DE102022110004A1 - Means of transport and arrangement for entertaining an occupant of a means of transport - Google Patents

Abstract

A means of transport (10) and an arrangement for entertaining an occupant (1) of a means of transport (10) are proposed. The arrangement comprises: a projector (3, 4, 15) and a reflective arrangement (5), wherein the reflective arrangement (5) has a plurality of elements, and wherein the projector (3, 4, 15) is set up to have a first component to throw a projection in a first beam path onto a first element of the plurality of elements and to throw a second component of a projection in a second beam path that is different from the first beam path onto a second element of the plurality of elements that is different from the first element, whereby - the first element is aligned and/or designed in such a way that the first component is reflected with a maximum intensity in a third beam path in the direction of a head position of the occupant (1), and the second element is aligned and/or designed in such a way that the second component is aligned with a maximum intensity is reflected in a fourth beam path in the direction of the head position of the occupant (1).

Description

The present invention relates to a means of transport and an arrangement for entertaining an occupant of a means of transport. In particular, the present invention relates to a possibility for entertaining the occupant without other occupants being distracted by moving images or being able to view the moving images.

The increasing automation of personal transport creates opportunities to use the time on board the means of transport. While the consumption of moving images, especially films and videos, is not a problem for front passengers or other occupants in terms of driving safety, care should currently be taken, particularly at low levels of automation, to ensure that moving images do not distract the driver/operator of the means of transport from what is happening on the road or from carrying out his or her driving task becomes. Another problem in modern means of transport is the overall size of the display surfaces at the driver's workplace. In poor lighting conditions, reflections can disturb/dazzle the driver.

DE 10 2018 117 569 A1 shows a retroreflector by means of which incident light can be reflected in an at least approximately identical direction of incidence (angle of incidence approximately equal to angle of reflection).

EP 1 053 491 discloses a retroreflector with two optical surfaces and variable retroreflection.

Such reflection arrangements are not known for use in consumer electronics. Similar elements are sometimes used in screens to reflect light in a directed manner.

Based on the aforementioned prior art, it is an object of the present invention to make the interior of a means of transportation more visually appealing and safer.

The above-mentioned object is achieved according to the invention by an arrangement for entertaining an occupant of a means of transport and a means of transport with such an arrangement. The subclaims show preferred developments of the invention. The arrangement can be arranged in a means of transport. Possible means of transport include, for example, cars, vans, trucks, motorcycles, aircraft and/or watercraft. The arrangement includes a projector, by means of which random content, in particular moving image content, can be projected onto a reflective arrangement. The projector can be designed, for example, as an HD, 4K or UHD projector. Of course, other suitable projection methods can also be used. For example, it can be a digital projector (DLP, LCD, LCoS or uLED). The image signals coming from the projector are reflected by the reflective arrangement in the occupant's field of vision (e.g. in a dashboard/dashboard) of the means of transport. The reflective arrangement has a large number of elements which have a predefined, in particular predefined, orientation or optical direction of action. The projector is set up to throw a first component (eg a pixel of an image and/or moving image) of a projection (eg an image) in a first beam path onto a first element of the plurality of elements of the reflective arrangement. In other words, a first element in particular can be statically assigned to a pixel of the projector. This does not rule out the possibility that several pixels can be assigned to a respective element or the first element. In addition, the projector is set up to throw a second component of a projection in a second beam path that is different from the first beam path onto a second element of the plurality of elements that is different from the first element. The projector can choose different angles for the first beam path and the second beam path. The first element is aligned or designed in such a way that the first component is reflected with a maximum intensity in a third beam path in the direction of a head position of the occupant. The optical direction of action of the first element is thus selected in conjunction with the projector such that almost all of the energy of the first component of the projection is reflected in the direction of the occupant's head position. An eye (center) position of the occupant can also be defined more precisely as the head position. The second element is aligned and/or designed in such a way that the second component is reflected with a maximum intensity in a fourth beam path in the direction of the occupant's head position. In other words, what was said in connection with the first element and the third beam path applies in a corresponding manner to the second element and the fourth beam path. Because the first element and the second element reflect the first component and the second component to a substantially identical position (head position or eye position), very high energy efficiency is ensured on the one hand and avoidance of distraction for the driver of the means of transport or other occupants on the other hand. This prevents the driver from being distracted from the traffic situation by moving images in his primary or secondary field of vision hen could be distracted. On the other hand, the perceived/visual screen area can be increased without having to provide large screens/touchscreens at the driver's workplace. Due to the inventive design of the reflective arrangement as a kind of “concave mirror”, the occupants can be entertained in a particularly targeted manner.

The first beam path and the second beam path are preferably not arranged parallel to one another and/or the third beam path and the fourth beam path are not arranged parallel to one another. Given the length/spatial conditions in a means of transportation, this can come about because the essentially point-shaped light output of the projector is expanded onto a two-dimensionally extended projection surface (namely the reflective arrangement) and then the projector's light received from the reflective arrangement is projected onto the head position or eye position of the occupant is focused. For example, the projection distance can be in the range from 50 cm to 2 m, preferably between 1 m and 1.50 m, while the diagonal of the reflective arrangement can be in the range from 30 cm to 70 cm, preferably between 35 cm and 50 cm. Similar conditions arise for the viewing distance and the surface extent of the reflective arrangement.

A first angle can exist between the first and the second beam path, which essentially corresponds to the angle between a third beam path and the fourth beam path. In other words, the expansion of the projected light corresponds to the focusing of the reflected light. The first angle or the second angle can be less than 15°, in particular less than 10°. Most preferably, the angle can be in the range 3° to 7°, preferably 4° to 6°.

The projector can, for example, be located in a roof lining, in particular in the area of the occupant's head, which is to be maintained according to the invention. Alternatively or additionally, the projector can be located in a B-pillar of the means of transport. In the area of the B-pillar there is a sufficiently solid structure for a low-vibration arrangement of the projector. In particular, the projector can be arranged on a metallic structure of the B-pillar. For this purpose, the B-pillar trim can have a hole or another opening. The projector can be covered in the area of the B-pillar and in particular can be extended by motor from the B-pillar panel if it is to be put into operation and can be retracted into the B-pillar if it is to be taken out of operation. This can be done motorically and/or automatically. Alternatively or additionally, the projector can be arranged in a headrest of the means of transport. The disclosure for the motorized lowering or motorized protrusion of the projector also applies to the arrangement in the headrest in order to (automatically) expose it during operation and then protect it against damage, blows and vandalism by retracting it into the headrest.

The projector can be set up to be displaceable and/or pivotable in the means of transport. The movable arrangement enables (possibly automatic) adjustment of the optical conditions depending on the seating position of the occupant. The pivoting ability, in conjunction with the movability, can ensure coordination of the projection direction to the area of the reflective arrangement. In particular, the ability of the projector to pivot about a vehicle transverse axis (Y-axis) can ensure that after the projector has been displaced, the projection remains completely directed towards the reflective arrangement. If the occupant adjusts the seating position or the seating position is otherwise adapted to the occupant's physiognomy, a check of the position of the projector and/or the reflective arrangement can be carried out automatically. If necessary, a motorized, automatic adjustment of the projector and/or the reflective arrangement can ensure that the occupant's new seating position/head position/eye position is addressed by the reflection of the reflective arrangement.

The optical conditions can also change due to other configuration processes of the passenger cell. In any case, an appropriate adjustment of the reflective arrangement or its position or its orientation can ensure that the best possible function of the arrangement is always guaranteed under all envisaged circumstances. For this purpose, the reflective arrangement can also be set up to be moved and/or pivoted, which may become necessary in particular automatically in response to a changed seating position or a changed head/eye position of the occupant. If the elements of the reflective arrangement can be controlled individually, the optical adjustment of the reflective arrangement can be carried out by respective control commands to the elements of the reflective arrangement and an individual alignment of the elements of the reflective arrangement. For example, the elements can be deflected piezoelectrically or otherwise by motor from a rest position in order to continuously direct the reflection of the projection towards the head position/eye position of the occupant. The elements can be adjusted in a manner analogous to screen technologies with pivoting elementary mirrors.

The elements of the reflective arrangement can consist of individual mirrors and/or prisms. Through the individual mirrors/prisms, groups of pixels or even individual pixels can always be directed to a predefined position in the means of transport (in particular head position/eye position). In addition, other optical particles and in particular semi-bead structures (English hemi-beads or semi-spherical lens) can be designed.

The reflective arrangement can be arranged, for example, on and/or in a dashboard of the means of transport. The reflective arrangement can be designed as a flat structure in which the plurality of elements of the reflective arrangement lie in one plane. A curvature can just as easily be chosen to be concave or convex in accordance with the reflexive arrangement of a curvature of the dashboard. Because each individual element of the reflective elements determines the direction of reflection of the light falling on it, greater freedom can be used here than with conventional screen technologies. However, this does not exclude the reflective arrangement being arranged on a flat element, similar to a touchscreen or a tablet. For example, the reflective arrangement can be embedded in a table, which is designed to store objects in a lounge mode of the passenger compartment and in an inclined configuration to reflect the light coming from the projector.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a means of transportation is proposed which comprises an arrangement according to the first-mentioned aspect of the present invention. The means of transport can be designed as a car, van, truck, aircraft and/or watercraft. In particular, the means of transport can be designed as a road vehicle and/or as a commercial aircraft. The arrangement enables the means of transport to implement the same features, combinations of features and advantages of the present invention in a corresponding manner, so that reference is made to the above statements to avoid repetition.

The arrangement provided according to the invention is not limited to the reproduction of still/moving images. In conjunction with a user interface, the reflective arrangement can also be used as a second screen for mobile work, for displaying vehicle information and for user input. User input can be located and evaluated, for example, via a digitizer and/or an optical camera.

• 1 eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Fahrerarbeitsplatzes (erste Sitzreihe) eines erfindungsgemäß ausgestalteten PKWs;
• 2 eine schematische Seitenansicht auf Komponenten eines Ausführungsbeispiels einer erfindungsgemäßen Anordnung zur Unterhaltung eines Insassen;
• 3 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer reflexiven Anordnung einer erfindungsgemäßen Anordnung;
• 4 eine schematische Seitenansicht als Komponenten eines Ausführungsbeispiels einer erfindungsgemäßen Anordnung in einer gegenüber 2 geänderten Konfiguration; und
• 5 eine Prinzipdarstellung unterschiedlicher Ausführungen von Elementen einer reflexiven Anordnung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung.

Further details, features and advantages of the invention result from the following description and the figures. Show it:

• 1 a perspective view of a driver's workplace (first row of seats) of a car designed according to the invention;
• 2 a schematic side view of components of an embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention for entertaining an occupant;
• 3 a schematic sectional view of a reflective arrangement of an arrangement according to the invention;
• 4 a schematic side view as components of an embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention in one opposite 2 changed configuration; and
• 5 a schematic representation of different designs of elements of a reflective arrangement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

1 shows a car 10 as a means of transport, in whose driver's seat a driver 2 and in whose passenger seat a passenger 1 have sat. In the B-pillar 17 there is a first projector 3 on the passenger side, the light of which falls on a reflective arrangement 5 located in the dashboard 7. As a further exemplary embodiment of a projector that can be used according to the invention, a retractable or extendable projector 4 is provided in a headrest 18, the light of which also falls on the reflective arrangement 5 in the dashboard 7. The light reflected by the reflective arrangement 5 is directed towards the eye area of the passenger 1.

2 shows a schematic side view of a second exemplary embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention, in which a projector 15 which can be moved in the direction of a double arrow x and pivoted about a vehicle transverse axis y is arranged in the headliner 16. The projection light has an opening angle α, so that the first beam path 8 in the area of an upper edge of the reflective arrangement 5 and a second beam path 9 in the area of a lower edge of the reflective arrangement 5 are reflected in the direction of an eye of the viewer as a head position 14. The reflected light of the first beam path 8 is shown as the third beam path 11 and the reflected light of the second beam path 9 is shown as the fourth beam path 12. In addition, a reflected light cone 13 is shown as an example, which has an opening angle β. The opening angle β is usually in the low single-digit degree range, so that a high energy (80%, esp special > 90%) is thrown in the direction of the user's head position 14, while other areas of the room receive significantly lower intensities. Furthermore, a double arrow P is arranged, which illustrates the adjustability of the position of the reflective arrangement 5 in the dashboard 7. In this way, a changed sitting position or a changed head position 14 can be reacted to.

3 shows a schematic representation of a reflective arrangement 5 having a large number of elements 6. The elements 6 are arranged in the manner of a Fresnel lens, so that a kind of concave mirror effect results. In other words, a central element 6 is aligned essentially parallel to the surface of the dashboard 7, while the elements 6 located in the direction of the edge areas experience an increasing straightening. In this way, the light reflected by the reflective arrangement is focused on the occupant's head position.

$$\to \text{c}=\mathrm{8,37}\text{cm}$$

$$\begin{array}{l}\text{Hilfswinkel: }180°-90°-4°=86°\\ \text{cos}\left(120°-86°\right)=\text{cos}\left(34°\right)=\text{c/d}\\ \to \text{d}=\text{8}\text{,37cm/cos}\left(34°\right)\\ \to \text{d}=\mathrm{10,1}\text{cm}\end{array}$$

4 shows one accordingly 2 designed arrangement in a geometrically different configuration. The projector 15 has been moved towards the rear of the vehicle. So that the light emitted by it remains directed at the reflective arrangement 5, the projector 15 is also pivoted about the Y axis in the negative direction of rotation. The occupant's head position 14 is significantly higher than in 2 . In this way, the light transmitter (projector 15) and the light receiver (occupant's head position 14) have been brought significantly closer to one another. For an angle γ = 4° and the geometric relationships shown, with a length of the third beam path 11 of 120 cm and an angle between the third beam path 11 and the head-projector distance d of 120°, the following relationships result: $$\text{sin}\left(4°\right)=\text{c/}120\text{cm}$$

$$\to \text{c}=8.37\text{cm}$$

$$\begin{array}{l}\text{Auxiliary angle:}180°-90°-4°=86°\\ \text{cos}\left(120°-86°\right)=\text{cos}\left(34°\right)=\text{CD}\\ \to \text{d}=\text{8th}\text{.37cm/cos}\left(34°\right)\\ \to \text{d}=10.1\text{cm}\end{array}$$

Due to the geometric conditions, for reflective elements of the reflective arrangement 5 with a reflection angle (opening behavior) of 4°, the projector can be located approximately 10 cm above the viewer's head or the head position 14.

• Links im Bild sind exemplarisch zwei sphärische Linsen dargestellt, welche das einfallende Licht in zur Einfallsrichtung im Wesentlichen identische Richtung reflektieren. Rechts unten im Bild ist ein Prisma als Element 6 dargestellt, welches durch Doppelreflexion um jeweils 90° ein katzenaugenähnliches Verhalten zeigt, wobei die Hauptenergie des einfallenden Lichtes annähernd entsprechend der Einfallsrichtung reflektiert wird.

5 shows a schematic representation of a reflective arrangement 5, onto which a first beam path 8 falls, the light reflected by the reflective arrangement 5 being reflected back in the direction of the projector 3 in the form of a third beam path 11. Two physical principles, presented as examples, ensure this:

• On the left of the picture, two spherical lenses are shown as examples, which reflect the incident light in a direction that is essentially identical to the direction of incidence. At the bottom right of the picture, a prism is shown as element 6, which shows a cat's eye-like behavior through double reflection by 90°, with the main energy of the incident light being reflected approximately in accordance with the direction of incidence.

The arrangement according to the invention results in a visually appealing or inconspicuous arrangement that is favorable in terms of driving safety and crash technology for entertaining an occupant of a means of transport.

List of reference symbols:

1

passenger

2

driver

3, 4

projector

5

reflexive arrangement

6

element

7

dashboard

8th

first beam path

9

second beam path

10

car

11

third beam path

12

fourth beam path

13

reflected light cone

14

Head position

15

projector

16

headliner

17

B-pillar

18

headrest

d

Head clearance

P

Double arrow

x

Double arrow

y

Double arrow

α, β, γ

angle

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102018117569 A1 [0003]
• EP 1053491 [0004]

Claims (11)

Arrangement for the entertainment of an inmate (1) a means of transport (10) comprising: • a projector (3, 4, 15) and • a reflexive arrangement (5), - wherein the reflective arrangement (5) has a plurality of elements (6), and - the projector (3, 4, 15) being set up, - to throw a first component of a projection in a first beam path (8) onto a first element (6) of the plurality of elements and - to throw a second component of a projection in a second beam path (9) that is different from the first beam path onto a second element (6) of the plurality of elements that is different from the first element (6), whereby -the first element (6) is aligned and/or designed in such a way that the first component is reflected with a maximum intensity in a third beam path (11) in the direction of a head position (14) of the occupant (1), and -the second element (6) is aligned and/or designed in such a way that the second component is reflected with a maximum intensity in a fourth beam path (12) in the direction of the head position (14) of the occupant (1). Arrangement according to Claim 1 , wherein the first beam path (8) and the second beam path (9) are not arranged parallel and / or the third beam path (11) and the fourth beam path (12) are not arranged parallel to one another. Arrangement according to Claim 1 or 2 , wherein there is a first angle (α) between the first beam path (8) and the second beam path (9) and a second angle (β) between the third beam path (11) and the fourth beam path (12), the first angle being in Essentially identical to the second angle. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein an angle of less than 15°, in particular less than 10°, exists between the first beam path (8) and the third beam path (11) and between the second beam path (9) and the fourth beam path (12). Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the projector (3, 4, 15) is set up in - a roof lining (16) and/or - a B-pillar (17) and/or - A headrest (18), in particular in the same motorized and / or automatically retractable, to be arranged in the means of transport (10). Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the projector (3, 4, 15) is set up to be displaceable and/or pivotable and in particular to be automatically aligned depending on a sitting position of the occupant (1). Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the reflective arrangement (5) is set up to be displaceable and/or pivotable and, in particular, to be automatically aligned depending on a sitting position of the occupant (1). Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of elements of the reflective arrangement (5) is set up to be arranged individually and in particular in a pivotable manner relative to one another and in particular to be automatically aligned depending on a sitting position of the occupant (1). Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of elements of the reflective arrangement are individual - Mirror and/or - Prisms and/or - Particles and/or - Has semi-pearl structures. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the reflective arrangement (5) is arranged on and/or in a dashboard (7) of the means of transport (10). Means of transport (10) comprising an arrangement according to one of the preceding claims.

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