Motor vehicle including a light indicator arranged around the windshield of said vehicle

Abstract

A motor vehicle (MV) cooperating with a navigation system (NAV) capable of calculating a route to be followed by the vehicle (MV), said vehicle (MV) having at least one indicator light (ILD) belonging to a light strip (LBS) extending around the windshield (WH) of the vehicle (MV), and capable of illuminating within the driver's field of vision (FOC) of the vehicle (MV), and a control module (CM) coupled to the light strip (LBS), configured to control the illumination of the indicator light (ILD) in a specified area of ​​the light strip (LBS) around the windshield (WH); said area corresponding to the direction (DNV) of a route to be followed by the vehicle (MV) in relation to a route provided by the navigation system (NAV). (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Motor vehicle comprising a light indicator arranged around the windshield of said vehicle

[0001] The invention generally relates to vehicles comprising light indicators, and relates more particularly to a vehicle comprising a light indicator arranged around the windshield of the vehicle, in relation to guidance direction information provided by a navigation system belonging to the vehicle or coupled to the vehicle.

[0002] Existing navigation systems, or navigation assistance systems, are embedded in vehicles, generally in connection with a driving assistance system, or driver assistance system, designated by the acronym AD AS (an English acronym for “Advanced Driver Assistance Systems”), or coupled to the vehicles via an infotainment system, or multimedia system, of the vehicle.

[0003] They provide navigation information (guidance) to the driver in the form of voice messages and / or visual information on a display screen of the vehicle, in particular a multimedia screen integrated into the dashboard of the vehicle.

[0004] The multimedia screen displays the current position (in real time) of the vehicle as located by the navigation system generally comprising a GPS receiver (an English acronym for "Global Positioning System") associated with a cartographic database, as well as the route to be followed by the vehicle on a route calculated from a pre-programmed destination and the real-time location of the vehicle. The direction of the route to be followed relative to the position of the vehicle on the route appears on the navigation screen in the form of an arrow pointing towards said route.

[0005] This type of providing direction information requires the driver to look away from the road and, on the other hand, voice direction instructions can sometimes be misunderstood or even missed.

[0006] The invention therefore aims in particular to provide a solution to the problem of distraction while driving and misinterpretation of navigation information by directly providing direction information in the driver's driving field of vision using an intuitive visual signal without encroaching on the surface of the windshield.

[0007] To this end, the invention has as its first object a motor vehicle cooperating with a navigation system capable of calculating a route to be followed by the vehicle; said vehicle comprising at least one light indicator belonging to a light strip extending around the windshield of the vehicle, and capable of lighting up in the field vision of the driver of the vehicle, and a control module, coupled to the light strip, configured to control the lighting of the light indicator in a determined area of ​​the light strip around the windshield; said area corresponding to the direction of a road to be followed by the vehicle in relation to a route provided by the navigation system.

[0008] According to one characteristic, the vehicle further comprises a detection device, coupled to the control module, configured to detect the direction of the driver's gaze; said control module being capable of adapting the position of the zone of the light indicator along the light strip, around the windshield, depending on the direction of the driver's gaze.

[0009] According to another characteristic, the detection device comprises at least one camera oriented towards the driver's head and an algorithm for processing the images captured by the camera, capable of determining, from the position of the driver's head, the direction of the driver's gaze.

[0010] According to another characteristic, the light strip comprises a series of a determined total number of adjacent light-emitting diodes, called LEDs, and in which said indicator comprises at least one LED selected from the total number of LEDs by the control module to be lit in the determined area around the windshield and serve as a visual direction indicator for the driver of the vehicle.

[0011] According to another characteristic, the light indicator comprises at least a determined number of adjacent LEDs forming a light segment whose lighting is controlled by the control module in the determined zone around the windshield to serve as a visual direction indicator for the driver of the vehicle.

[0012] According to another characteristic, the control module is capable of controlling the lighting of a light segment in an area of ​​the light strip corresponding to the upper edge of the windshield in front of the driver at the wheel of the vehicle; said segment serving as a visual indicator of the direction of a road to be followed in a direction extending in a straight line in front of the vehicle.

[0013] According to another characteristic, the control module is capable of controlling the lighting of a light segment in an area of ​​the light strip corresponding to a lateral edge of the windshield; said light segment serving as a visual indicator of the direction of a road to be followed in a direction extending perpendicularly to the trajectory of the vehicle.

[0014] According to another characteristic, the control module is capable of controlling the lighting of a light segment in an area of ​​the light strip corresponding to an upper angle of the windshield; said light segment serving as a visual indicator of the direction of a road to be followed in a direction extending obliquely relative to the trajectory of the vehicle.

[0015] The second subject of the present invention is a method for controlling the lighting of a light indicator around the windshield of a vehicle as described above; said method, implemented by the control module, consisting, in a first step, of controlling the lighting of the light indicator in a determined zone of the light strip around the windshield, as a function of the direction of the road to be followed provided by the navigation system and, in a second step, of adapting said zone around the windshield as a function of the direction of gaze of the driver of the vehicle provided by the detection device.

[0016] Finally, the present invention has as its third and final object, a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, lead the latter to implement the steps of the method as described above.

[0017] The invention enables safer and more intuitive navigation by minimizing distractions and providing direction indications directly in the driver's driving field of vision without encroaching on the windshield surface.

[0018] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the attached drawing, in which:

[0019] [Fig. 1] schematically illustrates a first arrangement of a light indicator around the windshield of a motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0020] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a second arrangement of the light indicator around the windshield of the motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0021] [Fig.3] schematically illustrates a third arrangement of the light indicator around the windshield of the motor vehicle according to the invention;

[0022] [Fig.4] schematically illustrates a fourth arrangement of the light indicator around the windshield of the motor vehicle according to the invention; and

[0023] [Fig.5] illustrates a flowchart of the main steps of a method for controlling the vehicle indicator light according to the invention.

[0024] Figures 1 to 4 illustrate respectively first, second, third and fourth arrangements of a light indicator IDL, around the windshield PRB, inside the cockpit of the motor vehicle VHL according to the invention.

[0025] The IDL light indicator belongs to a light strip RBL arranged around the windshield PRB of the VHL vehicle.

[0026] The PRB light strip can be integrated into the PRB windshield or attached to the peripheral edges of the PRB windshield, or even in the interior trim of the cockpit, in the immediate vicinity of the PRB windshield.

[0027] The RBL light strip can be made from LED technology (LED for “Light Emitting Diode” or light-emitting diode), in this case, the IDL light indicator consists of at least one electroluminescent light source called LED, selected from a determined total number of adjacent LEDs distributed along the length of the RBL strip surrounding the PRB windshield.

[0028] Although LED technology is currently the most accessible in terms of cost, other lighting technologies equivalent to those of LEDs can be used, such as technologies using LCD (Liquid Crystal Diode) type displays to represent a light indicator that is on or off.

[0029] A preferred embodiment will be described below, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, in which the light indicator IDL comprises several adjacent LEDs (typically five LEDs) forming a light segment belonging to a light strip RBL.

[0030] This IDL light segment, when lit, appears as a line of light highlighting part of the outline of the PRB windshield. The importance of the line of light and therefore its rendering is determined by the number of LEDs constituting the IDL light segment and / or the brightness of the IDL segment (the intensity of the LEDs).

[0031] The light segment, when lit, can provide lighting in different colors and with different brightnesses, preferably in colors likely to attract the driver's attention and to stand out day and night around the PRB windshield. The night color and brightness may be different from the day color and brightness.

[0032] As a variant, the light segment IDL may comprise several rows of a determined number of adjacent LEDs selected on the strip RBL, also comprising several rows of a determined total number of adjacent LEDs.

[0033] The RBL light strip cooperates with a NAV navigation system, comprising for example a GPS receiver coupled to a cartographic database not shown, via a control module MCA configured to control the lighting of a determined number of adjacent LEDs on the RBL strip, defining the light segment (light indicator) IDL, in a determined zone around the windshield PRB, corresponding to the direction DNV of a route to be followed by the VHL vehicle in relation to a route provided by the NAV navigation system, previously calculated by the NAV navigation system, and displayed on a central screen ECR on the dashboard PBD of the VHL vehicle and in particular, a multimedia screen of the VHL vehicle.

[0034] The VHL vehicle further comprises a CAM detection device, coupled to the MCA control module, making it possible to detect in real time a change in the position of the COV driver's head relative to a so-called "straight head" position corresponding to a position in which the COV driver looks at the road extending in a straight line in front of him, to deduce therefrom a change in the direction of the COV driver's gaze DRG.

[0035] The control module MCA is capable of adapting the position of the area of ​​the light indicator IDL, along the light strip RBL, around the windshield PRB, according to the direction of gaze DRG of the driver COV detected by the detection device CAM.

[0036] The CAM detection device comprises, for example, at least one camera oriented towards the head of the COV driver and an algorithm for processing the images captured by the CAM camera capable of determining, from the change in position of the head of the COV driver, a new direction of gaze DRG of the COV driver.

[0037] The CAM camera can be placed on the dashboard PDB, opposite the driver COV, above the windshield PRB, in the cockpit ceiling, near the interior rearview mirror, etc.

[0038] In the first arrangement illustrated in [Fig. 1], the control module MCA controls the lighting of the IDL light indicator in an area of ​​the RBL light strip corresponding to the upper edge of the PRB windshield, in front of the COV driver at the wheel of the VHL vehicle and centered in the COV driver's driving field of vision, in a DRG direction called "straight head" (X=0°); the IDL light segment serving as a visual indicator of the direction of a road to follow in a DNV direction extending in a straight line in front of the VHL vehicle.

[0039] [Fig.2] illustrates the second arrangement, close to the arrangement of [Fig.l], in which the new light segment of the IDL light indicator as a function of a change in the direction of gaze detected by the CAM detection device. This new IDL segment appears visually by being shifted to the right of the previous segment ([Fig.l]) in the direction of the arrow f(x), to follow the change in position of the head and therefore the direction of gaze DRG of the COV driver to the right.

[0040] In the example considered in [Fig.2], the head of the driver COV, and therefore the direction of gaze DRG, has moved by an angle of x=45° to the right relative to the direction x=0° called “straight head” in [Fig.l].

[0041] [Fig. 3] illustrates the third arrangement in which the control module MCA controls the lighting of the indicator light IDL in an area of ​​the light strip RBL corresponding to a lateral edge of the windshield PRB, here the left lateral edge; the indicator light IDL serving as a visual indicator of the direction of a road to follow in a direction DNV perpendicular to the trajectory of the vehicle VHL, on the left.

[0042] [Fig. 4] illustrates the fourth arrangement in which the control module MCA controls the lighting of the indicator light IDL in an area of ​​the light strip RBL corresponding to an upper corner of the windshield PRB, here the upper right corner; the indicator light IDL serving as a visual direction indicator DNV of a route to be followed in an oblique direction, towards the right of the trajectory of the VHL vehicle.

[0043] [Fig. 5] illustrates, by means of a flowchart, the main steps of a method for controlling the lighting of the IDL indicator light on the RBL light strip of the vehicle according to the invention.

[0044] The method, implemented by the control module MCA, consists, in a first step 100, of controlling the lighting of the indicator light IDL, in a determined zone of the light strip RBL arranged around the windshield PRB, as a function of the direction of the road to follow DNV provided by the navigation system NAV and in a second step 200, of adapting said zone as a function of the direction of gaze DRG of the driver COV provided by the detection device CAM.

[0045] The management method implements a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the latter to implement the steps of the method according to the invention.

[0046] The present invention provides a non-intrusive vehicle guidance assistance solution, using the contour of the vehicle's windshield as a support for a visual signaling means relating to the direction to be followed by the vehicle.

Claims

Claims

1. Motor vehicle (VHL) cooperating with a navigation system (NAV) capable of calculating a route to be followed by the vehicle (VHL); said vehicle (VHL) comprising at least one light indicator (IDL) belonging to a light strip (RBL) extending around the windshield (PRB) of the vehicle (VHL), and capable of lighting up in the field of vision of the driver (COV) of the vehicle (VHL), and a control module (MCA), coupled to the light strip (RBL), configured to control the lighting of the light indicator (IDL) in a determined zone of the light strip (RBL) around the windshield (PRB); said zone corresponding to the direction (DNV) of a route to be followed by the vehicle (VHL) in relation to a route provided by the navigation system (NAV).

2. Motor vehicle (VHL) according to the preceding claim, in which the vehicle (VHL) further comprises a detection device (CAM), coupled to the control module (MCA), configured to detect the direction of gaze (DRG) of the driver (COV); said control module (MCA) being capable of adapting the position of the zone of the light indicator (IDL), along the light strip (RBL), around the windshield (PRB), according to the direction of gaze (DRG) of the driver (COV).

3. Vehicle (VHL) according to the preceding claim in which the detection device (CAM) comprises at least one camera oriented towards the head of the driver (COV) and an algorithm for processing the images captured by the camera, capable of determining, from the position of the head of the driver (COV), the direction of gaze (DRG) of the driver (COV).

4. Vehicle (VHL) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the light strip (RBL) comprises a series of a determined total number of adjacent light-emitting diodes, called LEDs, and in which said indicator (IDL) comprises at least one LED selected from the total number of LEDs by the control module (MCA) to be lit in the determined area around the windshield (PRB) and serve as a visual direction indicator for the driver (COV) of the vehicle (VHL).

5. Vehicle (VHL) according to the preceding claim, in which the light indicator (IDL) comprises at least one determined number of adjacent LEDs forming a light segment whose lighting is controlled by the control module (MCA) in the determined area around the windshield (PRB) to serve as a visual direction indicator for the driver (COV) of the vehicle (VHL).

6. Vehicle (VHL) according to the preceding claim, in which the control module (MCA) is capable of controlling the lighting of a light segment (IDL) in an area of ​​the light strip (RBL) corresponding to the upper edge of the windshield (PRB) in front of the driver (COV) at the wheel of the vehicle (VHL); said segment (IDL) serving as a visual indicator of the direction of a road to be followed in a direction (DNV) extending in a straight line in front of the vehicle (VHL).

7. Vehicle (VHL) according to claim 5, in which the control module (MCA) is capable of controlling the lighting of a light segment (IDL) in an area of ​​the light strip (RBL) corresponding to a lateral edge of the windshield (PRB); said light segment (IDL) serving as a visual indicator of the direction of a road to follow in a direction (DNV) extending perpendicularly to the trajectory of the vehicle (VHL).

8. Vehicle (VHL) according to claim 5, in which the control module (MCA) is capable of controlling the lighting of a light segment (IDL) in an area of ​​the light strip (RBL) corresponding to an upper angle of the windshield (PRB); said light segment (IDL) serving as a visual indicator of the direction of a road to follow in a direction (DNV) extending obliquely relative to the trajectory of the vehicle (VHL).

9. Method for controlling the lighting of a light indicator (IDL) around the windshield (PRB) of a vehicle (VHL) according to the preceding claims; said method, implemented by the control module (MCA), consisting, in a first step (100), of controlling the lighting of the light indicator (IDL), in a determined zone of the light strip (RBL) around the windshield (PRB), as a function of the direction (DNV) of the road to follow provided by the navigation system (NAV) and, in a second step (200), of adapting said zone around the windshield (PRB) as a function of the direction of gaze (DRG) of the driver (COV) of the vehicle (VHL) provided by the detection device (CAM).

10. Computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, drive the latter to implement the steps of the method according to claim 9.

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