Head-Up Display Optical Path Folding for Uniform Virtual Image Magnification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional head-up display (HUD) systems face challenges in miniaturization while maintaining high visibility and reducing distortion and aberration of the virtual image, especially due to the varying radius of curvature of windshields and the need for larger dimensions to achieve desired magnification and viewable range.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a head-up display apparatus with a concave mirror and a lens system that corrects distortion and aberration. The optical distance between the reflecting mirror and the display panel is adjusted to ensure that the virtual image formed is farther at the upper portion of the windshield compared to the lower portion, thereby maintaining consistent image magnification across the viewing area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the object point is caused to approach the focal point to enlarge the virtual image size, then the magnification increases, but the mirror size becomes smaller resulting in a reduced effectively viewable range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an optical path folding mirror to fold the optical path, effectively extending the optical distance without increasing the physical footprint of the apparatus. This allows the system to achieve the required magnification and viewable range by utilizing the folded optical path in a different spatial dimension, resolving the contradiction between compact mirror size and adequate viewable range.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical path folding mirror acts as an intermediary element that mediates between the concave mirror and the display apparatus. By introducing this intermediate component, the system can achieve the desired optical effect (enlarged virtual image with adequate viewable range) without directly increasing the mirror size or reducing the optical distance.
2Measurement precision
If the distance from the concave mirror to the virtual image is increased to obtain desired magnification, then the magnification is satisfied, but the dimension of the information display apparatus becomes larger
Solution Approach 1:
The optical path folding mirror folds the optical path, allowing the light to travel a longer effective distance between the concave mirror and the virtual image while keeping the physical apparatus compact. This dimensional transformation enables the system to achieve desired magnification without proportionally increasing the apparatus dimension.
3Manufacturing precision
If the dimension b is increased to reduce the difference between upper and lower optical paths, then the image magnification uniformity improves, but the apparatus size increases
Solution Approach 1:
By folding the optical path, the system can achieve a larger effective optical dimension b without proportionally increasing the physical apparatus volume. The folded optical path allows light to traverse the necessary distance for uniform magnification while the apparatus maintains a compact form factor.
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 allows for a miniaturized HUD system that provides high visibility and reduces distortion and aberration of the virtual image, ensuring that the image magnification is consistent across the viewing area, even with varying windshield curvatures.
Implementation Method 1
a concave mirror 1'... allowing the virtual image by the concave mirror 1' to be obtained
Data Source
AI summary
A head-up display apparatus includes a display panel configured to display an image, and a reflecting mirror configured to reflect light from the display panel. An optical distance between the reflecting mirror and the display panel is changed to continuously change a display position of a virtual image from a distant place to an adjacent position such that a virtual image obtained by being reflected at an upper portion of a windshield is formed farther than a virtual image obtained by being reflected at a lower portion of the windshield when viewed from a viewpoint position of a driver.