Method for controlling the orientation of a display screen, associated device and motor vehicle.

Abstract

A control method implemented in a motor vehicle (100) comprising a passenger compartment (160), a display screen (150) located in the passenger compartment (160), and a rotation device (140), the method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps: Receiving data representative of the amount of light received in the passenger compartment (160); Determining, from the data, an inclination of the display surface (151) of the display screen (150), the inclination being an increasing function of the amount of light received in the passenger compartment (160); Controlling the rotation device (140) so that the rotation device (140) implements a rotation of the display screen (150) around an axis (a1), the axis being parallel to the horizontal when the motor vehicle (100) is traveling on a roadway (200), so that a display surface (151) is inclined at an angle. Figure for the abbreviation: figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Method for controlling the orientation of a display screen, associated device and motor vehicle.

[0001] The invention relates to display screens in motor vehicles. There is a need to improve the visibility of the elements displayed by such display screens.

[0002] For this purpose, the invention relates to a control method, implemented in a motor vehicle comprising a passenger compartment, a display screen located in the passenger compartment, and a device for rotating the display screen to tilt a display surface of the display screen, the method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps: • Reception of data representative of a quantity of light (in other words: brightness) received in the passenger compartment (in other words: reception of a quantity of light received in the passenger compartment), • Determination, from the data (in other words: from the quantity of light received in the passenger compartment), of an inclination of the display surface of the display screen, the inclination being an increasing function of the quantity of light received in the passenger compartment (in other words: the inclination increasing when the quantity of light received in the passenger compartment increases), • Control of the display screen rotation device (in other words: sending a command to the display screen rotation device) so that the rotation device implements a rotation of the display screen, around an axis, the axis being parallel to the horizontal when the motor vehicle is traveling on a roadway (itself horizontal), so that the display surface is inclined by the inclination (and the method may comprise such a step of rotating the screen).

[0003] The invention thus makes it possible to facilitate the visibility of the elements displayed by the display screen by tilting the display surface, depending on the quantity of light present in the passenger compartment.

[0004] The horizontal has the meaning commonly given to it. It is, for example, any plane orthogonal to the direction of Earth's gravity (also called vertical). The orientation of the axis, parallel to the horizontal, is defined by considering that the motor vehicle travels (or rolls) on a roadway (itself horizontal).

[0005] When the amount of light is zero or less than a threshold, the screen can be positioned in an initial position.

[0006] The inclination may be expressed (i.e., defined) relative to the horizontal or relative to the initial position (alternatively, relative to other positions, for example, relative to the current position of the display screen).

[0007] According to one embodiment, the passenger compartment comprising a dashboard, in the initial position, the display surface can be aligned with a surface of the dashboard (surrounding the display screen).

[0008] Alternatively, of course, other configurations are possible.

[0009] For example, the method may comprise a step of controlling the rotation device so that the display screen is in the initial position, when it is detected that the ignition of the motor vehicle is switched off or that the motor vehicle is locked.

[0010] Also, when unlocking the vehicle or switching on the vehicle ignition, the screen may be in the initial position.

[0011] Alternatively, when it is detected that the motor vehicle's ignition is off or that the motor vehicle is locked, the screen may remain in its position.

[0012] For example, the axis passes through the display screen.

[0013] Alternatively, the axis may be outside the screen.

[0014] For example, the rotation is generated by an electric motor of the motor vehicle.

[0015] Alternatively, these may be jacks or electromagnets.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the data comprises (in other words: the quantity of light comprises) information indicating the opening or closing of a sunroof of the passenger compartment or of the motor vehicle (or more generally of an opening of the passenger compartment or of the vehicle).

[0017] The inclination may in this case be an increasing function of the opening of the sunroof (or more generally, of the opening) or a decreasing function of the closing of the sunroof (or more generally, of the opening). In other words, the inclination may increase when the opening of the sunroof (or more generally, of the opening) increases or when the closing of the sunroof (or more generally, of the opening) decreases.

[0018] In this embodiment, the data may include information indicating whether the sunroof is open or closed. Alternatively, the data includes information indicating whether the sunroof is fully closed or not (or fully open or not).

[0019] According to one embodiment, the data comprises (in other words: the quantity of light comprises) a measurement of illumination in the passenger compartment originating, for example, from a luxmeter (i.e. a sensor capable of measuring illumination in the visible spectrum) located in the passenger compartment.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the data comprises information originating from the display screen, the information indicating an adjustment of a brightness of the display screen determined from a measurement of the illumination on the display screen (or the display surface) by a luxmeter located in the display screen.

[0021] The data may also include information as to whether or not a lamp is on in the passenger compartment.

[0022] For example, the inclination noted inc, expressed in relation to the initial position, is written: inc = (poto x le) x imax where • imax is a maximum inclination of the screen, • poto is the part (or fraction) of the open sunroof surface, • the is a measurement of illumination in the passenger compartment from the luxmeter as a share (or fraction) of a predefined maximum illumination.

[0023] Alternatively, other methods of defining the inclination can of course be envisaged.

[0024] For example, the inclination can be defined by the smallest angle between the horizontal or the initial position (more generally, a reference surface) and the display surface (assumed to be flat). Other definitions are however conceivable.

[0025] The invention also relates to a computer program comprising instructions executable by a microprocessor or a microcontroller or a computer, for implementing the steps of the method according to the invention, when it is executed by the microprocessor or the microcontroller or the computer.

[0026] The method according to the invention can be implemented by an electronic device. The invention therefore also relates to an electronic device configured to implement the steps of the method according to the invention, as well as a motor vehicle comprising the electronic device.

[0027] The characteristics and advantages of the computer program, the electronic device, and the vehicle are identical to those of the method according to the invention (without it being necessary to repeat them here).

[0028] When the electronic device, the motor vehicle (or another element) is "configured to" (or "capable of") performing or implementing a step or an operation, this implies, for example, that the element comprises means for performing the step or the operation. The means preferably comprise electronic means, for example a computer program, data in memory, specialized electronic circuits, wired or wireless connections, a microprocessor and / or a microcontroller.

[0029] For example, the electronic device comprises a computer program, a microprocessor and / or a microcontroller.

[0030] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent later.

[0031]

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[0036]

[0037] clearly upon reading the detailed description which follows, comprising embodiments of the invention given as non-limiting examples and illustrated by the appended drawings, in which: • [Fig.l] represents an electronic device and a motor vehicle, according to one embodiment of the invention, in top view. • [Fig.2] represents the sunroof of the motor vehicle of [Fig.l] at a step of the process of [Fig.5]. • [Fig.3] and [Fig.4] represent the dashboard of the motor vehicle of the [Fig.l], sectional view, at various stages of the process of [Fig.5], • [Fig.5] represents an implementation of the method according to the invention, according to a example of embodiment, by the electronic device and the motor vehicle of [Fig.l]. In Figures 1, 3 and 4, certain elements are, of course, seen through transparency. Detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, with reference to Figures 1 to 5. [Fig.l] represents a motor vehicle 100 traveling on a horizontal roadway 200. The motor vehicle 100 comprises a microprocessor 110. The microprocessor 110 is connected to the following elements of the motor vehicle 100: • A display screen 150 comprising a display surface 151 mounted on a dashboard 120 of the passenger compartment 160 of the motor vehicle 100, • A sunroof 130 of the passenger compartment 160, closed [Fig.l], • A 170 luxmeter located in the 160 passenger compartment. In step S00 [Fig.5], a driver of the motor vehicle 100 controls the opening of the sunroof 130. As shown [Fig.2], the sunroof 130 then comprises an open surface 131 representing 80% of the surface of the sunroof 130. In step S10, the microprocessor 110 receives; • The share of open roof surface 130 equal to 0.8, • A measurement of illumination in the passenger compartment 160 coming from the luxmeter 170, as a share of a predefined maximum illumination, equal to 0.9 (In a variant, this information comes from the display screen 150 and indicates a setting of a brightness of the display screen 150 determined from a measurement of the illumination on the display screen 150 by a luxmeter located in the display screen 150). In step S20, the microprocessor 110 calculates the inclination inc equal to 0.8x0.9x imax = 0.72 imax, imax being the maximum possible inclination of the display screen 15°. In step S30, the microprocessor 110 controls the rotation device 140 so that the rotation device 140 implements rotation of the display screen 150. (generated by an electric motor of the rotation device not shown), around an axis al, the axis al being parallel to the horizontal hl (perpendicular to the direction of the Earth's attraction vl), so that the display surface 151 is inclined by the inclination inc, as shown in [Fig.4] which represents the section CCI, [Fig.l], at this stage.

[0038] Thus in step S30, the screen moves from an initial position, [Fig. 3], where it was before step S00, which represents the CCI section, [Fig. 1], at this step, to a position shown [Fig. 4]. In the initial position, the display surface 151 may be aligned with a surface of the dashboard 150 surrounding the display screen 150.

[0039] In step S40, a driver of the automatic vehicle stops the motor vehicle 100, exits the motor vehicle 100 and then locks the motor vehicle 100.

[0040] In step S50, the microprocessor 110 then detects that the motor vehicle 100 is locked, the microprocessor 110 then controls the rotation device 140 to reposition the display screen 150 in the initial position, shown [Fig.3].

Claims

Claims

1. Control method, implemented in a motor vehicle (100) comprising a passenger compartment (160), a display screen (150) located in the passenger compartment (160), and a device (140) for rotating the display screen (150) to tilt a display surface (151) of the display screen (150), the method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps: • Receiving (S 10) data representative of a quantity of light received in the passenger compartment (160), • Determining (S20), from the data, an inclination (inc) of the display surface (151) of the display screen (150), the inclination (inc) being an increasing function of the quantity of light received in the passenger compartment (160), • Controlling (S30) the device (140) for rotating the display screen (150) so that the rotation device (140) implements a rotation of the display screen (150), around an axis (al),the axis being parallel to the horizontal (hl) when the motor vehicle (100) is traveling on a roadway (200), so that the display surface (151) is inclined at the inclination (inc).,

2. Control method according to the preceding claim in which the axis (al) passes through the display screen (150).

3. A control method according to any one of claims 1 or 2 wherein the rotation is generated by an electric motor.

4. A control method according to any preceding claim wherein the data comprises information indicating the opening or closing of a sunroof (130) of the passenger compartment (160).

5. A control method according to any preceding claim wherein the data comprises a measurement of illumination in the passenger compartment (160).

6. Computer program comprising instructions, executable by a microprocessor or a microcontroller, for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, when executed by the microprocessor or the microcontroller.

7. Electronic device (110) configured to implement the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

8. Motor vehicle (100) comprising the electronic device (110) according to the preceding claim.

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