Heads-up Display Projector Positioning and Distortion Compensation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Heads-up display systems for vehicles face challenges in projecting images to various positions on a windshield or screen while maintaining a predetermined aspect ratio, especially when the image is projected at an oblique angle relative to the projector's optical axis, leading to distortion.
Innovation Solution
A heads-up display system with a display assembly and electronic controller that includes a projector and positioning mechanisms to move the image between multiple positions on the windshield, along with a distortion compensator to maintain the aspect ratio by processing and adjusting the image data to compensate for distortion caused by the angle of projection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the image is projected to a surface at an oblique angle relative to the optical axis of the projector, then the image can be displayed at multiple positions on the windshield, but the image becomes distorted and the aspect ratio is not maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores distortion compensation data for multiple predetermined image positions on the windshield. Before projecting the image to any position, the electronic controller retrieves the appropriate compensation data and applies it to the image data in advance, ensuring the aspect ratio is maintained without real-time calculation delays
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic controller dynamically adjusts image parameters (such as scaling factors and distortion correction coefficients) based on the selected image position. When the image position changes, the controller modifies the projection parameters to compensate for the oblique angle, thereby maintaining the predetermined aspect ratio across all positions
2Manufacturing precision
If distortion compensation is applied to maintain the aspect ratio, then image quality is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Distortion compensation data is pre-calculated and stored in memory for each predetermined image position. This eliminates the need for complex real-time calculations during operation, reducing the processing burden on the electronic controller while maintaining high aspect ratio accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pre-generated compensation patterns that are applied to the image data. Instead of implementing complex real-time distortion correction algorithms, the system copies and applies pre-computed correction data that corresponds to each image position, simplifying the overall system architecture
Data Source
AI summary
A heads-up display system includes a re-positionable projector that projects an image of data to any one of a plurality of image positions on a windshield. With the image being centered in front of a vehicle operator, the image defines a predetermined aspect ratio. An electronic controller is configured to compensate for distortion of the image and maintain the predetermined aspect ratio in response to the image being moved away from the centered position.