Device for showing a first image in a second image which is visible through a transparent sheet

• US 5,864,432 A
• Filed: 05/29/1997
• Issued: 01/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: JENOPTIK LDT GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Original Assignee: LDT GmbH Laser-Display-Technologie KG
• Inventors: Deter, Christhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACK, RICKY LEVERN
• Application Number:
  US08/849,586
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 359/630, 359/631, 359/633, 359/634, 359/632, 345/7, 340/980
• US Class Current: 359/634
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence

Abstract

In a device for showing a first image in a second image which is visible through a transparent sheet at which light proceeding from the first image is reflected and which is so arranged that the first image and the second image are detectable by an observer at the same viewing angle, at least one light source is provided for substantially parallel light, by which the light proceeding from the first image as light bundle can be generated with little expansion.

Claims

1. In a device for showing a first image in a second image which is visible through a transparent sheet at which light proceeding from the first image is reflected and which is so arranged that the first image and the second image are detectable by an observer at the same viewing angle, the improvement comprising that:

at least one light source is provided for substantially parallel light, by means of which the light proceeding from the first image as a light bundle is generated with an expansion that leads to an extension of the light bundle of less than 50 cm at a location of the observer'"'"'s head and is larger than the size of the observer'"'"'s head;

wherein segments are provided for emitting the expanded light bundle or for reflecting or transmitting the light from the light source, of which there is at least one, these segments being controllable with respect to emission, transmission or reflection for forming the first image, and

wherein segments are arranged in the form of a matrix.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the segments are configured for transmission and the matrix is an LCD matrix.

3. In a device for showing a first image in a second image which is visible through a transparent sheet at which light proceeding from the first image is reflected and which is so arranged that the first image and the second image are detectable by an observer at the same viewing angle, the improvement comprising that:

at least one light source is provided for substantially parallel light, by means of which the light proceeding from the first image as a light bundle is generated with an expansion that leads to an extension of the light bundle of less than 50 cm at a location of the observer'"'"'s head and is larger than the size of the observer'"'"'s head;

wherein at least one mirror is provided which reflects the expanded light bundle generated by the light source of which there is at least one, for forming the image;

and at least one mirror is adjusted with respect to angle independently in two tilting directions by means of a deflecting device, so that the first image is displayed as vector graphics.

4. In a device for showing a first image in a second image which is visible through a transparent sheet at which light proceeding from the first image is reflected and which is so arranged that the first image and the second image are detectable by an observer at the same viewing angle, the improvement comprising that:

at least one light source is provided for substantially parallel light, by means of which the light proceeding from the first image as a light bundle is generated with an expansion that leads to an extension of the light bundle of less than 50 cm at a location of the observer'"'"'s head and is larger than the size of the observer'"'"'s head;

wherein a deflecting device is provided by which the light bundle proceeding from at least one light source is raster scanned in two directions, and a control arrangement is provided, by means of which the intensity of the light bundle is controlled.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the two mirrors are provided by which the light bundle is deflected in two directions and wherein one of the mirrors is a polygon mirror rotating at uniform rotational speed.

6. In a device for showing a first image in a second image which is visible through a transparent sheet at which light proceeding from the first image is reflected and which is so arranged that the first image and the second image are detectable by an observer at the same viewing angle, the improvement comprising that:

at least one light source is provided for substantially parallel light, by means of which the light proceeding from the first image as a light bundle is generated with an expansion that leads to an extension of the light bundle of less than 50 cm at a location of the observer'"'"'s head and is larger than the size of the observer'"'"'s head;

wherein at least one light source is a laser or contains a laser.

7. The device according to claim 6 wherein the laser is a laser diode or contains a laser diode as a pump source.

8. The device according to claim 6 wherein the laser is a diode-pumped solid state laser.

9. The device according to claim 8 wherein devices for frequency conversion are provided for the diode-pumped solid state laser.

10. In a device for showing a first image in a second image which is visible through a transparent sheet at which light proceeding from the first image is reflected and which is so arranged that the first image and the second image are detectable by an observer at the same viewing angle, the improvement comprising that:

at least one light source is provided for substantially parallel light, by means of which the light proceeding from the first image as a light bundle is generated with an expansion that leads to an extension of the light bundle of less than 50 cm at a location of the observer'"'"'s head and is larger than the size of the observer'"'"'s head;

wherein the light proceeding from the first image is polarized, and

a light source of which there is at least one, is or contains a laser emitting polarizing light.

11. In a device for showing a first image in a second image which is visible through a transparent sheet at which light proceeding from the first image is reflected and which is so arranged that the first image and the second image are detectable by an observer at the same viewing angle, the improvement comprising that:

at least one light source is provided for substantially parallel light, by means of which the light proceeding from the first image as a light bundle is generated with an expansion that leads to an extension of the light bundle of less than 50 cm at a location of the observer'"'"'s head and is larger than the size of the observer'"'"'s head;

wherein the light proceeding from the first image is polarized, and

the light source is arranged in such a way that the light emitted by the first image impinges on the sheet at the Brewster angle.

12. In a device for showing a first image in a second image which is visible through a transparent sheet at which light proceeding from the first image is reflected and which is so arranged that the first image and the second image are detectable by an observer at the same viewing angle, the improvement comprising that:

at least one light source is provided for substantially parallel light, by means of which the light proceeding from the first image as a light bundle is generated with an expansion that leads to an extension of the light bundle of less than 50 cm at a location of the observer'"'"'s head and is larger than the size of the observer'"'"'s head;

wherein the sheet is provided with a film on which the first image is completely reflected and the light proceeding from the first image is polarized, wherein the film is a polarizing film or contains a polarizing partial film.