METHOD OF OPERATING A VEHICLE HEAD-UP DISPLAY

• US 20170059872A1
• Filed: 08/23/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: HAEFNER, Marcus, BANYAY, Matus
• Granted Patent: US 11,048,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0179 Display position adjusting means not related to the information to be displayed

Abstract

A method of controlling a head-up display (HUD) of a vehicle to adjust the vertical position of a light bundle generated by the HUD to match an eye of a vehicle driver. A camera is operated to capture an image of a head of the vehicle driver reflected in a combiner of the head-up display. An electronic processor analyzes the image captured by the camera and determines a position of a driver'"'"'s eye. The processor controls operation of an electric motor to automatically adjust the position of the combiner to align a light bundle or eyebox generated by the projector and reflected by the combiner with the eye position determined by the processor.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a head-up display of a vehicle to direct a light bundle generated by a projector of the head-up display toward an eye of a vehicle driver comprising:

operating a camera to capture an image of a head of the vehicle driver reflected in a combiner of the head-up display;

operating a processor to analyze the image captured by the camera and determine a position of a driver'"'"'s eye; and

automatically adjusting a position of the combiner to align a light bundle generated by the projector and reflected by the combiner with the eye position determined by the processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the combiner comprises a screen located between a windshield of the vehicle and the driver'"'"'s head.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the position of the combiner is adjusted by operating a motor to pivot about an axis aligned transverse relative to the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is carried out when the vehicle is started up.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is carried out during a trip of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising illuminating the driver'"'"'s head with light having a wavelength which is invisible to a human eye and is visible to the camera.

7. A method of controlling a head-up display of a vehicle to direct a light bundle generated by a projector of the head-up display toward an eye of a vehicle driver comprising:

operating a camera to capture an image of a head of the vehicle driver reflected in a combiner of the head-up display;

operating a processor to analyze the image captured by the camera and determine a position of a driver'"'"'s eye; and

automatically adjusting a position of the combiner to align an eyebox generated by the head-up display with the eye position determined by the processor.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the combiner comprises a screen located between a windshield of the vehicle and the driver'"'"'s head.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the position of the combiner is adjusted by operating a motor to pivot about an axis aligned transverse relative to the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the method is carried out when the vehicle is started up.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the method is carried out during a trip of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising illuminating the driver'"'"'s head with light having a wavelength which is invisible to a human eye and is visible to the camera.

13. A method of operating a head-up display of a vehicle comprising:

operating a camera to capture an image of a driver'"'"'s head reflected by a combiner of the head-up display;

operating a processor to determine a position of a driver'"'"'s eye from the image of the head; and

automatically adjusting a position of the combiner to align an eyebox produced by the head-up display with the eye position determined by the processor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the combiner comprises a screen located between a windshield of the vehicle and the driver'"'"'s head.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the position of the combiner is adjusted by operating a motor to pivot about an axis aligned transverse relative to the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the method is carried out when the vehicle is started up.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the method is carried out during a trip of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising illuminating the driver'"'"'s head with light having a wavelength which is invisible to a human eye and is visible to the camera.