Motor vehicle and method for operating a driver assistance system

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle (1) with a vehicle interior (2) in which a driver observation camera (3) of a driver assistance system is combined with a lighting device (4) in such a way that light radiation (5) emanating from the lighting device (4) is reflected on a windscreen (6) in the direction of the driver's face of a driver of the motor vehicle (1). To simplify and / or improve the operation of the driver assistance system in the motor vehicle (1), the driver observation camera (3) is integrated invisibly into an instrument cluster (7), with the lighting device (4) being located near a glass root (9) of the windscreen (6).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle with a vehicle interior in which a driver monitoring camera of a driver assistance system is combined with a lighting device such that light radiation emanating from the lighting device is reflected off a windshield in the direction of the driver's face. The invention further relates to a method for operating a driver assistance system in such a motor vehicle.

[0002] German patent application DE 10 2014 115 958 A1 discloses a system for monitoring a vehicle driver, comprising: an infrared flash for shining infrared light onto the driver; an infrared camera for capturing an image illuminated by the flash, including reflections; and a reflective infrared film embedded in the vehicle's windshield. Japanese patent applications JP 2020-083085 A, JP 2014-031140 A, and European patent application EP 2 166 522 A1 disclose display devices for motor vehicles, wherein a camera and / or a lighting device is not positioned within the direct line of sight of a vehicle occupant.German patent application DE 10 2006 019 112 A1 discloses a vehicle comprising: a windshield transparent to visible light, which has an area that substantially reflects infrared light originating from inside the vehicle and substantially transmits visible light, and an infrared light source arranged in the vehicle, which is directed onto the infrared-reflecting area of ​​the windshield. German patent application DE 10 2016 213 066 A1 discloses a device for driver monitoring inside a motor vehicle, comprising a camera configured to capture light with a wavelength in the near-infrared range and oriented such that the camera captures a reflection of the driver, in particular a reflection of the driver's face, for which purpose a reflector is arranged which has a coating reflective to light rays in the NIR range.The American patent application US 5 795 306 A discloses a device for detecting the state of the body, comprising: optical input means for receiving images of a predetermined area, including the face of a person being examined; illumination means for illuminating the person concerned, wherein the illumination means are positioned such that, at least in the vicinity of the person concerned, the direction of the illumination substantially coincides with the optical axis connecting the person concerned to the optical input means.

[0003] The object of the invention is to simplify and / or improve the operation of a driver assistance system in a motor vehicle with a driver observation camera.

[0004] The problem is solved by a motor vehicle with the features of claim 1. The instrument cluster is preferably a conventional instrument cluster, which, for example, serves to display speed and / or engine functions during operation of the motor vehicle. The instrument cluster is preferably integrated into an instrument panel of the motor vehicle, which is also referred to as the dashboard. The instrument cluster includes, for example, a display in which the driver observation camera is preferably concealed, i.e., not visible to the driver from the outside or not readily apparent. The driver observation camera is preferably an infrared camera. The lighting device is preferably an infrared lighting device. Accordingly, the light radiation is preferably infrared light radiation.Infrared light is advantageously used within the driver assistance system to illuminate the driver's face, which is monitored by the driver observation camera. "Invisible to the driver" here means, in particular, that the driver observation camera is not perceived, or not consciously perceived, by the driver when looking at the display. "Near the base of the windshield" means, in particular, that the lighting device is located at the lower end of the windshield (also known as the windscreen) in the vehicle's vertical direction. The lighting device is, for example, located in a gap, such as a ventilation gap, at the base of the windshield. The vehicle's longitudinal direction is also referred to as the x-direction. The vehicle's transverse direction is also referred to as the y-direction. The vehicle's vertical direction is also referred to as the z-direction.The claimed arrangement of the lighting device has proven advantageous with regard to illuminating the driver's face.

[0005] A preferred embodiment of the motor vehicle is characterized in that the driver observation camera is arranged invisibly to the driver behind or below a display of the instrument cluster. Invisible in this context means, in particular, that the driver observation camera is not perceived by the driver, or not consciously perceived, during operation of the motor vehicle. Thus, the interior design of the vehicle is not affected by the driver observation camera.

[0006] Another preferred embodiment of the motor vehicle is characterized in that the lighting device comprises at least one infrared LED element. The capital letters LED stand for Light Emitting Diode. The infrared LED element is preferably a special light-emitting diode that emits light in a near-infrared range with a wavelength of seven hundred to one thousand nanometers. This region of the light spectrum is invisible to the human eye. This offers, among other advantages, that the light radiation emitted by the lighting device does not disturb the driver during operation of the motor vehicle.

[0007] Another preferred embodiment of the motor vehicle is characterized in that the lighting device comprises two or more infrared LED elements spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction of the vehicle. This significantly improves the illumination of the driver's face.

[0008] Another preferred embodiment of the motor vehicle is characterized in that the driver observation camera is arranged in a longitudinal direction in front of a steering device. The steering device is, for example, a steering wheel. This allows the driver observation camera to be easily positioned in the vehicle interior without significantly impairing its function.

[0009] Another preferred embodiment of the motor vehicle is characterized in that the lighting device is arranged outside the driver's direct field of vision. This offers, among other advantages, that the driver is not distracted by the lighting device while operating the vehicle. Furthermore, the interior design of the vehicle is not affected. In this context, "outside the driver's direct field of vision" means, in particular, that the lighting device is not visible or barely visible to the driver, especially when the driver is looking through the windshield or front window during normal driving.

[0010] Another preferred embodiment of the motor vehicle is characterized in that the driver observation camera and the windshield are oriented and arranged such that the driver's face is illuminated by the light radiation emanating from the lighting device and reflected from the windshield. In this way, the driver observation camera can be operated with maximum effectiveness and comfort in the driver assistance system during operation of the motor vehicle.

[0011] Another preferred embodiment of the motor vehicle is characterized in that the lighting device is integrated into an instrument panel at the base of the windshield. This allows the lighting device to be housed almost invisibly in the vehicle interior without its function being impaired by the concealed arrangement.

[0012] In a method for operating a driver assistance system in a previously described motor vehicle, the problem stated above is solved alternatively or additionally by utilizing partial reflection in or at the windshield to use the light radiation emitted by the lighting device to illuminate the driver's face. This advantageously improves the observation of the driver's face with the driver observation camera during operation of the driver assistance system.

[0013] The invention further relates to an instrument panel, a lighting device, a driver observation camera, a combination instrument, and / or a windshield for a previously described motor vehicle. The aforementioned parts are available for separate sale.

[0014] Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in which various embodiments are described in detail with reference to the drawing.

[0015] The only enclosed Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a motor vehicle with a vehicle interior in which a driver observation camera of a driver assistance system is advantageously combined with a lighting device.

[0016] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a motor vehicle 1 with a vehicle interior 2. In the vehicle interior 2 are arranged a driver's seat 18, a passenger seat 19 and a center console 20.

[0017] A vehicle longitudinal direction is in Fig. 1 indicated by an arrow 15. A vehicle transverse direction is shown in Fig. 1 indicated by an arrow 16. A vehicle height direction is shown in Fig. 1 is indicated by an arrow 17. The vehicle's longitudinal direction 15 is also referred to as the x-direction. The vehicle's transverse direction 16 is also referred to as the y-direction. The vehicle's vertical direction 17 is also referred to as the z-direction.

[0018] In the longitudinal direction 15 of the vehicle, in front of the two seats 18 and 19, an instrument panel 10, also referred to as the dashboard, is arranged. Above the dashboard or instrument panel 10, a windshield 6 is indicated. The windshield 6 abuts the dashboard 10 at a base 9.

[0019] A combination instrument cluster 7 with a display 8 is integrated into the dashboard 10. A driver monitoring camera 3 is integrated into the display 8 of the combination instrument cluster 7. A lighting device 4 is located in the area of ​​the base 9 of the windshield 6.

[0020] The driver monitoring camera 3 is designed as an infrared camera. The lighting device 4 is designed as an infrared lighting device. Arrows indicate a light radiation 5 emitted by the lighting device 4 and reflected on the inside of the windshield 6.

[0021] The infrared illumination device 4 comprises two infrared elements 11, 12. The two infrared elements 11, 12 are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction 16 of the vehicle in the area of ​​the disc root 9 of the windscreen 6.

[0022] Infrared elements 11 and 12 are infrared LEDs, which, as can be seen in Fig. 1, seen in the vehicle height direction 17 above a steering device 13 in the vehicle interior 2 of the motor vehicle 1. The steering device 13 is, for example, a steering wheel 14. The steering wheel 14, unlike Fig. As shown in 1, it also includes a complete steering wheel rim.

[0023] The driver monitoring camera 3 and the lighting unit 4 are part of a driver assistance system, also abbreviated as ADAS. Driver monitoring is an important component of the driver assistance system within the framework of driver state analysis. Camera-based driver state detection is one of several prerequisites for semi-autonomous driving operation, for example, when the driver is to resume driving after a rest period.

[0024] The infrared illumination device 4 is an active illumination system that advantageously operates in a spectral range invisible to the human eye. This offers the advantage, among others, that the driver monitoring camera 3 can be used with the illumination device 4 even at night, advantageously without glare.

[0025] The claimed arrangement of the driver observation camera 3 and the lighting device 4 in the vehicle interior 2 of the motor vehicle 1 provides, among other things, the advantage that both the driver observation camera 3 and the lighting device 4 are housed in the vehicle interior 2 in a manner that is almost invisible, or at least not or hardly disturbing or distracting.

[0026] The driver monitoring camera 3 is advantageously located behind or below the display 8 of the instrument cluster 7, thus remaining invisible to the driver. The lighting device 4 is positioned in the area of ​​the windshield base 9, or similarly to a head-up display (HUD), and is not in the driver's direct line of sight. The infrared light radiation 5 is reflected off the inside of the windshield 6 and directed or focused onto the driver's face to illuminate it. Reference sign 1 motor vehicle 2 Vehicle interior 3 Driver observation cameras 4 Lighting equipment 5 Light radiation 6 Windscreen 7 Instrument cluster 8 Display 9 disc root 10 Instrument panel 11 Infrared element 12 Infrared elements 13 Steering device 14 Steering wheel 15 Vehicle longitudinal direction 16 Vehicle transverse direction 17 Vehicle height direction 18 Driver's seat 19 Passenger seat 20 Center console

Claims

[1] Motor vehicle (1) with a vehicle interior (2) in which a driver observation camera (3) of a driver assistance system is combined with a lighting device (4) in such a way that light radiation (5) emanating from the lighting device (4) is reflected at a windscreen (6) in the direction of the driver's face of a driver of the motor vehicle (1), characterized by , that the driver observation camera (3) is integrated invisibly into a combination instrument (7), wherein the lighting device (4) is arranged in a vehicle height direction (17) above the driver observation camera (3) near a disc root (9) of the windscreen (6). [2] Motor vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the driver observation camera (3) is arranged invisibly to the driver behind or below a display (8) of the instrument cluster (7). [3] Motor vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the lighting device (4) comprises at least one infrared LED element (11,12). [4] Motor vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the lighting device (4) comprises two or more infrared LED elements spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction (16) of the vehicle. [5] Motor vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the driver observation camera (3) is arranged in a longitudinal direction (15) of the vehicle in front of a steering device (13). [6] Motor vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the lighting device (4) is arranged outside of the driver's direct line of sight. [7] Motor vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the driver observation camera (3) and the windscreen (6) are oriented and arranged in such a way that the driver's face is illuminated by the light radiation (5) emitted by the lighting device (4) and reflected at the windscreen (6). [8] Motor vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the lighting device (4) is integrated into an instrument panel (10) at the base (9) of the windscreen (6). [9] Method for operating a driver assistance system in a motor vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that a partial reflection in or on the windscreen (6) is used to utilize the light radiation (5) emitted by the lighting device (4) to illuminate the driver's face. [10] Instrument panel (10), lighting device (4), driver observation camera (3), instrument cluster (7) and / or windscreen (6) for a motor vehicle (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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