Curved display apparatus for providing rear combination lamp function

• US 9,591,252 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2014
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Jong Bok
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling, William C
• Application Number:
  US14/299,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20150156448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 353 12- 14, 340901-905
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2607 comprising at least two indicating lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/13 characterised by the type of light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/26 Refractors, transparent cover plates, light guides or filters not provided in groups F21S43/235 - F21S43/255
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/30 characterised by reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/101 with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/14 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/18 involving the use of optical projection means, e.g. projection of images on clouds projection apparatus per se G03B
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7458 the modulator being an array of deformable mirrors, e.g. digital micromirror device [DMD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3129 scanning a light beam on the display screen scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3185 Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

A curved display apparatus and method for providing a rear combination lamp function are provided. The apparatus includes a laser scanning projector configured to project an image onto a predetermined projection area. A first reflection mirror is configured to reflect the image projected from the laser scanning projector and a second reflection mirror is configured to reflect the image reflected from the first reflection mirror. A curved screen displays the image reflected from the second reflection mirror. A controller is configured to receive data from a data detector that detects a running state, determine an image to be displayed on the curved screen from an image data list set in advance based on the received data, and operate the laser scanning projector based on the determined image.

Claims

1. A curved display apparatus for providing a rear combination lamp function, the apparatus comprising:

a laser scanning projector configured to project an image onto a predetermined projection area;

a first reflection mirror configured to reflect the image projected from the laser scanning projector;

a second reflection mirror configured to reflect the image reflected from the first reflection mirror;

a curved screen configured to display the image reflected from the second reflection mirror and disposed at a rear side of a vehicle; and

a controller configured to receive data from a data detector that detects a state of the vehicle, determine an image to be displayed on the curved screen from an image data list based on the received data, and operate the laser scanning projector according to the determined image,

wherein the image data list includes at least one of a turn signal lamp image, a tail lamp image, a stop lamp image, a back-up lamp image, and a hazard lamp image.

2. The curved display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first reflection mirror is an aspherical mirror manufactured based on a curvature value of the curved screen.

3. The curved display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust output timing of laser beams output from the laser scanning projector based on the curvature value of the curved screen.

4. The curved display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image data list further includes a text image.

5. The curved display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laser scanning projector comprises:

a laser generator configured to output laser beams;

a laser combiner configured to combine the laser beams projected from the laser generator; and

a micro-opto-electromechanical system (MEMS) scanner configured to project the image onto the predetermined projection area by scanning the laser beams.

6. The curved display apparatus of claim 5, wherein the laser generator includes:

a red laser source configured to project a red laser beam;

a green laser source configured to project a green laser beam; and

a blue laser source configured to project a blue laser beam.

7. The curved display apparatus of claim 5, wherein the laser combiner includes:

a plurality of collimator lenses disposed in each of projecting directions of the laser beams projected from the laser generator; and

a plurality of dichroic mirrors that correspond to each of the projection directions of the laser beams projected from the plurality of collimator lenses.

8. The curved display apparatus of claim 5, wherein the MEMS scanner includes a MEMS mirror configured to scan the laser beams.

9. The curved display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data detector includes:

a brake pedal position sensor configured to detect whether a brake pedal is engaged;

a shift-speed sensor configured to detect a shift-speed currently engaged;

a turn signal switch detector configured to detect whether a turn signal switch is turned on or off; and

a hazard lamp switch detector configured to detect whether a hazard lamp switch is turned on or off.

10. A curved display method for providing a rear combination lamp function, the method comprising:

projecting, by a laser scanning projector, an image onto a predetermined projection area;

receiving, by a controller, data from a data detector that detects a state of a vehicle;

determining, by the controller, an image to be displayed on a curved screen from an image data list based on the received data, wherein the curved screen is disposed at a rear side of the vehicle; and

operating, by the controller, the laser scanning projector according to the determined image,

wherein the image data list includes at least one of a turn signal lamp image, a tail lamp image, a stop lamp image, a back-up lamp image, and a hazard lamp image.

11. The curved display method of claim 10, further comprising:

adjusting, by the controller, output timing of laser beams output from the laser scanning projector based on the curvature value of the curved screen.

12. The curved display method of claim 10, wherein the image data list further includes a text image.

13. The curved display method of claim 10, further comprising:

outputting, by the controller, laser beams;

combining, by the controller, the laser beams projected from the laser generator; and

projecting, by the controller, the image onto the predetermined projection area by scanning the laser beams.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a controller, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that project an image onto a predetermined projection area using a laser scanning projector;

program instructions that receive data from a data detector that detects a state of a vehicle;

program instructions that determine an image to be displayed on a curved screen from an image data list based on the received data, wherein the curved screen is disposed at a rear side of the vehicle; and

program instructions that operate the laser scanning projector according to the determined image,

wherein the image data list includes at least one of a turn signal lamp image, a tail lamp image, a stop lamp image, a back-up lamp image, and a hazard lamp image.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

program instructions that adjust output timing of laser beams output from the laser scanning projector based on the curvature value of the curved screen.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the image data list further includes a text image.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

program instructions that output laser beams;

program instructions that output the laser beams projected from the laser generator; and

program instructions that project the image onto the predetermined projection area by scanning the laser beams.