Optoelectronic display system for transport vehicles

• US 20110122049A1
• Filed: 11/23/2009
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alexander Efros, Matvey Lvovskiy, Mikhail Lvovsky
• Original Assignee: Alexander Efros, Matvey Lvovskiy, Mikhail Lvovsky
• Inventors: Lvovskiy, Matvey, Efros, Alexander, Lvovsky, Mikhail
• Granted Patent: US 8,305,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/1.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0165 associated with a head-down display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/02 Diffusing elements; Afocal elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/20 Filters polarising elements G02B5/30
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications

Abstract

The Optoelectronic display system relating to automobile and other vehicles is proposed consisting of computer connected with sensors of parameters and certain signals to be represented by the system and display unit installed at place occupied by automobile (or other vehicle) unstrument panel. The display unit is provided with two display canals which are lower and upper and the image of pointer-type devices and navigation map is represented at lower canal by use of projecting or collimating optical systems simultaneously with collimated image of automobile movement parameters, which is represented at its windscreen. In order to perform visual information at the canals the unified image creator based on two LCD matrixes is utilized and the image for upper canal is represented at their upper parts and—for lower canal—at their lower parts. In order to improve its operational reliability the system is provided with device intended for monitoring of image creator functioning. If one of image creators'"'"' visualizers (LCD matrixes) is failed the operable visualizer is switched over to the mode which ensures representation of necessary parameters required for safe drive at corresponding parts of upper and lower canals.

Claims

1. Display system for automobile and other vehicles comprising the computer connected with sensors of parameters and one-time signals to be displayed and linked with display unit installed at place which is occupied by instrument panel and equipped with two canals (upper and lower) of visual data representation with:

a. lower canal representing virtual image of scaled pointer-type devices and various symbols,

b. upper canal representing on the windscreen image of real-time automobile movement parameters and warning and informative signs projected to optical “

infinity”

;

whereas the display unit is carried out with unified optoelectronic image creator simultaneously generating visual informative pictures of different form and content that are displayed at lower and upper canals;

whereas the image creator is carried out with two visualizers based on LCD matrixes in order to provide high quality image with high resolution for both canals and increased reliability of operation;

whereas the device providing control of each visualizer'"'"'s functioning in order to ensure the continuous representation of real-time information for driver while the automobile is moving and if one of visualizers is disabled special software is activated by abovementioned control device which ensures the representation of parameters'"'"' minimum number required to continue safe drive at corresponding segments of upper and lower canals information fields by use of another visualizer which is operable.

2. Display system as in claim 1 whereas in order to ensure maximum integration of its functions and accordingly decrease the number of devices at automobile instrument panel due to transition of GPS navigation indicator functions to Display system three following modes of lower canal operation which could be selected by the driver are provided for Display system:

display mode for scaled pointer-type devices and various symbols representation;

display mode for GPS navigation map representation;

display mode for combined representation of navigation map and certain devices which ensure generation of parameters required for safe drive.

3. Display unit as in claim 1 whereas in order to simplify its scheme due to electronic and optical components decreased number provided that all its functions are being fulfilled the long side of image creator LCD matrix is superposed with vertical line and at the matrix lower part which area is greater the image is being formed for representation at lower canal and at matrix upper part which area is smaller the image is being formed for representation at upper canal i.e. at the windscreen.

4. Display unit as in claim 3 whereas in order to get high resolution for both canals the image creator is carried out with two similar visualizers with each of them consisting of vertically located LCD matrixes, illuminator and projective objective and single optical integrator of intermediate images.

5. Display unit as in claim 4 whereas one of image creator visualizers is representing left segments and the other is representing right segments of images which are displayed at each canal and optical superposition of magnified intermediate images with minimum overlap is carried out by use of two projective objectives at optical integrator.

6. Display unit as in claim 5 whereas optical integrator of intermediate images is carried out in the form of transmitting-reflective screen which is divided into two unequal parts and the images of visualizers'"'"' LCD matrixes greater areas intended for representation at lower canal are projected at screen lower part which is greater and the images of visualizers'"'"' LCD matrixes smaller areas intended for representation at upper canal are projected at screen upper part which is smaller.

7. Display unit as in claim 6 whereas in order to represent at upper canal corresponding intermediate image which is formed at upper part of optical integrator in collimated form the aforementioned upper part of optical integrator is superposed with focal plane of upper canal collimating optical system.

8. Display unit as in claim 6 whereas in order to represent the corresponding intermediate image formed at lower part of optical integrator on output transparent-diffusive screen of lower canal, which is located in the instrument panel plane, the aforementioned lower part of optical integrator is optically conjugated with output transparent-diffusive screen by use of supplementary projective objective located between them.

9. Display unit as in claim 8 whereas in order to improve image contrast at lower canal under high ambient light conditions inside the automobile the transparent-diffusive screen of lower canal is carried out with Frenel lens by use of which the brightness rate is improved for the screen viewed by the driver.

10. Display unit as in claim 8 whereas in order to improve image contrast at lower canal under high ambient light conditions inside the automobile the glare filter is installed in front of the transparent-reflective screen of lower canal (in direction of observer).

11. Display unit as in claim 6 whereas in order to save the time of re-accommodation and re-adaptation of vision while the driver is turning his eyes from “

out-the-window”

picture and upper canal to the lower canal of display unit the lower canal is provided with collimating optical system focal plane of which is coincident with lower part of image creator optical integrator.

12. Display unit as in claim 11 whereas in order to downsize the display unit and improve its positioning on automobile instrument panel the output objectives of collimating optical systems for upper and lower canals are carried out in the forms of circles with truncated upper and lower segments.

13. Display unit as in claim 11 whereas in order to downsize it and cut the cost of stock-produced item all optical components for the system are carried out of acrylic plastic, e.g., by use of acrylic resin pressing method.

14. Display system as in claim 1 whereas the device for control of image creator each visualizer'"'"'s functioning is carried out on basis of photosensitive transducers connected with computer that are located at peripheral areas of left and right half'"'"'s of intermediate images optical integrator and providing the check of luminous marks'"'"' presence which are indicative of each visualizer'"'"'s good operative condition.

15. Display system as in claim 14 whereas in case one of image creator visualizers in display unit is failed and corresponding luminous mark is vanished and corresponding photosensitive transducer is activated then the software is activated by computer that ensures representation of parameters'"'"' minimum number required for safe drive at corresponding half'"'"'s of upper and lower canals'"'"' information fields by use of second (operable) visualizer.