Vehicle display system providing depth information

• US 10,321,122 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2017
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Tonar, William L., Rieder, Andre J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahi, Shan E
• Application Number:
  US15/487,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20170302914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 348 48
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/31 Virtual images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/65 Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/31 providing stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/20 characterised by the type of display used
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/20 in augmented reality scenes
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/305 using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/31 using parallax barriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/327 Calibration thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/366 using viewer tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/383 for tracking with gaze detection, i.e. detecting the lines of sight of the viewer's eyes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

The disclosure provides for a display system for a vehicle comprising at least one image sensor, an image processor, and a display. The image processor is in communication with the image sensor and configured to generate autostereoscopic image data. The display is in communication with the image processor and configured to display the autostereoscopic image data. The autostereoscopic image data is configured to provide a depth perception to assist in determining a proximity of an object in the image data.

Claims

1. A vehicle display device for a vehicle:

a plurality of image sensors configured to capture image data;

a tracking sensor configured to identify a position of an occupant;

an image processor in communication with the image sensors and the tracking sensor, the image processor configured to generate stereoscopic image data from the image data, wherein the stereoscopic image data comprises right image data and left image data; and

a display apparatus in communication with the image processor, the display apparatus disposed in a rearview display of the vehicle comprising a display panel comprising a display screen and an optical array, wherein the optical array is configured to communicate the stereoscopic image data from the display screen independently to each of a right eye and a left eye of the occupant based on the position of the occupant.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the display apparatus comprises a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the display apparatus is configured to activate a first portion of the plurality of pixels displaying the right image data and activate a second portion of the plurality of pixels displaying the left image data.

4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the display apparatus comprises a parallax barrier disposed on a front surface of the pixel array between the pixel array and the occupant.

5. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the display apparatus comprises a lenticular lens disposed on a front surface of the pixel array between the pixel array and the occupant.

6. The display system according to claim 5, wherein the image processor controls the passage of the right image data and the left image data through the lenticular array by pairing light field rays of the pixels of the pixel array with retinal positions of the occupant.

7. The display system according to claim 5, wherein the right image data and the left image data are communicated to the occupant by selectively activating pixels of the pixel array aligned through the lenticular lens with the right eye and the left eye of the occupant respectively.

8. The display system according to claim 7, wherein the display apparatus is configured to direct the right image data to the right eye and the left image data to the left eye based on the position identified by the tracking sensor.

9. The display system according to claim 1, wherein the display system corresponds to an autostereoscopic display.

10. The display system according to claim 1, wherein the display system corresponds to a rearview display system.

11. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a position sensor configured to detect an angle of the display as an orientation relative to a forward operating direction of the vehicle, wherein the stereoscopic image data is generated based on the angle.

12. A display system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one image sensor configured to capture image data in a rearward directed field of view relative to a forward operating direction of the vehicle;

an image processor in communication with the image sensor and configured to generate autostereoscopic image data;

a display in connection with the vehicle and in communication with the image processor configured to display the autostereoscopic image data on a display screen, wherein the autostereoscopic image data is configured to provide a depth perception to assist in determining a proximity of an object in the image data; and

at least one sensor configured to detect a gesture of a user proximate to the display screen, wherein the display screen is configured to display a virtual user interface comprising three-dimensional graphical data and project the three-dimensional graphical data with the autostereoscopic image data to a user operating the vehicle from the display screen.

13. The display system according to claim 12, wherein the image sensor corresponds to a plurality of image sensors configured to generate a plurality of views of image data.

14. The display system according to claim 12, wherein the image processor is configured to generate at least one of an autostereoscopic image data and an automultiscopic image data from the plurality of views.

15. The display system according to claim 12, wherein the image processor is further operable to generate graphical data forming a three dimensional user interface on the display.

16. The display system according to claim 12, wherein the input sensor is configured to detect and distinguish the gesture of the user corresponding to the shape of the graphical data.

17. The display system according to claim 12, wherein the image processor is further configured to generate the autostereoscopic image data based on an angle of the display relative to a forward direction of the vehicle.

18. A vehicle display device for a vehicle:

a plurality of image sensors configured to capture image data;

a tracking sensor configured to identify a position of an occupant;

an image processor in communication with the image sensors and the tracking sensor, the image processor configured to generate stereoscopic image data from the image data, wherein the stereoscopic image data comprises right image data and left image data; and

a display apparatus in connection with the vehicle and in communication with the image processor, the display apparatus comprising a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels and a lenticular lens, wherein the display apparatus is configured to;

activate a first portion of the plurality of pixels directing the right image data to a right eye of the occupant through the lenticular lens; and

activate a second portion of the plurality of pixels directing the left image data to a left eye of the occupant through the lenticular lens;

wherein the image processor is further configured to generate the autostereoscopic image data based on an angle of the display relative to a forward direction of the vehicle.

19. The device according to claim 18, further comprising a position sensor configured to detect the angle of the display relative to the forward operating direction of the vehicle.