Vehicle Head-Up Display Eye Detection Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern vehicle display systems, including head-up displays and instrument clusters, face challenges in adapting visual signaling to the driver's presence and field of view, leading to potential interference and reduced effectiveness in conveying critical information.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that detect the number and position of a driver's eyes to adjust the head-up display's image generation, ensuring optimal visibility by adapting the image size and position based on eye detection, and using additional display units to signal important information when the driver is unlikely to see the head-up display.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the virtual image is displayed in a fixed area of the windshield, then the display system is simple to operate, but the image may be visible to other road users or cause interference when the driver's eyes are not in the predetermined viewing window

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of use of display systemVSAvoidinterference to other road users
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the display area adaptive rather than fixed. The control device dynamically adjusts the display area of the virtual image based on the detected position of the driver's eyes. When eyes are detected within the predetermined viewing window, the full area is used; when eyes are outside, the display area is reduced or shifted. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by maintaining ease of operation while preventing harmful effects to other road users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Measurement precision

If the image size is kept large to ensure visibility, then the driver can see information clearly, but the image may cause disturbances in perception when only one eye is in the viewing window

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisibility of informationVSAvoiddisturbances in perception
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the local quality principle by differentiating the display strategy based on eye detection results. When both eyes are detected in the viewing window, the full virtual image is displayed with normal size and position. When only one eye is detected or eyes are outside the window, the control device adjusts the display area locally - reducing size, shifting position, or displaying only critical information. This localized adaptation ensures clear visibility when conditions permit while preventing perception disturbances when they don't.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the display system adapts to eye position to prevent interference, then harmful effects are reduced, but the device complexity increases due to eye detection and control mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterference to other road usersVSAvoidcomplexity of display system
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing an eye detection device as a mediator between the driver and the display system. The detection device monitors eye position and communicates this information to the control device, which then adjusts the virtual image display accordingly. This intermediary mechanism enables automatic adaptation without requiring complex user input or manual adjustment, resolving the contradiction by reducing harmful effects through a relatively simple detection-and-control loop.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2965142B1Method and device for operating a display device
Publication Date: 2019.04.10 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG
  • EP2965142B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2965142B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2965142B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for operating a display device of a vehicle. The display device comprises a head-up display unit, by means of which an image is produced, which is visible to a vehicle driver on a windshield of the vehicle as a virtual image from a specified viewing window. A number (AA) of eyes of the vehicle driver in the specified viewing window is detected. On the basis of the detected number (AA) of eyes, a signalling signal (SIG) is produced in order to produce the image.