Dual image CHMSLS

• US 5,455,692 A
• Filed: 11/15/1993
• Issued: 10/03/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Wreede, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lerner, Martin
• Application Number:
  US08/151,623
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 359/13, 359/14, 359/15, 359/19, 359/20, 359/22, 359/24, 359/25
• US Class Current: 359/13
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2202 Reconstruction geometries or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/30 discrete holograms only
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0439 for recording Holographic Optical Element [HOE] HOE per se G02B5/32
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0482 Interference based printer
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2615 in physical contact, i.e. layered holograms

Abstract

A hologram structure for use in a holographic center high mounted stoplight system for a vehicle. The hologram structure includes first and second hologram layers laminarly secured to each other, each having a plurality of bright hologram cells and dim hologram cells formed therein, and each hologram cell being configured to diffract light into a predetermined solid angular region. The bright hologram cells and the dim hologram cells of each hologram are arranged in a pattern to produce a recognizable pattern of bright and dim areas.

Claims

1. A holographic center high mounted stoplight system for a vehicle, comprising:

a light source for providing a reconstruction beam;

a first array of bright transmission hologram cells and dim transmission hologram cells, each hologram cell comprised of a holographic lens configured to diffract a portion of the reconstruction beam into a first predetermined angular field comprising a central angular region having vertical and horizontal extent, said first array of cells arranged in a first predetermined pattern so as to produce a pattern of bright and dim areas pursuant to diffraction by the hologram lenses of said hologram cells of said first array; and

a second array of non-overlapping bright transmission hologram and dim transmission hologram cells, each hologram cell comprised of a holographic lens configured to diffract a portion of said reconstruction beam into a second predetermined angular field comprising first and second peripheral angular regions that are horizontally on either side of said central angular region, said second array of cells arranged in a second predetermined pattern so as to produce a pattern of bright and dim areas pursuant to diffraction by the hologram lenses of said hologram cells of said second array;

whereby said portions of said reconstruction beam that are diffracted by said holographic lenses of said first and second arrays form stoplight illumination.

2. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 1 wherein said first array of bright transmission hologram cells and dim transmission hologram cells is formed in a first hologram layer, and wherein said second array of bright transmission hologram cells and dim transmission hologram cells is formed in a second hologram layer, said first and second hologram layers being laminarly attached to each other.

3. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 2 wherein each of said transmission hologram cells of said first array produces an image of a point source, and wherein each of said transmission hologram cells of said second array produces an image of a line source.

4. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 3 wherein each point source image and each line source image is displaced away from one side of said hologram layers.

5. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 3 wherein each point source image is displaced away from one side of said hologram layers, and wherein each line source image is displaced from another side of said hologram layers.

6. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 1 wherein said first array of bright transmission hologram cells and dim transmission hologram cells and said second array of bright transmission hologram cells and dim transmission hologram cells are formed in a single hologram layer.

7. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 6 wherein each of said hologram cells of said first array produces an image of a point source, and wherein each of said hologram cells of said second array produces an image of a line source.

8. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 7 wherein each point source image and each line source image is displaced away from one side of said single hologram layer.

9. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 7 wherein each point source image is displaced away from one side of said single hologram layer, and wherein each line source image is displaced from another side of said single hologram layer.

10. The holographic high mounted stoplight system of claim 1 wherein said bright transmission hologram and dim transmission hologram cells of said first array and said bright transmission hologram and dim transmission hologram cells of said second array are substantially identical in shape, and wherein said first predetermined pattern is a negative of said second predetermined pattern whereby the bright areas and dim areas produced by said first array respectively correspond to the dim areas and bright areas produced by said second array.

11. A holographic center high mounted stoplight system for a vehicle, comprising:

a light source for providing a reconstruction beam;

a first array of transmission hologram and non-hologram cells, each transmission hologram cell comprised of a holographic lens configured to diffract a portion of the reconstruction beam into a first predetermined angular field comprising a central angular region having vertical and horizontal extent, said first array of cells arranged in a first predetermined pattern so as to produce a pattern of light and dark areas pursuant to diffraction by the hologram lenses of said transmission hologram cells of said first array; and

a second array of non-overlapping bright transmission hologram and dim transmission hologram cells, each transmission hologram cell comprised of a holographic lens configured to diffract a portion of said reconstruction beam into a second predetermined angular field comprising first and second peripheral angular regions that are horizontally on either side of said central angular region, said second array of cells arranged in a second predetermined pattern so as to produce a pattern of bright and dim areas pursuant to diffraction by the hologram lenses of said transmission hologram cells of said second array;

whereby said portions of said reconstruction beam that are diffracted by said holographic lenses of said first and second arrays form stoplight illumination.

12. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 11 wherein said first array of transmission hologram and non-hologram cells is formed in a first hologram layer, and wherein said second array of transmission hologram and non-hologram cells is formed in a second hologram layer, said first and second hologram layers being laminarly attached to each other.

13. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 12 wherein each of said transmission hologram cells of said first array produces an image of a point source, and wherein each of said transmission hologram cells of said second array produces an image of a line source.

14. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 13 wherein each point source image and each line source image is displaced away from one side of said hologram layers.

15. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 13 wherein each point source image is displaced away from one side of said hologram layers, and wherein each line source image is displaced from another side of said hologram layers.

16. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 11 wherein said first array of transmission hologram and non-hologram cells and said second array of transmission hologram and non-hologram cells are formed in a single hologram layer.

17. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 16 wherein each of said transmission hologram cells of said first array produces an image of a point source, and wherein each of said transmission hologram cells of said second array produces an image of a line source.

18. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 17 wherein each point source image and each line source image is displaced away from one side of said single hologram layer.

19. The holographic center high mounted stoplight system of claim 17 wherein each point source image is displaced away from one side of said single hologram layer, and wherein each line source image is displaced from another side of said single hologram layer.

20. The holographic high mounted stoplight system of claim 11 wherein said transmission hologram and non-hologram cells of said first array and said bright transmission hologram and dim transmission hologram cells of said second array are substantially identical in shape, and wherein said first predetermined pattern is a negative of said second predetermined pattern whereby the light areas and dark areas produced by said first array respectively correspond to the dim areas and bright areas produced by said second array.

21. A holographic center high mounted stoplight system for a vehicle, comprising:

a light source for providing a reconstruction beam;

an array of bright hologram and dim hologram cells for producing stoplight illumination, each hologram cell comprised of a holographic lens configured to diffract a portion of the reconstruction beam into a predetermined angular field that extends rearwardly relative to the vehicle, said array of cells arranged in a predetermined pattern so as to produce a pattern of bright and dim areas pursuant to diffraction by the hologram lenses of said hologram cells of said array, said portions of said reconstruction beam that are diffracted by said holographic cells forming said stoplight illumination.

22. A holographic center high mounted stoplight system for a vehicle, comprising:

a light source for providing a reconstruction beam;

an array of hologram and non-hologram cells for producing stoplight illumination, each hologram cell comprised of a holographic lens configured to diffract a portion of the reconstruction beam into a predetermined angular field that extends rearwardly relative to the vehicle, said array of cells arranged in a predetermined pattern so as to produce a pattern of light and dark areas pursuant to diffraction by the hologram lenses of said hologram cells of said array, said portions of said reconstruction beam that are diffracted by said holographic lenses forming said stoplight illumination.