Method for displaying information on a dashboard screen of a motor vehicle

Abstract

A method for displaying information on a dashboard screen of a motor vehicle, said screen being covered with a semi-transparent film, comprises the steps of: determining (25) a display context from a predetermined plurality of display contexts; selecting (27) a pixel matrix of the screen adapted to the determined context; displaying (29) the information within the selected pixel matrix, while the pixels of the screen not belonging to the selected pixel matrix generate a luminance lower than a limit value. A system for displaying information on a dashboard screen of a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle comprising the system are also described. Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig 2

Description

Title of the invention: Method for displaying information on a dashboard screen of a motor vehicle Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for displaying information on a dashboard screen of a motor vehicle, a computer program product, a system for displaying information on a dashboard screen of a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle comprising such a system. State of the art

[0002] Currently, a motor vehicle includes a multitude of functions ranging from driving assistance functions (cruise control, lane keeping, etc.) to comfort functions (air conditioning, sound system, etc.) and safety functions.

[0003] This results in an increase in the number and size of screens placed on the dashboard to communicate with the user.

[0004] This growth has several disadvantages, including: • Variation in the number and size of screens depending on vehicle options; • Dispersion of the driver's attention while driving with the associated safety risks; • Difficulty for the user to find the information he is looking for among a multitude of possibilities; and • an increase in manufacturing costs.

[0005] There is therefore a real need for a method and a system for displaying information on a dashboard screen of a motor vehicle which resolves all or part of the aforementioned drawbacks. Description of the invention

[0006] To resolve one or more of the drawbacks cited above, according to a first embodiment, a method for displaying information on a dashboard screen of a motor vehicle, said screen being covered with a semi-transparent film, comprises the steps of: • determining a display context from among a predetermined plurality of display contexts; • selection of a screen pixel matrix adapted to the determined context; • display of information inside the selected pixel matrix, while the screen pixels not belonging to the selected pixel matrix selected generate a luminance lower than a limit value.

[0007] Thus, the user views a screen whose size adapts to the environment.

[0008] Particular characteristics or embodiments, usable alone or in combination are: • the limit value is such that the semi-transparent film located outside the selected pixel matrix is ​​opaque; • the screen is an OLED screen; • pixels not belonging to the selected pixel matrix are turned off; • the matrix size is selected from a list of predetermined sizes; • the dashboard including a second screen covered with a semi- transparent, the second screen is turned on depending on a specific display context; and / or • the display context includes at least one of the following parameters: options available on the vehicle, vehicle movement, user choice.

[0009] In a second embodiment, a computer program product comprises program code instructions for implementing the above method when the program product is executed on a computer.

[0010] In a third embodiment, an information display system of a motor vehicle comprises: • a calculator adapted to determine a display context from among a predetermined plurality of display contexts; connected to • a dashboard screen of the motor vehicle, said screen being covered with a semi-transparent film, and being suitable for; • select a screen pixel matrix adapted to the determined context; and • display information within the selected pixel matrix, while screen pixels not belonging to the selected pixel matrix generate a luminance lower than a limit value.

[0011] In a fourth embodiment, a motor vehicle comprises a system according to the third embodiment. Brief description of the figures

[0012] The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, given solely by way of example, and with reference to the appended figures in which: • [Fig.l] represents a view of a dashboard of a vehicle comprising a display system according to one embodiment; • [Fig.2] represents a flowchart of a data management process techniques for using the functions according to an embodiment; • [Fig.3] represents a view of the dashboard of [Fig. 1] in three different contexts; and • [Fig.4] represents a view of a dashboard of a vehicle comprising a display system according to a second embodiment. Methods of implementation

[0013] The embodiments presented below refer to a motor vehicle, a car. However, those skilled in the art understand that these are also usable with other types of vehicle such as vans, vans, etc.

[0014] The terms “front”, “rear”, “top”, “bottom”, “transverse” are understood in relation to the vehicle.

[0015] With reference to [Fig.l], a motor vehicle 1 comprises a dashboard 3. A screen 5 is installed in the dashboard 3. For example, the screen 5 is an OLED screen which has the double advantage of being able to take curved shapes allowing better visual integration in the dashboard 3 and of allowing complete extinction of a pixel, without emission of residual light. Thus it is possible to achieve deeper blacks with an OLED screen than with an LED screen using a backlighting device.

[0016] The screen 5 is covered with a semi-transparent film 7. The operation of the semi-transparent film is as follows. When no light, or low-intensity light, is emitted from behind the semi-transparent film 7, for example because the screen 5 is off, the film appears opaque. However, it allows light of a certain intensity to pass through, just as a one-way mirror would. It is therefore possible to define a luminance level below which the film appears opaque.

[0017] The screen 5 is connected to a computer 9 to form with it a display system 11.

[0018] The computer 9 can, for example, be integrated into the vehicle control system 1, as an advanced driver assistance system, commonly called AD AS (for “Advanced driver-assistance Systems” according to English terminology) which makes all driving decisions based on the environment and the programmed destination. The motor vehicle is then referred to as an autonomous motor vehicle. But it can also be a centralized vehicle management system including, or not, driving aids.

[0019] The transfer of data between the different elements is preferably carried out by a CAN (for “Controller Area Network” in English) or LIN (for “Local Interconnect Network” in English) type data bus.

[0020] The computer 9 is thus connected to the various devices of the vehicle 1 and manages the person-machine interface of these.

[0021] The operation of the system 11 is as follows, [Fig.2].

[0022] In a preliminary step 21, a list of display contexts is defined. This list will, for example, take into account the options available on the vehicle, the movement of the vehicle or the user's choice. For example, a first context is a vehicle driving situation and a second context corresponds to a waiting situation during a vehicle recharge. A third context may also be night driving. Other contexts may be added by the vehicle manufacturer depending on the options chosen by the user or by the user himself to take into account his habits.

[0023] To each context is attached, step 23, a matrix of pixels of the screen in the form of a size and a position. For example, to the context of the waiting situation will correspond a size of matrix of pixels corresponding to the maximum size available on the screen 5 in order to allow viewing of a film in the best conditions. On the other hand, in a driving situation, the size of the matrix of pixels is smaller to concentrate attention on only the elements associated with driving and in the situation of driving at night, the size of the matrix of pixels is even smaller to minimize the brightness and present only the information essential to driving.

[0024] During use of the vehicle, a context is determined, step 25, either automatically or manually.

[0025] The context thus determined selects, step 27, the size of the pixel matrix according to the rule defined in step 23.

[0026] The system 11 displays, step 29, the information using the pixel matrix thus selected while the pixels of the screen not belonging to the pixel matrix generate a luminance lower than a limit value determined so that the semi-transparent film appears opaque on this zone. When the screen is an OLED screen, the pixels outside the matrix are therefore switched off.

[0027] Thus, the user has the impression of having a screen of variable size depending on the situation, [Fig.3].

[0028] Figure A corresponds to a driving context with a reduced display surface to limit driver distraction and facilitate reading of information. Furthermore, the display appears in a vertical orientation to facilitate list sliding.

[0029] Figure B corresponds to a shutdown context, for example during recharging. The display surface is maximal and in a horizontal orientation to optimize the reading of audiovisual content.

[0030] Figure C corresponds to a context in which the driver wants to limit distraction as much as possible, such as when driving on a motorway or at night. The size of the display is then reduced to the information essential for driving.

[0031] [Fig.l] illustrates a system according to certain embodiments. The breakdown presented has an educational purpose to highlight the different functions. However, it is understood that each block can be implemented using different means or their combinations, such as hardware components, software, one or more computers and / or electronic circuits. Each of the components can include at least one computer or a control-command unit. At least one memory can be included in each component. The memory can include computer program instructions or software code.

[0032] The computers can be implemented by any type of data processing device, such as a central computing unit, a signal processing processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a programmable gate array, etc. The computers can be implemented as a single controller, or a plurality of controllers or computers.

[0033] The different modules are connected to each other by data links adapted to the environment. These can be wired or wireless.

[0034] For software, the implementation may include modules or units distributed in the form of procedures, functions, etc. The memories may be any type of storage circuit. They may be part of the processor circuit, or separate from it and connected via electrical data links. These may be non-volatile type memories, hard disks, random access memories, flash memories, etc.

[0035] The program product may be downloadable from a communications network and / or recorded on a computer-readable medium. It may be directly executable by a processor or be in the form of a high-level language requiring one or more intermediate operations to be executable.

[0036] Thus the program instructions stored in the memory and processed by the computers can be any type of program code, for example, a compiled or interpreted program written in a suitable programming language.

[0037] The computer program instructions stored in the memory are such that, when executed by the computer, the latter performs one or more of the steps of the methods described above.

[0038] The invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the preceding description. This should be considered as illustrative and given by way of example and not as limiting the invention to this description alone. Numerous alternative embodiments are possible.

[0039] In a variant, [Fig.4], the dashboard comprises a second screen 41 covered with a semi-transparent film and positioned in front of the passenger. This second screen is activated by the computer 9 according to a given context, for example the detection of the presence of a passenger. This second screen 41 can also correspond to the right part of the screen 5. The context is then associated with two matrices of display pixels.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for displaying information on a dashboard screen of a motor vehicle, said screen being covered with a semi-transparent film, comprising the steps of: • determining (25) a display context from among a predetermined plurality of display contexts; • selecting (27) a pixel matrix of the screen adapted to the determined context; • displaying (29) the information inside the selected pixel matrix, while the pixels of the screen not belonging to the selected pixel matrix generate a luminance lower than a limit value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the limit value is such that the semi-transparent film outside the selected pixel array is opaque.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the display is an OLED display.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein pixels not belonging to the selected pixel array are turned off.

5. A method according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the matrix size is selected from a list of predetermined sizes.

6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the dashboard comprises a second screen covered with a semi-transparent film, the second screen is lit according to a determined display context.

7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the display context comprises at least one of the following parameters: options available on the vehicle, movement of the vehicle, user choice.

8. Computer program product characterized in that it comprises program code instructions for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 when the program product is executed on a computer.

9. System (11) for displaying information in a motor vehicle (1) comprising: • a computer (9) adapted to determine a display context from among a predetermined plurality of display contexts; connected to • a screen (5) of the dashboard (3) of the motor vehicle, said screen being covered with a semi-transparent film (7) and being adapted to; • select a matrix of pixels of the screen adapted to the determined context; and • display information inside the selected matrix of pixels, while the pixels of the screen not belonging to the selected matrix of pixels generate a luminance lower than a limit value.

10. A motor vehicle comprising a system according to claim 9.

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