Head-up display device and vehicle having the same

• US 9,746,668 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2015
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Dongwook, Lee, Kyoungil
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Ibrahim
• Application Number:
  US14/690,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20150316765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• 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 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

A head-up display (HUD) device configured to project at least one of an image or a text on a windshield includes a display panel, a backlight module configured to emit light to the display panel, and an optical guide module configured to guide the at least one of the image or the text displayed on the display panel to the windshield. The backlight module includes a plurality of light sources configured to emit light to the display panel in different directions from one another such that the at least one of the image or text is independently projected on different regions of the windshield.

Claims

1. A head-up display (HUD) device configured to project information as at least one of an image or text on a windshield, the head-up display device comprising:

a display panel;

a backlight module configured to emit light to the display panel, wherein the display panel modifies the light from the backlight module to form the information; and

an optical guide module configured to guide the information from the display panel to the windshield,

a communication module configured to receive data, and

a controller configured to control the backlight module,

wherein the backlight module includes a plurality of light sources configured to emit light to the display panel in different directions from one another such that parts of the information are independently projected on different regions of the windshield, the plurality of light sources being spaced apart from one another by a prescribed distance,

wherein a plurality of cameras are provided to capture images of different portions of a vehicle that includes the head-up display device,

wherein when a velocity of the vehicle is less than a predetermined velocity, the display panel generates a representation of the captured images of the different portions of the vehicle, and the controller is configured to control the plurality of light sources to emit light to the display panel such that the images of different portions of the vehicle are projected to the different regions of the windshield, and

wherein when the velocity of the vehicle is faster than the predetermined velocity, the display panel is configured to switch from generating the representation of the captured images to generating a representation of the received data, and the controller is configured to;

control a first light source of the plurality of light sources to emit light selectively to the display panel such that the representation of the received data generated by the display panel is projected to a first region of the windshield, and

control a second light source of the plurality of light sources to emit light selectively to the display panel such that the projected representation of the received data is moved from the first region to a second region of the windshield.

2. The head-up display device of claim 1, wherein the optical guide module comprises:

a main mirror configured to reflect the information emitted by the display panel to the windshield; and

sub mirrors provided at inclined angles relative to a central axis of the display panel to direct projected information outputted by the display panel to the main mirror.

3. The head-up display device of claim 2, wherein the inclined angles of the sub mirrors are adjustable, and wherein a displayed location of the information on the windshield changes based on adjusting the inclined angles of the sub mirrors.

4. The head-up display device of claim 2, wherein a plurality of reflection mirrors are provided between the display panel and the main mirror to control light emitted from the display panel.

5. The head-up display device of claim 2, wherein a light source of the plurality of light sources is positioned to output light to a center of the display panel, and

wherein the sub mirrors are provided on an optical axis of the light emitted from the light source.

6. The head-up display device of claim 1, further comprising:

a lens array is provided between the display panel and the backlight module, wherein the lens array is configured to gather light emitted from the light sources and to direct the gathered light to the display panel.

7. The head-up display device of claim 1, wherein the communication module receives data from a mobile terminal, and

wherein the controller controls at least one of the light sources based on global positioning system (GPS) information, and controls another at least one of the light sources based on the data received from the mobile terminal.

8. The head-up display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources are spaced apart from one another in one direction or in two or more intersecting directions.

9. The head-up display device of claim 1, wherein one of the light sources emits light to a portion of the display panel generating one category of information and another one of the light sources emits light to another portion of the display panel generating another category of information.

10. The head-up display device of claim 9,

wherein the one category of information is related to an operation of the vehicle that includes the head-up display device, and

wherein the other category of information is related to the data received by the communications module.

11. The head-up display device of claim 1, wherein the head-up display device is included in the vehicle that also includes a user input device, and wherein the communication module transmits input data received through the user input device to an external device.

12. The head-up display device of claim 1, wherein the head-up display device is included in the vehicle that also includes a voice recognition module configured to recognize a user'"'"'s voice, and wherein the communication module transmits data received through the voice recognition module to an external device.

13. The head-up display device of claim 1, wherein the controller configured to control the light sources such that data identifying a direction of a turn signal is provided in a corresponding region of the different regions of the windshield.

14. The head-up display device of claim 1, wherein the information projected on the windshield changes based on manipulating of a gear shifting handle of a vehicle that includes the head-up display device.

15. The head-up display device of claim 1, wherein the head-up display device is included in the vehicle that also includes a sensor to detect an object or person located within a proximity of the vehicle, and wherein the projected information includes data sensed by the sensor.

16. The head-up display device of claim 1, wherein the controller further changes the information displayed on the display panel in response to selectively activating different ones of the plurality of light sources.

17. The head-up display device of claim 1, wherein the controller operates two of the light sources in an alternating manner such at least a portion of the information is alternately provided on different regions of the windshield.

18. The head-up display device of claim 17, wherein the controller selectively activates or deactivates a corresponding light source based on a change in the presented information.

19. The head-up display device of claim 17, wherein the controller controls at least two portions of the display panel when the information is alternately provided on the different regions of the windshield.

20. A vehicle including a head-up display device according to claim 1.

21. A mobile communication system including a head-up display device according to claim 1.

22. The head-up display device of claim 1, wherein:

the data received by the communication module includes driving path guide information related to a guide point,

the controller controls the first light source to emit light when the vehicle that includes the head-up display device moves within a first threshold distance of the guide point, and

the controller controls the second light source to emit light when the vehicle moves within a second threshold distance of the guide point, the second threshold distance being less than the first threshold distance.

23. The head-up display device of claim 1, wherein when the vehicle is travelling in a first direction, two or more of the plurality of captured images are presented in respective first positions on the windshield, and

wherein when the vehicle is travelling in a second direction that differs from the first direction, the two or more of the plurality of captured images are presented in respective second positions on the windshield.