Method for calculating an augmented reality overlay for displaying a navigation route on an AR display unit, device for carrying out the method, motor vehicle and computer program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11629972-B2
Application number	US-201915734093-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2019
Priority date	Jun 1, 2018
Publication date	Apr 18, 2023
Grant date	Apr 18, 2023

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for calculating an AR overlay of additional information for display on an AR display unit, in particular a head-up display of a vehicle or smart glasses. The AR overlay is used to display a navigation route on the AR display unit. The navigation route is recalculated from time to time by a navigation system. The method is characterized in that the AR overlay is calculated in such a way that the recalculated route is displayed at least at a certain first distance before a branch-off point, and the driver is given an operating option of switching back and forth between the overview of the recalculated route and the previously calculated route.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for displaying an augmented reality (AR) overlay of navigation routes of a vehicle on an AR display unit in an immediate field of vision of a driver, wherein a navigation route to a destination is determined by a navigation system, comprising:
recurrently determining a current position of the vehicle;
determining, using the current position, whether at least one alternate route to the destination exists;
generating the AR overlay such that an indication of the at least one alternate route is overlaid on the AR display unit at least at a predefined first distance before a branch-off point;
generating the AR overlay with an operating option for the driver of the vehicle to selectively overlay an alternate route overview of the at least one alternate route on the AR display unit, and to selectively allow the driver to switch back and forth between the alternate route overview of the at least one alternate route and at least one previous route overview of a previously determined navigation route;
wherein the AR overlay is generated so that the alternate route overview and the previous route overview displayed on the AR display comprise the entire respective route at least from the current position to the destination.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising generating the AR overlay before the at least one alternate route is overlaid and providing the driver a visual indication of the at least one alternate route with a displayed instruction as to how the driver can have the route overview for the recalculated route overlaid on the AR display unit.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the AR overlay for the route overview is calculated such that it is zoomable, wherein a zooming operation can be carried out by operating a steering wheel.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein, prior to the route overview being overlaid, a driving situation is assessed and the route overview is only overlaid if the result of the driving situation assessment is that the driving situation does not require increased attention from the driver.

5. The method of claim 2 , comprising generating the AR overlay at a certain second distance before the branch-off point and displaying the at least one alternate route next to the previously determined navigation route, wherein a navigation path for one of the two routes extends to the branch-off point and the other navigation path continues past the branch-off point.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the AR overlay for the route overview is calculated such that it is zoomable, wherein a zooming operation can be carried out by operating a steering wheel.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein, prior to the route overview being overlaid, a driving situation is assessed and the route overview is only overlaid if the result of the driving situation assessment is that the driving situation does not require increased attention from the driver.

8. The method of claim 6 , comprising generating the AR overlay at a certain second distance before the branch-off point and displaying the at least one alternate route next to the previously determined navigation route, wherein a navigation path for one of the two routes extends to the branch-off point and the other navigation path continues past the branch-off point.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein, prior to the route overview being overlaid, a driving situation is assessed and the route overview is only overlaid if a result of a driving situation assessment is that the driving situation does not require increased attention from the driver.

10. The method of claim 9 , comprising generating the AR overlay at a certain second distance before the branch-off point and displaying the at least one alternate route next to the previously determined navigation route, wherein a navigation path for one of the two routes extends to the branch-off point and the other navigation path continues past the branch-off point.

11. The method of claim 1 , comprising generating the AR overlay at a certain second distance before the branch-off point and displaying the at least one alternate route next to the previously determined navigation route, wherein a navigation path for one of the two routes extends to the branch-off point and the other navigation path continues past the branch-off point.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising hiding a route not followed by the vehicle after identifying, by the navigation system, which route the vehicle is following.

13. The method of claim 12 , comprising evaluating an activation of a turn signal of the vehicle or a corresponding user input via an operating unit or a spoken command evaluated by the navigation system in order to identify which route the vehicle is following.

14. The method of claim 1 , comprising generating the AR overlay for displaying the at least one alternate route with a different color compared to the AR overlay of the previously determined navigation route.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein a route that would take the most time is displayed in a red or orange color, whereas a route that is more attractive in terms of time is displayed in a blue or green color.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including contents that, when executed on a computer, cause the method for calculating the AR overlay for displaying the navigation route on the AR display unit of claim 1 to be executed.

17. A device for displaying an augmented reality (AR) overlay of navigation routes of a vehicle in an immediate field of vision of a driver, comprising:
an AR display unit;
a navigation system for determining a navigation route to a destination; and
a computer for generating the AR overlay; wherein
the navigation system is configured designed to:
recurrently determine a current position of the vehicle;
determine, using the current position, whether at least one alternate route to the destination exists; wherein
the computer is configured to:
generate the AR overlay such that an indication of the at least one alternate route is overlaid on the AR display unit at least at a predefined first distance before a branch-off point; and to
generate the AR overlay with an operating option for the driver of the vehicle to selectively overlay an alternate route overview of the at least one alternate route on the AR display unit, and to selectively allow the driver to switch back and forth between the alternate route overview of the at least one alternate route and at least one previous route overview of a previously determined navigation route; wherein

the AR overlay is generated by the computer so that the alternate route overview and the previous route overview displayed on the AR display comprise the entire respective route at least from the current position to the destination.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the display unit is a head-up display HUD or smart glasses that can be worn.

19. A motor vehicle, wherein the motor vehicle comprises the device of claim 17 .

Assignees

• Volkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Kassner Astrid
• Henning Matthias
• Schmidt Norwin

Classifications

• G01C21/3664

  Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures · CPC title

• G02B27/01

  Head-up displays · CPC title

• G01C21/365 Primary

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

• G01C21/367

  Details, e.g. road map scale, orientation, zooming, illumination, level of detail, scrolling of road map or positioning of current position marker · CPC title

• G02B2027/0141

  characterised by the informative content of the display · CPC title