Vehicle, head-up displaying system and method for adjusting height of projection image thereof

• US 10,191,290 B2
• Filed: 12/25/2015
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BYD Company Limited
• Original Assignee: BYD Company Limited
• Inventors: Ye, Riyi, Li, Ming, Wu, Yifeng
• Primary Examiner(s): Flores, Roberto W
• Application Number:
  US15/536,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20170329142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/176 Camera images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/23 using reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/816 Fastening of displays or touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/822 Adjustment of instruments during mounting
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/213 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/23 Head-up displays [HUD] optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/50 Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle B60K35/231 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/53 Movable instruments, e.g. slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/658 the instruments being ergonomically adjustable to the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/90 Calibration of instruments, e.g. setting initial or reference parameters; Testing of instruments, e.g. detecting malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2025/209 using worm gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 25/20 Screw mechanisms with automatic reversal F16H25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 : comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 : comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0159 : with mechanical means other than scaning means for positioning the whole image
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0163 : Electric or electronic control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0169 : Supporting or connecting means other than the external walls
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0181 : Adaptation to the pilot/driver
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 : slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/00 : Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 : characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0149 : characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0179 : Display position adjusting means not related to the information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 : Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 : Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30201 : Face
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/74 : involving reference images or patches

Abstract

A vehicle, a head-up displaying system and a method for adjusting a height of a projection image thereof are provided. The system includes a projector, a camera, a seat detecting module and a head-up controller. The camera is configured to detect an image having locations of the eyes of the driver and a predetermined reference point. The seat detecting module is configured to detect a position of a seat of the driver in the vehicle so as to obtain an actual horizontal distance between the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point. The head-up controller is configured to adjust a height of the projection image projected by the projector automatically according to the actual vertical distance. The system automatically controls the height of the projection image, and the projection image may be comfortable for the driver to view without any manual intervenes.

Claims

1. A head-up displaying system, configured to be applied in a vehicle, and comprising:

a projector, disposed in the vehicle, and configured to project a projection image onto a front windshield such that the projection image is reflected into eyes of a driver;

a camera, fixedly disposed in the vehicle and in front of the eyes of the driver, and configured to detect an image having locations of the eyes of the driver and a predetermined reference point;

a seat detecting module, configured to detect a position of a seat of the driver in the vehicle so as to obtain an actual horizontal distance between the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point in a horizontal direction; and

a head-up controller, configured to obtain the image detected by the camera and the actual horizontal distance detected by the seat detecting module, to process the image so as to obtain a position relation between the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point in the image, to generate an actual vertical distance between the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point according to the position relation and the actual horizontal distance, and to adjust a height of the projection image from the projector automatically according to the actual vertical distance,

wherein the projector comprises a display component, and a three-mirror optical assembly positioned in an optical path of an emergent light of the display component and configured to reflect the projection image projected by the display component onto the front windshield such that the front windshield reflects the projection image into the eyes of the driver and comprising;

a zoom lens assembly;

an image quality compensation lens assembly; and

a front windshield compensation lens assembly, configured to compensate for an image distortion caused by the front windshield and to adjust an angle of the emergent light,

wherein the front windshield compensation lens assembly comprises;

a housing;

a bracket, rotatably disposed on the housing;

an angle adjusting component, disposed on the housing and connected to the bracket, and configured to drive the bracket to rotate under control of the head-up controller; and

a front windshield compensation lens, disposed on the bracket, and configured to compensate for the distortion caused by the front windshield and to adjust the angle of the emergent light,

wherein the angle adjusting component comprises an adjusting housing, an electric motor, a gear train and a pusher;

wherein

the electric motor, the gear train and the pusher are disposed in the adjusting housing;

the electric motor is connected to the head-up controller and comprises a screw shaft, the screw shaft is engaged with the gear train;

the pusher has a pushing end connected to a back surface of the bracket and an engaging end engaged with the gear train; and

a rotary motion of the gear train is converted into a liner motion of the pusher.

2. The head-up displaying system according to claim 1, wherein the camera is disposed on a dashboard in the vehicle or on the front windshield or at a top of the vehicle.

3. The head-up displaying system according to claim 1, wherein the zoom lens assembly, the image quality compensation lens assembly and the front windshield compensation lens assembly are sequentially disposed in the optical path of the emergent light.

4. The head-up displaying system according to claim 1, wherein the head-up controller is provided with an image processing module inside or outside;

wherein the image processing module is configured to process the image so as to obtain the position relation between the eyes of the driver and the reference point in the image.

5. A method for adjusting a height of a projection image of a head-up displaying system according to claim 1, comprising:

detecting an image having locations of the eyes of the driver and a predetermined reference point by the camera;

detecting the position of the seat of the driver in the vehicle so as to obtain the actual horizontal distance between the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point in the horizontal direction by the seat detecting module;

obtaining the image and the actual horizontal distance by the head-up controller;

processing the image so as to obtain the position relation between the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point in the image by the head-up controller;

generating the actual vertical distance between the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point according to the position relation and the actual horizontal distance by the head-up controller; and

adjusting the height of the projection image projected from the projector automatically according to the actual vertical distance by the head-up controller.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a height of the predetermined reference point is determined as an average height of the eyes of the driver, and the camera is configured to photograph both the predetermined reference point and the eyes of the driver simultaneously.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of processing the image so as to obtain the position relation between the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point in the image comprises:

obtaining a coordinate (x₁, y₁) of the eyes of the driver and a coordinate (x₀, y₀) of the predetermined reference point in the image, so as to obtain a line between the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point and to obtain a ratio K=|y₁−

y₀|/|x₁−

x₀| of a height of the line in the vertical direction to a length of the line in the horizontal direction.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of obtaining the actual vertical distance between the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point according to the position relation and the actual horizontal distance comprises:

multiplying the actual horizontal distance by the ratio K to obtain the actual vertical distance by the seat detecting module.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of obtaining a coordinate (x₁, y₁) of the eyes of the driver and a coordinate (x₀, y₀) of the predetermined reference point in the image comprises:

obtaining a position of the eyes of the driver by the camera;

defining the predetermined reference point as a legible image or an image reflecting a specific infrared;

positioning the legible image or the image reflecting the specific infrared in the image so as to obtain a position of the predetermined reference point; and

placing the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point in a same standard reference so as to obtain the coordinate (x₁, y₁) of the eyes of the driver and the coordinate (x₀, y₀) of the predetermined reference point.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of obtaining a coordinate (x₁, y₁) of the eyes of the driver and a coordinate (x₀, y₀) of the predetermined reference point in the image comprises:

identifying a face of the driver in the image according to a face identification technology, and calculating a position of the eyes of the driver on the face;

defining the predetermined reference point as a legible image, and positioning the legible image in the image so as to obtain a position of the predetermined reference point;

placing the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point in a same standard reference so as to obtain the coordinate (x₁, y₁) of the eyes of the driver and the coordinate (x₀, y₀) of the predetermined reference point.

11. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of adjusting the height of the projection image projected from the projector automatically according to the actual vertical distance comprises:

controlling actions of the angle adjusting component automatically according to the actual vertical distance by the head-up controller, such that the angle adjusting component controls the bracket to rotate; and

driving the front windshield compensation lens to rotate by the bracket so as to adjust the height of the projection image projected from the projector automatically.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the step of controlling actions of the angle adjusting component automatically according to the actual vertical distance by the head-up controller, such that the angle adjusting component controls the bracket to rotate comprises:

controlling a rotation of the electric motor automatically according to the actual vertical distance, such that the electric motor drives the pusher to move and the pusher pushes the bracket to control the bracket to rotate.

13. A vehicle, comprising a head-up displaying system, configured to be applied in a vehicle, and comprising:

a projector, disposed in the vehicle, and configured to project a projection image onto a front windshield such that the projection image is reflected into eyes of a driver;

a camera, fixedly disposed in the vehicle and in front of the eyes of the driver, and configured to detect an image having locations of the eyes of the driver and a predetermined reference point;

a seat detecting module, configured to detect a position of a seat of the driver in the vehicle so as to obtain an actual horizontal distance between the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point in a horizontal direction; and

a head-up controller, configured to obtain the image and the actual horizontal distance, to process the image so as to obtain a position relation between the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point in the image, to generate an actual vertical distance between the eyes of the driver and the predetermined reference point according to the position relation and the actual horizontal distance, and to adjust a height of the projection image from the projector automatically according to the actual vertical distance,

wherein the projector comprises a display component, and a three-mirror optical assembly positioned in an optical path of an emergent light of the display component and configured to reflect the projection image projected by the display component onto the front windshield such that the front windshield reflects the projection image into the eyes of the driver and comprising;

a zoom lens assembly;

an image quality compensation lens assembly; and

a front windshield compensation lens assembly, configured to compensate for an image distortion caused by the front windshield and to adjust an angle of the emergent light,

wherein the front windshield compensation lens assembly comprises;

a housing;

a bracket, rotatably disposed on the housing;

an angle adjusting component, disposed on the housing and connected to the bracket, and configured to drive the bracket to rotate under control of the head-up controller; and

a front windshield compensation lens, disposed on the bracket, and configured to compensate for the distortion caused by the front windshield and to adjust the angle of the emergent light,

wherein the angle adjusting component comprises an adjusting housing, an electric motor, a gear train and a pusher;

wherein

the electric motor, the gear train and the pusher are disposed in the adjusting housing;

the electric motor is connected to the head-up controller and comprises a screw shaft, the screw shaft is engaged with the gear train;

the pusher has a pushing end connected to a back surface of the bracket and an engaging end engaged with the gear train; and

a rotary motion of the gear train is converted into a liner motion of the pusher.