Confidential display of information in a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling the display of information by a vehicle infotainment system comprising a central screen and a digital instrument cluster. The method comprises the following steps: - setting up (200) an information display function, the setting including the definition by a vehicle user of a set of at least one type of information for which all information is to be displayed only on the first display device; - upon receipt (201) of information, determining (202) whether the received information is associated with a type of information from the defined set or not; - if the received information is associated with a type of information from the defined set, controlling (203) the first display device to display said received information only on the first display device. FIG. 2

Description

Title of the invention: Confidential display of information in a vehicle

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of information display control in a vehicle infotainment system.

[0002] The term "vehicle" means any type of vehicle such as a private, utility or heavy goods vehicle.

[0003] Most vehicles are equipped with several display devices including in particular a central screen in the passenger compartment, and a digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, in front of the driver.

[0004] The central screen is generally used by a vehicle infotainment system to display a wide variety of information, which may be navigation instructions, multimedia content, message or call notifications from a vehicle user's smartphone communicating with the infotainment system, etc.

[0005] However, in certain situations, the display of information on the vehicle's central screen to inform the driver may reveal confidential information, or information that the driver does not wish to reveal, to other passengers in the vehicle.

[0006] There is therefore a need to improve the confidentiality associated with the display of information by a vehicle infotainment system.

[0007] The present invention improves the situation.

[0008] To this end, a first aspect of the invention relates to a method for controlling the display of information by an infotainment system of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a first display device opposite a driver's seat of the vehicle, and a second display device in a central position in a dashboard of the vehicle, the method comprising the following steps: - setting up an information display function, the setting up including the definition by a vehicle user of a set of at least one type of information for which all information is to be displayed on the first display device only; - upon receipt of information, determination that the received information is associated with a type of information from the defined set or not; - if the received information is associated with a type of information from the defined set, control of the first display device to display said received information on the first display device only.

[0009] Thus, the vehicle user, particularly the driver, can configure the display of certain types of information so that they are shown only on the digital instrument cluster. Such a display on the digital instrument cluster improves the confidentiality of the displayed information, as it is only accessible to the driver.

[0010] According to embodiments, if the information received is associated with a type of information from the defined set, the method may further include inhibiting the broadcasting of an alert on at least one loudspeaker of the vehicle.

[0011] Thus, the confidentiality associated with the information displayed on the digital handset is improved since other passengers are not informed of the receipt of the information.

[0012] According to embodiments, if the received information is associated with a type of information not belonging to the defined set, the method may include a control of at least the second display device, to display said received information on at least the second display device.

[0013] Thus, information that is not set as confidential by the user can be displayed on the central screen, making it possible for all passengers in the vehicle to view it.

[0014] According to embodiments, if the information received is associated with a type of information not belonging to the defined set, the method may further include a control of at least one loudspeaker of the vehicle to broadcast an alert indicating the receipt of the information.

[0015] Thus, all the passengers of the vehicle can be informed of the receipt of information whose type has not been defined as confidential by the driver when setting up the information display function.

[0016] According to some embodiments, the defined set may include one or more of the following types of information: - a first type corresponding to application data associated with one or more applications of a vehicle user's communication device; - a second type corresponding to call notifications; - a third type corresponding to message notifications; and - a fourth type corresponding to navigation instructions from a navigation module.

[0017] Such types of information may include confidential information of the driver, who can thus choose, when setting the display function, the type or types of information for which any information is to be displayed on the digital instrument cluster only.

[0018] According to embodiments, the method can be implemented by a control device of a vehicle infotainment system, and the information can be received from another module of the vehicle.

[0019] Thus, the invention is applicable to information from a wide variety of vehicle modules.

[0020] A second aspect of the invention relates to a computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to the first aspect of the invention, when these instructions are executed by a processor.

[0021] A third aspect of the invention relates to a control device for a vehicle infotainment system, the control device comprising a first interface capable of communicating with a first display device arranged opposite a driver's seat of the vehicle, and a second interface capable of communicating with a second display device in a central position in a dashboard of the vehicle, the control device further comprising a processor configured to: - configure an information display function, the configuration including the definition by a vehicle user of a set of at least one type of information for which all information is to be displayed on the first display device only; - upon receiving information, determine whether the received information is associated with a type of information from the defined set or not; - if the received information is associated with a type of information from the defined set, control the first display device to display said received information on the first display device only.

[0022] A fourth aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle comprising a first display device arranged opposite a driver's seat of the vehicle, a second display device in a central position in a dashboard, and a control device for an infotainment system according to the third aspect of the invention.

[0023] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from an examination of the detailed description below, and the accompanying drawings in which:

[0024] [Fig-1] illustrates a motor vehicle according to embodiments of the invention;

[0025] [Fig.2] is a diagram illustrating the steps of a process according to modes of realization of the invention;

[0026] [Fig.3] illustrates a structure of a control device for an information system vehicle entertainment, according to embodiments of the invention.

[0027] Fig. 1 illustrates a motor vehicle 100, according to embodiments of the invention.

[0028] A first display device 103 is located behind the steering wheel of the vehicle in front of the driver, called a digital instrument cluster, and is generally used to communicate information relating to the operation of the vehicle and the driving situation.

[0029] A second display device 104 may be centrally located in a dashboard at the front of the vehicle and may be capable of displaying information to the driver and / or all vehicle passengers, including information relating to the driving situation, such as information from the vehicle's infotainment system 102. The second display device 104 may, in particular, display a vehicle menu, providing access to infotainment system functions, for example, for playing multimedia content, for navigation by displaying navigation data and instructions, or for configuring vehicle functions.

[0030] Each of the display devices 103 and 104 can be a screen. There is no restriction attached to the screen technology, which can be an LCD screen, for "Liquid Crystal Display", an OLED screen for "Organic Light-Emitting Diode", or any other screen technology.

[0031] In addition, the second display device 104 can be a touch screen, of capacitive or resistive type for example, thus allowing the user to interact by touch input with the graphical interface displayed on the touch screen 103.

[0032] Alternatively, the vehicle includes a user interface separate from the display device 104, allowing the user to interact with the information displayed on the second display device 104, in particular to browse a menu, select audio or video content, or configure one or more vehicle functions.

[0033] The control device 102 of the infotainment system 101 can, in particular, receive information from at least one other module of the vehicle 100, and control the display of such information on the digital instrument cluster 103 and / or on the central display 104. The at least one other module of the vehicle 100 can include: - a radio communication module 105, capable of communicating with a remote entity, for example with a base station of a cellular communication network via a cellular technology, for example 3G, 4G or 5G, or with infrastructure elements or other vehicles via a V2X type technology, for example. The radio communication module 105 can thus receive information such as notifications and transmit such notifications to the infotainment system 101, which can control their display via the control device 102; - a short-range communication module 106, for example a Bluetooth module, capable of communicating with communication devices located in particular inside the vehicle. The short-range communication module 106 can, in particular, communicate with a driver communication device in the vehicle 100, such as the driver's smartphone. The driver communication device can, in particular, transmit call or message notifications, or notifications from applications installed and running on the driver communication device, which can be transmitted to the infotainment system 101, which can control their display, via the control device 102; - a navigation module 107 capable of implementing a navigation function, from a current position of the vehicle, a destination indicated by the user, and map data which can be stored from a memory of the vehicle and / or from the radio communication module 105. The navigation information from the navigation module, which may include map information, alerts, direction information, in particular, and can be obtained by the infotainment system 101 which can control their display via the control device 102.

[0034] The vehicle 100 may further include at least one loudspeaker 108, and preferably a plurality of loudspeakers. The control device 102 of the infotainment system 101 may control at least one loudspeaker 108, for the broadcasting of sounds, audio content and / or audible alerts in particular.

[0035] Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the steps of a method for controlling the display of information in vehicle 100, according to embodiments of the invention.

[0036] The method according to the invention described below can be implemented by the control device 102 of the infotainment system 101 described above.

[0037] At a step 200, the control device 102 sets up an information display control function based on user input, for example, based on user touch input on the central screen 104. When setting up the information display control function, the user can define at least one type of information for which all information is to be displayed only on the digital handset 103. In particular, the user can define a set, or list, comprising at least one type of information for which all information is to be displayed only on the digital handset 103.

[0038] No restrictions are attached to at least one type of information in the defined set, which can be selected by the user from one or more of the following types, during step 200: - a first type corresponding to application data corresponding to one or more of the applications installed and executed on the driver's communication device with which the short-range communication module 106 communicates; - a second type corresponding to call notifications, received from the short-range communication module 106 or the radio communication module 105; - a third type corresponding to message notifications, received from the short-range communication module 106 or the radio communication module 105; - a fourth type corresponding to navigation instructions from navigation module 107.

[0039] Step 200 is thus a parameterization step for the information display control function according to the invention, the function being set during steps 201 to 206 described below. Step 200 can be repeated each time the user seeks to modify the function's parameters, for example, to remove a type of information from the set, or to add a new type of information to the set.

[0040] By way of example, it is assumed in the remainder of this description that the driver has configured the function in step 200 so that the set includes both the second and third types. The driver thus wishes that call and message notifications are not displayed on the central screen 104, but only on the digital handset 103.

[0041] At a step 201, the control device 102 receives information to be displayed from another module of the vehicle 100. For example, the information to be displayed may be: - an application notification received from the driver's communication device, associated with an application installed and running on the driver's communication device, via the short-range communication module 106; - a call notification, received from the short-range communication module 106 or from the radio communication module 105; - a message notification, received from the short-range communication module 106 or the radio communication module 105; - an instruction from navigation module 107; or - any other information to be displayed from another module of vehicle 100.

[0042] At a step 202, the control device 102 determines whether the information to be displayed received at step 201 corresponds to a type of information belonging to the set defined at step 200.

[0043] If this is the case, that is, if the control device 102 determines that the information to be displayed received in step 201 corresponds to a type of the set defined in step 200, the process proceeds to step 203 and optionally to step 204.

[0044] In step 203, the control device 102 controls the digital handset 103 to display the information received in step 201, without displaying the information on the central screen 104. For example, when the information is a message notification, and given that the set defined by the user in step 201 includes the third type corresponding to message notifications, the message notification is displayed on the digital handset 103 only.

[0045] In addition, according to some embodiments, the control device 102 can inhibit an audible alert indicating the receipt of information, at a step 204, i.e. the control device 102 determines that no audible alert is to be sent to at least one loudspeaker 108.

[0046] In the event that the control device 102 determines in step 202 that the information received in step 201 does not correspond to any type of the set defined in step 200, the process proceeds to a step 205, and to an optional step 206.

[0047] In step 205, the control device 102 controls the central display 104 to display the information received in step 201. In some embodiments, step 205 includes displaying the information received in step 201 both on the central display 104 and on the digital handset 103. This is because such information does not belong to a type for which the user has configured a display only on the digital handset 103. This is the case, in particular, in the example described above, when the information received in step 201 is a navigation instruction, associated with the fourth type, which is not part of the set defined in step 200.

[0048] In an optional step 206, the control device 102 can further control at least one loudspeaker to broadcast an alert indicating the receipt of information. The alert may, in particular, depend on the type of information to which the received information is associated.

[0049] Fig. 3 shows the structure of a control device 102 of a vehicle infotainment system 101 100 according to embodiments of the invention.

[0050] The control device 102 includes a processor 301 configured to communicate unidirectionally or bidirectionally, via one or more buses or via a direct wired connection, with a memory 302 such as a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read Only Memory (ROM), or any other type of memory (Flash, EEPROM, etc.). Alternatively, the memory 302 comprises several memories of the aforementioned types.

[0051] The memory 302 is capable of storing, permanently or temporarily, at least some of the data used and / or resulting from the implementation of the process described with reference to [Fig.2].

[0052] In particular, the memory 302 can store the parameter data of step 200, including the set of at least one type of information for which any information is to be displayed on the digital handset 103 only.

[0053] The processor 301 is capable of executing instructions, stored in memory 302, for the implementation of the steps of the process according to the invention, described with reference to [Fig. 2]. Alternatively, the processor 301 can be replaced by a microcontroller designed and configured to perform the steps of the process according to the invention, described with reference to [Fig. 2].

[0054] The control device 102 may include a first interface 303 capable of communicating with the digital handset 103, in particular during step 203 described above.

[0055] The control device 102 may include a second interface 304 capable of communicating with the central screen 104, particularly during step 205 described above. Furthermore, when the central screen 104 is touch-sensitive, the third interface may receive the parameter data from step 201, depending on the user's touch input on the central screen 104.

[0056] The control device 102 includes a third interface 305 capable of receiving information from at least one other module of the vehicle 100 during step 201 described previously. For example, the third interface 305 may be a CAN interface.

[0057] The control device 103 may include a fourth interface 305 capable of communicating with at least one loudspeaker 108, particularly during step 206 described above.

[0058] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above by way of example; it extends to other variants.

Claims

Demands

1. Method for controlling the display of information by an infotainment system (101) of a vehicle (100), the vehicle comprising a first display device (103) opposite a driver's seat of the vehicle, and a second display device (104) in a central position in a dashboard of the vehicle, the method comprising the following steps: - setting up (200) an information display function, the setting up comprising the definition by a vehicle user of a set of at least one type of information for which any information is to be displayed on the first display device only; - upon receipt (201) of information, determining (202) whether the received information is associated with a type of information from the set defined or not;- if the received information is associated with a type of information from the defined set, control (203) of the first display device to display said received information on the first display device only.;

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein, if the information received is associated with a type of information from the defined set, the method further comprises an inhibition (204) of an alert broadcast on at least one loudspeaker (108) of the vehicle.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, if the received information is associated with a type of information not belonging to the defined set, the method includes a control (205) of at least the second display device (104), to display said received information on at least the second display device.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, if the received information is associated with a type of information not belonging to the defined set, the method further comprises a control (206) of at least one loudspeaker (108) of the vehicle to broadcast an alert indicating the receipt of the information.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the defined set comprises one or more of the following types of information: - a first type corresponding to application data associated with one or more applications of a vehicle user's communication device; - a second type corresponding to call notifications; - a third type corresponding to message notifications; and - a fourth type corresponding to navigation instructions from a navigation module (107).

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method is implemented by a control device (102) of the vehicle's infotainment system (101), and wherein the information is received from another module (105; 106; 107) of the vehicle.

7. 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 (301).

8. Control device (102) of an infotainment system (101) of a vehicle (100), the control device comprising a first interface (303) capable of communicating with a first display device arranged opposite a driver's seat of the vehicle, and a second interface (304) capable of communicating with a second display device in a central position in a dashboard of the vehicle, the control device further comprising a processor configured to: - set up an information display function, the setting up comprising the definition by a vehicle user of a set of at least one type of information for which any information is to be displayed on the first display device only; - upon receipt of information by a third interface (305), determine whether the received information is associated with a type of information from the set defined or not;- if the received information is associated with a type of information from the defined set, control the first display device to display said received information only on the first display device.

9. A vehicle comprising a first display device arranged opposite a driver's seat of the vehicle, a second display device in a central position in a dashboard, and a infotainment system control device according to claim 8.

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