HEADUP DISPLAY DEVICE
The HUD device addresses the bulkiness issue by using fewer optical elements and optimizing the light path, resulting in a more compact design that enhances driver safety and vehicle integration.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE102024124635
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-08-29
- Publication Date
- 2025-03-13
AI Technical Summary
Existing head-up display (HUD) devices are bulky due to their larger size and number of internal components, which can impair other components within the vehicle and distract drivers by requiring them to look away from the road.
A HUD device design that uses fewer optical elements and reduces the length of the light path, achieved by incorporating a display element, a first reflective element, and a second reflective element, where the pictorial beam forms an intersection on the first reflective element or between the display element and the first reflective element, thereby minimizing the size of the first reflective element and reducing the volume of the HUD device.
The reduced size and volume of the HUD device enhance its integration within the vehicle, minimize distractions for drivers, and improve the overall safety and design of the vehicle's interior.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
BACKGROUND 1. Area of Revelation
[0001] The disclosure relates to a display device and, more particularly, to a head-up display (HUD) device. 2. Description of the state of the art
[0002] In today's society, in addition to the performance of transport vehicles, there is increasing focus on interior design and safety. Recent technological innovations such as voice navigation systems and voice-based collision warning systems have significantly contributed to reducing accidents caused by factors such as fatigue or lack of concentration during long journeys. However, a common drawback is the presence of non-voice-activated information displays on the dashboard, which can easily distract the driver when looking down and potentially compromise safety.
[0003] The use of a head-up display (HUD) that projects important information directly into the driver's field of vision, allowing the driver to focus on the road without having to look away or turn their head. By installing a HUD device in a vehicle, various screens displaying different traffic information or assisting driving functions can be positioned on the windshield, ensuring the driver can access relevant data without taking their attention off the road. However, existing HUD devices often suffer from the disadvantage of bulkiness, primarily due to their larger size and number of internal components. Such bulkiness can cause problems regarding interference with other components within the vehicle's body.
[0004] The information disclosed in this Background section is provided only to facilitate understanding of the background of the described technology and may therefore contain information that is not prior art and is already known to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the information disclosed in the Background section does not imply that one or more problems intended to be solved by one or more embodiments of the disclosure were known to those skilled in the art. SUMMARY
[0005] One or more embodiments of the disclosure provide a head-up display (HUD) device that uses fewer optical elements and / or can still shorten the length of a light path and / or have a reduced volume.
[0006] Further objects and advantages of the disclosure will become more apparent from the technical features disclosed in the disclosure.
[0007] One or more objects are achieved by the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.
[0008] To achieve one, some, or all of the above-mentioned objects or other objects, one embodiment of the disclosure provides a HUD device comprising a display element, a first reflective element, and a second reflective element. The display element provides an image light beam comprising a first light beam and a second light beam, the first light beam and the second light beam exiting at different positions of the display element. The first reflective element is arranged on a transmission path of the image light beam exiting the display element and is configured to reflect the image light beam.The second reflective element is arranged on a transmission path of the image light beam emerging from the first reflective element and is configured to reflect the image light beam, wherein a primary beam of the first light beam and a primary beam of the second light beam emerging from the display element form an intersection point on the first reflective element or between the display element and the first reflective element.
[0009] In one or more embodiments, the intersection point of the primary beam of the first light beam and the primary beam of the second light beam may lie on a smallest light spot formed by the image light beam.
[0010] In one or more embodiments, the image light beam may have a center point on a light path between the display element and the first reflective element.
[0011] In one or more embodiments, the intersection point, when located between the display element and the first reflective element, may be located between the center point and the first reflective element.
[0012] In one or more embodiments, the image light beam exiting the heads-up display device may be transmitted to an imaging element.
[0013] In one or more embodiments, a virtual image may be formed by the imaging element.
[0014] In one or more embodiments, reflective surfaces of the first reflective element and the second reflective element may be freeform surfaces.
[0015] In one or more embodiments, the head-up display device may include only the first reflective element and the second reflective element as two reflective optical elements.
[0016] In one or more embodiments, the image light beam provided by the display element may be a convergent light beam between the display element and the first reflective element.
[0017] In one or more embodiments, no optical element may be arranged between the display element and the first reflective element.
[0018] In one or more embodiments, the first light beam and the second light beam exiting the display element may not be parallel to each other.
[0019] In one or more embodiments, the first light beam may exit from a closer position on the display element to the second reflective element compared to the second light beam.
[0020] In one or more embodiments, the first light beam may form a first light spot on the first reflective element.
[0021] In one or more embodiments, the second light beam may form a second light spot on the first reflective element.
[0022] In one or more embodiments, an overlapping area of the first light spot and the second light spot on the first reflective element may be at least greater than 90%.
[0023] Based on the foregoing, at least one of the following advantages or effects is present in one or more embodiments of the disclosure. The HUD device provided in one or more embodiments of the disclosure includes the display element, the first reflective element, and the second reflective element. The display element delivers the image light beam to the first reflective element, the first reflective element reflects the image light beam to the second reflective element, and the second reflective element reflects the image light beam and forms an image through the imaging element.The image light beam includes the first light beam and the second light beam, and the primary beam of the first light beam and the primary beam of the second light beam exiting the display element form the intersection point on the first reflective element or between the display element and the first reflective element. Compared to conventional HUDs, the HUD device described herein is designed to use fewer optical elements, and the size of the first reflective element can be designed to be the smallest size, thereby shortening the light path length of the HUD device and reducing the volume of the HUD device.
[0024] Further objects, features, and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the further technological features disclosed in the embodiments of the present disclosure, wherein preferred embodiments of this disclosure are shown and described merely to illustrate the most suitable modes for carrying out the disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this document. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the disclosure and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure; in the drawings: Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a HUD device according to an embodiment of the disclosure; Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a comparison between a total light spot size on the first reflective element of the Fig. 1 and a total light spot size according to the prior art; and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a comparison between a part of a light spot size on the first reflective element of the Fig. 1 and a part of a light spot size according to the prior art. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0026] In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. In this regard, directional terminology such as "top," "bottom," "front," "back," etc., is used with reference to the orientation of the described figure(s). The components of the disclosure may be positioned in a number of different orientations. Therefore, the directional terminology is used for purposes of illustration and is in no way limiting. Otherwise, the drawings are only schematic, and the sizes of the components may be exaggerated for clarity. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure.It should also be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes and should not be considered limiting. The use of “comprise,” “comprising,” or “having,” and variations thereof, is intended to include the elements listed below and their equivalents, as well as additional elements. Unless otherwise limited, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” and “mounted,” and variations thereof, are used broadly herein to include direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. Likewise, the terms “facing,” “opposite,” and variations thereof are used broadly herein to include directly and indirectly facing, and “adjacent to,” and variations thereof, are used broadly herein to include directly and indirectly “adjacent to.”Therefore, the description herein of the "A" component facing the "B" component may encompass situations where the "A" component directly faces the "B" component or where one or more additional components are located between the "A" component and the "B" component. Furthermore, the description herein of the "A" component being "adjacent to" the "B" component may encompass situations where the "A" component is directly "adjacent to" the "B" component or where one or more additional components are located between the "A" component and the "B" component. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in nature.
[0027] Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a HUD device according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Referring to Fig. 1, in the present embodiment, a HUD device 100 is provided, which includes a display element 110, a first reflective element 120, and a second reflective element 130. The display element 110 provides an image light beam L, which is transmitted to the outside of the HUD device 100 through the first reflective element 120 and the second reflective element 130. The HUD device 100 is, for example, a vehicle HUD, which reflects the image light beam L from the HUD device 100 through an imaging element 50 to the eyes of a viewer (such as a transport driver), allowing the viewer to see a virtual image VM containing driving information in front of the imaging element 50. The display element 110 is, for example, an image generation unit (PGU), but this should not be construed as limiting this disclosure. The imaging element may be a windshield, a see-through combiner, etc.
[0028] The image light beam L comprises a first beam and a second beam, the first beam has a primary beam L1 and the second beam has a primary beam L2. In Fig. 1, the primary beam L1 of the first beam and the primary beam L2 of the second beam are illustrated as examples. Specifically, the first beam and the second beam carry different image information and exit from different positions P1 and P2 of the display element 110, respectively. For example, in the present embodiment, an effective display area of the display element 110 includes a first display area and a second display area, the first beam exits from the first display area, and the second beam exits from the second display area. However, the present embodiment does not limit the area ratio of the two different display areas on the display element 110.In the present embodiment, a first position P1 on the display element 110 from which the first beam emerges is closer to the second reflective element 130 than the position P2 from which the second beam emerges, but this should not be construed as a limitation of the disclosure.
[0029] The first reflective element 120 is arranged on a transmission path of the image light beam L coming from the display element 110 and is configured to reflect the image light beam L. The second reflective element 130 is arranged on a transmission path of the image light beam L coming from the first reflective element 120 and is configured to reflect the image light beam L to the imaging element 50 outside the HUD device 100. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the first reflective element 120 and the second reflective element 130 are curved reflective mirrors, and reflective surfaces of the first reflective element 120 and the second reflective element 130 are both free-form surfaces.Furthermore, in the HUD device 100 provided in the present embodiment, the first reflective element 120 and the second reflective element 130 are arranged; that is, only these two reflective optical elements are arranged in the HUD device 100, and no other reflective optical element is arranged. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, no other optical element is arranged on a light path of the image light beam between the display element 110 and the first reflective element 120. Therefore, the HUD device provided in the present embodiment is designed to have fewer optical elements compared to the conventional HUD, ensuring that the HUD device has the reduced volume.
[0030] It is worth noting that the present embodiment provides a secondary imaging optical system. On the light path of the image light beam L traveling from the display element 110 to the imaging element 50, an intermediate image is formed between the first reflective element 120 and the second reflective element 130. The advantage of the structure of the secondary imaging optical system is that the length of the light path and thus the volume are reduced. More specifically, the first and second light beams emerging from different positions P1 and P2 of the display element 110 provided here are not transmitted in parallel; that is, the image light beam L supplied from the display element 110 gradually converges toward the first reflective element 120 during the transmission process, and the image light beam L emerging from the display element 110 is a convergent light beam.More specifically, the primary rays L1 and L2 of the first and second light beams emerging from the display element 110 form an intersection point P on the first reflective element 120 or between the display element 110 and the first reflective element 120. For example, in the embodiment shown in . Fig. 1, the intersection point P is on the first reflective element 120, and thus the intersection point P of the primary beams L1 and L2 of the first and second light beams is located on the smallest light spot formed by the image light beam L. The smallest light spot refers to the smallest cross-sectional area of the image light beam L on the transmission path within the HUD device 100. However, in various embodiments, the light path between the display element 110 and the first reflective element 120 of the image light beam L has a center point M. When the intersection point P is located between the display element 110 and the first reflective element 120, the intersection point P is located between the center point M and the first reflective element 120. That is, the intersection point P is located closer to the first reflective element 120.
[0031] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a comparison between a total light spot size on the first reflective element of the Fig. 1 and a total light spot size in the prior art. It should be noted that since the first reflective element 120 is not a planar reflective element, an XY plane formed by an X-axis and a Y-axis shown in Fig. 2, is a reference plane schematically arranged on the first reflective element 120 to form a light spot, and a normal line of the reference plane is a Z-axis. Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, shows Fig. 1, for example, shows an embodiment in which the intersection point P is located on the first reflective element 120, the first light beam forms the first light spot C1 on the first reflective element 120, and the second light beam forms the second light spot C2 on the first reflective element 120. Compared with the prior art, in the present embodiment, by designing the intersection point P of the primary ray L1 of the first light beam and the primary ray L2 of the second light beam on the first reflective element 120 or between the display element 110 and the first reflective element 120, the length of the light path can be effectively shortened and the area occupied by the first reflective element 120 can be reduced, thereby reducing the volume of the HUD device 100.For example, from the positional distribution of the first light spot C1 and the second light spot C2 formed on the first reflective member 120 in the HUD device 100 shown in the embodiment in FIG. Fig. 1, it can be observed that an overlapping relationship between the light spots formed by all the light beams in the image light beam L makes it possible to shorten the total light spot formed by the image light beam L provided here from 195.7 mm to 157.2 mm in the X-axis; that is, the total light spot length of the HUD device 100 provided here is reduced by 20% compared to the HUD provided in the prior art, and in the Y-axis, the total light spot formed by the image light beam L is shortened from 71.7 mm to 33.52 mm; that is, the total light spot height of the HUD device 100 provided here is reduced by 53% compared to the HUD provided in the prior art.Accordingly, the HUD device 100 in the present embodiment can ensure that the length and height of the total light spot formed by the image light beam L on the first reflective member 120 are reduced compared to the conventional HUD, thereby reducing the size of the first reflective member 120 and the volume of the HUD device 100.
[0032] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a comparison between a part of a light spot size on the first reflective element of the Fig. 1 and a part of a light spot size provided in the prior art. Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig.3, for example, in the present embodiment, an overlapping area of the first light spot C1 corresponding to the first light beam and the second light spot C2 corresponding to the second light beam on the first reflective element 120 is at least greater than 90%. Thus, the size of the first reflective element 120 can be designed to be the smallest, thereby reducing the volume of the HUD device 100.
[0033] In summary, the HUD device provided in one or more embodiments of the disclosure includes the display element, the first reflective element, and the second reflective element. The display element delivers the image light beam to the first reflective element, the first reflective element reflects the image light beam to the second reflective element, and the second reflective element reflects the image light beam and forms an image through the imaging element. Here, the image light beam includes the first light beam and the second light beam, and the primary ray of the first light beam and the primary ray of the second light beam exiting the display element form the intersection point on the first reflective element or between the display element and the first reflective element.Compared with the conventional HUD, the HUD device provided here is designed to use fewer optical elements, and the size of the first reflective element can be designed to be the smallest size, thereby shortening the length of the light path of the HUD device and reducing the volume of the HUD device.
[0034] The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the disclosure is for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form or exemplary embodiments disclosed. Accordingly, the foregoing description is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described to best explain the principles of the disclosure and their best practical application, and to enable those skilled in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use or implementation contemplated.The scope of the disclosure is intended to be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents, all terms being intended in their broadest reasonable sense unless otherwise specified. Therefore, the term "the disclosure" does not necessarily limit the scope of the claims to any particular embodiment, and reference to particularly preferred exemplary embodiments of the disclosure does not imply, and should not be inferred, a limitation of the disclosure. The disclosure is limited only by the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, these claims may refer to the use of "first," "second," etc., followed by a noun or element. Such terms should be understood as nomenclature and should not be construed as limiting the number of elements modified by such nomenclature unless a specific number has been stated.The abstract of the disclosure is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract that enables a searcher to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure of any patent granted from this disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Any advantages and benefits described may not apply to all embodiments of the disclosure. It should be understood that those skilled in the art may make changes to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the disclosure as defined in the following claims. Furthermore, no element or component in the present disclosure is dedicated to the public, regardless of whether the element or component is expressly recited in the following claims.
Claims
[1] Head-up display device comprising: a display element (110) providing an image light beam (L), the image light beam (L) comprising a first light beam and a second light beam, the first light beam and the second light beam emerging from different positions of the display element (110); a first reflective element (120) arranged on a transmission path of the image light beam (L) coming from the display element (110) and adapted to reflect the image light beam (L); and a second reflective element (130) arranged on a transmission path of the image light beam (L) coming from the first reflective element (120) and designed to reflect the image light beam (L), wherein a primary beam (L1) of the first light beam and a primary beam (L2) of the second light beam emerging from the display element (110) form an intersection point (P) on the first reflective element (110) or between the display element (110) and the first reflective element (110). [2] A head-up display device according to claim 1, wherein the intersection point (P) of the primary beam (L1) of the first light beam and the primary beam (L2) of the second light beam lies on a smallest light spot formed by the image light beam (L). [3] A head-up display device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the image light beam (L) has a center point (M) on a light path between the display element (110) and the first reflective element (120), and when the intersection point (P) is between the display element (110) and the first reflective element (120), the intersection point (P) is between the center point (M) and the first reflective element (120). [4] Head-up display device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the image light beam (L) emerging from the head-up display device (HUD) is transmitted to an imaging element (50) and a virtual image (VM) is formed by the imaging element (50). [5] Head-up display device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein reflective surfaces of the first reflective element (120) and the second reflective element (130) are free-form surfaces. [6] Head-up display device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the head-up display device (HUD) has only the first reflective element (120) and the second reflective element (130) as two reflective optical elements and / or no optical element is arranged between the display element (110) and the first reflective element (120). [7] A head-up display device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the image light beam (L) provided by the display element (110) is a convergent light beam between the display element (110) and the first reflective element (120). [8] A head-up display device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first light beam and the second light beam emerging from the display element (110) are not parallel to each other. [9] A head-up display device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first light beam emerges from a closer position on the display element (110) to the second reflective element (130) compared to the second light beam. [10] Head-up display device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first light beam forms a first light spot (C1) on the first reflective element (120), the second light beam forms a second light spot (C2) on the first reflective element (120), and an overlapping area of the first light spot (C1) and the second light spot (C2) on the first reflective element (120) is at least greater than 90%.