Windshield image display system

• US 9,625,718 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2014
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Inventors: Rossini, Umberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choudhury, Mustak
• Application Number:
  US14/546,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20150138614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 359 13, 359599, 359533, 359548, 359549, 359292, 359453, 359456, 359460, 359462, 359463, 359649, 359717, 359742, 348 59, 349 15, 345660
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0229 for displays, e.g. cathodic tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0196 having transparent supporting structure for display mounting, e.g. to a window or a windshield
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0103 comprising holographic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/021 the diffusion taking place at the element's surface, e.g. by means of surface roughening or microprismatic structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0278 used in transmission

Abstract

A display system, including: a vehicle windshield; a projector located on the side of a first surface of the windshield and arranged to enable to project an image in the windshield, towards a second surface of the windshield opposite to the first surface, so that the angles of incidence of the rays projected on the second surface are greater than the limiting angle of total reflection of the light on the second surface; and a transmissive diffuser coating an area of the first surface located on the path of the projected rays after at least one reflection on the second surface.

Claims

1. A display system comprising:

a vehicle windshield;

a projector located on the side of a first surface of the windshield and arranged to enable to project an image in the windshield, towards a second surface of the windshield opposite to the first surface, so that the angles of incidence of the rays projected on the second surface are greater than the total reflection angle of light on the second surface; and

a transmissive diffuser coating and contacting an area of the first surface located on the path of the projected rays after at least one reflection on the second surface, the diffuser being adapted to extract the projected rays from the windshield,

wherein the projector is capable of generating an image at a distance equivalent to the distance which separates it from the diffuser, following the propagation path of light in total reflection in the windshield.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the diffuser is capable of refracting towards the outside of the windshield, on the first surface side, the light propagating in the windshield from the projector.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the diffuser is capable of transmitting, by diffusing the light originating from the windshield in at least one first wavelength, and of transmitting, without diffusing the light originating from the windshield at wavelengths other than said at least one first wavelength.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said at least one first wavelength is an emission wavelength of the projector.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the projector comprises a laser source.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the projector is capable of emitting light having a p-type polarization with respect to the second surface of the windshield.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the diffuser is a holographic diffuser.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a device of injection, into the windshield, of the light emitted by the projector.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the injection device comprises a prism having a surface in contact with the first surface of the windshield.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the windshield is an armored windshield comprising a stack of a plurality of plates of a first transparent material separated two by two by layers of a second transparent material.

11. A motor vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body;

a vehicle windshield attached to the vehicle body;

a projector located on the side of a first surface of the windshield and arranged to enable to project an image in the windshield, towards a second surface of the windshield opposite to the first surface, so that the angles of incidence of the rays projected on the second surface are greater than the total reflection angle of light on the second surface; and

a transmissive diffuser coating and contacting an area of the first surface located on the path of the projected rays after at least one reflection on the second surface, the diffuser being adapted to extract the projected rays from the windshield,

wherein the projector is capable of generating an image at a distance equivalent to the distance which separates it from the diffuser, following the propagation path of light in total reflection in the windshield.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the diffuser is capable of refracting towards the outside of the windshield, on the first surface side, the light propagating in the windshield from the projector.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the diffuser is capable of transmitting, by diffusing the light originating from the windshield in at least one first wavelength, and of transmitting, without diffusing the light originating from the windshield at wavelengths other than said at least one first wavelength.

14. The motor vehicle of claim 13, wherein said at least one first wavelength is an emission wavelength of the projector.

15. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the projector comprises a laser source.

16. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the projector is capable of emitting light having a p-type polarization with respect to the second surface of the windshield.

17. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the diffuser is a holographic diffuser.

18. The motor vehicle of claim 11, further comprising a device of injection, into the windshield, of the light emitted by the projector.

19. The motor vehicle of claim 18, wherein the injection device comprises a prism having a surface in contact with the first surface of the windshield.

20. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the windshield is an armored windshield comprising a stack of a plurality of plates of a first transparent material separated two by two by layers of a second transparent material.