Vehicle with Display Device

Abstract

A vehicle (10) for a driver (14) of the vehicle (10) and a display device (16) are provided. The display device (16) includes a projection surface (18) extending in the horizontal and vertical direction and a projector (20) that is configured so as to project a projection (24) onto the projection surface (18). The projection surface (18) is curved in the horizontal direction and surrounds the driver (14) in the horizontal direction by at least one hundred degrees. A method for displaying a projection (24) on a projection surface (18) for a driver (14) of a vehicle (10) is also provided. The method includes: d) determining a viewing direction and/or head orientation (26) of the driver (14) towards the projection surface (18); and f) projecting the projection (24) onto the projection surface (18) in the viewing direction and/or head orientation (26) of the driver (14).

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A vehicle (10), comprising: a display device (16) including a projection surface (18) and a projector (20), the display device (16) extending in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, the projector (20) configured to project a projection (24) onto the projection surface (18), wherein the projection surface (18) is curved in the horizontal direction and is configured to surround a driver (14) of the vehicle (10) in the horizontal direction by at least one hundred degrees.

17. The vehicle (10) of claim 16, further comprising a driver's cabin (12), wherein: the projection surface (18) is configured to surround the driver (14) in the driver's cabin (12); the projection surface (18) comprises a transparent projection surface (18); or the projection surface (18) is configured to surround the driver (14) in the driver's cabin (12), and the projection surface (18) comprises the transparent projection surface (18).

18. The vehicle (10) of claim 16, wherein the projection surface (10) extends in the horizontal direction such that an extent of the projection surface (10) in the horizontal direction corresponds substantially to a horizontal extent of a direct field of view of the driver (14).

19. The vehicle (10) of claim 16, further comprising a sensor (28) configured to determine a viewing direction of the driver (14), a head orientation (26) of the driver (14), or both the viewing direction and the head orientation (26) of the driver (14), wherein the projector (20) is configured to project the projection (24) in the viewing direction, the head orientation (26), or both the viewing direction and the head orientation (26) of the driver (14).

20. The vehicle (10) of claim 16, wherein the projection surface (18) is configured to surround the driver (14) in the horizontal direction essentially in the shape of a horseshoe, a ring segment, a circular segment, a ring, or a circle.

21. The vehicle (10) of claim 16, wherein the projector (20) is positioned relative to the projection surface (18) such that a distance (22) from the projector (20) to the projection surface (18) is substantially identical at all points of the projection surface (18) due to the curvature of the projection surface (18).

22. The vehicle (10) of claim 16, wherein one or both of the projection surface (18) and the projector (20) is installed on a roof (30) of the vehicle (10), on a chassis of the vehicle (10), or on both the roof (30) and the chassis of the vehicle (10).

23. The vehicle (10) of claim 16, wherein one or both of the projection surface (18) and the projector (20) is movable vertically.

24. The vehicle (10) of claim 16, wherein further comprising a suspension system (32), one or both of the projection surface (18) and the projector (20) installed on the vehicle (10) with the suspension system (32) such that vibrations and/or impacts are damped and/or absorbed.

25. The vehicle (10) of claim 16, wherein the display device (16) comprises a control unit (36) that controls one or both of the projector (20) and the projection surface (18).

26. The vehicle (10) of claim 16, wherein the vehicle (10) is an industrial truck (38), a wheel loader, an excavator, an agricultural machine, or a lorry.

27. A method for displaying a projection (24) on a projection surface (18) for a driver (14) of a vehicle (10), the projection surface (18) extending in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, the projection surface (18) curved in the horizontal direction and surrounding the driver (14) in the horizontal direction by at least one hundred degrees, the method comprising: determining one or both of a viewing direction and a head orientation (26) of the driver (14) towards the projection surface (18); and projecting the projection (24) onto the projection surface (18) in one or both of the viewing direction and the head orientation (26) of the driver (14).

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising: determining a vertical position of the head of the driver (14) in the vehicle (10); and vertically moving one or both of the projection surface (18) and the projector (20) depending on the vertical position of the head of the driver (14).

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising: rotating the projector (20) in one or both of the viewing direction and the head orientation (26) of the driver (14); and vertically moving one or both of the projection surface (18) and the projector (20) into a starting position.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising: determining a presence of the driver (14) in the vehicle (10); and automatically initiating the method after the vehicle (10) is started by the driver (14).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] The proposed solution is explained in more detail below with reference to the appended drawings on the basis of preferred exemplary embodiments.

[0045] In the drawings:

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an industrial truck from the prior art;

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a schematic plan view of a vehicle with a driver's cabin for a driver of the vehicle and a display device according to one preferred exemplary embodiment;

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a further schematic view of the vehicle from FIG. 2 according to one preferred exemplary embodiment,

[0049] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the driver's cabin of the vehicle from FIG. 2 according to one preferred exemplary embodiment, and

[0050] FIG. 5 shows a flowchart with the method for displaying a projection on a transparent projection surface for a driver of a vehicle according to one preferred exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] The exemplary embodiments described are simply examples which can be modified and/or supplemented in diverse ways within the framework of the claims. Each feature which has been described for a certain exemplary embodiment can be utilized independently or in combination with other features in an arbitrary other exemplary embodiment. Each feature which has been described for an exemplary embodiment of a certain category can also be used in a corresponding manner in an exemplary embodiment of another category.

[0052] FIG. 1 shows an industrial truck 1 from the prior art. The driver 2 of the industrial truck often has to change direction or cover relatively long distances in reverse due to the particular requirements of his activities. For this purpose, the driver 2 turns his head 3 in order to be able to take in the surroundings information required to correctly perform the driving manoeuvre and a task linked thereto. Information provided to the driver 2 on a display 4 on the dashboard is in this case no longer situated in the field of view of the driver 2.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows a schematic plan view of a vehicle 10 with a driver's cabin 12 for a driver 14 of the vehicle 10 and a display device 16 according to one preferred exemplary embodiment. In the exemplary embodiment preferred here, the vehicle 10 is an industrial truck 38. The display device 16 includes a projection surface 18 and a projector 20. The projection surface 18 is curved in the horizontal direction, this being able to be seen particularly well through the plan view. The projection surface 18 thus surrounds the driver 14 of the industrial truck 38 in the driver's cabin 12 essentially in the shape of a horseshoe, wherein the sitting position of the driver 14 is situated substantially at the location of the opening in the horseshoe. The projector 20 is substantially in the centre of the horseshoe-shaped projection surface 18, such that the distance 22 from the projector 20 to the projection surface 18 is substantially identical at all points of the projection surface 20.

[0054] The projector 20 is configured so as to project a projection 24 onto the projection surface 18. The projection 18 is projected in the viewing direction/head orientation 26 of the driver 14. For this purpose, a sensor device 28, here a camera, is used to determine the viewing direction/head orientation 26 of the driver 14. In this exemplary embodiment, the camera is situated in the corner of the driver's cabin 12.

[0055] FIG. 3 shows a further schematic view of the industrial truck 38, it being able to be seen in particular that the projection surface 18 is installed on the roof 30 of the driver's cabin 12 of the industrial truck 38. The projection surface 18 is situated roughly at or slightly above the eye level of the driver 14. The projection surface 18 is constructed of or with transparent Plexiglas, such that the view of the driver 14 is not hindered. The vertical extent of the projection surface 18 is approximately fifteen to twenty centimetres (15-20 cm). The suspension system 32 for the projection surface 18 and for the projector 20 on the roof 30 of the driver's cabin 12 has a mechanism consisting of springs and telescopic dampers and is able to be adjusted continuously in terms of height. The necessary power and data cables run through the suspension system 32, wherein the power is drawn by the vehicle system. In this exemplary embodiment, the camera of the sensor device 28 is situated directly at the projector 22.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the driver's cabin 12 of the industrial truck 38 according to one preferred exemplary embodiment. The projector 20 may be rotated by way of an E-motor, and thus illuminate all of the regions of the projection surface 18. The axis of rotation 34 of the projector 18 in this case corresponds to the axis of suspension of the projector 18. In this exemplary embodiment, the sensor device 28, which is formed by a camera, sits directly on the lower end of the projector 18 and is oriented fixedly towards the head of the driver 14. The sensor device 28 records changes in the head position of the driver 14. A control unit 36 accommodated in the vehicle controls the height of the projector 20 and of the projection surface 18. The control unit 36 furthermore controls the rotational movement of the projector 20 depending on the viewing direction/head orientation 26 of the driver 14. For this purpose, the control unit 36 is connected in terms of communication to the sensor device 28.

[0057] The control unit 36 is furthermore connected in terms of communication to a server and/or a network, for example an IoT (Internet of Things) platform. The information to be projected is conveyed via said server and/or network to the control unit 36 in the form of data. In this exemplary embodiment, the control unit 36 is provided with context-related information depending on the position and/or the orientation of the industrial truck 38, which information is then projected onto the projection surface 18. A directional arrow is shown as projection 24 here in FIG. 4.

[0058] FIG. 5 shows a flowchart with the method for displaying a projection 24 on a transparent projection surface 18 for a driver 14 of a vehicle 10 according to one preferred exemplary embodiment. In this exemplary embodiment, the method is performed using the industrial truck 38 from FIG. 2. The method comprises a) to g) shown in FIG. 5.

[0059] It is determined in a) whether the driver 14 is present in the driver's cabin 12 of the industrial truck 38. This is performed by the sensor device 28, here a camera. In the affirmative case, the vertical position of the head of the driver 14 in the driver's cabin 12 is recorded by way of the sensor device 28 in b).

[0060] The vertical position of the projection surface 18 and/or projector 20 is then adjusted to the position of the head of the driver 14 and thus to the body size of the driver 14 by way of the control unit 36 in c). The projection surface 18 thus for example moves downwards from its suspension system 32 directly underneath the roof 30 of the industrial truck 38 until the projection surface 18 lies roughly above eye level of the driver 14.

[0061] In d), the viewing direction and/or head orientation 26 of the driver 14 towards the projection surface 18 is likewise determined by way of the sensor device 28.

[0062] On the basis of the viewing direction and/or head orientation 26, the projector 20 is rotated into the viewing direction and/or head orientation 26 of the driver 14 by way of the control unit 36 in e), such that the projector 20 projects a projection 24 onto the projection surface 18 in the viewing direction and/or head orientation 26 of the driver 14 in f). The projection 24 thus lies directly in the field of view of the driver, such that it is very easy for the driver 14 to take in information.

[0063] In order to make it easier for the driver 14 to get out of the industrial truck 38, the projection surface 18 and/or the projector 20 are/is shifted vertically into the starting position in g), wherein the starting position is directly underneath the roof 30 of the driver's cabin 12 in this exemplary embodiment. In the same way as c), g) is also performed by way of the control unit 36.

[0064] The described exemplary embodiments are merely examples that may be modified and/or added to in many ways within the scope of the claims. Any feature that has been described for a particular exemplary embodiment may be used on its own or in combination with other features in any other exemplary embodiment. Any feature that has been described for an exemplary embodiment in one particular category may also be used accordingly in an exemplary embodiment in another category. In the claims, reference characters corresponding to elements recited in the detailed description and the drawings may be recited. Such reference characters are enclosed within parentheses and are provided as an aid for reference to example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings. Such reference characters are provided for convenience only and have no effect on the scope of the claims. In particular, such reference characters are not intended to limit the claims to the particular example embodiments described in the detailed description and the drawings.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0065] Industrial truck (prior art) 1 [0066] Driver (prior art) 2 [0067] Head (prior art) 3 [0068] Display (prior art) 4 [0069] Vehicle 10 [0070] Driver's cabin 12 [0071] Driver 14 [0072] Display device 16 [0073] Projection surface 18 [0074] Projector 20 [0075] Distance 22 [0076] Projection 24 [0077] Viewing direction/head orientation 26 [0078] Sensor device 28 [0079] Roof 30 [0080] Suspension system 32 [0081] Axis of rotation 34 [0082] Control unit 36 [0083] Industrial truck 38