EP2756490B1 - Method and device for presenting traffic sign information - Google Patents

Description

State of the art

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for displaying traffic sign information, to a corresponding device and to a corresponding computer program product.

The DE 10 2009 045 169 A1 deals with a display device for a vehicle. By such a display device image objects can be projected contact analog or non-contact analog in a field of view of a driver of the vehicle.

The WO 03/005102 A1 relates to a head-up display system, in particular for use in a navigation system. The system enables correct representation. The US 2007/0194950 A1 describes a method for providing traffic sign content information for display to a driver of a vehicle using a mobile device. The DE 10 2010 001 684 A1 relates to a method for operating a head-up display system of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle exterior of the vehicle is monitored and when detecting a danger point, a warning is displayed in a correct location on a windshield of the vehicle. The WO 2011/094024 deals with a traffic sign that has an RFID tag.

Disclosure of the invention

Against this background, the present invention provides a method for displaying traffic sign information, furthermore a device which uses this method and finally a corresponding computer program product presented according to the main claims. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the respective subclaims and the following description.

A head-up display is a system that displays information directly into the driver's field of vision. In contrast, in a head-down display or in the instrument cluster in the vehicle, the driver must look down to see important indications such as speed or directional guidance. Although the data is projected directly onto the windshield with a head-up display, the driver gets the impression that the image is about two and a half meters away from him above the bonnet floats. This has the advantage that the driver no longer has to avert his gaze from the traffic.

Head-up displays can also display information directly in the real image. These displays are commonly referred to as contact analogue or augmented reality head-up displays. The driver can with the help of this technique z. B. navigation instructions are given by the colored road in front of him to the horizon marked. Also, navigation instructions can be displayed, which lie as arrows directly on the road. Even lanes or ACC-system, so an adaptive cruise control system, detected vehicles ahead can be displayed directly in the driver's field of view. The image is generated in an accommodation-free distance of about 10 m to the horizon, the virtual field of view of the head-up display.

A contact-analogue head-up display can be used to project the driver an indication of a warning relating to a section of the route to be driven directly into his field of vision. According to a warning, the driver can be projected an indication of a bid or prohibition relating to the route section to be driven directly into his field of vision. The projection can take place in such a way that the reference to a position is embedded in the real environment of the vehicle, which makes it easier for the driver to record and understand the message. For example, the hint may be projected directly onto a surface of a driver-visible portion of a roadway. For example, the hint can be projected to a position at which the hint is valid. If the vehicle approaches the position that lies within the virtual field of view of the head-up display, the message can be projected by the head-up display into contact with the position. From the driver's point of view, the note appears as if it were actually in the real environment at the position. If the vehicle continues to approach the position, the reference from the head-up display, taking into account the reduced distance, can continue to be projected contact-analogically to the position. The driver thus has the feeling that he is approaching the hint, as is the case with a real reference, for example, applied to the road surface. The contact analog indication can be used together with a non-contact analog be used in the field of view of the driver projected status information field. The contact-analog projected indication and the non-contact-analogous projected status information field may be projected into the driver's field of view such that the proximity-projected indication migrates into the status information field as the vehicle approaches the location of the contact-analog indication from the driver's point of view, and finally from the status information field is taken over there and, as long as the note is valid, remains as a non-contact-analogous hint. Even if the driver of the vehicle, for example due to high speed, did not have time to record the contact analog indication, he is made aware by the intrusion of the contact analog indication into the non-contact analog status information field that there is a change in the display of the status information field. Due to the subsequent permanent display of the hint as part of the status information field, the driver has enough time to record the information content of the hint.

• Ermitteln einer entlang einer Fahrtroute des Fahrzeugs liegenden Position, der ein Beginn eines Gültigkeitsbereichs der Verkehrszeicheninformation zugeordnet ist; und
• Erzeugen eines Anzeigesignals zur Anzeige der Verkehrszeicheninformation als eine auf die Position bezogene kontaktanaloge virtuelle Darstellung.

A method for displaying traffic sign information for a driver of a vehicle comprises the following steps:

• Determining a position along a travel route of the vehicle associated with a beginning of a valid range of the traffic sign information; and
• Generating a display signal for displaying the traffic sign information as a position-related contact-analog virtual representation.

The vehicle may be a motor vehicle, for example a passenger car or a lorry. The vehicle may have a projection device, for example in the form of a head-up display. The projection device can be designed to project both a contact-analog and a non-contact-analogue display into a field of vision of the driver of the vehicle. The indication signal may be an electrical signal. The display signal may be suitable for controlling the projection device in such a way that the projection device projects the traffic sign information into the driver's field of view as a contact-analogous virtual representation. The traffic sign information may include information of a danger sign, which indicates a danger or information of a mandatory sign indicating a bid or a ban. Thus, the traffic sign information may be displayed in the form of a corresponding traffic sign or a pictogram resembling a traffic sign. For example, the traffic sign information may indicate a speed limit and be presented in the form of a speed limit sign. The route may be a planned course of a section of road ahead of the vehicle. Data regarding the route can be output from a navigation system of the vehicle. The beginning of the validity period of the traffic sign information may be determined based on stored data. The data relating to the validity range can be stored in a memory device, for example in the form of a digital map, in the vehicle or can be retrieved via an interface from a vehicle-external memory device. The position may indicate a real location located at the beginning of the scope. For example, the position can be arranged directly at the beginning, shortly before the beginning or shortly after the beginning of the validity range. The position may indicate a location on a roadway to be traveled by the vehicle. Also, the position may identify a location that is located next to the roadway to be traveled.

In the step of generating different display signals for different distances between the vehicle and the position can be generated. Thereby, the traffic sign information can be displayed as position-related contact-analog virtual representation with different extents. If the distance between the vehicle and the position changes, a new indication signal can be generated to ensure that the traffic sign information continues to be displayed at the position from the driver's point of view. The different display signals can be generated one after the other. For example, a new indication signal may be generated when a predetermined time period has elapsed or a predetermined distance traveled after a previous indication signal. Apart from the extent, the shape and appearance of the traffic sign information in the different display signals may be the same. Due to the different dimensions of the traffic sign information appears from the perspective of Driver at different distances to the position in different sizes.

For example, the different display signals may be generated such that the smaller the distances between the vehicle and the position, the smaller the distances between the position-related contact-analog virtual representations in a first distance range, and the smaller in a second distance range, depending becomes smaller the distances between the vehicle and the position, wherein the distances covered by the second distance range are smaller than the distances covered by the first distance range. When the vehicle approaches the position, the traffic sign information initially appears to increase in accordance with a real representation. However, from a certain distance marking a boundary between the first and second distance ranges, the traffic sign information is always made smaller. As a result, the traffic sign information can be shrunk to the extent that the traffic information can be displayed within the status information field when wandering into a status information field. In this case, the traffic information can be reduced to such an extent that it becomes congruent with a non-contact-analog traffic information displayed within the status information field.

The method may include a step of generating a presentation signal to represent a status information field as a non-contact analog virtual representation. The status information field can, for example, be projected partially transparent into the field of view of the driver. Within the status information field, for example, an operating state of the vehicle, for example a current speed of the vehicle, can be displayed. The step of generating may be performed continuously so that the status information field is constantly displayed, for example, always during the operation of the vehicle or whenever the vehicle is in motion. In this case, the information displayed in the status information field can be continuously updated. Thus, for example, constantly the current speed can be displayed. The status information field may be constantly displayed at the same position with respect to a reference point on the vehicle from the driver's point of view.

The method may include a step of generating a further indication signal for displaying the traffic sign information as a non-contact analog virtual representation within a display area of the status information field. Apart from the non-contact analog representation, the shape and presentation of the traffic sign information within the status information field may correspond to the shape and representation of the contact-analog representation of the traffic sign information. The step of generating the further indication signal may be performed instead of the step of generating the indication signal such that the non-contact analog representation of the traffic sign information occurs when the contact analog representation of the traffic sign information is terminated, for example due to approach of the vehicle to just before the position the contact analog representation. Furthermore, the method may include a step of generating a further indication signal for displaying a preceding traffic signal information as a non-contact analog virtual representation within the display region of the status information field. The step of generating the further indication signal can be carried out in addition to the step of generating the indication signal, so that the non-contact-analog representation of the preceding traffic signal information takes place in parallel to the contact-analog representation of the new traffic signal information. In this way, the previous, currently valid traffic sign information, for example, a currently valid speed limit can be displayed within the status information field, while the new traffic sign information, such as a soon-to-be speed limit is already displayed as contact-analog representation.

For example, the step of generating the further indication signal may be performed if, in an executed step of generating the indication signal, the indication signal has been generated such that the representation of the status information field and the contact-analog virtual representation of the traffic sign information at least partially overlap. This is the case when the contact-analog representation of the traffic sign information has migrated from the perspective of the driver into the status information field. Switching between contact-analog or non-contact-analog representation may occur as soon as there is partial overlap as soon as there is complete overlap or as soon as the contact-analog representation becomes one for the non-contact analog Display of traffic sign information has reached. In this way, a smooth transition between contact-analog and non-contact analog representation can be realized. In this case, successive display signals can be generated so that a perspective distorted representation of the traffic sign information is reduced further and further, so that a smooth transition from the contact-analog representation in the non-contact analog representation can take place. In the non-contact analog presentation, the traffic sign information can not be distorted in perspective or only slightly distorted in perspective.

Also, the step of further generating the further indication signal may be performed when a distance between the vehicle and the position is smaller than a minimum distance. In this way, it is possible, for example, to switch between contact-analogous and non-contact-analogue representation if the position of the contact-analogue representation leaves the virtual field of view of the projection device. This may for example be the case when the vehicle has approached the position up to a distance of about 10 m to 20 m.

The method may include a step of maintaining the further indication signal until an end of the validity range of the traffic sign information. In this way, the traffic sign information may be maintained as a non-contact analog representation within the status information field until the traffic sign information either becomes invalid or is replaced by new traffic sign information.

Furthermore, the method may include a step of outputting the indication signal to a projection device of the vehicle in order to effect the representation of the traffic sign information by means of the projection device. For this purpose, the display signal can be transmitted to the projection device via a suitable interface. The projection device may be a head-up display.

A traffic sign information display device is configured to perform the steps of a method according to an embodiment of the invention. The device can be designed to carry out the steps of the method according to the invention in corresponding devices or implement. Also by this embodiment of the invention in the form of a device, the object underlying the invention can be solved quickly and efficiently. In the present case, a device can be understood as meaning an electrical device which processes sensor signals and outputs control and / or data signals in dependence thereon. The device may have an interface, which may be formed in hardware and / or software. In the case of a hardware-based embodiment, the interfaces can be part of a so-called system ASIC, for example, which contains a wide variety of functions of the device. However, it is also possible that the interfaces are their own integrated circuits or at least partially consist of discrete components. In a software training, the interfaces may be software modules that are present, for example, on a microcontroller in addition to other software modules.

A computer program product with program code which can be stored on a machine-readable carrier such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk memory or an optical memory and is used to carry out the method according to one of the embodiments described above if the program is installed on a computer or a device is also of advantage is performed.

Fig. 1

eine schematisch Darstellung eines Fahrzeugs mit einer Vorrichtung zur Darstellung einer Verkehrszeicheninformation;

Fig. 2

ein Ablaufdiagramm eines Verfahrens zur Darstellung einer Verkehrszeicheninformation;

Fig. 3

ein Blockschaltbild eines Ausführungsbeispiels der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Figuren 4 bis 6

schematische Darstellungen einer projizierten Verkehrszeicheninformation; und

Figuren 7 bis 9

Darstellungen einer projizierten Verkehrszeicheninformation.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of a vehicle with a device for displaying a traffic sign information;

Fig. 2

a flowchart of a method for displaying a traffic sign information;

Fig. 3

a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4 to 6

schematic representations of a projected traffic sign information; and

FIGS. 7 to 9

Representations of a projected traffic sign information.

In the following description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals are used for the elements shown in the various figures and similarly acting, wherein a repeated description of these elements is omitted.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle 100 with a device for displaying a traffic sign information according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle 100 is traveling on a road 104. The vehicle 100 is currently located on a first section 106 of the road on which a first speed limit of, for example, 70 km / h applies. At a position 108 of the roadway 104, the speed limit changes. In a second section 110 of the roadway adjoining the first section 106, a second speed limit of, for example, 30 km / h applies.

According to this exemplary embodiment, the device has a device 112, for example a navigation device, and a device 114 for generating a display signal for a projection device 116, for example in the form of a head-up display.

The device 112 is designed to determine a current location of the vehicle 100, for example with the aid of a GPS receiver. The device 112 is further configured to determine or obtain a future travel route of the vehicle 100. Furthermore, the device 112 is designed to determine traffic sign information relating to the future travel route. The device 112 is thus designed to determine the position 108 along the travel route of the vehicle 100, which is associated with a beginning of a validity range of the traffic sign information.

Related to the in Fig. 1 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the device 112 may be configured to determine the current location of the vehicle 100, determine that the future route of the vehicle 100 from the first portion 106 of the lane 104 opens into the second portion 110 and further determine that the position 108 a transition between the first Section 106 and the second section 110 is a traffic sign information, here in the form of the new speed limit of 30 km / h is assigned. The device 112 may further be configured to determine a distance between the current location of the vehicle 100 and the position 108 of the traffic sign information. In order to obtain information regarding the route, the device 112 may be configured to access stored map material. The device 112 is designed to output relevant data, for example via the position 108, the distance between the current location of the vehicle 100 and the position 108 and the information content of the traffic sign information to the device 114 for generating an indication signal.

The device 114 is designed to generate, on the basis of the data of the device 112, an indication signal for displaying the traffic sign information as a position-related contact-analogue virtual representation and to output it via an interface to the projection device 116. To generate the display signal, the device 114 is designed to determine data regarding the type, shape and position of the representation of the traffic sign information and to incorporate it in the generation of the indication signal. Thus, means 114 is configured to select a suitable representation for the traffic sign information associated with position 108. According to this exemplary embodiment, the device 114 is designed to select, as an illustration of the speed limit, a representation of a corresponding traffic sign with the speed limit at the speed of 30 km / h. The device 114 is further configured to select a suitable location for a contact analog representation of the traffic sign information. According to this exemplary embodiment, the device 114 is configured so as to select a roadway surface of the roadway 104 at the position 108. Alternatively, as a suitable location, for example, a lateral boundary of the roadway 104 could be selected. The device 114 is further configured to determine a suitable extent of the representation of the traffic sign information at the position 108, for example with regard to the width and height of the representation. The extent may be dependent on a distance between the vehicle 100 and the position 108. The device 114 is also designed to determine a suitable contact-analogue representation of the representation of the traffic sign information.

For example, the device 114 may be configured to select a perspective distorted representation of the traffic sign information depending on the distance to the position 108, so that the traffic sign information appears from the perspective of a driver 120 of the vehicle as if the traffic sign information were on the road surface of the road 104 located. The device 114 is designed to output the display signal to the projection device 116 via an interface.

The projection device 116 is designed to generate a projection in response to the display signal, by means of which a representation of the traffic sign information in the manner determined by the device 114 is generated.

The device 112 is configured to provide continuously updated data to the device 114. The device 114 is designed to generate continuously updated display signals based on the updated data of the device 112 and to provide them to the projection device 116. The projection device 116 is designed to generate continuously updated representations of the traffic sign information based on the continuously updated display signals. For example, the device 114 may be configured to generate an indication signal for displaying the traffic sign information for the first time when the vehicle 100 has approached the position 108 so far that the position 108 lies in the virtual field of view of the projection device 116. The virtual field of view of the projection device 116 may, for example, have a maximum extent to the horizon in advance of the vehicle.

In one embodiment, the device 112 is configured to generate another display signal for displaying the traffic sign information as a non-contact analog virtual representation. For example, the device 112 may be configured to generate the further display signal for displaying the traffic sign information in the non-contact virtual representation instead of the indication signal for displaying the traffic sign information in the non-contact virtual representation when the vehicle 100 is at a certain distance to the Position 108 has approximated. For example, the device 112 may be configured to generate a further indication signal for generating the traffic sign information as the non-contact analog virtual representation when the vehicle 100 has approached the position 108 so far that the position 108 is outside the virtual field of view of the projection device 116. For example, the virtual field of view of the projection device 116 may begin at a distance of about 15 in front of the vehicle 100.

Means 112 is configured to maintain the further indication signal until the traffic sign information becomes invalid or is replaced by a new non-contact analog virtual representation of new traffic sign information.

In one embodiment, means 112 is configured to generate a presentation signal to represent a status information field as a non-contact analog virtual representation. The status information field may be displayed as a partially transparent representation in a field of view of the driver 120. In the status information field, up-to-date vehicle data or environmental data can be displayed. For displaying current data in the status information field, the device 112 may be connected via an interface to sensors or evaluation devices that provide corresponding data. The status information field can be displayed independently of the traffic sign information, that is to say even if no contact-analogue or non-contact-analog representation of the traffic sign information takes place.

According to one embodiment, the means 112 is configured to generate the further indication signal for displaying the traffic sign information as the non-contact analog virtual representation such that the traffic sign information is displayed within a display area of the status information field. For this purpose, the device 112 can be designed to suitably combine signals for displaying the traffic sign information and the status information field.

By transitioning the representation of the traffic sign information from the contact-based representation outside the status information field to the non-contact-related virtual representation within the status information field an animation of the representation of the non-contact traffic sign information within the status information field can be realized.

Embodiments for displaying and animating the traffic sign information and the status information field will be described below with reference to FIG FIGS. 4 to 9 described.

The projection device 116 may be a head-up display disposed adjacent to the windshield of the vehicle to project representations into the field of view of the driver 120 or other occupants of the vehicle 100. Visually, a head-up display can be realized by means of an imager and an imaging optics. A projection unit consisting of imager and imaging optics can generally be installed together with the image object generator in a housing which can be integrated in a dashboard of the vehicle.

In addition to the display of static information, such as operating conditions of the motor vehicle in the status information field and information that have a relation to real objects in the field of view of the driver 120, can be displayed contact analogous. In this case, image objects, for example a representation of the traffic sign information, are superimposed on the driver 120 in his current view in such a way that he has the feeling that they are part of the environment. The driver 120 can thereby be projected the traffic sign information, for example, directly to the road ahead. It is important that the contact-analogous image objects are perceived as belonging to the driving scene, that is to say assigned to the driver's eye through appropriate shape, position and movement of the real scene. For a representation of the traffic sign information that is as real as possible, the device 112 can also take into account, for example, vehicle movements as well as the driver's eye position by evaluating suitable sensor data during generation of the indication signal. The device 112 may be configured to generate the display signal for contact analog representation of the traffic sign information so that the traffic sign information is displayed at least partially distorted. Thus, a representation of the traffic sign information may be distorted so that the driver 120 gets the impression that the traffic sign information lies directly on the road surface. In contrast, the device 112 may be configured to generate the further display signal for non-contact-analog representation of the traffic sign information and the display signal for displaying the status information field so that the traffic sign information and the status information field undistorted, ie standing, or slightly tilted perspective view. For example, the status information field can be circular in nature, but appear oval through the slightly perspective view.

Fig. 2 FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a method of displaying traffic sign information according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. The method can be used, for example, by suitable devices of the type described in US Pat

Fig. 1 shown vehicle 100 are implemented. In a step 212, a determination is made of a position lying along a travel route of the vehicle, which is assigned a start of a validity range of the traffic sign information. In a step 214, a display signal for displaying the traffic sign information is generated as a position-related contact-analog virtual representation. In a step 216, based on the indication signal, the display of the traffic sign information may be performed as the position-related contact-analog virtual representation by means of a projection device. The steps 212, 214, 216 may be repeatedly executed repeatedly. In step 214, further signals for displaying further information, in particular the status information field, can be generated by means of the projection device.

Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. According to this embodiment, a GPS signal 311 is received by an evaluation system 112. The evaluation system 112 is designed to evaluate the GPS signal 311 in order to generate evaluated data. The evaluated data may include, for example, a lying along a route of a vehicle position of a traffic sign. The evaluation system 112 is further configured to output the evaluated data to an output system 114. The output system 114 is designed to generate one or more image signals based on the evaluated data and to output them to a head-up display 116. The head-up display 116 is designed to generate displays based on the image signals of the output system 114, as shown for example in US Pat FIGS. 4 to 6 are shown.

Related to the in Fig. 1 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the GPS signal 311 comprises a current position of the vehicle 100. Based on the GPS signal 311 and other data, the evaluation system 112 and the output system 114 are configured to provide suitable data for generating the traffic sign information as well as the status information field by the projection device 116 to generate. This in Fig. 3 embodiment shown can thus in the in Fig. 1 shown vehicle implemented as a device for displaying a traffic sign information.

The FIGS. 4 to 6 12 show schematic representations of projected traffic sign information 420, 422 and a projected status information field 424 according to embodiments of the present invention. The representations 420, 422, 424 may be different from those in FIG Fig. 1 shown projection device 116 or of the in Fig. 3 shown head-up display 116 are generated.

Fig. 4 shows a portion of a roadway 104 ahead of a vehicle that is in the field of view of a driver of the vehicle. Into the field of view, a contact analog traffic sign information 420, a non-contact analog traffic sign information 422 and a non-contact analog status information field 424 are projected.

The contact analog traffic sign information 420 is shown in perspective distorted so that it seems to be on the surface of the road 104 from the driver's point of view. According to this embodiment, the contact analog traffic sign information 420 appears within a current traffic lane of the vehicle. The contact analog traffic sign information 420 is shown at a position 108 of the roadway 104. At the position 108, a maximum permissible speed changes from currently 70 km / h to subsequently 30 km / h. Through the contact-analog traffic sign information 420, a traffic sign is displayed, which shows the number 30, which corresponds to the subsequent speed limit, within a ring. The representation of the contact-analog traffic sign information 420 has a horizontal extent, which extends, for example, approximately over an entire width of a lane of the lane 104.

The non-contact analog status information field 424 is shown slightly tilted in perspective in a lower field of view of the driver. The status information field 424 comprises a ring, for example in oval form, in which an actual speed of the vehicle, here 34 km / h is displayed. Further, in the status information field 424, the non-contact analog traffic sign information 422 is displayed. The non-contact analog traffic sign information 422 is slightly tilted in perspective corresponding to the status information field 424. The non-contact analog traffic sign information 422 represents a traffic sign that shows the number 70 corresponding to the current speed limit within a ring.

Fig. 5 shows a portion of the road 104 in the apron of the vehicle, which is in the field of vision of the driver of the vehicle, after the vehicle compared to the in Fig. 4 shown state of the position 108 has approximated. Also included in the field of view are contact analog traffic sign information 420, non-contact analog traffic sign information 422, and non-contact analog status information field 424. Shown is a transition of the contact-analog traffic sign information 420 into the status area represented by the non-contact analog status information field 424.

The contact analog traffic sign information 420 is further shown in perspective distorted so that it seems to be on the surface of the road 104 from the driver's point of view. The contact analog traffic sign information 420 is further shown at a position 108 of the roadway 104. The representation of the contact-analog traffic sign information 420 has a horizontal extension that extends, for example, approximately over one half of the entire width of the lane of the roadway 104. Thus, the extent of the representation of the contact-analog traffic sign information 420 compared to that in the Fig. 3 reduced situation shown.

The representations of the non-contact analog status information field 424 with the non-contact analog traffic sign information 422 are unchanged as compared to that described in US Pat Fig. 3 shown situation.

Due to the static representation of the non-contact analog status information field 424 with the non-contact analog traffic sign information 422, approaches As the driver approaches the vehicle, the representation of the contact analog traffic sign information 420 approaches the representation of the non-contact analog status information field 424 as the vehicle approaches position 108. In the in Fig. 4 a slight overlap between the contact-analog traffic sign information 420 and the status information field 424 already occurs. A representation of the contact-analog traffic sign information 420 and the non-contact-analog traffic sign information 422 is selected so that the contact analog traffic sign information 420 approaches the representation of the non-contact traffic sign information 422 as the vehicle approaches the position 108 both spatially and expansively. In this way, the contact-analog traffic sign information 420 may eventually appear to transition to the non-contact analog traffic sign information 422 when the vehicle has approached position 108 accordingly. The beginning of the overlap between the contact-analog traffic sign information 420 and the non-contact-analog status information field 424 may be selected so that the beginning of the overlap coincides with a disappearance of the position 108 from the virtual field of view of the head-up display.

Fig. 6 shows a portion of the road 104 in the apron of the vehicle, which is in the field of vision of the driver of the vehicle, after the vehicle compared to the in Fig. 5 shown state of the position 108 has approached or the position 108 has already reached or exceeded.

The contact analog traffic sign information is no longer shown.

The representations of the non-contact analog status information field 424 with the non-contact analog traffic sign information 422 are unchanged as compared to that described in US Pat Fig. 4 with the difference that the information content of the non-contact-analog traffic sign information 422 has changed. Instead of the previously valid speed limit of 70 km / h, the currently valid speed limit of 30 km / h is now displayed FIGS. 4 and 5 shown situations of the contact-analog traffic sign information was displayed.

The FIGS. 7 to 9 show the FIGS. 4 to 6 corresponding representations with the difference that instead of a schematic representation of a roadway in the field of view of the driver a real environment is shown.

Based on FIGS. 1 to 9 In the following embodiments of the present invention will be described.

According to one embodiment, the invention enables a transmission of traffic sign information, for example, maximum speed information, through a virtual, contact-analog display 420 of the speed limit on the road 104 and an animation of the speed limit in the status display 424. The maximum permissible speed is permanently using Assistance systems 112, 114 displayed in a status line of the status display 424.

The invention thus enables visualization of the speed limit update. The visualization is converted into the status line by means of an animation from the contact-analogue display 420 on the roadway 104 in the virtual space. An advantage lies in the clarification of the new information about the maximum speed. This is especially true when changing the speed zone. This approach provides a significant contribution to the faster acquisition of information and thus an increase in road safety and relieving the driver 120. The driver 120 must never turn away from the roadway 104 to detect the maximum speed allowed.

According to one embodiment, for a device for displaying traffic sign information as components, a GPS signal 311 or a signal of a video camera, an evaluation system 112, an output system 114 and a contact-analogous head-up display 116 (AR-HUD; AR-HUD = Augmented Reality Head-up Display) used.

Via a navigation satellite system, which supplies the GPS signal 311, the vehicle position and the maximum permissible speed are determined at the current or the future position. There is also the possibility of using a video camera and image recognition algorithms objects, such. B. traffic signs recognize from video images and their position data z. B. on the CAN-BUS other systems, such as the evaluation system 112 to provide.

If the evaluation system 112 receives transmitted information about a new speed limit, it hands it over to the output system 114, which displays the virtual display 420 of the speed limit via the head-up display 116 on the lane 104.

The animation begins upon reaching the virtual field of view of the head-up display 116, as in Fig. 4 shown, and ends when leaving the virtual field of view of the head-up display 116, as in Fig. 5 shown. At the in Fig. 5 As shown leaving the virtual field of view of the head-up display 116, an intermediate stage of the animation is performed. From this point onwards, the information about the new speed limit is in the status bar of the status display 424, as shown in FIG Fig. 6 is shown. There, the visualization remains as road sign 422 permanently, or until the next change, or cancellation of the speed limit. The display including the animation is an iterative function.

The representations 420, 422, 424 in the FIGS. 4 to 6 are chosen only as an example. There are each versions of the representations 420, 422, 424 in any colors, shapes and sizes possible.

The representations 420, 422, 424 are visible on the basis of a viewing of the image displayed in the head-up display 116.

Although the embodiments primarily refer to an animation of a virtual speed limit in a status display 424, the corresponding algorithm and representation is applicable to any type of traffic sign, e.g. B. Wildwechsel, traffic-calmed zone, overtaking ban or danger of slipping in the wet. The navigation can also be displayed in the same way. A navigation arrow, a blackboard with directional display or similar representation can be animated in the status bar of the status display 424 when approaching a maneuver point. Thus, the method for displaying traffic sign information can be generally used as a method of presentation a traffic control function for a driver of a vehicle.

The embodiments described and shown in the figures are chosen only by way of example. Different embodiments may be combined together or in relation to individual features. Also, an embodiment can be supplemented by features of another embodiment. Furthermore, method steps according to the invention can be repeated as well as carried out in a sequence other than that described.

Claims (8)

1. Method for presenting an item of traffic sign information for a driver (120) of a vehicle (100), which method comprises the following steps of:

   determining (212) a position (108) which is along a travel route of the vehicle (100) and is assigned a beginning of a validity range of the traffic sign information; and

   generating (214) a display signal for displaying the traffic sign information as a contact-analogue virtual presentation (420) based on the position;

   generating a presentation signal for presenting a status information field as a non-contact-analogue virtual presentation (424) and generating a further display signal for displaying the traffic sign information as a non-contact-analogue virtual presentation (422) within a display area of the status information field (424).
2. Method according to Claim 1, in which, in the generating step (214), different display signals are generated for different distances between the vehicle (100) and the position (108) in order to display the traffic sign information as contact-analogue virtual presentations (420) which are based on the position and have different extents.
3. Method according to Claim 2, in which the different display signals are generated in such a manner that the different extents of the contact-analogue virtual presentations (420) based on the position (108) become greater in a first distance range, the shorter the distances between the vehicle (100) and the position and become shorter in a second distance range, the shorter the distances between the vehicle (100) and the position, the distances included in the second distance range being shorter than the distances included in the first distance range.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the step of generating the further display signal is carried out if, in a step of generating (214) the display signal which has been carried out, the display signal was generated in such a manner that the presentation (424) of the status information field and the contact-analogue virtual presentation (420) of the traffic sign information at least partially overlap.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, having a step of maintaining the further display signal until an end of the validity range of the traffic sign information.
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, having a step of outputting the display signal to a projection device (116) of the vehicle (100) in order to produce the presentation (420) of the traffic sign information by means of the projection device.
7. Apparatus for presenting an item of traffic sign information, which apparatus is designed to carry out the steps of a method according to one of Claims 1 to 6.
8. Computer program product having program code for carrying out the method according to one of Claims 1 to 6 when the program is executed on an apparatus.

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