Notification management method for a vehicle-based human-machine interface and vehicle with a notification management system

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a notification management method for a vehicle-based human-machine interface according to the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 1 and to a vehicle with a notification management system.

[0002] The further development of assistance systems is accompanied by increased demands on information management for infotainment systems in vehicles, which are increasingly being expanded into a complex human-machine interface. A multitude of interaction channels are provided for transmitting information and influencing the driver. A classic interaction channel for displaying visual information is a graphical user interface (GUI), which is typically designed as a touch-sensitive display in the vehicle console. In addition to large-format liquid crystal displays, projection systems are increasingly being used for this purpose, which project images onto the vehicle interior. Data glasses worn by the driver and communicating wirelessly with the infotainment system also offer a possible visual interaction channel.The use of acoustic interaction channels is also important, for example via a voice assistant, a warning tone or a recognizable message melody.

[0003] Furthermore, the human-machine interface can also use tactile signals and other means of influencing the driver to transmit information. Subliminal measures to increase attention and generally improve travel comfort are also possible. For example, a targeted airflow or a heat, cold, or olfactory stimulus can be used as an alternative interaction channel. A seat massage device also represents a possible interaction channel of a vehicle-based human-machine interface for transmitting notifications.

[0004] In addition to transmitting vehicle- and environment-relevant data, many people also desire to receive notifications for entertainment while driving and to remain in constant contact with the outside world. Therefore, possible notifications via the human-machine interface also include the playback of media content, such as films or music videos, or audio content such as audiobooks, music tracks, podcasts, and the like. Additionally, the human-machine interface should be able to initiate the playback of social media content or podcasts, or the output of data generated by a chat or video conferencing program. The human-machine interface handles not only notifications for the driver, but also those primarily intended for other vehicle occupants.

[0005] The increasing information density and expanded interaction options necessitate the selection of notifications from the multitude of possible notifications not requested directly by the driver but originating from the human-machine interface (referred to herein as proactive notifications). This requires deciding at what time and via which of the available interaction channels the driver or vehicle occupants should be addressed with such a notification. Distraction, fatigue, or overexertion, especially for the driver, caused by the sequence of notifications must be avoided. Furthermore, the constant stream of proactive notifications and the chosen delivery method must not lead to a feeling of boredom or being harassed by the human-machine interface.Relevant information in the notification sequence must be communicated in a way that is conscious and perceptible to the driver and in a timely manner. These challenges are posed to a notification management procedure and system used for this purpose.

[0006] Methods for prioritizing messages are known from other technical fields. For example, US 2021 0337039 A1 describes a prioritization system for messages generated by multiple apps on an electronic device. It addresses a rule-based selection of app notifications for forwarding to a single user interface, in this case a single display, based on a priority assigned to the respective app during the installation process. The typical use case is a computer system running a multitude of notification-generating software programs, such as an email program or games.The prioritization system ensures that a predetermined number of app notifications forwarded to the system user is not exceeded within a given period of time. In the case of multiple notifications arriving in parallel, only the information originating from the app with the highest priority is selected for display. Applying such a rule-based concept with initially configured priorities for a vehicle's human-machine interface results in a complex system with high administrative overhead for configuration, particularly due to the multitude of vehicle-side interaction channels.

[0007] Another message prioritization method is known from EP 1 287 444 B1, the primary application of which is email handling. It is proposed to assign messages a classifier that determines the urgency and / or relevance of an email in particular. The selection of messages forwarded to a user is then rule-based by querying the classifier and using a profile that is at least initially set up by the recipient. Typically, different profiles are created by the user, which depend on their location and the respective activity; for example, different profiles can be provided for work, leisure time, vacation, travel, etc. When working outside of their place of work or residence, the message prioritization system automatically forwards selected emails to a specified mobile device of the user instead of their desktop.Switching between profiles is done by user input or by querying user entries, for example in a personal electronic calendar.

[0008] The message prioritization method proposed by EP 1 287 444 B1 for a vehicle-based human-machine interface results in an application that requires extensive configuration by the user before starting the journey. Even the individual definition of the prioritization rules for using the basic functionality of a complex vehicle-based human-machine interface requires considerable effort on the part of the user before starting the journey. Activating the full range of functions requires in-depth training in rule-based profile configuration, which cannot be performed without expert knowledge of the respective vehicle-based human-machine interface.

[0009] US 9,769,106 B2 discloses a method for a mobile device for the rule-based presentation and prioritization of visual messages based on a customized tile design on the display of the mobile device. This involves a predefined set of rules for dividing messages into categories, which are then presented category-specifically on different areas of the display. Messages within the same category are shown in the order corresponding to their priority. To determine the prioritization within a message category, an analysis of user behavior is performed. The message source and the average time with which the user of the mobile device reacts to a message from the respective news source are determined.Applying the described message prioritization method to a vehicle-based human-machine interface leads to the fundamental difficulty that vehicle applications involve a wide range of message types, which often cannot be uniformly classified. A further difficulty arises from the complexity of a vehicle's human-machine interface, with its multitude of interaction channels. Furthermore, the analysis of user behavior required for prioritization, particularly the user's response time to messages from a known message source, is not feasible for a large number of proactive, vehicle-initiated notifications.

[0010] Furthermore, US 2013 / 038437 A1 discloses a system for managing tasks and notifications in a connected vehicle. During vehicle use, multiple notifications are to be visually displayed to the driver via a display device. The notifications are assigned to a queue based on a prioritization. An attention metric for the driver is determined based on environmental information or the driving context. If the driver has sufficient comprehension for notifications based on the attention metric, these notifications are displayed depending on the respective prioritization.

[0011] The present invention is based on the object of specifying an improved notification management method for a vehicle-based human-machine interface, with the aid of which notifications are transmitted in a timely manner and with regard to the selected notification channel, particularly to the driver, so that their attention is not impaired and they do not perceive them as disruptive. In particular, the notification management method for proactive notifications should be executable by the user without complex system configuration in the case of multiple possible notification channels. Furthermore, a vehicle with such an improved notification management system is to be specified.

[0012] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a notification management method having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments as well as a vehicle with a notification management system for implementing the notification management method emerge from the dependent claims.

[0013] A generic notification management method for a vehicle-based human-machine interface with at least one notification channel forwards a notification addressed to at least one vehicle occupant and / or a vehicle function module to the notification channel by means of a notification management system or withholds the respective notification depending on a priority associated with the notification.

[0014] The notification management procedure provides that the priority associated with the notification is determined by a priority number; the notification is then selected and forwarded to the notification channel if its priority number exceeds a channel threshold value assigned to the notification channel and this has the highest priority number for the respective notification channel; and the channel threshold value is variable over time and is set in a normal operating mode by the notification management system at predetermined time intervals on the basis of driving data and / or vehicle environment data and / or vehicle data and / or status data of the human-machine interface and / or at least one previous notification transmission and / or vehicle occupant observation data between a minimum threshold value and a maximum threshold value.

[0015] According to the invention, the notification management system for a human-machine interface with multiple notification channels defines a separate, time-varying channel threshold for each of the notification channels, and a separate priority number is assigned to each notification for at least two of the notification channels; and a change in the channel threshold of a first notification channel requires a change in the channel threshold of at least one second notification channel.

[0016] The notification itself can be purely communicative in nature, but can also include control signals that, in addition to controlling information elements such as a display, can also control functions in a functional module of the vehicle, e.g., a massage device in a vehicle seat. This notification / control of the functional module can be provided together with a communicative notification or include it – e.g., as haptic feedback – or without it.

[0017] According to the invention, instead of a rigid set of rules for prioritization, each notification is linked to a typically decimal priority number, which can be understood as a resource in the sense of a currency with which forwarding to a notification channel can be "purchased." According to this image of the inventive idea, a market value, the respective channel threshold, is set for notification forwarding, which is subject to temporal variation within predetermined limits between a minimum threshold and a maximum threshold. A notification can then secure forwarding to a notification channel, i.e., it becomes active and perceivable by the user via the selected notification channel, if its priority number at least exceeds the required threshold and, at the same time, it currently represents the "highest bidder" in the case of multiple notifications that meet the threshold condition.The special case of matching priority numbers can be solved by querying an additional comparison criterion, for example the length of time spent in the queue, which can be used as a special bonus for determining a final priority number.

[0018] The threshold value must be updated at a specified time interval. This is based on typical state change rates for vehicles such as cars, trucks, vans, buses, and the like, as well as the usual data processing speeds. A practical time interval in the millisecond range is specified.

[0019] To determine a threshold for a notification channel, at least one of the criteria described above is used, with a first group relating to driving data, vehicle environment data, and vehicle data. For one exemplary embodiment, the current driving speed is taken into account for the "driving data" criterion. Particularly at high driving speeds, it is intended to prevent the driver's concentration from potentially disruptive notifications, resulting in a general increase in the threshold.

[0020] For another embodiment, vehicle environment data is relevant. It can be queried whether the journey is taking place in unclear traffic or in the area of ​​a highway construction section with a reduced lane width, requiring special driver attention and setting high channel thresholds. Further criteria from the vehicle environment area arise for nighttime journeys or journeys in poor weather conditions. In this case, the temporal embedding of events also falls under the term "vehicle environment data." Accordingly, the day of the week or calendar month on which a journey takes place is also considered vehicle environment data.

[0021] For an alternative implementation, data that can be assigned to the "vehicle data" criterion is considered for threshold generation. This includes, for example, the equipment of the human-machine interface. In the case of a large number of available notification channels, which are usually perceived as annoying by the driver when over-used, the number of notifications reaching the vehicle occupants is reduced by setting high channel thresholds.

[0022] For a further advantageous implementation of channel threshold setting, the current status data of the human-machine interface are taken into account. For example, if an acoustic notification channel is active due to the playback of an entertaining audio file, such as a podcast, the associated channel threshold is increased so that a voice message is only played if it is deemed particularly relevant and is assigned a priority number above the increased threshold.

[0023] A design that takes at least one of the previous notification transmissions into account is advantageous. This can, for example, prevent notifications from following one another too closely. Furthermore, the type and duration of at least one previously active notification can be a criterion for setting the threshold.

[0024] For a preferred embodiment, vehicle occupant observation data is relevant for determining the channel threshold. This could, for example, be the response to an activated notification, such as a proactive notification regarding an upcoming traffic jam. If the driver then requests route alternatives, for example via a voice assistant, the channel threshold for a notification channel intended for the transmission of social media content is significantly increased to prevent interference. The vehicle occupant observation data can also be used to determine the number of people in a vehicle in order to generally increase the channel thresholds in the case of multiple occupants.

[0025] Additionally, vehicle occupant observation data can be collected over a longer period of time with a person-specific assignment. For example, if a driver develops a habit of activating the seat heating at a certain temperature, or if a seat massage function is frequently activated after a certain period of driving, the threshold for a notification channel linked to these comfort features can be lowered to suit the respective person, making proactive notification—i.e., activation not initiated by the user—easier.

[0026] A typical human-machine interface in a vehicle has multiple notification channels. The notification management method according to the invention leads to a high degree of accuracy in selecting the appropriate notification channel for the respective notification. In such a human-machine interface, a separate, time-varying channel threshold is defined for each individual notification channel.

[0027] Furthermore, a notification intended for at least two notification channels simultaneously is assigned a priority number specific to each notification channel. A change in the channel threshold of a first notification channel also requires a change in the channel threshold of at least one second notification channel. For example, a first audio message requesting the driver to take a break can be present on a first notification channel for a primary voice output and additionally on a second notification channel for a secondary voice output in the respective queues, with a secondary voice output relating to the attachment of additional information to a primary voice output. In both notification channels, the priority numbers of the first audio message should initially be below the respective channel thresholds, so that it is held back.If a relevant second audio message arrives for the first notification channel, for example, indicating a critically low charge level of the traction battery, and whose priority number is above the assigned channel threshold, the primary voice output is activated, and as a result, the channel threshold for the secondary voice output is lowered. As a result, the originally waiting notification with the break request also has a priority number above the channel threshold and is immediately appended as a secondary voice message. This first prompts the driver to head to a charging station due to a low battery charge level, and then advises them to take a break, also for reasons of driving safety.

[0028] For one possible implementation, the priority number assigned to a notification is static. For a more advantageous further design, the priority number of a notification is also dynamic, at least until it is transmitted to the notification channel.It is preferred that the time-varying adjustment of the priority number in normal operating mode is carried out by the notification management system at predetermined time intervals, again on the basis of driving data and / or vehicle environment data and / or vehicle data and / or at least one previous notification transmission by the human-machine interface and / or vehicle occupant observation data and / or the length of time a notification remains in a waiting loop of the notification channel and / or the duration of an activation state of a notification in the notification channel, in such a way that the priority number is set between a priority minimum above the minimum threshold value and a priority maximum below the maximum threshold value of a notification channel.

[0029] For advantageous embodiments, at high driving speeds, the priority number of a notification indicating a significant decrease in the charge level of an electric vehicle's traction battery can be increased over time. A further increase can occur if the vehicle occupant observation data indicates that the driver is not taking adequate measures to approach a charging station. For another preferred embodiment, the priority number of a warning increases if the vehicle environment data detects visual anomalies on the road at temperatures near freezing. For further embodiments, the type of prior notification transmission can be taken into account.For example, if a push notification about sports news has been sent to the vehicle occupants, the priority number for other social media content related to sports can be lowered to reduce the likelihood of a potentially boring repetition of content being sent to the vehicle occupants.

[0030] A further development is planned to query the priority number of a notification even after it has been forwarded to a notification channel and, if possible, to adjust it dynamically. A forwarded notification preferably remains active on a notification channel until the priority number of the notification falls below the assigned channel threshold. For example, a text message currently shown on a vehicle display can have a temporally degressive priority number so that it disappears after a certain time for a constant channel threshold. In addition, a change in the channel threshold can occur, for example due to a driving situation that requires the driver's full attention and causes the channel threshold to rise. This means that visual stimuli that could potentially impair concentration disappear from the display.

[0031] Proactive notifications are perceived as particularly disruptive when they result in a constant stream of information. In a preferred embodiment, after forwarding a notification to a notification channel, the notification management system raises the associated channel threshold in the next time interval. Preferably, further messages are completely suppressed for a predetermined period by setting the associated channel threshold to the maximum threshold for a selected period of time, which cannot be exceeded by any possible priority number. A particularly advantageous embodiment is one in which a "cooling-off phase" occurs after a notification channel activation. For this purpose, the associated, initially raised channel threshold is reduced within a predetermined period of time after forwarding a notification.

[0032] For an additional development of the invention, switching from normal operating mode to a rule-based mode for at least one notification channel of the human-machine interface can occur based on driving data and / or vehicle environment data and / or vehicle data and / or vehicle occupant observation data and / or a vehicle-external notification. The notification management system sets the channel threshold for at least one notification channel selected for the rule-based mode to the minimum threshold or the maximum threshold. If the maximum threshold is selected, the affected notification channel is completely blocked. Conversely, setting the minimum threshold results in every notification intended for the affected notification channel becoming active.

[0033] For a further development, a vehicle according to the invention has a notification management system for a human-machine interface which is designed such that the notification management method according to the invention can be carried out.

[0034] Further advantageous embodiments of the notification management method also emerge from the exemplary embodiments which are described in more detail below with reference to the figures.

[0035] Showing: Fig. 1 shows the time course of a first embodiment of the notification management method according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows the time course of a second embodiment of the notification management method according to the invention; and Fig. 3 shows a schematically simplified version of the notification channels of the second embodiment according to Fig. 2 .

[0036] Figure 1shows a first exemplary embodiment of the notification management method according to the invention using simplified time sequence diagrams. At time t1, the occurrence of a proactive notification 4.1, which was generated by a control unit of an electric vehicle due to a critically low charge level of a traction battery, is visible in the waiting loops of the schematically symbolized notification channels 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3. Notification channel 6.1 represents a message channel on a display that forms part of a human-machine interface (not shown in detail).

[0037] The additional notification channels 1.2 and 1.3 are audio channels assigned to a voice assistant. Notification channel 1.3 is configured for primary voice output without any additional condition, while notification channel 1.2 is intended for secondary voice output, which only occurs if it can be appended to a primary voice output that immediately precedes it. Accordingly, at time t1, at which this additional condition is not met, notification channel 1.2 is set to a rule-based mode and blocked from output, with channel threshold 6.2, relevant for notification forwarding, set to maximum threshold 3. For notification channel 1.1, which is in normal operating mode, channel threshold 6.1 lies between minimum threshold 2 and maximum threshold 3.

[0038] In the queue of notification channel 1.1, notification 4.1 is assigned a static priority number 5.1, which at time t1 is above the channel threshold 6.1 required for forwarding to notification channel 1.1. This results in an immediate notification output, with a database being accessed to generate a message text corresponding to notification 4.1.

[0039] For notification channel 1.3, notification 4.1 at time t1 provides a priority number 5.3, which is below the assigned channel threshold 6.3. Therefore, no primary voice message is initially output. Priority number 5.3 is dynamic and increases over time, i.e., with increasing duration of the critically low charge level. The assigned channel threshold 6.3 also behaves dynamically, with an increase to a higher level over time. This is caused by changed vehicle environment data, whereby the vehicle passes a dangerous area, e.g., a motorway construction site, and therefore increased driver attention is required. Accordingly, the notification management system adjusts the channel threshold to a higher value in order to reduce the information flow to the driver.

[0040] At time t4, priority number 5.3 exceeds the assigned channel threshold 6.3, so the notification management system forwards notification 4.1 to notification channel 1.3, whereby a database is again queried to convert notification 4.1 into a primary voice message. Sending the primary voice message at time t4 causes a change in the state data of the human-machine interface, so that notification 4.1 is deleted from the queues for notification channels 4.2 and 4.3. Therefore, switching notification channel 1.2 to normal operating mode due to the output of the primary voice message via notification channel 1.3 has no noticeable effect, since its queue was previously emptied.

[0041] For the Figure 2In the embodiment shown, there are three notifications 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 in the form of system messages, which compete for two possible notification channels 1.4, 1.5, whereby the schematically simplified representation in Fig. 3 illustrates that the two notification channels 1.4, 1.5 are formed by two areas of different sizes on a display 7, which is assigned to a human-machine interface 8.

[0042] Out of Figure 2It is evident that notification channel 1.4 has priority over notification channel 1.5 due to the lower channel threshold 6.4. Nevertheless, none of the notifications 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4, which are added to the queues for notification channels 1.4 and 1.5 at times t1, t2, and t3 at different times, initially have a priority number 5.4, 5.5, and 5.6 sufficient for forwarding. Due to the increasing dynamics of the priority numbers 5.4, 5.5, and 5.6, they approach the two channel thresholds 6.4 and 6.5 over time, with notification 4.2 being the first to exceed threshold 6.4 of notification channel 1.4 and being forwarded to it. This involves a change in the status data of the human-machine interface 8, which leads to a further dynamic adjustment of the priority numbers 5.4, 5.5, and 5.6. The priority number 5 is thereby increased.4, which is assigned to the forwarded notification 4.2, is increased by a constant value, with a subsequent degression occurring. This measure ensures that notification 4.2 remains active on notification channel 1.4 for a predetermined time and only expires when its priority number 5.4 falls below channel threshold 6.4 again. During this time, the change in the status data of the human-machine interface 8 results in the priority numbers 5.5, 5.6 of notifications 4.3, 4.4 no longer increasing.

[0043] The activation of the first notification channel 1.4 affects the second notification channel 1.5. It can be seen that with the display of notification 4.2 on the first notification channel 1.4, the channel threshold 6.5 of the second notification channel 1.5 increases at t4. Thus, opening another window on display 7 is associated with increased "costs," with the increase in channel threshold 6.5 relaxing over time. However, this decrease in channel threshold 6.5 is not sufficient to prevent the preferred notification channel 1.4 from being activated again at t6. Priority number 5.5 exceeds channel threshold 6.4, and the next notification 4.3 is forwarded for display. Only for the time period from t7 to t8 does an additional activation of notification channel 1.5 occur due to notification 4.4.

Claims

1. Notification management method for a vehicle-based human-machine interface (8) having at least one notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5), a notification management system forwarding a notification (4.1, ..., 4.4) directed to at least one vehicle occupant and / or to a vehicle function module to the notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5) depending on a priority associated with the notification or withholding the notification (4.1, ..., 4.4); - the priority associated with the notification (4.1, ...,4.4) being fixed by a priority number (5.1, ...,5.6); - the notification (4.1, ..., 4.4) then being selected and forwarded to the notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5) if its priority number (5.1, ..., 5.6) exceeds a channel threshold value (6.1, ..., 6.5) assigned to the notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5) and it has the highest priority number (5.1, ..., 5.6) for the relevant notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5); and - the channel threshold value being time-variable and being set in a normal operating mode by the notification management system at predetermined time intervals on the basis of driving data and / or vehicle environment data and / or vehicle data and / or status data of the human-machine interface and / or at least one previous notification transmission and / or vehicle occupant observation data between a minimum threshold value (2) and a maximum threshold value (3), characterized in that the notification management system for a human-machine interface having a plurality of notification channels (1.1, ..., 1.5) sets a separate, time-variable channel threshold value (6.1, ..., 6.5) for each of the notification channels (1.1, ..., 1.5), and a separate priority number (5.1, ..., 5.6) is assigned to a notification (4.1, ..., 4.4) for at least two of the notification channels (1.1, ..., 1.5); and a change in the channel threshold value of a first notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5) causes the channel threshold value (6.1, ..., 6.5) of at least one second notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5) to change.

2. Notification management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the priority number of a notification (4.1, ..., 4.4) is time-variable at least until transmission to the notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5) and is set in the normal operating mode by the notification management system at predetermined time intervals on the basis of driving data and / or vehicle environment data and / or vehicle data and / or at least one previous notification transmission by the human-machine interface and / or vehicle occupant observation data and / or the length of time spent in a waiting loop of the notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5) and / or the duration of an activation state of a notification (4.1, ..., 4.4) in the notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5) to a value between a priority minimum above the minimum threshold value (2) and a priority maximum below the maximum threshold value (3).

3. Notification management method according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the notification management system, after forwarding a notification (4.1, ..., 4.4) to a notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5), raises the assigned channel threshold value (6.1, ..., 6.5) in the next time interval.

4. Notification management method according to claim 3, characterized in that after forwarding a notification (4.1, ..., 4.4) to a notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5), the channel threshold value (6.1, ..., 6.5) assigned to the notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5) is set to the maximum threshold value (3) for a predetermined period of time.

5. Notification management method according to any of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that after raising the assigned channel threshold value (6.1, ..., 6.5) for a predetermined period of time after forwarding the notification (4.1, ..., 4.4), a degression of the assigned channel threshold value (6.1, ..., 6.5) occurs.

6. Notification management method according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a notification (4.1, ..., 4.4) forwarded to a notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5) remains active there until the priority number (5.1, ..., 5.6) of the notification (4.1, ..., 4.4) is below the assigned channel threshold value (6.1, ..., 6.5).

7. Notification management method according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that on the basis of driving data and / or vehicle environment data and / or vehicle data and / or vehicle occupant observation data and / or a vehicle-external notification, a switchover from the normal operating mode to a rule-based mode takes place for at least one notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5) of the human-machine interface and the notification management system sets the channel threshold value (6.1, ..., 6.5) to the minimum threshold value (2) or the maximum threshold value (3) for at least one notification channel (1.1, ..., 1.5) selected for the rule-based mode.

8. Vehicle having notification management system for a human-machine interface characterized in that the notification management system can be executed according to the notification management method according to any of claims 1 to 7.