Vehicular multi-purpose warning head-up display

• US 10,189,405 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2016
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki North America Incorporated (Yazaki Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yazaki North America Incorporated (Yazaki Corporation)
• Inventors: Boyd, Michael, Fong, Ching
• Primary Examiner(s): Foxx, Chico A
• Application Number:
  US14/995,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20160200249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/177 Augmented reality
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/178 Warnings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/338 Light strips
• 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 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• 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 37/00 Dashboards as road-vehicle superstructure sub-units B62D25/14
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0112 comprising device for genereting colour display
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle head-up display device includes a display control module that receives signals from a plurality of sources and determines one or more warnings based on the signals. The warnings may include at least one of a lane departure warning, a blind spot warning, a front/following/backup distance indicator, a head-on threat warning, and a lateral threat warning. A display module has a plurality of light sources that selectively project a plurality of light patterns onto a plurality of locations on a windshield of a vehicle such that the plurality of light patterns are superimposed on objects outside of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle head-up display device, comprising:

a detecting module configured to receive, from a sensor device and/or a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device, detected signals related to objects appearing outside of a vehicle having the head-up display device;

an information module configured to obtain vehicle information from a plurality of sensors and controllers;

a display control module receiving signals from a plurality of sources comprising the detecting module and the information module, and determining one or more warnings and a severity of the one or more warnings based on the signals, wherein the warnings include at least one of a lane departure warning, a blind spot warning, a following distance indicator, a front distance indicator, a backup distance indicator, a head-on threat warning, or a lateral threat warning corresponding to the detected signals; and

a display module structured to selectively project, based on the severity of the one or more warnings, a plurality of light patterns, in the form of information dots, from a plurality of point light sources, onto a plurality of locations corresponding to detected locations of the objects on a windshield of the vehicle such that the plurality of light patterns are superimposed on the objects to indicate the warnings and the severity of the warnings,

wherein the display module is configured to selectively illuminate the plurality of point light sources in a first mode, a second mode, a third mode, a fourth mode, a fifth mode, and a sixth mode,

wherein the first mode illuminates the plurality of light patterns corresponding to the lane departure warning, the second mode illuminates the plurality of light patterns corresponding to the blind spot warning, the third mode illuminates the plurality of light patterns corresponding to the following distance indicator, the front distance indicator, and/or the backup distance indicator, the fourth mode illuminates the plurality of light patterns corresponding to the head-on threat warning, the fifth mode illuminates the plurality of light patterns corresponding to the lateral threat warning, and the sixth mode illuminates the plurality of light patterns corresponding to a plurality of the first through fifth modes,

wherein the display module is capable of displaying the first through fifth modes and indicate the severity of the corresponding warnings simultaneously, and

wherein the display module determines which of the plurality of point light sources to illuminate based on one or more of the warnings delivered from the display control module.

2. The vehicle head-up display device of claim 1, wherein the one or more warnings may be selectively enabled or disabled by a driver of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle head-up display device of claim 1, wherein the one or more warnings may be based on signals indicating at least one of a vehicle speed, a vehicle acceleration, a pedal position, a turn signal activation, an existence of a second vehicle or lane marker, a speed of a second vehicle, or a position of a second vehicle or lane marker.

4. The vehicle head-up display of claim 1, wherein the plurality of point light sources are light emitting diodes.

5. The vehicle head-up display of claim 4, wherein the light emitting diodes generate red colored light, yellow colored light, and green colored light.

6. The vehicle head-up display of claim 1, wherein the detecting module is configured to detect at least one of a second vehicle or a lane marker.

7. The vehicle head-up display of claim 6, wherein the detecting module receives signals from at least one of a radar, lidar, camera, and a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device to determine presence, speed, and position, of the at least one of the second vehicle or lane marker.

8. The vehicle head-up display of claim 1, wherein the display module is provided on a surface of an instrument panel of the vehicle, opposed to the windshield of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle head-up display of claim 1, wherein the lane departure warning and the blind spot warning are displayed on the windshield by illuminating the plurality of point light sources projecting the light patterns that overlay or are adjacent to a lane marker.

10. The vehicle head-up display of claim 9, wherein the lane departure warning only displays the plurality of point light sources that project the light patterns overlaying the lane marker over which a portion of the vehicle is crossing are illuminated.

11. The vehicle head-up display of claim 10, wherein the lane departure warning is displayed by repeatedly illuminating the plurality of point light sources such that the light patterns overlaying the lane marker blink.

12. The vehicle head-up display of claim 9, wherein the blind spot warning only displays the plurality of point light sources that project the light patterns adjacent to the lane marker on a side of the vehicle where a second object is passing.

13. The vehicle head-up display of claim 12, wherein the blind spot warning is displayed by illuminating the plurality of point light sources in sequence, from closest to an instrument panel to furthest from the instrument panel.

14. The vehicle head-up display of claim 1, wherein the front distance indicator, the following distance indicator, and/or the backup distance indicator is displayed on the windshield by illuminating the plurality of point light sources projecting the light patterns along a straight, vertical line close to the instrument panel.

15. The vehicle head-up display of claim 14, wherein the front distance indicator, the following distance indicator and/or the backup distance indicator is displayed by the plurality of point light sources into a first group of light sources, a second group of light sources, and a third group of light sources.

16. The vehicle head-up display of claim 15, wherein the first group of light sources is closest to an instrument panel and colored green to indicate an appropriate following distance and/or an appropriate backup distance, the second group of light sources is further from the instrument panel, adjacent to the first group of light sources, and colored yellow to indicate a close following distance and/or a close backup distance, and the third group of light sources is farthest from the instrument panel, adjacent to the second group of light sources, and colored red to indicate a dangerous following distance and/or a dangerous backup distance.

17. The vehicle head-up display of claim 1, wherein the head-on threat warning is displayed on the windshield by illuminating the plurality of point light sources projecting the light patterns that overlay a second object outside the vehicle.

18. The vehicle head-up display of claim 17, wherein the head-on threat warning is displayed by repeatedly illuminating the plurality of point light sources such that light patterns blink indicating that a head-on vehicle crash is likely to imminently occur.

19. The vehicle head-up display of claim 1, wherein the lateral threat warning is displayed on the windshield by illuminating the plurality of point light sources projecting the light patterns that are displayed for both the head-on threat warning and the lane departure warning.

20. A vehicle head-up display device, comprising:

a detecting module configured to receive, from a sensor device and/or a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device, detected signals related to objects appearing outside of a vehicle having the head-up display device;

an information module configured to obtain vehicle information from a plurality of sensors and controllers;

a display control module receiving signals from a plurality of sources comprising the detecting module and the information module, and determining one or more warnings and a severity of the one or more warnings based on the signals, wherein the warnings include at least one of a lane departure warning, a blind spot warning, a following distance indicator, a front distance indicator, a backup distance indicator, a head-on threat warning, or a lateral threat warning corresponding to the detected signals; and

a display module having a plurality of light sources comprising light emitting diodes that selectively project based on the severity of the one or more warnings, a plurality of light patterns, in the form of information dots, onto a plurality of locations corresponding to detected locations of the objects on a windshield of the vehicle such that the plurality of light patterns are superimposed on the objects to indicate the warnings and the severity of the warnings,

wherein the display module is configured to selectively illuminate the plurality of light sources in a first mode, a second mode, a third mode, a fourth mode, a fifth mode, and a sixth mode,

wherein the first mode illuminates the plurality of light patterns corresponding to the lane departure warning and blind spot warning, the second mode illuminates the plurality of light patterns corresponding to the following distance indicator, the front distance indicator, and/or the backup distance indicator, the third mode illuminates the plurality of light patterns corresponding to the head-on threat warning, the fourth mode illuminates the plurality of light patterns corresponding to the lateral threat warning, and the fifth mode illuminates the plurality of light patterns corresponding to a plurality of the first through fourth modes,

wherein the display module is capable of displaying the first through fourth modes and indicate the severity of the corresponding warnings simultaneously, and

wherein the display module determines which of the plurality of light sources to illuminate based on one or more of the warnings delivered from the display control module.

21. The vehicle head-up display device of claim 20, wherein the one or more warnings may be selectively enabled or disabled by a driver of the vehicle.

22. The vehicle head-up display device of claim 20, wherein the one or more warnings may be based on signals indicating at least one of a vehicle speed, a vehicle acceleration, a pedal position, a turn signal activation, an existence of a second vehicle or lane marker, a speed of a second vehicle, or a position of a second vehicle or lane marker.

23. The vehicle head-up display device of claim 20, wherein the light emitting diodes generate red colored light, yellow colored light, and green colored light.