Heads-up display with improved contrast

• US 7,015,876 B1
• Filed: 06/03/1998
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation EEDS and Interiors Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Robin Mihekun
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard, Patrick N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M.
• Application Number:
  US09/090,071
• Time in Patent Office: 2,848 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/8, 345/9, 345/207, 359/630, 348/353, 348/365
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/191 Highlight information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607

Abstract

A heads-up display for a vehicle is in contrast to the windshield behind the display or the environment outside the vehicle windshield. In this way, the heads-up display is more visible than prior art heads-up displays. In one embodiment, the windshield is tinted to be in contrast with the color of the heads-up display, at least over a small area. In other embodiments, the image forward of the vehicle is captured and sent to a control for the heads-up display. The heads-up display is then modified to be in contrast with the environment approaching the vehicle. In another embodiment, the window is modified to have a back glow over a small area. The heads-up display is directed onto this small area.

Claims

1. A vehicle heads-up display system comprising:

a source for providing a heads-up display onto a windshield of a moving vehicle; and

an arrangement for controlling the contrast of the heads-up display relative to an environmental image approaching the moving vehicle, wherein the arrangement includes an optical detector for capturing the environmental image approaching the moving vehicle and a control coupled to the optical detector for determining texture of the environmental image and for controlling the contrast of the heads-up display in response to the texture of the environmental image approaching the moving vehicle; and

wherein the control arrangement selects an appropriate fill pattern for the heads-up display dependent upon the texture of the environmental image in order to contrast the heads-up display relative to the environmental image.

2. A method of providing a heads-up display comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a system for directing a heads-up display onto the windshield of a moving vehicle;

(b) directing a heads-up display onto the vehicle windshield; and

(c) controlling the contrast of the heads-up display relative to an environmental image approaching the moving vehicle, wherein the steps of controlling includes the step of capturing the environmental image approaching the moving vehicle, the step of determining structural features of the environmental image, and the step of controlling the contrast of the heads-up display in response to the structural features of the environmental image by selecting an appropriate fill pattern for the heads-up display dependent upon the structural features of the environmental image in order to contrast the heads-up display relative to the environmental image.