Adjustable Head-Up Display Virtual Image Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Head-Up Displays (HUDs) have a fixed virtual image formation position, which leads to HUD information overlapping or not matching with target objects when they are within a specific range of 8 m to 15 m, particularly during city driving, as the display position cannot be adjusted accurately.
Innovation Solution
An HUD control apparatus and method that adjusts the virtual image formation position by moving a flat mirror and adjusting its reflection angle using motors, based on distance information from a vehicle to a target object, allowing the HUD information to be accurately displayed at a position corresponding to the object's distance, using a lookup table to store necessary adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the virtual image formation position is fixed in a specific range (8m to 15m), then the HUD structure is simple and stable, but the HUD information cannot be accurately displayed when the target object is closer than the specific range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the virtual image formation position adjustable rather than fixed. The HUD mechanism dynamically changes the virtual image distance based on the actual distance to the target object, allowing accurate display adaptation for both close-range (city driving) and far-range (highway driving) scenarios. This resolves the contradiction by enabling the system to adapt to different display ranges while maintaining reasonable structural complexity through controlled mechanical adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by varying the virtual image formation distance parameter according to the target object's distance. The system changes key parameters including the position of the flat mirror, the reflection angle, and the virtual image distance to match the actual driving scenario. This allows the HUD to accurately display information whether the target is 5 meters away in city traffic or 20 meters away on the highway, resolving the adaptability limitation of fixed-parameter designs.
2Measurement precision
If the virtual image formation position is adjusted to match close-range target objects, then the display accuracy improves, but the adjustment mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the flat mirror as an intermediary element to achieve virtual image position adjustment. By positioning and angling the flat mirror between the HUD information source and the aspheric mirror, the system can precisely control the virtual image formation position without requiring complex direct adjustment mechanisms. This intermediary approach enables accurate display positioning while keeping the overall mechanism relatively simple and manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex direct mechanical adjustment of the virtual image position with a more elegant optical mechanism involving flat mirror positioning and angle adjustment. Instead of mechanically moving the entire HUD optical path, the system uses the flat mirror's position and orientation to optically redirect light paths, achieving precise virtual image positioning with simpler mechanical components. This substitution reduces mechanism complexity while maintaining or improving display accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the flat mirror is moved to adjust the virtual image position, then the display range flexibility improves, but the system complexity and control difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by detecting the actual distance to the target object and using this information to automatically adjust the flat mirror's position and angle. The system continuously monitors the target distance and adjusts the virtual image formation position accordingly, ensuring accurate display without requiring manual intervention. This feedback mechanism simplifies the control process by making the system self-regulating, reducing the perceived complexity despite the added adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The flat mirror serves multiple functions: it redirects light from the HUD information source to the aspheric mirror, it adjusts the virtual image formation position, and it maintains proper image orientation. By making the flat mirror a multi-functional component, the patent reduces the need for separate adjustment mechanisms, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity while achieving the desired versatility in virtual image positioning.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate and non-overlapping HUD information display by adjusting the virtual image formation position according to the distance to the target object, ensuring clear visibility during city driving and other scenarios where objects are closer than the conventional display range.
Implementation Method 1
a flat mirror that reflects the HUD information on a screen onto which the HUD information is outputted
Implementation Method 2
the center of the HUD information which is reflected from the flat mirror and transmitted to the aspheric mirror
Data Source
AI summary
An HUD (Head-Up Display) control apparatus may include: a distance detector configured to detect a distance to an obstacle in front of a vehicle; and a controller configured to adjust a virtual image formation position of HUD information to a closer position in response to the distance, when the obstacle is located at a closer position than a virtual image formation position in a specific range designed in an HUD.