Display apparatus

• US 5,331,333 A
• Filed: 10/23/1992
• Issued: 07/19/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nohno, Hitoshi, Tagawa, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luu, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US07/966,116
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 340/705, 340/980, 340/727, 350/174, 350/3.7, 345/7, 345/8, 345/9, 345/126, 345/31, 359/13, 359/630, 359/631, 359/632, 359/633
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/02 by tracing or scanning a light beam on a screen

Abstract

A display apparatus in which light outputted from an LED array arranged in a column is reflected by a vibrating mirror such that a two-dimensional image is obtained, comprising: a half mirror which reflects light having a wavelength identical with a light emitting wavelength of the LED array and transmits therethrough visible light having other wavelengths than the light emitting wavelength; the half mirror being so disposed as to not only transmit therethrough the visible light from outside but also reflect the light proceeding from the LED array via the vibrating mirror such that the two-dimensional image has an outer scene as its background.

Claims

1. In a heads-up display apparatus in which light outputted from an LED display arranged in a column is reflected by a vibrating mirror driven in a sinusoidal wave such that a two-dimensional image is obtained, the improvement comprising:

first means for indicating whether said display is oriented upwardly or downwardly; and

LED driving means for driving said LED array, said driving means being responsive to a signal from said first means indicative of whether said display apparatus is oriented upwardly or downwardly such that;

if said first means indicates that the display apparatus is oriented upwardly, said LED driving means drives the LED array at a rise region of the sinusoidal wave while turning on said LED array in a forward direction; and

if said first means indicates that the display apparatus is oriented downwardly, said LED driving means drives the LED array at a fall region of the sinusoidal wave while turning on said LED array in a reverse direction.

2. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first means is formed by a gravity sensor.

3. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said gravity sensor includes a hermetically sealed vessel, a pair of electrodes extending through one end of said vessel and electrically conductive liquid put in said vessel.

4. A display apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said liquid is mercury.

5. In a heads-up display apparatus in which light outputted from an LED display arranged in a column is reflected by a vibrating mirror such that a two-dimensional image is obtained, the improvement comprising:

a first half mirror which reflects light from roughly half the visible spectrum, wherein the wavelengths of light reflected include the wavelength of light emitted by said LED array and transmits therethrough visible light having other wavelengths;

said first half mirror being so disposed as to not only transmit therethrough the visible light from outside but also reflect the light proceeding from said LED array via said vibrating mirror such that the two-dimensional image is viewed against a background of those elements of an outer scene containing spectral components transmitted by said first half mirror;

wherein the vibrating mirror is driven by a periodic signal and wherein the apparatus further comprises;

first means for indicating whether the display is oriented upwardly or downwardly; and

LED driving means for driving said LED array, said driving means being responsive to a signal from said first means indicative of whether said display apparatus is oriented upwardly or downwardly such that;

if said first means indicates that the display apparatus is oriented upwardly, said LED driving means drives the LED array during a first portion of the periodic signal while turning on said LED array in a forward direction; and

if said first means indicates that the display apparatus is oriented downwardly said LED driving means drives the LED array during a second portion of the periodic signal while turning on said LED array in a reverse direction.

6. A heads-up display apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of LED devices arranged in a column;

LED driving means for driving the LED devices;

a vibrating mirror placed so as to reflect light generated by the LED devices, said mirror driven by a periodic signal such that a two-dimensional image is obtained;

a first half mirror which reflects light from roughly half the visible spectrum, including the wavelength of light emitted by the LED devices, and transmits therethrough visible light having other wavelengths; and

first means for indicating whether the display apparatus is oriented upwardly or downwardly;

said driving means being responsive to a signal from said first means indicative of whether the display apparatus is oriented upwardly or downwardly such that;

if said first means indicates that the display apparatus is oriented upwardly, said LED driving means drives the column of LED devices during a first portion of the periodic signal while turning on said LED array in a forward direction; and

if said first means indicates that the display apparatus is oriented downwardly, said LED driving means drives the column of LED devices during a second portion of the periodic signal while turning on said LED array in a reverse direction; and

said first half mirror being disposed so as to not only transmit therethrough the visible light from outside but also reflect the light reflected from the vibrating mirror such that the two-dimensional image is viewed against a background of those elements of an outer scene containing spectral components transmitted by said first half mirror.