Method for managing the operation of a monitoring device for the driving environment of a motor vehicle, system and associated motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for managing the operation of a monitoring device for the driving environment of a motor vehicle, said device comprising a first screen arranged to the left of the driver's seat in the vehicle's passenger compartment, a second screen arranged to the right of the driver's seat in the vehicle's passenger compartment, a first camera arranged on the left side of the vehicle's body for capturing images of at least one space located behind the vehicle and on its left side, and a second camera arranged on the right side of the vehicle's body for capturing images of at least one space located behind the vehicle and on its right side, a system (100) implementing such a method, and a motor vehicle comprising such a system. Figure for the abstract: 1

Description

Title of the invention: Method for managing the operation of a driving environment monitoring device for a motor vehicle, associated system and motor vehicle Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to the field of systems and devices embedded in motor vehicles to enable drivers to monitor the driving environment while driving. The invention relates in particular to a method for managing the operation of a device for monitoring the driving environment of a motor vehicle, said device comprising a first screen arranged to the left of the driver's seat in the vehicle's passenger compartment, a second screen arranged to the right of the driver's seat in the vehicle's passenger compartment, a first camera arranged on the left side of the vehicle's body to take pictures of at least one space located behind the vehicle and on its left side, and a second camera arranged on the right side of the vehicle's body to take pictures of at least one space located behind the vehicle and on its right side.The invention also relates to a computer system implementing such a method. The invention is particularly applicable to cars. Prior art

[0002] It is known that motor vehicles have traditionally been equipped with rearview mirrors to allow drivers to monitor the driving environment while driving. It is also known, particularly from patent application FR3100178, that in some current vehicles, driving environment monitoring devices consisting of so-called digital rearview mirrors use cameras and screens to replace traditional mirrors.

[0003] However, it turns out that even these modern driving environment monitoring devices do not solve all the problems. In particular, it is well known that, when reversing, the driver of a vehicle equipped with traditional mirrors must take in the driving environment by looking successively in each of the side mirrors, which implies that there are moments when the driver is unable to monitor either side of the vehicle, undeniably creating a risk of accident. And, on this point, modern monitoring systems, particularly the one described in the aforementioned patent application, offer no solution. Summary of the invention

[0004] The invention aims to overcome this drawback. The invention is indeed intended to provide A method and a system that contribute to minimizing the risk of accidents during reversing maneuvers. The invention specifically aims to provide a method and a system that enable driving environment monitoring equipment to offer improved ergonomics for monitoring the driving environment during reversing maneuvers, in particular to prevent the driver from having to repeatedly fail to monitor one or the other side of the vehicle. Through this, the invention aims to provide a method and a system that contribute to improving driving safety.

[0005] These objectives are achieved, according to a first object of the invention, by means of a method for managing, by means of a computer system embedded in a motor vehicle, the operation of a monitoring device for the vehicle's driving environment, said device comprising a first screen arranged to the left of the driver's seat in the vehicle's passenger compartment, a second screen arranged to the right of the driver's seat in the vehicle's passenger compartment, a first camera arranged on the left side of the vehicle's body to take pictures of at least one space located behind the vehicle and on its left side, and a second camera arranged on the right side of the vehicle's body to take pictures of at least one space located behind the vehicle and on its right side, the method comprising the steps of:

[0006] i. determine whether the vehicle's gear selector is engaged in the reverse position; and, when it is established that this is the case, ii. cause the broadcast of a first image created from data generated by the first camera on a first portion of each of the screens, and, simultaneously, the broadcast of a second image created from data generated by the second camera on a second portion of each of the screens.

[0007] According to one variant, the first portion can be embedded within the second portion.

[0008] According to another variant, the second portion can be embedded within the first portion.

[0009] According to another variant, the first portion can be juxtaposed to the second portion.

[0010] According to another variant, the first and / or second portion may occupy half of each of the screens.

[0011] According to another variant, the first portion occupies the left half of each of the screens and the second portion occupies the right half of each of the screens.

[0012] Furthermore, the invention also relates to a system for managing the function operation of a monitoring device for the driving environment of a motor vehicle, said device comprising a first screen arranged to the left of the driver's seat in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, a second screen arranged to the right of the driver's seat in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, a first camera arranged on the left side of the vehicle body to take pictures of at least one space located behind the vehicle and on its left side and a second camera arranged on the right side of the vehicle body to take pictures of at least one space located behind the vehicle and on its right side, the system comprising at least one information processing unit, including at least one processor, and a data storage medium configured to implement a method as described above.

[0013] Furthermore, the invention also relates to a program comprising program code instructions for the execution of the steps of a process as described above when said program is executed on a computer and / or a processor.

[0014] Furthermore, the invention also relates to a storage medium usable in a computer, on which a program such as the one described above is recorded

[0015] Finally, the invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a system as described above. Brief description of the figures

[0016] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from an examination of the detailed description below, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0017] [Fig.1] is a functional diagram of a system according to the invention;

[0018] [Fig.2] is a flowchart illustrating a process according to the invention;

[0019] [Fig.3] is a diagram illustrating the implementation of the method according to the invention; and

[0020] [Fig.4] is a diagram illustrating the implementation of the process according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0021] According to the invention, a system 100 for managing the operation of a driving environment monitoring device in a motor vehicle is a computer system, shown in [Fig. 1], which comprises an information processing unit 101, including one or more processors, a data storage medium 102, and an input / output interface 103 for receiving and transmitting data. In some embodiments, the system 100 according to the invention is embedded in a motor vehicle (e.g., car, bus, truck, etc.) and is hosted on one or more of the vehicle's computers, electronic control units, or other telematics devices. In other embodiments, the system 100 according to the invention is hosted on a computer in a motor vehicle and interacts via its input / output interface 103 with a computer computer of a device for monitoring the driving environment of a motor vehicle. According to the preferred embodiment, the system 100 according to the invention is an integral part of a computer of a device for monitoring the driving environment of a motor vehicle.

[0022] Therefore, regardless of the embodiment of the invention, the system 100 according to the invention is able to interact, via its input and output interface 103, with the components that conventionally form a monitoring system for the driving environment of a motor vehicle. According to the invention, these components include, at least, a first screen arranged to the left of the driver's seat in the vehicle's passenger compartment, a second screen arranged to the right of the driver's seat in the vehicle's passenger compartment, a first camera arranged on the left side of the vehicle's body to capture images of at least one space located behind the vehicle and on its left side, and a second camera arranged on the right side of the vehicle's body to capture images of at least one space located behind the vehicle and on its right side.Thus, by interacting with or being an integral part of such equipment, the system 100 according to the invention is advantageously able to cause the diffusion of an image created from data generated by a camera onto a portion of each of the screens.

[0023] Furthermore, to implement certain steps of the process according to the invention described below, the system 100 according to the invention is equipped with dedicated hardware (e.g., CAN network connectivity, Ethernet, etc.) and software components to interact with a gear selector of a motor vehicle. Thus, by means of these components, the system 100 according to the invention is advantageously able to determine whether the vehicle's gear selector is engaged in reverse.

[0024] According to the invention, all the elements described above therefore contribute to enabling the system 100 according to the invention to implement a method for managing the operation of a vehicle driving environment monitoring device, as described below in relation to figures 2-4.

[0025] According to a first step 201, the system 100 of the invention determines whether the vehicle's gear selector is engaged in the reverse position. To do this, the system 100 of the invention preferentially interacts with the vehicle's gear selector to determine the position in which the gear selector is engaged. And, when it establishes that the vehicle's gear selector is engaged in the reverse position, the system 100 of the invention performs the next step of the method according to the invention described below.

[0026] According to a second step 202, the system 100 according to the invention causes the diffusion of a first image created from data generated by the first The first camera is projected onto a portion of each screen, and simultaneously, a second image created from data generated by the second camera is displayed on a portion of each screen. Preferably, the first portion occupies the left half of each screen and the second portion occupies the right half of each screen ([Fig. 3]). Alternatively, the first portion is overlaid on the second portion on the second screen and the second portion is overlaid on the first portion on the first screen ([Fig. 4]), the first portion is juxtaposed with the second portion, or the first and / or second portion occupies half of each screen.

[0027] Thus, thanks to the method and system according to the invention described above, a solution exists for enabling a vehicle's driving environment monitoring device to provide the user with more ergonomic information during reversing maneuvers. Indeed, the method and system according to the invention contribute, in particular, to preventing the driver from having to successively abandon monitoring one or the other side of the vehicle during reversing maneuvers. In this way, the method and system according to the invention improve driving safety.

Claims

Demands

1. A method for managing, by means of a computer system (100) embedded in a motor vehicle, the operation of a vehicle driving environment monitoring device, said device comprising a first screen arranged to the left of the driver's seat in the vehicle's passenger compartment, a second screen arranged to the right of the driver's seat in the vehicle's passenger compartment, a first camera arranged on the left side of the vehicle's body to take pictures of at least one space located behind the vehicle and on its left side and a second camera arranged on the right side of the vehicle's body to take pictures of at least one space located behind the vehicle and on its right side, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: i. determining whether the vehicle's gear selector is engaged in the reverse position; and, when it is established that this is the case, ii.trigger the broadcast of a first image created from data generated by the first camera on a first portion of each of the screens, and, simultaneously, the broadcast of a second image created from data generated by the second camera on a second portion of each of the screens.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first portion is embedded within the second portion.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second portion is embedded within the first portion.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first portion is juxtaposed to the second portion.

5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and / or second portion occupies one half of each of the screens.

6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first portion occupies the left half of each of the screens and the second portion occupies the right half of each of the screens.

7. System (100) for managing the operation of a monitoring device for the driving environment of a motor vehicle, said apparatus comprising a first screen arranged to the left of the driver's seat in the vehicle's passenger compartment, a second screen arranged to the right of the driver's seat in the vehicle's passenger compartment, a first camera arranged on the left side of the vehicle's body to take pictures of at least one space located behind the vehicle and on its left side and a second camera arranged on the right side of the vehicle's body to take pictures of at least one space located behind the vehicle and on its right side, characterized in that the system comprises at least one information processing unit (101), comprising at least one processor, and a data storage medium (102) configured to implement a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

8. Computer program comprising program code instructions for carrying out the steps of a process according to any one of claims 1 to 6 when said program is executed on a computer.

9. A medium usable in a computer, characterized in that a program according to claim 8 is stored thereon.

10. Motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a system according to claim 7.

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