Method, computer program, device and vehicle for displaying control information in the field of vision of a driver

Description

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method, a computer program, a device for a vehicle and a vehicle for displaying control information in the field of vision of a driver, in particular but not exclusively to a concept for displaying control information in a clear and intuitively understandable manner in the field of vision of a driver of a vehicle with effective use of the display area provided for this purpose.

[0002] Defects or problems in a vehicle are often not visible from the outside. For this reason, warning lights have been integrated into vehicles. They serve to alert the driver to a problem or defect in the vehicle or to provide preventative warnings. They also provide information about driving behavior, such as "stay in lane." The color of the warning light indicates whether it is a defect or a warning. The warning light usually goes out when the problem is resolved or the warning has been followed. The warning lights are usually arranged on the vehicle's dashboard. For example, an individual warning light is assigned a fixed location where only that warning light can appear.

[0003] Especially in modern vehicles, there is a multitude of different information presented to the driver in the form of control symbols, indicator lights, text, etc. As the number of individual pieces of information increases, the risk of driver distraction can increase. In addition, drivers are accustomed to perceiving certain control information at specific points in their field of vision, so that traditionally certain indicator lights are assigned to specific locations in the vehicle cockpit. There is a trend towards making the display area ever larger and displaying ever more information. This can entail the risk of increasing confusion because the individual displays become smaller and smaller or are arranged more spread out. The space required therefore increases, for example, with the increasing number of indicator lights.In addition, the connection between textual error messages ("Check Controls") and the corresponding indicator light may become less clear due to spatial distance.

[0004] There is therefore a need to provide an improved concept for displaying control information in a driver's field of vision. The subject matter of the pending independent patent claims addresses this need.

[0005] Patent literature EP 1 636 560 A1 discloses that when a vehicle (10) detects that a malfunction has occurred, it transmits information about the illumination of the alarm lamp, vehicle ID information, and user identification information to a center (20). The center (20) transmits the received information about the illumination of the alarm lamp to a dealership computer (30) at a car dealer. The center (20) then receives information about countermeasures for abnormalities transmitted from the car dealer, prepares an abnormality report, and transmits the abnormality report to the vehicle (10). The vehicle (10) notifies a user of the abnormality report and reserves service at the car dealer by the user pressing a reservation button. With the reservation, the center (20) sends a request to transmit a malfunction to the vehicle (10).The vehicle (10) collects fault information in response to the fault information transmission request and transmits the fault information to the control center (20). The control center (20) transmits detailed abnormality countermeasure information transmitted from the car dealer to the vehicle (10).

[0006] Patent literature US 2020 / 391593 A1 discloses a display device in a vehicle comprising: a communication unit, a display, and a control unit. The communication unit can receive vehicle driving information. The processor can calculate a speed range based on the received vehicle driving information and control the display such that a graphic object representing the calculated speed range is displayed on the display.

[0007] Exemplary embodiments are based on the realization that conventional display concepts do not provide any information on the order in which errors occur, and therefore a chain of causality cannot be derived. In addition, freely usable display areas are available. Exemplary embodiments are based on the core idea that indicator lights can be displayed dynamically in a common area and can be moved relative to one another. The chronological sequence can determine the order in which the displays are displayed, so that this information can also be transmitted. For example, a driver always sees the first indicator light that appears (regardless of which it is) in the same - already learned - expected location. Due to statistics, it is unlikely that all indicator lights will appear at the same time, which is why a display area after the first 2-3 indicator lights is usually free for other displays, such as a tachometer or similar.can be used. This creates a kind of bundled gain and, at least statistically, the same number of indicator lights can be displayed on a smaller area.

[0008] Embodiments provide a method for displaying control information in the field of vision of a driver of a vehicle. The method comprises displaying two or more control information items in an array of adjacent display fields and displaying a temporal relationship between the occurrence of the two or more control information items via positions of the two or more control information items within the array. Embodiments can thus enable a driver to read the temporal order of occurrence of the respective events from the display.

[0009] In some embodiments, the most recent control information may be displayed at one end of the array and the oldest control information may be displayed at the other end of the array. This allows the driver to immediately perceive the timeliness of the respective control information.

[0010] For example, the oldest or most recent control information of two or more control information items can always be displayed at the same absolute position in the driver's field of vision. This way, the most recent or the longest-standing control information can always be displayed at the same position or location in the driver's field of vision.

[0011] In further embodiments, a display of control information that is no longer relevant can be deleted from the arrangement. Consequently, irrelevant control information is also removed again so that it can no longer distract a driver. Furthermore, at least in some embodiments, the method can include closing a gap in the arrangement created by deleting a display by dynamically shifting the remaining control information. This allows a seamless display within the arrangement to be achieved.

[0012] In some embodiments, the displayed control information can also be successively built up across the adjacent display fields in a direction predefined by the arrangement of the display fields. This allows a type of progress indicator to be achieved that easily displays both the number and order of the control information.

[0013] For example, control information can be displayed by displaying a graphic symbol typical of the control information. This allows the respective information to be communicated to a driver in a cost-effective manner using intuitively understandable graphic symbols.

[0014] In exemplary embodiments, the control information may include one or more elements from the group consisting of a tire pressure warning signal, an anti-lock braking system warning signal, an airbag warning signal, an engine warning signal, a steering warning signal, a distance warning signal, a power warning signal, a battery warning signal, and a parking brake warning signal. This allows the number, type, and order / recency of control information to be easily displayed to a driver.

[0015] Embodiments also provide a computer program for performing any of the methods described herein when the computer program runs on a computer, a processor, or a programmable hardware component.

[0016] Another embodiment is a device for a vehicle with a control unit configured to perform one of the methods described herein. Embodiments further provide a vehicle with a device as described herein.

[0017] Exemplary embodiments are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying figures. They show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a method for displaying control information in the field of vision of a driver of a vehicle; Fig. 2 a block diagram of an embodiment of a device for a vehicle and an embodiment of a vehicle; Fig. 3 an arrangement of display fields in one embodiment; and Fig. 4 a schematic representation of the structure of a display of several control information items in one embodiment.

[0018] Various embodiments will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some embodiments are illustrated. In the figures, the thickness dimensions of lines, layers, and / or regions may be exaggerated for clarity. Optional features are shown with dashed lines.

[0019] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a method 10 for displaying control information in the field of vision of a driver of a vehicle. The driver's field of vision typically includes the instruments and displays of the vehicle during operation. Various displays can be used for this purpose, such as a head-up display (projection onto / against the windshield) or a display in general, which can be installed in the dashboard or cockpit of the vehicle in the driver's field of vision. As the Fig. 1 shows, the method comprises displaying 12 two or more pieces of control information in an arrangement of adjacent display fields and displaying 14 a temporal relationship of an occurrence of the two or more pieces of control information via positions of the two or more pieces of control information within the arrangement. For example, a most recent piece of control information can be displayed at one end of the arrangement and an oldest piece of control information can be displayed at another end of the arrangement. The arrangement can extend along a predefined course, such as a straight or curved course. In this way, a sequence of consecutive pieces of control information can then be displayed along the arrangement.

[0020] Fig. 2 Illustrates a block diagram of an embodiment of a device 20 for a vehicle and an embodiment of a vehicle 200. The vehicle 200 is shown in dashed lines because it is optional from the perspective of the device 20. The device 20 for the vehicle 200 includes a control unit 24 configured to perform one of the methods 10 described herein. The vehicle 200 includes an embodiment of the device 20.

[0021] In exemplary embodiments, the device 20 can comprise one or more interfaces 22 coupled to the control unit or the control module 24. The one or more interfaces 22 can, for example, correspond to one or more inputs and / or one or more outputs for receiving and / or transmitting information, for example in digital bit values, based on a code, within a module, between modules, or between modules of different entities. The at least one interface 22 can, for example, be designed to communicate with other network components via a network or a local connection network and to communicate graphical outputs, such as text or graphic symbols, to a display, a screen, or generally to a graphical output device.

[0022] In exemplary embodiments, the control unit / control module 24 can correspond to any controller or processor or a programmable hardware component. For example, the control module 24 can also be implemented as software programmed for a corresponding hardware component. In this respect, the control module 24 can be implemented as programmable hardware with appropriately adapted software. Any processors, such as digital signal processors (DSPs), can be used. Exemplary embodiments are not limited to a specific type of processor. Any processor or even multiple processors are conceivable for implementing the control module 24.

[0023] In at least some embodiments, the vehicle 200 may correspond to, for example, a land vehicle, a watercraft, an aircraft, a rail vehicle, a road vehicle, a car, a bus, a motorcycle, an off-road vehicle, a motor vehicle, or a truck.

[0024] In exemplary embodiments, the control information includes, for example, indicator lights that provide the driver with various warning signals or instructions. The indicator lights are, for example, dynamically displayed in an area within the driver's field of vision. In this respect, exemplary embodiments also create a system that allows the lights (control information) to appear one after the other and dynamically shift relative to one another. A newly appearing light (information) can take the position next to (or even above) the previously appeared light.

[0025] Fig. 3 shows an arrangement of display fields in one embodiment. Fig. 3 illustrates a system using a vertical column with nine possible illuminated fields. As an example, a column is chosen for nine control illuminated symbols with the display fields KL1, KL2, KL3, KL4, KL5, KL6, KL7, KL8, and KL9. Other geometries, in particular a row, an arc, a semicircle, or another directed curved shape, as well as a different number of display fields, are also conceivable in other embodiments.

[0026] In exemplary embodiments, the method can display control information by displaying a graphic symbol typical of the control information, some examples of which are shown in the following figures. For example, the control information can include one or more elements from the group consisting of a tire pressure warning signal, an anti-lock braking system warning signal, an airbag warning signal, an engine warning signal, a steering warning signal, a distance warning signal, a power warning signal, a battery warning signal, and a handbrake warning signal.

[0027] In the embodiment of the Fig. 3 If there are no warnings / alerts, the column remains empty. The first light that appears is displayed, for example, in the lowest field of the column. If a second light is added, this light is displayed one field above. This process continues until the ninth light appears. This makes the column full; this state is in the Fig. 3 In detail, the lamp was shown, which was Fig. 3 in the display field KL9 (distance warning), the last / most recent control information is shown and is displayed in KL9 because KL1 to KL8 were already occupied at the time the distance warning occurred. The oldest light is the engine warning, which is displayed in KL1. When the light that is displayed in the Fig. 3 at KL2 (control warning), was the second light, KL1 was already occupied and this information was assigned to the next display field KL2. This process was then repeated with the other control lights until finally all nine lights were stacked on top of each other as shown in the Fig. 3 shown. The method 10 comprises building up the displayed control information over the adjacent display fields successively in a direction predefined by the arrangement of the display fields.

[0028] In this exemplary embodiment, method 10 comprises displaying the oldest piece of control information of the two or more pieces of control information at the same absolute position in the driver's field of vision, namely in the bottom column. Other variants are also conceivable in other exemplary embodiments, e.g., displaying the oldest piece of control information at the top or basing the order on the most recent piece of control information (which is then always displayed at the bottom or top).

[0029] In a further embodiment, lights can also be moved if other lights are deleted, e.g. because the information linked to them has been resolved. The method 10 then comprises deleting a display of control information that is no longer relevant from the arrangement. Furthermore, a gap in the arrangement created by deleting a display can be closed by dynamically moving the remaining control information. If, for example, a light disappears, the lights that appeared after it move back one field. This means that, depending on the number of control lights, the position between KL1 and KL9 can vary. The location and design are not specific and have been presented here only as an example. The method 10 comprises, in the embodiment of the Fig. 3 A successive buildup of the displayed control information / symbols across the adjacent display fields in a direction predefined by the arrangement of the display fields. The arrangement can be arranged along a variety of geometries. For example, directional progressions based on other displays in the field of view are also conceivable.

[0030] Fig. 4 shows a schematic representation of the structure of a display of several control information items in an embodiment. Fig. 4 shows, the structure runs from left to right. The displayed control information is successively built up over the adjacent display fields in a direction predefined by the arrangement of the display fields. The arrangement here is again a column, which is built up from bottom to top. First, in the Fig. 4 On the left, a situation 41 is shown, in which only a tire pressure warning is displayed in the column below and no other indicator lights are activated. Situation 42 illustrates an analogous display of an ABS (anti-lock braking system) warning without any other indicator lights at the bottom of the column. Fig 4 Figure 43 shows a situation in which an ABS warning appears first, followed by a tire pressure warning, which is then displayed in the next display field. Situation 44 builds on situation 43 in that an airbag warning light is also activated, which is then displayed one position higher. In this exemplary embodiment, the most current indicator light is always displayed at the topmost position in the column of display fields. Situation 45 shows that the ABS warning is displayed at position KL5 after four other indicator lights have already been displayed at positions KL1-KL4. Situation 46 shows the display when the ABS warning signal is activated as the ninth indicator light and eight other indicator lights are already activated at positions KL1-KL8.

[0031] The described arrangement contributes to an improved overview on the dashboard or in the driver's field of vision. This can also lead to a better understanding of related textual error messages (check controls) and corresponding indicator lights, as these can be arranged close to each other for the entire range of error indicator lights. Furthermore, such a dynamic arrangement saves space and can contribute to a reduction in distractions (due to the consistent display area). Furthermore, a comprehensible chronology of error occurrence is presented, allowing a causal chain to be derived.

[0032] Further embodiments are computer programs for carrying out one of the methods described herein when the computer program runs on a computer, a processor, or a programmable hardware component. Depending on specific implementation requirements, embodiments of the invention can be implemented in hardware or in software. The implementation can be carried out using a digital storage medium, for example a floppy disk, a DVD, a Blu-ray disc, a CD, a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, an EEPROM or a FLASH memory, a hard disk, or another magnetic or optical storage device on which electronically readable control signals are stored that can interact or interact with a programmable hardware component in such a way that the respective method is carried out.

[0033] A programmable hardware component can be formed by a processor, a computer processor (CPU = Central Processing Unit), a graphics processor (GPU = Graphics Processing Unit), a computer, a computer system, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC = Application-Specific Integrated Circuit), an integrated circuit (IC = Integrated Circuit), a single-chip system (SOC = System on Chip), a programmable logic element or a field-programmable gate array with a microprocessor (FPGA = Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0034] The digital storage medium can therefore be machine- or computer-readable. Some embodiments thus comprise a data carrier having electronically readable control signals capable of interacting with a programmable computer system or a programmable hardware component such that one of the methods described herein is performed. One embodiment is thus a data carrier (or a digital storage medium or a computer-readable medium) on which the program for performing one of the methods described herein is recorded.

[0035] In general, embodiments of the present invention can be implemented as a program, firmware, computer program, or computer program product with program code or data, wherein the program code or data is effective to perform one of the methods when the program runs on a processor or a programmable hardware component. The program code or data can also be stored, for example, on a machine-readable medium or data carrier. The program code or data can be present, among other things, as source code, machine code, or bytecode, as well as other intermediate code.

[0036] The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention. It is understood that modifications and variations of the arrangements and details described herein will be apparent to others skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the following claims and not by the specific details presented in the description and explanation of the embodiments herein. Bezugszeichenliste

[0037] 10Method for displaying control information in the field of vision of a driver of a vehicle 12Displaying two or more control information items in an arrangement of adjacent display fields 14Displaying a temporal relationship of an occurrence of the two or more control information items via positions of the two or more control information items within the arrangement 20Device for displaying control information in the field of vision of a driver of a vehicle 22One or more interfaces 24Control unit / control module 41-46Display situations 200Vehicle KL1-KL9Display fields

Claims

1. Method (10) for displaying items of supervisory information in the field of view of a driver of a vehicle (200), comprising displaying (12) two or more items of supervisory information in an arrangement of adjacent display fields (KL1-9); and characterized by displaying (14) a temporal relationship between the occurrences of the two or more items of supervisory information via positions of the two or more items of supervisory information within the arrangement.

2. Method (10) according to Claim 1, comprising displaying a newest item of supervisory information at one end of the arrangement and displaying an oldest item of supervisory information at another end of the arrangement.

3. Method (10) according to Claim 2, comprising displaying the oldest or the newest item of supervisory information from the two or more items of supervisory information always at the same absolute position in the field of view of the driver.

4. Method (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, comprising clearing a display of an item of supervisory information that is no longer relevant from the arrangement.

5. Method (10) according to Claim 4, comprising closing a gap in the arrangement that has arisen due to a display being cleared by dynamically moving the remaining items of supervisory information.

6. Method (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, comprising building up the displayed items of supervisory information over the adjacent display fields (KL1-9) in succession in a direction predefined by the arrangement of the display fields (KL1-9).

7. Method (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, comprising displaying an item of supervisory information by showing a graphic symbol typical of the item of supervisory information.

8. Method (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the items of supervisory information comprise one or more elements from the group comprising a tyre pressure warning signal, a warning signal from an antilock braking system, an airbag warning signal, an engine warning signal, a steering warning signal, a proximity warning signal, a performance warning signal, a battery warning signal and a handbrake warning signal.

9. Computer program for performing a method (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 8 when the computer program runs on a computer, a processor or a programmable hardware component.

10. Device (20) for a vehicle (200), having a control unit (24) that is designed to perform the following steps: displaying (12) two or more items of supervisory information in an arrangement of adjacent display fields (KL1-9) in the field of view of a driver of the vehicle; and displaying (14) a temporal relationship between the occurrences of the two or more items of supervisory information via positions of the two or more items of supervisory information within the arrangement.

11. Vehicle (200) having a device (20) according to Claim 10.