Multi-plane head-up display method in off-road environments, associated device and motor vehicle.

Abstract

A method for controlling a multi-plane head-up display on the windshield (140) of a motor vehicle (100) comprising a projection device (120), the method being implemented in the motor vehicle (100) and characterized in that it comprises the following steps: Determining a pitch angle (at1) of the motor vehicle (100), Determining a focal length from the pitch angle (at1), Controlling the projection, by the projection device (120), of a graphic element onto the windshield (140) at the focal length, the graphic element comprising a first element representing the pitch angle (at1). Figure 2 for the abstract

Description

Title of the invention: Multiplane head-up display method in all-terrain environment, associated device and motor vehicle.

[0001] The invention relates to head-up displays in motor vehicles, particularly in all-terrain vehicles or so-called “SUVs” or “crossovers”.

[0002] On the one hand, it is known to display the roll angle and pitch angle in a motor vehicle. For example, one can cite the product marketed under the name "HEIGH10" by the company called "Stinger Solutions, LLC".

[0003] On the other hand, new projection devices are known to allow for multi-plane, or in other words, multi-depth, head-up displays. Several technologies, particularly those described in the following article, especially in the second paragraph of the introduction, enable such displays: • Zhenlv Lv, Jingnan Li, Yan Yang, and Juan Liu “3D head-up display with a multiple extended depth of field based on integral imaging and holographic optical elements” Vol. 31, Issue 2, pp. 964-975 (2023).

[0004] The multi-plane display comprises a projection, by a projection device, at several focal lengths, each focal length defining a projection plane, so as to produce an impression of depth in the images projected onto the windshield

[0005] There is a need to facilitate the interpretation by a driver of the information displayed when the pitch angle and roll angle are shown.

[0006] To this end, the invention relates to a method for controlling a multi-plane head-up display (in other words: multiplane) on a windshield of a motor vehicle comprising a projection device (for example a projector), the motor vehicle traveling in one direction of travel, the method being implemented in the motor vehicle and being characterized in that it comprises the following steps: • Determining the pitch angle of the motor vehicle, then • Determining a focal length from the pitch angle, then • Commanding the projection, by the projection device, of a graphic element (in other words: sending to the projection device a command to project a graphic element, by the projection device), onto the windshield, at the focal distance (in other words: with or according to the focal length) (the command may include the graphic element and / or the focal length) (the method may further include this projection by the device of projection), the graphic element comprising a first representative element (in other words: being obtained from) the pitch angle.

[0007] Thus, thanks to the invention, the graphic element appears to the driver as close or far away depending on the pitch angle, which facilitates the interpretation of the graphic element by the driver.

[0008] By pitch angle, we mean an angle of inclination (the smallest angle of inclination of course, because there are 2), in a vertical plane (in other words: parallel to a direction of gravity) and parallel to the direction of circulation, between the horizontal (in other words: the horizon) and the motor vehicle, that is to say, for example, between the horizontal (in other words: the horizon) and an arbitrary reference plane of the motor vehicle, for example horizontal when the motor vehicle is horizontal.

[0009] The reference plane of the motor vehicle may, for example, be equal to or close to: • The motor vehicle traveling on 4 wheels, each of the four wheels comprising an axis of rotation when the motor vehicle is traveling, of a plane passing through the axis of rotation of each of the 4 wheels, or • A plane formed by a chassis, a floor, or a ceiling of a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the determination of the focal length from the pitch angle includes a step of selecting the focal length from among a plurality of focal lengths, from the pitch angle.

[0011] For example, each focal length of the plurality of focal lengths is associated, in a memory (for example, of the electronic device implementing the method according to the invention), with a minimum threshold and a maximum threshold (greater than the minimum threshold), the focal length being selected, during the selection step, if the pitch angle is between the minimum threshold of the focal length and the maximum threshold of the focal length (so that the focal length is a function of the pitch angle).

[0012] Alternatively, other methods, for example arithmetic, can be used to determine the focal length from the pitch angle.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the first element comprises a first motif which may represent a motor vehicle or a target.

[0014] For example, a projection of the first pattern is inclined, on the windshield, according to a first angle of projection inclination, for example with respect to the reference plane, when the graphic element is projected onto the windshield by the projection device (following the projection command).

[0015] The first projection inclination angle can be obtained from the pitch angle. A person skilled in the art can consider various and diverse relationships between The first projection inclination angle and the pitch angle. In particular, the first projection inclination angle can be equal to the pitch angle.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the pitch angle determination step includes receiving the pitch angle from an inclinometer of the motor vehicle.

[0017] Alternatively, the pitch angle (and / or the roll angle below) can be obtained from data received from other sensors of the motor vehicle as described in the following article: • Chuho Yi and Jungwon Cho “Sensor Fusion for Accurate Ego-Motion Estimation in a Moving Platform”, October 2015, International Journal of Dis-tributed Sensor Networks 2015:1-6.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the motor vehicle comprising a front and a rear: • The more the motor vehicle (or the reference plane) is tilted forward (in other words: towards the headlights of the motor vehicle. Note, however, that the term "forward" is very common in the automotive field and is unambiguous in this context), the greater the focal length, and • The more the motor vehicle (or the reference plane) tilts towards the rear (in other words: towards the brake lights of the motor vehicle. It can be noted however that the term "rear" is very commonly used in the automotive field and is not ambiguous in this field), the lower the focal length.

[0019] Of course, as an alternative, it can be foreseen for example that the more the motor vehicle (or the reference plane) leans forward, the lower the focal length.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the process further comprises the following step: • Determination of a roll angle of the motor vehicle (for example, receiving the roll angle from the inclinometer), the graphic element including a second element representing the roll angle.

[0021] Alternatively, the graphic element does not display information relating to roll.

[0022] By roll angle, we mean an angle of inclination (the smallest angle of inclination of course, because there are 2 of them), in a vertical plane (in other words: parallel to a direction of gravity) and orthogonal to the direction of traffic, between the horizontal (in other words: the horizon) and the motor vehicle, that is to say, for example, between the horizontal (in other words: the horizon) and the reference plane.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the second element comprises a second motif which may represent a motor vehicle or a target.

[0024] For example, a projection of the second pattern is inclined, on the windshield, according to a second projection inclination angle, for example with respect to the reference plane, when the graphic element is projected onto the windshield by the projection device (following the projection command).

[0025] The second projection inclination angle can be obtained from the roll angle. Those skilled in the art can consider various relationships between the second projection inclination angle and the roll angle. In particular, the second projection inclination angle can be equal to the roll angle.

[0026] For example, the roll angle and the pitch angle are always positive.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the projection control commands a projection of the second element, to a position, on the windshield, located on a side of the windshield towards which the motor vehicle leans, if the roll angle is non-zero.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the projection control commands a projection of the second element, at a position, on the windshield, which is more eccentric the higher the roll angle, (if the roll angle is non-zero).

[0029] Alternatively, the second element always has the same position.

[0030] The invention also relates to a computer program comprising instructions executable by a microprocessor or a microcontroller or a computer, to implement the steps of the process according to the invention, when executed by the microprocessor or the microcontroller or the computer.

[0031] The method according to the invention can be implemented by an electronic device (or a motor vehicle). The invention therefore also relates to an electronic device (or a motor vehicle) configured to implement the steps of the method according to the invention, as well as a motor vehicle comprising the electronic device.

[0032] 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).

[0033] When the electronic device, motor vehicle, projection device (or other element) is "configured to" (or "capable of") performing or implementing a step or operation, this implies, for example, that the element includes means for performing the step or operation. These means preferably include electronic means, for example, a computer program, data in memory, specialized electronic circuits, wired or wireless connections, a microprocessor, and / or a microcontroller.

[0034] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading the following detailed description, which includes embodiments of the invention given by way of non-limiting examples and illustrated by the attached drawings, in which: • [Fig. 1] [Fig.2] and [Fig.3] represent an electronic device and a motor vehicle, according to an embodiment of the invention, respectively in top view, side view and view from the rear of the motor vehicle. • [Fig.4] represent projections made by the projection device, on the windshield of the motor vehicle shown in Figures 1 to 3, during the implementation of the process [Fig. 5], as seen from inside the motor vehicle, • [Fig. 5] represents an implementation of the method according to the invention, according to an example of an embodiment, by the electronic device and the motor vehicle of figures 1 to 3,

[0035] In [Fig.1], certain elements are, of course, seen through transparency.

[0036] Detailed description of an example embodiment of the invention, with reference to figures 1 to 5.

[0037] Figures 1 to 3 represent a vehicle 100 which is a motor vehicle. The vehicle 100 includes a windshield 140, headlights 151 and 152, brake lights 161 and 162, and a microprocessor 110. In addition, the microprocessor 110 is connected to the following elements of the vehicle 100: an inclinometer 130, and a projector 120. The vehicle 100 is traveling over rough terrain 200 in the direction of travel d1.

[0038] With reference to [Fig.5], at step S00, the microprocessor 110 receives the pitch angle atl from the inclinometer 130.

[0039] The pitch angle atl, is an angle of inclination (the smallest angle of inclination of course, because there are 2), in a plane pvertil vertical and parallel to the direction of circulation dl, between the horizontal phorizl and the vehicle 100, that is to say, for example, between the horizontal phorizl and an arbitrary reference plane prefl of the vehicle 100, for example horizontal when the vehicle 100 is horizontal.

[0040] At step S10, the microprocessor 110 receives the roll angle arl from the inclinometer 130.

[0041] The roll angle arl is an angle of inclination (the smallest angle of inclination of course, because there are 2), in a vertical plane pverti2 (in other words: parallel to a direction of gravity) and orthogonal to the direction of circulation dl, between the horizontal phorizl and the vehicle 100, that is to say, for example, between the horizontal phorizl and the reference plane prefl.

[0042] At step S30, the microprocessor 110 calculates a focal length fl in meters (unreferenced) from the pitch angle atl, expressed as a percentage.

[0043] For example: • fl = atl + 25, if vehicle 100 or the reference plane prefl leans forward avlOO of vehicle 100, that is to say towards the headlights 151 and 152 of vehicle 100, and • fl = 25 - atl / 2, if vehicle 100 (or the reference plane prefl) leans towards the rear arlOO of vehicle 100, that is to say towards the stop lights 160 and 161 of vehicle 100.

[0044] At step S40, the microprocessor 110 commands the projector 120 to display a graphic element consisting of the element e1 and the element e2, as represented in particular [Fig.4].

[0045] The element el includes for example the motif ml which represents a motor vehicle, inclined, with an angle of inclination al (with respect to the reference plane prefl) equal to the pitch angle atl.

[0046] The element e2 includes for example the motif m2 which represents a motor vehicle, inclined, at an angle of inclination a2 (with respect to the reference plane prefl) equal to the roll angle arl.

[0047] The element e2 is projected from one side of the windshield 140 towards which the vehicle 100 is leaning (according to the roll angle arl) [Fig.3]. If, on the contrary, the vehicle 100 were leaning towards an opposite side to that shown [Fig.3], the element e2 would be located opposite the position to which it is projected [Fig.4].

[0048] Furthermore, the element e2 is projected, on the windscreen 140, to a position that is all the more eccentric as the roll angle arl is high.

Claims

Demands

1. Method of controlling a multi-plane head-up display on a windshield (140) of a motor vehicle (100) comprising a projection device (120), the method being implemented in the motor vehicle (100) and being characterized in that it comprises the following steps: • Determination (S00) of a pitch angle (atl) of the motor vehicle (100), • Determination (S20) of a focal length from the pitch angle (atl), • Control (S30) of a projection, by the projection device (120), of a graphic element, on the windshield (140), at the focal length, the graphic element comprising a first element (el) representative of the pitch angle (atl).

2. Control method according to the preceding claim wherein the pitch angle determination step (atl) includes receiving the pitch angle (atl) from an inclinometer (130) of the motor vehicle (100).

3. A control method according to the preceding claim, the motor vehicle (100) comprising a front (avlOO) and a rear (arlOO), wherein: • The more the motor vehicle (100) leans forward (avlOO), the greater the focal length, and • The more the motor vehicle (100) leans backward (arlOO), the shorter the focal length,

4. A control method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method further comprises the following step: • Determination (S 10) of a roll angle (arl) of the vehicle to the tomobile (100), the graphic element comprising a second element (e2) representative of the roll angle (arl).

5. A control method according to the preceding claim, wherein the projection control controls a projection of the second element (e2), at a position, on the windshield (140), located on one side of the windshield (140) towards which the motor vehicle (100) leans, if the roll angle is non-zero.

6. Control method according to the preceding claim in which the projection control commands a projection of the second element (e2), at a position, on the windshield (140), which is more eccentric as the roll angle (arl) is high.

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

8. Electronic device (110) configured to carry out the steps of the process according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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

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