Deregistration and notification of abandoned items via a vehicle display

Abstract

A system for automatically logging a user out of user-specific content displayed on a vehicle display includes a vehicle display server in communication with a plurality of sensors adapted to track the head and eye position and movement of users within the vehicle, detect positions of users and detect when users change their positions within the vehicle, detect when a user enters and exits the vehicle, detect personal belongings, haptic feedback devices, and a user display system, wherein the vehicle display server is adapted to detect when a user enters the vehicle, identify the user, detect a seating position in which the user is sitting, detect personal belongings, and associate the personal belongings with the user,display user-specific content on the user display system, detect when the user has finished viewing the user-specific content, and automatically stop displaying the user-specific content and automatically log out of the user-specific content.

Description

introduction

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a system for enabling automatic logout of personal content displayed on a vehicle display and automatic notification via the vehicle display when personal items are left behind in a vehicle.

[0002] Current in-vehicle entertainment systems generally feature a screen or monitor mounted within the vehicle for passengers to view. Some systems include smaller individual screens, with each passenger having a screen for their personal viewing. Current systems are primarily designed for single users and do not account for shared or multi-screen vehicle compartments where content is determined based on the user's identity. Furthermore, shared screens do not account for users moving between seating positions within a vehicle or exiting the vehicle, requiring the user to manually stop viewing personal content when this occurs.In addition, current systems do not link personal belongings brought into the vehicle to a user inside the vehicle, so the system automatically notifies the user if the user leaves the vehicle without their personal belongings.

[0003] While current systems serve their purpose, there is a need for a new and improved system that allows personalization and interaction via a vehicle display. Description

[0004] According to several aspects of the present disclosure, a system for automatically logging a user out of user-specific content displayed on a vehicle display includes a vehicle display server positioned in a vehicle and communicating with a plurality of sensors positioned in the vehicle and configured to track the head and eye position and movement of users sitting in a plurality of seating positions in the vehicle, detect positions of users within the vehicle and detect when users change seating positions within the vehicle, as a user enters and exits the vehicle, detect personal items brought into the vehicle by a user, and haptic feedback devices positioned within the vehicle and adapted to provide haptic feedback to users.who are seated within the vehicle, and a user display system positioned within the vehicle for viewing and interaction by users who are seated within the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle, wherein the vehicle display server is adapted to detect when a user enters the vehicle, identify an identity of the user using the plurality of sensors positioned in the vehicle, detect a first of the plurality of seating positions in which the user is seated using the plurality of sensors positioned in the vehicle, detect personal items brought into the vehicle by the user using the plurality of sensors positioned in the vehicle, and associate the detected personal items with the user using artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms.display user-specific content on the user display system for viewing by the user, detect when the user has finished viewing the user-specific content on the user display system, and automatically stop displaying the user-specific content and automatically log out of the user-specific content when the user has finished viewing the user-specific content on the user display system.

[0005] According to another aspect, the vehicle display server is further configured to detect when the user has looked away from the user display system and is still sitting in the first of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle, pause the display of the user-specific content to the user on the user display system, and, when a predetermined period of time has elapsed, stop displaying the user-specific content and automatically log out of the user-specific content.

[0006] According to another aspect, the vehicle display server is further configured to detect when the user has moved away from one of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle, pause the display of the user-specific content for the user on the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions; and, at least one of, when a predetermined period of time has elapsed, automatically terminating the display of the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content displayed on the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions, detecting with the plurality of sensors that the user has moved to a second of the plurality of seating positions, and automatically terminating the display of the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content,displayed by the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions, detecting, with the plurality of sensors, that another passenger has occupied the first of the plurality of seating positions and automatically stopping the display of the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content displayed by the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions, and detecting, with the plurality of sensors, that the user has exited the vehicle and automatically stopping the display of the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content displayed by the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions.

[0007] According to another aspect, the vehicle display server is further configured to detect with the plurality of sensors when the user has moved away from the first of the plurality of seating positions and has left at least one personal item associated with the user at the first of the plurality of seating positions, and to provide an alert to the user to notify the user that at least one personal item associated with the user has been left within the first of the plurality of seating positions.

[0008] In another aspect, the vehicle display server is further configured to detect with the plurality of sensors when the user has moved away from the first of the plurality of seating positions and has picked up at least one personal item associated with another passenger, and to provide an alert to the user to inform the user that the user has picked up at least one personal item associated with another passenger.

[0009] According to another aspect, the vehicle display server is further configured to detect with the plurality of sensors when another passenger within the vehicle moves away from one of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle and has taken at least one personal item associated with the user, and to provide an alert to the user to inform the user that another passenger has taken at least one personal item associated with the user.

[0010] In another aspect, the warning provided by the vehicle display server includes at least one of an audible ring or bell, verbal warnings generally transmitted in the vehicle, verbal warnings specifically directed to the user, user-specific graphics and text messages displayed on the user display system, user-specific haptic warnings provided by the plurality of haptic feedback devices in the vehicle, and disabling vehicle doors.

[0011] In another aspect, the system further comprises a user's personal device registered with and connected to the system, wherein the alerts provided by the vehicle display server include alerts sent to the user's personal device.

[0012] According to a further aspect, the user display system comprises one of a plurality of individual screens adapted to display information and receive inputs from a user, wherein each of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle is associated with an individual screen, or a single display system having at least one display for projecting an image, a plurality of reflectors, wherein each reflector is associated with one of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle and is adapted to reflect a projected image to the associated one of the plurality of seating positions such that a user seated at the associated one of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle perceives the image as floating at a central location within the vehicle, and a transparent cylindrical touchscreen display,positioned between the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle and the plurality of reflectors and adapted to display user-specific content for users at each of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle and to receive inputs from each of the users at each of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle.

[0013] According to another aspect of the user display system comprising a single display system, the plurality of reflectors comprises a plurality of transparent beam splitters, wherein a transparent beam splitter is individually associated with each of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle, each beam splitter being adapted to receive an image from the at least one display and reflect the image to the associated one of the plurality of seating positions, wherein a user seated at the associated one of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle perceives the image as floating at a central location within the vehicle.

[0014] According to another aspect of the user display system comprising a single display system, the user display system further comprises an image chamber containing at least one display adapted to project an image, a reflector individually associated with each of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle and adapted to reflect the image toward the associated one of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle such that a user sitting in the associated one of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle perceives the image as floating at a central location within the vehicle, transparent portions adapted to allow the image reflected by the reflector to pass outward from the image chamber toward a user sitting in the associated one of the plurality of seating positions, and fixed portions adapted to preventthat light enters the image chamber behind the reflector, and wherein the transparent cylindrical touchscreen display is positioned between the reflectors of the image chamber and the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle, and is adapted to display information to users sitting at the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle in an image plane positioned in front of the perceived image floating at the central location within the vehicle.

[0015] According to another aspect, the system further comprises a cloud-based host server that communicates with the vehicle display server within the vehicle via a wireless communication network, wherein the cloud-based host server is adapted to receive and store historical data relating to past instances of identification of the user by the vehicle display server within the vehicle and by other vehicles connected to the system, and to the association of personal belongings with the user, wherein the vehicle display server is adapted to use machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms and probabilistic calculations based on the stored historical data in identifying the user and associating personal belongings with the user.

[0016] According to several aspects of the present disclosure, a method for automatically logging a user out of user-specific content displayed on a vehicle display includes a vehicle display server positioned in a vehicle and communicating with a plurality of sensors positioned in the vehicle and adapted to track the head and eye position and movement of users sitting in a plurality of seating positions in the vehicle, detecting the positions of users in the vehicle and detecting when users change seating positions in the vehicle, detecting when a user enters and exits the vehicle, detecting personal items brought into the vehicle by a user, haptic feedback devices positioned in the vehicle and adapted to provide haptic feedback to users sitting in the vehicle,and a user display system positioned in the vehicle for viewing and interaction by users seated at the plurality of seating positions in the vehicle, the method comprising, with the vehicle display server, detecting when a user enters the vehicle, identifying an identity of the user using the plurality of sensors disposed in the vehicle, computer vision algorithms, and stored data, recognizing a first of the plurality of seating positions at which the user is seated using the plurality of sensors disposed in the vehicle, detecting personal items brought into the vehicle by the user, associating the detected personal items with the user using artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms,displaying user-specific content on the user display system for viewing by the user, detecting when the user has finished viewing the user-specific content on the user display system, and automatically stopping the display of the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content when the user has finished viewing the user-specific content on the user display system.

[0017] According to another aspect, the method further comprises, with the vehicle display server, detecting when the user has looked away from the user display system and is still seated in the first of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle, pausing the display of the user-specific content to the user on the user display system, and, when a predetermined period of time has elapsed, ceasing the display of the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content.

[0018] According to another aspect, the method further comprises, with the vehicle display server, detecting when the user has moved away from one of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle, pausing the display of the user-specific content to the user on the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions; and, at least one of, when a predetermined period of time has elapsed, automatically stopping the display of the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content displayed on the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions; detecting, with the plurality of sensors, that the user has moved to a second of the plurality of seating positions, and automatically stopping the display of the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content,displayed by the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions, detecting, with the plurality of sensors, that another passenger has moved into the first of the plurality of seating positions, and automatically stopping displaying the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content displayed by the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions, and, detecting, with the plurality of sensors, that the user has exited the vehicle, and automatically stopping displaying the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content displayed by the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions.

[0019] According to another aspect, the method further comprises, with the vehicle display server, detecting, with the plurality of sensors, when the user has moved away from the first of the plurality of seating positions and has left at least one personal item associated with the user at the first of the plurality of seating positions, and providing an alert to the user to notify the user that at least one personal item associated with the user has been left within the first of the plurality of seating positions, detecting, with the plurality of sensors, when the user has moved away from the first of the plurality of seating positions and has taken at least one personal item associated with another passenger, and providing an alert to the user to notify the user,that the user has taken at least one personal item associated with another passenger, and detecting with the plurality of sensors when another passenger within the vehicle moves away from one of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle and has taken at least one personal item associated with the user, and providing an alert to the user to notify the user that another passenger has taken at least one personal item associated with the user.

[0020] In another aspect, providing an alert by the vehicle display server comprises at least one of providing an audible ring or bell, providing verbal alerts generally transmitted within the vehicle, providing directed verbal alerts specifically directed to the user, providing user-specific graphics and text messages displayed on the user display system, providing user-specific haptic alerts with the plurality of haptic feedback devices within the vehicle, and disabling the doors of the vehicle.

[0021] According to another aspect, the system further comprises a user's personal device registered with and connected to the system, wherein providing an alert by the vehicle display server further comprises sending an alert to the user's personal device.

[0022] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the present description. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Brief description of the drawings

[0023] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the Fig. 1, wherein the vehicle display system comprises a plurality of individual touchscreen displays; Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of a vehicle having a system according to the present disclosure; Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of a vehicle display system including a display, a plurality of beam splitters, and a cylindrical touchscreen display; Fig. 5 is a schematic side view of a vehicle display system having an imaging chamber including a display, a plurality of reflectors, and a cylindrical touchscreen display; Fig. 6 is a schematic plan view of the Fig. 5 shown image chamber; Fig. 7 is a schematic side view of the Fig. 5, which illustrates how the reflectors and displays of the imaging chamber move up and down and rotate; Fig. 8 is a schematic plan view of the Fig. 6, wherein a user at the second seating position has moved and, in response, the second reflector and the second display have rotated an angular distance to maintain alignment with the user at the second seating position; Fig. 9 is a schematic view showing how a user views an image and annotation information through an associated beam splitter and a transparent touchscreen display; Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a user sitting in a seating position in the vehicle and carrying personal belongings; Fig. 11 is a perspective view of another passenger carrying a personal item of the user; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a user receiving a notification on a personal device; and Fig. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or reduced in size, for example, to show details of particular components. In some cases, well-known components, systems, materials, or methods have not been described in detail in order not to obscure the present disclosure. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be construed as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to variously employ the present disclosure. Detailed description

[0025] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, description, or the following detailed description. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference characters designate 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, without limitation, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (common, dedicated, or group) and memory executing one or more software or firmware programs, a combined logic circuit, and / or other suitable components that provide the described functionality. Although the drawings shown herein represent an example with particular arrangements of elements, in actual embodiments, additional intervening elements, devices, features, or components may be present. It should also be understood that the figures are illustrative only and are not drawn to scale.

[0026] As used herein, the term "vehicle" is not limited to motor vehicles. While the present technology is primarily described in the context of motor vehicles, it is not limited to motor vehicles. The concepts may be used in a wide variety of applications, including aircraft, watercraft, other vehicles, and consumer electronic components.

[0027] With reference to Fig. 1, a system 10 for automatically logging a user 18 out of user-specific content displayed on a vehicle display system 28 includes a vehicle display server 12 positioned within a vehicle 14 and communicating with a plurality of sensors 16 positioned within the vehicle 14. The plurality of sensors 16 sense observable conditions of the external environment and the internal environment of the vehicle 14. The plurality of sensors 16 may include, but are not limited to, radars, lidars, global positioning systems, optical cameras, thermal cameras, ultrasonic sensors, pressure sensors, and / or other sensors. The cameras may include two or more digital cameras spaced apart from one another, wherein the two or more digital cameras are used to obtain stereoscopic images of the environment to create a three-dimensional image or map.The plurality of sensors 16 are used to determine information about the surroundings of the vehicle 14. In one exemplary embodiment, the plurality of sensors 16 includes at least one 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 sensors 16 further includes sensors for determining information about the surroundings of the vehicle 14, for example, 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 14.In another exemplary embodiment, at least one of the plurality of sensors 16 is capable of measuring distances in the environment of the vehicle 14.

[0028] In one non-limiting example, where the plurality of sensors 16 includes a camera, the plurality of sensors 16 measures 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 sensors 16 includes a stereoscopic camera with distance measuring capabilities. In one example, at least one of the plurality of sensors 16 is mounted inside the vehicle 14, e.g., in a headliner of the vehicle 14, with a view through the windshield of the vehicle 14. In another example, at least one of the plurality of sensors 16 is a camera mounted outside the vehicle 14, e.g.,on a roof of the vehicle 14, and which has a view of the surroundings of the vehicle 14 and can collect information (images) about the surroundings outside the vehicle 14.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, the plurality of sensors 16 includes cameras and sensors capable of capturing images of users 18 seated in the vehicle 14 and detecting / monitoring their movements. Such sensors 16 may include pressure sensors in a plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14 to determine whether a user 18 is seated in a particular seating position 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14.Such sensors 16 may also include cameras capable of capturing images of users 18 within the vehicle 14 and, using computer vision algorithms and software, using such captured images to determine the movement of users 18 within the vehicle 14 and the identity of users 18 within the vehicle 14, where such sensors 16 can detect where a user is sitting within the vehicle, detect when the user 18 changes their seating position within the vehicle 14, as well as detect when a user enters or exits the vehicle 14 and when a user 18 intends to exit the vehicle 14 based on the movements made by the user 18.Such sensors 16 may be integrated into monitoring systems that monitor the eyes and head orientation / movement of users 18 within the vehicle 14 to determine the gaze direction of a user 18 or to determine whether a user 18 is not fully paying attention or is distracted. It should be understood that various additional types of devices, such as LiDAR sensors, ultrasonic sensors, radar sensors, and / or time-of-flight sensors, are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0030] The plurality of sensors 16 are further configured to detect personal items brought into the vehicle 14 by a user 18. Referring to Fig. 10, wherein a user 18 is seated within the vehicle 14 at the first seating position 20A, for example, when the system 10 uses the plurality of sensors 16, and in particular the first occupant monitoring camera 22A, to identify a user 18, as described above and indicated by line 150, the vehicle display server 12 uses other cameras 152 and sensors within the plurality of sensors 16 to capture images of personal items 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D carried into the vehicle 14 by the users 18, as indicated by lines 156A, 156B, 156C, 156D, and uses computer vision algorithms and software to identify such personal items 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D. As in Fig. 10, the user 18 is wearing a pair of earmuffs 154A and has carried a purse 154B, a duffel bag 154C, and a suitcase 154D into the vehicle 14. The vehicle display server 12 detects the personal items 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D with a camera 152 included in the plurality of sensors 16 and uses computer vision techniques to identify the personal items 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D.

[0031] In addition, the vehicle display server 12 uses computer vision algorithms and artificial intelligence software to associate the personal items 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D with the user 18. The vehicle display server 12 will associate the personal items 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D based on data such as the time of arrival of the user 18 and the personal items 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D and the proximity of the personal items 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D to the user 18 when they are first detected. In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle display server 12 associates the personal items 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D with the user 18 based on probabilistic calculations using a machine learning algorithm and stored data within the database 146 from previous instances of identification / association of the personal items 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D and the user 18.

[0032] In an exemplary embodiment, the system further includes a cloud-based host server 120 that communicates with the vehicle display server 12 in the vehicle 14 via a wireless communication network 122. The cloud-based host server 120 is adapted to receive and store historical data relating to past instances of identification of the user 18 by the vehicle display server 12 within the vehicle 14 and by other vehicles connected to the system 10, and to the association of personal items 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D with the user 18 in a database 146, wherein the vehicle display server 12 is adapted to use machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms and probabilistic calculations based on the stored historical data in identifying the user 18 and in associating personal items 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D with the user 18.

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle 14 includes a plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D suitable for accommodating a user 18 seated therein. Referring to Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the vehicle 14, as shown, includes a first seating position 20A, a second seating position 20B, a third seating position 20C, and a fourth seating position 20D. It is understood that the vehicle 14 may also have more or fewer than four seating positions. The plurality of sensors 16 includes at least a first occupant monitoring camera 22A for monitoring the head and eye position and movement of a user 18 sitting in the first seating position 20A, a second occupant monitoring camera 22B for monitoring the head and eye position and movement of a user 18 sitting in the second seating position 20B, a third occupant monitoring camera 22C for monitoring the head and eye position and movement of a user 18 sitting in the third seating position 20C, and a fourth occupant monitoring camera 22D for monitoring the head and eye position and movement of a user 18 sitting in the fourth seating position 20D in the vehicle 14.

[0034] The first, second, third, and fourth occupant monitoring cameras 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D, together with other sensors within the vehicle 14, are configured to continuously track the head and eye position and movement of users 18 seated in the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14, and to detect the positions of users 18 within the vehicle 14 and when users 18 change their seating positions within the vehicle 14.The first, second, third, and fourth occupant monitoring cameras 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D and / or others of the plurality of sensors 16 within the vehicle 14 are adapted to detect when a user 18 enters and exits the vehicle 14, detect and interpret facial and gesture inputs from users 18 within the vehicle 14, capture images of users 18 within the vehicle 14, and receive audio inputs from users 18 within the vehicle 14, wherein the plurality of sensors 16 includes at least one microphone 24 within the vehicle 14. The plurality of sensors 16 is further adapted to detect and identify personal items brought into the vehicle by a user 18.

[0035] The images, audio signals, and data collected by the plurality of sensors 16, 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D, 24 are transmitted back to the vehicle display server 12. The vehicle display server 12 is a non-generalized electronic 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), a hard disk drive, a compact disc (CD), a digital video disc (DVD), or any other type of storage.A "non-transitory" computer-readable medium excludes wired, wireless, optical, or other communications connections that carry transient 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 device. Computer code includes all types of program code, including source code, object code, and executable code.

[0036] The vehicle display server 12 is further connected to haptic feedback devices 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D positioned within the vehicle 14 and capable of providing haptic feedback to users 18 seated within the vehicle 14. The haptic feedback devices 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D may be actuators mounted within surfaces of the interior of the vehicle 14 or the vehicle seats and adapted to provide feedback that can be felt by a user.As illustrated, the vehicle includes first haptic feedback devices 26A adapted to provide haptic feedback to a user 18 seated in the first seating position 20A, second haptic feedback devices 26B adapted to provide haptic feedback to a user 18 seated in the second seating position 20B, third haptic feedback devices 26C adapted to provide haptic feedback to a user 18 seated in the third seating position 20C, and fourth haptic feedback devices 26D adapted to provide haptic feedback to a user 18 seated in the fourth seating position 20D within the vehicle 14.

[0037] The vehicle display server 12 is further in communication with a user display system 28 positioned within the vehicle 14 for viewing by and interaction with users 18 seated in the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14. The user display system 28 provides video and audio output to the users 18 within the vehicle 14 so that the users 18 can view media accounts, watch movies, view enhanced images of the environment outside the vehicle 14, or play games with other users 18 within the vehicle 14 or in other remote vehicles.

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, the user display system 28 comprises one of 1) a plurality of individual screens 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D adapted to display information and receive inputs from a user 18, wherein an individual screen 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D is associated with each of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14, or 2) the user display system 28 comprises a single display system 32 having at least one display 34 for projecting an image 36, a plurality of reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D, wherein each of the plurality of reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D is associated with one of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the Vehicle 14 and is adapted to reflect a projected image 36 to the associated one of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, so that a user 18 seated at the associated one of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C,20D seated within the vehicle 14, perceives the image 36 as floating at a central location within the vehicle 14, and a transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 positioned between the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14 and the plurality of reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D and adapted to display user-specific content for users 18 at each of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14 and to receive inputs from each of the users 18 at each of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14.

[0039] With reference to Fig. 2, the user display system 28 in an exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of individual screens 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D configured to display information and receive inputs from a user 18. As shown in Fig. 2, the vehicle 14 includes the first, second, third, and fourth seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, and a first individual screen 30A is associated with the first seating position 20A to be viewed by a user 18 seated in the first seating position 20A, a second individual screen 30B is associated with the second seating position 20B to be viewed by a user 18 seated in the second seating position 20B, a third individual screen 30C is associated with the third seating position 20C to be viewed by a user 18 seated in the third seating position 20C, and a fourth individual screen 30D is associated with the fourth seating position 20D to be viewed by a user 18 seated in the fourth seating position 20D.As the users 18 move within the vehicle 14 and are seated at the first, second, third, and fourth seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, and possibly at positions intermediate between the first, second, third, and fourth seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, the system 10 uses the plurality of sensors 16, including the first, second, third, and fourth occupant monitoring cameras 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D, to determine which of the plurality of individual screens 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D is best positioned to display a video to a particular user 18 based on the precise position of the user 18 relative to the plurality of individual screens 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D and the eye position and viewing angle of the user 18 relative to the plurality of individual screens 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D visibility.

[0040] The first, second, third, and fourth individual screens 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D are configured to display visual content for users 18 and to enable users 18 to provide input to the system 10. In an exemplary embodiment, the first, second, third, and fourth individual screens 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D include a touchscreen function that allows a user 18 to interact with the system 10 and the displayed content by manually touching the first, second, third, and fourth individual screens 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D. It is understood that the first, second, third, and fourth individual screens 30A, 30B, 30C, 30D are of the type described in Fig. 2 may be any known type of display suitable for use in a vehicle 14, with or without touchscreen features, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0041] Again referring to Fig. 1 and on Fig. 3, in another exemplary embodiment, the user display system 28 comprises a single display system 32 having at least one display 34 for projecting an image 36, a plurality of reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D, wherein each of the plurality of reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D is associated with one of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14 and is adapted to reflect a projected image 36 to the associated one of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D such that a user 18 seated at the associated one of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14 perceives the image 36 such that at a central location within of the vehicle 14, and a transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 that is movable between the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14 and the plurality of reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C,38D and configured to display user-specific content for users 18 at each of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14 and to receive inputs from each of the users 18 at each of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14.

[0042] With reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the user display system 28, 32, in an exemplary embodiment, includes at least one display 34 adapted to project a plurality of three-dimensional images, and a plurality of reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D, wherein the reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D are transparent beam splitters. Each of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14 is individually assigned a reflector / beam splitter 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D. For a detailed description, Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of only the first seating position 20A and the second seating position 20B of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 illustrated vehicle 14. The plurality of three-dimensional images can be generated by a holographic process, pre-calculated and encoded in a hologram generator 42 within the at least one display 34.

[0043] The transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 is disposed between the first, second, third, and fourth seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D and the perceived image 36 floating at the central location in the vehicle 14. The transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 is configured to allow users 18 seated in the first, second, third, and fourth seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D to receive annotated information and provide input to the system 10. As illustrated, the transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 surrounds the floating image 36 and is located between the eyes of the users 18 seated in the first, second, third, and fourth seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D and the perceived image 36 floating at the central location in the vehicle 14. In an exemplary embodiment, the transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 is an organic light-emitting diode (OLED).It is understood that the transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 may also be other types of transparent touchscreen displays known in the art.

[0044] The transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 is designed to make the displayed information visible only to a user 18 sitting in one of the first, second, third and fourth seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, wherein the displayed content, for example, for a user sitting in the first seating position 20A, is only visible to the user 18 sitting in the first seating position 20A and is different from the content displayed for other seating positions in the vehicle 14.

[0045] Again referring to Fig. 4, the at least one display 34 is configured to project the plurality of three-dimensional images onto one of the plurality of reflectors / beam splitters 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D, as indicated by arrows 44. Each of the plurality of reflectors / beam splitters 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D is configured to receive one of the plurality of three-dimensional images from the display 34 and reflect the one of the plurality of three-dimensional images from the display 34 to a user 18 seated at one of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, as indicated by arrows 46. The user at each of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D perceives the floating image 36 at a location centrally located within the vehicle 14, as indicated by lines 48.

[0046] Each of the plurality of reflectors / beamsplitters 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D and the transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 is transparent, whereby a user 18 can see through the reflector / beamsplitter 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D and the transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40, as indicated at 48. This allows the users 18 to perceive the floating image 36 at a distance beyond the reflectors / beamsplitters 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D, and further allows the users 18 to see through the reflectors / beamsplitters 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D and view the interior of the vehicle compartment and other users therein.

[0047] As in Fig. 4, the reflector / beam splitter 38A is illustrated, with the reflector / beam splitter 38A being movable between a retracted position 50 and an extended position 52. In an exemplary embodiment, the reflector / beam splitter 38A is attached to a support shaft 54A that depends from the roof 28 of the vehicle compartment. In the retracted position 50, the reflector / beam splitter 38A is adjacent to the display 34 and parallel to the roof 56 of the vehicle compartment. The reflector / beam splitter 38A is pivotable relative to the support shaft 54A, as indicated by arrow 58, and the support shaft 54A is vertically extendable up and down, as indicated by arrow 60. From the retracted position 50, the reflector / beam splitter 38A is pivoted downward and the support shaft 54A is extended downward to bring the reflector / beam splitter 38A into the extended position 52 for use.In the extended position 52, the reflector / beam splitter 38A is positioned in operating proximity to the display 34 and a user 18 seated in the first seating position 20A.

[0048] With further reference to Fig. 4, the reflector / beam splitter 38B is shown mounted to an armrest 62 adjacent the occupant 18 seated in the second seating position 20B. The reflector / beam splitter 38B is attached to a support shaft 54B attached to the armrest 62. The reflector / beam splitter 38B, which is attached to the armrest 62, can also be moved from a retracted to an extended position (not shown). In an exemplary embodiment, the reflector / beam splitter 38B is stowed within the armrest 62 when in the retracted position.

[0049] In one exemplary embodiment, an orientation of each of the plurality of reflectors / beam splitters 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D is fixed. When the reflectors / beam splitters 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D are in the extended position 52, the angular orientation vertically and horizontally relative to the support shaft 54A, 54B is fixed. In another exemplary embodiment, an orientation of each of the plurality of reflectors / beam splitters 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D is adjustable. The reflector / beam splitter 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D may be pivotally mounted on the support shaft 54A, 54B, wherein the reflector / beam splitter 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D is horizontally pivotable, as indicated by arrow 64, and further the reflector / beam splitter 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D may be pivotally mounted on the support shaft 54A, 54B, wherein the beam splitter 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D is vertically pivotable.The adjustability of the reflector / beam splitter 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D allows the reflector / beam splitter 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D to be positioned according to the position of the user 18 sitting in the associated seating position from the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14, and according to the height of the user 18, thereby ensuring that the system 10 can be customized to accommodate users with different sizes and seating position / orientation preferences. Furthermore, the adjustability of the orientation of the reflector / beam splitter 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D allows the perceived position of the floating image 36 to be adjusted according to the user's preferences.

[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, each of the plurality of reflectors / beamsplitters 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D is in communication with the occupant monitoring cameras 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D associated with each of the seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, wherein an orientation of each of the plurality of reflectors / beamsplitters 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D automatically changes in response to movement of the head and eyes of a user 18 seated in the associated seating position 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D.

[0051] Further details about the Fig. The user display system 28, 32 shown in Figure 4 are disclosed in U.S. patent application serial number 17 / 842,272, publication number US 2023 / 0 408 841 A1, filed June 16, 2022, entitled “MULTI-PERSPECTIVE THREE-DIMENSIONAL FLOATING IMAGE DISPLAY WITH TOUCH FUNCTION,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into the present disclosure.

[0052] With reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 5, in a further exemplary embodiment, the user display system 28 has a single display system 32 and further includes an image chamber 66 containing the at least one display 34 configured to project an image 36 and a plurality of reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D, wherein a reflector is individually associated with each of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14 and is capable of reflecting the image 36 to the associated seating position of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14, such that a user 18 seated at the associated seating position of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14 perceives the image 36 projected at a central location within the vehicle 14 floats.The image chamber 66 includes transparent portions 68 configured to allow the image 36 reflected by the reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D to pass outward from the image chamber 66 toward a user 18 seated at the associated one of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D. The image chamber 66 further includes fixed portions 70 designed to prevent light from entering the image chamber 66 from behind the reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D.

[0053] The transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 is positioned between the reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D of the imaging chamber 66 and the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14 and is adapted to display information for users 18 seated at the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14 within an image plane 48, 50 positioned in front of the perceived image 36 floating at the central location within the vehicle 14.

[0054] Fig. 5 shows the imaging chamber 66, which includes a first display 34A configured to project a first three-dimensional image 36A, and a first reflector 38A individually associated with the first display 34A and a user 18 in the first seating position 20A, and a second display 34B configured to project a second three-dimensional image 36B, and a second reflector 38B individually associated with the second screen 34B and a user 18 in the second seating position 20B. As shown in Fig. 5, the user display system 28, 32 is shown for the purpose of description herein only with the first and second seating positions 20A, 20B and the first and second displays 34A, 34B and the first and second reflectors 38A, 38B. It is understood that the user display system 28, 32 may be adapted to accommodate any number of users 18 and corresponding seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, as in Fig. 3 shown.

[0055] As in Fig. 3, the vehicle includes first, second, third, and fourth seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D. Each reflector 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D is configured to be viewed by a user 18 seated in one of the first, second, third, and fourth seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D. Each reflector 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D is configured to receive an image 36 from the associated display 34 and reflect the image 36 to the associated seating position 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D for viewing by a user 18 seated therein. The user 18 perceives the image 36 as floating at a central location within the image chamber 66.

[0056] Again referring to Fig. 5, the first reflector 38A is configured to receive the first image 36A from the first display 34A, as indicated by arrows 72, and reflect the first image 36A to the user 18 in the first seating position 20A, as indicated by arrows 74, wherein the user 18 in the first seating position 20A perceives the first image 36A suspended at a central location within the imaging chamber 66, as indicated by arrows 76. The second reflector 38B is configured to receive the second image 36B from the second display 34B, as indicated by arrows 78, and reflect the second image 36B to the user 18 in the second seating position 20B, as indicated by arrows 80, wherein the user 18 in the second seating position 20B perceives the second image 36B suspended at the central location within the imaging chamber 66, as indicated by arrows 82.

[0057] Again referring to Fig. 3, each of the users 18 seated at the first, second, third, and fourth seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D perceives an image 36 reflected to them by the respective associated reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D, and the users 18 perceive the image 36 reflected to them within the image chamber 66, as indicated by lines 84. Each of the displays 34 can project the same image 36 onto each of the reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D and thus onto each of the users at the first, second, third, and fourth seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D. Alternatively, each of the displays 34 may display a different perspective of the same image or a completely different image for each of the reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D.In this way, the system 10 is able to present the same floating image 36 to all seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D so that the users 18 can see it simultaneously, or alternatively, each user 18 at each seating position 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D can see a different perspective of the floating image 36 or a completely different three-dimensional image.

[0058] The transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 is disposed between the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D and the reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D. The transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 is configured to display information to the users 18 within an image plane 84, 86 that lies in front of the perceived first and second images 36A, 36B floating at the central location within the image chamber 66. The transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 presents information to the user 18 seated in the first seating position 20A, appearing in a first image plane 84, wherein the information displayed to the user 18 in the first seating position 20A on the transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 appears in front of the image 36A perceived by the user 18 in the first seating position 20A in the image chamber 66.The transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 presents information to the user 18 in the second seating position 20B, appearing in a second image plane 86, wherein the information displayed to the user 18 in the second seating position 20B on the transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 appears in front of the image 36B perceived by the user 18 in the second seating position 20B in the image chamber 66.

[0059] The transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 is designed to allow users 18 seated in the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D to receive annotated information and provide input to the system 10. The transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 surrounds the imaging chamber 66 and is thereby located between the eyes of the users 18 seated in the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D and the perceived image 36, 36A, 36B floating at the central location within the imaging chamber 66.

[0060] The transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 is configured such that the displayed information is visible only to the user 18 sitting in a seating position 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D directly in front of a portion of the transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40. The transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 is configured such that the displayed information is only displayed on a first side, the outward-facing cylindrical surface, of the transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40. A second side, the inward-facing cylindrical surface, of the transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 does not display any information and therefore allows other users 18 to see through the transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 if they are seen by the other users 18.

[0061] In an exemplary embodiment, the transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40 is an autostereoscopic display capable of displaying stereoscopic or three-dimensional images by adding the binocular perception of three-dimensional depth without requiring special headgear, glasses, anything that obstructs the viewer's vision, or anything for the viewer's eyes. Because no headgear is required, autostereoscopic displays are also referred to as "glasses-free 3D" or "glasses-free 3D."

[0062] With reference to Fig. 6, the transparent portions 68 of the imaging chamber 66 allow the users 18 to see their associated reflector 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D. As shown, the imaging chamber 66 includes a first transparent portion 68A configured to allow the first image 36A reflected by the first reflector 38A to pass outwardly from the imaging chamber 66 toward the user 18 seated in the first seating position 20A, as indicated by the arrows 74 in Fig. 5. Furthermore, the image chamber 66 includes a second transparent portion 68B, which is configured such that the second image 36B reflected by the second reflector 38B can pass outwardly from the image chamber 66 toward the user 18 sitting in the second seating position 20B, as indicated by arrows 80 in Fig. 5 is displayed.

[0063] The imaging chamber 66 also includes fixed portions 70 that prevent light from entering the imaging chamber 66 from behind the first and second reflectors 38A, 38B. The imaging chamber 66 functions similarly to a Pepper's Ghost Chamber, wherein the image of an object is perceived by a viewer within a reflective surface adjacent to the actual image. As described above, in the present disclosure, the image presented by a display located out of view of a passenger 18 is reflected by a reflector 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D toward the user 18, such that the user 18 "sees" the image 36 within the imaging chamber 66 and perceives the image 36 as floating behind the reflective surface of the reflector 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D. When the image chamber 66 is exposed to ambient light behind the reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D, the image 36 cannot be seen by the users 18.Therefore, the fixed parts 70 of the image chamber 66 are designed to prevent light from entering the image chamber 66 behind the first and second reflectors 38A, 38B. As shown in . Fig. 6, the imaging chamber 66 includes fixed, overlapping plates 70A, 70B configured to prevent light from entering the imaging chamber 66 behind the first and second reflectors 38A, 38B.

[0064] According to Fig. 7, the user display system 28, 32, in an exemplary embodiment, is selectively movable vertically up and down along a vertical central axis 88, as indicated by arrow 90. Furthermore, each display and associated reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D are uniformly and selectively rotatable about the vertical central axis 88, as indicated by arrows 92. This allows the system 10 to adapt to different positions of the passengers 18 within the vehicle 14.

[0065] As in Fig. 8, the first reflector 38A and the first display 34A are rotatable about the vertical central axis 88, as indicated by arrow 94. The second reflector 38B and the second display 34B are rotatable about the vertical central axis 88, as indicated by arrow 96. As shown in Fig. 5, the users 18 are seated in the first and second seating positions 20A, 20B directly opposite each other, and the first reflector 38A and the first display 34A are arranged 180 degrees apart from the second reflector 38B and the second display 34B. As shown in Fig. 8, the position of the head of the user 18 in the second seating position 20B has moved, and the second reflector 38B and the second display 34B have been rotated by an angular distance 98 to ensure that the user 18 in the second seating position 20B perceives the image 36B from the second display 34B and the second reflector 38B.

[0066] In an exemplary embodiment, the first fixed plates 70A, disposed on either side adjacent to the first reflector 38A, are configured to move together with the first reflector 38A and the first display 34A as the first reflector 38A and the first display 34A rotate about the vertical central axis 88. The second fixed plates 70B, disposed on either side adjacent to the second reflector 38B, can move together with the second reflector 38B and the second display 34B as the second reflector 38B and the second display 34B rotate about the vertical central axis 88. The first fixed plates 70A overlap the second fixed plates 70B to allow relative movement of the first fixed plates 70A with respect to the second fixed plates 70B and to ensure that ambient light is prevented at all times from entering the imaging chamber 66 behind the first and second reflectors 38A, 38B.

[0067] In an exemplary embodiment, each of the displays 34, 34A, 34B and the associated reflectors 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D is in communication with the occupant monitoring cameras 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D, wherein the orientation of each display 34, 34A, 34B and the associated reflector 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D automatically changes in response to the movement of the head and eyes of a user 18 detected by the occupant monitoring cameras 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D.

[0068] In an exemplary embodiment, the user display system 28, 32 receives data from the first occupant monitoring camera 22A relating to the position of the head and eyes of the user sitting in the first seating position 20A. The first display 34A and the first reflector 38A are configured to rotate in response to the movement of the head and eyes of the user 18 based on the data received from the first occupant monitoring camera 22A. The user display system 28, 32 also receives data from the second occupant monitoring camera 22B relating to the position of the head and eyes of the user sitting in the second seating position 20B. The second display 34B and the second reflector 38B are configured to rotate in response to the movement of the head and eyes of the user 18 based on the data received from the second occupant monitoring camera 22B.In addition to rotating the first display 34A and first reflector 38A and the second display 34B and second reflector 38B, the user display system 28, 32 can move up and down along the vertical central axis 88 in response to the movement of the head and eyes of the users 18 in the first and second seating positions 20A, 20B, as shown in FIG. Fig. 7 shown.

[0069] Further details about the Fig. The user display system shown in Figures 5-8 are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 153,767, Publication No. US 2024 / 0 241 389 A1, filed on January 12, 2023, entitled “ADAPTIVE INTERACTIVE CAMPFIRE DISPLAY,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into the present disclosure.

[0070] In another exemplary embodiment, the system 10 includes acoustic devices, such as at least one microphone 24, to enable a user 18 to provide acoustic input to the system 10. The system 10 may include a microphone 24 configured to receive acoustic input from each user 18 within the vehicle 14, and / or a microphone 24 specifically associated with one of the first, second, third, and fourth seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D and configured to receive acoustic input only from the user 18 seated within the associated first, second, third, and fourth seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D.

[0071] In an exemplary embodiment, the user display system 28 is configured to accept input from a user 18 based solely on the contact between the user 18 and the user display system 28. For example, if a user 18 extends their hand to touch the touchscreen display 40 with a fingertip, the touchscreen display 40 accepts the input based solely on the point of contact between the fingertip of the passenger 18 and the transparent touchscreen display 40.

[0072] In another exemplary embodiment, the system 10 is configured to accept input from a user 18 based on the contact between the user 18 and the touchscreen display 40 and based on the position of a contact point between the user 18 and the touchscreen display 40 relative to the perceived image 36. For example, the occupant monitoring cameras 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D track the movement and position of the eyes and head of the user 18. The touchscreen display 40 displays information perceived by the user 18 relative to the floating image 36, as described above. When the user 18 touches the touchscreen display 40, the user 18 perceives that they are touching the floating image 36.The user display system 10 uses parallax compensation to correlate the actual point of contact between the user's 18 fingertip on the touchscreen display 40 with the location on the floating image 36 that the user 18 perceives as touching.

[0073] The user display system 28 can display several different blocks of annotated information on the touchscreen display 40 relative to a floating image 36. As the user's head and eyes move, the user's head and eyes are positioned at a different distance and angle relative to the touchscreen display 40, thereby changing the perceived position of the displayed information relative to the image 36. By utilizing parallax compensation techniques such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 1,0318,043 B2 to Seder et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference, the user display system 28 ensures that when the user 18 touches the touchscreen display 40, the user display system 28 correctly identifies the intended piece of annotated information that the user 18 selects.

[0074] In another exemplary embodiment, the user display system 28 is configured to accept input from a user 18 based on gestures from the user 18 when the user 18 is not touching the touchscreen display 40. For example, when the user 18 moves a hand or points at an object displayed on the touchscreen display 40, or at an object inside the vehicle compartment or outside the vehicle 14.

[0075] With further reference to Fig. 5 and using the embodiment of the user display system 28, 32 shown therein, the user display system 28, in an exemplary embodiment, includes a first gesture sensor 110 configured to monitor the position and movement of the arms, hands, and fingers 114 of the user 18 seated in the first seating position 20A and to capture data related to the gestures performed by the user 18. The first gesture sensor 110 is integrated into or with the first occupant monitoring camera 22A and may include a separate camera and / or motion sensors configured to capture the position and movement of the arms, hands, and fingers of the user 18 seated in the first seating position 20A.Furthermore, the user display system 28 includes a second gesture sensor 112 configured to monitor the position and movement of the arms, hands, and fingers of the user 18 seated in the second seating position 20B and to capture data relating to the gestures performed by the user 18. The second gesture sensor 112 is integrated into or with the second occupant monitoring camera 22B and may include a separate camera and / or motion sensors configured to capture the position and movement of the arms, hands, and fingers of the user 18 seated in the second seating position 20B.

[0076] The vehicle display server uses the data collected by the first and second gesture sensors 110, 112 to detect the gestures made by the users 14A, 14B in the vehicle, using computer vision and computer learning algorithms and parallax compensation techniques to interpret such gestures and identify input data.

[0077] In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle display server 12 is configured to identify the identity of a user 18 seated at one of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D in the vehicle 14 using the plurality of sensors 16 positioned in the vehicle 14, computer vision algorithms, and stored data. Once the vehicle display server 12 has identified the user 18, the vehicle display server 12 selects user-specific content to display for the user 18 on the user display system 28. The user-specific content may include applications or accounts that the user 18 has previously registered for and regularly accesses with the system 10. For example, a user 18 regularly watches a streamed news service when using the system 10 in the vehicle 14.Thus, when the vehicle display server 12 identifies the user 18, the vehicle display server 12 selects the streamed news service as user-specific content that can be displayed for the user 18. The user-specific content can also include contextual content; for example, if local weather services predict very severe weather in the near future, the vehicle display server 12 can mark weather information services as user-specific content to be displayed for the user 18 to inform the user of the impending severe weather. User-specific content can also be based on probabilistic calculations using a machine learning algorithm to determine what content the user 18 should view based on stored data, taking into account the time of day / night, the travel destination, the number of passengers in the vehicle with the user 18, the identity of the other passengers in the vehicle 14, etc.wishes. User-specific content may also include any content that a user 18 has selectively chosen to display.

[0078] Once the vehicle display server 12 has selected user-specific content to be displayed for the user 18 using the identity of the user 18, the vehicle display server 12 automatically displays the user-specific content on the user display system 28 for the seating position 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D in which the user 18 is seated. The automatic display of user-specific content depends on the system 10 identifying the user 18 and the user 18 being registered with the system 10 and agreeing to the terms and conditions associated with using the system 10. If the system 10 identifies the user 18 as a registered user of the system 10, the system will automatically initiate the display of user-specific content selected for that user 18.The vehicle display server 12 may display multiple options of different items included in the user-specific content, or may automatically prioritize different items of user-specific content based on probabilistic calculations and display the item with the highest ranking. For example, a user 18 may be watching a movie on the user display system 28 within the vehicle 14. When the vehicle 14 arrives at a destination, the user 18 stops viewing the movie and exits the vehicle 14. When the user 18 returns to the vehicle 14, the vehicle display server 12 prioritizes the movie and automatically resumes displaying the movie for the user 18 on the user display system 28 aligned with the seating position 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D in which the user 18 is seated.

[0079] In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle display server 12 is configured to detect when the user 18 has finished viewing the user-specific content on the user display system 28, and to automatically stop displaying the user-specific content and log off from the user-specific content when the user 18 has finished viewing the user-specific content on the user display system 28. User-specific content may contain personal information that a user 18 does not want other passengers in the vehicle 14 to see or access. Thus, when the user 18 has finished viewing the user display system 28, the vehicle display server 12 automatically stops displaying the user-specific content and logs the user off from any accounts or applications that the user 18 has logged on to on the user display system 28.This prevents a user 18 from accidentally viewing personal user-specific content when they are no longer viewing it.

[0080] In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle display server 12 is further configured to detect when the user 18 has looked away from the user display system 28 and is still seated in the first seating position 20A of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14. When this occurs, the vehicle display server 12 pauses the display of the user-specific content for the user 18 on the user display system 28 and, after a predetermined time has elapsed, stops displaying the user-specific content and automatically logs out of the user-specific content. The predetermined time period is defined as the amount of time that the user 18 can look away from the user display system 28 without the display of the user-specific content being interrupted.For example, the predetermined time period may be ten seconds, so that the display of the user-specific content is not interrupted if the user 18 only briefly looks away from the user display system 28 to reach for a personal item or briefly glance out the window. However, if the user 18 looks away from the user display system 28 and is distracted by something they see through the window, and they look away from the user display system 28 for more than ten seconds, the vehicle display server 12 automatically terminates the display and logs the user out of any applications or accounts that the user previously accessed through the user display system 28.

[0081] In another exemplary embodiment, the vehicle display server 12 is configured to detect, with the plurality of sensors 16 disposed in the vehicle 14, such as the first occupant monitoring camera 22A, when the user 18 leaves the first seating position 20A in the vehicle 14 when a user 18 seated at the first seating position 20A in the vehicle 14 moves away from the first seating position 20A in the vehicle 14. When the vehicle display server 12 detects that the user 18 has left the first seating position 20A, the vehicle display server 12 automatically pauses the user-specific content currently displayed on the user display system 28 for the first seating position 20A.

[0082] As described above, if a predetermined period of time, for example, ten seconds, has elapsed and the user 18 has not returned to the first seating position 20A, the vehicle display server 12 stops displaying the user-specific content and automatically logs out of the user-specific content displayed on the user display system 28 for the first seating position 20A. If the user 18 returns to the first seating position 20A within the predetermined period of time, the vehicle display server 12 resumes displaying the user-specific content on the user display system 28 for the first seating position 20A.

[0083] If, after the user 18 has moved away from the first seating position 20A and while the user-specific content displayed on the user display system 28 for the first seating position 20A is paused, the vehicle display server 12 detects with the plurality of sensors 16 positioned within the vehicle 14, such as the second occupant monitoring camera 22B, that the user 18 has sat down at the second seating position 20B within the vehicle 14, the vehicle display server 12 automatically stops displaying the user-specific content and automatically logs out of the user-specific content that was displayed on the user display system 28 for the first seating position 20A.

[0084] If, after the user 18 has moved away from the first seating position 20A and while the user-specific content displayed on the user display system 28 for the first seating position 20A is paused, another passenger sits in the first seating position 20A, the vehicle display server 12 automatically stops displaying the user-specific content and automatically logs out of the user-specific content that was displayed on the user display system 28 for the first seating position 20A. This prevents another passenger from viewing user-specific content for the user 18 or from accessing accounts that the user 18 may have accessed via the user display system 28 before the user 18 left the first seating position 20A.

[0085] When the vehicle display server 12 detects, using the plurality of sensors 16 positioned within the vehicle 14, that the user 18 has exited the vehicle 14 after moving away from the first seating position 20A and while the user-specific content displayed on the user display system 28 for the first seating position 20A is paused, the vehicle display server 12 automatically stops displaying the user-specific content and automatically logs out of the user-specific content that was displayed on the user display system 28 for the first seating position 20A.

[0086] In an exemplary embodiment, the vehicle display server 12 is configured to detect with the plurality of sensors 16 when the user 18 sitting in the first seating position 20A within the vehicle 14 moves away from the first seating position and has left at least one personal item 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D that the vehicle display server 12 has associated with the user 18 in the first seating position 20A. When this occurs, the vehicle display server 12 is adapted to provide an alert to the user 18 to notify the user 18 that at least one personal item 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D associated with the user 18 has been left within the first seating position 20A. Thus, if, again referring to Fig. 10, the user 18 moves within the vehicle 14 and forgets to take the duffel bag 154C with him, the vehicle display server 12 will provide a warning.

[0087] In another exemplary embodiment, the vehicle display server 12 is configured to detect, with the plurality of sensors 16, when the user 18 seated in the first seating position 20A within the vehicle 14 moves away from the first seating position 20A and picks up a personal item that the vehicle display server 12 has associated with another passenger within the vehicle 14. For example, if the user 18 picks up a pair of sunglasses that are lying on a bench seat between the user 18 and another passenger seated in adjacent seating positions, but the sunglasses were placed there by the other passenger and were associated by the vehicle display server 12 with the other passenger, the vehicle display server 12 will provide an alert to the user 18 to notify the user 18 that the user 18 has taken a personal item that does not belong to the user.

[0088] In another exemplary embodiment, the vehicle display server 12 is configured to detect with the plurality of sensors 16 when another passenger 158 moves within the vehicle 14 and has taken a personal item 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D associated with the user 18. For example, as in Fig. 11, another passenger 158 inadvertently takes the suitcase 154D of the user 18, the vehicle display server 12 detects, using the plurality of sensors 16, that the other passenger 158 has taken the personal item 154D associated with the user 18. When this occurs, the vehicle display server 12 will provide an alert to the user 18 to notify the user 18 that another passenger 158 has taken a personal item 154D belonging to the user 18.

[0089] Alerts may be communicated to user 18 through various methods. In one exemplary embodiment, when vehicle display server 12 communicates an alert to user 18, the alert comprises an audible chime or bell or a verbal voice communication provided by artificial intelligence software within vehicle display server 12. Such audible alerts may be broadcast generally within vehicle 14, being heard by all passengers within vehicle 14, or such audible alerts may be broadcast specifically to user 18, for example, through directional speakers.In another exemplary embodiment, when the vehicle display server 12 provides an alert to the user 18, the alert includes user-specific graphics and text messages displayed on the user display system 28 for the seating position 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D at which the user 18 is seated. For example, referring again to FIG. Fig. 11, if the other passenger 158 takes the suitcase 154D belonging to the user 18 seated at the first seating position 20A, the vehicle display system 12 may display a message on the user display system 28 for the first seating position 20A, including a warning graphic and / or a text message, such as "Check Belongings!", to prompt the user 18 to check their personal belongings 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D and hopefully detect that the other passenger 158 has inadvertently taken the suitcase 154D associated with the user 18.

[0090] In another exemplary embodiment, when the vehicle display server 12 provides a warning to the user 18, the warning comprises a haptic warning provided by the plurality of haptic feedback devices 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D within the vehicle. For example, referring again to Fig. 11, when the other passenger 138 takes the suitcase 134D belonging to the user 18 seated at the first seating position 20A, the vehicle display system 12 may actuate the first haptic feedback devices 26A associated with the first seating positions to provide haptic feedback to the user 18 seated at the first seating position 20A. The haptic feedback may include, for example, the vibration of a seat cushion or armrest at the first seating position 20A to attract the attention of the user 18. Haptic feedback may be particularly useful when the user 18 is distracted or asleep.

[0091] In another exemplary embodiment, the alert that the vehicle display server 12 provides to the user 18 includes disabling the doors of the vehicle 14. For example, if the user 18 has left behind a personal item 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D and the vehicle display server 12 detects that the user 18 is approaching a door of the vehicle 14 and intends to exit the vehicle 14, the vehicle display server 12, via communication with other systems within the vehicle 14, can selectively disable the doors of the vehicle 14 and prevent the user 18 from exiting the vehicle without the left-behind personal item.If the other passenger 158 takes the suitcase 154D belonging to the user 18 seated in the first seat 20A, the vehicle display server 12, through communication with other systems within the vehicle 14, can selectively disable the doors of the vehicle 14 and prevent the other passenger 158 from exiting the vehicle 14 with the personal item 154D belonging to the user 18. Disabling the doors of the vehicle 14, along with other audible, haptic, and / or visual warning signals, prevents the user 18 and the other passengers 158 from exiting the vehicle 14 until they have retrieved their personal items.

[0092] In another exemplary embodiment, the system 10 includes a personal device 126 of the user 18 that is registered with and connected to the system 10 and communicates with the vehicle display server 12 via the wireless network 122, and the alerts provided by the vehicle display server 12 include alerts sent to the personal device 126 of the user 18. If the user 18 attempts to exit the vehicle 14 and leaves the suitcase 134D behind, the vehicle display server 12 sends an alert to the personal device 126 of the user 18 to prompt the user 18 to search for the suitcase 134D (see Fig. 12). The personal device 126 may be a mobile phone, a tablet, or a smart watch, and the alert sent to the personal device 126 may be an audible alert, a text message, and / or haptic feedback, such as a vibration.

[0093] With reference to Fig. Figure 9 illustrates a schematic view of a user 18 viewing a user display system 28 having an associated reflector 38, a transparent touchscreen display 40, and a floating image 36, wherein the user 18 perceives the floating image 36 at a distance in front of the reflector 38. As illustrated, the user display system 28 includes a transparent touchscreen display 40 integrated into the reflector 38 for each individual user 18. These principles similarly apply to a user display system 28 having individual reflectors and a transparent cylindrical touchscreen display 40.

[0094] The transparent touchscreen display 40 displays information related to the floating image 36 at a suitable location on the transparent touchscreen display 40 so that the user 18 sees the information at a suitable location related to the floating image 36. As shown in Fig. 9, the floating image 36 shows a skyline, more specifically, three buildings, a first building 128, a second building 130 and a third building 132. The transparent touchscreen display (or the transparent cylindrical touchscreen display) 40 displays first building information 134, second building information 136 and third building information 138.

[0095] The first building information 134 appears in a text field and may contain information about the first building 128, as well as the ability for the user 18 to touch the first building information text field 134 to obtain additional information about the first building 128. The first building information text field 134 may contain, for example, the name of the first building 128 and the street address. The passenger 18 may touch the first building information text field 134, and additional information will appear on the transparent touchscreen display 40, such as the date the first building 128 was built, the type of building (office, church, arena, etc.), or statistics such as height, capacity, etc.The second building information 136 and the third building information 138 also appear in text fields containing similar information and the ability for the user 18 to touch the text fields of the second or third building information 136, 138 to obtain additional information about the second and third buildings 130, 132.

[0096] The occupant monitoring cameras 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D track the position of the head 18H and the eyes 18E of the user 18 and position the first, second and third building information 134, 136, 138 at a location on the transparent touchscreen display 40 such that when the user 18 views the floating image 36 through the reflector / beam splitter 38 and the transparent touchscreen display (transparent cylindrical touchscreen display) 40, the first, second and third building information 134, 136, 138 sees the correct locations relative to the floating image 36. For example, the transparent touchscreen display (transparent cylindrical touchscreen display) 40 positions the first building information 134 in the user's line of sight, as indicated by the dashed line 140, so that the first building information 134 is perceived by the user 18 at a location immediately adjacent to the first building 128, as indicated at 134'.Accordingly, the transparent touchscreen display (transparent cylindrical touchscreen display) 40 positions the second building information 136 in the user's line of sight, as indicated by the dashed line 142, and the third building information 138 in the user's line of sight, as indicated by the dashed line 144, so that the second and third building information 136, 138 are perceived by the user 18 at a location superimposed on the building, in the case of the second building 130, as indicated at 136', and at a location immediately adjacent to the building, in the case of the third building 132, as indicated at 138'.

[0097] The occupant monitoring cameras 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D continuously track the movement of the head 18H and the eyes 18E of the user 18 and adjust the position in which the first, second and third building information 1234, 136, 138 are displayed on the transparent touchscreen display (transparent cylindrical touchscreen display) 40 to ensure that the user 18 always perceives the first, second and third building information 134, 136, 138 at the correct locations 134', 136', 138' relative to the floating image 36.

[0098] In an exemplary embodiment, when using the identity of the user seated in the vehicle 14 to select user-specific content to be displayed to the user, the vehicle display server 12 may access stored historical data of previous content viewed by the user 18, such data being stored in the vehicle display server 12 in the vehicle 14 and / or in a cloud-based database 146 in and / or in communication with the host server 120. The vehicle display server 12 may further prompt the user 18 to selectively resume displaying content that the user 18 was previously viewing on another user display system and / or prompt a user 18 to selectively view content already being viewed by other users within the same vehicle 14.

[0099] With reference to Fig.13, a method 200 for automatically logging a user out of user-specific content displayed in a system 10 within a vehicle 14 having a vehicle display system 28 and a vehicle display server 12 positioned within the vehicle 14 and in communication with a plurality of sensors 16 positioned within the vehicle 14 and configured to track the head and eye position and movement of users 18 seated within a plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14, detect the positions of users 18 within the vehicle 14 and when users 18 change seating positions within the vehicle 14, detect when a user 18 enters and exits the vehicle 14, detect personal items brought into the vehicle 14 by a user 18, haptic feedback devices 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D,positioned within the vehicle 14 and adapted to provide haptic feedback to users 18 seated within the vehicle 14, and a user display system 28 positioned within the vehicle 14 for viewing and interaction by users 18 seated within the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14, wherein the method 200, with the vehicle display server 12 and continuing with block 202, detecting when a user 18 enters the vehicle 14, continuing with block 204, identifying an identity of the user 18 using the plurality of sensors 16 positioned within the vehicle 14, computer vision algorithms, and stored data, continuing with block 206, detecting a first of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D on which the user 18 sits, using the plurality of sensors 16 arranged in the vehicle 14,continuing with block 208, detecting personal items 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D brought into the vehicle 14 by the user 18 using the plurality of sensors 16 disposed within the vehicle 14, continuing with block 210, associating the detected personal items 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D with the user 18 using artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, continuing with block 212, displaying user-specific content on the user display system 28 for viewing by the user 18, continuing with block 214, detecting when the user 18 is no longer viewing the user-specific content on the user display system 28, and, continuing with block 216, automatically stopping the display of the user-specific content and automatically deleting the user-specific content from the user-specific to unsubscribe from content,when the user 18 no longer views the user-specific content on the user display system 28.

[0100] In an exemplary embodiment, the method 200 further includes detecting in block 218 when the user 18 has looked away from the user display system 28 and is still seated in the first seating position 20A of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14, pausing the display of the user-specific content for the user on the user display system 28 in block 220, and terminating the display of the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content in block 222 when a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

[0101] In an exemplary embodiment, the method 200 further includes, in block 224, detecting when the user 18 has moved away from the one seating position 20A of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14, in block 226, pausing the display of the user-specific content for the user 18 on the user display system 28 at the first seating position 20A of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, and at least one of the following, continuing from block 226 to block 228, when a predetermined period of time has elapsed, automatically terminating the display of the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content displayed on the user display system 28 at the first seating position 20A of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D is displayed;proceeding from block 226 to block 230, detecting, with the plurality of sensors 16, that the user 18 has moved to a second seating position 20B of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, and automatically terminating the display of the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content displayed by the user display system 28 at the first seating position 20A of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D; proceeding from block 226 to block 232, detecting, with the plurality of sensors 16, that another passenger has moved into the first seating position 20A of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, and automatically stopping displaying the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content displayed by the user display system 28 at the first seating position 20A of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D;and, continuing from block 226 to block 234, detecting, with the plurality of sensors 16, that the user 18 has exited the vehicle 14 and automatically terminating the display of the user-specific content and automatically logging out of the user-specific content displayed by the user display system 28 at the first seating position 20A of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D.;

[0102] In another exemplary embodiment, the method 200 further comprises, with the vehicle display server 12, proceeding from block 216 to block 236, detecting, with the plurality of sensors 16, when the user 18 moves away from the first seating position 20A of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D and has left at least one personal item 154A, 154B, 154C associated with the user 18 at the first seating position 20A of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D, and providing an alert to the user 18 to notify the user 18 that at least one personal item 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D associated with the user 18 has been left within the first seating position 20A of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D was left behind, continuing with block 238, detecting, with the plurality of sensors 16,when the user 18 has moved from the first seating position 20A of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D and has taken at least one personal item associated with another passenger, and providing an alert to the user 18 to notify the user 18 that the user 18 has taken at least one personal item associated with another passenger, and, continuing with block 240, detecting, with the plurality of sensors 16, when another passenger 158 within the vehicle 14 has moved from one of the plurality of seating positions 20A, 20B, 20C, 20D within the vehicle 14 and has taken at least one personal item 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D associated with the user 18, and providing an alert to the user 18 to notify the user 18 notify that another passenger 158 has at least one personal item 154A, 154B, 154C, 154D,assigned to user 18.

[0103] In an exemplary embodiment, providing an alert by the vehicle display server 12 in blocks 236, 238, and 240 includes at least one of the following: providing an audible ring or bell, providing verbal alerts broadcast generally within the vehicle, providing directional verbal alerts broadcast specifically to the user 18, providing user-specific graphics and text messages displayed on the user display system 28, providing user-specific haptic alerts with the plurality of haptic feedback devices 26A, 26B, 26C, 26D within the vehicle 14, and disabling doors of the vehicle 14.

[0104] In an exemplary embodiment, the system 10 further includes a personal device 126 of the user 18 registered with and connected to the system 10, wherein the providing of an alert by the vehicle display server 12 in blocks 236, 238, and 240 further includes sending an alert to the user's personal device 126.

[0105] A system and method of the present disclosure offers several advantages. These include providing a floating image perceived by passengers at a central location within the vehicle interior. This provides a campfire-like viewing atmosphere where all passengers can see a common floating image or each passenger can see their own floating image. Furthermore, a system according to the present disclosure offers the ability to display annotations and information not embedded in the virtual image and ensure that such annotations and information are perceived by a passenger at an appropriate location relative to the virtual image and in a plane between the passenger and the floating image.The system enables interaction between multiple users located in the same or different vehicles, and provides for the automatic identification of a user and the selection / display of content specific to that user, specifically tailored to the seating position within a vehicle in which the user is seated. The system also allows such selected user-specific content to follow a user as they move from one seating position to another within a vehicle or as they transfer from one vehicle to another.

[0106] The description of the present disclosure is merely exemplary, and variations that do not depart from the gist of the present disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the present disclosure. Such variations should not be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

[1] A system for automatically logging out a user from user-specific content displayed on a vehicle display, comprising: a vehicle display server located in a vehicle and connected to: a variety of sensors located inside the vehicle and adapted to: to track head and eye position and movement of users sitting in a variety of seating positions in the vehicle; To detect positions of users in the vehicle and changes in the seating position of users within the vehicle; to detect when a user enters and exits the vehicle; detect personal items brought into the vehicle by a user; haptic feedback devices arranged within the vehicle and adapted to provide haptic feedback to users seated in the vehicle; and a user display system disposed within the vehicle for viewing and interaction by users seated in the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle; where the vehicle display server is adapted: to detect when a user enters the vehicle; using the plurality of sensors arranged in the vehicle, computer vision algorithms and stored data to identify an identity of the user; detecting, using the plurality of sensors disposed in the vehicle, a first of the plurality of seating positions in which the user is seated; detecting personal items brought into the vehicle by the user using the plurality of sensors disposed in the vehicle; using artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to assign the detected personal items to the user; display user-specific content on the user display system for viewing by the user; to detect when the user stops viewing the user-specific content on the user display system; and to automatically stop displaying the user-specific content and to automatically log out of the user-specific content when the user no longer views the user-specific content on the user display system. [2] The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle display server is further adapted: detect when the user has looked away from the user display system and is still sitting in the first of the plurality of seating positions in the vehicle; to pause the display of the user-specific content to the user on the user display system; and after a certain period of time, to stop displaying the user-specific content and to automatically log out of the user-specific content. [3] The system of claim 2, wherein the vehicle display server is further adapted: to detect when the user has moved away from one of the plurality of seating positions in the vehicle; pause the display of the user-specific content to the user on the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions; and at least one of: when a predetermined period of time has elapsed, to automatically stop displaying the user-specific content and to automatically log off from the user-specific content displayed on the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions; detect, with the plurality of sensors, that the user has moved to a second of the plurality of seating positions, and automatically stop displaying the user-specific content and automatically log off from the user-specific content displayed by the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions; to detect, with the plurality of sensors, that another passenger has occupied the first of the plurality of seating positions, and to automatically stop displaying the user-specific content and to automatically log off from the user-specific content displayed by the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions; and to detect, with the plurality of sensors, that the user has exited the vehicle, and to automatically stop displaying the user-specific content and to automatically log off from the user-specific content displayed by the user display system at the first of the plurality of seating positions. [4] The system of claim 3, wherein the vehicle display server is further adapted: to detect, with the plurality of sensors, when the user has moved away from the first of the plurality of seating positions and has left at least one personal item associated with the user at the first of the plurality of seating positions; and provide a warning to the user to notify the user that at least one personal item associated with the user has been left in the first of the plurality of seating positions. [5] The system of claim 4, wherein the vehicle display server is further adapted: detect, with the plurality of sensors, when the user has moved away from the first of the plurality of seating positions and has taken at least one personal item associated with another passenger; and provide a warning to the user to inform them that the user has taken at least one personal item that is associated with another passenger. [6] The system of claim 5, wherein the vehicle display server is further adapted: to detect, with the plurality of sensors, when another passenger within the vehicle has moved away from one of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle and has taken with them at least one personal item associated with the user; and provide a warning to the user to inform him / her that another passenger has stolen at least one personal item associated with the user. [7] The system of claim 6, wherein the warning provided by the vehicle display server includes at least one of the following: an audible ringing or bell; Verbal warnings generally transmitted throughout the vehicle; directed verbal warnings specifically addressed to the user; user-specific graphics and text messages displayed on the user display system; user-specific haptic warnings provided by the plurality of haptic feedback devices in the vehicle; and deactivating the vehicle doors. [8] The system of claim 7, further including a user's personal device registered with and connected to the system, wherein the alerts provided by the vehicle display server include alerts sent to the user's personal device. [9] The system of claim 1, wherein the user display system comprises one of the following: a plurality of individual screens adapted to display information and receive inputs from a user, each of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle being associated with an individual screen; or a single display system comprising: at least one display for projecting an image; a plurality of reflectors, each reflector being associated with one of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle and being adapted to reflect a projected image toward the associated one of the plurality of seating positions such that a user seated at the associated one of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle perceives the image as floating at a central location within the vehicle; and a transparent cylindrical touchscreen display positioned between the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle and the plurality of reflectors and adapted to display user-specific content for users at each of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle and to receive inputs from each of the users at each of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle. [10] The system of claim 9, wherein for the user display system comprising a single display system, the plurality of reflectors comprises a plurality of transparent beam splitters, wherein a transparent beam splitter is individually associated with each of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle, each beam splitter being adapted to receive an image from the at least one display and reflect the image to the associated one of the plurality of seating positions, wherein a user seated at the associated one of the plurality of seating positions within the vehicle perceives the image as floating at a central location within the vehicle.

Images