Method and device for influencing an optical output of image data on an output device in a vehicle

Abstract

A method and a system for influencing an optical output of image data on an output device in a vehicle. A viewing direction of a driver of the vehicle is determined. If the determined viewing direction is directed to the output device, the optical output of the image data is faded down with an average fading out rate DOWN. The fading out rate DOWN defines a temporal decrease in the optical perceptibility of the output image data by a human. If the determined viewing direction is directed towards the output device and is directed away from the output device, the optical output of the image data is faded up with an average fading in rate UP. The fading in rate UP defines a temporal increase of the optical perceptibility of the output image data by a human.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an optical output of image data on an output device in a vehicle, the method comprising: determining, in the vehicle, a viewing direction of a driver of the vehicle; fading out, responsive to determining that the viewing direction of the driver of the vehicle is directed to the output device, the optical output of the image data with an average fading out rate DOWN, wherein the fading out rate DOWN defines a temporal decrease in the optical perceptibility of the output image data by a human; and fading in, responsive to determining that the viewing direction of the driver is directed towards the output device and then is directed away from the output device, the optical output of the image data with an average fading in rate UP, wherein the fading in rate UP defines a temporal increase of the optical perceptibility of the output image data by the human, the method further comprising determining a frequency at which the viewing direction of the driver is directed towards the output device or the viewing direction of the driver is directed away from the output device, wherein the fading out rate DOWN is increased or the fading in rate UP is reduced as the determined frequency increases.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fading in rate UP is greater than the fading out rate DOWN.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in which the fading out of the optical output of the image data is implemented with a step function T.sub.FADING OUT(t) in which a light intensity LI of the image data output is reduced stepwise or in which a blurring of the image data output is increased stepwise.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the fading in of the optical output of the image data is implemented with a step function T.sub.FADING IN(t), in which a light intensity LI of the image data output is increased stepwise or a blurring of the image data output is reduced stepwise.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step function T.sub.FADING OUT(t) or T.sub.FADING IN(t) is implemented with equidistant support points t=t.sub.n=t.sub.0+(n−1)*Δt, with n=0, 1, 2, . . . to is a start time, and Δt is a predetermined time step.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the fading out rate DOWN is increased with increasing frequency.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the fading out of the optical output of the image data starts at an average fading out rate DOWN with a time offset ZV.sub.DOWN responsive to the determined viewing direction being directed towards the output device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the fading in of the optical output of the image data begins with a time offset ZV.sub.UP responsive to the determined viewing direction of the driver being initially directed towards the output device and then is directed away from the output device.

9. A system in a vehicle, the system comprising: an output device, in the vehicle, configured to optically outputs image data; a sensor system, in the vehicle, configured to determine a viewing direction of a driver of the vehicle; and a control unit coupled to the sensor system and the output device, wherein the control unit is configured to control the output device in such a way that the optical output of the image data of the output device is faded out, responsive to determining that the viewing direction of the driver of the vehicle is directed to the output device, with an average fading out rate DOWN, wherein the fading out rate DOWN defines a temporal decrease in the optical perceptibility of the output image data by a human; the optical output of the image data of the output device is faded in, responsive to determining that the viewing direction of the driver is directed towards the output device and then is directed away from the output device, with an average fading in rate UP, wherein the fading in rate UP defines a temporal increase of the optical perceptibility of the output image data by the human; and a frequency at which the viewing direction of the driver is directed towards the output device or the viewing direction of the driver is directed away from the output device is determined, wherein the fading out rate DOWN is increased or the fading in rate UP is reduced as the determined frequency increases.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

(1) Further advantages, features and details emerge from the following description, in which—optionally with reference to the drawings—at least one exemplary embodiment is described in detail. Identical, similar and/or functionally identical parts are provided with the same reference numerals. Here are shown:

(2) FIG. 1 a highly schematized sequence of a method according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 an example of a change in the perceptibility of the output image data, wherein the driver looks at the output device at one point in time and does not avert his/her gaze,

(4) FIG. 3 an example of a change in the perceptibility of the output image data, wherein the driver looks at the output device at one point in time and averts his/her gaze away from the output device again, and

(5) FIG. 4 a highly schematized structure of a system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows a highly schematized sequence of a method according to the invention for influencing an optical output of image data on an output device in a vehicle, with the following steps. In a step 101, a viewing direction of a driver of the vehicle is determined in the vehicle. In a step 102, if the determined viewing direction is directed to the output device, the optical output of the image data is faded out at an average fading out rate DOWN, wherein the fading out rate DOWN defines a temporal decrease in the optical perceptibility of the output image data by a human. In a step 103, if the determined viewing direction is directed towards the output device and is directed away from the output device, the optical output of the image data is faded in at an average fading in rate UP, wherein the fading in rate UP describes a temporal increase in the optical perceptibility of the output image data by a human. In particular, UP>DOWN applies.

(7) FIG. 2 shows an example of a change in the perceptibility of the output image data, wherein the driver looks at the output device at a time t.sub.0 and does not avert his/her gaze for a longer time, e.g., 10 seconds.

(8) In the depicted diagram, the time t is indicated along the x axis and the perceptibility of the image data displayed on the output device is indicated along the y-axis as a percentage [%]. In the present case, the perceptibility of 100% corresponds to an optimal output of image data for the output device. At a perceptibility of 0%, the output image data cannot be perceived by a human.

(9) As already described above, the perceptibility can be changed by, for example: changing the image brightness of the image data to be output on the output device and/or by changing the blur of the image data to be output. By way of example, the perceptibility of 0% corresponds to a “black” screen in which the image brightness of the image data to be output is zero, or it corresponds, for example, to a blur of the output image data that does not allow any recognizability of the image data to be output.

(10) In the depicted graphic, the progression of the perceptibility of the image data to be output is depicted for the case where the image data to be output is initially displayed on the output device with a perceptibility of 100% and at time t.sub.0 it is determined that the driver is looking at the output device.

(11) However, the fading out 102 of the optical output of the image data to be output with an average fading out rate DOWN does not start at time t.sub.0 but with a time offset ZV.sub.DOWN, which is, for example, 2, 3 or 4 seconds.

(12) The fading out 102 of the optical output of the image data is implemented in this exemplary embodiment with a step function T.sub.FADING OUT(t), in which a light intensity LI of the image data output is reduced stepwise and/or in which a blurring of the image data output is increased stepwise, such that the perceptibility of the image data to be output is reduced with an average fading out rate DOWN (represented by the dashed line). The step function T.sub.FADING OUT(t) is implemented here with equidistant support points t=t.sub.n=t.sub.0+(n−1)*Δt, wherein n=0, 1, 2, . . . to is a start time, and Δt is a predetermined time step.

(13) Of course, the fading out 102 of the optical output of the image data can also be performed with any other time function f(t).

(14) The time span from t.sub.0 to t.sub.E is advantageously 5 to 15 seconds.

(15) FIG. 3 shows an example of a change in the perceptibility of the output image data, wherein the driver initially looks at the output device at time t.sub.0 and turns his/her gaze away from the output device again at a time t.sub.1. In the example shown, the time difference between t.sub.0 and t.sub.1 is too small for the perceptibility of the image data to be output to reach 0% as a result of fading out. The perceptibility of the output image data is 37% at time t.sub.1.

(16) The fading in 103 of the optical output of the image data occurs with a time offset ZV.sub.UP, for example of 2 seconds with an average fading in rate UP. Fading in 103 of the optical output of the image data is also implemented with a step function T.sub.FADING IN(t), in which a light intensity LI of the image data output is increased stepwise, and/or in which a blur of the image data output is decreased stepwise. The following can be clearly seen: UP>DOWN, i.e., the reduction of the perceptibility occurs more slowly than the increase of the perceptibility.

(17) FIG. 4 shows a highly schematized structure of a system according to the invention, with which image data can be output optically on an output device 201 in a vehicle, comprising a sensor system 202 arranged in the vehicle, which is designed and set up to determine a viewing direction of a driver of the vehicle, a control unit 203, which controls the output device 201, which is designed and set up such that, provided the determined viewing direction is directed towards the output device 201, the optical output of the image data is faded out at an average fading out rate DOWN, wherein the fading out rate DOWN defines a temporal decrease in the optical perceptibility of the output image data by a human, and if the determined viewing direction is directed towards the output device 201 and is directed away from the output device 201, the optical output of the image data is faded in at an average fading in rate UP, wherein the fading in rate UP describes a temporal increase in the optical perceptibility of the output image data by a human.

(18) Although the invention has been further illustrated and explained in detail by preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples, and other variations can be derived therefrom by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention. It is therefore clear that a plurality of possible variations exists. It is also clear that exemplary embodiments mentioned are really only examples, which are not to be understood in any way as limiting, for example, the scope of protection, the possible applications or the configuration of the invention. Rather, the preceding description and the figure description enable the person skilled in the art to implement the exemplary embodiments in a concrete manner, wherein the person skilled in the art, being aware of the disclosed idea of the invention, can make a variety of changes, for example with respect to the function or the arrangement of individual elements mentioned in an exemplary embodiment, without leaving the scope of protection defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as further explanations in the description.