Vehicular vision system with head up display

• US 10,664,115 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2018
• Issued: 05/26/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lindahl, John O., Whitehead, Peter J., Lynam, Niall R., Uken, John T., Karner, Lee, Hook, Richard R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barakat, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US16/199,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20190095011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0033 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same display
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof

Abstract

A vehicular vision system includes a camera disposed at a vehicle having a field of view at least forward, rearward and/or exterior of the equipped vehicle. An image projection device is disposed in the vehicle and includes a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner and at least one light source operable to emit light. Light emitted by the at least one light source, when operated, is projected by the biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards a windshield of the vehicle so as to form video images that are viewable by a driver of the vehicle viewing the windshield when driving the vehicle. The video images viewed by the driver viewing the windshield include video images derived from image data captured by the camera.

Claims

1. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:

a left-side camera disposed at a left side of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system, wherein said left-side camera has a field of view at least forward of the equipped vehicle;

a right-side camera disposed at a right side portion of the equipped vehicle, wherein said right-side camera has a field of view at least forward of the equipped vehicle;

an image projection device disposed in the equipped vehicle, said image projection device comprising a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner and at least one light source operable to emit light;

wherein light emitted by said at least one light source, when operated, is projected by said biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards a windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to form video images that are viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing the windshield when driving the equipped vehicle;

wherein the video images viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprise video images derived from image data captured by said left-side camera and/or said right-side camera; and

wherein video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said left-side camera are displayed at a left side of the windshield, and wherein video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said right-side camera are displayed at a right side of the windshield.

2. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said left-side camera and said right-side camera comprise night vision cameras.

3. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said left-side camera and said right-side camera are disposed at and behind the windshield of the equipped vehicle and view through the windshield.

4. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein the video images viewed by the driver viewing the windshield are viewable at an optical combiner.

5. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said image projection device comprises a thin film transistor liquid crystal element.

6. The vehicular vision system of claim 5, wherein said image projection device comprises optics that direct light emitted by said at least one light source through said thin film transistor liquid crystal element and toward the windshield.

7. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said at least one light source comprises a red-light emitting light source, a green-light emitting light source and a blue-light emitting light source.

8. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said at least one light source comprises a red-light emitting diode, a green-light emitting diode and a blue-light emitting diode.

9. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein said image projection device comprises a laser-scanning image projection device.

10. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein the video images viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprise virtual video images that appear to the driver to be in front of the equipped vehicle.

11. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein light emitted by said at least one light source, when operated, is projected by said biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards the windshield so as to form video iconistic images for viewing by the driver viewing the windshield.

12. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein the equipped vehicle is equipped with an interior rearview mirror assembly disposed at the windshield, and wherein said image projection device is disposed at the interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle.

13. The vehicular vision system of claim 12, wherein the interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a mirror casing having a bezel, and wherein a plurality of actuatable elements are arranged along a portion of said bezel, and wherein the actuatable elements are integrally formed at the portion of the bezel during the molding operation that forms the bezel, the actuatable elements each comprising a molded plastic material body portion and a molded plastic material flexible portion, the molded plastic material flexible portion connecting the molded plastic material body portion to the remainder of the bezel so that the body portion is movable relative to the remainder of the bezel via flexing of the flexible portion when the actuatable element is actuated by a user pressing the body portion, and wherein circuitry is disposed within the mirror casing and has electrical actuation switches located generally proximate to and rearward of the body portions of the actuatable elements.

14. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:

a left-side camera disposed at a left side portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system, wherein said left-side camera has a field of view at least rearward of the equipped vehicle;

a right-side camera disposed at a right side portion of the vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system, wherein said right-side camera has a field of view at least rearward of the equipped vehicle;

an image projection device disposed in the equipped vehicle, said image projection device comprising a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner and at least one light source operable to emit light;

wherein light emitted by said at least one light source, when operated, is projected by said biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards a windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to form video images that are viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing the windshield when driving the equipped vehicle during a reversing maneuver;

wherein the video images viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprise video images derived from image data captured by said left-side camera and/or said right-side camera; and

wherein video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said left-side camera are displayed at a left side of the windshield, and wherein video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said right-side camera are displayed at a right side of the windshield.

15. The vehicular vision system of claim 14, wherein said left-side camera and said right-side camera comprise night vision cameras.

16. The vehicular vision system of claim 14, wherein said at least one light source comprises a red-light emitting light source, a green-light emitting light source and a blue-light emitting light source.

17. The vehicular vision system of claim 14, wherein said at least one light source comprises a red-light emitting diode, a green-light emitting diode and a blue-light emitting diode.

18. The vehicular vision system of claim 14, wherein said image projection device comprises a laser-scanning image projection device.

19. The vehicular vision system of claim 14, wherein the video images viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprise virtual video images that appear to the driver to be in front of the equipped vehicle.

20. The vehicular vision system of claim 14, wherein light emitted by said at least one light source, when operated, is projected by said biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards the windshield so as to form video iconistic images for viewing by the driver viewing the windshield.

21. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:

a left-side camera disposed at a left side portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular vision system, wherein said left-side camera has a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;

a right-side camera disposed at a right side portion of the equipped vehicle, wherein said right-side camera has a field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said left-side camera and said right-side camera are part of a side object monitoring system of the equipped vehicle;

an image projection device disposed in the equipped vehicle, said image projection device comprising a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner and at least one light source operable to emit light;

wherein light emitted by said at least one light source, when operated, is projected by said biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards a windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to form video images that are viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing the windshield when driving the equipped vehicle;

wherein the video images viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprise video images derived from image data captured by said left-side camera and/or said right-side camera; and

wherein video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said left-side camera are displayed at a left side of the windshield, and wherein video images derived, at least in part, from image data captured by said right-side camera are displayed at a right side of the windshield.

22. The vehicular vision system of claim 21, wherein said left-side camera and said right-side camera are part of a blind spot monitoring system of the equipped vehicle.

23. The vehicular vision system of claim 21, wherein said left-side camera and said right-side camera comprises a comprise night vision cameras.

24. The vehicular vision system of claim 21, wherein said at least one light source comprises a red-light emitting light source, a green-light emitting light source and a blue-light emitting light source.

25. The vehicular vision system of claim 21, wherein said at least one light source comprises a red-light emitting diode, a green-light emitting diode and a blue-light emitting diode.

26. The vehicular vision system of claim 21, wherein said image projection device comprises a laser-scanning image projection device.

27. The vehicular vision system of claim 21, wherein the video images viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprise virtual video images that appear to the driver to be in front of the equipped vehicle.

28. The vehicular vision system of claim 21, wherein light emitted by said at least one light source, when operated, is projected by said biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards the windshield so as to form video iconistic images for viewing by the driver viewing the windshield.