Vehicle Display Layout With Overlapped Virtual and Real Images
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicle displays, the proximity to the driver leads to decreased visibility due to external light interference and glare, and the need for complex focus adjustments, while existing solutions require multiple displays and increased costs to achieve good visibility.
Innovation Solution
An on-vehicle display apparatus with a virtual image overlapping mechanism using a reflecting surface to project a virtual image from a blind spot region onto a visible region, allowing for easy focus adjustment and effective use of display space with a single display device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the meter device is moved closer to the driver to prevent external light incidence, then external light interference is reduced, but the driver's focus adjustment becomes difficult and visibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a light guide plate to create a virtual image copy of the display content, projecting it onto the windshield so the driver sees the information at a distance rather than at the close physical location of the display device, thereby eliminating focus adjustment difficulty while maintaining protection from external light
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide plate acts as an intermediary between the display device and the driver's eye, transferring the visual information to a virtual position on the windshield while the physical display remains close to the driver, thus resolving the contradiction between proximity and focus comfort
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a hood is installed above the meter device to block external light, then visibility is improved, but design restrictions increase and layout becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide plate serves multiple functions simultaneously: it guides light from the display, creates a virtual image for comfortable viewing, and blocks external light from reaching the display, thereby eliminating the need for a separate hood structure and simplifying the overall layout
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the light guiding function and the external light blocking function into a single light guide plate component, combining what would traditionally require separate structures (light guide and hood) into one integrated element, thus reducing design complexity
3Ease of operation
If multiple displays are used to achieve good visibility, then visibility is improved, but costs and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide plate performs multiple functions with a single component: it creates the virtual image for comfortable viewing, blocks external light, and enables the display to be positioned close to the driver without requiring additional display units, thus achieving good visibility while using only one display device
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
Enhances visibility by allowing drivers to easily recognize information without complex focus adjustments and reduces costs and space requirements by using a single display with a virtual image overlapping mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
a virtual image overlapping mechanism 15 having a reflecting surface 16 that reflects a light image displayed as a real image 19 in the second display region 12b and that projects the light image reflected by the reflecting surface 16 as a virtual image 17
Data Source
AI summary
An upper display region and a lower display region are provided on a display surface of a single display device used for a combination meter device or the like for a vehicle, and by reflecting a light image of a real image displayed in the lower display region by a reflecting member and projecting the light image in a state of overlapping the upper display region, a virtual image and a portion of the real image are simultaneously displayed to be overlapped on the same region. By arranging the lower display region in a place that becomes a blind spot of a structure such as a steering wheel, it is possible to effectively utilize a space of the blind spot for performing display. By allowing an inclination angle of the reflecting member to be adjusted, position alignment between a region of the real image and a region of the virtual image is implemented even when a viewpoint EP position is changed.