Display device and control method therefor

• US 8,576,142 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Moriya, Akihisa, Nakamura, Hiroaki, Sasaki, Takashi, Hotta, Aira, Okumura, Haruhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdulselam, Abbas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa-Gibson, Gloryvid
• Application Number:
  US13/420,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20120169591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 345/165, 345 7- 8, 345/32, 359629-633, 340/425.5, 340/436, 348/46, 348/115
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/21 using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/785 on or in relation to the windshield or windows
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/002 for measuring two or more coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/026 by measuring distance between sensor and object G01B11/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• 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 26/0816 by means of one or more reflecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/16 involving the use of mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2027/001 Comprising a presence or proximity detector
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/045 supported by the wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/049 giving information to passengers inside the vehicles

Abstract

One embodiment provides a display device, including: a luminous flux generator which generates luminous flux including image information; a reflector plate which reflects the luminous flux generated by the luminous flux generator toward one eye of a viewer; a head detector which detects a head of the viewer by using at least two pairs of distance sensors; a controller which controls a position of the reflector plate based on an output from the head detector; and a driver which drives the reflector plate based on an output from the controller.

Claims

1. A display device, comprising:

a luminous flux generator which generates luminous flux including image information;

a reflector plate which reflects the luminous flux generated by the luminous flux generator toward one eye of a viewer;

a driver which drives the reflector plate to thereby adjust a direction of the luminous flux;

a head detector which includes;

a first pair of distance sensors which are disposed at predetermined positions and output first measurement values corresponding to distances therefrom to the head of the viewer; and

a second pair of distance sensors which are disposed at positions different from the predetermined positions, and output second measurement values corresponding to distances therefrom to the head of the viewer; and

a controller which;

calculates a first calculation value and a second calculation value based on the first measurement values and the second measurement values respectively,

determines a coefficient based on the first calculation value which is obtained at a time when the second calculation values becomes zero,

calculates a relative position of the head of the viewer based on the first calculation value and the coefficient, and

controls the driver to drive the reflector plate based on the calculated relative position.

2. The display device of claim 1,

wherein the controller

calculates a difference between output voltages of the first pair of distance sensors,

calculates the coefficient by using a distance between a midpoint of the first pair of distance sensors and a midpoint of the second pair of distance sensors and a difference between output voltages of the second pair of distance sensors, and

controls a direction or position of the reflector plate based on the difference between the output voltages of the first pair of distance sensors and the coefficient.

3. The display device of claim 2,

wherein the luminous flux generator includes:

a light source;

a limiter which limits a direction of movement of the luminous flux from the light source;

a diffuser which diffuses the luminous flux;

an image device which adds image information to the luminous flux diffused by the diffuser;

a first lens which converges the luminous flux having passed through the image device;

an aperture member which controls an angle of divergence of the luminous flux having passed through the first lens; and

a second lens which converges the luminous flux having passed through the aperture member.

4. The display device of claim 1, wherein the image information of the luminous flux includes driving information.

5. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a diffuser that diffuses the luminous flux.

6. The display device of claim 1, wherein each of the first pair of distance sensors and the second pair of distance sensors comprise a light emitting element and a light receiving element.

7. The display device of claim 6, wherein a distance to the head of the viewer is determined based on a comparison of light received at the light receiving element to light emitted by the light emitting element.

8. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first pair of distance sensors and the second pair of distance sensors are disposed on a line.

9. A method for controlling a display device, comprising:

generating luminous flux including image information;

reflecting the generated luminous flux toward one eye of a viewer;

measuring a first measurement value representative of a first distance from a first pair of distance sensors to a head of a viewer;

measuring a second measurement value representative of a second distance from a second pair of distance sensors to the head of the viewer, wherein the second pair of distance sensors are at a different location than the first pair of distance sensors;

calculating a first calculation value and a second calculation value based on the first measurement value and the second measurement value respectively;

determining a coefficient based on the first calculation value being obtained at a time when the second calculation value becomes zero;

determining a relative position of the head of the viewer based on the first calculation value and the coefficient; and

driving a reflector plate to adjust a direction of the luminous flux to the determined relative position of the head of the viewer.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

calculating a difference between output voltages of the first pair of distance sensors,

calculating the coefficient by using a distance between a midpoint of the first pair of distance sensors and a midpoint of the second pair of distance sensors and a difference between output voltages of the second pair of distance sensors, and

controlling the direction of the reflection based on the difference between the output voltages of the first pair of distance sensors and the coefficient.