Head-Up Display Optical System for Large Virtual Images
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing head-up displays struggle to present large-screen virtual images while maintaining a compact size, and they often suffer from distortion and misalignment issues that affect the clarity and perspective of the virtual image.
Innovation Solution
The head-up display employs a first optical system comprising a concave mirror and a lens that forms an intermediate image, which is enlarged, to project a virtual image onto a windshield, using a combination of mirrors and lenses to correct distortions and maintain a small form factor, allowing for a large-screen virtual image presentation with reduced size and distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a conventional display system is used to present a large-screen virtual image, then the virtual image size is increased, but the system size becomes large and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediate image formation stage between the display unit and the final virtual image. The display unit first forms an intermediate image, which is then optically expanded by the optical system to create the large virtual image. This intermediary approach allows compact display hardware to produce large virtual images, resolving the contradiction between virtual image size and system size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses optical expansion in the spatial dimension to transform a small intermediate image into a large virtual image. By utilizing optical paths and reflection surfaces, the system expands the image dimensionally without proportionally increasing the physical size of the display device, thus achieving large virtual images in a compact system.
2Volume of stationary object
If the optical system is simplified to reduce size, then the system becomes more compact, but image distortion and misalignment increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs curved reflection surfaces (concave and convex mirrors) instead of flat surfaces to correct image distortion. The curved surfaces naturally compensate for optical path differences and maintain image geometric accuracy, allowing the system to remain compact while preserving manufacturing precision and minimizing distortion.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system is divided into distinct functional components: a display unit, an intermediate image formation stage, and a virtual image expansion stage. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for compactness while maintaining overall image quality and alignment precision through coordinated design.
3Volume of stationary object
If the display unit is positioned closer to the windshield to reduce size, then the system becomes more compact, but the viewpoint region becomes limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical expansion to create a large virtual image that naturally provides an extended viewpoint region. By forming the virtual image at a distance through optical paths rather than placing the display physically close to the viewer, the system maintains a compact form factor while providing adequate viewpoint coverage for multiple observers.
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
This configuration enables the presentation of a large-screen virtual image with reduced size and distortion, providing a clear and stable virtual image with constant viewing angles and perspective conformity to the actual landscape, while minimizing the size of the display system.
Implementation Method 1
a lens condensing the light and disposed between the concave mirror and the display surface
Implementation Method 2
The first optical system causes a beam exiting from the display surface to form an intermediate image, which is enlarged from the image displayed on the display surface, via the lens and the concave mirror
Data Source
AI summary
A head-up display that allows an observer to visually recognize a virtual image in a viewpoint region of the observer is provided. The head-up display includes: a display device that has a display surface and displays an image on the display surface; and a first optical system that has a concave mirror, and a lens condensing the light and disposed between the concave mirror and the display surface. The first optical system causes a beam exiting from the display surface to form an intermediate image via the lens and the concave mirror, the intermediate image being enlarged from the image displayed on the display surface.