Evaluation of a simulated vehicle functionality feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11113435-B2
Application number	US-201916672695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2019
Priority date	Dec 7, 2018
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A method performed by a vehicle feature evaluation system (1) for enabling evaluation of a simulated vehicle functionality feature. The vehicle feature evaluation system determines (1001) in relation to a road-driven vehicle (2), with support from a tracking system (5), an orientation of a head-mounted display (4), HMD, adapted to be worn by an occupant (3) on-board the road-driven vehicle. The vehicle feature evaluation system further determines (1002) a simulated vehicle functionality feature to be evaluated in the road-driven vehicle. Moreover, the vehicle feature evaluation system provides (1004) in real-time to a HMD display (42) of the HMD, taking into consideration the HMD orientation, a virtual representation (7) of the simulated vehicle functionality feature superimposed on a real-time real-world video stream (6) derived from real-world image data captured with support from one or more forward-facing cameras (41) provided on the HMD in eye-position of the occupant.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method performed by a vehicle feature evaluation system for enabling evaluation of a simulated vehicle functionality feature, the method comprising:
determining in relation to a road-driven vehicle, with support from a tracking system, an orientation of a head-mounted display, HMD, adapted to be worn by an occupant on-board the road-driven vehicle;
determining a simulated vehicle functionality feature to be evaluated in the road-driven vehicle;
providing in real-time to a HMD display of the HMD, taking into consideration the HMD orientation, a virtual representation of the simulated vehicle functionality feature superimposed on a real-time real-world video stream derived from real-world image data captured with support from one or more forward-facing cameras provided on the HMD in eye-position of the occupant; and
updating the virtual representation based on a vehicle signal affecting the simulated vehicle functionality feature, derived from the road-driven vehicle, wherein the simulated vehicle functionality feature comprises a simulated effect resulting from a simulation of the simulated vehicle functionality feature.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the simulated vehicle functionality feature comprises:
a simulated vehicle human machine interface, HMI;
a simulated vehicle display;
a simulated vehicle head-up display, HUD;
a simulated interior vehicle section; and/or
simulated light characteristics.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a fictive location of the simulated vehicle functionality feature relative the road-driven vehicle;
wherein the providing taking into consideration the HMD orientation comprises providing the virtual representation superimposed on the real-time real-world video stream such that positioning of the virtual representation corresponds to the fictive location.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
updating the virtual representation based on a user interaction with the simulated vehicle functionality feature.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the user interaction is based on detection, by means of one or more user interaction sensors, of a user in and/or at a fictive location.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
updating the real-time video stream and/or the superimposed virtual representation based on updated captured image data and/or based on updated determined HMD orientation.

7. A vehicle feature evaluation system for enabling evaluation of a simulated vehicle functionality feature, the vehicle feature evaluation system comprising:
a memory storing instructions executed by a processor for providing:
a HMD orientation determining unit for determining in relation to a road-driven vehicle, with support from a tracking system, an orientation of a head-mounted display, HMD, adapted to be worn by an occupant on-board the road-driven vehicle;
a feature determining unit for determining a simulated vehicle functionality feature to be evaluated in the road-driven vehicle;
a HMD providing unit for providing in real-time to a HMD display of the HMD, taking into consideration the HMD orientation, a virtual representation of the simulated vehicle functionality feature superimposed on a real-time real-world video stream derived from real-world image data captured with support from one or more forward-facing cameras provided on the HMD in eye-position of the occupant;
a vehicle signal updating unit for updating the virtual representation based on a vehicle signal affecting the simulated vehicle functionality feature, derived from the road-driven vehicle, wherein the simulated vehicle functionality feature comprises a simulated effect resulting from a simulation of the simulated vehicle functionality feature.

8. The vehicle feature evaluation system according to claim 7 , wherein the simulated vehicle functionality feature comprises:
a simulated vehicle human machine interface, HMI;
a simulated vehicle display;
a simulated vehicle head-up display, HUD;
a simulated interior vehicle section; and/or
simulated light characteristics.

9. The vehicle feature evaluation system according to claim 7 , further comprising:
the memory storing instructions executed by the processor for providing:
a location determining unit for determining a fictive location of the simulated vehicle functionality feature relative the road-driven vehicle;
wherein the HMD providing unit further is adapted for providing the virtual representation superimposed on the real-time real-world video stream such that positioning of the virtual representation corresponds to the fictive location.

10. The vehicle feature evaluation system according to claim 7 , further comprising:
the memory storing instructions executed by the processor for providing:
a user interaction updating unit for updating the virtual representation based on a user interaction with the simulated vehicle functionality feature.

11. The vehicle feature evaluation system according to claim 10 , wherein the user interaction is based on detection, by means of one or more user interaction sensors, of a user in and/or at the fictive location.

12. The vehicle feature evaluation system according to claim 7 , further comprising:
the memory storing instructions executed by the processor for providing:
a continuous updating unit for updating the real-time video stream and/or the superimposed virtual representation based on updated captured image data and/or based on updated determined HMD orientation.

13. A vehicle comprising a vehicle feature evaluation system according to claim 7 .

Assignees

• Volvo Car Corp

Inventors

• Wickman Casper
• Wikenmalm Mattias
• Ghiurau Timotei
• Seneger Jon

Classifications

• B60K35/23

  Head-up displays [HUD] (optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01) · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title

• G06Q10/06393 Primary

  Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis · CPC title

• G06T19/006

  Mixed reality (object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00) · CPC title