Information display system for at least one person

• US 6,750,832 B1
• Filed: 06/21/1999
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kleinschmidt, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zamani, Ali
• Application Number:
  US09/331,493
• Time in Patent Office: 1,821 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/9, 359/400, 359/631, 359/630, 340/705, 350/174, 362/494, 362/140, 362/268, 362/293, 362/510, 362/309
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/149 Instrument input by detecting viewing direction not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/365 Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• 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 2027/0154 with movable elements
• 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 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence

Abstract

An information display system having an output display for presenting information. Optical means are provided that deflect an illumination beam path into the field of view of the observer. Further, a subdividable output display is created that makes it possible to partly obtain information in a vehicle via a head-up display and partly via a traditional or back-projection display. Given seats arranged in rows, for example in airplanes or buses, back rests of preceding seats contain an output display and a communication interface to the seat of the viewer.

Claims

1. An information display system for at least one person, comprising:

a first display unit for presentation of information on a windshield of a vehicle as a head-up display;

a second display unit for the presentation of information on the dashboard of the vehicle;

optical means that adjust the presentation in a direction of view of the person, wherein an illumination beam path is adapted to the direction of view of the person;

a Fresnel prism displaceable in the illumination beam path, the Fresnel Prism deflecting the illumination beam path, whereby parts of the information are selectively presented graduation-free in the first display unit and the second display unit.

2. The information display system according to claim 1, further comprising a projection display having a video display;

a light source that illuminates the video display; and

an adjustor that adjusts an illumination direction of the light source.

3. The information display system according to claim 2, wherein the video display is driven with a computer and is illuminated by the light source.

4. The information display system according to claim 2, wherein the video display further comprises a brightness adaptor having filters that absorb light, the filters selected from the group comprising grey filters and polarization filters, wherein when the grey filters are pivoted in and the polarization filters are turned relative to one another the projection display is darkened.

5. The information display system according to claim 1, further comprising a brightness adaptor that adapts a first brightness of the first display unit to a second brightness of a scene to be observed, wherein the second brightness is determined as a criteria for a control of the first brightness.

6. The information display system according to claim 1, wherein the optical means comprises at least one prism and at least one lens, wherein the prism deflects the illumination beam path into an eye of the person and the lens focuses the illumination beam path.

7. The information display system according to claim 1, wherein a first part of the information display system is implemented from the group consisting of a traditional display means and a back-projection display;

wherein a second part of the information display system is implemented as the head-up display; and

wherein whereby the first part together with the second part of the information display system forms a combined display means for the presentation of information.

8. The information display system according to claim 7, wherein the head-up display is variable in size.

9. The information display system according to claim 7, wherein the combined display means prioritizes the information according to high-priority and low-priority and displays the high-priority information to the person in the second part of the information display and displays low-priority information in the first part of the information display.

10. The information display system according to claim 9, wherein the data is displayed by the combined display means sorted according to a priority of the data.

11. The information display system according to claim 7, wherein the first part of the information display system and the second part of the information display system are the same width and are respectively implemented wider than high.

12. The information display system according to claim 7, wherein a distortion-corrected image is presented on the head-up display dependent on a position of the person, and wherein an image being predistorted corresponding to the position of the person and being inverse to distortions effected by the windshield is presented on the video display.

13. An information display system for presentation of information for at least one person in a vehicle, comprising:

a first reflective surface, whereon the information is presented in a first field of view of the person;

a second reflective surface, whereon the information is presented in a second field of view of the person;

optics that direct the presentation of information in a direction of view of the person; and

a prism that selectively deflects part of the information on the first and second reflective surfaces.

14. The information display system according to claim 13, wherein the first reflective surface is a windshield of the vehicle.

15. The information display system according to claim 13, wherein the second reflective surface is a dashboard display unit.

16. The information display system according to claim 13, wherein the prism is a Fresnel prism.