Head-up display apparatus

• US 7,936,518 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2007
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nippon Seiki Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nippon Seiki Company Limited
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yuichi, Ohdaira, Maiko, Nagano, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack; Ricky L
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US12/516,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20100067118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 359/630, 359/633
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays

Abstract

A head-up display apparatus includes an infrared ray emitting unit for emitting an infrared ray toward a user, a mirror member for reflecting visible light emitted from a display toward a combiner member, and transmitting the infrared ray reflected by the user and the combiner member, a plurality of imaging units disposed to face the mirror member for sensing the infrared ray, each imaging the user from differing directions, and an image processing unit for calculating the eye position of the user based on an image captured by the imaging units.

Claims

1. A head-up display apparatus configured to reflect visible light emitted from display means toward a user by a combiner member to form a display image, the head-up display apparatus comprising:

infrared ray emitting means for emitting an infrared ray toward the user;

a mirror member for reflecting the visible light emitted from the display means toward the combiner member, and transmitting the infrared ray reflected by the user and the combiner member;

a plurality of imaging means for sensing the infrared ray transmitted through the mirror member, and each imaging the user from differing directions; and

image processing means for calculating the user'"'"'s eye position based on an image captured by the imaging means,

wherein the infrared ray emitting means is disposed to face the mirror member and be positioned between the plurality of imaging means.

4. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein the mirror member comprises a cold mirror.

5. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein the combiner member comprises a windshield for a vehicle.

6. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein the combiner member comprises a concave mirror disposed on a dashboard of the vehicle.

7. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

adjustment means for adjusting a position of formation of the display image, the adjustment means adjusting the display image formation position based on a result of the calculation by the image processing means.

8. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a light shielding member is disposed between the infrared ray emitting means and the plurality of imaging means.

2. A head-up display apparatus configured to reflect visible light emitted from display means toward a user by a combiner member to form a display image, the head-up display apparatus comprising:

infrared ray emitting means for emitting an infrared ray toward the user;

a mirror member for reflecting the visible light emitted from the display means toward the combiner member, and transmitting the infrared ray reflected by the user and the combiner member;

a plurality of imaging means for sensing the infrared ray transmitted through the mirror member, and each imaging the user from differing directions; and

image processing means for calculating the user'"'"'s eye position based on an image captured by the imaging means,

wherein a light shielding member is disposed between the infrared ray emitting means and the plurality of imaging means.

3. The head-up display apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the light shielding member is disposed to come in contact with the mirror member.