Display control apparatus and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019377534-A1
Application number	US-201916550753-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 26, 2019
Priority date	Feb 23, 2015
Publication date	Dec 12, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a display control apparatus (1) for dynamically controlling the display of information in a vehicle (3). The display control apparatus (1) comprises a controller (12) having at least one electronic processor (13). The at least one electronic processor (13) is configured to control first and second displays (4, 5). In dependence on a determined gaze direction of the vehicle driver, the at least one electronic processor (13) controls a switching module (16) to cause a first information data set (INF1) displayed on said first display (4) to be displayed on said second display (5). The present disclosure also relates to a method of controlling the display of information in a vehicle (3).

First claim

1 . A display control apparatus for controlling the display of information in a vehicle, the display control apparatus comprising a controller having at least one electronic processor configured to control first and second displays;
wherein the at least one electronic processor is configured to control a switching module to cause a first information data set displayed on said first display to be displayed on said second display in dependence on identifying that a determined gaze direction of the vehicle driver is directed at the first display; and, wherein the at least one electronic processor is configured to control the switching module in dependence on a criticality level defined for said first information data set.

2 . A display control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is configured to control the switching module to display the first information data set on said second display when the determined gaze direction is directed at the first display for a predetermined period of time; and/or when the determined gaze direction is directed at the first display repeatedly within a predetermined period of time.

3 . A display control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is configured to control the switching module in dependence on a determined driver workload.

4 . A display control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is configured to transfer the first information data set displayed on said first display from said first display to said second display; or to duplicate the first information data set displayed on said first display on said second display.

5 . A display control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is configured to control the switching module to remove the first information data set from said second display after determining that the determined gaze direction has been directed at the second display for at least a predetermined time period.

6 . A display control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is configured to:
receive sensor data from at least one eye tracking sensor; and determine the gaze direction of vehicle driver in dependence on the received sensor data.

7 . A display control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one electronic processor is configured to receive the gaze direction information from an eye tracking apparatus.

8 . A display control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 and configured to select the information data set INF 1 from a plurality of information data sets INF 1-n , each said information data set INF 1-n having a predefined criticality setting.

9 . A display control apparatus as claimed in claim 8 and configured to control switching of each information data set INF 1-n in dependence on the predefined criticality setting.

10 . A display control apparatus as claimed in claim 8 and configured to control the period of time for which the information data set INF 1-n is displayed in dependence on the predefined criticality setting.

11 . An eye tracking apparatus comprising a display control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 .

12 . A vehicle comprising a display control apparatus as claimed in claim 1 .

13 . A method of dynamically controlling the display of information in a vehicle; the method comprising:
displaying a first information data set on a first display; displaying said first information data set on a second display in dependence on a determined gaze direction of the vehicle driver being directed at the first display; and controlling the display of said first information data set on said second display in dependence on a criticality level defined for said first information data set.

14 . A method as claimed in claim 13 comprising displaying the first information data set on said second display when the determined gaze direction is directed at the first display for a predetermined period of time; and/or when the determined gaze direction is directed at the first display repeatedly within a predetermined period of time.

15 . A method as claimed in claim 13 comprising controlling the display of said first information data set on said second display in dependence on a determined driver workload.

16 . A method as claimed claim 13 comprising transferring the first information data set from said first display to said second display; or duplicating the first information data set on said second display.

17 . A method as claimed in claim 13 comprising removing the first information data set from said second display after the determined gaze direction was directed at the second display for at least a predetermined time period.

18 . A method as claimed in claim 13 and comprising: selecting the information data set INF 1 from a plurality of information data sets INF 1-n , each said information data set INF 1-n having a predefined criticality setting.

19 . A method as claimed in claim 18 and comprising: controlling switching of each information data set INF 1-n in dependence on the predefined criticality setting.

20 . A method as claimed in claim 18 and comprising: controlling the period of time for which the information data set INF 1-n is displayed in dependence on the predefined criticality setting.

Assignees

• Jaguar Land Rover Ltd

Inventors

• Singh Harpreet
• Hasedzic Elvir

Classifications

• G06F3/1423 Primary

  controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display · CPC title

• G06F3/013

  Eye tracking input arrangements (G06F3/015 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60Q9/00

  Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} · CPC title

• B60W50/08

  Interaction between the driver and the control system · CPC title

• G06F3/016

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title