Vehicle Display Transitioning Image Objects Across Spatial Depth Planes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current vehicle display systems, both inside and outside the vehicle, do not effectively communicate the relationships between displayed content, leading to visual distraction and reduced driver attention due to the need to look away from the road to read information, especially when using head-down displays.

Innovation Solution

A method that allows image objects to transition between in-vehicle and external displays, utilizing spatial depth levels to create a seamless representation, with the control unit managing the transition to maintain driver focus by shifting the image object's depth level in the direction of the transition, often from a 3D instrument cluster to a head-up display.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If information is displayed on head-down displays (instrument cluster), then the driver can access detailed information, but the driver must look away from the road causing visual distraction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation accessibilityVSAvoidvisual distraction
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a vertical depth dimension to the display system by implementing multiple spatial depth levels (first depth level for road-aligned information, second depth level for additional information). This allows information to be layered in 3D space rather than requiring horizontal eye movement, enabling the driver to access detailed information while maintaining focus on the road through depth-based information organization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple displays are used inside and outside the vehicle, then information can be distributed across different locations, but the relationship between displayed content becomes difficult to understand

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay distributionVSAvoidspatial relationship understanding
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple displays (instrument cluster, head-up display, external display) into a unified spatial coordinate system with common depth levels. Image objects maintain consistent spatial positions across all displays, creating a seamless distributed display experience where the relationship between content on different displays is intuitively understood through shared 3D positioning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

By introducing explicit spatial depth levels as a organizing dimension, the patent provides a intuitive framework for understanding content relationships across multiple displays. Information at the same depth level is perceived as related, while different depth levels indicate hierarchical or contextual relationships, making the distributed display system easier to comprehend.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of manufacture

If image objects are displayed at different depth levels, then spatial relationships can be represented, but the transition between displays requires eye accommodation and vergence adjustments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespatial representation capabilityVSAvoideye adjustment time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates equipotential spatial depth levels that are consistent across all displays (first depth level aligned with road, second depth level for additional information). This allows image objects to transition between displays without requiring the driver's eyes to readjust focus or convergence, as the depth levels represent equivalent spatial planes that the visual system can maintain simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #12Equipotentiality

Data Source

PatentEP3296795B1Method for displaying an image object in a vehicle on a display seen inside and outside the vehicle
Publication Date: 2021.01.27 VOLKSWAGEN AG
  • EP3296795B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3296795B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP3296795B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

When displaying (1, 3) an image object (8) in a vehicle on a display perceived both internally and externally, a transition (2) of the image object (8) occurs between the display perceived internally and the display perceived externally, whereby a display of the image object (8) in several spatial depth planes, which appear to be at different distances from the driver, is possible, and the spatial depth plane in which the image object (8) is displayed is shifted in the direction of the transition during the transition. According to one embodiment of the invention, the display perceived externally is provided by means of a head-up display, and the display perceived internally is on the vehicle's instrument cluster.