Autostereoscopic campfire display

Abstract

A system for generating a floating image for a large number of passengers in a vehicle comprises a passenger monitoring system capable of monitoring the position of each passenger's head and eyes, a computing machine connected to the passenger monitoring system capable of calculating a holographic image and encoding the holographic image for display by a hologram generator of an image generation unit, and a beam guidance device capable of receiving information relating to the position of each passenger's head and eyes from the passenger monitoring system, the display capable of projecting the holographic image to the beam guidance device, and the beam guidance device capable ofto redirect the projected holographic image to the eyes of each passenger based on information received from the passenger monitoring system.

Description

IntroductionThe present disclosure relates to a system for generating a hover image that can be viewed by a passenger in a vehicle.Current entertainment systems in vehicles generally include a screen or monitor mounted in the vehicle for viewing by the passengers. Some systems include smaller individual screens, with each passenger having a screen for personal viewing. Known systems include inverse architectures for head-up displays that utilize beam splitters that are mounted to a structure within the vehicle interior and must be continually readjusted to accommodate changes in elevation and position of the passenger in the vehicle interior.Although current systems achieve their intended purpose, there is a need for a new and improved system for providing a floating three-dimensional image that appears centrally located to a plurality of passengers in the vehicle.SummaryAccording to several aspects of the present disclosure, a system for generating a hovering image for a plurality of passengers in a vehicle includes a passenger monitoring system configured to monitor the position of head and eyes of each of the plurality of passengers, a computing engine in communication with the passenger monitoring system and configured to compute a holographic image and encode the holographic image for a display of a hologram generator of an image generation unit (PGU), and a beam steering device, wherein the beam steering device is configured to receive information regarding a position of the head and the eyes of each of the plurality of passengers from the passenger monitoring system via the computing engine, and the display is configured to project the holographic image to the beam steering device, and the beam directing device is adapted to redirect the projected holographic image to the eyes of each of the plurality of passengers based on the information received from the passenger monitoring system.In another aspect, the computing engine is further configured to encode a lens function into the holographic image based on the information received from the passenger monitoring system.According to another aspect, the holographic image comprises a right eye image and a left eye image, the calculation engine is adapted to calculate the right eye image and the left eye image and to alternately encode the right eye image for display and encode the left eye image for display, switching between encoding of the right eye image and encoding of the left eye image at a frequency of more than 30 Hz, the display is adapted to alternately project the right eye image and the left eye image toward the beam steering device at a frequency of more than 30 Hz, and the beam steering device is adapted to project the right eye image and the left eye image toward the beam steering device at a frequency of more than 30 Hz in synchronization with the calculation engine, the right eye image directly to a right eye of each of the plurality of passengers and the left eye image directly to a left eye of each of the plurality of passengers, wherein the right eye image and the left eye image are slightly different perspectives of a single image, so that when the right eye of each of the plurality of passengers receives the right eye image and the left eye of each of the plurality of passengers receives the left eye image, each of the plurality of passengers perceives a three-dimensional image floating in the vehicle.According to another aspect, the beam directing device includes a waveguide having an exit surface with a fixed wavefront curvature suitable for adjusting an accommodation distance of the holographic image.According to another aspect, the beam steering device further includes a first lens configured to further adjust the accommodation distance of the right eye image and a second lens configured to further adjust the accommodation distance of the left eye image.In another aspect, the beam steering apparatus includes a first splitting prism configured to redirect the right eye image to the right eye of each of the plurality of passengers and a second splitting prism configured to redirect the left eye image to the left eye of each of the plurality of passengers.In another aspect, the beam steering apparatus further includes a plurality of collimating lenses, each of the plurality of collimating lenses being adapted to either direct the right eye image to the right eye of one of the plurality of passengers or direct the left eye image to the left eye of one of the plurality of passengers.In another aspect, the beam steering apparatus further includes a plurality of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) mirrors, each of the plurality of MEMS mirrors adapted to either steer the right eye image to the right eye of one of the plurality of passengers or steer the left eye image to the left eye of one of the plurality of passengers.In another aspect, the display includes a right eye display and a left eye display, the calculation engine is configured to calculate the right eye image and the left eye image and simultaneously encode the right eye image for the right eye display and the left eye image for the left eye display, and the right eye display and the left eye display are configured to simultaneously project the right eye image through the waveguide toward the first splitting prism and the left eye image through the waveguide toward the second splitting prism.In another aspect, the beam steering device is mounted in the vehicle adjacent to or over passenger seats located opposite the plurality of passengers.According to several aspects of the present disclosure, a method for generating a floating image for a plurality of passengers in a vehicle includes monitoring, with a passenger monitoring system, the position of head and eyes of the plurality of passengers, calculating, with a calculation engine in communication with the passenger monitoring system, a holographic image, and encoding the holographic image on a display of a hologram generator of an image generation unit (PGU), receiving, with a beam steering device via the calculation engine, information regarding a position of the head and eyes of a passenger from the passenger monitoring system, and projecting, with the display, the holographic image to the beam steering device, and deflecting, with the beam steering device, the projected holographic image based on the information received from the passenger monitoring system about the eyes of each of the plurality of passengers.In another aspect, the method further comprises encoding, with the computing engine, a lens function into the holographic image based on information received from the passenger monitoring system.In another aspect, the holographic image includes a right eye image and a left eye image, and calculating, with the calculation engine, the holographic image further includes calculating, with the calculation engine, the right eye image and the left eye image, encoding the holographic image for display of the hologram generator of an image generation unit (PGU) further includes alternately encoding, with the calculation engine, the right eye image and encoding, with the calculation engine, the left eye image for display, and switching between encoding the right eye image and encoding the left eye image at a frequency greater than 30 kHz, Projecting, with the display, the holographic image to the beam steering device further comprises projecting, alternately at a frequency of more than 30 Hz and in synchronism with the computing engine, the right eye image and the left eye image to the beam steering device, and deflecting, with the beam steering device, the projected holographic image to the eyes of each of the plurality of passengers further comprises deflecting, with the beam steering device, the right eye image directly to the right eye of each of the plurality of passengers and deflecting, with the beam steering device, the left eye image directly to the left eye of each of the plurality of passengers, wherein the right eye image and the left eye image are slightly different perspectives of a single image, so that when the right eye of each of the plurality of passengers receives the right eye image and the left eye of each of the plurality of passengers receives the left eye image, each of the plurality of passengers perceives a three-dimensional image floating in the vehicle.In another aspect, redirecting, with the beam directing device, the projected holographic image to the eyes of each of the plurality of passengers further comprises adjusting an accommodation distance of the holographic image with an exit surface of a waveguide of the beam directing device.In another aspect, redirecting, with the beam directing device, the projected holographic image to the eyes of each of the plurality of passengers further comprises adjusting the accommodation distance of the right eye image of the holographic image with a first lens and adjusting the accommodation distance of the left eye image of the holographic image with a second lens.In another aspect, redirecting, with the beam directing device, the projected holographic image to the eyes of each of the plurality of passengers further comprises directing the right eye image to the right eye of each of the plurality of passengers with one of a plurality of collimating lenses and directing the left eye image to the left eye of each of the plurality of passengers with one of a plurality of collimating lenses.In another aspect, redirecting, with the beam directing device, the projected holographic image to the eyes of each of the plurality of passengers further comprises directing the right eye image to the right eye of each of the plurality of passengers with one of a plurality of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) mirrors and directing the left eye image to the left eye of each of the plurality of passengers with one of the plurality of MEMS mirrors.In another aspect, the display includes a right eye display and a left eye display, and wherein encoding the holographic image to display the hologram generator of an imaging unit (PGU) further includes simultaneously encoding, with the computing engine, the right eye image to display a right eye and encoding, with the computing engine, the left eye image to display a left eye, projecting, with the display, the holographic image to the beam directing device further includes simultaneously projecting, with the right eye display and the left eye display, the right eye image and the left eye image, and includes redirecting, with the beam directing device, the projected holographic image to the eyes of each of the plurality of passengers, further comprising simultaneously redirecting the right eye image directly to the right eye of each of the plurality of passengers and the left eye image directly to the left eye of each of the plurality of passengers, wherein the right eye image and the left eye image are slightly different perspectives of a single image, such that when the right eye of each of the plurality of passengers receives the right eye image and the left eye of each of the plurality of passengers receives the left eye image, each of the plurality of passengers perceives a three-dimensional image floating in the vehicle.Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the specification and specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.Brief Description of the DrawingsThe drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of a vehicle interior where each of four passengers seated therein has access to a system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of two seats in a vehicle with a system positioned between the two seats according to an example embodiment; FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a system according to an exemplary embodiment, wherein the beam steering device includes a waveguide and a single display is adapted to toggle between projecting a right eye image and a left eye image; FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the system shown in FIG. 5, wherein the display includes a right eye display and a left eye display suitable for projecting a right eye image and a left eye image simultaneously; and FIG. 7 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized, such as to show details of particular components. In some instances, well-known components, systems, materials, or methods have not been described in detail in order not to obscure the present disclosure. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.Detailed DescriptionThe following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. Moreover, there is no intention to be bound by any explicit or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary, or the following detailed description. It should be understood that in the drawings, corresponding reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts and features. As used herein, the term module refers to any hardware, software, firmware, electronic control component, processing logic, and / or processor device, alone or in any combination, including, without limitation: an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group), and memory that executes one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and / or other suitable components that provide the described functionality. Although the figures shown herein represent an example with certain arrangements of elements, additional intervening elements, devices, features, or components may be present in actual embodiments. It should also be understood that the figures are for illustration purposes only and may not be drawn to scale.As used herein, the term "vehicle" is not limited to motor vehicles. Although the present technology is primarily described herein in the context of motor vehicles, it is not limited to motor vehicles. The concepts may be used in a variety of applications, such as in connection with aircraft, watercraft, other vehicles, and consumer electronic components.According to an exemplary embodiment, FIG. 1 shows a vehicle 10 with an associated system 11 for generating a floating image for a plurality of passengers in the vehicle 10 according to various embodiments. In general, the floating image generation system 11 for the plurality of passengers in the vehicle 10 cooperates with other systems in the vehicle 10 to display various information and infotainment content for the passenger. The vehicle 10 generally includes a chassis 12, a body 14, front wheels 16, and rear wheels 18. the body 14 is disposed on the chassis 12 and substantially encloses the components of the vehicle 10. The front wheels 16 and the rear wheels 18 are each rotatably coupled to the chassis 12 near a respective corner of the body 14.In various embodiments, the vehicle 10 is an autonomous vehicle and the system 11 is integrated with the autonomous vehicle 10 (hereinafter referred to as the autonomous vehicle 10). The autonomous vehicle 10 is, for example, a vehicle that is automatically controlled to transport passengers from one location to another. The autonomous vehicle 10 is shown as a passenger car in the illustrated embodiment; however, it should be understood that any other vehicle including motor bicycles, trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs) (RVs), etc., may also be used. In an exemplary embodiment, the autonomous vehicle 10 is a so-called level four or level five automation system. A level four system stands for "high automation", which refers to the drive mode specific execution, by an automated driving system, of all aspects of the dynamic driving task, even if a human driver does not respond appropriately to a request to intervene. A level 5 system stands for "full automation", which refers to full-time execution, by an automated driving system, of all aspects of the dynamic driving task under all road and environmental conditions that can be managed by a human driver.As shown, the autonomous vehicle 10 generally includes a propulsion system 20, a transmission system 22, a steering system 24, a braking system 26, a sensor system 28, an actuator system 30, at least one data storage device 32, a controller 34, and a communication system 36. The propulsion system 20 may include an internal combustion engine, an electric machine such as a traction motor, and / or a fuel cell propulsion system in various embodiments. The transmission system 22 is configured to transmit power from the propulsion system 20 to the front wheels 16 and the rear wheels 18 of the vehicle according to selectable gear ratios. According to various embodiments, the transmission system 22 may include a step-variable transmission, a continuously variable transmission, or another suitable transmission. The brake system 26 is configured to provide braking torque to the front wheels 16 and the rear wheels 18 of the vehicle. The brake system 26 may include friction brakes, cable brakes, a regenerative brake system such as an electric machine, and / or other suitable brake systems, in various embodiments. The steering system 24 affects the position of the front wheels 16 and the rear wheels 18.The sensor system 28 includes one or more sensing devices 40 a- 40 nthat sense observable conditions of the external environment and / or the internal environment of the autonomous vehicle 10. The sensing devices 40 a- 40 nmay include, but are not limited to, radar devices, lidar devices, global positioning systems, optical cameras, thermal cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and / or other sensors. The cameras may include two or more digital cameras spaced a selected distance apart, wherein the two or more digital cameras are used to obtain stereoscopic images of the surrounding environment to obtain a three-dimensional image. The sensing devices 40 a- 40 nmay include sensors that monitor dynamic variables of the vehicle such as its speed, acceleration, number of brake operations, etc. The actuator system 30 includes one or more actuator devices 42 a- 42 nthat control one or more features of the vehicle 10, such as, but not limited to, the propulsion system 20, the transmission system 22, the steering system 24, and the brake system 26.The vehicle controller 34 includes at least one processor 44 and a computer readable storage device or media 46. the at least one data processor 44 may be any custom or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an auxiliary processor among multiple processors connected to the controller 34, a semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chip set), a macroprocessor, any combination thereof, or generally any device for executing instructions. The computer readable storage device or media 46 may include volatile and non-volatile memory in, for example, read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and keep alive memory (KAM). KAM is persistent or non-volatile memory that can be used to store various operating variables while the at least one data processor 44 is powered off. The computer readable storage device or media 46 may be implemented using any number of known storage devices, such as programmable read only memory (PROMs), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROMs), electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROMs), flash memory, or other electrical, magnetic, optical, or combined storage devices capable of storing data, some of which represent executable instructions, used by the controller 34 in controlling the vehicle 10.The instructions may include one or more separate programs, each of which includes an ordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logical functions. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor 44, receive and process signals from the sensor system 28, perform logic, computations, methods, and / or algorithms for automatically controlling the components of the autonomous vehicle 10, and generate control signals for the actuator system 30 to automatically control the components of the autonomous vehicle 10 based on the logic, computations, methods, and / or algorithms. Although only one controller 34 is shown in FIG. 1, embodiments of the autonomous vehicle 10 may include any number of controllers 34 that communicate and cooperate via any suitable communication medium or combination of communication media to process the sensor signals, perform logic, computations, methods, and / or algorithms, and generate control signals to automatically control features of the autonomous vehicle 10.In various embodiments, one or more instructions of the controller 34 are included in a trajectory planning system and, when executed by the at least one data processor 44, generate a trajectory output that addresses kinematic and dynamic environmental constraints. For example, the instructions receive as input process sensor and map data. The instructions execute a graph-based approach with a customized cost function to handle various road scenarios in both cities and freeways.The communication system 36 is configured to wirelessly communicate information to and from other remote entities 48, such as, but not limited to, other vehicles ("V2V" communication), infrastructure ("V2I" communication), remote systems, remote servers, cloud computers, and / or personal devices. In an exemplary embodiment, communication system 36 is a wireless communication system configured to communicate over a wireless local area network (WLAN) using IEEE 802.11 standards or using cellular data communication. However, additional or alternative communication methods, such as a dedicated short-range communication channel (DSRC), are also contemplated within the scope of the present disclosure. DSRC channels refer to one- or two-way short-to-medium-range wireless communication channels that have been specifically developed for use in automobiles and to a corresponding set of protocols and standards.Referring to FIG. 2, the floating image generation system 11 for the plurality of passengers 50 in the vehicle 10 includes a passenger monitoring system 52 including at least one camera 54 adapted to monitor the position of the head and eyes 78R, 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50. For purposes of description, the plurality of passengers 50 is shown in FIG. 2 as including a first passenger 50A and a second passenger 50B. The passenger monitoring system 52, often referred to as a driver monitoring system or DMS, is an artificial intelligence (AI)-based vehicle safety technology that monitors attention from each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B via the at least one camera 54. The purpose of the passenger monitoring system 52 is to identify the passengers and identify the levels of vigour by software and, in the case of drowsiness, distractions, etc., provide warnings to avoid accidents. The main features of the DMS are driver identification, distraction detection, fatigue detection, detection of certain activities, detection of eye blinks, detection of emotions, and eye tracking. As used within the system 11 of the present disclosure, the primary purpose of the driver monitoring system 52 is to monitor the position of the eyes 78R, 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B and the gaze direction of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B.The system 11 further includes a computing engine 56 in communication with the passenger monitoring system 52 and adapted to compute a holographic image 58 (phase hologram) and encode the holographic image 58 for a display 60 of a hologram generator 62 of an imaging unit (PGU). The display 60 is irradiated with a light source such as, by way of non-limiting example, RGB laser light or SLED light sources. When irradiated, each of the display pixels generates a wavefront having a phase corresponding to the phase of the position of the hologram encoded at that pixel.In an exemplary embodiment, the computing engine 56 is further configured to encode a lens function into the holographic image 58 based on information received from the passenger monitoring system 52. The passenger monitoring system 52 collects information about the exact position of the eyes 78R, 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B and determines an appropriate accommodation distance 64 at which the holographic image 58 is to be perceived by each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B. The multiple wavefronts exiting the display 60 interfere constructively and destructively with each other, demonstrating an image pattern of the holographic image 58 at the appropriate accommodation distance 64, which is controllable by encoding a lens function into the encoded holographic image. In this manner, two pieces of information are encoded into the holographic image 58, the image information and the appropriate accommodation distance 64 at which each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B is to perceive the holographic image 58 (the distance at which the wavefronts converge to form the holographic image 58). The controllability of the appropriate accommodation distance 64 allows the system 11 to display the variable virtual image distance holographic image 58. Variable virtual image distance holographic images allow the system 11 to project a floating holographic image 58 to each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B, wherein the floating holographic image 58 may be made to appear closer or farther away.The light emerging from the display 60 travels along a straight line path as indicated by arrows 90, 92 until it impinges upon a beam director 68. In an exemplary embodiment, the beam director 68 is adapted to receive, via the computing engine 56, from the passenger monitoring system 52, information regarding a position of the head and eyes 78R, 78L from each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B and redirect the holographic image 58 to the eye(s) 78R, 78L of the passenger 50A, 50B, as indicated by arrows 94 and 96. The passenger's corneal lens 50A, 50B performs a Fourier transform on the holograms, creating an image on the passenger's retina 50A, 50B. The holographic image 58 is perceived in front of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B at the appropriate distance 64 from the passengers 50A, 50B, as determined by the lens function encoded in the holographic image 58.Referring to FIG. 3, in an exemplary embodiment, the system 11 is provided for each passenger 50A, 50B, 50C, 50D in a vehicle interior 70 of the vehicle 10. As shown, the vehicle interior 70 includes a first seat 72A on which a first passenger 50A sits, a second seat 72B on which a second passenger 50B sits, a third seat 72C on which a third passenger 50C sits, and a fourth seat 72D on which a fourth passenger 50D sits.The first and second passengers 50A, 50B constitute a first plurality of passengers. A first camera 54A of the passenger monitoring system 52 monitors the position of the eyes of the first passenger 50A as indicated by arrow 74A. A second camera 54B of the passenger monitoring system 52 monitors the position of the eyes of the second passenger 50B as indicated by arrow 74B. A computation engine 56, a first PGU hologram generator 62A, and a first beam director 68A direct a first holographic image 58 onto the eyes of the first plurality of passengers, including the first passenger 50A as indicated by arrows 76A and the second passenger 50B as indicated by arrows 76B. The third and fourth passengers 50C, 50D constitute a second plurality of passengers. A third camera 54C of the passenger monitoring system 52 monitors the position of the third passenger 50C's eyes as indicated by arrow 74C. A fourth camera 54D of the passenger monitoring system 52 monitors the position of the eyes of the fourth passenger 50D as indicated by arrow 74D. The computation engine 56, a second PGU hologram generator 62B, and a second beam director 68B direct a second holographic image to the eyes of the third passenger 50C as indicated by arrows 76C and to the eyes of the fourth passenger 50D as indicated by arrows 76D.As shown in FIG. 3, a single computing engine 56 supports the first, second, third, and fourth cameras 54A, 54B, 54C, 54D of the passenger monitoring system 52, the first and second PGU hologram generators 62A, 62B, and the first and second beam steering devices 68A, 68B. It should be understood that multiple computing engines may be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.Referring to FIG. 4, in an exemplary embodiment, the beam steering device 68 is mounted in the vehicle 10 adjacent to or over passenger seats 80A, 80B located opposite the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B. As shown in FIG. 4, the beam directing device 68 is positioned between two seats 80A, 80B that are directly opposite the seats on which the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B are seated. This positions the beam director 68 in a horizontal and vertical position that provides an optimal capability for the beam director 68 to redirect the holographic image from the PGU as indicated by arrow 66 directly to the eyes 78R, 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B as indicated by arrow 69. Referring again to FIG. 3, the first PGU 62A and the first beam steering device 68A that provide images for the first and second passengers 50A, 50B are disposed between the third and fourth seats 72C, 72D for the third and fourth passengers 50C, 50D. Similarly, the second PGU 62B and the second beam steering device 68B that provide images for the third and fourth passengers 50C, 50D are disposed between the first and second seats 72A, 72B for the first and second passengers 50A, 50B directly opposite the third and fourth passengers 50C, 50D.It should be understood that the beam steering devices 68A, 68B could also be disposed further up in the vehicle 10 above the first, second, third, and fourth seats 72A, 72B, 72C, 72D. The primary aspect of placing the PGU hologram generators 62A, 62B and the beam steering devices 68A, 68B is to ensure that the passengers 50A, 50B, 50C, 50D seated in the first, second, third, and fourth seats 72A, 72B, 72C, 72D do not block the deflection of the holographic images to the other passengers 50A, 50B, 50C, 50D.Referring again to FIG. 2, in another exemplary embodiment, the holographic image 58 includes a right eye image (represented by arrow 94) and a left eye image (represented by arrow 96). The calculation engine 56 is adapted to calculate the right eye image and the left eye image and alternately encode the right eye image for display 60 as represented by a line 86 and encode the left eye image for display 60 as represented by a line 88, switching between encoding the right eye image and encoding the left eye image at a frequency greater than 30 Hz.The display 60 is adapted to project, alternately at a frequency greater than 30 Hz and in synchronism with the calculation engine 56, the right eye image to the beam steering device 68 as indicated by arrow 90 and the left eye image to the beam steering device 68 as indicated by arrow 92. The display 60 is synchronized with the calculation engine 56, wherein when the calculation engine 56 encodes the right eye image for the display 60 as indicated by the line 86, the display 60 projects the right eye image to the beam director 68 as indicated by the arrow 90, and when the calculation engine 56 encodes the left eye image for the display 60 as indicated by the line 88, the display 60 projects the left eye image to the beam director 68 as indicated by the arrow 92.The beam directing device 68 is adapted to direct deflect the right eye image to a right eye 78R of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B as indicated by arrows 94 and direct deflect the left eye image to a left eye 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B as indicated by arrows 96, wherein the right eye image and the left eye image are slightly different perspectives of a single image such that when the right eye 78R of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B receives the right eye image and the left eye 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50 b, receives the left eye image, each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B captures a three-dimensional image 58 floating in the vehicle 10.This is referred to as a sequential time division method. A sequential time division method requires that the PGU 62 and the calculation engine 56 be capable of switching back and forth between the right eye image and the left eye image fast enough to eliminate any perceptible image flicker for the looking passenger 50. In an exemplary embodiment, the beam directing device 68 is adapted to sequentially redirect the right eye image of the holographic image 58 to the right eye 78R of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B as indicated by arrows 94 for less than 33 μs. After 33 μs, the computation engine 56 and the PGU 62 switch to a projection of the left eye image to the beam director 68, and the beam director 68 switches the left eye image of the holographic image 58 to the left eye 78L, as indicated by arrows 96. The left eye image of the holographic image 58 is redirected to the left eye 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B for less than 33 μs.This process is repeated by switching between the right eye image and the left eye image for less than 33 μs. If the frequency of switching between the right eye image and the left eye image is greater than 30 Hz, the flicker is not perceived by the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B, and the right eye image and the left eye image of the holographic image 58 are merged into an image 58 as perceived by the passengers 50A, 50B.This provides an autostereoscopic three dimensional display by adding binocular perception of three dimensional depth without the use of special headgear, glasses or something which interferes with the viewer's vision or something else to the viewer's eyes. Since no headgear is required, autostereoscopic displays are also referred to as "glasses-free 3D" or "glasses-free 3D".Referring to FIG. 5, in an exemplary embodiment, the beam directing device 68 includes a waveguide 102 having an exit surface 103 with a fixed wavefront curvature suitable for adjusting the accommodation distance 64 of the image 58. The image 58 is projected into the waveguide 102 and then propagates within the waveguide 102 and is extracted multiple times. The multiple recirculation of light within the waveguide 102 may expand the image so that the viewer may see the image 58 from an expanded eyebox. In addition to expanding the eyebox, the waveguide 102 may also enlarge the original projected image coming from the PGU 62.The waveguide 102 may be a holographic waveguide that uses a holographic element as an input and output element in a symmetrical manner with a planar waveguide therebetween, or alternatively a waveguide geometry that preserves the phase of the input light. The waveguide 102 may also be a diffractive waveguide, wherein the diffractive waveguide contains diffractive elements instead of the holographic elements present in the holographic waveguide. The waveguide 102 may also be a geometric waveguide that uses only coated surfaces within the waveguide 102 as the launch and launch sites where light enters and exits the waveguide 102. The type of waveguide 102 for a particular application depends on the angular acceptance and spectral transmission / reflection requirements.In an exemplary embodiment, the right eye image passes through a right eye collimator 104 before entering the waveguide 102 of the beam director 68 as indicated by arrows 106, and the left eye image passes through a left eye collimator 108 before entering the waveguide 102 of the beam director 68 as indicated by arrows 110. The right eye collimator 104 and the left eye collimator 108 narrow the image beam projected from the display 60 (alternately the right eye image and the left eye image) and couple the transformed right eye image and left eye image into the waveguide 102.The accommodation distance 64 is controlled by the exit surface 103 of the waveguide 102 by adding a fixed amount of wavefront curvature to the collimated beam exiting the waveguide 102. In another exemplary embodiment, the beam steering device 68 further includes a first lens 112 adapted to further adjust the accommodation distance 64 of the right eye image and a second lens 114 adapted to further adjust the accommodation distance 64 of the left eye image. The first lens 112 acts on the right eye projected image exiting the waveguide 102 as indicated by arrows 116, and the second lens 114 acts on the left eye projected image exiting the waveguide 102 as indicated by arrows 118. In an exemplary embodiment, the first lens 112 and the second lens 114 are liquid crystal lenses that are adapted to shift the accommodation distance 64 based on an applied voltage. In another exemplary embodiment, the first lens 112 and the second lens 114 are varifocal liquid lenses that are capable of shifting the apparent accommodation distance 64 of the holographic image 58 based on a time-varying applied voltage.In an exemplary embodiment, the beam directing device 68 includes a first splitting prism 118 adapted to redirect the right eye image to the right eye 78R of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B and a second splitting prism 120 adapted to redirect the left eye image to the left eye 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50B. The first splitting prism 118 and the second splitting prism 120 are multi-facet prisms suitable for receiving and splitting an incoming light beam or for doubling it into a plurality of beams. Thus, when the display 60 projects the right eye image, the beam of the right eye image enters the first splitting prism 118 as indicated by arrows 122, and is split or duplicated, with the right eye image directed toward the first passenger 50A as indicated by arrows 124, and the right eye image directed toward the second passenger 50B as indicated by arrows 126. When the display 60 projects the left eye image, the beam of the left eye image enters the second splitting prism 120 as indicated by arrows 128, and is split or duplicated, with the left eye image directed toward the first passenger 50A as indicated by arrows 130, and the left eye image directed toward the second passenger 50B as indicated by arrows 132.In an exemplary embodiment, the beam directing device 68 further includes a plurality of collimating lenses 134A, 134B, 134C, 134D, each of the plurality of collimating lenses 134A, 134B, 134C, 134D being adapted to either direct the right eye image 78R of one of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B or direct the left eye image 78L of one of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B. When the light beams of the right eye image and the left eye image exit the first and second splitting prisms 118, 120, the plurality of aiming lenses 134A, 134B, 134C, 134D, which are in communication with the passenger monitoring system 52 via the calculation engine 56, direct the right eye image to the right eye 78R of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B, and direct the left eye image to the left eye 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B.The collimating lenses 134A, 134B, 134C, 134D may be any type of lens or device suitable for directing light beams. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the collimating lenses 134A, 134B, 134C, 134D is a liquid crystal lens that is capable of changing the direction of a beam of light passing therethrough based on an applied voltage, and the computing engine 56 adjusts the applied voltage, and thus the direction of the beam of light passing therethrough, for each of the plurality of collimating lenses 134A, 134B, 134C, 134D using data from the passenger monitoring system 52.In another exemplary embodiment, each of the collimating lenses 134A, 134B, 134C, 134D is a microelectromechanical system device. Micromirror devices are devices based on microscopically small mirrors. The mirrors are microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), which means that their states are controlled by applying a voltage between the two electrodes around the mirror arrays. Digital micromirror devices are used in video projectors and optics, and also in micromirror devices for light deflection and control. The mirrors can not only be switched back and forth between two states, their rotation is actually continuous. Thus, they can be used to control the intensity and direction of incident light. A MEMS scanning micromirror generally consists of a silicon device having a millimeter-scale mirror at the center. The mirror is typically connected to flexures that allow it to oscillate about a single axis or biaxially to project or trap light. A major advantage of using a MEMS device is that MEMS devices are very fast, allowing the direction of redirected incident light to be changed very quickly.As illustrated in FIG. 5, the beam directing device 68 includes four collimating lenses 134A, 134B, 134C, 134D, one for the right eye 78R of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B, and one for the left eye 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B. When the display 60 projects the right eye image, a first aiming lens 134A receives the right eye image from the first splitting prism 118 and directs the right eye image to the right eye 78R of the first passenger 50A as indicated by arrow 124. A second aiming lens 134B receives the right eye image from the first splitting prism 118 and directs the right eye image to the right eye 78R of the second passenger 50B as indicated by arrow 126. When the display 60 projects the left eye image, a third aiming lens 134C receives the left eye image from the second splitting prism 120 and directs the left eye image to the left eye 78L of the first passenger 50A as indicated by arrow 130. A fourth aiming lens 134D receives the left eye image from the second splitting prism 120 and directs the left eye image to the left eye 78L of the second passenger 50B as indicated by arrow 132.Referring to FIG. 6, in another exemplary embodiment, the display 60 includes a right eye display 60R and a left eye display 60L. The calculation engine 56 is adapted to calculate the right eye image and the left eye image and simultaneously encode the right eye image for the right eye display 60R as indicated by a line 98, and encode the left eye image for the left eye display 60L as indicated by a line 100. The right eye display 60R and the left eye display 60L are adapted to simultaneously project the right eye image through the right eye collimator 104 and into the waveguide 102 of the beam director 68 as indicated by arrow 136, and the left eye image through the left eye collimator 108 and into the waveguide 102 of the beam director 68 as indicated by arrow 138.As previously discussed, the right eye image and the left eye image are slightly different perspectives of a single image, such that when the right eye 78R of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B receives the right eye image and the left eye 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50B receives the left eye image, the right eye 78R and the left eye 78L of the passenger merge the right eye image and the left eye image into the perceived three-dimensional holographic image 58 floating within the vehicle 10. In another exemplary embodiment, the right eye image and the left eye image are the same image, and thus each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B captures a two-dimensional holographic image 58 floating in the vehicle 10.Referring to FIG. 7, a method 200 of generating a floating image for a plurality of passengers 50 in a vehicle 10 includes, beginning at block 202, monitoring, with a passenger monitoring system 52, the position of head and eyes 78R, 78L of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B proceeding to block 204, calculating, with a calculation engine 56 in communication with the passenger monitoring system 52, a holographic image 58, and encoding the holographic image 58 for a display 60 of a hologram generator 62 of an imaging unit (PGU) proceeding to block 206, receiving, with a beam director 68 via the calculation engine 56, information regarding a position of the head and eyes 78R, 78Lof a passenger from the passenger monitoring system 52, proceeding to block 208, projecting, with the display 60, the holographic image 58 to the beam director 68, and proceeding to block 210, redirecting, with the beam director 68, the projected holographic image 58 to the eyes 78R, 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B based on the information received from the passenger monitoring system 52.In an exemplary embodiment, the method 200 further includes, proceeding to block 212, encoding, with the computing engine 56, a lens function into the holographic image 58 based on information received from the passenger monitoring system 52.In another exemplary embodiment, the holographic image 58 includes a right eye image and a left eye image, and calculating, with the calculation engine 56, the holographic image 58 further includes calculating, with the calculation engine 56, the right eye image and the left eye image in block 204. Encoding the holographic image 58 for the display 60 of the hologram generator 62 of an imaging unit (PGU) in block 212 further includes alternately encoding, with the calculation engine 56, the right eye image for the display 60 and encoding, with the calculation engine 56, the left eye image for the display 60, and switching between encoding the right eye image and encoding the left eye image at a frequency greater than 30 Hz. Projecting, with the display 60, the holographic image 58 to the beam director 68 at block 208 further comprises projecting, alternately at a frequency greater than 30 Hz and in synchronism with the computing engine 56, the right eye image and the left eye image to the beam director 68, and redirecting, with the beam director 68, the holographic image 58 to the eyes 78R, 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B at block 210 further comprises transitioning to block 214, redirecting, with the beam director 68, the right eye image directly to the right eye 78R of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B, and redirecting, with the beam director 68, the image to be right eye, In addition, in the case where the left eye image directly toward the left eye 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B, the right eye image and the left eye image are slightly different perspectives of a single image, so that when the right eye 78R of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B receives the right eye image and the left eye 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B receives the left eye image, each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B perceives a three-dimensional image floating in the vehicle 10.In another exemplary embodiment, redirecting, with the beam director 68, the projected holographic image 58 to the eyes 78R, 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B at block 210 further includes, proceeding to block 216, adjusting an accommodation distance 64 of the holographic image 58 with an exit surface 103 of a waveguide 102 of the beam director 68.In another exemplary embodiment, redirecting, with the beam director 68, the projected holographic image 58 to the eyes 78R, 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B at block 210 further includes, proceeding to block 218, adjusting the right eye image accommodation distance 64 of the holographic image 58 with a first lens 112 and adjusting the left eye image accommodation distance 64 of the holographic image 58 with a second lens 114.In another exemplary embodiment, redirecting, with the beam director 68, the projected holographic image 58 to the eyes 78R, 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B at block 210 further includes redirecting, from block 218 to block 220, the right eye image to the right eye 78R of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B with one of a plurality of collimating lenses 134A, 134B, 134C, 134D and redirecting the left eye image to the left eye 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B with one of the plurality of collimating lenses 134A, 134B, 134C, 134D.In another exemplary embodiment, redirecting, with the beam director 68, the projected holographic image 58 to the eyes 78R, 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B at block 210 further includes transitioning from block 218 to block 220, directing the right eye image to the right eye 78R of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B with one of a plurality of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) mirrors, and directing the left eye image to the left eye 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B with one of the plurality of MEMS mirrors.In another exemplary embodiment, the display 60 includes a right eye display 60R and a left eye display 60L, and wherein encoding the holographic image 58 for the display 60 of the hologram generator 62 of an imaging unit (PGU) in block 212 further includes simultaneously encoding, with the calculation engine 56, the right eye image for the right eye display 60R and encoding, with the calculation engine 56, the left eye image for the left eye display 60L, and projecting, with the display 60, the holographic image 58 to the beam director 68 in block 208 further includes simultaneously projecting, with the right eye display 60R and the left eye display 60L, The method of deflecting, with the beam directing device 68, the projected holographic image 58 to the eyes 78R, 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B further comprises, proceeding from block 208 to block 224, deflecting the right eye image directly to the right eye 78R of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B and the left eye image directly to the left eye 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B simultaneously, wherein the right eye image and the left eye image are slightly different perspectives of a single image such that, when the right eye 78R of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B receives the right eye image and the left eye 78L of each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B receives the left eye image, each of the plurality of passengers 50A, 50B perceives a three-dimensional image 58 floating in the vehicle 10.A system 11 and method 200 of the present disclosure provide several advantages. These include providing a two-dimensional or three-dimensional holographic image 58 that floats in a position in the vehicle 10 in front of a plurality of passengers 50A, 50B.The description of the present disclosure is merely exemplary in nature, and variations that do not depart from the gist of the present disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the present disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

A system for generating a hover image for a plurality of passengers in a vehicle, comprising: a passenger monitoring system adapted to monitor the position of head and eyes of each of the plurality of passengers; a computing engine in communication with the passenger monitoring system and adapted to compute a holographic image and encode the holographic image for a display of a hologram generator of an image generation unit (PGU); and a beam steering device, wherein: the beam steering device is adapted to receive information from the passenger monitoring system about a position of the head and eyes of each of the plurality of passengers via the computing engine; and the display is adapted to project the holographic image to the beam directing device, and the beam directing device is adapted to redirect the projected holographic image to the eyes of each of the plurality of passengers based on the information received from the passenger monitoring system.The system of claim 1, wherein the computing engine is further adapted to encode a lens function into the holographic image based on information received from the passenger monitoring system.The system of claim 2, wherein: the holographic image comprises a right eye image and a left eye image; the computing engine is adapted to compute the right eye image and the left eye image and to alternately encode the right eye image for display and encode the left eye image for display, switching between encoding the right eye image and encoding the left eye image at a frequency greater than 30 Hz; the display is adapted to alternately project the right eye image and the left eye image toward the beam steering device at a frequency greater than 30 Hz and in synchronization with the computing engine; The beam steering device is adapted to direct-scan the right eye image to a right eye of each of the plurality of passengers and direct-scan the left eye image to a left eye of each of the plurality of passengers, wherein the right eye image and the left eye image are slightly different perspectives of a single image, so that when the right eye of each of the plurality of passengers receives the right eye image and the left eye of each of the plurality of passengers receives the left eye image, each of the plurality of passengers perceives a three-dimensional image floating in the vehicle.The system of claim 3, wherein the beam directing device includes a waveguide having an exit surface with a fixed wavefront curvature suitable for adjusting an accommodation distance of the holographic image.The system of claim 4, wherein the beam steering device further includes a first lens adapted to further adjust the accommodation distance of the right eye image and a second lens adapted to further adjust the accommodation distance of the left eye image.The system of claim 4, wherein the beam directing device includes a first splitting prism adapted to redirect the right eye image to the right eye of each of the plurality of passengers and a second splitting prism adapted to redirect the left eye image to the left eye of each of the plurality of passengers.The system of claim 6, wherein the beam directing device further includes a plurality of collimating lenses, each of the plurality of collimating lenses being adapted to: either direct the right eye image to the right eye of one of the plurality of passengers; or direct the left eye image to the left eye of one of the plurality of passengers.The system of claim 6, wherein the beam steering device further includes a plurality of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) mirrors, each of the plurality of MEMS mirrors adapted to: either steer the right eye image to the right eye of one of the plurality of passengers; or steer the left eye image to the left eye of one of the plurality of passengers.The system of claim 6, wherein: the display comprises a right eye display and a left eye display; the computing engine is adapted to compute the right eye image and the left eye image and to concurrently encode the right eye image for the right eye display and encode the left eye image for the left eye display; and the right eye display and the left eye display are adapted to concurrently project the right eye image through the waveguide to the first splitting prism and the left eye image through the waveguide to the second splitting prism.The system of claim 1, wherein the beam steering device is mounted in the vehicle adjacent to or over passenger seats located opposite the plurality of passengers.

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