Light source, head-up display and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a light source, a head-up display and a vehicle, the light source comprises a light machine and a waveguide assembly, the light machine comprises a light emitting part, a colored light conversion assembly and a first polarization element, the light emitting part is used for emitting first colored light, and the colored light conversion assembly is arranged on the light emitting side of the light emitting part and used for receiving the first colored light; the light emitting element is arranged on the light emitting side of the light machine and converts part of the first colored light into second colored light and third colored light to be emitted, the first polarization element is arranged between the light emitting element and the colored light conversion assembly and used for converting the polarization state of the first colored light into a first polarization state, and the waveguide assembly is arranged on the light emitting side of the light machine and used for conducting projection light emitted by the light machine. According to the head-up display and the vehicle, the light source is adopted, the miniaturization design can be achieved, meanwhile, the good display effect is obtained, and the influence of glare on the light ray imaging quality is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of head-up display, and in particular to a light source, a head-up display and a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] A head-up display (HUD) uses optical imaging principles to project key vehicle information (such as speed and navigation instructions) onto a transparent display in front of the driver (usually the windshield). This allows the driver to access this information without taking their eyes off the road, thereby enhancing driving safety and convenience. Because HUDs primarily project key driving information, their image quality is crucial to the accuracy of the projected information and is therefore crucial to driving safety.

[0003] However, the display effect of the head-up display in the related art is poor, which easily leads to unclear images of the projected vehicle driving information. In addition, the head-up display in the related art is large in size, making it difficult to achieve a miniaturized design at the same time. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Based on this, it is necessary to provide a light source, a head-up display and a vehicle to address the problems that the head-up display in the related technology has poor display effect, which easily leads to unclear images of projected vehicle driving information, and the head-up display in the related technology is large in size, making it difficult to achieve miniaturization design at the same time.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present application, a light source is provided, comprising:

[0006] An optical machine includes a light output member, a color light conversion component, and a first polarizing element. The light output member is used to output a first color light. The color light conversion component is provided on the light output side of the light output member, and the color light conversion component is used to receive the first color light and convert portions of the first color light into a second color light and a third color light for output. The first polarizing element is provided between the light output member and the color light conversion component, and is used to convert the polarization state of the first color light into a first polarization state.

[0007] The waveguide component is arranged on the light-emitting side of the optical machine, and is used to conduct the projection light emitted by the optical machine.

[0008] In one embodiment, the color light conversion assembly includes a beam splitter group, a first conversion element, and a second conversion element. The beam splitter group is provided on the light output side of the light output element and is used to split the first color light emitted by the light output element into three paths of light propagating parallel to each other.

[0009] The first conversion element is provided on the light-emitting side of one of the three light beams to convert the corresponding light beam into a second color light;

[0010] The second conversion element is disposed on the light-emitting side of another one of the three light beams to convert the corresponding light beam into a third color light.

[0011] In one embodiment, the beam splitter assembly includes a first semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror, a second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror, and a reflecting mirror;

[0012] The first semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror is provided on the light-emitting side of the light-emitting element, the second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror is provided along the optical path between the first semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror and the first conversion element, and the reflector is provided along the optical path between the second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror and the second conversion element;

[0013] The first semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror is capable of transmitting part of the first color light and reflecting the remaining at least part of the first color light to the second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror. The second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror is capable of reflecting part of the received first color light to the first conversion element and transmitting the remaining at least part of the first color light to the reflector. The reflector is used to reflect at least part of the received first color light to the second conversion element.

[0014] In one embodiment, the light source includes a plurality of light emitting elements, and the plurality of light emitting elements are spaced apart from each other along the first direction; the color light conversion component includes a plurality of the first conversion elements and a plurality of the second conversion elements;

[0015] The beam splitter group is arranged on the light-emitting side of the multiple light-emitting elements. The beam splitter group is used to split the light emitted by each light-emitting element into three light beams, and can transmit two of the light beams corresponding to each light-emitting element to the corresponding first conversion element and the corresponding second conversion element in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0016] In one embodiment, the light source further includes a plurality of first liquid crystal variable retarders, a plurality of second liquid crystal variable retarders, and a plurality of third liquid crystal variable retarders;

[0017] The plurality of first liquid crystal variable retarders correspond one-to-one to the plurality of light emitting elements, and the first liquid crystal variable retarders are arranged on the light emitting side of the first semi-transparent half-reflective mirror and are used to receive a portion of the first color light transmitted by the first semi-transparent half-reflective mirror;

[0018] The plurality of second liquid crystal variable retarders are arranged on the light-emitting side of the plurality of second conversion elements in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second conversion elements;

[0019] The plurality of third liquid crystal variable retarders are disposed on the light-emitting sides of the plurality of second conversion elements in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second conversion elements.

[0020] In one embodiment, the light source further includes a second polarization element, a third polarization element and a fourth polarization element, wherein the second polarization element is arranged on the light-emitting side of the plurality of first liquid crystal variable retarders, and is used to convert the polarization state of the received light into the first polarization state; the third polarization element is arranged on the light-emitting side of the plurality of second liquid crystal variable retarders, and is used to convert the polarization state of the received light into the first polarization state; the fourth polarization element is arranged on the light-emitting side of the plurality of third liquid crystal variable retarders, and is used to convert the polarization state of the received light into the first polarization state.

[0021] In one embodiment, the waveguide assembly includes a first waveguide element, a second waveguide element, and a third waveguide element that are stacked together. The first color light, the second color light, and the third color light are incident into the first waveguide element, the second waveguide element, and the third waveguide element one by one and are transmitted by total reflection through the corresponding waveguide elements.

[0022] In one embodiment, the waveguide assembly further comprises a first exit grating, a second exit grating and a third exit grating, wherein the first exit grating, the second exit grating and the third exit grating are disposed at the exit ends of the first waveguide element, the second waveguide element and the third waveguide element in a one-to-one correspondence;

[0023] The first exit grating is used to expand the exit pupil of the first color light propagating in the first waveguide element, and is capable of allowing the first color light to exit the pupil to the second exit grating;

[0024] The second exit grating is used to expand the exit pupil of the second color light propagating in the second waveguide element, and is capable of receiving the first color light from the exit pupil of the first exit grating, and the second exit grating is capable of coupling the received first color light and second color light to the third exit grating;

[0025] The third exit grating is used to expand the exit pupil of the third color light propagating in the third waveguide element, and can receive the first color light and the second color light from the exit pupil of the second exit grating, and the third exit grating can couple the received first color light, the second color light and the third color light to the windshield.

[0026] In one embodiment, the first color light is blue light, the second color light is green light, and the third color light is red light.

[0027] According to another aspect of the present application, a head-up display is provided, comprising the light source described in any one of the above embodiments.

[0028] According to yet another aspect of the present application, a vehicle is provided, comprising the head-up display described in the above embodiment.

[0029] The above-mentioned light source forms three colors of light including the first color light, the second color light and the third color light by adopting a light emitting element of a single color light and coordinating the conversion of the color light conversion component. Therefore, there is no need to set up an additional light emitting element, and the structure and steps for solving the voltage drop problem are saved. There is no need to solve the driving problem of different light emitting elements by multiple drivers as in the related art, which saves costs, simplifies the structure, and is conducive to the lightness and thinness of the light source, thereby facilitating the realization of the lightness and thinness of the head-up display. In addition, the use of a waveguide component for light conduction eliminates the need for optical elements such as lenses in the related art, further facilitating the realization of the lightness and thinness of the head-up display. At the same time, the present application sets a first polarization element, which can limit the light emitted by the light emitting element to a single polarization state, thereby reducing the impact of glare on the imaging quality of the light, thereby improving the display quality of the head-up display. Therefore, the present application can achieve a better display effect while taking into account the realization of a miniaturized design. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 This is a front view of a head-up display in one embodiment of the present application.

[0031] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Side view of the heads-up display in the illustrated embodiment.

[0032] Description of Figure Numbers:

[0033] 10. Head-up display;

[0034] 1. Light emitting element; 2. First polarizing element; 31. First conversion element; 32. Second conversion element; 51. First semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror; 52. Second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror; 53. Reflecting mirror; 61. First liquid crystal variable retarder; 62. Second liquid crystal variable retarder; 63. Third liquid crystal variable retarder; 71. Second polarizing element; 72. Third polarizing element; 73. Fourth polarizing element; 81. First waveguide element; 82. Second waveguide element; 83. Third waveguide element; 84. First exit grating; 85. Second exit grating; 86. Third exit grating; 87. First incident grating; 88. Second incident grating; 89. Third incident grating; 9. Windshield. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present application more clearly understood, the specific embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description sets forth many specific details to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application can be implemented in many other ways than those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without violating the scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0036] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. appear, the orientation or position relationship indicated by these terms is based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0037] In addition, if the terms "first" or "second" appear, these terms are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In the description of this application, if the term "plurality" appears, "plurality" means at least two, for example, two, three, etc., unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0038] In this application, unless otherwise specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," "connected," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, these terms may refer to fixed connections, removable connections, or integration; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediary; and internal communication between two components or interaction between two components, unless otherwise specified. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0039] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, if a first feature is described as being "above" or "below" a second feature, or similar descriptions, this may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, when a first feature is described as being "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is described as being "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0040] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element. If any, the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only embodiment.

[0041] Head-up displays (HUDs) in the prior art typically utilize digital light processing technology, coupled with prisms, projection lenses, and multiple optical components. This results in high overall thickness and tolerance control costs, making thin and lightweight designs difficult to achieve. Furthermore, HUDs in the prior art often suffer from poor display quality, which can lead to unclear images of projected vehicle driving information. Consequently, HUDs in the prior art often struggle to achieve both miniaturization and design.

[0042] Based on this, the present application provides a light source, a head-up display, and a vehicle, which can have better display quality and better miniaturization design.

[0043] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, Figure 1 This is a front view of the head-up display 10 in one embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 for Figure 1 A side view of the heads-up display 10 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0044] The light source provided in this application includes an optical engine and a waveguide assembly. The optical engine includes a light emitting element 1, a color light conversion assembly, and a first polarizing element 2. The light emitting element 1 is used to emit a first color light. The color light conversion assembly is provided on the light emitting side of the light emitting element 1. The color light conversion assembly is used to receive the first color light and convert portions of the first color light into a second color light and a third color light for output. By using a light emitting element 1 that emits a single color light and coordinating the conversion of the color light conversion assembly, three colors of light, including the first color light, the second color light, and the third color light, are formed. This eliminates the need for an additional light emitting element 1, facilitates the thinning and lightening of the light source, and thus facilitates the thinning and lightening of the head-up display 10.

[0045] The first polarizing element 2 is disposed between the light emitting element 1 and the color light conversion assembly and is configured to convert the polarization state of the first color light into the first polarization state. The first polarizing element 2 can confine the light emitted by the light emitting element 1 to a single polarization state, thereby reducing the impact of glare on the imaging quality of the light, thereby improving the display quality of the head-up display 10.

[0046] The waveguide assembly is provided on the light-emitting side of the optical engine and is used to transmit the projection light emitted by the optical engine. The present application further adopts the waveguide assembly for light transmission, without the need for optical elements such as lenses in related technologies, further facilitating the realization of a thinner and lighter head-up display 10.

[0047] The light source of the present application and the head-up display 10 using the same can achieve a compact design while achieving a better display effect and reducing the impact of glare on the quality of light imaging. It can be understood that, compared to the related art that directly uses multiple light-emitting elements 1 that can emit different colors of light, the present application uses a light-emitting element 1 that emits a single color of light and uses a color conversion component to convert portions of the first color of light into the second and third colors of light, respectively. This saves the structure and steps required to solve the voltage drop problem and eliminates the need for multiple drivers to solve the driving problem of different light-emitting elements as is generally required in the related art. This saves costs, simplifies the structure, and facilitates the thinness and lightness of the head-up display 10. Furthermore, the provision of the color conversion component allows the light-emitting element 1 of the present application to directly adopt a wafer-level structure, which further helps to reduce costs. It can be seen that the present application uses a light-emitting element 1 that emits a single color of light and then uses a color conversion component to convert portions of the first color of light into other colors of light. This can also reduce the difficulty of electronic circuit design and thus reduce development costs.

[0048] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 2 As shown, the color light conversion assembly includes a beam splitter assembly, a first conversion element 31, and a second conversion element 32. The beam splitter assembly is located on the light-emitting side of the light-emitting element 1 and is used to split the first color light emitted by the light-emitting element 1 into three parallel light paths. This effectively achieves the rational distribution and conversion of the first color light through the beam splitter assembly, ensuring stable output of the three color lights and providing a reliable foundation for subsequent high-quality image display.

[0049] The first conversion element 31 is located on the light-exiting side of one of the three light beams to convert the corresponding light beam into the second color light. The second conversion element 32 is located on the light-exiting side of another of the three light beams to convert the corresponding light beam into the third color light. Thus, the first conversion element 31 and the second conversion element 32 achieve color conversion, enabling the output of three different colors of light, facilitating the display of the final pattern.

[0050] In this embodiment, the beam splitter group can split the received first color light into three beams propagating along the first direction and parallel to each other along the second direction. One beam still remains the first color light to be emitted, another beam is converted into the second color light by the first conversion element 31, and another beam is converted into the third color light by the second conversion element 32. In this way, multiple color light emissions are achieved, which can cover a wider color gamut range and realize rich color display effects.

[0051] In some embodiments, the first color light is blue, the second color light is green, and the third color light is red. Using these three colors as the basic display colors can cover a wide color gamut, achieve rich color display effects, meet the requirements of the vehicle head-up display 10 for display color diversity and accuracy, make the projected vehicle driving information image more vivid and intuitive, facilitate the driver to quickly obtain important information, and improve driving safety and convenience.

[0052] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 2 As shown, the beam splitter group includes a first semi-transmissive and semi-reflective mirror 51, a second semi-transmissive and semi-reflective mirror 52 and a reflector 53. The first color light is split by semi-transmitting, semi-reflecting and reflecting the first color light.

[0053] The first semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror 51 is provided on the light-emitting side of the light-emitting element 1, the second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror 52 is provided along the optical path between the first semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror 51 and the first conversion element 31, and the reflector 53 is provided along the optical path between the second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror 52 and the second conversion element 32. The first semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror 51 is capable of transmitting a portion of the first color light and reflecting the remaining at least a portion of the first color light to the second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror 52. The second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror 52 is capable of reflecting a portion of the received first color light to the first conversion element 31 and transmitting the remaining at least a portion of the first color light to the reflector 53. The reflector 53 is used to reflect the received at least a portion of the first color light to the second conversion element 32.

[0054] Through the setting of the above-mentioned spectrometer group, precise splitting and transmission control of the first color light are achieved, ensuring the parallel propagation and effective conversion of the three light beams, which is beneficial to improving the stability and reliability of the optical path, further improving the efficiency and quality of color light conversion, and is beneficial to improving the optical performance and stability of the head-up display 10.

[0055] It should be noted that the first semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror 51 can be set to transmit 34% of the first color light energy and reflect 66% of the first color light energy to the second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror 52, and the second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror 52 can be set to transmit 50% of the first color light and reflect 50% of the first color light. The first semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirrors 51 and 52 can be configured during the preparation process to achieve selective transmission of light intensity by both, and no further restrictions are imposed here.

[0056] In some embodiments, as Figure 2The first semi-transmissive mirror 51 transmits a portion of the received first color light in the first direction and reflects at least a portion of the remaining first color light to propagate in the second direction. The second semi-transmissive mirror 52 is disposed on one side of the first semi-transmissive mirror 51 along the second direction, receives the first color light reflected by the first semi-transmissive mirror 51 in the second direction, reflects a portion of the received first color light to propagate in the first direction, and transmits at least a portion of the received first color light in the second direction to the reflector 53. The reflector 53 reflects at least a portion of the received first color light to propagate in the first direction. The first direction and the second direction intersect with each other.

[0057] In this way, the first color light emitted by the light emitting element 1 is split into three parallel light beams by the beam splitter group. This also helps to further optimize the internal structure layout of the head-up display 10, making it more compact and reasonable, and further facilitating the miniaturization design of the head-up display 10.

[0058] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 As shown, the light source includes multiple light emitting elements 1, which are spaced apart from each other along a first direction. The color light conversion assembly includes multiple first conversion elements 31 and multiple second conversion elements 32. It can be understood that the multiple light emitting elements 1 correspond one-to-one with the multiple first conversion elements 31, and the multiple first conversion elements 31 correspond one-to-one with the multiple second conversion elements 32.

[0059] The beam splitter group is arranged on the light-emitting side of multiple light-emitting elements 1. The beam splitter group is used to split the light emitted by each light-emitting element 1 into three light beams, and can transmit two of the light beams corresponding to each light-emitting element 1 to the corresponding first conversion element 31 and the corresponding second conversion element 32 one by one.

[0060] In this way, different color blocks are formed through multiple light emitting elements 1, multiple first conversion elements 31 and multiple second conversion elements 32, which constitute the smallest unit of the displayed image, similar to pixels, so that rich images can be constructed through the combination of multiple light emitting elements 1 to achieve the display of different patterns.

[0061] If the first color light is blue light, the second color light is green light, and the third color light is red light, then multiple light output elements 1, multiple first conversion elements 31, and multiple second conversion elements 32 can form multiple blue light pixels, multiple green light pixels, and multiple red light pixels. In conjunction with the liquid crystal variable delay device, the brightness of these pixels can be controlled, thereby mixing various colors for display.

[0062] In this embodiment, the first conversion element 31 and the plurality of second conversion elements 32 can each use corresponding quantum dots. For example, if the first conversion element 31 converts blue light to green light, the first conversion element 31 can use green quantum dots, which can be made of materials such as indium phosphide or cadmium selenide. If the second conversion element 32 converts blue light to red light, the second conversion element 32 can use red quantum dots, which can be made of materials such as cadmium selenide or cadmium sulfide. No further restrictions are imposed herein.

[0063] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 2 As shown, the light source further includes a plurality of first liquid crystal variable retarders 61, a plurality of second liquid crystal variable retarders 62, and a plurality of third liquid crystal variable retarders 63. The liquid crystal variable retarders, in conjunction with the multiple first color lights, multiple second color lights, and multiple third color lights formed by the multiple light output elements 1, the multiple first conversion elements 31, and the multiple second conversion elements 32, can selectively control the brightness and switching of each color light according to the image to be displayed, thereby controlling the mixed light content and achieving a display function.

[0064] The plurality of first liquid crystal variable retarders 61 correspond one-to-one with the plurality of light emitting elements 1, and are disposed on the light-emitting side of the first semi-transparent mirror 51 and are configured to receive a portion of the first color light transmitted by the first semi-transparent mirror 51. The plurality of second liquid crystal variable retarders 62 correspond one-to-one with the plurality of first conversion elements 31 and are disposed on the light-emitting side of the plurality of second conversion elements 32. The plurality of third liquid crystal variable retarders 63 correspond one-to-one with the plurality of second conversion elements 32 and are disposed on the light-emitting side of the plurality of second conversion elements 32.

[0065] By setting up multiple liquid crystal variable retarders, it is possible to independently and accurately control the polarization of the light emitted by each light-emitting element 1 and the conversion element, and realize dynamic adjustment of the brightness of each pixel, so that the displayed image can be optimized in real time according to different ambient light conditions and display requirements, ensuring that the image maintains good visibility and contrast in various lighting environments, effectively enhancing the environmental adaptability and display flexibility of the head-up display 10, and providing reliable protection for the display of driving information in different scenarios.

[0066] As can be understood, the primary function of a liquid crystal variable retarder is to alter the phase state of the liquid crystal by applying a bias voltage to the liquid crystal. Since light entering the liquid crystal variable retarder has already been converted to a linearly polarized state by the first polarizer 2, the liquid crystal variable retarder adjusts its phase by a factor of π / 2, converting the light into linear light with a 90-degree polarization shift. The subsequent second, third, and fourth polarizers 71, 72, and 73 then filter and transmit the desired light, thereby achieving light mixing and control requirements. In other words, the second, third, and fourth polarizers 71, 72, and 73 also cooperate with the liquid crystal variable retarder to achieve light control.

[0067] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 2 As shown, the light source further includes a second polarization element 71, a third polarization element 72 and a fourth polarization element 73, so as to further unify the polarization states of the multiple color lights emitted by the multiple liquid crystal variable retarders.

[0068] In this embodiment, the second polarization element 71 is disposed on the light-exiting side of the plurality of first liquid crystal variable retarders 61 and is used to convert the polarization state of the received light into the first polarization state. The third polarization element 72 is disposed on the light-exiting side of the plurality of second liquid crystal variable retarders 62 and is used to convert the polarization state of the received light into the first polarization state. The fourth polarization element 73 is disposed on the light-exiting side of the plurality of third liquid crystal variable retarders 63 and is used to convert the polarization state of the received light into the first polarization state.

[0069] By configuring multiple polarization elements, the polarization state of light after passing through the liquid crystal variable retarder is further adjusted and unified, ensuring that the three colors of light entering each waveguide assembly and the light used for coupled display have the same polarization state. This improves light transmission efficiency and imaging quality within the waveguide assembly, effectively avoiding problems such as light loss and image blur caused by inconsistent polarization states, and further enhances the display quality of the head-up display 10. Furthermore, light regulation is achieved through the cooperation of the second polarization element 71, the third polarization element 72, and the fourth polarization element 73 with the liquid crystal variable retarder, which will not be further described here.

[0070] In this embodiment, the first polarization state can be an S polarization state. In this case, the first polarization element 2, the second polarization element 71, the third polarization element 72, and the fourth polarization element 73 can all use S polarization conversion elements. This application is not limited to the first polarization state being an S polarization state. The first polarization state can also be a P polarization state. In this case, the first polarization element 2, the second polarization element 71, the third polarization element 72, and the fourth polarization element 73 can all use P polarization conversion elements. No further restrictions are imposed here.

[0071] In some embodiments, continue to refer to Figure 2, combined with reference Figure 1 As shown, the waveguide assembly includes a stacked first waveguide element 81, a second waveguide element 82, and a third waveguide element 83. The first, second, and third color lights are incident on the first, second, and third waveguide elements 81, 82, and 83 in a one-to-one correspondence and are transmitted by total internal reflection from the corresponding waveguide elements. This prevents mutual interference between light of different wavelengths and improves the stability of light transmission.

[0072] It's understandable that if the three colors of light were injected simultaneously into the same waveguide element, the waveguide element's varying wavelength selectivity for colors of different frequencies would result in significant dispersion in the displayed image. Furthermore, the gratings on the same waveguide element refract light of different wavelengths at different angles, leading to dispersion shifts and visual rainbow fringing among the three colors, impacting display quality. However, the present application utilizes a multilayer waveguide element that can correspond to multiple wavelengths of light, optimizing dispersion and improving color reproduction. This allows for greater than 95% color gamut coverage, significantly improving dispersion, display quality, and simplifying the assembly process.

[0073] Furthermore, as different colors of light enter, propagate, and exit a waveguide element, they undergo multiple diffraction cycles through a grating, including input, deflection, and output. This results in gradual intensity decay, energy loss, and decreased brightness. Consequently, when different colors of light enter the same waveguide element, additional correction algorithms are required to compensate for uneven brightness, placing high demands on software and hindering computational efficiency. Furthermore, the light emitting devices (such as LED or laser light emitting devices), display modules (such as DLP or LCOS display modules), and final correction algorithms typically employed in related technologies are all independent of each other. Consequently, complex software and hardware collaboration is often required to compensate for dispersion and uneven brightness, further increasing computational complexity and difficulty.

[0074] The stacked first, second, and third waveguide elements 81, 82, and 83 of the present invention each correspond to multiple colors of light. The gratings on the corresponding waveguide elements can be configured with different diffraction patterns according to the wavelengths of the light, achieving targeted light transmission for each wavelength. This allows for dispersion compensation characteristics specific to the wavelength, suppressing chromatic dispersion. This requires only simple sequential drive and basic color correction algorithms, eliminating the need for complex algorithms and shortening the calibration process. This not only improves the integration of the head-up display 10, but also reduces dispersion, resulting in a cleaner display. It also saves on algorithms and reduces power consumption, potentially reducing calibration time by 30% and costs by 20%.

[0075] The grating on the waveguide element refers to the corresponding input grating or output grating on the corresponding waveguide element. The corresponding grating can be manufactured using nano-grating etching technology, which can achieve higher yield and lower cost in mass production. In conjunction with the present application, a single array of light output elements 1 is provided, and the light output elements 1 can be manufactured using standard wafer-level processes, which can further significantly improve the yield and reduce costs.

[0076] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 As shown, the first polarizing element 2 can be attached to the light emitting element 1 and the color light conversion assembly on both sides along the first direction, respectively. The corresponding second polarizing element 71 can be attached to the corresponding first liquid crystal variable retarder 61 and the corresponding first waveguide element 81 on both sides along the first direction, respectively. The corresponding third polarizing element 72 can be attached to the corresponding second liquid crystal variable retarder 62 and the corresponding second waveguide element 82 on both sides along the first direction, respectively. The corresponding fourth polarizing element 73 can be attached to the corresponding third liquid crystal variable retarder 63 and the corresponding third waveguide element 83 on both sides along the first direction. This helps further optimize the internal structure layout of the light source. Compared to the lens-type head-up display in the related art, the light source and head-up display 10 of the present application eliminate the need for a projection lens and transmit light through a waveguide element, resulting in a more compact and reasonable structure, which helps reduce the thickness of the head-up display 10 and achieve a miniaturized design of the head-up display 10. Furthermore, the corresponding waveguide elements and polarizing elements are arranged adjacent to each other without any gap, which helps reduce coupling loss, improve photoelectric conversion efficiency, and facilitate a thinner head-up display 10.

[0077] It should be noted that the above-mentioned attachment refers to the arrangement without spacing between two adjacent components, and is not limited to the attachment of two adjacent components with an adhesive layer.

[0078] In some embodiments, as Figure 2 The waveguide assembly further includes a first exit grating 84, a second exit grating 85, and a third exit grating 86. The first exit grating 84, the second exit grating 85, and the third exit grating 86 are correspondingly disposed at the exit ends of the first waveguide element 81, the second waveguide element 82, and the third waveguide element 83. Multiple exit gratings are used to achieve effective pupil expansion and coupling of the three color lights.

[0079] The first exit grating 84 is used to expand the exit pupil of the first color light propagating in the first waveguide element 81 and to allow the first color light to exit the pupil to the second exit grating 85 .

[0080] The second exit grating 85 is used to expand the exit pupil of the second color light propagating in the second waveguide element 82 , and can receive the first color light from the exit pupil of the first exit grating 84 . The second exit grating 85 can couple the received first color light and second color light to the third exit grating 86 .

[0081] The third exit grating 86 is used to expand the exit pupil of the third color light propagating in the third waveguide element 83, and can receive the first color light and the second color light of the exit pupil of the second exit grating 85, and the third exit grating 86 can couple the received first color light, second color light and third color light to the windshield 9.

[0082] In this way, different colored lights can be evenly emitted to the windshield 9 on the same emission path, thereby improving the color uniformity and consistency of the projected image, while also improving the size and quality of the exit pupil, so that the driver can clearly see the vehicle driving information within a larger field of view, improving the visual experience of the display effect, and further enhancing the practicality and reliability of the head-up display 10.

[0083] In some embodiments, as Figure 2 The waveguide assembly further includes a first incident grating 87, a second incident grating 88, and a third incident grating 89. The first incident grating 87, the second incident grating 88, and the third incident grating 89 are correspondingly disposed at the incident ends of the first waveguide element 81, the second waveguide element 82, and the third waveguide element 83. The first color light is incident on the first waveguide element 81 through the first incident grating 87, the second color light is incident on the second waveguide element 82 through the second incident grating 88, and the third color light is incident on the third waveguide element 83 through the third incident grating 89.

[0084] It can be understood that the first incident grating 87 is opposite the second polarizer 71, and the first color light passing through the second polarizer 71 passes through the first incident grating 87 and is incident on the first waveguide element 81. The second incident grating 88 is opposite the third polarizer 72, and the second color light passing through the third polarizer 72 passes through the second incident grating 88 and is incident on the second waveguide element 82. The third incident grating 89 is opposite the fourth polarizer 73, and the third color light passing through the fourth polarizer 73 passes through the third incident grating 89 and is incident on the third waveguide element 83. This allows multiple color lights to be incident on opposing waveguide elements.

[0085] According to another aspect of the present application, a head-up display 10 is provided, comprising the light source of any of the above-described embodiments and a housing, wherein the light source is disposed within the housing to form the head-up display 10. The head-up display 10 of the present application is relatively light and thin, and can provide a good display effect. The light source of the present application can also be applied to other display devices or touch display devices, and no further limitations are imposed herein.

[0086] According to another aspect of the present application, a vehicle is provided, comprising the head-up display 10 of the above embodiment. The vehicle provided by the present application, by adopting the head-up display 10 of the present application, can display vehicle driving information clearly and accurately while saving space inside the vehicle.

[0087] The head-up display 10 and vehicle provided by the present application utilize a single-color light emitting element 1 in conjunction with a color light conversion assembly, eliminating the need for additional light emitting elements and optical elements such as lenses used in related technologies. The use of a waveguide assembly further simplifies the structure, which overall facilitates achieving a thinner and lighter head-up display 10. The head-up display 10 of the present application can also significantly improve display quality. For example, the first polarizing element 2 limits the light emitted by the light emitting element 1 to a single polarization state, reducing the impact of glare on light imaging quality. The beam splitter assembly achieves precise splitting and transmission control of the first color light, improving the efficiency and quality of color light conversion. The waveguide assembly avoids mutual interference between colors of different wavelengths, and through multiple layers of waveguide elements corresponding to the wavelengths of multiple colors of light, optimizes dispersion issues, improves color reproduction, and achieves higher color gamut coverage, significantly improving dispersion. The head-up display 10 of the present application also helps reduce costs. Compared to the related art that directly uses multiple light-emitting elements, the present application uses a single-color light-emitting element 1 and converts the color light through a color light conversion component. This eliminates the structure and steps for solving the voltage drop problem and eliminates the need for multiple drivers to solve the driving problem of different light-emitting elements, thus saving costs. The light-emitting element 1 can adopt a wafer-level structure, which helps reduce costs. The grating on the waveguide element can be produced using nano-grating etching technology, and the array of single light-emitting elements 1 can use a standard wafer-level process, further improving the yield of mass production and reducing costs. The head-up display 10 of the present application also helps simplify the structure and improve integration. The overall structural design is compact and reasonable, eliminating the need for a projection lens. Light is transmitted through the waveguide element, and the corresponding waveguide element and the corresponding polarization element are arranged adjacent to each other without spacing, which improves the photoelectric conversion efficiency and helps reduce the thickness of the head-up display 10, achieving a miniaturized design while improving integration.

[0088] The technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0089] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementation methods of the present application. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application, and these modifications and improvements fall within the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present patent application shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A light source, characterized in that: The light source comprises: An optical machine includes a light output member, a color light conversion component, and a first polarizing element. The light output member is used to output a first color light. The color light conversion component is provided on the light output side of the light output member, and the color light conversion component is used to receive the first color light and convert portions of the first color light into a second color light and a third color light for output. The first polarizing element is provided between the light output member and the color light conversion component, and is used to convert the polarization state of the first color light into a first polarization state. The waveguide component is arranged on the light-emitting side of the optical machine, and is used to conduct the projection light emitted by the optical machine.

2. The light source according to claim 1, wherein The color light conversion component includes a beam splitter group, a first conversion element, and a second conversion element. The beam splitter group is provided on the light-emitting side of the light-emitting element and is used to split the first color light emitted by the light-emitting element into three paths of light propagating parallel to each other. The first conversion element is provided on the light-emitting side of one of the three light beams to convert the corresponding light beam into a second color light; The second conversion element is disposed on the light-emitting side of another one of the three light beams to convert the corresponding light beam into a third color light.

3. The light source according to claim 2, characterized in that The beam splitter group includes a first semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror, a second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror and a reflecting mirror; The first semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror is provided on the light-emitting side of the light-emitting element, the second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror is provided along the optical path between the first semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror and the first conversion element, and the reflector is provided along the optical path between the second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror and the second conversion element; The first semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror is capable of transmitting part of the first color light and reflecting the remaining at least part of the first color light to the second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror. The second semi-transparent and semi-reflective mirror is capable of reflecting part of the received first color light to the first conversion element and transmitting the remaining at least part of the first color light to the reflector. The reflector is used to reflect at least part of the received first color light to the second conversion element.

4. The light source according to claim 3, characterized in that The light source includes a plurality of light emitting elements, and the plurality of light emitting elements are spaced apart from each other along a first direction; the color light conversion component includes a plurality of the first conversion elements and a plurality of the second conversion elements; The beam splitter group is arranged on the light-emitting side of the multiple light-emitting elements. The beam splitter group is used to split the light emitted by each light-emitting element into three light beams, and can transmit two of the light beams corresponding to each light-emitting element to the corresponding first conversion element and the corresponding second conversion element in a one-to-one correspondence.

5. The light source according to claim 4, characterized in that The light source further includes a plurality of first liquid crystal variable retarders, a plurality of second liquid crystal variable retarders, and a plurality of third liquid crystal variable retarders; The plurality of first liquid crystal variable retarders correspond one-to-one to the plurality of light emitting elements, and the first liquid crystal variable retarders are arranged on the light emitting side of the first semi-transparent half-reflective mirror and are used to receive a portion of the first color light transmitted by the first semi-transparent half-reflective mirror; The plurality of second liquid crystal variable retarders are arranged on the light-emitting side of the plurality of second conversion elements in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of first conversion elements; The plurality of third liquid crystal variable retarders are disposed on the light-emitting sides of the plurality of second conversion elements in a one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of second conversion elements.

6. The light source according to claim 5, characterized in that The light source also includes a second polarization element, a third polarization element and a fourth polarization element. The second polarization element is arranged on the light-emitting side of the multiple first liquid crystal variable retarders, and is used to convert the polarization state of the received light into the first polarization state; the third polarization element is arranged on the light-emitting side of the multiple second liquid crystal variable retarders, and is used to convert the polarization state of the received light into the first polarization state; the fourth polarization element is arranged on the light-emitting side of the multiple third liquid crystal variable retarders, and is used to convert the polarization state of the received light into the first polarization state.

7. The light source according to claim 1, wherein The waveguide assembly includes a first waveguide element, a second waveguide element, and a third waveguide element that are stacked. The first color light, the second color light, and the third color light are incident into the first waveguide element, the second waveguide element, and the third waveguide element one by one, and are transmitted by total reflection through the corresponding waveguide elements.

8. The light source according to claim 7, characterized in that The waveguide assembly further includes a first exit grating, a second exit grating and a third exit grating, wherein the first exit grating, the second exit grating and the third exit grating are provided at the exit ends of the first waveguide element, the second waveguide element and the third waveguide element in a one-to-one correspondence; The first exit grating is used to expand the exit pupil of the first color light propagating in the first waveguide element, and is capable of allowing the first color light to exit the pupil to the second exit grating; The second exit grating is used to expand the exit pupil of the second color light propagating in the second waveguide element, and is capable of receiving the first color light from the exit pupil of the first exit grating, and the second exit grating is capable of coupling the received first color light and second color light to the third exit grating; The third exit grating is used to expand the exit pupil of the third color light propagating in the third waveguide element, and can receive the first color light and the second color light from the exit pupil of the second exit grating, and the third exit grating can couple the received first color light, the second color light and the third color light to the windshield.

9. The light source according to claim 8, characterized in that The first color light is blue light, the second color light is green light, and the third color light is red light.

10. A head-up display, characterized in that: Comprising the light source according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A vehicle, characterized in that: Including the head-up display as claimed in claim 10.

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