occupant (56) to view the display (52), further comprising automatically moving the display (52) via the mechanized articulated arm on which the display (52) is mounted to the second position optimal for allowing the occupant (56) to view the display (52); and the automatic rotation and tilting (118) of the display (52) into an orientation optimal for the interaction of the occupant (56) further comprises the automatic rotation and tilting of the display (52) via the mechanized articulated arm (92) on which the display (52) is mounted into an orientation optimal for the interaction of the occupant (56). [6] The method (100) of claim 3, further comprising: Receiving (120), with the system controller, real-time preferences of the occupant (56) regarding a desired position and orientation of the display (52); Moving (122) the display (52) to the desired position using the system control (34A); and Rotate and tilt (124) the display (52) to the desired orientation using the control panel (34A). [7] The method (100) of claim 3, further comprising: Receiving (126) inputs from the occupant (56) selecting an application with the system controller (34A); Accessing (128), with the system controller (34A), the machine learning model (60) of the occupant's (56) preferences based on previous interactions when the occupant (56) used the selected application; automatically moving (130) the display (52) with the system control (34A) to a suitable position so that the occupant (56) can interact with the selected application; and automatically rotating and tilting (132) the display (52) with the system control (34A) into a suitable orientation so that the occupant (56) can interact with the selected application. [8] The method (100) of claim 2, further comprising: Determining (138), with the system controller (34A), that a particular application is required based on current vehicle conditions; Activating (140) the specific application with the control panel (34A); Accessing (142), with the system controller (34A), the machine learning model (60) of the occupant's (56) preferences based on previous interactions when the occupant (56) used the specific application; automatically moving (144) the display (52) with the system controller (34A) to a suitable position so that the occupant (56) can interact with the specific application; and automatically rotating and tilting (146) the display (52) with the system control (34A) into a suitable orientation so that the occupant (56) can interact with the specific application. [9] The method (100) of claim 2, further comprising: Receiving (152) data from a plurality of sensors (40a-40n) within the vehicle (10) and the occupant monitoring system (50) with the system controller (34A); and automatically adjusting (154) a positioning and orientation of the display (52) based on the vehicle configuration, the occupant characteristics and the vehicle environmental conditions.

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