Diffractive Head-Up Display Virtual Image Position Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Diffractive head-up display devices without mirrors face challenges in adjusting the position of the virtual image, as the downward viewing angle is fixed during manufacturing, making it difficult to adapt to varying driver seat heights and vehicle architectures.
Innovation Solution
A diffractive head-up display device with a projection unit that includes a movable display and mask, allowing translation along an orthogonal direction to adjust the position of the virtual image, utilizing a diffractive combiner with fixed downward viewing angle produced by a specific manufacturing process, and controlled by a mechanical system and electronic control unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a diffractive combiner is manufactured using a diffractive element registration process that fixes the downward viewing angle by design, then the manufacturing precision and design stability are improved, but the adaptability to varying driver seat heights and vehicle architectures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the display and mask movable in translation along at least one direction generally orthogonal to the axis of the projection light beam. This dynamic adjustment mechanism allows the virtual image position to be varied without changing the diffractive combiner's fixed downward viewing angle, thereby resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the positional parameters of the display and mask relative to each other and to the diffractive combiner. By translating these components along an orthogonal direction, the illumination angle of the combiner is modified, which in turn adjusts the virtual image position in the driver's field of vision while maintaining the combiner's fixed design parameters.
2Adaptability or versatility
If mirrors are used for adjusting the position of the virtual image, then the adjustment capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the adjustment function from the traditional mirror-based system and implements it directly through translation of the display and mask components. This eliminates the need for separate mirrors and their associated mounting, alignment, and control mechanisms, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining adjustment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical mirror rotation system with a more direct translation mechanism of the display and mask. This substitution simplifies the mechanical system by eliminating complex mirror mounting structures and rotation joints, using instead a straightforward linear translation approach to achieve the same virtual image position adjustment.
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 flexible adjustment of the virtual image position without moving mirrors, ensuring optimal visibility for drivers by varying the illumination angle and maintaining diffraction efficiency within the combiner's design constraints.
Implementation Method 1
a diffractive combiner provided to form a virtual image in the field of vision of an observer
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a diffractive head-up display device comprising a projection unit generating a light beam to be directed towards a diffractive combiner, the projection unit comprising a light source generating a projection light beam directed towards a display element for forming a source image transmitted towards the diffractive combiner. The device is characterised in that the projection unit comprises a projection mask arranged after the display element and provided with a projection window, the area of said window generally corresponding to the display area of the display element. The device is also characterised in that the light beam lights up an area larger than the display area, in a uniform manner, on the display element, and in that the display element and the mask are mobile in a translational manner, in at least one direction generally orthogonal to the axis of the projection light beam, in such a way that the adjustment of the position of the virtual image in the field of vision of the observer, for example the driver of a vehicle, is obtained by the translation of the display element and the mask.