Head-up display apparatus

• US 5,805,120 A
• Filed: 12/23/1994
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD. (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sega Enterprises LTD. (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Takuma, Eiji, Yamada, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): LIANG, REGINA
• Application Number:
  US08/363,971
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/8, 348/53, 348/115, 273/313, 273/316, 273/310, 434/43, 359/630, 359/631, 359/632, 340/980
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0291 with a simulated projectile, e.g. an image on a screen
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• 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 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features

Abstract

A head-up display apparatus includes a display device for displaying various items of information and a combiner provided in front of an eye of a viewer in a visual field of the viewer, which combiner allows an outside image lying in the visual field to be passed through it and which reflects an image displayed by the display device so that the outside image passed (transmitted) through the combiner and the displayed image reflected thereby are integrated in the same visual field of the viewer, the combiner being configured to be of a substantially spherical shape with a concave surface facing the viewer, and the display device being provided in such a position that a display can be directly observable from the outside through the combiner.

Claims

1. A head-up display apparatus comprising:

a display device for displaying an image including various items of information; and

a combiner provided in front of a viewer in the viewer'"'"'s visual field, for allowing an outside image lying in said visual field to be passed through said combiner and for reflecting an image displayed in said display device so that the outside image transmitted through the combiner and the displayed image reflected thereby are integrated to form a virtual image in the same visual field of the viewer,

said combiner having a concave surface facing the viewer and being provided in the immediate proximity of the viewer, with said concave surface being shaped and located at a distance from said device so that said viewer may observe said virtual image at a defined distance from the viewer in which the viewer can recognize the various items of information as a result of said concave surface reflecting the light beam emitted by said display device as if said virtual image is present on the side of said combiner opposite to the side where said viewer is located and at a location far away from said combiner and with

said display device being provided in such a position that the image of said display including said various items of information can be directly observable from the outside through said combiner.

2. The head-up display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said combiner is a half mirror having a curvature radius of between 80 mm-150 mm.

3. The head-up display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said combiner is provided in the visual range of one eye of the viewer.

4. A head-up display apparatus as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a main body part attached to an area extending on the forehead of the viewer from the left to the right temples of the forehead on the front of the viewer'"'"'s head; and

a band body which connects the right and left sides of the viewer'"'"'s head and fixes said main body part to the viewer'"'"'s head by wrapping the band body around the viewer'"'"'s head,

said combiner being provided in front of and below said main body part.

5. A head-up display apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the focal distance of said virtual image is significantly longer than the real light path distance between said display device and said viewer via said concave surface.

6. A The head-up display apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display device is provided in a helmet in which the viewer can adjustably fit upon the viewer'"'"'s head, and said combiner is provided in the front of said helmet.

7. A head-up display apparatus comprising:

a main body part attached to an area extending about the forehead of a viewer from the right to the left temples of said forehead on the front side of the viewers head;

a band body for fixing said main body part to the head by wrapping the band body around the head with said band body having right and left ends for adjusting the main body part about the viewers head,

a light intercepting part for receiving incoming light at the front of said main body part;

controlling means built into said main body part, which issues a notifying signal on the basis of a light-intercepting signal from said light intercepting part as well as issuing a display signal;

a notifying part built into said main body part, which notifies the viewer by means of said notifying signal;

a display part provided at the right or the left of the front of said main body, which provides a display variable in accordance with said display signal;

a combiner provided in front of a viewer in the viewer'"'"'s visual field, including a light-transmissive reflective part having a curved concave surface in front of and below said display part and provided below the main body to face inward with said concave surface being shaped and located at a distance from said display part so that said viewer may observe the virtual image produced at a defined distance from the viewer as a result of said concave surface reflecting the light beam emitted by said display part as if said virtual image is present on the side of said combiner opposite to the side where said viewer is located and at a location far away from said combiner and for permitting an image of said display part to be observed outside of said display apparatus.

8. A head-up display apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the focal distance of said virtual image is significantly longer than the real light path distance between said display device and said viewer via said concave surface.

9. A head-up display apparatus comprising:

a main body part applied to an area extending about the forehead of a viewer from the left to the right temples on the front side of the viewer'"'"'s head;

a band body for fixing said main body part to the head by wrapping the band body around the head with said band body having right and left ends for adjusting the main body part about the viewer'"'"'s head;

a light intercepting part for receiving incoming light at the front of said main body part;

controlling means built into said main body part, which issues a display signal on the basis of a light-intercepting signal from said light intercepting part;

a display part built into said main body part and provided at the right or the left of the front of the said main body, which provides a display variable in accordance with said display signal;

a combiner provided in front of a viewer in the viewer'"'"'s visual field, including a light-transmissive reflective part having a curved concave surface in front of and below said display part and provided below the main body to face inward with said concave surface being shaped and located at a distance from said display part so that said viewer may observe the virtual image produced at a defined distance from the viewer as a result of said concave surface reflecting the light beam emitted by said display part as if said virtual image is present on the side of said combiner opposite to the side where said viewer is located and at a location far away from said combiner and for permitting an image of said display part to be observed outside of said display apparatus.

10. A head-up display apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the focal distance of said virtual image is significantly longer than the real light path distance between said display device and said viewer via said concave surface.

11. A light beam intercepting apparatus comprising:

a main body part attached to an area extending about the forehead of a viewer from the left to the right temples of said forehead on the front side of the viewer'"'"'s head;

a band body for fixing said main body part to the head by wrapping the band body around the head with said band body having right and left ends for adjusting the main body part about the various head;

a light intercepting part for receiving incoming light at the front of said main body part;

controlling means built into said body part, which issues a notifying signal on the basis of a light-intercepting signal from said light intercepting part; and

a notifying part built into said main body part, which notifies a viewer by means of said notifying signal;

a display part built into said main body part and provided at the right or the left of the front of the said main body, which provides a display variable in accordance with said display signal;

a combiner provided in front of a viewer in the viewer'"'"'s visual field, including a light-transmissive reflective part having a curved concave surface in front of and below said display part and provided below the main body to face inward with said concave surface being shaped and located at a distance from said display part so that said viewer may observe the virtual image produced at a defined distance from the viewer as a result of said concave surface reflecting the light beam emitted by said display part as if said virtual image is present on the side of said combiner opposite to the side where said viewer is located and at a location far away from said combiner and for permitting an image of said display part to be observed outside of said display apparatus.

12. A head-up display apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the focal distance of said virtual image is significantly longer than the real light path distance between said display device and said viewer via said concave surface.