Heads-up display system with optical rotation layers

• US 6,744,478 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1999
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Central Glass Company Limited, Nippon Mitsubishi Oil Corporation (ENEOS Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Central Glass Company Limited, Nippon Mitsubishi Oil Corporation (ENEOS Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Asakura, Motoh, Hosaki, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Robert H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHECHTER, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US09/470,976
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 349/9, 349/11, 359/487
• US Class Current: 349/11
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/012 comprising devices for attenuating parasitic image effects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13362 providing polarized light, e.g. by converting a polarisation component into another one

Abstract

A head-up display system comprising a transparent plate. A liquid crystal display generates a display light of information with a plane of polarization inclined by about 45° relative to an image plane vertical axis. A first optical rotation layer is disposed on a first surface of the transparent plate, and receives the display light from the liquid crystal display and optically rotates the plane of polarization of the display light by about 90°. A second optical rotation layer is between the image plane of the liquid crystal display and a second surface of the transparent plate, and optically rotates the plane of polarization of the display light by about 45° and allows S-polarized light to emanate toward the transparent plate at Brewster'"'"'s angle. The S-polarized light is reflected on the second surface and is directed toward an eye of an operator.

Claims

1. A display system comprising:

a transparent plate;

a liquid crystal display for generating a display light of information, said display light having a plane of polarization inclined by an angle of about 45°

relative to a vertical axis of an image plane of said liquid crystal display, the display light being incident on a second surface of said transparent plate at Brewster'"'"'s angle and reflected on a side of the second surface of transparent plate to be directed to an eye of an operator; and

an optical rotation layer disposed to a first surface of said transparent plate, said optical rotation layer being adapted to receive the display light from said liquid crystal display and to optically rotate the plane of polarization of the display light from said liquid crystal display by an angle of about 45° and

to allow P-polarized light to emanate therefrom.

2. A display system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a light-transmittable reflection layer disposed on a second surface of said transparent plate, the display light from said liquid crystal display being reflected on said light-transmittable reflection layer and directed toward the eye of the operator.