VEHICLE VISION SYSTEM WITH LIGHT FIELD MONITOR

• US 20160209647A1
• Filed: 01/18/2016
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Frsich, Manfred
• Granted Patent: US 10,247,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• 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 27/0075 with means for altering, e.g. increasing, the depth of field or depth of focus
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence

Abstract

A vision system of a vehicle includes a display configured to be disposed in the vehicle so as to be operable to display images for viewing by an occupant of the vehicle. The display includes a light field display. The system may include at least one camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to have a respective field of view exterior of the vehicle, whereby the display may display images derived from image data captured by the at least one camera. The vision system may include a head-up display system having the light field display disposed at or in the instrumental panel and projecting images onto a combiner on top of the dashboard facing the driver of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a display configured to be disposed in a vehicle equipped with said vision system so as to be operable to display images for viewing by an occupant of the equipped vehicle; and

wherein said display comprises a light field display.

2. The vision system of claim 1, comprising at least one camera configured to be disposed at the equipped vehicle so as to have a respective field of view exterior of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said display is operable to display images derived from image data captured by said at least one camera.

3. The vision system of claim 1, comprising a head tracking system to provide the occupant'"'"'s eye position information to said light field display, and wherein said display is operable to display images responsive to said head tracking system.

4. The vision system of claim 3, wherein said head tracking system comprises a camera and an image processor operable to process image data captured by said camera to determine an eye location of the occupant'"'"'s eyes, and wherein said display comprises an adjustable mirror element disposed along an optical path between a display screen of said display and the occupant'"'"'s head region, and wherein said adjustable mirror element is adjusted to adjust the optical path to accommodate different determined locations of the occupant'"'"'s eyes.

5. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said light field display is disposed at a location for an interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle, and wherein one of (i) said light field display replaces the interior rearview mirror of the equipped vehicle, (ii) said light field display is located at the side, above or below the interior rearview mirror of the equipped vehicle, and (iii) said light field display is located behind a reflective element of the interior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein the reflective element is at least partially transmissive of light such that said light field display, when operated, is viewable through the reflective element.

6. The vision system of claim 1, wherein one of (i) said light field display is located in an instrument panel of the equipped vehicle, (ii) said light field display comprises light field monitors located at or near the left A column of the equipped vehicle and the right A column of the equipped vehicle and wherein said light field monitors function as a side rearview mirror replacement system, (iii) said vision system comprises a navigation system having said light field display disposed at or in an instrument panel of the equipped vehicle, (iv) said vision system comprises an infotainment system having said light field display disposed at or in the instrument panel of the equipped vehicle, and (v) said vision system comprises an infotainment system having said light field display disposed at or in the back of a front seat head rest of the equipped vehicle.

7. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said vision system comprises a head-up display system having said light field display disposed at or in the instrumental panel and projecting images onto one of (i) the windshield of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a combiner on top of a dashboard of the equipped vehicle and facing the driver of the equipped vehicle.

8. The vision system of claim 1, comprising (i) an imaging display screen, (ii) a micro lens array disposed at the imaging display screen and (iii) an image processor, and wherein said imaging display screen comprises one of (i) a LCD display screen, (ii) a plasma display screen, (iii) a LED array display screen and (iv) an OLED display screen, and wherein said image processor creates a virtual image for display by said imaging display screen, and wherein the displayed virtual image is projected through said micro lens array so as to be viewable by the occupant of the equipped vehicle.

9. The vision system of claim 8, wherein said image processor creates a virtual image viewable by the occupant with a virtual distance of 1.5 m or more from the occupant'"'"'s eye region.

10. The vision system of claim 8, wherein said micro lens array has an orientation of micro lenses to said display an angle of between about 30 degrees and about 60 degrees.

11. The vision system of claim 8, wherein said system adjusts an eye box size to a desired value by selecting the focal length of the micro lens array.

12. The vision system of claim 8, wherein said system calculates look-up tables on the basis of the display pixel center positions, the micro lens focal length and the eye nodes positions for use in image processing by said image processor.

13. The vision system of claim 12, wherein image processing is refined by using continuously measured eye positions.

14. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said display comprises an LED array which is moved in x- and y-directions with respect to a micro lens plate thereby increasing the resolution.

15. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said display comprises a fixed LED array which has its light beam redirected by a movable reflective element in two orthogonal angular directions thereby increasing the resolution.

16. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said display comprises a LED array where only a small portion of LEDs are switched on simultaneously.

17. The vision system of claim 1, wherein said light field display is operable to project three dimensional images for viewing by the occupant of the equipped vehicle.

18. An instrument display for a vehicle, said instrument display comprising:

a display disposed at a dashboard of a vehicle equipped with said instrument display and operable to display vehicle status information for viewing by a driver of the vehicle; and

wherein said display comprises a light field display.

19. The instrument display of claim 18, wherein a control is operable to adjust said light field monitor to improve the visibility of the displayed information by adjusting the local image pattern to the need of the driver'"'"'s eyes and responsive to the color dispersion of the human eye and allowing 3D impressions.

20. A vision system of a vehicle, said vision system comprising:

a display configured to be disposed in a vehicle equipped with said vision system so as to be operable to display images for viewing by an occupant of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said display comprises a light field display comprising a display screen and a micro lens array, and wherein said display screen generates displayed images that project through said micro lens array so as to display images viewable and discernible by the occupant of the equipped vehicle at a region forward of the occupant and above a dashboard of the equipped vehicle;

a head tracking system operable to determine a location of the occupant'"'"'s eyes and to provide eye location information to said light field display;

wherein said light field display is operable to display images responsive to said head tracking system; and

wherein said light field display comprises an adjustable mirror element disposed along an optical path between said display screen and the determined eye location, and wherein said adjustable mirror element is adjustable to adjust the optical path to adapt the displayed images for different determined eye locations of the occupant'"'"'s eyes.

21. The vision system of claim 20, comprising at least one camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to have a respective field of view exterior of the vehicle, and wherein said display is operable to display images derived from image data captured by said at least one camera.

22. The vision system of claim 20, wherein said light field display is operable to project three dimensional images for viewing by the occupant of the equipped vehicle.