Day/night HUD backlighting system

• US 6,447,132 B1
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Harter, Jr., Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi, Jacob Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/785,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20020114147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 362/29, 362/26, 362/27, 362/3, 349/62, 349/64, 349/65, 349/68, 345/7, 345/8, 345/9, 345/102, 345/207
• US Class Current: 362/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/28 Structurally-combined illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1336 Illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133606 including a specially adapted diffusing, scattering or light controlling members
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133626 providing two modes of illumination, e.g. day-night
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/58 Arrangements comprising a monitoring photodetector
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336

Abstract

A head up display (HUD) has multiple light sources of varying intensities for projecting a high quality image under various lighting conditions. The light sources provide illumination through an electronic display (e.g. an AMLCD) in the HUD. A high brightness light source illuminates the electronic display during bright or day light conditions. A low brightness light source illuminates the electronic display during night or low light conditions. Both light sources illuminate the electronic display during intermediate lighting conditions. A light panel conducts and diffuses light from the light sources to illuminate the rear of the electronic display. An optional light mixer reduces uneven lighting of the high brightness light source. In operation, the intensities of the light sources are controlled as a function of ambient lighting conditions to optimise the projected image quality.

Claims

1. A head up display system, comprising:

an AMLCD for displaying an image;

a high brightness light source positioned for illuminating the AMLCD;

a light transmissive panel positioned between the AMLCD and the high brightness light source, the light transmissive panel transmitting light travelling from the high brightness light source to the AMLCD; and

a low brightness light source positioned for illuminating the light transmissive panel, wherein the high brightness light source is active during bright light conditions and the low brightness light source is active during low light conditions, and wherein both the low and high brightness light sources are active during certain intermediate ambient light conditions which occur between daylight and nighttime conditions.

2. The head up display system according to claim 1, wherein the low brightness light source illuminates an edge of the light transmissive panel.

3. The head up display system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light mixer for mixing light from the high brightness light source, wherein the lightmixer is positioned between the high brightness light source and the light transmissive panel.

4. The head up display system according to claim 1, wherein the light transmissive panel is acrylic material.

5. The head up display system according to claim 4, wherein said light transmissive panel comprises a block of acrylic material.

6. The head up display system according to claim 2, wherein the light transmissive panel includes a reflective portion on a first edge portion of the panel, and wherein the low brightness light source illuminates a second edge portion of the transmissive panel.

7. The head up display system according to claim 1, wherein the transmissive panel includes a textured surface for diffusing light from the high brightness light source.

8. The head up display system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a reflector positioned adjacent the low lightness light source for reflecting light from the low brightness light source to the transmissive panel.

9. The head up display system according to claim 1, wherein the high brightness light source is a plurality of light emitting devices.

10. The head up display system according to claim 1, wherein the high brightness light source is at least one halogen bulb.

11. The head up display system according to claim 1, wherein the low brightness light source is at least one fluorescent bulb.

12. The head up display system according to claim 1, wherein the high brightness light source is at least one light emitting diode.

15. The head up display system according to claim 1, wherein the high brightness light source generates luminance of about 310,000 fl.

16. The head up display system according to claim 15 wherein the high brightness light source is operable in the range of about 31,000 fl to about 310,000 fl.

17. The head up display system according to claim 1, wherein the low brightness light source generates luminance of about 310 fl.

18. The head up display system according to claim 17 wherein the low brightness light source is operable in the range of about 310 fl to about 3,100 fl.

13. A head up display system, comprising:

an AMLCD for displaying an image;

a high brightness light source positioned for illuminating the AMLCD;

a light transmissive panel positioned between the AMLCD and the high brightness light source, the light transmissive panel transmitting light travelling from the high brightness light source to the AML CD;

a low brightness light source positioned for illuminating the light transmissive panel, wherein the high brightness light source is active during bright light conditions and the low brightness light source is active during low light conditions; and

an intermediate brightness light source positioned for illuminating the light panel, wherein the intermediate brightness light source has a brightness that is between the brightness of the high and low brightness light sources.

14. The head up display system according to claim 13, wherein the intermediate brightness light source illuminates an edge of the light panel.

19. A backlight system for a HUD having an electronic display for displaying an image, said backlight system comprising:

at least one high brightness light source positioned for illuminating the electronic display;

a light transmissive panel interposed between the electronic display and the high brightness light source; and

at least one low brightness light source positioned for illuminating the transmissive panel, wherein the high brightness light source illuminates the display in bright light conditions and the low brightness light source illuminates the display in low light conditions, and wherein both the low and high brightness light sources are active during certain intermediate ambient light conditions which occur between daylight and nighttime conditions.

20. The backlight system according to claim 19, wherein the at least one one low brightness light source illuminates an edge of the light transmissive panel.

21. The backlight system according to claim 19 further comprising a light mixer for mixing light from the high brightness light source, wherein the light mixer is positioned between the high brightness light source and the light transmissive panel.

22. The backlight system according to claim 19 further comprising a reflective member positioned adjacent the low brightness light source such that light from the low brightness light source is reflected toward the transmissive panel.

23. The backlight system according to claim 19 further comprising reflective material adjacent an edge of the transmissive panel for reflecting light from the panel back into the panel.

24. The backlight system according to claim 19 wherein the transmissive panel is a light diffuser.

25. The backlight system according to claim 24 wherein the transmissive panel includes a textured surface for diffusing light.

26. The backlight system according to claim 19 wherein the high brightness light source has at least one halogen bulb.

27. The backlight system according to claim 19 wherein the low brightness light source has at least one fluorescent bulb.

28. The backlight system according to claim 19 wherein the light transmissive panel is made of acrylic material.

29. A backlight system for a HUD having an electronic display for displaying an image, said backlight system comprising:

at least one high brightness light source positioned for illuminating the electronic display;

a light transmissive-panel interposed between the electronic display and the high brightness light source;

at least one low brightness light source positioned for illuminating the transmissive panel, wherein the high brightness light source illuminates the display in bright light conditions and the low brightness light source illuminates the display in low light conditions; and

an intermediate brightness light source positioned for illuminating the light transmissive panel, wherein the intermediate brightness light source has a brightness that is between the brightness of the high and low brightness light sources.

30. The backlight system according to claim 29 wherein the intermediate brightness light source illuminates an edge of the light transmissive panel.

31. A method of backlighting an electronic display for operation in both bright light conditions and low light conditions, comprising the steps of:

transmitting light from a high brightness light source through a light panel to illuminate the electronic display;

illuminating the edge of the light panel with a low brightness light source to illuminate the electronic display;

sensing ambient light conditions; and

controlling the brightness of both the high brightness light source and the low brightness light sources responsive to ambient light conditions, wherein both the low and high brightness light sources are active during certain intermediate ambient light conditions which occur between daylight and nighttime conditions.

32. The method of backlighting an electronic display according to claim 31 wherein the step of controlling includes dimming the high brightness light source responsive to dimming ambient light conditions.

33. The method of backlighting an electronic display according to claim 31 wherein the step of controlling includes dimming the low brightness light sources responsive to dimming ambient light conditions.

35. The method of backlighting an electronic display according to claim 31, further comprising a step of mixing light exiting from the high brightness light source.

34. A method of backlighting an electronic display for operation in both bright light conditions and low light conditions, comprising the steps of:

transmitting light from a high brightness light source through a light panel to illuminate the electronic display;

illuminating the edge of the light panel with a low brightness light source to illuminate the electronic display;

sensing ambient light conditions;

controlling the brightness of both the high brightness light source and the low brightness light sources responsive to ambient light conditions, wherein the step of controlling includes activating both the high brightness light source and the low brightness light source simultaneously to improve the color of light produced.