Projection system, vehicle and projection method

Abstract

The present application relates to a projection system, a vehicle and a projection method. The projection system proposed in the present application includes a light source module for generating and emitting an illumination beam; an image generation module including an imaging unit provided on the light-emitting side of the light source module and having a plurality of pixel areas, wherein the plurality of pixel areas are provided for receiving the illumination beam emitted by the light source module and respectively generating imaging beams with image information; and a deflection module provided on the light-emitting side of the image generation module and provided for projecting the imaging beams with image information respectively generated by the plurality of pixel areas of the imaging unit to different projection distances. The projection system proposed in the present application is capable of projecting multiple images in different projection directions and / or at different projection distances in space, and has the advantages of simple system structure, easy operation, small size, low power consumption, etc.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of projection technology, and in particular to a projection system, a vehicle, and a projection method. Background Art

[0002] The projection system is an optical system that illuminates an object and then forms an image on the projection screen. In recent years, the traditional projection system built according to optical principles has been combined with the emerging DLP (Digital Light Processing), LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and LCOS (Liguid Crystal on Silico) technologies to construct a digital projection system with superior performance in all aspects, which has greatly promoted the development of projection systems.

[0003] With the rapid development of projection technology, the application areas of projection systems are becoming more and more extensive. There are not only educational projectors used in the field of education, home theater projectors used in the field of life, and professional projectors used in large venues and market projects, but projection systems are also widely used in the automotive industry. For example, the projection system may need to project road condition information, automatic driving system information, audio and video entertainment, video conferencing, etc. to complete necessary interactions or enhance the driving experience, and these needs often need to be met at the same time. Therefore, people's requirements for projection systems in the automotive field are becoming higher and higher.

[0004] DLP-based projection systems are being applied in the automotive sector due to their advantages such as small size and low power consumption. Consequently, DLP-PGU (Digital Light Projector-Picture Generation Unit) projection systems have been widely promoted and used in the automotive sector in recent years. Current DLP-PGU projection systems typically consist of an imaging unit and a lens, projecting a single image, forming a single projection system. However, if multiple images are required simultaneously, multiple single projection systems are required, meaning multiple DLP-PGU projection systems must be used simultaneously.

[0005] From the perspective of system structure, the use of multiple single-projection systems will make the projection system bulky, complex, and heavy, while the advantages of small size and low loss of single-projection systems will no longer be prominent. From an economic perspective, if the number of components used is multiplied, the cost will also increase multiplied.

[0006] In summary, in the current design of projection systems in the automotive field, there is an urgent need for a projection system that can project multiple projection images simultaneously. During the design, factors such as simple structure, small size, and low power consumption also need to be comprehensively considered. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this application is to propose a projection system, a vehicle and a projection method, which can simultaneously project multiple images with different projection directions and / or projection distances, and have the advantages of simple system structure, easy operation, small size and low power consumption.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present application, a projection system is provided, comprising:

[0009] A light source module, the light source module is used to generate and emit an illumination light beam;

[0010] an image generation module, the image generation module comprising an imaging unit disposed on a light-emitting side of the light source module and having a plurality of pixel areas, wherein the plurality of pixel areas are configured to receive the illumination light beam emitted by the light source module and respectively generate imaging light beams carrying image information; and

[0011] A deflection module is provided on the light-emitting side of the image generation module, and is used to project the imaging light beams carrying image information respectively generated by the plurality of pixel areas of the imaging unit to different projection distances.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the deflection module includes at least two reflecting mirrors.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the multiple pixel areas of the image generation module are respectively equipped with corresponding reflectors.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the projection system further includes a projection lens, which is arranged on the light-emitting side of the imaging unit of the image generation module, and is used to project an imaging light beam with image information generated by the imaging unit onto the deflection module.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the deflection module includes at least one plane reflector and / or at least one free-form surface reflector.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the deflection module includes a plane reflector and a free-form surface reflector.

[0017] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, there is an angle between the mirror axis of the plane reflector and the mirror axis of the free-form surface reflector, and the angle is in the range of 0 to 45 degrees.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the projection lens and the plane reflector constitute a first projection subsystem, and the projection lens and the free-form surface reflector constitute a second projection subsystem, wherein the first projection subsystem and the second projection subsystem have different projection directions and / or imaging distances.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the optical path difference H4 between the imaging light beam of the first projection subsystem composed of the projection lens and the plane reflector and the imaging light beam of the second projection subsystem composed of the projection lens and the free-form surface reflector satisfies |H4|≤80mm.

[0020] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the focal length F1 of the first projection subsystem composed of the projection lens and the plane reflector and the focal length F2 of the second projection subsystem composed of the projection lens and the free-form surface reflector satisfy 0.5≤|F1 / F2|≤1.3.

[0021] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the deflection module includes a plane reflector and two free-form surface reflectors.

[0022] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, there is an angle θ1 between the mirror axis of the plane reflector and the mirror axis of a free-form surface reflector, and there is an angle θ2 between the mirror axis of the plane reflector and the mirror axis of another free-form surface reflector, wherein the angle θ1 and the angle θ2 are different and are both in the range of 0 to 45 degrees.

[0023] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the deflection module includes at least two free-form surface mirrors.

[0024] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, all the reflective mirrors of the deflection module are constructed as one piece.

[0025] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the imaging unit includes a combination of one or more of DMD, LCOS, and MEMS.

[0026] According to some embodiments of the first aspect of the present application, the projection lens includes a lens, wherein the lens is configured as a combination of one or more of an aspherical lens, a spherical lens, and a free-form lens.

[0027] According to a second aspect of the present application, a vehicle is provided, comprising the projection system.

[0028] According to a third aspect of the present application, a projection method implemented using the projection system is proposed, comprising the following steps:

[0029] Controlling the light source module to generate and emit an illumination beam;

[0030] guiding the illumination light beam emitted by the light source module to pass through a plurality of pixel areas of the imaging unit of the image generation module, so that the plurality of pixel areas respectively generate imaging light beams carrying image information;

[0031] The imaging light beam carrying the image information is guided to pass through a deflection module, so that the imaging light beams carrying the image information respectively generated by the plurality of pixel areas are projected to different projection distances.

[0032] According to some embodiments of the third aspect of the present application, the imaging light beams carrying image information respectively generated by the multiple pixel areas are reflected to different projection directions by the reflective mirror of the deflection module.

[0033] According to some embodiments of the third aspect of the present application, the imaging light beams carrying image information respectively generated by the plurality of pixel areas are reflected by at least one free-form surface reflector of the deflection module.

[0034] According to some embodiments of the third aspect of the present application, the imaging light beams reflected to different projection directions by a corresponding reflector are respectively imaged on different image planes.

[0035] According to some embodiments of the third aspect of the present application, the projection distance of the imaging light beam is adjusted by selecting the surface shape of the reflector of the deflection module.

[0036] According to some embodiments of the third aspect of the present application, the optical path difference of the imaging light beam is adjusted by selecting the surface shape of the reflector of the deflection module.

[0037] According to some embodiments of the third aspect of the present application, the spacing between image planes of the imaging light beams is adjusted by changing the angle of the mirror axis of the deflection module.

[0038] The projection system proposed in this application adds a deflection module to an existing single-projection system. This deflection module can be designed as a combination of multiple reflectors based on actual application needs, enabling the projection of multiple images at different locations in space. In the prior art, this functionality requires the simultaneous use of multiple single-projection systems.

[0039] Compared to existing technologies, the projection system proposed in this application can simultaneously project multiple images on different planes in space, achieving the effect of using multiple single-projection systems simultaneously. It has the advantages of simple structure, compact size, and low power consumption. Furthermore, when converting a single-projection system to a multi-projection system, only the deflection module needs to be added, making the conversion more convenient and simple. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] The technical solution of the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals are used to represent the same components.

[0041] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of some embodiments of the projection system proposed in this application;

[0042] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the optical path of some embodiments of the projection system proposed in this application;

[0043] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an imaging unit of a projection system is shown;

[0044] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a projection screen of the projection system shown;

[0045] Figure 5 Schematic diagrams of light paths of other embodiments of the projection system proposed in this application;

[0046] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an imaging unit of a projection system is shown;

[0047] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a projection screen of the projection system shown;

[0048] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the optical paths of some other embodiments of the projection system proposed in this application;

[0049] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 A schematic diagram of an imaging unit of a projection system is shown;

[0050] Figure 10 yes Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the projection screen of the projection system shown.

[0051] List of reference numerals:

[0052] 1. Light source module 4. Projection lens

[0053] 11. Red light source 41 prism

[0054] 12. Green light source 42 lenses

[0055] 13. Blue light source 5. Deflection module

[0056] 211. Red light collimating lens 51. Plane mirror

[0057] 212. Green light collimating lens 52. Free-form surface reflector

[0058] 213. Blue light collimating lens 53. First free-form surface reflector

[0059] 221. Red light filter 54. Second free-form surface reflector

[0060] 222. Green filter 6. Imaging screen

[0061] 223. Blue light filter 61. First imaging screen

[0062] 23. Correction lens 62. Second imaging screen

[0063] 24. Compound eye P1. First pixel area

[0064] 25. Relay lens P2. Second pixel area

[0065] 26. Reflector P3. Third pixel area

[0066] 27.Right-angle prism S1.First image plane

[0067] 3. Image generation module S2. Second image plane

[0068] 31. Imaging unit S3. Third image plane DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments only relate to a part of the implementation forms of the present application, rather than all of the implementation forms. Based on the embodiments disclosed in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present application. The terms "including" and "having" in the description and claims of the present application and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, product or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but optionally also includes steps or units that are not specifically listed, or optionally also includes other steps or units that are inherent to these processes, methods, products or devices.

[0070] Those skilled in the art should understand that, in the description of the specification and claims of this application, the orientation or positional relationship indicated by certain terms is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and does not mean or imply that the device, mechanism, structure or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, the above terms cannot be understood as limiting this application.

[0071] References to "embodiments" herein mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments may be included in at least one implementation of the present application. The appearance of such terms in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it constitute an independent or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive of other embodiments. It is understood, both explicitly and implicitly, by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combined with other embodiments.

[0072] The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and in combination with embodiments.

[0073] Figure 1 : This is a schematic structural diagram of some embodiments of the projection system proposed in the present application. The projection system shown basically includes a light source module 1, an image generation module 3, a projection lens 4, and a deflection module 5 arranged in sequence along the optical path. Among them, the light source module 1 is used to generate and emit an illumination beam. The image generation module 3 is arranged on the light-emitting side of the light source module 1 and includes an imaging unit 31 having multiple pixel areas. The multiple pixel areas of the imaging unit 31 are configured to receive the illumination beam emitted by the light source module 1 and respectively generate imaging beams with image information. The projection lens 4 is configured to amplify the imaging beams generated by the multiple pixel areas of the image generation module 3 and guide them to the deflection module 5. It can also correct system chromatic aberration and improve system resolution. The deflection module 5 is arranged on the light-emitting side of the projection lens 4 and is used to deflect the imaging beams with image information generated by the multiple pixel areas of the imaging unit 31 to different projection directions and / or project them to different projection distances, and form clear images on their respective image planes.

[0074] In this application, deflecting to different projection directions and / or projecting to different projection distances means that the imaging light beams carrying image information generated by multiple pixel regions can be deflected to different projection directions while still having the same projection distance; or the imaging light beams carrying image information generated by multiple pixel regions can be projected to different projection distances while still having the same projection direction; or, alternatively, the imaging light beams carrying image information generated by multiple pixel regions can be projected to different projection distances and have different projection directions. Here, the projection distance can also be understood as the imaging distance.

[0075] It should be pointed out that Figure 1 The light source module is shown as a schematic structure only; its composition and structure are not limited to the embodiments presented here, but may include any components that implement the light source function, such as matrix LEDs. If the light source module 1 is configured as a matrix LED, complex optical components such as filters and collimators can be omitted, and the module can be integrated with the image generation module 3.

[0076] The light source module 1 primarily includes a light source for generating and emitting an illumination beam. For example, the light source of the light source module 1 can be a high-brightness LED light source. Alternatively, the light source of the light source module 1 can also be other types of light source devices, such as a xenon lamp or a high-pressure mercury lamp. Preferably, the light source of the light source module 1 can be a monochromatic LED light source, that is, each LED light source generates and projects monochromatic light.

[0077] In some embodiments of the present application, in addition to the light source itself, the light source module 1 may further include a dimming component and / or a light refracting component.

[0078] The dimming component can be disposed on the light-emitting side of the light source to collimate the incident light beam. In some embodiments, the dimming component can include, for example, a red light collimating lens 211, a green light collimating lens 212, and a blue light collimating lens 213, which are disposed on the light-emitting sides of the red light source 11, the green light source 12, and the blue light source 13, respectively, corresponding to their colors.

[0079] The dimming component may further include a red light filter 221, a green light filter 222, and a blue light filter 223, which are arranged on the light-emitting sides of the red light collimating lens 211, the green light collimating lens 212, and the blue light collimating lens 213, respectively, corresponding in color, for filtering and / or combining the incident light beams. Among them, the red light filter 221 is a filter that reflects red and transmits green and blue, the green light filter 222 is a filter that reflects green and transmits blue, and the blue light filter 223 is a filter that reflects blue.

[0080] Furthermore, the dimming component may also include a corrective lens 23 and / or a compound eye 24. For example, the corrective lens 23 may be disposed on the light-exiting side of the green light filter 222 to correct the incident illumination beam. The compound eye 24 may be disposed on the light-exiting side of the corrective lens 23 to homogenize and shape the incident illumination beam. The dimming component is used to optically adjust the incident illumination beam. After adjustment, the light source becomes more stable, thereby improving the stability of the overall light source module 1.

[0081] A light deflection assembly can be disposed on the light-emitting side of the dimming assembly to guide the optically adjusted illumination beam to subsequent optical components, such as the image generation module 3. The light deflection assembly can be disposed, for example, after the compound eye 24 of the dimming assembly along the optical path. In some embodiments, the light deflection assembly can include a relay lens 25, a reflector 26, and a right-angle prism 27 sequentially arranged along the optical path. By using the light deflection assembly, the optically adjusted illumination beam, for example, after leaving the right-angle prism 27 of the light deflection assembly, is guided to the image generation module 3 for further processing.

[0082] Of course, the optical components in the dimming assembly and / or the light deflection assembly may be selected, combined and arranged differently according to needs, as long as they can achieve the corresponding optical effects and purposes.

[0083] The image generation module 3 includes an imaging assembly for generating an imaging beam carrying image information. The imaging assembly may include an imaging unit 31 having one or more pixel regions. The one or more pixel regions of the imaging unit 31 may receive an illumination beam and respectively generate an imaging beam carrying image information. The image generation module 3 may also include a chip control unit for controlling the operation of the imaging assembly.

[0084] The imaging unit 31 may be configured as a DMD, LCD, or LCOS. Preferably, the imaging unit 31 is configured as a DMD chip. A DMD chip can be an integrated micro-electromechanical system (MEMS). A DMD chip is composed of numerous tiny reflective lenses tightly arranged in rows and columns and attached to electronic nodes on a silicon wafer. Each tiny reflective lens corresponds to a pixel in the generated image. The DMD chip typically comprises three components: electronic circuitry, mechanics, and optics. The electronic circuitry comprises the control circuit, the mechanical component controls the rotation of the lenses, and the optical component comprises the lenses. When the DMD chip is operating normally, a light beam passes through the DMD chip, and the tiny, rotatable lenses distributed across the DMD surface rotate to reflect the light beam. The rotation of each lens is controlled by circuitry. The DMD chip can be made of pure semiconductor and metal materials, and its specialized electromechanical design ensures exceptional stability. The image information for projection is loaded onto the DMD chip. The light beam passing through the light adjustment mechanism carries the image information as it is reflected by the DMD chip.

[0085] Alternatively, the imaging unit 31 may be configured as a pattern module that integrates multiple pattern areas. The pattern module may be capable of rotating or moving, for example, so that the illumination beam from the light source module 1 illuminates different pattern areas, carrying corresponding pattern information. The different pattern areas herein may also be understood as pixel areas. Of course, other suitable image generation devices may be applied to the projection system proposed in this application, and are not limited to the aforementioned form.

[0086] In other alternative embodiments, image generation module 3 may not be included, and light source module 1 may not only provide illumination but also generate images. For example, light source module 1 may be a matrix LED light, etc. By properly arranging the LEDs, light source module 1 can directly emit light with an image. In this case, light source module 1 and image generation module 3 are effectively a single component.

[0087] The projection system proposed in this application may also include a projection lens 4, which may be disposed on the light-exiting side of the image generation module 3. The projection lens 4 can amplify the imaging light beams generated by the multiple pixel regions of the image generation module 3 and direct them to the deflection module 5. It can also correct system chromatic aberration and improve system resolution. In particular, the projection lens 4 is disposed between the image generation module 3 and the deflection module 5, which is disposed on the light-exiting side of the projection lens 4. Thus, the imaging light beams carrying image information generated by one or more pixel regions of the imaging unit 31 can be projected through the projection lens 4 onto corresponding reflectors of the deflection module 5.

[0088] The projection lens 4 can be constructed as a lens group. For example, the projection lens 4 can include a lens 42. The lens 42 can be constructed as one or more combinations of an aspherical lens, a spherical mirror, and a free-form lens. The characteristic of an aspherical lens is that the curvature changes continuously from the center to the periphery of the lens. Unlike a spherical lens with a constant curvature from the center to the periphery of the lens, an aspherical lens has a better curvature radius characteristic, and has the advantages of improving distortion aberration and improving astigmatism aberration. Therefore, an aspherical lens is preferred, which can eliminate the aberration that occurs during imaging as much as possible, thereby improving the imaging quality of the projection lens 4. It should be noted that the projection lens 4 is not limited to a combination of a spherical mirror and an aspherical lens in terms of type, and different lens combinations can be used to meet actual needs.

[0089] The projection lens 4 may further include a prism 41, which is disposed, for example, between the image generation module 3 and the lens 42, for adjusting and guiding the imaging light beam. Figure 2 、 5 8, a prism 41 can be disposed on the light-exiting side of the image generation module 3, and a lens 42 can be disposed on the light-exiting side of the prism 41. The imaging light beam containing image information generated by the image generation module 3 is incident on the prism 41. The prism 41 guides the imaging light beam to the lens 42, which then projects the imaging light beam onto the deflection module 5. However, it should be noted that this embodiment is not limited to the use of only the prism 41; other optical elements that can achieve the same effect may also be employed.

[0090] The projection system proposed in this application further includes a deflection module 5, which is disposed downstream of the projection lens 4 along the optical path. Through the deflection module 5, the imaging light beams carrying image information generated by one or more pixel regions of the imaging unit 31 can be deflected to different projection directions and / or projected to different projection distances, thereby enabling these imaging light beams carrying image information to form clear images in different projection directions and / or at different imaging distances.

[0091] In some embodiments, the deflection module 5 may include at least two reflectors, and at least one of the reflectors is a free-form surface reflector. For example, the deflection module 5 may include a combination of a plane reflector and a free-form surface reflector, that is, it includes at least one plane reflector and at least one free-form surface reflector. Optionally, the deflection module 5 may also include only one or more free-form surface reflectors, that is, it does not include a plane reflector, to adapt to the imaging needs of different application scenarios. The multiple reflectors of the deflection module 5 are arranged downstream of the image generation module 3 along the optical path direction, especially behind the projection lens 4, and are respectively used to receive imaging light beams carrying image information, so that the reflective surfaces do not overlap or block each other.

[0092] In other embodiments, the deflection module 5 may include only one free-form surface reflector, wherein the free-form surface reflector may have different reflection areas. Different reflection areas may reflect image light in different directions and may have different focal lengths for multiple projection areas.

[0093] In some embodiments, the pixel regions of the imaging unit 31 and the reflectors of the deflection module may have a fixed correspondence on the optical path. For example, the pixel regions of the imaging unit 31 and the reflectors of the deflection module may have a one-to-one correspondence on the optical path, that is, the imaging light beams carrying image information generated by each pixel region of the imaging unit 31 are fixedly incident on the corresponding reflectors. As a result, the imaging light beams carrying image information generated by each pixel region of the imaging unit 31 can be individually processed by the corresponding reflectors in the deflection module, achieving a unique projection direction and / or projection distance for each imaging light beam, and forming clear images on image planes at different positions in three-dimensional space.

[0094] Optionally, the multiple pixel areas of the imaging unit 31 may correspond to the same reflector in the optical path. That is, the multiple pixel areas of the imaging unit 31 may be divided into multiple groups, and the multiple imaging light beams carrying image information generated by each group of pixel areas are fixedly incident on the same reflector of the deflection module. This allows the multiple imaging light beams carrying image information from each group of pixel areas to be simply projected in the same projection direction and / or projection distance, achieving a variety of projection effects such as simple superposition or combination of projected images.

[0095] Alternatively, it can also be considered that a pixel area of ​​the imaging unit 31 corresponds to multiple reflectors of the deflection module in the optical path. That is to say, the imaging light beam with image information generated by a pixel area of ​​the imaging unit 31 can be selectively incident on one or more reflectors of the deflection module. Specifically, the imaging light beam with image information generated by a pixel area of ​​the imaging unit 31 can be incident on one of the multiple available reflectors of the deflection module, or switched between the multiple available reflectors of the deflection module, thereby being able to quickly change the picture content, projection direction and / or projection distance of a specific projected image as needed, and simply and quickly achieve image transformation to meet diverse and flexible projection requirements. For the same purpose, it can also be considered that the imaging light beam with image information generated by one or more pixel areas of the imaging unit 31 can be simultaneously projected onto multiple available reflectors of the deflection module, thereby simply, quickly and flexibly achieving effects such as image combination and superposition.

[0096] The projection system proposed in this application can project multiple images in planes at different distances, directions, and angles in three-dimensional space. Depending on the placement of the individual reflectors in the deflection module and their relative orientation, the image planes formed by each reflector may not be in the same plane, but may be in various relative positions in space. For example, they may form parallel image planes or image planes at a certain angle. These imaging characteristics can be adjusted based on the selected reflector surface type and the orientation relationship between the reflectors and the projection lens. Specific adjustment measures will be described in detail later.

[0097] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, reference numerals 6, 61, and 62 denote imaging screens, which can be physical entities such as screens or geometrically optical imaging planes. The imaging light beams projected in different directions after being reflected by each reflector of the deflection module 5 can be imaged on the corresponding imaging screens or image planes. Here, as an example, the imaging screen 6 includes a first imaging screen 61 and a second imaging screen 62, on which the imaging light beams emitted by the deflection module 5 can be imaged, respectively. Obviously, different imaging screens or image planes can have different projection distances and / or projection directions, and in particular, the imaging screens or image planes can have different relative positions to each other.

[0098] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the optical path of some embodiments of the projection system proposed in this application. Figure 1The structural diagram omits optical components such as the light source module. In the illustrated embodiment, the projection lens 4 is disposed on the light-exiting side of the image generation module 3 and includes, for example, a prism 41 and a lens 42. One or more pixel regions of the imaging unit 31 of the image generation module 3 each generate an imaging beam carrying image information. This beam first enters the prism 41, which then guides the imaging beam to the lens 42, where it is then projected onto the deflection module 5.

[0099] The imaging unit 31 may include one or more pixel regions, each of which may contain or generate different image information. The illumination beam emitted from the light source module 1 can carry the corresponding image information after passing through the pixel regions of the imaging unit 31. In other words, the illumination beam from the light source module 1 is transformed into an imaging beam carrying image information after passing through the imaging unit 31.

[0100] exist Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, the imaging unit 31 includes two pixel regions, namely a first pixel region P1 and a second pixel region P2 (see FIG. Figure 3 Correspondingly, the deflection module 5 includes a plane reflector 51 and a free-form surface reflector 52. The first pixel region P1 of the imaging unit 31 corresponds to the plane reflector 51 of the deflection module 5, while the second pixel region P2 of the imaging unit 31 corresponds to the free-form surface reflector 52 of the deflection module 5.

[0101] In other alternative embodiments, the plane reflector 51 and the free-form surface reflector 52 may be constructed as an integral structure. For example, the plane reflector 51 and the free-form surface reflector 52 may be constructed as different regions on the same reflector, namely, a plane region and a free-form surface region. The relative positions of the plane region and the free-form surface region may be set with reference to the relative relationship between the plane reflector 51 and the free-form surface reflector 52 in other embodiments of the present application, or may be adjusted as needed.

[0102] The illumination beam projected from the light source module 1 passes through the first pixel region P1 to form an imaging beam carrying the image information of the first pixel region P1. This imaging beam passes through the projection lens 4 and is incident on the plane reflector 51. After being reflected by the plane reflector 51, it forms an image on the image plane S1. The illumination beam projected from the light source module 1 passes through the second pixel region P2 to form an imaging beam carrying the image information of the second pixel region P2. This imaging beam passes through the projection lens 4 and is incident on the free-form surface reflector 52. After being reflected by the free-form surface reflector 52, it forms an image on the image plane S2.

[0103] The projection system proposed in this application is capable of directly projecting two or more projection images at different projection distances and / or projection directions, easily achieving the function of projecting multiple projection images and complex and diverse projection effects. Compared with a traditional single projection system that can only project a single image, this system not only saves the cost of purchasing additional equipment required for projecting multiple images in the existing technology, but also is smaller in size, easier to install and use, and can project a richer and more diverse range of images than using multiple traditional single-image projection systems.

[0104] In this embodiment, the angle between the mirror axis of the plane reflector 51 and the mirror axis of the free-form surface reflector 52 is θ. The mirror axis of the plane reflector refers to an axis in the plane where the plane reflector is located, which passes through the intersection of the optical axis of the incident light beam (for example, the projection light beam incident on the plane reflector) and the plane reflector. In the accompanying drawings, the mirror axis of the plane reflector is, for example, represented by the intersection line of the plane where the plane reflector is located and the drawing paper, that is, for example, Figure 2 In the figure, the mirror axis of the plane mirror coincides with the line segment representing the plane mirror itself.

[0105] The mirror axis of a free-form surface reflector refers to an axis within a tangent plane of the free-form surface reflector, where the tangent plane is tangent to the surface of the free-form surface reflector at the intersection of the optical axis of an incident light beam (e.g., a projection light beam incident on the free-form surface reflector) and the free-form surface reflector, and the mirror axis passes through the intersection (tangent point) within the tangent plane. In the accompanying drawings, the mirror axis of the free-form surface reflector is represented by the intersection of the tangent plane and the drawing paper, which also passes through the intersection of the optical axis of the incident light beam and the free-form surface reflector.

[0106] Therefore, the angle between the mirror axes of the two plane reflectors is also the angle between the planes on which the two plane reflectors are located. The angle between the mirror axes of the two free-form surface reflectors is also the angle between the aforementioned tangent planes of the two free-form surface reflectors, which are tangent to the corresponding free-form surface reflector surfaces at the intersection of the optical axis of the projection beam incident on the free-form surface reflector and the free-form surface reflector. Similarly, the angle between the mirror axes of the plane reflector and the mirror axes of the free-form surface reflector is also the angle between the plane on which the plane reflector is located and the tangent plane of the free-form surface reflector, which is tangent to the free-form surface reflector surface at the intersection of the optical axis of the projection beam incident on the free-form surface reflector and the free-form surface reflector.

[0107] In some embodiments, the angle θ between the mirror axes of the two reflectors of the deflection module is between 0 degrees and 45 degrees. Preferably, the angle θ is between 0 degrees and 30 degrees. Meeting the above range of the angle θ facilitates adjustment of the distance between imaging frames.

[0108] For simplicity, the accompanying figures ignore possible variations in the distances between the various reflectors of the deflection module and the projection lens 4 or lens 42. Therefore, the distance on the optical axis from the projection lens 4 or lens 42 to the reflectors of the deflection module is H1. The distance on the optical axis from the plane reflector 51 to the first image plane S1 is H2. The distance on the optical axis from the free-form surface reflector 52 to the second image plane S2 is H3.

[0109] Therefore, as can be seen from the above geometric optical path diagram, the combined imaging projection distance of projection lens 4 and plane mirror 51 is H1 + H2, where plane mirror 51 only changes the turning direction of the optical path and does not change the optical path length. The combined imaging projection distance of projection lens 4 and free-form surface mirror 52 is H1 + H3, where free-form surface mirror 52 changes both the turning direction and the optical path length.

[0110] The optical path difference H4 changed by the free-form surface reflector 52 is the difference between the combined imaging projection distance H1+H2 of the projection lens 4 and the plane reflector 51 and the combined imaging projection distance H1+H3 of the projection lens 4 and the free-form surface reflector 52, that is, H4=(H1+H3)-(H1+H2)=H3-H2. The optical path difference |H4| is preferably ≤50mm, which is conducive to obtaining high-quality and clear imaging effects. Since the multiple image planes of the projection system may be in planes with different relative positions in space, Figure 2 The intermediate optical path difference H4 is only a simplified schematic representation.

[0111] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 The following is a schematic diagram of an imaging unit 31 of a projection system. Here, imaging unit 31 has two pixel regions: a first pixel region P1 and a second pixel region P2. For example, the image information of first pixel region P1 is a rectangle displaying a diagonal stripe pattern, with a length a and a width b. The image information of second pixel region P2 is a rectangle displaying a black dot pattern. The distance between first pixel region P1 and second pixel region P2 is H5.

[0112] Obviously, other specific structural forms and quantities of pixel regions of the imaging unit 31 can be configured according to projection requirements, and are not limited to the first pixel region P1 and the second pixel region P2 illustrated herein. In particular, the imaging unit 31 can include one or more pixel regions, each of which can have the same or different shapes and / or sizes and can generate its own imaging beam carrying image information.

[0113] Figure 4 yes Figure 2Schematic diagram of the projection screen of the projection system shown in FIG, wherein the image of the image plane S1 corresponds to the image information of the first pixel area P1 of the imaging unit 31, and the image of the image plane S2 corresponds to the image information of the second pixel area P2 of the imaging unit 31. Since the first image plane S1 and the second image plane S2 may be in planes with different relative positional relationships in three-dimensional space, for the convenience of comparison and explanation, Figure 4 In FIG, the first image plane S1 and the second image plane S2 are simplified and shown side by side on the paper.

[0114] Here, the illumination light beam emitted by the light source module 1 is incident on the imaging unit 31 of the image generation module 3. The imaging light beam with image information generated by the first pixel area P1 of the imaging unit 31 is incident on the reflective surface of the plane reflector 51 through the projection lens 4. After being reflected by the plane reflector 51, a clear image is formed on the first image plane S1. The imaging light beam with image information generated by the second pixel area P2 of the imaging unit 31 is incident on the reflective surface of the free-form surface reflector 52 through the projection lens 4. After being reflected by the free-form surface reflector 52, a clear image is formed on the second image plane S2. Similarly, since the first image plane S1 and the second image plane S2 may be in planes with different relative positional relationships in three-dimensional space, in Figure 4 In the figure, the distance H6 between the image on the first image plane S1 and the image on the second image plane S2 is only schematically indicated.

[0115] Therefore, the projection system proposed in this application actually includes multiple projection subsystems that can project images separately. Figures 2 to 4 In the illustrated embodiment, a first projection subsystem is comprised of a projection lens 4 and a plane reflector 51, which projects image information of a first pixel region P1 of the imaging unit 31. A second projection subsystem is comprised of a projection lens 4 and a free-form surface reflector 52, which projects image information of a second pixel region P2 of the imaging unit 31. The projection subsystems share other optical components, such as a light source module and a projection lens. The first and second projection subsystems have different projection directions and / or imaging distances.

[0116] As can be seen, the projection system proposed in this application can project multiple images with different projection distances and / or projection directions. When multiple projection images are required in actual use, the projection system proposed in this application can directly meet the needs without the need for additional new equipment, while also having the advantages of compact structure, small size, and low power consumption.

[0117] Each projection subsystem can, in particular, share a projection lens 4 and have different focal lengths. For example, the first projection subsystem includes a combination of a projection lens 4 and a plane mirror 51, whose focal length is F1. That is, after being emitted through the projection lens 4, the imaging light beam containing image information generated by the first pixel area P1 is reflected by the plane mirror 51 to form a clear image on the corresponding image plane S1, so the first projection subsystem has a focal length F1. The second projection subsystem includes a combination of a projection lens 4 and a free-form surface mirror 52, whose focal length is F2. That is, after being emitted through the projection lens 4, the imaging light beam containing image information generated by the second pixel area P2 is reflected by the free-form surface mirror 52 to form a clear image on the corresponding image plane S2, so the second projection subsystem has a focal length F2.

[0118] In some embodiments, the focal length F1 of the first projection subsystem and the focal length F2 of the second projection subsystem satisfy 0.5≤|F1 / F2|≤1.3, thereby enabling both the first projection subsystem and the second projection subsystem to generate clear images. Preferably, the focal length F1 of the first projection subsystem and the focal length F2 of the second projection subsystem satisfy 0.6≤|F1 / F2|≤1.2.

[0119] exist Figures 2 to 4 In the embodiment shown, it is particularly preferred that the focal length F1 of the first projection subsystem composed of the projection lens 4 and the plane reflector 51 and the focal length F2 of the second projection subsystem composed of the projection lens 4 and the free-form surface reflector 52 satisfy 1≤|F1 / F2|≤1.2, thereby achieving the best overall imaging quality.

[0120] like Figure 3 As shown, the image information of the first pixel region P1 is a rectangle showing a diagonal stripe pattern, with a length a and a width b. Figure 4 As shown, the image on the image plane S1 corresponds to the image information of the first pixel region P1 of the imaging unit 31 and has a length A and a width B. Therefore, the magnification of the projection lens 4 can be calculated as β=A / a=B / b.

[0121] For example, after being emitted through the projection lens 4, there is an optical path difference H4 between the projection distance on the optical axis of the imaging light beam carrying image information generated by the first pixel region P1 after being reflected by the plane reflector 51 and the projection distance on the optical axis of the imaging light beam carrying image information generated by the second pixel region P2 after being reflected by the free-form surface reflector 52. Therefore, this optical path difference H4 can be adjusted by changing the projection distance. For example, by adjusting the surface shape of the free-form surface reflector, the combined imaging projection distance H1+H3 of the projection lens 4 and the free-form surface reflector 52 can be changed, thereby achieving a change in the optical path difference H4.

[0122] In some embodiments, the optical path difference H4 between the imaging beam of the first projection subsystem formed by the projection lens 4 and the plane reflector 51 and the imaging beam of the second projection subsystem formed by the projection lens 4 and the free-form surface reflector 52 satisfies |H4| ≤ 80 mm, which facilitates each projection subsystem to generate a clear image. Preferably, the optical path difference H4 satisfies |H4| ≤ 60 mm, which improves the imaging effect of each image plane. Particularly preferably, the optical path difference H4 satisfies |H4| ≤ 50 mm, which further improves the imaging effect of each image plane.

[0123] If the plane mirror 51 and the free-form surface mirror 52 have the same inclination angle, that is, the angle θ between the mirror axis of the plane mirror 51 and the mirror axis of the free-form surface mirror 52 is 0, it can be concluded that the distance H5 between the first pixel area P1 and the second pixel area P2 and the distance H6 between the image of the first image plane S1 and the image of the second image plane S2 have a relationship H6=H5*β.

[0124] If the plane mirror 51 and the free-form surface mirror 52 are tilted at different angles, that is, when the angle θ between the mirror axes of the plane mirror 51 and the free-form surface mirror 52 is greater than 0, then H6 = H5 * β + H3 * tanθ. Therefore, by adjusting the angle θ between the mirror axes of the plane mirror 51 and the free-form surface mirror 52, the distance H6 between the image on the first image plane S1 and the image on the second image plane S2 can be changed.

[0125] In some embodiments, the reflectors of the deflection module can be constructed as independent optical components that can be manufactured and assembled separately. Alternatively, the reflectors of the deflection module can be constructed as a single unit. In particular, the individual reflectors of the deflection module can be fixed relative to each other at angles that produce a clear image, which helps simplify the structure of the projection system and improve its reliability and stability.

[0126] The projection system proposed in this application can flexibly realize multi-image projection, especially by adjusting the projection distance and / or projection direction of the corresponding image by changing the reflective mirror surface shape, thereby realizing the function of projecting multiple projection screens and complex and diverse projection effects.

[0127] Due to the similar working process and principle, the previous Figures 2 to 4 The definitions, illustrations and technical effects described in the illustrated embodiment are also applicable to the embodiments described later in conjunction with other drawings, unless otherwise specified.

[0128] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the optical path of some other embodiments of the projection system proposed in this application. Similarly, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, the projection system is relatively Figure 1The structural diagram omits optical components such as the light source module. In the illustrated embodiment, the projection lens 4 is disposed on the light-emitting side of the image generation module 3. One or more pixel regions of the imaging unit 31 of the image generation module 3 each generate an imaging light beam carrying image information, which is projected onto the deflection module 5 via the projection lens 4.

[0129] exist Figure 5 In the embodiment shown, the imaging unit 31 includes, as an example, a first pixel region P1 and a second pixel region P2 (see Figure 6 ), and the deflection module 5 includes a plane mirror 51 and a free-form surface mirror 52. However, Figures 2 to 4 The difference between the embodiment shown is that the optical path correspondence between the plane reflector 51 and the free-form surface reflector 52 and the first pixel region P1 and the second pixel region P2 is changed. Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the first pixel region P1 of the imaging unit 31 corresponds to the free-form surface reflective mirror 52 of the deflection module 5 , and the second pixel region P2 of the imaging unit 31 corresponds to the plane reflective mirror 51 .

[0130] Specifically, the illumination beam projected from the light source module 1 passes through the first pixel region P1 to form an imaging beam carrying the image information of the first pixel region P1. This imaging beam passes through the projection lens 4 and is incident on the free-form surface reflector 52. After being reflected by the free-form surface reflector 52, it forms an image on the image plane S1. The illumination beam projected from the light source module 1 passes through the second pixel region P2 to form an imaging beam carrying the image information of the second pixel region P2. This imaging beam passes through the projection lens 4 and is incident on the plane reflector 51. After being reflected by the plane reflector 51, it forms an image on the image plane S2.

[0131] like Figure 5 As shown, the angle between the mirror axis of the plane reflector 51 and the mirror axis of the free-form surface reflector 52 is θ. The distance from the projection lens 4 or lens 42 to the reflector of the deflection module on the optical axis is H1. For the purpose of simplicity, the possible deviations in the distances from different reflectors to the projection lens 4 or lens 42 are ignored. The distance from the free-form surface reflector 52 to the first image plane S1 on the optical axis is H2, and the distance from the plane reflector 51 to the second image plane S2 on the optical axis is H3. The combined imaging projection distance of the projection lens 4 and the free-form surface reflector 52 is H1+H2, wherein the free-form surface reflector 52 changes both the turning direction of the light path and the optical path. The combined imaging projection distance of the projection lens 4 and the plane reflector 51 is H1+H3, wherein the plane reflector 51 only changes the turning direction of the light path and does not change the optical path.

[0132] The optical path difference H4 changed by the free-form surface reflector 52 is the difference between the combined imaging projection distance H1+H2 of the projection lens 4 and the free-form surface reflector 52 and the combined imaging projection distance H1+H3 of the projection lens 4 and the plane reflector 51, that is, H4=(H1+H3)-(H1+H2)=H3-H2. In this embodiment, it is preferred that the optical path difference |H4|≤50mm, which is conducive to obtaining high-quality and clear imaging effects. Similarly, since the multiple image planes of the projection system may be in planes with different relative position relationships in space, Figure 5 The intermediate optical path difference H4 is only a simplified schematic representation.

[0133] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the imaging unit of the projection system shown. Figure 3 The imaging unit shown is similar to Figure 6 In the example, the imaging unit 31 of the image generation module 3 has two pixel regions, namely, a first pixel region P1 and a second pixel region P2. For example, the image information of the first pixel region P1 is a rectangle displaying a diagonal stripe pattern. The image information of the second pixel region P2 is a rectangle displaying a black dot pattern, having a length a and a width b. The distance between the first pixel region P1 and the second pixel region P2 is H5.

[0134] Figure 7 yes Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the projection screen of the projection system shown in FIG, wherein the image of the image plane S1 corresponds to the image information of the first pixel area P1 of the imaging unit 31, and the image of the image plane S2 corresponds to the image information of the second pixel area P2 of the imaging unit 31, and has a length A and a width B. Figure 4 Similarly, since the first image plane S1 and the second image plane S2 may be in planes with different relative positional relationships in the three-dimensional space, for the convenience of comparison and explanation, Figure 7 In FIG, the first image plane S1 and the second image plane S2 are simplified and shown side by side on the same plane, and are simplified and shown side by side on the drawing paper.

[0135] Here, the illumination light beam emitted by the light source module 1 is incident on the imaging unit 31 of the image generation module 3. The imaging light beam with image information generated by the first pixel area P1 of the imaging unit 31 is incident on the reflective surface of the free-form surface reflector 52 through the projection lens 4. After being reflected by the free-form surface reflector 52, a clear image is formed on the first image plane S1. The imaging light beam with image information generated by the second pixel area P2 of the imaging unit 31 is incident on the reflective surface of the plane reflector 51 through the projection lens 4. After being reflected by the plane reflector 51, a clear image is formed on the second image plane S2. Similarly, since the first image plane S1 and the second image plane S2 may be in planes with different relative positional relationships in three-dimensional space, in Figure 7 In the figure, the distance H6 between the image on the first image plane S1 and the image on the second image plane S2 is only schematically indicated.

[0136] exist Figures 5 to 7 In the illustrated embodiment, the projection lens 4 and the plane reflector 51 constitute a first projection subsystem, which projects image information of the second pixel region P2 of the imaging unit 31. The projection lens 4 and the free-form surface reflector 52 constitute a second projection subsystem, which projects image information of the first pixel region P1 of the imaging unit 31. The projection subsystems share other optical components, such as the light source module and the projection lens.

[0137] Here, the first projection subsystem comprises a combination of a projection lens 4 and a plane mirror 51, with a focal length of F1. That is, after being emitted through the projection lens 4, the imaging light beam containing image information generated by the second pixel area P2 is reflected by the plane mirror 51, forming a clear image on the corresponding image plane S2. Therefore, the first projection subsystem has a focal length of F1. The second projection subsystem comprises a combination of a projection lens 4 and a free-form surface mirror 52, with a focal length of F2. That is, after being emitted through the projection lens 4, the imaging light beam containing image information generated by the first pixel area P1 is reflected by the free-form surface mirror 52, forming a clear image on the corresponding image plane S1. Therefore, the second projection subsystem has a focal length of F2.

[0138] exist Figures 5 to 7 In the embodiment shown, preferably, the focal length F1 of the first projection subsystem and the focal length F2 of the second projection subsystem satisfy 0.6≤|F1 / F2|≤1, thereby facilitating that both projection subsystems can generate clear imaging images and obtain the best overall imaging quality.

[0139] Combined with the previous Figures 2 to 4 Compared with the embodiment described in Figures 5 to 7 In the illustrated embodiment, the first projection subsystem and the second projection subsystem not only change the optical path correspondence between the first pixel area P1 and the second pixel area P2 of the imaging unit 31, but also adjust the ratio between the focal length F1 of the first projection subsystem and the focal length F2 of the second projection subsystem. For example, the ratio between the focal length F1 of the first projection subsystem and the focal length F2 of the second projection subsystem can be adjusted by changing the relative position relationship between the reflectors of the deflection module 5 and / or changing the relative position relationship between the reflectors and the projection lens 4 or the imaging unit 31. As a result, the projection system proposed in this application can achieve flexible and diverse projection effects, especially in terms of projection direction, projection distance, and the relative orientation relationship of different image planes, etc., to meet the projection requirements in different application environments, and thus can be used in a wide range of applications.

[0140] like Figure 6 As shown, the image information of the second pixel area P2 is a rectangle showing a black dot pattern, with a length a and a width b. Figure 7 As shown, the image on the image plane S2 corresponds to the image information of the second pixel area P2 of the imaging unit 31 and has a length A and a width B. Therefore, the magnification of the projection lens 4 can be calculated as β=A / a=B / b.

[0141] Similarly, if the plane mirror 51 and the free-form surface mirror 52 have the same inclination angle, that is, the angle θ between the mirror axis of the plane mirror 51 and the mirror axis of the free-form surface mirror 52 is 0, it can be concluded that the spacing H5 between the first pixel area P1 and the second pixel area P2 and the spacing H6 between the image of the first image plane S1 and the image of the second image plane S2 have a relationship H6=H5*β.

[0142] If the plane mirror 51 and the free-form surface mirror 52 are tilted at different angles, that is, when the angle θ between the mirror axes of the plane mirror 51 and the free-form surface mirror 52 is greater than 0, then H6 = H5 * β + H3 * tanθ. Therefore, by adjusting the angle θ between the mirror axes of the plane mirror 51 and the free-form surface mirror 52, the distance H6 between the image on the first image plane S1 and the image on the second image plane S2 can be changed.

[0143] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the optical path of some other embodiments of the projection system proposed in this application. Similarly, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, the projection system is relatively Figure 1 The structure diagram omits optical components such as the light source module. In the illustrated embodiment, the multiple pixel areas of the imaging unit 31 of the image generation module 3 respectively generate imaging light beams with image information, which can be projected onto the deflection module 5 through the projection lens 4.

[0144] The difference from the above embodiment is that the imaging unit 31 includes three pixel areas as an example, namely the first pixel area P1, the second pixel area P2 and the third pixel area P3 (see Figure 9 ), and the deflection module 5 includes three reflectors, namely a plane reflector 51, a first free-form surface reflector 53 and a second free-form surface reflector 54. Figure 8 In the illustrated embodiment, the first pixel area P1 of the imaging unit 31 corresponds to the plane reflector 51 of the deflection module 5, the second pixel area P2 of the imaging unit 31 corresponds to the first free-form surface reflector 53, and the third pixel area P3 of the imaging unit 31 corresponds to the second free-form surface reflector 54.

[0145] Here, the illumination beam projected from the light source module 1 passes through the first pixel region P1 to form an imaging beam carrying the image information of the first pixel region P1. This imaging beam passes through the projection lens 4 and is incident on the plane reflector 51. After reflection from the plane reflector 51, it forms an image on the image plane S1. The illumination beam projected from the light source module 1 passes through the second pixel region P2 to form an imaging beam carrying the image information of the second pixel region P2. This imaging beam passes through the projection lens 4 and is incident on the first free-form surface reflector 53. After reflection from the first free-form surface reflector 53, it forms an image on the image plane S2. The illumination beam projected from the light source module 1 passes through the third pixel region P3 to form an imaging beam carrying the image information of the third pixel region P3. This imaging beam passes through the projection lens 4 and is incident on the second free-form surface reflector 54. After reflection from the second free-form surface reflector 54, it forms an image on the image plane S3.

[0146] Due to the similar working process and principle, the previous Figures 2 to 7 The definitions, explanations and technical effects described in the embodiments shown are also applicable to Figures 8 to 10 The embodiment shown.

[0147] like Figure 8 As shown, there is an included angle θ1 between the mirror axis of the first free-form surface reflector 53 and the mirror axis of the plane reflector 51, and an included angle θ2 between the mirror axis of the second free-form surface reflector 53 and the mirror axis of the plane reflector 51. Typically, the included angles θ1 and θ2 are between 0 degrees and 45 degrees. Preferably, the included angles θ1 and θ2 are between 0 degrees and 30 degrees.

[0148] The distance between the projection lens 4 or lens 42 on the optical axis and the reflector of the deflection module is H1. For simplicity, possible deviations in the distances between different reflectors and the projection lens 4 or lens 42 are ignored. The distance between the plane reflector 51 and the first image plane S1 on the optical axis is H2, the distance between the first free-form surface reflector 53 and the second image plane S2 on the optical axis is H3, and the distance between the second free-form surface reflector 54 and the third image plane S3 on the optical axis is H10. The combined imaging projection distance of the projection lens 4 and the plane reflector 51 is H1 + H2, where the plane reflector 51 only changes the turning direction of the optical path and does not change the optical path length. The combined imaging projection distance of the projection lens 4 and the first free-form surface reflector 53 is H1 + H3. The combined imaging projection distance of the projection lens 4 and the second free-form surface reflector 54 is H1 + H10, where the first free-form surface reflector 53 and the second free-form surface reflector 54 change both the turning direction of the optical path and the optical path length.

[0149] The optical path difference H4 changed by the first free-form surface reflector 53 is the difference between the combined imaging projection distance H1+H3 of the projection lens 4 and the first free-form surface reflector 53 and the combined imaging projection distance H1+H2 of the projection lens 4 and the plane reflector 51, that is, H4=(H1+H3)-(H1+H2)=H3-H2. The optical path difference H9 changed by the second free-form surface reflector 54 is the difference between the combined imaging projection distance H1+H10 of the projection lens 4 and the second free-form surface reflector 54 and the combined imaging projection distance H1+H2 of the projection lens 4 and the plane reflector 51, that is, H9=(H1+H10)-(H1+H2)=H10-H2.

[0150] According to the present application, the optical path differences H4 and H9 both satisfy the optical path differences |H4| and |H9|≤80mm, preferably ≤60mm, and particularly preferably ≤50mm, which is conducive to obtaining high-quality and clear imaging effects. Similarly, since the multiple image planes of the projection system may be in planes with different relative position relationships in space, Figure 8 The intermediate optical path differences H4 and H9 are merely simplified schematic representations.

[0151] Figure 9 yes Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the imaging unit of the projection system shown. Here, the imaging unit 31 has three pixel regions: a first pixel region P1, a second pixel region P2, and a third pixel region P3. The first pixel region P1 is a rectangle with a diagonal stripe pattern, having a length a and a width b. The second pixel region P2 is a rectangle with a black dot pattern, and the third pixel region P3 is a rectangle with a vertical stripe pattern. The distance between the first pixel region P1 and the second pixel region P2 is H5, while the distance between the first pixel region P1 and the third pixel region P3 is H7.

[0152] Figure 10 yes Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the projection screen of the projection system shown, wherein the image on the first image plane S1 corresponds to the image information of the first pixel area P1 of the imaging unit 31, and has a length A and a width B. The image on the second image plane S2 corresponds to the image information of the second pixel area P2 of the imaging unit 31, and the image on the third image plane S3 corresponds to the image information of the third pixel area P3 of the imaging unit 31. Figure 4 and Figure 7 Similarly, since the first image plane S1, the second image plane S2 and the third image plane S3 may be in planes with different relative position relationships in the three-dimensional space, for the convenience of comparison and explanation, Figure 10 In FIG, the first image plane S1, the second image plane S2, and the third image plane S3 are simplified and shown side by side on the paper.

[0153] Here, the illumination beam emitted by the light source module 1 is incident on the imaging unit 31 of the image generation module 3. The imaging beam containing image information generated by the first pixel area P1 of the imaging unit 31 passes through the projection lens 4 and is incident on the reflective surface of the plane reflector 51. After reflection from the plane reflector 51, a clear image is formed on the first image plane S1. The imaging beam containing image information generated by the second pixel area P2 of the imaging unit 31 passes through the projection lens 4 and is incident on the reflective surface of the first free-form surface reflector 53. After reflection from the first free-form surface reflector 53, a clear image is formed on the second image plane S2. The imaging beam containing image information generated by the third pixel area P3 of the imaging unit 31 passes through the projection lens 4 and is incident on the reflective surface of the second free-form surface reflector 54. After reflection from the second free-form surface reflector 54, a clear image is formed on the third image plane S3.

[0154] Similarly, since the first image plane S1, the second image plane S2 and the third image plane S3 may be in planes with different relative positional relationships in the three-dimensional space, Figure 10 , the distance H6 between the image on the first image plane S1 and the image on the second image plane S2 and the distance H8 between the image on the first image plane S1 and the image on the third image plane S3 are only schematically indicated.

[0155] In this embodiment, the first pixel region P1 of the imaging unit 31 and the plane reflector 51 constitute a first projection subsystem, the second pixel region P2 of the imaging unit 31 and the first free-form surface reflector 53 constitute a second projection subsystem, and the third pixel region P3 of the imaging unit 31 and the second free-form surface reflector 54 constitute a third projection subsystem. Each projection subsystem shares other optical components, such as a light source module and a projection lens.

[0156] like Figure 9 As shown, the image information of the first pixel region P1 is a rectangle showing a diagonal stripe pattern, with a length a and a width b. Figure 10 As shown, the image on the image plane S1 corresponds to the image information of the first pixel area P1 of the imaging unit 31 and has a length A and a width B. Therefore, the magnification β of the projection lens 4 can be calculated as β=A / a=B / b.

[0157] If the plane mirror 51 and the first free-form surface mirror 53 have the same inclination angle, that is, the angle θ1 between the mirror axis of the plane mirror 51 and the mirror axis of the first free-form surface mirror 53 is 0, it can be concluded that the spacing H5 between the first pixel area P1 and the second pixel area P2 and the spacing H6 between the image of the first image plane S1 and the image of the second image plane S2 have a relationship H6 = H5 * β. Similarly, if the plane mirror 51 and the second free-form surface mirror 54 have the same inclination angle, that is, the angle θ2 between the mirror axis of the plane mirror 51 and the mirror axis of the second free-form surface mirror 54 is 0, the spacing H7 between the first pixel area P1 and the third pixel area P3 and the spacing H8 between the image of the first image plane S1 and the image of the third image plane S3 have a relationship H8 = H7 * β.

[0158] If the plane reflector 51 and the first free-form surface reflector 53 have different tilt angles, that is, when the angle θ1 between the mirror axis of the plane reflector 51 and the mirror axis of the first free-form surface reflector 53 is greater than 0, it can be concluded that:

[0159] H6=H5*β+H3*tanθ1.

[0160] Similarly, if the plane reflector 51 and the second free-form surface reflector 54 have different tilt angles, that is, when the angle θ2 between the mirror axis of the plane reflector 51 and the mirror axis of the second free-form surface reflector 54 is greater than 0, it can be concluded that:

[0161] H8=H7*β+H10*tanθ2.

[0162] Therefore, the distance H6 between the image on the first image plane S1 and the image on the second image plane S2 can be changed by adjusting the angle θ1 between the mirror axis of the plane mirror 51 and the mirror axis of the first free-form surface mirror 53. The distance H8 between the image on the first image plane S1 and the image on the third image plane S3 can be changed by adjusting the angle θ2 between the mirror axis of the plane mirror 51 and the mirror axis of the second free-form surface mirror 54.

[0163] In addition, in particular, by changing the surface shape of the first free-form surface reflector 53, the projection distance H1+H3 of the corresponding second projection subsystem can be changed, thereby changing the optical path difference H4 between the combined imaging projection distance H1+H3 of the projection lens 4 and the first free-form surface reflector 53 and the combined imaging projection distance H1+H2 of the projection lens 4 and the plane reflector 51. Similarly, by changing the surface shape of the second free-form surface reflector 54, the projection distance H1+H10 of the corresponding third projection subsystem can be changed, thereby changing the optical path difference H9 between the combined imaging projection distance H1+H10 of the projection lens 4 and the second free-form surface reflector 54 and the combined imaging projection distance H1+H2 of the projection lens 4 and the plane reflector 51. As a result, the projection system proposed in this application can realize the function of simultaneously projecting multiple projection images and obtain a rich variety of projection effects.

[0164] The surface shape of the free-form surface reflector can be adjusted by the surface equation of the free-form surface reflector. The surface equation of the free-form surface reflector is as follows:

[0165]

[0166] Among them, x, y, z are the coordinate values ​​of the surface, C is the radius of curvature, k is the cone coefficient, α i is the coefficient of the i-th term, and z0 is the constant when the surface coordinate is (0, 0). By adjusting the parameters of the free-form surface equation of the reflector, the surface shape of the free-form surface reflector can be adjusted to achieve different projection distances of the projection subsystem and adjust the optical path difference between different imaging beams.

[0167] Obviously, the number and type combination of the deflection module's reflectors are not limited to the examples above; in particular, a larger number of reflectors, such as four, five, or six, may be included. By appropriately selecting the type and surface shape of the deflection module's reflectors, the projection lens 4 and each reflector in the deflection module form a unique projection subsystem, which, in conjunction with the multiple pixel regions of the imaging unit, implements the projection system proposed by the present invention, capable of flexibly and variably simultaneously projecting multiple images in different projection directions and / or projection distances.

[0168] The projection system proposed in this application is particularly suitable for use in vehicles. For example, it can be installed in a vehicle and used as an in-vehicle navigation projection system, a human-computer interaction projection system, or the like. The projection system's imaging beam, carrying image information, can be projected onto the vehicle's windshield, window glass, roadway, vehicle exterior, or other imaging screen, allowing passengers or drivers to view multiple images on different image planes while the vehicle is moving. Furthermore, an external control system can simultaneously control multiple image information, set corresponding interactive functions, and configure image display formats, resulting in more diverse and flexible imaging effects and an excellent user experience in actual use.

[0169] The present application also proposes a projection method implemented using the projection system as described above, comprising the following steps:

[0170] Control the light source module 1 to generate and emit an illumination beam;

[0171] guiding the illumination light beam emitted by the light source module 1 to pass through multiple pixel areas of the imaging unit of the image generation module 3, so that the multiple pixel areas respectively generate imaging light beams with image information;

[0172] The imaging light beams carrying image information are guided to pass through the deflection module 5 , thereby deflecting the imaging light beams carrying image information respectively generated by the plurality of pixel areas to different projection directions and / or to different projection distances.

[0173] Here, a reflector can be used in the deflection module 5 to deflect the imaging beams. Specifically, the deflection module's reflectors can be used to reflect the imaging beams carrying image information generated by the multiple pixel regions into different projection directions. In particular, the deflection module 5 can use at least one free-form surface reflector, for example, a combination of a plane reflector and a free-form surface reflector, or solely free-form surface reflectors, such as at least two free-form surface reflectors, to achieve deflection of the different imaging beams through reflection. Thus, the imaging beams carrying image information generated by the multiple pixel regions are reflected by the at least one free-form surface reflector in the deflection module.

[0174] In the proposed projection method, the multiple pixel regions of the image generation module 3 are each equipped with a corresponding reflector in the deflection module. Thus, the reflector in the deflection module deflects and forms an image beam at different projection distances and / or projection directions. In particular, a one-to-one correspondence can be established between the multiple pixel regions of the image generation module 3 and the reflector in the deflection module.

[0175] In the proposed projection method, the spacing between the image planes of the imaging beams reflected by the corresponding mirrors is changed by adjusting the angle between the mirror axes of the individual mirrors in the deflection module 5, for example, the angle between the mirror axes of the plane mirror and the free-form surface mirror. The projection distance of the imaging beams after reflection by the free-form surface mirrors is changed by selecting the surface shape of the free-form surface mirrors. The optical path difference between different imaging beams is adjusted by selecting the surface shape of the free-form surface mirrors. The surface shape of the free-form surface mirrors is changed by adjusting the parameters of the free-form surface equation of the free-form surface mirrors.

[0176] By using the projection method of the present application, a single projection system can be used to project multiple images in different projection directions and / or at different projection distances in space, and the relative positions between image planes can be adjusted as needed. The projection system proposed in this application has the advantages of simple system structure, easy operation, small size, low power consumption, etc., and has a wide range of application scenarios.

[0177] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present application and an illustration of the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the invention herein is not limited to the technical solutions formed by the specific combination of the above-mentioned technical features, but also encompasses other technical solutions formed by any combination of the above-mentioned technical features or their equivalents without departing from the inventive concept. For example, a technical solution formed by replacing the above-mentioned features with, but not limited to, technical features having similar functions disclosed in this application.

Claims

1. A projection system, characterized in that: The projection system comprises: A light source module, the light source module is used to generate and emit an illumination light beam; an image generation module, the image generation module comprising an imaging unit disposed on a light-emitting side of the light source module and having a plurality of pixel areas, wherein the plurality of pixel areas are configured to receive the illumination light beam emitted by the light source module and respectively generate imaging light beams carrying image information; and a deflection module, the deflection module being arranged on the light-emitting side of the image generation module and being used to project the imaging light beams carrying image information respectively generated by the plurality of pixel regions of the imaging unit to different projection distances, the deflection module comprising two reflectors; The projection system further includes a projection lens, which is arranged on the light-emitting side of the imaging unit of the image generation module and is used to project the imaging light beam with image information generated by the imaging unit onto the deflection module; The projection lens and each reflector of the deflection module respectively form a projection subsystem, and the focal length F1 of a first projection subsystem formed by the projection lens and one reflector of the deflection module and the focal length F2 of a second projection subsystem formed by the projection lens and another reflector thereof satisfy 0.5≤|F1 / F2|≤1.3; The angle θ between the mirror axes of the two reflective mirrors of the deflection module is between 0 degrees and 30 degrees.

2. The projection system according to claim 1, wherein: The multiple pixel areas of the image generation module are respectively equipped with corresponding reflecting mirrors.

3. The projection system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The deflection module includes at least one plane reflective mirror or at least one free-form surface reflective mirror.

4. The projection system according to claim 3, wherein: The deflection module includes a plane reflector and a free-form reflector.

5. The projection system according to claim 4, wherein: There is an included angle between the mirror axis of the plane reflector and the mirror axis of the free-form surface reflector, and the included angle is in the range of 0 to 30 degrees.

6. The projection system according to claim 4, wherein: The projection lens and the plane reflector constitute a first projection subsystem, and the projection lens and the free-form surface reflector constitute a second projection subsystem, wherein the first projection subsystem and the second projection subsystem have different projection directions and / or imaging distances.

7. The projection system according to claim 6, wherein: An optical path difference H4 between an imaging light beam of a first projection subsystem formed by the projection lens and the plane reflector and an imaging light beam of a second projection subsystem formed by the projection lens and the free-form surface reflector satisfies |H4|≤80 mm.

8. The projection system according to claim 6, wherein: A focal length F1 of a first projection subsystem composed of the projection lens and the plane reflector and a focal length F2 of a second projection subsystem composed of the projection lens and the free-form surface reflector satisfy 0.5≤|F1 / F2|≤1.

3.

9. The projection system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: All the mirrors of the deflection module are constructed in one piece.

10. The projection system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The imaging unit includes one or more combinations of DMD, LCOS, and MEMS.

11. The projection system according to claim 2, wherein: The projection lens includes a lens, wherein the lens is configured as a combination of one or more of an aspherical lens, a spherical lens, and a free-form lens.

12. A vehicle comprising the projection system according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A projection method implemented using the projection system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The projection method comprises the following steps: Controlling the light source module to generate and emit an illumination beam; guiding the illumination light beam emitted by the light source module to pass through a plurality of pixel areas of the imaging unit of the image generation module, so that the plurality of pixel areas respectively generate imaging light beams carrying image information; The imaging light beam carrying the image information is guided to pass through a deflection module, so that the imaging light beams carrying the image information respectively generated by the plurality of pixel areas are projected to different projection distances.

14. The projection method according to claim 13, characterized in that: The imaging light beams carrying image information respectively generated by the plurality of pixel regions are reflected to different projection directions by the reflective mirror of the deflection module.

15. The projection method according to claim 14, characterized in that: The imaging light beams carrying image information respectively generated by the plurality of pixel regions are reflected by at least one free-form surface reflector of the deflection module.

16. The projection method according to claim 13, wherein: The imaging light beams reflected to different projection directions by corresponding reflecting mirrors are respectively imaged on different image planes.

17. The projection method according to any one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that: The projection distance of the imaging light beam is adjusted by selecting the surface shape of the reflector of the deflection module.

18. The projection method according to any one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that: The optical path difference of the imaging light beam is adjusted by selecting the surface shape of the reflector of the deflection module.

19. The projection method according to any one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that: The spacing between the image planes of the imaging light beams is adjusted by changing the angle of the mirror axis of the deflection module.

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