Vehicle Projection Apparatus with Movable Mirror for 3D Surface Adaptation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing projection technologies for vehicles face limitations in effectively covering large areas with minimal distortion, as they often require high-power wide-angle projectors, leading to increased size, thermal management issues, and potential image distortion, while struggling to adapt to the non-even three-dimensional surfaces within vehicle interiors.

Innovation Solution

A projection apparatus that uses a movable mirror to direct a projection beam towards a reflective surface with varying angles, determining the three-dimensional characteristics of the projection surface using sensors to generate a display signal that compensates for distortions, allowing the projection to be adjusted and focused on specific portions of the surface, including moving objects or static components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If a wide-angle projector is used to cover a large projection area, then the effective projection area is increased, but the brightness of the projection is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprojection areaVSAvoidprojection brightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The projection system is divided into multiple standard-angle projectors, each responsible for projecting onto a specific portion of the projection surface. This segmentation allows each projector to maintain high brightness while collectively covering a large area, resolving the contradiction between projection area and brightness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from using a single wide-angle projector to multiple standard-angle projectors arranged in a dimensional configuration. By distributing projectors across different spatial positions and angles, the system achieves both large coverage area and high brightness through coordinated projection onto different portions of the surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Device complexity

If a fixed optical path projector is used, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to non-even three-dimensional projection surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoptical path structureVSAvoidsurface adaptation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs movable mirrors that can dynamically adjust their angles and positions to adapt to different portions of the three-dimensional projection surface. This dynamic adjustment capability allows standard-angle projectors to project onto non-even surfaces by redirecting light paths, maintaining image quality while adapting to complex geometries.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Movable mirrors serve as intermediary elements between the projectors and the projection surface. These mirrors redirect the projection beams to reach specific portions of the non-even surface, enabling adaptation to complex geometries without requiring complex optical paths in the projectors themselves.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Area of stationary object

If high-power wide-angle projectors are used to cover large areas, then the projection area is increased, but the device size and thermal management issues increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprojection areaVSAvoiddevice size and thermal management
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the projection task across multiple standard-power projectors rather than using a single high-power projector. This segmentation reduces the power requirement and thermal load of each individual projector, thereby reducing device size and simplifying thermal management while achieving the same total projection area coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses multiple standard-power projectors that are smaller, cheaper, and easier to cool than a single high-power projector. While more numerous components are used, each component is simpler and more manageable, reducing individual thermal management complexity and overall device size.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 solution enables cost-effective, high-quality digital projection across larger spatial areas within vehicles, maintaining image clarity and adaptability to varying surface orientations, enhancing user experience by providing undistorted images on complex surfaces.

Implementation Method 1

a reflection device (110) configured to provide a reflective surface (112) with a varying angle relative to a projection surface (12)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP3882687B1Projection apparatus and corresponding method and computer program
Publication Date: 2022.10.26 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG
  • EP3882687B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~2
  • EP3882687B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4a
  • EP3882687B1 patent drawingFigure 4b~4c

AI summary

Examples relate to a projection apparatus for a vehicle, to a method for providing a projection within or outside vehicle, to a corresponding computer program, and to a vehicle. The projection apparatus comprises a reflection device configured to provide a reflective surface with a varying angle relative to a projection surface and projector. The projection apparatus comprises a projector configured to emit a projection beam towards the reflective surface of the reflection device. The projection apparatus comprises a processing module configured to determine a portion of the projection surface that the projection beam is to be emitted towards. The processing module is configured to control the reflection device to adjust the angle of the reflective surface relative to the projection surface based on the determined portion of the projection surface. The processing apparatus is configured to determine a three-dimensional characteristic of the portion of the projection surface. The processing apparatus is configured to generate a display signal for the projector based on the portion of the projection surface and based on the three-dimensional characteristic of the portion of the projection surface.