METHOD FOR ACTIVATING THE OPACIFICATION OF A MOTOR VEHICLE WINDOW BY THE DRIVER'S EYES

Abstract

METHOD FOR ACTIVATING THE OPACIFICATION OF A MOTOR VEHICLE WINDOW BY THE DRIVER'S EYESIGHT The present invention relates to a motor vehicle (2) comprising a driver's seat, glazed surfaces (4, 6) arranged in front of the driver's seat and capable of becoming opaque by electrical control, and electrical control means (10), notable in that the motor vehicle further comprises: an eye-tracking device (14) for the driver, and in that the electrical control means are configured to execute a method for controlling the transparency of glazed surfaces of the motor vehicle with a steering wheel (12) and driver, comprising the following successive steps: selection of one of the glazed surfaces, opacification of the selected glazed surface, notable in that the selection step is based on detecting the driver's gaze towards the glazed surface according to the invention. (Figure to be published with the abbreviation: Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: METHOD FOR ACTIVATING THE OPACIFICATION OF A VEHICLE WINDOW AUTOMOBILE THROUGH THE DRIVER'S PERSPECTIVE technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of motor vehicles, more particularly to the field of electrochromic glazing for motor vehicles. Prior art

[0002] Sun glare causes twice as many serious accidents as fog, black ice, or any other weather conditions. Every year in the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) records thousands of accidents related to sun glare. In Germany, 3,756 such accidents were recorded in 2018 (according to the Federal Statistical Institute).

[0003] To ensure the driver's visual comfort, motor vehicles incorporate in their passenger compartments movable physical sunshades that intercept the sun's rays projected onto the driver's face and passing through the windshield and front windows through their upper parts.

[0004] However, operating the sun visor can be uncomfortable, especially in certain situations, for example, when the sun's rays hit the left side or right front. In this configuration, the sun visors do not cover the entire windshield, and are therefore less effective because dazzling sunlight still reaches the driver's face.

[0005] Besides the comfort / physical effort aspect related to the handling of the sun visors, the latter require letting go of the steering wheel with one hand and also require the performance of complex manipulations as needed, which constitutes a distraction and a conflict with the supervision of the road, causing an increase in the risk of accident.

[0006] The published patent document US 2021 / 0001697 Al discloses a system for controlling the transparency of a vehicle window based on the recognition of a driver's gaze.

[0007] However, the solution proposed by the document does not address the aforementioned problem. Indeed, the document proposes a solution for making the windows of the motor vehicle opaque from the inside in order to project images onto said windows.

[0008] For this purpose, the solution proposed by US patent 2021 / 0001697 A1 would not effectively protect the driver from potential glare from the sun. Description of the invention

[0009] The present invention aims to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art. More particularly, the invention aims to provide a method for controlling the transparency of glazed surfaces that allows for the rapid protection of the driver from sun glare while minimizing the risk of driver distraction.

[0010] To this end, the invention relates to a method for controlling the transparency of glazed surfaces of a motor vehicle with a steering wheel and driver, comprising the following successive steps: - selection of one of the glazed surfaces; - opacification of the selected glass surface; remarkable in that the selection step is based on detecting the driver's gaze towards the glass surface.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the selection step further includes a physical control combined with the detection of the driver's gaze towards the glazed surface.

[0012] Advantageously, the physical control includes a touch control and / or a gesture control and / or a voice control.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the physical control is on a control element located on the steering wheel or on a dashboard.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the control element includes means for adjusting the degree of opacity of the selected glazed surface.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the physical control takes place before or during the detection of the driver's gaze towards the glazed surface.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the opacification step produces an opacification of a portion of the selected glazed surface

[0017] According to one embodiment, the selection step is based on detecting the driver's gaze towards another part of the glazed surface.

[0018] Advantageously, the driver's gaze is directed to the other part of the glazed surface, which does not cause glare from the sun to the driver.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the glazed surfaces comprise a windscreen and at least one front side window of the motor vehicle, and are each covered with an electrically operated opaque film.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the opaque film corresponds to at most 50% of a total surface area of ​​the glazed surfaces, and said opaque film extending over a whole width of the glazed surfaces.

[0021] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising: - a driver's cab; - glazed surfaces positioned opposite the driver's seat and capable of becoming opaque by electrical control; - electrical control means; remarkable in that the motor vehicle also includes: - an eye-tracking device for the driver; and in that the electrical control means are configured to execute the process according to the invention.

[0022] Advantageously, the method for controlling the transparency of glazed surfaces of the present invention makes it possible to improve the user experience and the overall comfort related to driving the vehicle according to the invention.

[0023] In addition, the opacification of the glass surfaces is achieved quickly and effortlessly while keeping eyes on the road. Brief description of the drawings

[0024] [Fig-1] represents a view of a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle according to the invention. Detailed description

[0025] Figure 1 shows a view of a motor vehicle 2 according to the invention. It is a simplified schematic representation of a view of the passenger compartment of the vehicle 2.

[0026] The present invention relates to a method for controlling and adjusting the transparency of glazed surfaces of the vehicle 2. In this regard, the glazed surfaces are arranged in front of the driver's seat and include a windscreen 4 and a front left side window 6, as well as a front right side window 8.

[0027] Each of these glazed surfaces 4, 6 is respectively covered with an electrically operated opaque film 4.1, 6.1. The front right side window 8 may also include an electrically operated opaque film. This film is preferably an electrically controlled electrochromic film, also called a variable opacity film or liquid crystal film, corresponding to means for adjusting the degree of opacity of the glazed surface on which the opaque film is applied. Indeed, the electrochromic film comprises electrically controlled liquid crystals that allow the transparency of the windows to be modified, changing them from a state of total transparency to complete opacity.

[0028] In this configuration, the opacifying film 4.1 of the windscreen 4 corresponds to an upper part 4.1 of the latter, this part 4.1 extends preferentially over the entire width of the windscreen 4 and corresponds to at least 10% and at most 50% of a total surface of said windscreen 4, and more preferably, the part 4.1 corresponds to about 20% of the total surface of the windscreen 4 (here the term "about" means ±10% relative to the nominal value).

[0029] Similarly, the opacifying film 6.1 of the side window 6 corresponds to an upper part 6.1 of the latter, this part 6.1 preferentially extending over the entire width of side window 6 and corresponds to approximately 20% of the total surface area of ​​said side window 6.

[0030] The vehicle 2 also includes a control unit 10, also referred to as electrical control means 10 arranged in a steering wheel 12; these control means correspond to a touch control. Preferably, the electrical control means 10 include a simple button and / or a clickable dial 10 allowing both a simple press function and an adjustment function by rolling the dial.

[0031] Alternatively, the electrical control means may also correspond to a gesture recognition sensor and corresponding implementation algorithms, so as to allow the vehicle driver to make gestures in the air.

[0032] Preferably, the clickable dial 10 allows the method of controlling the transparency of parts 4.1, 6.1 of the windscreen 4 and of the side window 6 to be executed. The details of the different functions provided by this clickable dial 10 will be described later in this description.

[0033] Advantageously, the driver of the vehicle can operate the clickable dial 10 while keeping both hands on the steering wheel, thus promoting driving comfort and road safety.

[0034] The vehicle 2 further comprises an eye-tracking device 14 for detecting the driver's gaze (detection illustrated by a dashed line) and determining the driver's gaze position. The eye-tracking device 14 is preferably arranged in a unit of the vehicle 2. Advantageously, such an arrangement allows the device 14 to be positioned closer to the driver so as to improve the reliability of gaze detection and tracking, without obstructing the driver's view of the road and without triggering detection by the device 14. However, the device 14 may also be arranged in a rearview mirror or in the dashboard 16.

[0035] If the driver looks at part 4.1 of the windshield 4, for example, then the device 14 will detect that part 4.1 has been designated or captured for selection. This capture corresponds to a first step of the method of the invention.

[0036] In this configuration, the selection step will be validated by an action on the clickable wheel 10, so as to electrically control the complete opacification of part 4.1, this opacification is activated immediately following the selection step.

[0037] Alternatively, if the driver looks at part 4.1 of the windscreen 4, for example, then the device 14 will detect that part 4.1 has been designated for adjusting the opacity of the glass and this detection will act on the current state of the opacity of part 4.1 of the windscreen 4 by creating a brief variation in the current level of opacity.

[0038] Advantageously, the variation in the current opacity level is less than half a second in order to make the detection of his gaze on part 4.1 perceptible to the driver and to communicate to him the possibility of adjusting the opacity.

[0039] Preferably, the rapid variation of the current level of opacity can be on the order of 20% of the total opacity capacity so that if part 4.1 were to be opaque to intercept uncomfortable light rays from outside (sun) and the driver's gaze was detected on part 4.1, this variation would not affect visual comfort at the moment of the variation and any risk of dazzling the driver can be avoided.

[0040] The shutter corresponds to an obscuration of an area of ​​incidence of the sun's rays (glaring point) on the windscreen 4 and / or on the side window 6 so as to cast a shadow on the driver's eyes protecting him from any glare.

[0041] Advantageously, if the incidence zone is located in a right side 4.2 of part 4.1 of the windscreen 4, then the selection step can be carried out when the driver looks (illustrated by an arrow) at another side of the windscreen 4 (a left side for example) or at part 6.1 of the side window 6, this allows the driver to activate the selection while avoiding looking at the dazzling point, thus maximizing the driver's concentration on the road.

[0042] In another alternative, if the driver looks at part 4.1 of the windscreen 4, for example, then the device 14 will detect that part 4.1 has been designated for adjusting the opacity of the glass and will emit a brief acoustic signal of less than half a second in duration in order to make the detection of his gaze on the organ perceptible to the driver and to communicate to him the possibility of adjusting the opacity.

[0043] During and / or after selection, the driver can press the clickable dial 10 to enable a binary state change function. Pressing it activates complete opacity of section 4.1 of the windshield 4 and / or section 6.1 of the side window 6.

[0044] Advantageously, the opaque film constituting part 4.1, 6.1 of the windscreen 4 and the side window 6, is quickly and completely closed (in less than 0.5 seconds) following the selection of part 4.1, 6.1 by looking, combined with pressing the clickable wheel 10.

[0045] Simultaneously, the driver can also, during and / or after selection, rotate the clickable dial 10 to enable an incremental state change function. Indeed, rotating the dial allows adjustment of the degree of opacity of section 4.1 of the windshield 4 and / or section 6.1 of the side window. This incremental adjustment remains possible even after complete opacity has been achieved by pressing the clickable dial 10.

[0046] Alternatively, the validation of the selection of part 4.1 and / or the adjustment of its opacity is carried out by means of a term spoken aloud by the driver, such as "more" or "less," "light" or "opaque," "all" or "a little," or a combination of these terms or their synonyms. In this regard, the motor vehicle 2 includes a microphone sensor (not shown) for detecting the words spoken after the selection of part 4.1 to be lightened / darkened, as well as algorithms for recognizing said words spoken by the driver.

[0047] It should be noted that the validation of the selection of part 4.1 viewed from the windshield 4 can be done in three ways (which can be combined), i.e. by a touch command by pressing a physical button and / or by a gesture command and / or by a voice command.

[0048] Advantageously, the method for controlling the transparency of the glazed surfaces of the motor vehicle makes it possible to protect the driver's eyes effectively and quickly from glare caused by the sun's rays.

[0049] Furthermore, the arrangement of sun visors in the vehicle's interior becomes optional. For this purpose, the motor vehicle is preferably devoid of movable physical sun visors.

Claims

Demands

1. Method for controlling the transparency of glazed surfaces (4, 6) of a motor vehicle (2) with a steering wheel (12) and driver, comprising the following successive steps: - selection of one of the glazed surfaces (4, 6); - opacification of the selected glazed surface (4, 6); characterized in that the selection step is based on a detection of the driver's gaze towards the glazed surface (4, 6) and the selection step includes a physical control combined with the detection of the driver's gaze towards the glazed surface (4, 6).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the physical control is on a control member (10) located on the steering wheel (12) or on a dashboard (12).

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the control member (10) includes means for adjusting the degree of opacity of the selected glazed surface (4, 6).

4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the physical control takes place before or during the detection of the driver's gaze towards the glazed surface (4, 6).

5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the opacification step produces an opacification of a portion (4.1, 6.1) of the selected glazed surface (4, 6).

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the selection step is based on the detection of the driver's gaze towards another part of the glazed surface (4, 6).

7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the glazed surfaces (4, 6) comprise a windscreen (4) and at least one front side window (6, 8) of the motor vehicle (2), and are each covered with an electrically operated opacifying film (4.1, 6.1).

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the opacifying film (4.1, 6.1) corresponds to at most 50% of a total area of ​​the glazed surfaces (4, 6), and said opacifying film (4.1, 6.1) extending over a full width of the glazed surfaces (4, 6).

9. Motor vehicle (2) comprising: - a driver's seat; - glazed surfaces (4, 6) arranged opposite the driver's seat and capable of becoming opaque by electrical control; - electrical control means (10); characterized in that the motor vehicle (2) further comprises: - an eye-tracking device (14) for the driver; and in that the electrical control means (10) are configured to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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