In-Vehicle Display Control Using Gaze-Based Information Consolidation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing information display systems for vehicles require drivers to constantly switch attention between multiple displays, leading to driver annoyance and potential distraction, as they need to follow guidance to look at different information items displayed on separate screens.
Innovation Solution
A display control device and method that adjusts the display position of information items on multiple in-vehicle displays based on the driver's gaze direction, allowing critical information to be displayed together on a single screen, reducing the need for frequent gaze shifts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple displays are used to show different information items, then information visibility is improved, but driver attention switching increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple information items onto a single display when the driver's gaze is detected to be away from the displays. This combining approach ensures that all critical information remains visible while reducing the number of gaze shifts required, thus resolving the contradiction between information visibility and driver attention switching.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the display configuration based on real-time gaze detection. When the driver is looking at the displays, information is shown on separate displays for optimal visibility. When the driver's gaze is away, information is consolidated on fewer displays to reduce attention switching. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by optimizing both information visibility and driver attention based on current driving conditions.
2Ease of operation
If guidance processing is implemented to guide driver's gaze, then information access is improved, but driver annoyance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by consolidating information on a single display before the driver needs to access it, based on predictive gaze detection. This prevents the need for guidance processing altogether in many cases, as the information is already positioned where the driver is likely to look, thus improving information access while minimizing driver annoyance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the potential harm of driver inattention (which would require annoying guidance processing) into a benefit by proactively consolidating information on displays that are more likely to be in the driver's natural field of view. This transforms the problem of driver gaze management into an opportunity to optimize information placement without requiring active guidance.
3Loss of information
If information is displayed on separate displays, then information organization is improved, but driver distraction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between two display organization modes: separate displays when the driver is attending to the information, and consolidated display when the driver is distracted or looking away. This dynamic reconfiguration maintains optimal information organization while minimizing driver distraction based on real-time gaze detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the display parameter (number of active displays and their configuration) based on the driver's gaze state. When gaze is detected on the displays, multiple displays are activated for organized information presentation. When gaze is away, the system changes to a consolidated single-display mode, reducing the visual search area and minimizing driver distraction while preserving information organization through strategic content selection.
Data Source
AI summary
The display control device includes a controller that controls a first display and a second display to control displaying of first information and second information. The controller obtains gaze information indicating a driver's gaze, and the driver's gaze indicated by the gaze information is directed at neither the first display nor the second display. In the situation, if a second event further occurs while the first display is displaying the first information because of the occurrence of a first event, the controller changes the display position of the second information to display the second information on the first display. In the situation, if the first event further occurs while the second display is displaying the second information because of the occurrence of the second event, the controller changes the display position of the first information to display the first information on the second display.