Railway Head-Up Display with Driver Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing head-up display devices are not suitable for railway vehicles as they require a much larger field of vision due to the driver's need to move around the cabin, unlike automotive or air vehicles where the variation in gaze is limited to 25°.
Innovation Solution
A head-up display device for railway vehicles that uses an opto-electronic tracking system with cameras and image processing to maintain the displayed image within the driver's field of vision, utilizing a combination of a light source, liquid crystal screen, and optical projection system to project a virtual image onto the windshield, allowing the image to move with the driver's position without requiring head movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a conventional head-up display device with a fixed display area is used in a railway vehicle, then the device structure is simple, but the display area cannot cover the driver's field of vision when the driver moves around the cabin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the display area movable rather than fixed. The display area is dynamically adjusted based on the driver's position detected by the tracking system. When the driver moves within the cabin, the display area automatically relocates to maintain visibility, transforming a static display system into a dynamic one that adapts to changing conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback through the opto-electronic tracking system that continuously monitors the driver's position and provides this information to the control unit. The control unit uses this feedback to automatically adjust the display area's position, creating a closed-loop system where the display responds to driver movements in real-time, ensuring the information remains within the driver's field of vision.
2Ease of operation
If the display area is made adjustable to follow the driver's position, then the driver can always see the displayed information, but the device complexity increases due to the tracking system and image processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the display system to automatically track and adjust to the driver's position without requiring manual intervention. The opto-electronic tracking system continuously monitors the driver, and the control unit automatically repositions the display area, making the system self-adjusting and eliminating the need for manual controls while maintaining ease of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical tracking mechanisms with an opto-electronic system. Instead of using mechanical sensors or physical tracking devices, the system uses optical detection means (cameras or other optical sensors) to detect the driver's position, substituting mechanical complexity with optical and electronic systems that are more precise and easier to control.
3Reliability
If a fixed projection system is used, then the system is simple to implement, but the displayed image cannot be maintained within the driver's field of vision when the driver moves
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses feedback from the opto-electronic tracking system to continuously monitor driver position and automatically adjusts the projection system accordingly. The control unit receives position data and modifies the projection parameters in real-time, ensuring the displayed image remains reliably within the driver's field of vision despite driver movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The projection system is transformed from a static, fixed configuration to a dynamic system that can adjust its projection parameters based on driver position. The projection means can shift the displayed image position dynamically, maintaining reliability of information visibility while adapting to changing driver locations within the cabin.
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 the driver to maintain focus on the road without needing to turn their head, providing a wider and adjustable display area that follows the driver's movement, enhancing safety and usability by keeping critical information visible at all times.
Implementation Method 1
The device comprises an opto-electronic tracking system for detecting the position of the driver in the driving cab
Implementation Method 2
The means for displaying the image comprise a device for projecting the image onto the screen, towards which the projection device projects light rays, these light rays being at least partly reflected by the screen towards the driver
Implementation Method 3
The image projection device comprises a light source and a liquid crystal screen, arranged so that the light emitted by the source passes through the liquid crystal screen
Implementation Method 4
The image projection device comprises a laser projector and a holographic screen, arranged so that the lasers emitted by the projector pass through the holographic screen
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The device (10) has a display unit (20) for displaying an image on a transparent screen (26) in a predetermined display area (22), where the transparent screen is formed by a windscreen of a railway vehicle. An opto-electronic monitoring system (30) detects a position of a driver (14) in a driving cab (16). The display unit performs modification of the position of the image in the display area depending on the detected position of the driver. A camera (32) is arranged in the driving cabin in order to capture uninterrupted images of the driving cabin.