Systems and methods for control of vehicle functions via driver and passenger HUDs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10562539-B2
Application number	US-201816031987-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2018
Priority date	Jul 10, 2018
Publication date	Feb 18, 2020
Grant date	Feb 18, 2020

Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for transferring control of one or more vehicle functions from a driver HUD to a passenger HUD. An example vehicle includes a driver HUD, a passenger HUD, and a processor. The processor is configured for enabling control of one or more vehicle functions via the driver HUD responsive to determining that the vehicle speed is below a threshold. The processor is also configured for transitioning control of the one or more vehicle functions from the driver HUD to the passenger HUD responsive to determining that the vehicle speed has increased above the threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a driver HUD;
a passenger HUD; and
a processor configured for:
enabling control of one or more vehicle functions via the driver HUD responsive to determining that the vehicle speed is below a threshold, wherein the one or more vehicle functions comprise managing communication received by a remote device communicatively coupled to the vehicle;
transitioning control of the one or more vehicle functions from the driver HUD to the passenger HUD responsive to determining that the vehicle speed has increased above the threshold;
displaying an alert via the driver HUD indicating a communication has been received by the remote device;
determining that a gesture has been detected corresponding to a driver of the vehicle;
responsively displaying the communication on the passenger HUD; and
receiving input via the passenger HUD corresponding to a response to the communication.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein transitioning control of the one or more vehicle functions comprises:
disabling control of the one or more vehicle functions via the driver HUD; and
enabling control of the one or more vehicle functions via the passenger HUD.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured for disabling control of the one or more vehicle functions via the passenger HUD responsive to determining that the vehicle speed is below the threshold.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more vehicle functions comprise vehicle route determination.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured for:
receiving vehicle route information via the passenger HUD while the vehicle speed is above the threshold; and
displaying, via the driver HUD, a vehicle route determined based on the received vehicle route information.

6. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured for:
receiving vehicle route information from a computing device external to the vehicle while the vehicle speed is above the threshold; and
displaying, via the driver HUD, a vehicle route determined based on the received vehicle route information.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more vehicle functions comprise managing one or more wireless short-range communication connections between the vehicle and one or more remote computing devices.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a rear seat entertainment system, wherein the one or more vehicle functions comprise managing the rear seat entertainment system.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising one or more cameras, wherein the one or more vehicle functions comprises controlling a display of images captured by the one or more cameras.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured for:
displaying the images captured by the one or more cameras via the passenger HUD;
receiving input via the passenger HUD corresponding to the images; and
displaying the images via the driver HUD.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured for:
receiving, via the driver HUD, an input indicating control should not be transferred to the passenger HUD; and
responsively preventing a transition of control of the one or more vehicle functions from the driver HUD to the passenger HUD.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured for:
determining, while the vehicle speed is above the threshold, that an input to the passenger HUD was provided by a driver of the vehicle; and
responsively ignoring the input.

13. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a passenger seat occupancy sensor, wherein the processor is further configured for:
determining, via the passenger seat occupancy sensor, that a passenger is present; and
transitioning control of the one or more vehicle functions from the driver HUD to the passenger HUD responsive to determining that (i) the vehicle speed has increased above the threshold and (ii) that the passenger is present.

14. A method comprising:
enabling control of one or more vehicle functions via a driver HUD responsive to determining that a vehicle speed is below a threshold wherein the one or more vehicle functions comprise managing communication received by a remote device communicatively coupled to the vehicle;
transitioning control of the one or more vehicle functions from the driver HUD to a passenger HUD responsive to determining that the vehicle speed has increased above the threshold;
displaying an alert via the driver HUD indicating a communication has been received by the remote device;
determining that a gesture has been detected corresponding to a driver of the vehicle;
responsively displaying the communication on the passenger HUD; and
receiving input via the passenger HUD corresponding to a response to the communication.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein transitioning control of the one or more vehicle functions comprises:
disabling control of the one or more vehicle functions via the driver HUD; and
enabling control of the one or more vehicle functions via the passenger HUD.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more vehicle functions comprise vehicle route determination, the method further comprising:
receiving vehicle route information via the passenger HUD while the vehicle speed is above the threshold; and
displaying, via the driver HUD, a vehicle route determined based on the received vehicle route information.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more vehicle functions comprise managing one or more wireless short-range communication connections between the vehicle and one or more remote computing devices.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more vehicle functions comprise managing a rear seat entertainment system.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Chatten Alyssa
• Elangovan Vivekanandh
• Van Wiemeersch John Robert
• Hassani Ali
• Hazebrouck Laura Viviana
• Hermann Thomas Joseph
• Lavoie Erick Michael

Classifications

• G02B27/01

  Head-up displays · CPC title

• B60W2520/10

  Longitudinal speed · CPC title

• B60W50/12 Primary

  Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation · CPC title

• B60W2050/146

  Display means · CPC title

• G01C21/365

  Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself · CPC title