Vision enhancement device for use in vehicle

• US 7,817,022 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2008
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kishimoto, Yuya, Uematsu, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings; Travis R
• Application Number:
  US12/026,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/785 on or in relation to the windshield or windows
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays

Abstract

A vision enhancement device for use in a vehicle that improves the frontward vision of an operator during operation. The device has two dividing lines set apart from each other on an instrument panel. These dividing lines show as false image lines on an inside surface of a front window, and divide the inside surface of the front window into a plurality of areas in a vertical direction. A second area formed between these two false image lines forms an appropriate visual field range when the operator looks forward while operating the vehicle. First light emitting means comprising light emitting diodes are disposed at both ends of each of the two dividing lines. The light emitted by these light emitting diodes is directed onto the front window as a false image in accordance with changes in the vehicle state and the environment around the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vision enhancement device for use in a vehicle, comprising:

dividing means for making a projection substantially horizontally on a surface of a windshield of the vehicle and thereby dividing the windshield into a plurality of areas, the dividing means being formed such that when the projection is made onto the windshield so as to correspond to a position of a road surface that is a predetermined distance ahead with a vantage point position of an operator used as a starting point, a projection width on the windshield is the same as or smaller than a lane width of the road,

wherein the dividing means comprise false image generating means disposed beneath the windshield for showing a false image on the windshield, and first light emitting means for emitting light for at least a portion of the dividing means, the false image generating means being configured so as to form a rectilinear false image that can be recognized in a substantially rectilinear manner from the vantage point position of the operator, the first light emitting means being designed to emit light more brightly in one portion of the rectilinear false image than in another portion.

2. The vision enhancement device of claim 1, wherein the false image generating means comprises dividing lines which are formed in an instrument panel disposed beneath the windshield.

3. The vision enhancement device of claim 2, wherein the second light emitting means emits light of a color that differs from that of the first light emitting means.

4. The vision enhancement device of claim 1, wherein the false image generating means comprises a second light emitting means, which forms a substantially rectilinear false image that can be recognized in a substantially rectilinear manner from the vantage point position of the operator.

5. The vision enhancement device of claim 4, wherein the first and second light emitting means are configured so that at least a portion of these means selectively flash.

6. The vision enhancement device of claim 1, wherein the dividing means communicates with at least one vehicle sensor and the first light emitting means changes the brightness of the emitted light in one portion of the rectilinear false image relative to another portion of the rectilinear false image in response to a predetermined output of the vehicle sensor.

7. A vision enhancement device for use in a vehicle, comprising:

dividing means for making a projection substantially horizontally on a surface of a windshield of a vehicle and thereby dividing the windshield into a plurality of areas, the dividing means being formed so that when the projection is made onto the windshield so as to correspond to a position of a road surface that is a predetermined distance ahead with a vantage point position of an operator used as a starting point, a projection width on the windshield is the same as or smaller than a lane width of the road,

wherein the dividing means is disposed beneath the windshield for showing a false image on the windshield, the false image being substantially rectilinear as seen from the vantage point position of the operator and having at least a first section having a first color and a second section having a second color different from the first color, and

wherein the dividing means communicates with at least one vehicle sensor and changes a color of one of the first and second sections in response to a predetermined output of the vehicle sensor.

8. The vision enhancement device of claim 7, wherein at least one portion of the dividing means flashes.

9. The vision enhancement device of claim 8, wherein the dividing means communicates with at least one vehicle sensor and flashes in response to a predetermined output of the vehicle sensor.