Method and device for controlling a display system associated with a connected navigation system of an electric vehicle.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and device for controlling a display system associated with a connected vehicle navigation system. Specifically, the method comprises selecting (41) a point of interest corresponding to an electric charging station from a human-machine interface associated with the connected navigation system, verifying (42) access rights to a connected service associated with the connected navigation system, transmitting (43) data representing an information request concerning a set of electric power sources at the point of interest to a remote server, and receiving (44) the information from the remote server. Displaying the information on a screen is then controlled (45). See Figure 5 for the abstract.

Description

Title of the invention: Method and device for controlling a display system associated with a connected navigation system of an electric vehicle. technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to methods and devices for controlling a display system associated with a connected navigation system of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle. Technological background

[0002] To plan a journey using a vehicle, it is known to use a navigation system, such a system being, for example, installed in the vehicle or implemented in a mobile device, for example a mobile phone, itself installed in the vehicle. Such a system uses mapping data such as digital road maps indicating the different road routes that the vehicle can take to go from point A to point B.

[0003] This map data is used, for example, to suggest to a driver the shortest, fastest, most economical route or the one that does not use a highway, etc. It can also be used by certain functions or driver assistance systems, known as ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance System), to guide or control the vehicle in its environment to reach its destination.

[0004] Information on current traffic conditions, map updates, or weather conditions is used, among other things, to plan a route. Access to this information is sometimes provided by a service provider, such as the vehicle manufacturer or the navigation system manufacturer. A user, for example, can access this information on current traffic conditions, map updates, or weather conditions through a subscription to this type of service. This is referred to as information from a connected service. The navigation system uses this information to calculate a route or to announce an event along a calculated route.

[0005] Electric vehicles must, in particular, obtain electrical energy along a route, for example at a charging station located along a route planned by a navigation system. Depending on the location of this charging station, the surrounding infrastructure and / or the electricity supplier, the production of this electrical energy differs according to a set of sources. Electrical energy. Such a source is, for example, fossil fuel, nuclear, or wind power.

[0006] A user of an electric vehicle wishing to know the sources of the energy he consumes must, for example, search for this information on the internet or inquire with the charging station manager. Summary of the present invention

[0007] One object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the problems of the technological background described above.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to improve access to information relating to the sources of electrical energy used to recharge an electric vehicle.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to control a display system associated with a connected navigation system of a vehicle in order to provide information relating to sources of electrical energy available to recharge an electric vehicle.

[0010] According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a display system associated with a connected navigation system of an electric vehicle, the display system comprising a screen, the method comprising the following steps: - selection of a point of interest corresponding to an electric energy charging station from a human-machine interface associated with the connected navigation system; - verification of access rights to a connected service associated with the connected navigation system; - transmission of data representing an information request relating to a set of sources of said electrical energy at the point of interest to a remote server; - receiving information from the remote server; - control of information display on the screen.

[0011] Such a method makes it possible, in particular, to provide an electric vehicle user with information relating to a set of electrical energy sources available at a charging station. The user is then aware of the origin of the electrical energy and, for example, chooses a charging station based on this information.

[0012] According to one variant of the method, the information comprises a set of values ​​expressed as a percentage, each associated with an energy source from the set of energy sources.

[0013] According to yet another variant of the method, the set of energy sources comprises at least one energy source from among: - thermal fuel (coal, gas, oil), - other fossils, - nuclear, - wind turbine, - solar, - hydraulics, and - other renewable energies.

[0014] According to a further variant of the method, the verification step includes a comparison of a value of a parameter of the connected navigation system to a target value representative of the access right.

[0015] According to yet another variant of the process, an address of the remote server is stored in a memory accessible by the connected navigation system.

[0016] According to yet another variant of the process, the transmission and reception steps are implemented via a wireless link.

[0017] According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a control device for a display system associated with a connected navigation system of an electric vehicle, the device comprising a memory associated with a processor configured for the implementation of the steps of the process according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0018] According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to an electric vehicle, for example of the automobile type, comprising a device as described above according to the second aspect of the present invention.

[0019] According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer program which includes instructions adapted for carrying out the steps of the process according to the first aspect of the present invention, in particular when the computer program is executed by at least one processor.

[0020] Such a computer program may use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or an intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

[0021] According to a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for carrying out the steps of the process according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0022] On the one hand, the recording medium can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium can include a storage means, such as a ROM, a CD-ROM, or a microelectronic circuit-type ROM, or a magnetic recording means, or a hard drive.

[0023] On the other hand, this recording medium can also be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, such a signal being able to be transmitted via an electrical or optical cable, by conventional or radio frequency, by self-directing laser beam, or by other means. The computer program according to the present invention can, in particular, be downloaded from an Internet-type network.

[0024] Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which the computer program is incorporated, the integrated circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the process in question. Brief description of the figures

[0025] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the particular and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention below, with reference to the attached Figures 1 to 5, in which:

[0026] [Fig-1] schematically illustrates an environment of an electric vehicle, according to an example of a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates the passenger compartment of an electric vehicle, according to a a particular and non-limiting example of a realization of the present invention;

[0028] [Fig.3] schematically illustrates a screen, according to a particular embodiment and not limiting the present invention;

[0029] [Fig.4] schematically illustrates a device configured for the control of a display system associated with a connected navigation system of an electric vehicle, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] [Fig. 5] illustrates a flowchart of the different stages of a control process for a display system associated with a connected navigation system of an electric vehicle, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. Description of examples of achievements

[0031] A method and a control device for a display system associated with a connected navigation system of an electric vehicle will now be described in what follows with joint reference to Figures 1 to 5. The same elements are identified with the same reference signs throughout the following description.

[0032] The terms "first(s)", "second(s)" (or "first(s)", "second(s)"), etc., are used in this document by arbitrary convention to allow for the identification and distinction of different elements (such as operations, means, etc.) implemented in the embodiments described below. Such elements may be distinct or correspond to a single element, depending on the method of implementation.

[0033] According to a particular and non-limiting example of an embodiment of the present invention, the control of a display system associated with a connected navigation system of a vehicle is for example implemented by one or more processors of an embedded system of the electric vehicle.

[0034] To this end, the method includes selecting a point of interest corresponding to an electric energy charging station from a human-machine interface associated with the connected navigation system, verifying access rights to a connected service associated with the connected navigation system, transmitting data representing an information request relating to a set of electrical energy sources at the point of interest to a remote server, and receiving information from the remote server.

[0035] A display of information on a screen is then controlled.

[0036] Fig. 1 schematically illustrates an electric vehicle and its communication environment, according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 1 illustrates an electric vehicle 10, for example a motor vehicle, in a communication environment 1, the electric vehicle 10 being, for example, in a road environment or in a parking area or car park, in a garage, etc. According to other examples, the electric vehicle 10 corresponds to a coach, a bus, a truck, a utility vehicle or a motorcycle, that is to say, a motorized land vehicle.

[0038] The electric vehicle 10 corresponds for example to a vehicle with electric motor(s).

[0039] The electric vehicle 10 advantageously incorporates a communication system configured to communicate with one or more remote devices or servers 111 via a wireless communication network infrastructure.

[0040] The communication system of the electric vehicle 10 is also configured to communicate with one or more mobile communication devices 11 in direct communication mode and / or via the wireless communication network infrastructure. The mobile communication device 11 corresponds, for example, to a smartphone, a tablet, or a connected mobile object such as a smartwatch.

[0041] A direct wireless communication method relies, for example, on one of the following communication standards or protocols: - Wifi® according to IEEE 802.11, for example according to IEEE 802.1 In or IEEE 802.1 lac, for example according to a communication mode called infrastructure according to which the vehicle electrical 10 acts as an access point according to an ad-hoc or direct communication mode, called Wifi Direct; - Bluetooth®; - ZigBee according to IEEE 802.15.4.

[0042] The electric vehicle 10 and / or the mobile communication device 11 are further configured to communicate with one or more remote servers 111, for example via the wireless communication network infrastructure.

[0043] The remote server(s) 111 each correspond, for example, to a server in the "cloud" 100. The wireless communication infrastructure includes, for example, a set of communication devices of the cellular network antenna type 110 of LTE (Long Term Evolution) 4G or 5G type.

[0044] The communication system of the electric vehicle 10 includes, for example, one or more communication antennas connected to a telematic control unit, called a TCU (Telematic Control Unit), which is itself connected to one or more computers of the embedded system of the electric vehicle 10. The antenna(s), the TCU and the computer(s) form, for example, a multiplexed architecture for the implementation of various services useful for the proper functioning of the vehicle and for assisting the driver and / or passengers of the vehicle in controlling the electric vehicle 10.The computer(s) and the TCU communicate and exchange data with each other via one or more computer buses, for example a CAN (Controller Area Network), CAN FD (Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate), FlexRay (according to ISO 17458) or Ethernet (according to ISO / IEC 802-3) type communication bus.

[0045] The electric vehicle 10 is further advantageously connected wirelessly to a remote device such as the remote server 111 via the "cloud" 100, such a remote device being, for example, configured to communicate with the electric vehicle 10 via an OTA connection. The remote server 111 is, for example, configured to send data relating to a set of service stations and representative of a set of energy sources, such a set including, for example, the following energy sources: - thermal fuel, - other fossil fuels, - nuclear, - wind, - solar, - hydraulics, and - other renewable energies.

[0046] The remote server 111 has an address, called a URL (Uniform Resource Locator). A URL is a string of characters indicating the location of a resource on the Internet and the method for accessing it; in addition, an address defines a path to the remote server 111 associated with a connected service.

[0047] Thus, the remote server 111 transmits a set of data to the electric vehicle 10. The data transmission is carried out, for example, at regular intervals (for example, every minute, every hour, every week or every month) or when the connected navigation system connects to it, in particular by using a URL address stored in the memory of a device of the connected navigation system or in the memory of a device embedded in the electric vehicle 10 and accessible via the communication bus; this memory is also called an "address container".

[0048] Data transmission from the remote server 111 is restricted or subject to conditions. Indeed, not every connected navigation system has access to all the data on the remote server 111; for example, a subscription to a connected service is required.

[0049] As illustrated in [Fig.2], the electric vehicle 10 includes, for example, in its passenger compartment, a display system comprising a screen 102 and a computer configured to control the display of content(s) of a human-machine interface, known as a graphical HMI on the screen 102. The computer corresponds, for example, to the computer of the infotainment system, known as the IVI computer (from the English "In-Vehicle Infotainment" or in French "Infodivertissement étoilé") of the vehicle.

[0050] The screen 102 is, for example, touch-sensitive and corresponds, for example, to an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), a TFT (Thin-Film Transistor), or an OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode). The screen 102 is, for example, arranged in the center of the dashboard 101, for example above a central panel. Of course, the position of the screen 102 is not limited to this example; the screen can be arranged in any position, for example on the central panel.

[0051] The screen allows content to be displayed for the driver and passengers of the vehicle. The screen is also configured to allow the driver and / or passengers of the vehicle to interact with one or more systems embedded in the vehicle via a human-machine interface (HMI) displayed on screen 102. By For example, the screen allows control of the IVI system or the connected navigation system of the electric vehicle 10.

[0052] According to another example, as illustrated in [Fig.1], the screen 102 is not integrated into the passenger compartment but corresponds to a screen 102 of the mobile communication device 11, such as a smartphone or a tablet, connected in communication, for example wirelessly, with the on-board system of the electric vehicle 10.

[0053] A control process for a display system associated with a connected navigation system of the vehicle 10 is advantageously implemented by one or more processors of the connected navigation system, for example by a processor of an embedded system of the vehicle 10 or by a computer of the mobile communication device 11.

[0054] In a first operation, a point of interest corresponding to an electric energy charging station is selected from a human-machine interface as previously described and associated with the connected navigation system.

[0055] A user, for example, makes a short press on a graphic object representing the point of interest on the screen 102, which displays a road map according to a geographical position of the electric vehicle 10. The point of interest is, for example, located near the electric vehicle 10, for example at a distance less than a threshold distance of 1, 2 or 10km.

[0056] In a second operation, an access right to a connected service associated with the connected navigation system is verified. This verification is carried out, for example, by the computer of the connected navigation system, which accesses stored data representative of this access right.

[0057] According to a particular embodiment, this verification includes comparing the value of a parameter of the connected navigation system to a target value representing the access right. The computer thus retrieves the value of a stored parameter, for example, during a third subscription operation to the connected service during which a subscription request to the connected service was transmitted, for example, to the remote server 111, via the connected navigation system.

[0058] This parameter takes, for example, a value of zero when no subscription to the connected service has been made or when the subscription is no longer valid, for example after a certain period such as the subscription duration. Conversely, when a subscription has been made, the parameter takes a value of 1. The target value representing the access right is then the value 1.

[0059] In a fourth operation, data representative of an information request relating to a set of electrical energy sources at the point of interest are transmitted to a remote server 111.

[0060] According to a particular embodiment, an address of the remote server 111 is in stored in a memory called an address container accessible by the connected navigation system.

[0061] Such an address container contains the addresses linked to different services, thus enabling the vehicle navigation system 10 to connect to one or more remote servers 111.

[0062] According to a particular embodiment, the address container includes a second address defining a path to a remote device 111 associated with the connected service, this second address acting as a fallback address.

[0063] Such a second address has, for example, been previously recorded in the memory of a device of the vehicle's on-board system 10, either at the factory or during a previous visit to a dealership or workshop.

[0064] The addresses stored in the address container are updated, for example, when a remote server 111 changes its address.

[0065] In a fifth operation, the required information is received from the remote server 111.

[0066] According to one particular embodiment, the transmission and reception operations are implemented via a wireless link.

[0067] According to a particular embodiment, this information relating to a charging station comprises a set of values ​​expressed as a percentage, each associated with an energy source from the set of energy sources.

[0068] In a sixth operation, a display of information is controlled on screen 102.

[0069] As illustrated in [Fig.3], the information is for example displayed in a part 1021 of the screen 102. Each energy source supplying the charging station is represented by a group of graphic objects comprising a first graphic object 21 representing the energy source and a second graphic object 22 representing the relative value of energy input from this source.

[0070] According to a particular embodiment, the arrangement of the groups of graphic objects is carried out so as to present each energy source and its relative contribution in descending order of that relative contribution. Thus, a first group 23 of graphic objects comprising a first graphic object 21 and a second graphic object 22 relating to a first energy source is positioned along a direction, for example the vertical direction of the screen 102, before a second group 24 of graphic objects relating to a second energy source whose contribution is less than that of the first energy source, itself positioned before a third group 25 of graphic objects relating to a third energy source whose contribution is less than that of the second energy source.

[0071] A user can then easily identify the energy sources and their respective contributions to These energy sources power a charging station. The user can then compare charging stations to choose one with the lowest environmental impact, for example, by selecting a charging station whose energy supply comes primarily from a "clean" source such as wind power. The user can also determine the relative environmental impact of their electricity supply.

[0072] Figure 4 schematically illustrates a device 3 configured to control the trajectory of a vehicle, for example, the first vehicle 10, according to a particular, non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The device 3 corresponds, for example, to a device embedded in the first vehicle 10, such as a computer.

[0073] Device 3 is, for example, configured to carry out the operations described opposite [Fig. 1] and / or the steps described opposite [Fig. 2]. Examples of such a device 3 include, but are not limited to, embedded electronic equipment such as a vehicle's on-board computer, an electronic control unit such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), a smartphone, a tablet, or a laptop computer. The elements of device 3, individually or in combination, may be integrated into a single integrated circuit, into several integrated circuits, and / or into discrete components. Device 3 may be implemented in the form of electronic circuits or software (or computer) modules, or a combination of electronic circuits and software modules.

[0074] The device 3 comprises one (or more) processor(s) 30 configured to execute instructions for carrying out the steps of the process and / or for executing instructions from the software embedded in the device 3. The processor 30 may include integrated memory, an input / output interface, and various circuits known to those skilled in the art. The device 3 further comprises at least one memory 31, for example, volatile and / or non-volatile memory, and / or includes a memory storage device that may include volatile and / or non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM, ROM, PROM, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, flash, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0075] The computer code of the embedded software(s) including the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is for example stored on memory 31.

[0076] According to various specific and non-limiting embodiments, the device 3 is coupled in communication with other similar devices or systems (for example, other computers) and / or with communication devices, for example, a TCU (Telematic Control Unit), for example via a communication bus or through dedicated input / output ports.

[0077] According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 3 comprises a block 32 of interface elements for communicating with external devices. The interface elements of the block 32 comprise one or more of the following interfaces: - radio frequency RF interface, for example of the Wi-Fi® type (according to IEEE 802.11), for example in the 2.4 or 5 GHz frequency bands, or of the Bluetooth® type (according to IEEE 802.15.1), in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, or of the Sigfox type using UBN (Ultra Narrow Band) radio technology, or LoRa in the 868 MHz frequency band, LTE (Long-Term Evolution), LTE-Advanced; - USB interface (from the English "Universal Serial Bus" or "Universal Serial Bus" in French); HDMI interface (from the English "High Definition Multimedia Interface", or "High Definition Multimedia Interface" in French); - LIN interface (from the English "Local Interconnect Network", or in French "Réseau interconnecté local").

[0078] According to another particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 3 includes a communication interface 33 which allows communication to be established with other devices (such as other computers in the embedded system) via a communication channel 330. The communication interface 33 corresponds, for example, to a transmitter configured to transmit and receive information and / or data via the communication channel 330. The communication interface 33 corresponds, for example, to a wired network of the CAN (Controller Area Network) type, CAN FD (Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate) type, FlexRay (standardized by ISO 17458) or Ethernet (standardized by ISO / IEC 802-3).

[0079] According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 3 can provide output signals to one or more external devices, such as a display screen 340, touch or not, one or more speakers 350 and / or other peripherals 360 (projection system) via the output interfaces 34, 35, 36 respectively. According to a variant, one or more of the external devices is integrated into the device 3.

[0080] Figure 5 illustrates a flowchart of the different steps in a method for controlling a display system associated with a connected navigation system of an electric vehicle, for example of the electric vehicle 10, according to an example embodiment by specific and non-limiting of the present invention. The method is for example implemented by a device of the on-board navigation system of the electric vehicle 10 or by the device 3 of [Fig.4].

[0081] In a step 41, a point of interest corresponding to an electric power charging station is selected from a human-machine interface associated with the connected navigation system.

[0082] In a step 42, a right of access to a connected service associated with the connected navigation system is checked.

[0083] In a step 43, data representative of an information request relating to a set of electrical energy sources at the point of interest are transmitted to a remote server 111.

[0084] In a step 44, the information is received from the remote server 111.

[0085] In a step 45, a display of information is controlled on the screen 102.

[0086] According to one variant, the variants and examples of the operations described in relation to Figures 1 to 3 apply to the steps of the process in [Fig. 5].

[0087] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above but extends to a method for controlling a display system associated with a connected navigation system of an electric vehicle, which would include secondary steps without departing from the scope of the present invention. The same would apply to a device configured for implementing such a method.

[0088] The present invention also relates to an electric vehicle, for example an automobile or more generally an autonomous land-based motor vehicle, comprising device 3 of [Fig.4].

Claims

Demands

1. Method for controlling a display system associated with a connected navigation system of an electric vehicle (10), said display system comprising a screen (102), said method comprising the following steps: - selection (41) of a point of interest corresponding to an electric energy charging station from a human-machine interface associated with the connected navigation system; - verification (42) of an access right to a connected service associated with said connected navigation system; - transmission (43) of data representing an information request relating to a set of sources of said electric energy at said point of interest to a remote server (111); - reception (44) of said information from the remote server (111); - control (45) of a display of said information on the screen (102).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said information comprises a set of values ​​expressed as a percentage, each associated with an energy source of said set of energy sources.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said energy source set comprises at least one energy source from: - fuel-based thermal, - other fossil fuels, - nuclear, - wind, - solar, - hydraulic, and - other renewable energies.

4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the verification step (42) includes a comparison of a value of a parameter of the connected navigation system to a target value representative of said access right.

5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an address of said remote server (111) is stored in a memory accessible by said connected navigation system.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the transmission (43) and reception (44) steps are implemented via a wireless link.

7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a step of transmitting a subscription request to said connected service via the connected navigation system.

8. A computer program comprising instructions for carrying out the method according to any one of the preceding claims, when such instructions are executed by a processor.

9. Device (3) for controlling a display system associated with a connected navigation system of an electric vehicle, said device (3) comprising a memory (31) associated with at least one processor (30) configured for carrying out the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. Electric vehicle (10) comprising device (3) according to claim 9.

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