Privacy display having the generation of a real image in a vehicle interior by a partially transparent combination

Abstract

The invention relates to a privacy display, in particular for use in a vehicle. The privacy display includes an image generator configured to generate a beam of light having desired display content; and an imaging and projection optical system disposed in an optical path of the generated light beam. The imaging and projection optical system comprises a combined lens which is arranged in the field of view of the user and which is designed on the user side as a concave mirror for imaging of the light beam and on the back side as being at least partially transmissive to the ambient light. In this case, the imaging and projection optical system is designed to image the display content generated in the image generator onto a real image suspended in the air between the combination lens and an eye movement range by reflecting the light beam from the combination lens to the eye movement range predetermined for the eyes of the user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a privacy display configured to generate an image through reflection on a partially transparent combination of lenses positioned within the user's field of vision. In particular, the privacy display can be designed for installation in the passenger compartment of a vehicle and is designed to generate images for vehicle occupants; therefore, the invention also relates to a vehicle equipped with the privacy display. Background Technology

[0002] In particular, for motor vehicles, there is the known so-called head-up display (HUD), which is configured to insert a virtual image into the occupant's field of vision through reflection on a partially transparent reflective glass (typically a windshield or a combination lens specifically designed for this purpose). Thus, for example, speed indicators and other useful navigation, warnings, and vehicle operation instructions can be superimposed onto the real environment in front of the vehicle, as viewed by the driver or other occupants. For this purpose, a typical HUD for the driver includes a projection unit housed in the dashboard, which generates a beam of light with the desired display content and projects it in a suitable form and orientation onto the windshield or combination lens, the beam of light being reflected from the windshield or combination lens to the driver's eyes or to a spatial area (eye range) defined for this purpose. Therefore, to read the HUD display, the driver does not need to take their eyes off the road and, with a suitable configuration of the projector optics, does not need to make significant adjustments to focus.

[0003] In the prior art, it has also been proposed to use head-up displays as a passenger entertainment system or as a driver entertainment system when the vehicle is parked or in autonomous driving mode. In addition to virtual image display, it is known, for example, from CN 217821128 U, to generate a real image suspended in the air for one or more viewers by means of an imaging concave mirror, wherein the light path is always guided to the eye movement range of the driver and / or passenger by subsequent reflection on the windshield of the vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The objective of this invention is to provide an alternative and / or improved display scheme that, compared with known devices, can achieve improvements in aspects such as applicability, structural space, image distance, image resolution, image quality and / or other aspects, and is particularly suitable for use as a driver or co-driver entertainment system in a vehicle.

[0005] This task is accomplished by the privacy display according to claim 1 and by a vehicle equipped with the privacy display according to the co-claims. Other configurations are given in the dependent claims. All further features and effects mentioned in the claims and the following description for the privacy display also apply to the vehicle, and vice versa.

[0006] According to the first aspect, a privacy display is provided, which is particularly designed for installation in a vehicle, for example, in the vehicle's dashboard or rear window sill. The vehicle can be a motor vehicle, but can also be any other land, air, or water vehicle. Unless otherwise stated, all spatial orientation terms used herein, such as "front," "rear," "above," "below," "horizontal," "vertical," etc., when applied to a vehicle, refer to a common Cartesian coordinate system fixed relative to the vehicle, which has mutually perpendicular longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions.

[0007] The privacy display includes an image generator configured to generate desired display content and a beam of light (also referred to herein as "projector light") for transmitting that display content. Furthermore, the privacy display includes an imaging and projection optics system disposed in the optical path of the generated beam of light and including a combination lens to be positioned within the user's field of view.

[0008] The combined lens is designed to reflect a light beam to a predetermined eye movement range for the user's eye and is configured as a concave mirror on the user side for imaging the light beam, and on the back side to at least partially transmit ambient light. Here, the imaging and projection optics system is configured to image the display content generated in the image generator onto a real image suspended in air between the combined lens and the eye movement range.

[0009] In principle, any imaging technique is suitable for an image generator. Specifically, the image generator can be configured to dynamically generate desired or desired display content within a two-dimensional pixel matrix. In particular, the image generator can be configured as a flat-panel display that transmits or emits light, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), μLED, or OLED display, but alternatively, it can be configured as a projector-based image generator or a waveguide-based display. This allows, for example, the generation of display content that can reproduce a computer desktop or an open book and / or be controlled by a user through a suitable user interface (e.g., via voice input, touchpad, keyboard, etc.). On the other hand, this also allows, for example, the generation of display content that reproduces video movies or video games.

[0010] The combined lens can be made of any material suitable for the functions described herein, such as plastic or glass. For example, it can be a glass or plastic lens with a concave mirror surface configured as regular or as a free shape.

[0011] When the user's eyes are within the eye movement range and he is looking toward the combination lens, the user can see the real image mentioned. In contrast to a virtual image, this real image, suspended in the air, can be captured by a photosensitive material (such as photographic film) and is visible to everyone through a surface that diffusely scatters light (such as a piece of paper) if such a material or surface is placed in the air at the location of the mentioned image.

[0012] As is commonly understood, the eye-tracking range is a two-dimensional or three-dimensional spatial region from which the displayed real image can be seen without restriction. In other words, the light beam is essentially confined to this spatial region. Therefore, the generated image is only visible to the user whose eyes are within the eye-tracking range, which, for example, does not exceed the width of the user's vehicle seat. Thus, confidential content ("privacy") can be displayed to that user. On the other hand, other users, such as the driver or other occupants in the same vehicle, will not be visually disturbed by the display because they cannot see it.

[0013] The present invention relates to a projector (privacy display) configured to form a real image freely suspended in air by reflection from a combination of partially transparent concave mirrors used for imaging. Therefore, this display solution is particularly suitable for vehicles with windshield profiles that preclude the implementation of conventional head-up displays that project images through the windshield. Based on the at least partial transparency of the back side of the combination mirrors to ambient light, the user of the privacy display can also maintain a view of the environment on the other side of the combination mirrors, allowing the user to promptly perceive and react to potential dangers, for example, by visually sensing them through the combination mirrors.

[0014] By employing the aforementioned imaging and projection optical system, particularly by appropriately selecting its effective focal length, a real image can be generated at a significantly smaller image distance from the user's eye compared to virtual image generation. This image distance, in the privacy display of this invention, can be, for example, less than one meter or even less than half a meter. Such an image distance is particularly suitable for reading or working applications. Such a privacy display may be meaningful, for example, for the front passenger in a vehicle, but also for the driver (e.g., during autonomous driving or when the vehicle is stationary). This privacy display, for example, can be used for working or reading news or other digitally displayable content with a significantly shorter image spacing and significantly higher spatial resolution than that achieved using virtual image generation in conventional combined head-up displays.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the imaging and projection optical system of the privacy display further includes at least one additional imaging concave mirror in the optical path of the light beam between the image generator and the combining lens. This additional imaging concave mirror, together with the combining lens, is used to image the display content generated in the image generator onto the real image suspended between the eye-tracking range and the combining lens. Here, the imaging concave mirror and its corresponding focal length are designed such that the display content of the light beam is imaged onto the real image, which is freely suspended in air at a predetermined position between the eye-tracking range and the combining lens. By incorporating the additional concave mirror, exceptionally high image quality and / or other specific requirements, such as a predetermined image distance, can be achieved.

[0016] In addition to imaging, the corresponding concave mirror can also be designed, for example, to deflect the light beam, magnify the image, and / or correct the image. Alternatively or additionally, the imaging and projection optical system may also include other imaging elements (such as lenses) for generating real images and other deflecting elements (such as plane mirrors) for folding the light path.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the imaging and projection optical system is designed to display a real image in a real image plane or curved image plane suspended in air between the combined lenses and the eye movement range. Here, by appropriately selecting the arrangement and configuration of the image generator, combined lenses, and other possible components of the imaging and projection optical system, optimal orientation (in terms of image tilt) of the suspended image plane or image plane can be achieved for viewing the suspended real image. This is particularly useful in generating suspended real image planes or image planes in locations and orientations where rigid display surfaces are unavailable due to the arm and leg freedom required by the user, especially in a vehicle.

[0018] In particular, the suspended real image plane / image surface can be tilted upwards from the vertical line at a predetermined tilt angle and thus tilted towards the eye movement range. This tilt position can be particularly ergonomic compared to an image plane / image surface oriented vertically or tilted downwards. Especially during reading, this can significantly reduce variations in image distance along the suspended real image plane / image surface and the associated variations in the reader's eye focus. The tilt angle measured with respect to the vertical line (i.e., the vehicle height direction in a vehicle) can, for example, be at least about 10°, especially at least about 20°, or even at least about 30°.

[0019] According to another aspect, the aforementioned vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a passenger compartment that is limited, for example, forward (i.e., in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, sometimes also referred to as the driving direction) by a windshield and a dashboard extending below it, and / or rearward (i.e., in the opposite direction) by a rear window and a rear window sill extending below it. The vehicle is equipped with at least one privacy display of the type described herein. Each such privacy display is integrated herein into the passenger compartment such that the combined lens of the privacy display is directly positioned within the field of vision of the vehicle occupant, who is the user of the privacy display.

[0020] According to one embodiment, at least one of the privacy displays is integrated into the dashboard or rear window sill such that the combined lens of the privacy display extends upward from the upper side of the dashboard or rear window sill, at least when the privacy display is in operation, and is directly within the occupant's field of vision when the occupant looks toward the windshield or rear window. Here, the image generator of the privacy display, as well as any other components that may be present in the imaging and projection optics system of the privacy display, are concealed within the dashboard or rear window sill. When the privacy display is not temporarily needed, the combined lens can be manually and / or automatically recessed or moved into the interior of the dashboard / rear window sill.

[0021] In particular, one of the privacy displays may be positioned opposite the front passenger seat and designed to function as a front passenger entertainment system. Alternatively or additionally, one of the privacy displays may be positioned opposite the driver's seat and designed, for example, to function as a driver entertainment system when the vehicle is in autonomous driving mode or when the vehicle is parked. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The above aspects of the invention, its embodiments, and specific constructions will be described in more detail below with reference to the examples shown in the accompanying drawings. The drawings should be understood as purely schematic illustrations of the basic optical structural principles, and not as being to scale. In the drawings:

[0023] Figure 1 A portion of a vehicle with a privacy display according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The various embodiments, alternatives, and specific structural features of the privacy display and vehicle according to the above-described aspects of the present invention, as mentioned in the specification and subsequent claims, can all be found in... Figure 1 The examples shown implement, and in particular, can be alternatives to or supplements to the features shown. Therefore, all of this will not be repeated below. The same applies accordingly to the definitions of terms already given above and related to… Figure 1 The effects associated with each of the features shown.

[0025] Figure 1 A highly simplified schematic vertical longitudinal sectional view shows an embodiment of a vehicle 1 having a privacy display 2 of the type described herein. In this example, vehicle 1 is a motor vehicle, which... Figure 1 The vehicle is defined solely by its windshield 3 and the dashboard 4 extending below it, which forwardly define the passenger compartment of the vehicle. As already mentioned, spatial orientation terms such as "front," "rear," "above," "below," "side," "horizontal," and "vertical" refer to a common Cartesian coordinate system fixed relative to the vehicle, which has mutually perpendicular longitudinal, lateral, and height directions for the vehicle 1.

[0026] In this example, the privacy display 2 is integrated into the dashboard 4 and includes an image generator 5 configured to generate a light beam L with desired display content. The privacy display also includes an imaging and projection optics system disposed in the optical path of the image generator. The imaging and projection optics system includes a combination lens 6 disposed in the user's field of view as an imaging concave mirror and, purely exemplarily, includes an additional optical imaging element in the form of another concave mirror 7.

[0027] The user (in this example, the front passenger) is represented only by the spatial area E (eye range) designated for their eyes. The eye range E is again shown purely symbolically and is located in the area of ​​the corresponding front vehicle seat (not shown) or its headrest. The light beam L (also known as the projector light) is represented only schematically by its edge beam.

[0028] The combined lens 6 extends upward from the upper side of the dashboard 4, approximately along the windshield 3, at least while the privacy display 2 is in operation, and is directly within the user's field of vision when the user looks forward toward the windshield 3. The image generator 5 and the additional concave mirror 7 are concealed within the dashboard 4, which has an exit opening (not shown) for the transmission of the light beam L. When the privacy display 2 is not needed, the combined lens 6 can be manually and / or automatically recessed or moved into the interior of the dashboard 4.

[0029] The combined lens 6 is designed to reflect the light beam L into the user's eye movement range E. The combined lens is configured as a concave mirror on the user side for imaging the light beam L and on the back side to at least partially transmit ambient light. Thus, the user can see at least partially the windshield 3 and the external environment in front of the vehicle 1 through the combined lens 6. Here, the imaging and projection optics system is designed to image the display content generated in the image generator 5 onto a real image R, which is suspended in the air within the passenger compartment of the vehicle 1 between the combined lens 6 and the eye movement range E.

[0030] Image generator 5 in Figure 1 The image generator is only schematically represented by a single function block. The image generator can be configured, by way of example, as a flat-panel display, particularly a liquid crystal display (LCD), to dynamically generate the desired display content on its display surface (not shown separately). However, the image generator 5 can also be configured as a projector and include, for example, a light-scattering projection surface (not shown separately) onto which the corresponding display content is projected as a real image. Alternatively, the projector-based image generator 5 may include a laser scanner or a light source with suitable illumination optics for generating a uniform, collimated beam of illumination light and an image generating surface (e.g., in the form of a liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) or a digital micromirror device (DMD, not shown separately) that is thereby illuminated pixel-by-pixel for generating display content.

[0031] By appropriately selecting the arrangement and construction of the image generator 5 and the imaging and projection optical systems, the optimal position (in terms of image spacing) and orientation (in terms of image tilt) of the suspended real image R between the combined lens 6 and the eye movement range E can be achieved in a manner impossible using conventional display technologies such as flat-screen displays or head-up displays. In particular, the user can view the suspended real image R at a comfortable reading distance, for example, about 30-50 cm from their eyes, without any restriction on their arm and leg freedom.

[0032] When a user's eyes are within the defined eye movement range E and they are looking in the direction of the combination lens 6, the user can see the real image R. For other occupants whose eyes are not within the defined eye movement range E, this real image is invisible (privacy). Unlike virtual image generation known in the prior art, in the case of the current privacy display 2, the real image R can be captured by a photosensitive material (e.g., photographic film) and is visible to everyone through a surface that diffusely scatters light (e.g., a sheet of paper), if such a material or surface is placed in its... Figure 1 If it is at the location shown in the image.

[0033] List of reference numerals

[0034] 1 vehicle

[0035] 2 privacy displays

[0036] 3 windshields

[0037] 4 dashboards

[0038] 5 Image Generator

[0039] 6-piece combination lens

[0040] 7. Other concave mirrors for imaging

[0041] L-beam (also known as projector beam)

[0042] R is a real image suspended in the air.

[0043] E Eye movement range

Claims

1. In particular, a privacy display (2) for use in a vehicle (1), the privacy display comprising: - Image generator (5), the image generator being configured to generate a light beam (L) having desired display content; and - An imaging and projection optical system disposed in the optical path of the generated light beam (L), the imaging and projection optical system comprising a combination lens (6) to be disposed in the user's field of view, the combination lens being configured as a concave mirror for imaging the light beam (L) on the user side and configured to at least partially transmit ambient light on the back side. - The imaging and projection optical system is configured to image the display content generated in the image generator (5) onto a real image (R) suspended in the air between the combined lens (6) and the eye movement range (E) by reflecting a light beam (L) from the combined lens (6) to a predetermined eye movement range (E) for the user's eye.

2. The privacy display (2) according to claim 1. The imaging and projection optical system of the privacy display includes at least one additional imaging concave mirror (7) in the optical path of the light beam (L) between the image generator (5) and the combination lens (6), which also helps to image the display content generated in the image generator (5) onto the real image (R) suspended between the eye movement range (E) and the combination lens (6).

3. A vehicle (1), particularly a motor vehicle, having mutually perpendicular longitudinal, lateral, and height directions relative to a Cartesian coordinate system fixed to the vehicle, the vehicle comprising: - Crew compartment; as well as - At least one privacy display (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, the privacy display being integrated in the passenger compartment of the vehicle (1) such that the combined lens (6) of the privacy display is directly positioned in the field of vision of the corresponding passenger of the vehicle (1), the passenger being the user of the privacy display (2).

4. The vehicle (1) according to claim 3. The vehicle also includes a windshield (3) and an instrument panel (4) extending below it, the windshield and instrument panel defining the passenger compartment forward. -in, At least one privacy display of the privacy display (2) is integrated into the dashboard (4), such that the combination lens (6) of the privacy display extends upward from the upper side of the dashboard (4) at least when the privacy display (2) is in operation and is directly in the field of vision of the occupant when looking toward the windshield (3), while the image generator (5) of the privacy display (2) and other possible components of the imaging and projection optics system of the privacy display are hidden inside the dashboard (4).

5. The vehicle (1) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, - One of the privacy displays (2) is positioned opposite the passenger seat and is designed to function as a passenger entertainment system; and / or - One of the privacy displays (2) is positioned opposite the driver's seat and is preferably designed to be used as a driver entertainment system when the vehicle (1) is in autonomous driving mode or when the vehicle (1) is parked.

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