Image information displaying system and hologram display apparatus

• US 6,522,311 B1
• Filed: 09/25/1998
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kadowaki, Satoru, Mizutani, Yasuhiro, Matsumoto, Tooru, Kawazoe, Naoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/160,358
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 345/87, 345/207, 345/5, 345/7, 345/8, 345/9, 348/744, 348/750, 348/751, 359/10, 359/11, 359/15, 359/16
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0014 Arm-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0015 Back-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0017 Head-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0028 Ceiling, e.g. roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0082 collapsible, e.g. for storing after use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0276 for rear passenger use
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/12 using special optical effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/18 involving the use of optical projection means, e.g. projection of images on clouds projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor

Abstract

An image information displaying system comprises a transparent support, a hologram screen attached to the transparent support, a radiation unit for radiating image information on the hologram screen, a sensor for detecting the ambient condition within the viewing angle of the hologram screen, and a controller for controlling the radiation unit based on the signal from the sensor. The image information displaying system, which is inexpensive, long in service life, superior in eye-catching effect and low in running cost, consumes less energy and is controlled by a central control unit connected thereto through a communication line. The lower-end of the hologram screen is 80 to 180 cm from the floor level.

Claims

1. An image information displaying system comprising:

a display unit, including;

a transparent support;

a hologram screen attached to the transparent support;

a projector for projecting image information onto the hologram screen; and

a sensor to determine whether or not there is a person within an area in a viewing angle of the hologram screen; and

a controller for controlling the projector in response to signals from the sensor such that, if the sensor detects a person within the area in the viewing angle of the hologram screen, the controller activates the projector to project the image information onto the hologram screen.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the viewing angle corresponds to an area whose brightness is K0/2 or over, where K0 is a brightness value at a front center point of the hologram screen).

3. The system of any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the sensor is an illuminance sensor.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker for providing audio information, wherein the sensor is a volume sensor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is designed to sense people who enter the viewing angle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is installed in a mobile body.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the system is installed between two seats arranged in the mobile body.

8. The system of any one of claims 6 and 7, wherein the hologram screen is retractable when not used.

9. The system of any one of claims 6 and 7, wherein the sensor is a vibration sensor, and the controller corrects, according to signals from the vibration sensor, a blur of image information due to the vibration of the mobile body.

10. The system of any one of claims 6 and 7, wherein the sensor is a vibration sensor, and the controller suppresses, according to signals from the vibration sensor, the vibration of the projector due to the vibration of the mobile body.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises at least one additional display unit, wherein the controller acts as a central control unit which controls each display unit and controls at least one of image and sound information, said central control unit being in electronic communication with each respective display unit.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the central control unit receives signals from the sensor through said electronic communication, and according to the signals, controls the projector.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the hologram screen has a diffuser recorded thereon.

14. An image information displaying system comprising a plurality of image information displaying units and a central control unit in electronic communication through respective communication lines with said plurality of image information displaying units, each of said image information displaying units including a transparent support, a hologram screen attached to said transparent support and a radiation unit for radiating image information on said hologram screen;

said image information displaying units being so configured as to be controlled by said central control unit in response to signals electronically transmitted therefrom through said communication lines.

15. An image information displaying system according to claim 14, comprising selected one of first and second configurations;

said first configuration being that said central control unit performs the process of correcting said image information;

said second configuration being that a relay is interposed between said central control unit and said image display unit, and a selected one of said central control unit and said relay performs the process of correcting said image information.

16. An image information displaying system according to claim 15, wherein said process of correcting said image information is correcting a trapezoidal distortion.

17. An image information displaying system according to claim 15, wherein said process of correcting said image information is at least a selected one of color adjustment, color correction, image position adjustment, image brightness adjustment and image contrast adjustment.

18. An image information displaying system according to claim 14, further comprising means for supplying audio information, wherein a selected one of said central control unit and said relay is capable of correcting said audio information.

19. An image information displaying system according to claim 14, further comprising a sensor for detecting the ambient condition in the viewing angle of said hologram screen and a radiation control unit for controlling said radiation unit based on the signal from said sensor.

20. An image information displaying system according to claim 19, wherein said viewing angle is in a range not less than K0/4, where K0 is the brightness value at the center front of the hologram screen.

21. An image information displaying system according to claim 19, wherein said sensor is an illuminance sensor.

22. An image information displaying system according to claim 19, wherein said sensor is a sound volume sensor.

23. An image information displaying system according to claim 19, wherein said sensor detects the entry of a viewer into said viewing angle.

24. An image information displaying system according to claim 19, installed on a mobile body.

25. An image information displaying system according to claim 24, installed between at least two seats in a mobile body.

26. An image information displaying system according to claim 24, wherein said hologram screen is retractable when not in use.

27. An image information displaying system according to claim 24, wherein said sensor is a vibration sensor, and said radiation control unit corrects the blur of said image information caused by the vibration of said mobile body, based on the signal from said vibration sensor.

28. An image information displaying system according to claim 24, wherein said sensor is a vibration sensor, and said radiation control unit suppresses the blur of said radiation unit caused by the vibration of said mobile body, based on the signal from said vibration sensor.

29. An image information displaying system according to claim 19, wherein selected one of said central control unit and said relay receives a signal from said sensor, through said electronic communication, and controls said radiation control unit based on said signal.

30. An image information displaying system according to claim 14, wherein a diffuser is recorded in said hologram screen.