WINDSCREEN DISPLAY SYSTEM

• US 20170075114A1
• Filed: 09/15/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Quarta, Markus, Kelly, Steven, Jarvis, Alex, Hoggarth, Marcus
• Application Number:
  US15/266,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20170075114A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/013 comprising a combiner of particular shape, e.g. curvature
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0025 for optical correction, e.g. distorsion, aberration
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3147 Multi-projection systems displays in general H04N9/12; video walls G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/315 Modulator illumination systems general applications of lighting devices F21V; general optical systems G02B; lamp houses for projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/20

Abstract

A windscreen display system for a motor vehicle includes: a first projector configured to project a first image onto a driver'"'"'s side of a windscreen so that light from the first projector is reflected by the windscreen towards the driver; a second projector configured to project a second image onto a passenger'"'"'s side of the windscreen so that light from the second projector is reflected by the windscreen towards the passenger; and one or more privacy filters disposed between the windscreen and the first and second projectors. The one or more privacy filters are configured to limit the viewing angle of the light emitted from the first and second projectors such that, after passing through the one or more privacy filters and reflecting from the windscreen, light rays from the first projector are substantially in line with the driver and light rays from the second projector are substantially in line with the passenger.

Claims

1. A windscreen display system for a motor vehicle, the windscreen display system comprising:

a first projector configured to project a first image onto a driver'"'"'s side of a windscreen so that light from the first projector is reflected by the windscreen towards the driver;

a second projector configured to project a second image onto a passenger'"'"'s side of the windscreen so that light from the second projector is reflected by the windscreen towards the passenger; and

one or more privacy filters disposed between the windscreen and the first projector and the second projector, the one or more privacy filters configured to limit a viewing angle of the light emitted from the first projector and the second projector such that, after passing through the one or more privacy filters and reflecting from the windscreen, the first image is not viewable by the passenger and the second image is not viewable by the driver.

2. The windscreen display system of claim 1, wherein the windscreen display system further comprises one or more mirrors configured to redirect light emitted from the first projector and/or the second projector in a direction of the windscreen.

3. The windscreen display system of claim 2, wherein one or more of the privacy filters is provided between the one or more mirrors and the windscreen.

4. The windscreen display system of claim 3, wherein the windscreen display system comprises a mirror common to each of the first projector and the second projector.

5. The windscreen display system of claim 3, wherein the windscreen display system comprises one mirror for each of the first projector and the second projector.

6. The windscreen display system of claim 5, wherein one or more of the one or more mirrors are curved so as to correct any distortion resulting from a non-flat windscreen such that after reflection by the windscreen the first image appears to the driver to be undistorted and the second image appears to the passenger to be undistorted.

7. The windscreen display system of claim 6, wherein the first projector and/or the second projector are configured to project a distorted image that after reflection by the windscreen appears to the respective driver or passenger to be undistorted.

8. The windscreen display system of claim 7, wherein one or more of the privacy filters are provided on a top of a dashboard of the motor vehicle.

9. The windscreen display system of claim 8, wherein said one or more privacy filters comprises a single privacy filter common to each of the first and second projectors.

10. The windscreen display system of claim 9, wherein the windscreen display system comprises one privacy filter for each of the first projector and the second projector.

11. The windscreen display system of claim 10, wherein said windscreen includes a tinted layer on an inner surface of the windscreen.

12. The windscreen display system of claim 11, wherein the tinted layer comprises a coating or film applied to the windscreen.

13. The windscreen display system of claim 1, wherein the windscreen display system comprises one or more rear projection display layers disposed between (a) the first projector and the second projector and (b) the one or more privacy filters.

14. The windscreen display system of claim 13, wherein the windscreen display system further comprises one or more transparent layers to which the one or more rear projection display layers and one or more privacy filters are attached.

15. The windscreen display system of claim 13, wherein the first image comprises navigational information.

16. The windscreen display system of claim 15, wherein the second image comprises media content.

17. A vehicle comprising the windscreen display system of claim 1.

18. A method of displaying images on a windscreen of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

projecting a first image onto a driver'"'"'s side of a windscreen with a first projector so that light from the first projector is reflected by the windscreen towards the driver;

projecting a second image onto a passenger'"'"'s side of the windscreen with a second projector so that light from the second projector is reflected by the windscreen towards the passenger; and

limiting a viewing angle of the light emitted from the first projector and the second projector with one or more privacy filters disposed between the windscreen and the first projector and the second projector, the one or more privacy filters being configured to limit the viewing angle of the light emitted from the first projector and the second projector such that, after passing through the one or more privacy filters and reflecting from the windscreen, the first image is not viewable by the passenger and the second image is not viewable by the driver.