Driver Display Content Layout Around Steering Wheel Blind Zones

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Solution Overview

Problem

The placement of digital displays in vehicles often obstructs drivers' views due to the steering wheel, leading to reduced visibility and comfort, as the anthropometric spread among humans results in some drivers having difficulty seeing all content in the display.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that uses driver's eye position and steering wheel position data to determine non-visible regions of the display and rearranges content outside these obscured areas, utilizing interior camera, radar, and monitoring systems for precise positioning, ensuring relevant information remains visible.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the display is placed behind the steering wheel to adapt to vehicle interior design, then the display can be integrated into the dashboard layout, but the steering wheel obscures certain portions of the display reducing driver visibility

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay integration into dashboardVSAvoiddriver visibility of display content
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically determines the non-visible region of the display based on real-time steering wheel position data and driver's eye position data, and triggers rearrangement of content outside the non-visible region. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by allowing the display to remain in its fixed dashboard position while the visible content area adjusts based on the steering wheel's position, ensuring information remains accessible without requiring display relocation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the display contains driver information such as speed, telltales, and maps, then the driver receives necessary driving information, but the driver must make an effort to see this information due to steering wheel obstruction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriver information deliveryVSAvoiddriver viewing comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically performs content rearrangement based on detected steering wheel position and driver eye position, eliminating the need for manual driver adjustment. The display system serves itself by autonomously optimizing content visibility, resolving the contradiction between providing comprehensive driver information and maintaining viewing comfort without driver effort.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If the driver's eye position and steering wheel position are considered to determine non-visible regions, then a specific configuration of the display with respect to the steering wheel position is provided, but the system complexity increases due to multiple sensors and data processing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay configuration adaptationVSAvoidsensor and data processing system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses a multi-functional approach where the same sensor system (cameras, radar, or monitoring systems) serves multiple purposes: detecting driver eye position, tracking steering wheel position, and providing input for content rearrangement decisions. This universal use of sensors reduces overall system complexity while maintaining high adaptability of the display configuration to different driving conditions and driver positions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4378737A1Computer-implemented method and system for arranging a content in a display for a driver of a vehicle, data processing apparatus, vehicle, computer program and computer-readable storage medium
Publication Date: 2024.06.05 VOLVO CAR CORP
  • EP4378737A1 patent drawingFigure 1A~2b
  • EP4378737A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4378737A1 patent drawingFigure 5a~5c

AI summary

The disclosure relates to a computer-implemented method for arranging a content (52) in a display (11) for a driver of a vehicle. According to the method, driver's eye position data indicating a position of at least one eye of the driver are received and steering wheel position data indicating a position of a steering wheel (12) are received. Subsequently, a non-visible region of the display (11) being obscured by the steering wheel (12) based on the steering wheel position data and the driver's eye position data is determined and an arrangement of the content (52) outside the non-visible region is triggered. Moreover, a data processing apparatus comprising means for carrying out this method is presented. Furthermore, a system for arranging a content in a display (11) for a driver of a vehicle is shown which comprises such a data processing apparatus. Additionally, a vehicle comprising such a system is described. Also, a computer program and a computer-readable storage medium are shown.