Method for a driver assistance system of a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10146357-B2
Application number	US-201415026653-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2014
Priority date	Oct 1, 2013
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A method for a driver assistance system of a vehicle. The driver assistance system can control the vehicle at least partially automatic by an autopilot function. In the method, an activation state of the autopilot function is determined and a display device of the driver assistance system is activated depending on the activation state of the autopilot function.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for a driver assistance system of a vehicle, wherein the driver assistance system controls the vehicle at least partially automatically by an autopilot function, the method comprising:
activating the autopilot function in response to actuation of an activation mechanism remote from a display device of the driver assistance system;
determining an activation state of the autopilot function; and
activating the display device of the driver assistance system based on the activation state of the autopilot function.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein of the activation state of the autopilot function comprises determining whether the autopilot function of the driver assistance system s activated or is deactivated, when n response to activation of the autopilot function, the vehicle s controlled automatically by the driver assistance system, wherein the display device of the driver assistance system is activated n response to activation of the autopilot function, and wherein the display device is deactivated n response to deactivation of the autopilot function.

3. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising: outputting items of information of the autopilot function on the display device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the outputting of items of information of the autopilot function on the display device comprises:
outputting on the display device a remaining duration of a trip that is being automatically controlled by the autopilot function, and/or
outputting a future driving maneuver which has been determined by the autopilot function for the automatically controlled trip, and/or
outputting an item of ambient information which has been sensed by the autopilot function as information that is relevant to the automatically controlled trip.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display device comprises:
a display area which is arranged centrally in the lateral direction of the vehicle in a dashboard of the vehicle, and/or
a display area which is arranged adjacently underneath a display area of a multimedia, configuration or navigation system of the vehicle, and/or
a display area which is arranged adjacently above a display area of a multimedia, configuration or navigation system of the vehicle, and/or
a separate portion of a display area in an instrument cluster of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the driver assistance system has a further display device, the method further comprising:
outputting items of information of the driver assistance system on the further display device in response to deactivation of the autopilot function.

7. The method of claim 6 , the method further comprising:
mechanically adjusting the further display device from a first position into a second position in response to activation of the autopilot function, the further display device in the second position is arranged in the vehicle so that the further display device cannot be read from seat positions in the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display device comprises an input device which can be actuated by an occupant of the vehicle, the method further comprising:
sensing an item of configuration information by the input device for a configuration of the autopilot function.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the configuration information comprises:
a route selection, an autopilot portion of the route being shown on the display device for each selectable route of the route selection, the driver assistance system is capable of automatically controlling the vehicle in the autopilot portion of the route, and/or
an autopilot driving mode selection, with which an optimization criterion for the autopilot function can be set.

10. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, wherein the driver assistance system is capable of controlling the vehicle at least partially automatically by an autopilot function, wherein the driver assistance system comprises:
a display device;
an activation mechanism, remote from the display device, and configured to activate the autopilot function in response to selection of the activation mechanism by a driver of the vehicle; and
a processing device, wherein the processing device determines an activation state of the autopilot function and activates the display device based on the activation state of the autopilot function.

11. The driver assistance system of claim 10 , wherein the driver assistance system has a further display device, wherein the control device outputs items of information of the driver assistance system on the further display device in response to deactivation of the autopilot function.

12. The driver assistance system of claim 11 , wherein the outputting of items of information of the autopilot function on the display device comprises:
output on the display device a remaining duration of a trip that is being automatically controlled by the autopilot function, and/or
output a future driving maneuver which has been determined by the autopilot function for the automatically controlled trip, and/or
output an item of ambient information which has been sensed by the autopilot function as information that is relevant to the automatically controlled trip.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the display device comprises a display area which is arranged centrally in the lateral direction of the vehicle in a dashboard of the vehicle, and/or a display area which is arranged adjacently underneath a display area of a multimedia, configuration or navigation system of the vehicle, and/or a display area which is arranged adjacently above a display area of a multimedia, configuration or navigation system of the vehicle, and/or a separate portion of a display area in an instrument cluster of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the driver assistance system has a further display device on which items of information of the driver assistance system are output in response to deactivation of the autopilot function.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the further display device is mechanically adjustable from a first position into a second position in response to activation of the autopilot function, the further display device in the second position being arranged in the vehicle so that the further display device cannot be read from seat positions in the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the display device comprises an input device which can be actuated by an occupant of the vehicle, wherein the input device senses an item of configuration information for a configuration of the autopilot function.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the configuration information comprises:
a route selection, an autopilot portion of the route being shown on the display device for each selectable route of the route selection, the driver assistance system is capable of automatically controlling the vehicle in the autopilot portion of the route, and/or an autopilot driving mode selection, with which an optimization criterion for the autopilot function can be set.

18. A method for a driver assistance system of a vehicle, wherein the driver assistance system controls the vehicle at least partially automatically by an autopilot function, the method comprising:
activating the autopilot function in response to actuation of an activation mechanism remote from a display device of the driver assistance system;
determining an activation state of the autopilot function; and
activating the display device of the driver assistance system based on the activation state of the au

Assignees

• Volkswagen Ag
• Colkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Bendewald Lennart
• Hackenberg Linn

Classifications

• G01C21/3688

  Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens · CPC title

• G01C21/3453

  Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments · CPC title

• B62D1/28

  non-mechanical {, e.g. following a line or other known markers} · CPC title

• B60R2300/80

  characterised by the intended use of the viewing arrangement · CPC title

• G06F3/0416 Primary

  Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers · CPC title