VEHICLE HEAD UP DISPLAY SYSTEM

• US 20170255300A1
• Filed: 05/19/2017
• Published: 09/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lindahl, John O., Whitehead, Peter J., Lynam, Niall R., Uken, John T., Karner, Lee, Hook, Richard R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,139,978 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0033 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof

Abstract

A head up display system for a vehicle includes an image projection device disposed in the vehicle and having a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner and at least one light source operable to emit light. Light emitted by the at least one light source is projected by the biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards a windshield of the vehicle so as to form an image that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle viewing the windshield when driving the vehicle. The image projection device is disposed at one of (i) an accessory module disposed in the vehicle, (ii) an interior rearview mirror assembly disposed in the vehicle, and (iii) a dashboard of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A head up display system for a vehicle, said head up display system comprising:

an image projection device disposed in a vehicle equipped with said head up display system, said image projection device comprising a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner and at least one light source operable to emit light;

wherein light emitted by said at least one light source is projected by said biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards a windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to form an image that is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing the windshield when driving the equipped vehicle; and

wherein said image projection device is disposed at one of (i) an accessory module disposed in the equipped vehicle, (ii) an interior rearview mirror assembly disposed in the equipped vehicle, and (iii) a dashboard of the equipped vehicle.

2. The head up display system of claim 1, wherein said image projection device comprises a thin film transistor liquid crystal element.

3. The head up display system of claim 2, wherein said image projection device comprises optics that direct light emitted by said at least one light source through said thin film transistor liquid crystal element and toward the windshield.

4. The head up display system of claim 1, wherein said at least one light source comprises a red-light emitting light source, a green-light emitting light source and a blue-light emitting light source.

5. The head up display system of claim 1, wherein said at least one light source comprises a red-light emitting diode, a green-light emitting diode and a blue-light emitting diode.

6. The head up display system of claim 1, wherein said image projection device comprises a laser-scanning image projection device.

7. The head up display system of claim 1, wherein the image viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprises a virtual image that appears to the driver to be in front of the equipped vehicle.

8. The head up display system of claim 1, wherein the image viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprises an iconistic image.

9. The head up display system of claim 1, wherein the image viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprises a video image.

10. The head up display system of claim 9, wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a reversing camera of the equipped vehicle.

11. The head up display system of claim 9, wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a camera that is part of a side object monitoring system of the equipped vehicle.

12. The head up display system of claim 9, wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a camera that is part of a blind spot monitoring system of the equipped vehicle.

13. The head up display system of claim 1, wherein said image projection device is disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly disposed in the equipped vehicle.

14. The head up display system of claim 13, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a mirror casing having a bezel, and wherein a plurality of actuatable elements are arranged along a portion of said bezel, and wherein said actuatable elements are integrally formed at said portion of said bezel during said molding operation that forms said bezel, said actuatable elements each comprising a molded plastic material body portion and a molded plastic material flexible portion, said molded plastic material flexible portion connecting said molded plastic material body portion to the remainder of said bezel so that said body portion is movable relative to the remainder of said bezel via flexing of said flexible portion when said actuatable element is actuated by a user pressing said body portion, and wherein circuitry is disposed within said mirror casing and has electrical actuation switches located generally proximate to and rearward of said body portions of said actuatable elements.

15. A head up display system for a vehicle, said head up display system comprising:

an image projection device disposed in a vehicle equipped with said head up display system, said image projection device comprising a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner and at least one light source operable to emit light;

wherein light emitted by said at least one light source is projected by said biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards a windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to form an image that is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing the windshield when driving the equipped vehicle; and

wherein the image viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprises a video image.

16. The head up display system of claim 15, wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a reversing camera of the equipped vehicle.

17. The head up display system of claim 15, wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a camera that is part of a side object monitoring system of the equipped vehicle.

18. The head up display system of claim 15, wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a camera that is part of a blind spot monitoring system of the equipped vehicle.

19. The head up display system of claim 15, wherein said image projection device is disposed at an accessory module disposed in the equipped vehicle.

20. The head up display system of claim 15, wherein said image projection device is disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly disposed in the equipped vehicle.

21. A head up display system for a vehicle, said head up display system comprising:

an image projection device disposed in a vehicle equipped with said head up display system, said image projection device comprising a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner and at least one light source operable to emit light;

wherein light emitted by said at least one light source is projected by said biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards a windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to form an image that is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing the windshield when driving the equipped vehicle; and

wherein said image projection device comprises a laser-scanning image projection device.

22. The head up display system of claim 21, wherein the image viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprises an iconistic image.

23. The head up display system of claim 21, wherein the image viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprises a video image.

24. The head up display system of claim 23, wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a reversing camera of the equipped vehicle.

25. The head up display system of claim 23, wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a camera that is part of a side object monitoring system of the equipped vehicle.

26. The head up display system of claim 23, wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a camera that is part of a blind spot monitoring system of the equipped vehicle.

27. The head up display system of claim 23, wherein the image viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprises a virtual image that appears to the driver to be in front of the equipped vehicle.

28. The head up display system of claim 23, wherein the image viewed by the driver viewing the windshield is viewable at an optical image combiner.