Vehicular display apparatus

• US 9,678,340 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2014
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kanamori, Naohito
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisen, Alexander
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sarma, Abhishek
• Application Number:
  US14/435,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20150268466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/31 Virtual images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/333 Lasers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/344 for additionally illuminating mechanical elements, e.g. pointers or control knobs
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/347 Optical elements for superposition of display information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1529 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1534 Simultaneous multiple use of display matrix, e.g. to display information and to illuminate pointer
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/333 Lasers
• 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 35/23 Head-up displays [HUD] optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01
• 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 37/02 Arrangement of instruments arrangement of lighting devices for dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0147 comprising a device modifying the resolution of the displayed image
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0165 associated with a head-down display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0198 System for aligning or maintaining alignment of an image in a predetermined direction
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/04 Display device controller operating with a plurality of display units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 : Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/002 : to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/025 : with scanning or deflecting the beams in two directions or dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3413 : Details of control of colour illumination sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/36 : characterised by the display of a graphic pattern, e.g. using an all-points-addressable [APA] memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3129 : scanning a light beam on the display screen scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161

Abstract

A vehicular display apparatus includes a light source unit that emits laser light; a first optical system that uses a first projection surface, onto which a display image is projected, to make a virtual image discernible; a second optical system that uses a second projection surface, onto which the display image is projected, to make a real image discernible; a controller; and a switching mechanism that switch the two optical systems. The distance between the light source unit and first projection surface is smaller than the distance between the light source unit and second projection surface.

Claims

1. A vehicular display apparatus that is installed in a vehicle and provides a display image, comprising:

a light source unit that emits laser light;

a first optical system that projects a display image from the light source unit onto a first projection surface, and performs a first display of a virtual image of the display image so that the virtual image is discerned inside the vehicle;

a second optical system that projects a display image from the light source unit onto a second projection surface, and performs a second display of a real image of the display image so that the real image is discerned inside the vehicle; and

a switching section that switches the first display by the first optical system and the second display by the second optical system to selectively perform either the first display of the virtual image or the second display of the real image by changing an optical path of the laser light emitted by the light source unit,

wherein

a distance between the light source unit and the first projection surface is smaller than a distance between the light source unit and the second projection surface.

2. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

during the first display by the first optical system, the first projection surface is disposed within a focus-free range with respect to laser light that emanates from the light source unit and enters the first optical system; and

during the second display by the second optical system, the second projection surface is disposed within a focus-free range with respect to laser light that emanates from the light source unit and enters the second optical system.

3. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a size of the second projection surface is larger than a size of the first projection surface.

4. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first optical system includes a magnifying glass that magnifies the display image projected from the light source unit onto the first projection surface.

5. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

an energy efficiency of laser light in the first optical system is higher than an energy efficiency of laser light in the second optical system.

6. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the switching section switches display by the first optical system and display by the second optical system based on a vehicle speed of the vehicle.

7. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the switching section drives and turns the light source unit.

8. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the switching section drives and turns a member which forms the first projection surface.

9. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the light source unit that emits laser light is configured to be turned to change a direction in which the light source unit emits laser light; and

the switching section controls the light source unit that emits the laser light to be turned by a predetermined angle, to change the optical path of the laser light emitted by the light source unit and thereby switch between the first display of the virtual image and the second display of the real image.

10. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the virtual image is discerned inside the vehicle as being formed outside the vehicle;

and

said distance between the light source unit and the first projection surface of the virtual image onto which the display image is projected, is smaller than said distance between the light source unit and the second projection surface of the real image.