Heads-up display with variable focal plane

• US 10,591,738 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2017
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WayRay AG
• Original Assignee: WayRay AG
• Inventors: Svarichevsky, Mikhail, Ponomarev, Vitaly
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Philip P.
• Application Number:
  US15/588,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20170329143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/167 Vehicle dynamics information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/177 Augmented reality
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/179 Distances to obstacles or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 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 35/28 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: G02B 2027/0127 comprising devices increasing the depth of field
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0163 Electric or electronic control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0183 Adaptation to parameters characterising the motion of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0185 Displaying image at variable distance
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• 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 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0179 Display position adjusting means not related to the information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/2294 Addressing the hologram to an active spatial light modulator
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/26 Processes or apparatus specially adapted to produce multiple sub- holograms or to obtain images from them, e.g. multicolour technique
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/2252 : Location of the holobject
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2210/33 : 3D/2D, i.e. the object is formed of stratified 2D planes, e.g. tomographic data
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2225/33 : Complex modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2225/34 : Amplitude and phase coupled modulation
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2226/02 : Computing or processing means, e.g. digital signal processor [DSP]
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2227/03 : Means for moving one component G03H1/0476, G03H2001/2695 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 : Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 : Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence

Abstract

A heads up display system with a variable focal plane includes a projection device to generate light representative of at least one virtual graphic, an imaging matrix to project the light representative of the at least one virtual graphic on at least one image plane, a display device to display the at least one virtual graphic on the at least one image plane, and a translation device to dynamically change a position of the imaging matrix relative to the display device based, at least in part, on a predetermined operational parameter to dynamically vary a focal distance between the display device and the at least one image plane.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a projection device arranged to generate a light representative of at least one virtual graphic;

an imaging matrix arranged to modulate the light representative of the at least one virtual graphic to be projected on at least one image plane;

a display device arranged to display the at least one virtual graphic from the modulated light on the at least one image plane; and

a translation device arranged to dynamically change a position of the imaging matrix relative to the display device based at least in part on a predetermined operational parameter, wherein, to dynamically change the position of the imaging matrix, the translation device is arranged to;

dynamically vary a focal distance between the display device and the at least one image plane, wherein a lower portion of the at least one image plane is associated with a first focal distance, and an upper portion of the at least one image plane is associated with a second focal distance different from the first focal distance,

dynamically vary an angle of incline of the imaging matrix based at least in part on the operational parameter.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a processing device arranged to control the projection device, the imaging matrix, the display device, the translation device, or a combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

an optical device arranged to filter the light generated by the projection device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the optical device is positioned between the projection device and the imaging matrix.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a holographic film.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the holographic film comprises a plurality of collimators.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the imaging matrix comprises a holographic phase-amplitude modulator arranged to generate at least one wave front representative of the at least one virtual graphic.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the translation device comprises a motor, and wherein the motor comprises an electric motor, a linear motor, a DC motor, a brushless motor, a stepper motor, an ultrasonic piezo motor, a screw-type motor, a servo-motor, a mechanical gear, a magnetic switch, or a position sensor, or any combination thereof, and

the imaging matrix is a micro-mirror device, a liquid crystal on silicon (LCoS) matrix spatial light modulator, a matte glass, or any combination thereof, wherein the micro-mirror device is one or more of a micro-mirror actuator, a digital micro-mirror device (DMD), or a microelectromechanical (MEMS) scanner.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the operational parameters include vehicle parameters, road parameters, or vehicle operator parameters, operator parameters, or a combination thereof.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the translation device is arranged to adjust the imaging matrix in a substantially horizontal axis to vary a horizontal position of the at least one image plane.

11. A heads up display system, comprising:

a projection device arranged to generate a light representative for each of a plurality of virtual graphics;

a plurality of imaging matrices, wherein individual imaging matrices of the plurality of imaging matrices are arranged to modulate respective light representative of individual virtual graphics of the plurality of virtual graphics on a corresponding one of a plurality of image planes;

a display device arranged to display each of the plurality of virtual graphics of the modulated light on the corresponding one of the plurality of image planes; and

a plurality of translation devices corresponding to the plurality of imaging matrices, wherein individual translation devices of the plurality of translation devices are arranged to dynamically change a position of the individual imaging matrices relative to the display device based at least in part on a predetermined operational parameter, wherein, to dynamically change the position of the individual imaging matrices, the individual translation devices are arranged to;

dynamically vary respective focal distances between the display device and the corresponding one of the plurality of image planes, wherein a lower portion of the corresponding one of the plurality of image planes is associated with a first focal distance, and an upper portion of the corresponding one of the plurality of image planes is associated with a second focal distance different from the first focal distance, and

dynamically vary an angle of incline of the individual imaging matrices based at least in part on the operational parameter.

12. The heads up display system of claim 11, further comprising:

a processing device arranged to control one or more of the projection device, the plurality of imaging matrices, the display device, and the plurality of translation devices.

13. The heads up display system of claim 11, further comprising:

at least one optical device arranged to filter the light generated by the projection device, wherein the optical device is positioned between the projection device and the plurality of imaging matrices.

14. The heads up display system of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of imaging matrices comprises a holographic phase-amplitude modulator arranged to generate at least one wave front representative of at least one of the plurality of virtual graphics.

15. The heads up display system of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of translation devices comprises a motor, and wherein the motor comprises an electric motor, a linear motor, a DC motor, a brushless motor, a stepper motor, an ultrasonic piezo motor, a screw-type motor, a servo-motor, a mechanical gear, a magnetic switch, or a position sensor, or any combination thereof.

16. The heads up display system of claim 11, wherein the operational parameters include vehicle parameters, road parameters, or vehicle operator parameters, operator parameters, or a combination thereof.

17. The heads up display system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of translation devices is arranged to dynamically vary an angle of incline of at least one of the plurality of imaging matrices based at least in part on the operational parameters.

18. The heads up display system of claim 11, wherein a first imaging matrix is arranged to adjust projection of a light representative of a first virtual graphic of the plurality of virtual graphics on a first image plane according to a left eye position of an operator;

and wherein a second imaging matrix is arranged to adjust projection of a light representative of a second virtual graphic of the plurality of virtual graphics on a second image plane according to a right eye position of the operator.

19. The heads up display system of claim 18, further comprising:

a camera arranged to capture image data, the image data to be used for determination of the left eye position or the right eye position.

20. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media (NTCRM) comprising instructions, wherein execution of the instructions is to cause a computing device to:

determine operational parameters of a vehicle;

control display of at least one virtual graphic at a first focal distance based at least in part on the operational parameters of the vehicle, wherein, to control display of the at least one virtual graphic at the first focal distance based at least in part on the operational parameters, execution of the instructions is to cause the computing device to;

control a projection device to generate a light representative of the at least one virtual graphic,

control an imaging matrix to modulate the light for projection on at least one image plane,

control a display device to display the at least one virtual graphic from the modulated light on the at least one image plane,

control a translation device to change a distance between the imaging matrix and the display device to be the first focal distance, and

control the translation device to change an angle of incline of the imaging matrix;

determine updated operational parameters of the vehicle; and

control display of the at least one virtual graphic at a second focal distance based at least in part on the updated operational parameters of the vehicle, wherein, to control display of the at least one virtual graphic at the second focal distance based at least in part on the updated operational parameter, execution of the instructions is to cause the computing device to;

control the translation device to dynamically change the distance between the imaging matrix and the display device to be the second focal distance, wherein an upper portion of the at least one image plane is associated with the second focal distance different from the first focal distance.

21. The one or more NTCRSM of claim 20, wherein execution of the instructions is to cause the computing device to:

control display of auxiliary information at a third focal distance concurrently with the display of the at least one virtual graphic, wherein, to control display of the auxiliary information at the third focal distance, execution of the instructions is to cause the computing device to;

control the translation device or another translation device to dynamically change a position of the imaging matrix or another imaging matrix relative to the display device based at least in part on the updated operational parameters.