Vehicular display device adjusting to driver's positions

• US 5,734,357 A
• Filed: 09/08/1995
• Issued: 03/31/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SURACI, JOHN F
• Application Number:
  US08/525,010
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/8, 345/9, 359/13, 359/630, 359/631, 348/113, 348/115
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0169 Supporting or connecting means other than the external walls
• 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 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence

Abstract

A display device comprises an indicator for displaying informations concerning vehicles, a photographing unit for photographing a driver, an image processing unit for detecting a position of the driver from the pictures photographed by the photographing unit and an adjusting mechanism for adjusting an angle of reflecting means which reflects a display light emitted by the indicator on the basis of the position of the driver'"'"'s eyes detected by the image processing unit.

Claims

1. A display device which displays information concerning vehicles by forming a virtual image of the information in front of a driver, comprising:

an indicator for displaying the information;

an optical system forming the virtual image of the information displayed on the indicator in front of the driver by transferring light emitted from the indicator through a projecting light path, said optical system including a deflector which deflect the projecting light path;

a photographing unit for photographing the driver by use of light transferred through a photographing light path;

an optical element positioned between the indicator and the deflector which combines the projecting light path with the photographing light path into common light path extending toward the driver;

an image processing unit for detecting a position of the driver from pictures photographed by said photographing unit; and

an adjusting mechanism for adjusting a deflection angle of the common light path due to the deflector so that the light is incident on an eye of the driver, on the basis of the position of the driver detected by said image processing unit.

2. A display device according to claim 1, including:

a combiner which is installed on front window of the vehicles and reflects the light transferred through the projecting light path to form the virtual image of the informations outside the front window.

5. A display device according to claim 1, wherein

said image processing unit detects the position of the driver'"'"'s eyes from the pictures photographed by the photographing unit;

and

said adjusting mechanism adjusts the deflection angle of the common light path due to the deflector so that the light is incident on eye of the driver, on the basis of the position of the driver'"'"'s eyes detected by the image processing unit.

3. A display device which displays informations concerning vehicles by imaging the information on a forward view of a driver, comprising:

an indicator for displaying informations concerning the vehicles;

a photographing unit for photographing the driver;

an image processing unit for detecting a position of the driver from pictures photographed by said photographing unit;

an adjusting mechanism for adjusting an angle of reflecting means which reflects a display light emitted by the indicator on the basis of the position of the driver detected by said image processing unit; and

spectral means for permeating the display light and reflecting a light which has arrived from a side of the driver,

wherein said photographing unit photographs the driver by using the light reflected by said spectral means.

8. A display device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein said photographing unit photographs a face of the driver by using the infrared light;

said image processing unit detects the position of the driver'"'"'s eyes from the pictures photographed by the photographing unit; and

said adjusting mechanism adjusts the angle of said reflecting means which reflects the display light emitted by the indicator on the basis of the position of the driver'"'"'s eyes detected by the image processing unit.

4. A display device which displays informations concerning vehicles by imaging the information on a forward view of a driver, comprising:

an indicator for displaying informations concerning the vehicles;

a photographing unit for photographing the driver;

an image processing unit for detecting a position of the driver from pictures photographed by said photographing unit;

an adjusting mechanism for adjusting an angle of reflecting means which reflects a display light emitted by the indicator on the basis of the position of the driver detected by said image processing unit; and

spectral means for reflecting the display light and permeating the light which has arrived from the side of the driver,

wherein said photographing unit photographs the driver by using the light permeated by said spectral means.

6. A display device which displays informations concerning vehicles by imaging the information on a forward view of a driver, comprising:

an indicator for displaying informations concerning the vehicles;

a photographing unit for photographing the driver;

an image processing unit for detecting a position of the driver from pictures photographed by said photographing unit; and

an adjusting mechanism for adjusting an angle of reflecting means which reflects a display light emitted by the indicator on the basis of the position of the driver detected by said image processing unit;

wherein the indicator is composed of a pair of display components which are adjacent to each other; and

wherein

said photographing unit is positioned in the middle of the display components of the indicator.

7. A display device which displays information concerning vehicles by forming a virtual image of the information in front of a driver, comprising:

an indicator for displaying the information;

an optical system forming the virtual image of the information displayed on the indicator in front of the driver by transferring light emitted from the indicator through a projecting light path, said optical system including a deflector which deflect the projecting light path;

a photographing unit illuminating the driver with an infrared light and photographing the driver by use of the infrared light reflected by the face of the driver;

an image processing unit for detecting a position of the driver from pictures photographed by said photographing unit; and

an adjusting mechanism for adjusting an deflection angle of the projecting light path due to the deflector so that the light is incident on eye of the driver, on the basis of the position of the driver detected by said image processing unit.