DE102020105812A1 - Vehicle device for generating three-dimensional floating light functions outside the vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle device (10) for generating three-dimensional floating light functions (26) outside the vehicle (12) as well as a vehicle n (12) which comprises such a vehicle device. It is provided that a vehicle device (10) for generating three-dimensional floating light functions outside of a vehicle (12) is provided. Such a vehicle device (10) comprises a light unit (14), image units (18) and lens units (22). An image unit (18) is provided between each of the lens units (22) and the light unit (14), each image unit (18) at least three separate and at least partially transparent individual images (20) of an individual view of the same motif (21). have, so that due to emitted light beams (16) of the at least one light unit (14) in the activated state, which emit from the vehicle device (10) through respective image units (18) and lens units (22), between a viewer and the vehicle device (10) a three-dimensional floating light function (26) can be provided.

Description

The invention relates to a vehicle device for generating three-dimensional floating light functions outside the vehicle and to a vehicle which comprises at least one such vehicle device.

Vehicles are used today in a wide variety of environments and for a wide variety of purposes. Today's environments, especially urban environments, are changing ever faster, so that previous vehicle concepts sometimes either have to be adapted accordingly or even completely changed. A constant improvement of the vehicles and the associated specialization of the vehicles for these different environments and purposes are among other things a reaction to the constantly changing conditions under which the vehicles are used. The safety aspect during the use of the vehicles is particularly in the focus of improvements and technical innovations. One area represents the perceptibility of vehicles for other road users. This perceptibility encompasses a wide variety of aspects. One aspect is the perceptibility of actively changing conditions of a vehicle. In the simplest case, this can be a simple change in position, but also a suddenly initiated state of motion of the vehicle. In other words, it is absolutely necessary, on the one hand, to perceive a vehicle and its respective position even in poor light conditions in a current environment and, on the other hand, to perceive suddenly occurring movement states and / or movement sequences in good time and consistently.

A wide variety of lighting concepts, which are mostly integrated directly into a vehicle architecture, are already provided for these purposes, so that information can be transmitted by means of emitted light beams for the purpose of perceiving activities relating to the usage cycle of vehicles. These lighting concepts sometimes reach their limits, especially in heavily lit urban environments, as a large number of visual impressions affect all road users and thus a differentiated perception of the various activities of the surrounding vehicles can pose a certain challenge. This effect increases in particular with the onset of twilight and especially in the dark, for example at night or also while driving through tunnels, so that there is a certain need for improvements in lighting concepts for future vehicles. Some examples from the prior art are presented below, which deal in the broadest sense with the relationships explained above.

So is from the pamphlet DE 10 2004 025 251 A1 a warning device for motor vehicles can be found as known. In particular, a warning device for motor vehicles with a laser light emitter or laser projector having a diode is disclosed, the diode emitting a bundled light beam which makes signal information visible to the driver of another vehicle at least on a specific reflective surface on the rear window. The signal information appears to the driver of a following vehicle on the reflective surface of the rear window or outside the rear window of the motor vehicle as a warning triangle.

From the pamphlet DE 10 2006 050 547 A1 a method for displaying information can also be found as known. In such a method for displaying information, in which at least one projection object is generated at a projection location outside of a motor vehicle by means of projection means provided on the motor vehicle, at least one projection object generated is generated in such a way that at least one object part of this projection object is essentially accessible to other road users without optical aids is invisible, and the at least one object part of this projection object that is essentially invisible to other road users is made visible to the driver of the motor vehicle by optical aids.

The invention is now based on the object of providing an alternative vehicle device which ensures a particularly reliable perception of activities of a vehicle for other road users.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that a vehicle device for generating three-dimensional floating light functions is provided outside of a vehicle. Such a vehicle device comprises at least one lighting unit, at least two spaced-apart image units and at least two lens units. An image unit is provided between each of the at least two lens units and the at least one light unit, each image unit each having at least three separate and at least partially transparent individual images of an individual view of the same motif, the individual views of the same motif at least with regard to their individual Differentiate the viewing angle when creating the individual images, so that on the basis of emitted light beams of the at least one light unit in the activated state, which radiate from the vehicle device through respective image units and lens units, a three-dimensional floating light function can be provided between a viewer and the vehicle device. The image units can also be referred to as a respective image matrix. The lens units can also be referred to as pixels or microlenses.

The vehicle device is to be arranged on a vehicle according to its purpose and can then be activated from this position. A viewer of this vehicle device and the associated light function can be, for example, another vehicle driver in another vehicle that is located in the vicinity of the vehicle with the vehicle device. The viewer could also be a respective other road user who can perceive the vehicle and, accordingly, the vehicle device and the light function. The light function is therefore not perceived directly on the vehicle itself, but at a certain distance, that is to say at a distance, from the radiating vehicle device. This effect has the effect that a particularly reliable perception of activities of this vehicle can be guaranteed for other road users. The light function draws attention particularly strongly due to its distance from the vehicle on which the vehicle device is arranged and which can thus essentially be viewed as the source of this light function, so that subsequent or parallel activities are followed accordingly by the vehicle . The image units are spaced from one another in such a way that they can be perceived by a viewer at the same time. In this way and due to the fact that the image unit with the individual images is partially transparent and provided with different views of the same motif, the light function is thus composed in such a way that the viewer ultimately sees the motif provided on the respective image units composed of the individual light rays in visually perceives a distance from the vehicle. The individual or different views of the same motif are based on individual viewing angles that are taken when creating the individual images. In other words, the individual images are calculated (rendered) for the different viewing angles, for example, and then exposed. In this way, instead of generating the different individual images of the same motif, for example with a correspondingly shifted camera device with respective recording viewing angles, a particularly large number of individual images can be generated in a very short time. For example, several thousand individual images can be provided for the application explained above.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that a vehicle comprising at least one vehicle device according to one of claims 1 to 9 is provided. The aforementioned advantages also apply to the vehicle presented, insofar as they are transferable.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention emerge from the other features mentioned in the subclaims.

A further embodiment of the invention provides that the lens units are arranged on a movably mounted holding device so that a changed position of the three-dimensionally floating light function can be set in a user-defined manner by changing the position of the holding device. Depending on the position of the lens units assumed by means of the holding device, a viewer will perceive the light function as an image of the motif differently at a corresponding distance and a corresponding viewing angle. A desired effect can thus be provided as a function of a distance between the viewer and the vehicle or the vehicle device, so that the perceptibility of the light function can be increased in a targeted manner for a specific viewer or, conversely, can also be weakened. This effect can also take place dynamically in a user-defined change, so that the perceptibility can be increased even further.

Another embodiment of the invention also provides that the image units are each provided as a slide image unit with the respective individual images. In this way, a particularly good arrangement with particularly small lens units can be implemented so that a corresponding total number of these image units and lens units can be particularly large in a manageable space in an outer area of the vehicle.

Furthermore, a further embodiment of the invention provides that the image units are each dynamically switchable by means of a control unit, so that a dynamically switchable three-dimensional floating light function can be provided. In this way, the perceptibility can be increased even further.

In addition, a further embodiment of the invention provides that the vehicle device is designed to be arranged on a tailgate of a vehicle, so that the three-dimensional floating light function can be provided as a variable tail light signature. In this way, a warning symbol as a motif or a light function as a monochrome stop light can be provided, in particular for road users who are behind this vehicle, for example by means of the vehicle device. Since this light function is not only particularly easy to perceive, but also appears visually at a certain distance from the vehicle, a subsequent road user or, in general, a viewer can be informed at an early stage about possible activities of the vehicle. For example, a suddenly occurring braking function can thus be provided quickly and clearly by means of the light function, which is also particularly easy to perceive. The variable tail light signature can, for example, be provided as a basic program only in one color in a shade of red and without any special design of the motif. However, a more elaborate design of the motif is also conceivable, so that the vehicle driver or the owner of the vehicle can provide a special motif.

A further embodiment of the invention also provides that the vehicle device is designed to be arranged on a rear light, in particular a rear fog light, of a vehicle so that the three-dimensional floating light function can be provided as a variable display signature. In this way, in particular for road users who are behind this vehicle, a particularly easily perceptible signal light function can be provided, for example, by means of the vehicle device. The associated activities of the vehicle are therefore particularly easy to perceive. Since this light function is not only particularly easy to perceive, but also appears visually at a certain distance from the vehicle, a subsequent road user or a viewer in general can be informed at an early stage about possible activities of the vehicle.

Furthermore, a further embodiment of the invention provides that the vehicle device is designed to be arranged on a vehicle flap, in particular a vehicle door, of a vehicle so that the three-dimensional floating light function can be provided as a customizable display signature and / or distance display.

For example, a certain space requirement can thus be represented by means of the light function, which can be perceived particularly well by other road users or viewers. A certain function of the vehicle can thus also be illustrated.

In addition, a further embodiment of the invention provides that the vehicle device is designed to be coupled to a central control unit of the vehicle so that the three-dimensional floating light function can be combined with light beams from at least one activated vehicle lamp. In this way, perceptibility can be reinforced again.

Finally, a further embodiment of the invention provides that the at least one lighting unit comprises at least one LED lighting element. The advantages mentioned above can thus be implemented even better.

The various embodiments of the invention mentioned in this application can be advantageously combined with one another, unless stated otherwise in the individual case.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung einer Draufsicht von einer Fahrzeugvorrichtung zur Erzeugung von dreidimensionalen schwebenden Lichtfunktionen außerhalb eines Fahrzeugs;
• 2 eine perspektivische Darstellung von einer an einer Heckklappe von einem Fahrzeug angeordneten Fahrzeugvorrichtung;
• 3 eine perspektivische Darstellung von einer an einer Heckleuchte, von einem Fahrzeug angeordneten Fahrzeugvorrichtung;
• 4 eine perspektivische Darstellung von einer an einer Fahrzeugtür von einem Fahrzeug angeordneten Fahrzeugvorrichtung;
• 5 eine schematische Darstellung von einem Fahrzeug mit einer F ah rzeugvorrichtu ng;
• 6 eine schematische Detailansicht einer Fahrzeugvorrichtung zur Erzeugung von dreidimensionalen schwebenden Lichtfunktionen außerhalb eines Fahrzeugs.

The invention is explained below in exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

• 1 a schematic representation of a plan view of a vehicle device for generating three-dimensional floating light functions outside of a vehicle;
• 2 a perspective illustration of a vehicle device arranged on a tailgate of a vehicle;
• 3 a perspective view of a vehicle device arranged on a rear light of a vehicle;
• 4th a perspective illustration of a vehicle device arranged on a vehicle door of a vehicle;
• 5 a schematic representation of a vehicle with a vehicle device;
• 6th a schematic detailed view of a vehicle device for generating three-dimensional floating light functions outside of a vehicle.

1 shows a schematic representation of a top view of a vehicle device 10 for generating three-dimensional floating light functions 26th outside of a vehicle 12th . The vehicle 12th is in the 1 shown in greatly simplified form. The vehicle device 10 comes with a light unit 14th shown. In an embodiment not shown in detail, the vehicle device 10 also more than one light unit 14th include. The light unit 14th is only shown by means of a symbol. It is conceivable, for example, that the lighting unit 14th comprises at least one LED element and / or other lighting means. The light unit 14th is in designed, rays of light 16 to radiate from right to left, based on the image plane. These rays of light 16 meet the image units 18th with the individual images 20th , being part of the light rays 16 through these image units 18th shine and continue to the left. In this representation is per image unit 18th only one single image at a time 20th with the motif 21 representative of the at least three individual images 20th per imaging unit 18th shown. The other individual images 20th can, for example, be evenly distributed on the respective image unit shown 18th be provided. At this point, the detailed view in 6th referenced. The two image units shown 18th are spaced from each other. In an embodiment variant not shown in detail, more than two image units can also be used 18th be provided, with all image units 18th at least three frames 20th have different views of the same motif 21 represent. Left after the image units 18th are respective lens units 22nd shown. The number of lens units shown 22nd is only shown here as an example. The number of image units 18th is each with the number of lens units 22nd to choose together. In principle, the vehicle device shown is 10 so provided that between each of the at least one lens unit 22nd and the at least one light unit 14th each a partially transparent image unit 18th with the at least three frames 20th is provided so that due to emitted light rays 16 the at least one light unit 14th in the activated state, which is indicated by respective image units 18th and lens units 22nd from the vehicle device 10 radiate between a viewer 24 and the vehicle device 10 a three-dimensional floating light function 26th is produced. Viewer, observer 24 is here only greatly simplified with two eyes 28 , 30th shown. Two direction arrows 32 represent the direction under which the viewer is 24 the rays of light 16 after each passage through the respective lens units 22nd receives. The lens units 22nd are also on a holding device 25th shown arranged. This holding device 25th is provided movably mounted, the vehicle device 10 at least partially also by means of this holding device 25th on the vehicle 12th is attachable. The light function 26th ultimately represents the motive 21 floating and three-dimensional, whereby it is produced from individual points of light. In other words, respective rays of light travel 16 of the imaging units 18th and then through respective lens units 22nd so that these rays of light 16 then on the eyes 28 , 30th meet. The complete field of light rays 16 then leaves the floating light function 26th develop. Behind every lens unit 22nd are therefore different views of the same motif 21 provided. This is then composed from different perspectives, with individual points from each lens causing this effect. Thus, the light function 26th can be perceived as a floating light phenomenon. No projection plane is required.

2 shows a perspective view of one on a tailgate 34 from a vehicle 12th arranged vehicle device 10 . Here is this vehicle device 10 shown in an activated state, so spaced from the tailgate 34 and thus also from the vehicle 12th and the vehicle device 10 a light function 26th is shown schematically. The associated principle is already in the 1 and therefore applies in the same way to the in 2 illustrated vehicle device 10 . This distance is in the 2 specifically by means of a distance specification 36 shown. For example, this distance specification could 36 three meters.

3 shows a perspective view of one on a rear light 38 , from a vehicle 12th arranged vehicle device 10 . Here is this vehicle device 10 shown in an activated state, so spaced from the rear light 38 and thus also from the vehicle 12th and the vehicle device 10 a light function 26th is shown schematically. The rear light 38 can, for example, comprise a rear fog light and, in addition, the rear light shown can 38 include a variable or customizable tail light signature. The one with the light function 26th connected principle is already in the 1 and therefore applies in the same way to the in 3 illustrated vehicle device 10 . This distance is in the 3 specifically by means of a distance specification 36 shown. For example, this distance specification could 36 three meters.

4th shows a perspective view of one on a vehicle door 40 from a vehicle 12th arranged vehicle device 10 . Here is this vehicle device 10 shown in an activated state, so spaced from the vehicle door 40 and thus also from the vehicle 12th and the vehicle device 10 a light function 26th is shown schematically. The associated principle is already in the 1 and therefore applies in the same way to the in 4th illustrated vehicle device 10 .

5 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle 12th with a vehicle device 10 . In an embodiment not shown in detail, this vehicle can 12th also more than one vehicle device 10 include.

6th shows a schematic detailed view of a vehicle device 10 to generate three-dimensional floating light functions outside of a vehicle 12th . A total of three lens units are shown schematically 22nd shown, which on respective places of a shown matrix 42 are provided. The matrix 42 serves only to illustrate an exemplary arrangement of a plurality of lens units 22nd each of which is provided, for example, in the form of a microlens, which can also be referred to as a pixel. The matrix 42 has consecutively numbered placeholders, with the respective numerical values in the 6th correspondingly represent an intended order in rows and columns of these placeholders. On the lens unit 22nd , which on the placeholder with the numerical value 12th is shown is an example of the image in the foreground of this 6th image unit shown 18th to recognize. The imaging unit shown 18th in the foreground shows a total of nine individual images 20th on, which are provided evenly arranged in three rows and three columns. These frames 20th are thus shown separately from one another, each being at least partially transparent. Every single picture 20th has one in this 6th not shown in detail individual view of the same motif 21 on, with the individual views of the same subject 21 are calculated for the individual images in such a way that individual views result according to a respective individual viewing angle. On the image unit shown in the foreground 18th which are spaced from the lens units 22nd is provided, a lens unit outline is only used to illustrate the size relationships 44 shown. In other words, it is conceivable that the imaging unit 18th correspondingly larger than the respective assigned lens unit 22nd is provided. The one in the 6th The size ratios shown are to be understood in the present form as one of many examples not shown in more detail for illustrative purposes only.

List of reference symbols

10

Vehicle device

12th

vehicle

14th

Light unit

16

Beam of light

18th

Imaging unit

20th

Single image

21

motive

22nd

Lens unit

24

Viewer

25th

Holding device

26th

Light function

28

first eye

30th

second eye

32

Direction arrow

34

Tailgate

36

Distance specification

38

Rear light

40

Vehicle door

42

matrix

44

Lens unit outline

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the 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.

Patent literature cited

• DE 102004025251 A1 [0004]
• DE 102006050547 A1 [0005]

Claims (10)

Vehicle device (10) for generating three-dimensional floating light functions outside of a vehicle (12) comprising at least one lighting unit (14), at least two spaced-apart image units (18) and at least two lens units (22), characterized in that between each of the at least two lens units (22) and the at least one lighting unit (14) each have an image unit (18), each image unit (18) each having at least three separate and at least partially transparent individual images (20) of an individual view of the same motif (21), with the individual views of the same motif (21) differ at least with regard to their individual viewing angle when the individual images (20) are created, so that due to the emitted light beams (16) of the at least one light unit (14) in the activated state, which are indicated by the respective image units (18 ) and lens units (22) from de R emit vehicle device (10), a three-dimensional floating light function (26) can be provided between a viewer and the vehicle device (10). Vehicle device (10) according to Claim 1 , wherein the lens units (22) are arranged on a movably mounted holding device (25) so that a changed position of the three-dimensionally floating light function (26) can be set in a user-defined manner by changing the position of the holding device (25). Vehicle device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the image units (18) are each provided as a slide image unit with the respective individual images. Vehicle device (10) according to one of the preceding Claims 1 until 2 wherein the image units (18) can each be switched dynamically by means of a control unit, so that a dynamically switchable three-dimensional floating light function (26) can be provided. Vehicle device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle device (10) is designed to be arranged on a tailgate (34) of a vehicle (12) so that the three-dimensional floating light function (26) can be provided as a variable tail light signature. Vehicle device (10) according to one of the preceding Claims 1 until 3 , wherein the vehicle device (10) is designed to be arranged on a rear light (38), in particular a rear fog light, of a vehicle (12) so that the three-dimensional floating light function (26) can be provided as a variable display signature. Vehicle device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle device (10) is designed to be arranged on a vehicle flap, in particular a vehicle door (40) of a vehicle (12), so that the three-dimensional floating light function (26) as a variable Display signature and / or distance display can be provided. Vehicle device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle device (10) is designed to be coupled to a central control unit of the vehicle (12) so that the three-dimensional floating light function (26) can be combined with light beams (16) from at least one activated vehicle lamp is. Vehicle device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one lighting unit (14) comprises at least one LED lighting element. Vehicle (12) comprising at least one vehicle device (10) according to one of the Claims 1 until 9 .

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