METHOD FOR PERSONALIZING A MOTOR VEHICLE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for personalizing a motor vehicle with the features of the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle for carrying out the method with the features of the preamble of claim 6.

[0002] A method for personalizing a motor vehicle is known from DE 10 2008 016 375 A1. Specifically, this document proposes a display device for mounting on a body component of a motor vehicle, which is equipped with a programmable display matrix. The driver can program the display matrix using a suitable control device. Depending on the programming of the display matrix, it is possible to display specific text depending on the situation.

[0003] German patent DE 10 2014 102 506 B4 describes a vehicle with a lighting arrangement integrated into the rear lights, which utilizes unused or non-functional space within a cavity of the rear lighting system. The integrated lighting arrangement can be controlled in such a way that a user or the vehicle manufacturer is permitted to display customer-specific customizable lighting sequences at certain times. This is also intended to be used to clearly identify a user of the vehicle, for example, in a crowded or dark parking lot.

[0004] German patent application DE 10 2017 106 563 A1 discloses a vehicle component in the form of a vehicle body panel, comprising a first section and a second section. The first section can be designed as a personalized or customer-specific surface texture and may, for example, include the buyer's name, the manufacturer's company logo, or other desired text or graphic design. The second section, on the other hand, can be smooth or inconspicuous.

[0005] DE 11 2010 002 578 T5 describes a trim component of a motor vehicle that contains signs which are not visible when unlit. Among other things, it proposes activating the illumination of the signs by a user's voice, thus making them visible to the user.

[0006] WO 2018 / 035484 A1 discloses a method for projecting an image using a projection system in a motor vehicle. First, proximity sensors detect the presence of a user within a specific distance range of the vehicle. The user is then identified via a mobile device carried by the user. Based on the user information obtained, the projection system projects an interactive initial scene onto a surface near the vehicle. This interactive initial scene allows the user to modify it through gestures, other movements, or speech, thereby triggering specific functions. For example, a numeric input field can be projected onto the surface to allow the user to enter an access code and thus open a vehicle door.A welcome message can also be projected onto the surface.

[0007] From WO 2016 / 149915 A1, a method for outputting information from a motor vehicle to a user is known, in which the user's voice input is captured outside the vehicle via a voice input interface and forwarded to a processor. The processor performs speech recognition and generates output information based on this recognition. The output information is then transmitted to the user via an output interface connected to the processor. The voice input interface can be configured as a microphone. The output interface can include a display and a speaker.

[0008] US Patent 2016 / 0171637 A1 discloses a method for detecting a person located near a motor vehicle equipped with an onboard car-sharing system. An onboard wireless communication system first pairs with the person's mobile device and determines that the person is near the vehicle. A message can then be displayed to the person near the vehicle via an externally facing head-up display. The message can include the person's name.

[0009] Finally, US Patent 9,400,564 B2 describes a motor vehicle equipped with user recognition for driver identification. Furthermore, it features an interactive display system that, based on driver recognition, can project information onto a window of the vehicle. In addition to general information, the displays provide insights into the driving behavior of the identified driver. Facial recognition also allows for the precise determination of the vehicle occupants' positions within the vehicle.

[0010] Based on this prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide an alternative method for the possible personalization of a motor vehicle, in which the finding of a parked motor vehicle by a user is facilitated.

[0011] The present problem is solved by a method having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the method are described in the dependent claims.

[0012] It is also an object of the present invention to provide a suitable motor vehicle for carrying out the method according to the invention. This object is achieved by a motor vehicle with the features of claim 6. Advantageous embodiments can also be found in the dependent claims.

[0013] The invention initially relates to a method for personalizing a motor vehicle, wherein the personalization is effected at least by a graphic output on at least one graphic output device of the motor vehicle in the form of lettering on the motor vehicle. The graphic output thus contains at least letters of the alphabet of a particular language, but it can also contain other characters and symbols.

[0014] It is further proposed that the graphical output be performed in response to a voice input made by a user and recognized by a speech recognition device, the voice input indicating the user's desire to locate and / or unlock the motor vehicle.

[0015] Opening the motor vehicle may be desired, for example, for the purpose of removing or placing items inside, but also for getting in and driving.

[0016] Such a procedure enables the personalization of a motor vehicle in a frequently occurring everyday situation, namely when the user has parked their motor vehicle somewhere and wants to find it more easily.

[0017] For example, it's conceivable that the user returns to their parking space after shopping. In this situation, the procedure now allows the user to enter a voice command into a mobile device, such as a smartphone, expressing the desire to locate and / or unlock their vehicle.

[0018] The mobile device has a suitable communication device for communicating with the vehicle. This communication device could, for example, be a hardware interface for wireless data transmission, implemented as Bluetooth or a mobile communication standard (e.g., 5G). On the software side, the use of a corresponding app is conceivable.

[0019] If the lettering is then graphically displayed on the vehicle, this significantly facilitates the fulfillment of the user's wish. The graphic display is preferably placed in a particularly visible location on the vehicle.

[0020] However, it is also conceivable that the voice recognition system is integrated into the vehicle itself and that the user does not have their mobile device with them at the time they wish to locate and / or unlock their vehicle. If the user is then in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle, it is still possible that the vehicle's voice recognition system is activated by the user's voice in conjunction with a corresponding voice command, and that a corresponding graphical display is shown on the vehicle when the user wishes to locate or unlock the vehicle.

[0021] In a first embodiment of the invention, for the purpose of graphically displaying the text, a user's name stored in a memory device of the vehicle is read out. The name preferably includes the user's first name. However, it is also conceivable to store and read out both the user's first and last name. A graphical output device of the vehicle is then controlled in such a way that the read-out name is displayed, at least as part of the text. The name could, for example, be part of a greeting.

[0022] According to further features of the invention, the personalization of the motor vehicle can additionally be achieved by emitting an acoustic signal, in particular a special acoustic signal. This makes it even easier to draw the user's attention to the parked motor vehicle.

[0023] Personalization via the acoustic signal can be particularly well achieved by a voice output of the user's name stored in the memory device.

[0024] It should be noted that the input of characters to be stored and later output can be carried out very flexibly via a suitable input device in the vehicle (for example, a touchscreen installed in the vehicle) or via a mobile device (for example, a smartphone). It is also conceivable to accomplish this via suitable voice input prior to the process. Data input can be greatly simplified by having the user scan their name from a document (e.g., vehicle registration document) using a scanning device in the vehicle or the mobile device and thereby read it into a storage device.

[0025] In the context of a request to locate a vehicle, it can be very helpful if, in response to the user's voice command, the vehicle's current location is wirelessly transmitted to a mobile device receiving the voice command. For example, it is conceivable that after a user voice command to locate their vehicle, the vehicle's location could be displayed directly on their smartphone screen, allowing the user to navigate there on foot using their smartphone's built-in navigation system.

[0026] To prevent unauthorized access to the motor vehicle, further features of the invention propose that, prior to the graphic output for personalizing the motor vehicle, a check is carried out to determine whether the user is authorized to trigger said reaction.

[0027] Verification can be advantageously implemented by requesting a password, which can be provided, for example, via voice or manual entry. Authorization verification is also conceivable via fingerprint recognition, facial recognition, and / or voice recognition. All of the aforementioned authorization verification methods represent proven and secure options.

[0028] As mentioned at the outset, the invention also proposes a suitable motor vehicle for carrying out the method according to the invention. The invention is based on a motor vehicle with at least one graphic output device for displaying at least one text element and at least one acoustic output device for displaying an acoustic signal. At least one storage device is provided for storing files.

[0029] The graphic output device for displaying at least one text element can, for example, be a projection device that projects the text onto a clearly visible area of ​​the vehicle. It is also conceivable that the output device is a display, such as an LED matrix, located in a clearly visible area of ​​the vehicle.

[0030] An external loudspeaker, in particular a directional loudspeaker, which can focus the sound on an approaching, authorized user, is conceivable as an acoustic output device.

[0031] The file to be saved, which preferably contains the user's name, can be, for example, a text file manually entered by the user or an audio file previously entered by the user via voice.

[0032] At least one conversion device is available for converting a text file into audio and / or image data or for converting an audio file into text and / or image data.

[0033] An evaluation and control unit serves to control at least one graphic and / or acoustic output device. Furthermore, at least one communication device is provided for communication between the vehicle and a mobile device, such as a smartphone.

[0034] The evaluation and control unit is further equipped to read at least one file from the storage device upon receipt of a trigger signal and, depending on this, to output a graphical output via the graphical output device.

[0035] It is very useful if the graphical output device is configured to display the graphical output on at least one window pane, for example, the windshield or rear window of the vehicle. This can be very helpful, for instance, when the vehicle is parked in a lot among many other vehicles. By displaying the graphical output on one window pane, the user is able to see it even through other vehicles.

[0036] Additionally, it can be very helpful if an acoustic output is provided on the acoustic output device, depending on the file being read.

[0037] Furthermore, it is highly advantageous for the vehicle to be equipped with an external microphone and a subsequent speech recognition system. These are designed to capture and recognize the speech of a user located in the immediate vicinity outside the closed vehicle. This allows a user, even without a mobile device, to trigger a corresponding response from the vehicle through voice commands, thus facilitating the user's location of their vehicle through the aforementioned personalization.

[0038] The motor vehicle may also be equipped with a camera and a downstream facial recognition device designed to recognize the face of a user located in the immediate vicinity outside the enclosed motor vehicle.

[0039] This makes it easy to verify a user's authorization.

[0040] A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the figures and is explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the figures. This also highlights further advantages of the invention. Identical reference numerals, even in different figures, refer to identical, comparable, or functionally equivalent components. Corresponding or comparable properties and advantages are achieved even if no repeated description or reference is made to them. The figures are not, or at least not always, to scale. In some figures, proportions or distances may be exaggerated to more clearly emphasize features of an embodiment.

[0041] They show, schematically, each one Fig. 1 shows a possible sequence of the process and Fig. 2 shows a motor vehicle prepared for carrying out the process.

[0042] First, attention will be drawn to the Fig. 1 Reference is made to this figure. This figure shows a flowchart intended to illustrate the method according to the invention.

[0043] Starting from a point of origin, the first process step S1 involves a user entering voice input into a suitable speech recognition device. The speech recognition device can be a mobile device carried by the user (e.g., a smartphone) or a speech recognition device built into the vehicle itself.

[0044] For example, a user might have previously parked their vehicle in a parking lot, has now returned, and wants to find their vehicle. The user's first name is " First name "and has previously stored this information in the vehicle's memory via a suitable input device, either manually or via voice input. Now, he can personalize his vehicle externally and make it easier to locate, for example by making the following voice input: "Hello" First name, Where are you?"

[0045] In a resulting algorithm, which is stored within the mobile device or within an evaluation and control unit of the vehicle, a query A1 checks whether the voice input indicates a user's wish to locate and / or unlock the vehicle. If this is confirmed, a second query A2 checks whether the user is authorized to trigger the desired action from the vehicle.

[0046] As part of this query, authorization verification can be carried out by requesting a password to be entered manually or by voice, by fingerprint verification, facial recognition and / or by voice verification.

[0047] Such checks are conceivable both via a mobile device in the form of a smartphone and through suitable equipment of the vehicle itself.

[0048] If the user's authorization is confirmed, a trigger signal is sent to the motor vehicle in a process step S2, which is received there by a suitable communication device and forwarded to an evaluation and control unit.

[0049] The trigger signal also causes the evaluation and control unit to read a name (first and / or last name) of the user stored in a memory device (procedure step S3).

[0050] The extracted name is graphically displayed in process step S41 on a suitable graphical output device (e.g. display) of the motor vehicle, which is clearly visible from the outside.

[0051] Additionally, in process step S42 it is conceivable that the stored name is also output as speech output using a suitable acoustic output device.

[0052] Procedure steps S43 and S44 can be used to play a specific, previously stored tone sequence (procedure step S43) and to transmit to the user on their mobile device a location of the motor vehicle, which was determined via a suitable GPS system (procedure step S44).

[0053] In query A3, the system asks whether the user also wanted the vehicle unlocked. If so, the vehicle is unlocked in process step S5. However, for security reasons, the unlocking process is reversed after a short period of time if no door or hatch of the vehicle has been manually opened.

[0054] From the Fig. 2A motor vehicle K is now visible, which is prepared for carrying out the method according to the invention.

[0055] It is shown that a user B is located in the immediate vicinity U of the motor vehicle K.

[0056] The immediate vicinity U is understood to be an environment in which the user B is located at a distance of up to 50 meters from the motor vehicle K.

[0057] The motor vehicle K has a windshield 1, a rear window 2 and side windows 3. Furthermore, it is equipped with an external camera 4 with a downstream facial recognition device 4b, an external microphone 5, an acoustic output device 6 designed as an external loudspeaker and a graphic output device 8.

[0058] The graphic output device 8 can, for example, be designed as a projection unit which is capable of projecting a graphic output 17 onto the window panes of the motor vehicle K, for example onto the windscreen 1 or the rear window 2.

[0059] The motor vehicle K also has a speech recognition device 5b downstream of the external microphone 5 and a voice recognition device 5c.

[0060] A conversion device 9 is available, which can be used to convert files stored in a storage device 11. Preferably, a stored text file can be converted into audio and / or image data. It is also possible to convert a stored audio file into text and / or image data.

[0061] The motor vehicle K has a GPS device 19, an internet connection 20 and a scanning device 21.

[0062] With the help of the scanning device 21, for example, it is very easy to scan the name of user B stored in a vehicle registration document and immediately save it in the storage device 11.

[0063] A communication device 13b of the motor vehicle K is designed to receive wireless signals coming from external sources, for example from a mobile device M in the form of a smartphone of user B.

[0064] Finally, an evaluation and control unit 10 is provided, which is connected via a data bus 16 to the other electrical components of the motor vehicle K mentioned above.

[0065] In the embodiment, the mobile terminal M of user B is equipped with a speech recognition device 5a, a voice recognition device 5d, a face recognition device 4a and a fingerprint recognition device 18.

[0066] The mobile terminal M is able to communicate with the communication device 13b of the motor vehicle K via a communication device 13a.

[0067] After the user has entered a voice command via the speech recognition device 5a, their authorization is first checked. This check is performed using the facial recognition device 4a, the voice recognition device 5d, the fingerprint recognition device 18, and / or a password verification device (not shown in detail).

[0068] If an evaluation logic of the mobile device M determines that user B is authorized to control the motor vehicle K as described, a suitable trigger signal A is sent to the communication device 13b of the motor vehicle K via the communication device 13a of the mobile device M.

[0069] The trigger signal A causes the evaluation and control unit 10 to query the signals from the environmental detection devices 14 and / or the external camera 4 and, depending on the derived position of the user B relative to the vehicle, to control the external microphone 6 and the graphic output unit 8 such that the graphic and acoustic outputs of the name stored in the memory device 11 are displayed at a location easily recognizable to the user B. In this case, the graphic output 17 is therefore displayed on the windshield 1. The external loudspeaker 6 is preferably a loudspeaker whose sound emission can be focused on a specific area. Furthermore, the external loudspeaker 6 can be moved or aligned to this area by means of a mechanism not shown in detail.

[0070] Existing environmental sensing devices 14 can, for example, be designed as ultrasonic or lidar sensors. They can also be used to detect from which direction a user B is approaching the vehicle K.

[0071] The motor vehicle K is thus well equipped to be used for carrying out the described method according to the invention. Reference symbol list

[0072] 1 Windscreen 2 Rear window 3 Side windows 4 Camera 4a Face recognition device 4b Face recognition device 5 External microphone 5a Speech recognition device 5b Speech recognition device 5c Voice recognition device 5d Voice recognition device 6 Acoustic output device; External speaker 8 Graphic output device 9 Conversion device 10 Evaluation and control device 11 Storage device 13a Communication device 13b Communication device 14 Environmental detection device 16 Data bus 17 Graphic output 18 Fingerprint recognition device 19 GPS device 20 Internet access 21 Scan device A Trigger signal A1-A3 Queries B User K Vehicle M Mobile device; Smartphone S1-S3, S41-S44, S5 Procedure steps Immediate environment

Claims

1. Method for personalizing a motor vehicle (K), the personalization being carried out at least by way of a graphical output (17) on at least one graphical output device (8) of the motor vehicle (K) in the form of an inscription on the motor vehicle (K), characterized in that the graphical output (17) is performed in response to a voice input, performed by a user (B) and recognized by a voice recognition device (5a, 5b), that discloses the requirement of the user (B) that said user requires the motor vehicle (K) to be located and / or the motor vehicle (K) to be opened, wherein the personalization is additionally carried out by way of output of an audible signal, wherein the graphical and audible output (17) is preceded by a check being performed to ascertain whether the user (B) is entitled to trigger said reaction, wherein the check is carried out by way of the communication between a communication device (13a) of a mobile terminal (M) of the user (B) and a communication device (13b) of the motor vehicle (K) and wherein detection of the entitlement of the user (B) results in evaluation logic of the mobile terminal (M) using the communication device (13a) of the mobile terminal (M) to transmit a trigger signal (A) to the communication device (13b) of the motor vehicle (K) that leads to an evaluation and control device (10) of the motor vehicle (K) requesting the signals from surroundings detection devices (14) and / or an exterior camera (4) and taking the position, derived therefrom, of the user (B) relative to the motor vehicle (K) as a basis for driving an audible output device (6), in the form of an exterior loudspeaker, and the graphical output device (8) in such a way that the graphical and audible outputs of the name stored in a storage device (11) are output at a spot that is easily discernible by the user (B).

2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that for the purpose of the graphical output (17) of the inscription a name of the user (B) that is stored in a storage device (11) is read and a graphical output device (8) of the motor vehicle (K) is driven in such a way that the name that has been read is displayed as at least a part of the inscription.

3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the audible signal is a voice output of the name of the user (B) that is stored in the storage device (11).

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in response to the voice input from the user (B) a current location of the motor vehicle (K) is wirelessly relayed to a mobile terminal (M) receiving the voice input.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the check is carried out using a password request, a fingerprint recognition, a face recognition and / or using a recognition of the voice of the user (B).

6. Motor vehicle (K) for performing the method according to one of the preceding claims, having at least one graphical output device (8) for outputting at least one inscription, at least one audible output device (6) for outputting an audible signal, at least one storage device (11) for storing files, at least one conversion device (9) for converting a text file into audio and / or image data or for converting an audio file into text and / or image data, at least one evaluation and control device (10) for driving at least the at least one graphical and / or audible output device (8 or 6) and also at least one configuration device (13b) for communicating with a mobile terminal (M) of a user (B), characterized in that the evaluation and control device (10) is set up so as, after receiving a trigger signal (A) that has arrived via the communication device (13b), to read at least one file from the storage device (11) and to take this as a basis for outputting a graphical output (17) via the graphical output device (8) and an audible signal via the audible output device (6), wherein the evaluation and control device (10) is set up to request the signals from surroundings detection devices (14) and / or an exterior camera (4) and to take a position, derived therefrom, of the user (B) relative to the motor vehicle (K) as a basis for driving the audible output device (6), in the form of an exterior loudspeaker, and the graphical output device (8) in such a way that the graphical and audible outputs of a name of the user (B) that is stored in the storage device (11) are output at a spot that is easily discernible by said user.

7. Motor vehicle according to Claim 6, characterized in that the graphical output device (8) is configured to output the graphical output (17) on at least one windowpane of the motor vehicle (K).

8. Motor vehicle according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized by an exterior microphone (5) and a downstream voice recognition device (5b) that are set up to pick up and recognize voice from a user (B) who is in the immediate surroundings (U) outside the closed motor vehicle (K).

9. Motor vehicle according to one of Claims 6 to 8, characterized by an exterior camera (4) and a downstream face recognition device (4b) that are set up to recognize the face of a user (B) who is in the immediate surroundings (U) outside the closed motor vehicle (K).