Dynamic vehicle display unit

• US 9,442,359 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2013
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Oel, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghebretinsae, Temesghen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Karki, Paras D
• Application Number:
  US13/914,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20140362347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/146 Input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/155 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/334 Projection means
• 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: B60K 35/213 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/608 Fluid screens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042

Abstract

A passenger vehicle includes a dynamic display unit. The dynamic display unit creates a temporary graphic display inside the passenger vehicle for presenting informational and control elements to passengers inside the passenger vehicle.

Claims

1. A passenger vehicle comprising

screen generator for moving media particles generally along a viewing plane to create a vapor screen made up of media particles, and

a projector that projects light onto the screen to create an image on the vapor screen, the projector arranged to project light generally along a path that is not parallel to a passenger line of sight so that light passing through the vapor screen is not directed into the eyes of a passenger seated in the vehicle,

a sensor coupled to a controller and configured to detect stability of the vapor screen, and

further comprising an HVAC system coupled to the controller and configured to provide heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning inside the passenger vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the operation of the HVAC system in response to receiving stability information relating to the vapor screen,

wherein the screen generator includes a blower configured to accelerate the media particles making up the screen along the viewing plane,

wherein the screen generator includes a nozzle configured to atomize a liquid into liquid media particles, and

wherein the screen generator includes a vacuum spaced apart from the blower and configured to pull and receive the media particles making up the screen along the viewing plane.

2. The passenger vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a medium reservoir coupled to the blower and to the vacuum, the media reservoir configured to store media before acceleration by the blower and after reception by the vacuum.

3. The passenger vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to detect input information relating to a user gesture at the vapor screen.

17. The passenger vehicle of claim 1, further comprising edge channels or fins to stabilize the vapor screen.

4. A passenger vehicle comprising

a particle-screen generator adapted to establish a vapor screen,

a projector arranged to project light onto a vapor screen established by the particle-screen generator,

a sensor coupled to a controller and configured to detect stability information relating to the vapor screen, and

further comprising an HVAC system coupled to the controller and configured to provide heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning inside the passenger vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the operation of the HVAC system in response to receiving stability information relating to the vapor screen,

wherein the particle-screen generator includes a blower configured to accelerate media particles making up the screen,

wherein the particle-screen generator includes a nozzle configured to atomize a liquid into liquid media particles, and

wherein the particle-screen generator includes a vacuum spaced apart from the blower.

5. The passenger vehicle of claim 4, further comprising a medium reservoir coupled to the blower and to the vacuum.

6. The passenger vehicle of claim 4, further comprising a sensor configured to detect input information relating to a user gesture at the vapor screen.

7. The passenger vehicle of claim 4, further comprising an instrument panel including an upper cowl, a lower cowl, and a gauge panel extending from the upper cowl to the lower cowl, wherein the screen extends between the upper cowl and the lower cowl included in the instrument panel, and the projector is arranged in the upper cowl between the gauge panel and the vapor screen.

8. The passenger vehicle of claim 4, further comprising a console including a top wall and a floor that cooperate to define a storage compartment, wherein the vapor screen extends between the top wall and the floor included in the console.

9. The passenger vehicle of claim 4, further comprising a user interface panel including a touch screen display, wherein the vapor screen extends over the touch screen display and generates a different image than the image generated on the touchscreen display.

10. The passenger vehicle of claim 9, wherein the user interface panel includes a top frame member located above the touch screen display and a bottom frame member located below the touch screen display, and at least a portion of the particle-screen generator moves relative to the touch screen display between a stowed position, housed inside at least one of the top frame member and the bottom frame member, and a deployed position, extending outside the at least one of the top frame member and the bottom frame member.

11. The passenger vehicle of claim 4, wherein the vapor screen extends outward in a radial direction from a central hub to an outer wheel included in a steering wheel.

18. The passenger vehicle of claim 4, further comprising edge channels or fins to stabilize the vapor screen.

12. A passenger vehicle comprising

a dynamic display unit configured to provide a temporary display inside the passenger vehicle, the dynamic display unit including a screen generator, having a blower, a nozzle, and a vacuum, configured to move media particles generally along a viewing plane to create a screen made up of media particles and a projector configured to project light onto the screen to create an image on the vapor screen, and

a controller coupled to the dynamic display unit, the controller including a memory and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute instructions held in the memory,

wherein the dynamic display unit includes a sensor coupled to the controller and configured to detect stability information relating to the vapor screen, and

further comprising an HVAC system coupled to the controller and configured to provide heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning inside the passenger vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the operation of the HVAC system in response to receiving stability information relating to the vapor screen.

13. The passenger vehicle of claim 12, further comprising at least one vehicle sensor coupled to the controller and configured to detect information relating to the passenger vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to change the activation status of the dynamic display unit in response to receiving information from the at least one vehicle sensor.

14. The passenger vehicle of claim 12, wherein the dynamic display unit includes a sensor coupled to the controller and configured to detect input information relating to a user gesture at the vapor screen, and the controller is configured to change the activation status of the dynamic display unit in response to receiving user input information from the sensor.

15. The passenger vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a permanent display unit having an adjustable brightness coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the brightness of the permanent display unit in response to a change in the activation status of the dynamic display unit.

16. The passenger vehicle of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the operation of the screen generator in response to receiving stability information relating to the vapor screen.

19. The passenger vehicle of claim 12, further comprising edge channels or fins to stabilize the vapor screen.