DE102021122159A1 - Compact dual head-up display for two occupants in a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a compact multi-user head-up display device for a vehicle, which is designed to generate a separate virtual display image in the field of view of two or more users who are offset from one another in a horizontal direction of the device. The device comprises an imaging unit with a display surface, which is designed to generate individual display content for the two or more users in associated different display surface areas, and a compact combiner disk, which is arranged in the beam path of a total beam of rays emanating from the display surface and in the horizontal direction of the device is divided into two or more reflection sub-areas, each of which reflects only a partial beam of rays with the display content intended for one of the users to its eyebox. For this purpose, the partial reflection surfaces intended for neighboring users close together at a horizontal angle of incidence of more than 180° in each case, forming a kink in the combiner disk, so that partial beams of rays that are reflected to different users cannot cross.

Description

The invention relates to head-up display devices, which are also known by the name head-up display (HUD) and can be used in particular in a motor vehicle or another land, air or water vehicle. Such field of view display devices are designed to generate a virtual display image superimposed in the field of vision of a user via reflection on a vehicle windshield or on a combiner pane provided specifically for this purpose, which is arranged in the user's field of vision. The invention also relates to a vehicle equipped therewith.

For example, it is known for motor vehicles to use a so-called combiner HUD to superimpose display content such as information about a speed limit or other useful navigation and vehicle operating instructions in the form of a virtual display image on the real image of the surroundings in front of the vehicle observed by the driver, so that he can see do not have to turn away from the road to read this display. For this purpose, a combiner HUD includes a combiner pane, which is arranged on the inside of the vehicle in front of the windshield in the driver's field of vision and is at least partially transparent to the ambient light incident through the windshield. To generate the display content, a combiner HUD in a classic design includes a projection unit located below the combiner screen inside the instrument panel. This contains an imaging unit, for example a display, for generating a light beam with the desired display content and, if necessary, suitable imaging and projection optics to shape the generated light beam and direct it onto the combiner disk so that it reflects from it to the driver's eyes and he can see the virtual display image as hovering at a suitable distance behind the combiner disk.

Such head-up systems currently only work for one user, for example only for the driver. This means that if a second user (e.g. a passenger) wants to see relevant driving information, they have to look at conventional displays in the instrument panel such as the instrument cluster or the central information display. The passenger cannot see the virtual display image, which is generated by a combiner HUD directly in front of the driver.

In order to enable this form of display for several occupants in the vehicle, a separate HUD system must currently be installed for each person, such as the driver and front passenger, in the area in front of this person. This is correspondingly expensive in terms of costs, installation space and complexity.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an alternative head-up display device which is improved in terms of cost, installation space, complexity or other aspects and which enables the generation of virtual display images in the field of view of two or more users at the same time. In particular, this head-up display device should be suitable for use in a vehicle.

This object is achieved by a head-up display device according to claim 1 and by a vehicle equipped therewith according to the independent claim. Further developments are specified in the dependent claims. All further features and effects mentioned in the claims and the following description for the field of vision display device also apply in relation to the vehicle, and vice versa.

According to a first aspect, a compact multi-user visual field display device (hereinafter also simply referred to as “visual field display device”) is provided, which can be designed in particular for use in a vehicle. The head-up display device can be embodied as a head-up display (HUD), for example. The vehicle can be a motor vehicle, but also any other land, air or water vehicle.

The proposed head-up display device is designed to generate a separate virtual display image in the field of view of two or more users whose eyeboxes are offset from one another or arranged next to one another in relation to a horizontal direction of the head-up display device, in particular at a predetermined distance from one another in said horizontal direction. (As usual, an eyebox is understood to be a two- or three-dimensional spatial area from which the respective user can see the virtual display image generated for him, in particular with an unrestricted display quality.)

For this purpose, the field of vision display device firstly comprises an imaging unit with a display surface, which is designed to independently generate individual display content for each of these users in associated different display surface areas. Secondly, the visual field display device comprises a compact combiner disk, which is arranged in the beam path of a total beam of rays emanating from the display surface. Here is the combiner disc divided in the horizontal direction of the head-up display device into two or more reflective sub-areas, each intended only for one of the users, in that each reflective sub-area reflects only a partial beam of rays with the display content intended for this user to its eyebox.

This functionality is ensured by the fact that the partial reflection surfaces intended for neighboring users connect to one another at a suitable horizontal angle of attack of more than 180° in each case, with the formation of a corresponding kink in the combiner pane. In other words, at the transition from a partial reflection surface to the partial reflection surface provided for the next user, the combiner disk is designed to "bend backwards" from the user's point of view.

Thanks to this configuration of the combiner disk, the partial beams of rays that are reflected by different partial reflection surfaces cross each other only in their virtual continuation behind the combiner disk and can therefore only reach the eyebox intended for the associated user. The virtual display images generated for different users can also cross behind the combiner disk (cf. the 2 until 6b examples shown). They are only visible to the associated user.

• Störung eines Benutzers durch Anzeigeinhalte, die einem anderen Benutzer dargestellt werden, ist mit dem hierin beschriebenen Aufbau der Combinerscheibe ausgeschlossen. Selbst wenn ein Benutzer seinen Kopf stark in Richtung seines Nachbars drehen würde, könnte er dessen virtuelles Anzeigebild nicht sehen. Dadurch kann nicht nur Privatsphäre unter den Benutzern zuverlässig gewahrt werden, sondern ist auch eine besondere Eignung zum Einsatz in einem Fahrzeug gegeben: Der Fahrer kann durch Anzeigeinhalte, die für die Beifahrer bestimmt sind, auch dann nicht gestört werden, wenn er beim Ausführen der Fahraufgabe seine Blickrichtung stark ändern muss, um in seitliche Bereiche der Frontscheibe oder in die Seitenscheiben des Fahrzeugs zu blicken.

One idea of the present invention is therefore to enable a display for, for example, two different people, such as a driver and another occupant in a motor vehicle, with a single and compactly designed head-up display device (HUD). The system proposed here makes it possible, in particular with comparatively simple means, to display an independent image/film for the driver and front passenger. For example, the driver can be shown a virtual display image with important driver information such as speed information or navigation, while at the same time an entertainment film is shown in the front passenger's field of vision. The driver remains undisturbed, he cannot see an image:

• Disturbance of a user by display content presented to another user is ruled out with the structure of the combiner disk described herein. Even if a user turned his head strongly toward his neighbor, he could not see his virtual display image. As a result, not only can privacy among the users be reliably maintained, but there is also a particular suitability for use in a vehicle: the driver cannot be disturbed by display content intended for the passengers, even if he is performing the driving task has to change his line of sight significantly in order to look into the side areas of the windscreen or into the side windows of the vehicle.

The combiner disk can be designed so compactly that in its horizontal direction it only extends in a spatial area directly opposite a user and/or between two such spatial areas. The combiner pane can in particular be designed to be at least partially transparent to the ambient light incident on the rear, so that the virtual display image is superimposed on a real environment viewed by the user. The combiner disk can, but does not necessarily have to, be in one piece, i. H. be formed uninterruptedly at the transition between the individual partial reflection surfaces: The partial reflection surfaces intended for neighboring users can also be formed separately from one another and adjoin one another at the stated angle of incidence or be arranged close to one another. However, they can also be connected to one another without an interruption in the combiner disk. Different options for this and their respective properties and effects/advantages are evident from the embodiments and examples given below. Additional optical components such as, for example, deflection mirrors for folding the beam path or other types of optical elements can be provided between the imaging unit and the combiner disk, but are generally not required.

The basic principle of the image generation can be similar to a combiner HUD of the type mentioned at the beginning, but the difference lies in the combiner disk, which also serves as a mirror here, but is divided into two or more partial reflection surfaces for a separate eyebox each. For each eye box, the associated partial reflection surface is designed as an optimally shaped mirror pane (for example one for the driver and another for the passenger). Certain associated areas of the display surface are reflected back to the user's eyes via these mirrors in order to become visible as virtual display images. The individual partial reflection surfaces can be flat (planar) or designed with a suitable curvature for a desired additional optical effect such as image enlargement, etc.

According to one specific embodiment, the visual field display device is designed to generate mutually independent virtual display images for precisely two users, for example a driver and a passenger. In this execution The display surface is divided into two associated display surface areas for the independent generation of individual display content for the two users. The combiner disk is also subdivided into exactly two partial reflection surfaces, which adjoin one another at a predetermined horizontal angle of attack of more than 180° with the formation of a kink in the combiner disk. In other words, the combiner disk is designed to bend backwards at the transition from a first partial reflection surface to the second partial reflection surface provided for the second user, so that a first partial beam of rays, which is reflected by the first partial reflection surface, and the second partial beam of rays , which is reflected by the second reflection partial surface, cross only in its virtual continuation behind the combiner disk.

In principle, only one display is required for the head-up display device of the type presented here. In other words, the imaging unit can be designed with a continuous display area, which is divided into the different display area areas mentioned for the different users. This can result in a particularly space-saving overall structure of the visual field display device that is economical to manufacture. The subdivision of the display area into the individual display area areas and their relative sizes can be (pre-)programmed in the display control and flexibly varied as required. The information of the respective display can be set by the user: Similar to how a driver can select information to be displayed in a conventional combiner HUD via a user interface on board the vehicle, this can also be implemented for the other users/occupants in the present visual field display device.

As an alternative to this, the imaging unit can comprise two or more separately designed individual displays whose respective individual display areas form the various display area areas mentioned for the different users. In this configuration, the individual display surface areas can also be designed differently in terms of hardware, depending on the requirements for the respective user, with different display technologies and/or resolutions and/or diagonal sizes being able to be used, for example.

According to one embodiment, the combiner disk is displaceable as a whole relative to the display surface, at least in said horizontal direction of the field of view display device, in order to change relative surface areas of said display surface areas in the display surface (and thus relative sizes of the virtual display images generated for different users in the horizontal direction). In this case, the device is set up to control the imaging unit for generating the display content intended for different users in associated display surface areas, which correspond to the respectively set position of the combiner disk relative to the display surface. For the fully automated and/or user-controlled displacement of the combiner disk, the visual field display device can have a suitable kinematic device, for example in the form of an electromechanical actuator. In principle, it is also possible for the user to move the combiner disc manually.

In this embodiment, the imaging unit can be designed in particular as a single display with a continuous display surface, the division of which into individual display surface areas can be varied by the display control. In particular, the horizontal dimensions of the combiner disk can go well beyond the cross section of the total beam of rays, so that the combiner disk reflects the entire beam of rays generated by the display in every adjustable horizontal position, but with a different distribution to the different users.

According to one embodiment, at least one of the partial reflection surfaces can be rotated about a predetermined horizontal axis of rotation (i.e. tiltable with respect to the vertical) independently of the other partial reflection surfaces of the combiner disk, in order to adjust the beam propagation direction of the partial beam of rays reflected by this partial reflection surface to a seat height and/or Adjust seat back inclination of the user concerned. As a result, for example, the eyebox position and the virtual display image position can be adapted to changing between a sitting and lying position of the user in question. The predetermined horizontal axis of rotation extends along the horizontal direction of the head-up display device. For fully automated and/or user-controlled tilting of the partial reflection surface, the visual field display device can have a suitable kinematic device, for example in the form of an electromechanical actuator. This can be implemented in combination with a head-position sensor in order to automatically track the tilting of the partial reflection surface to a head position of the relevant user. In principle, however, manual tilting of the partial reflection area by the user is also possible.

According to one embodiment, the combiner disk is designed as a continuously flat (ie, planar) or kink-free curved support disc with a prismatic layer or film incorporated therein or thereon. In this embodiment, the prismatic layer/foil extends along the carrier disk and ideally over the entire surface of the combiner disk, which is designed in a cohesive manner. In the prismatic layer/foil, many identical prisms are arranged next to one another along the surface of the combiner disk, for example evenly distributed. In particular, they can in each case directly adjoin one another.

In this embodiment, the partial reflection surfaces of the combiner disk, which are angled relative to one another, are each composed of a large number of identical reflecting prism edges of these prisms. The number and size of the individual prisms are not subject to any restrictions. Purely by way of example, the linear dimensions of the individual prisms along the combiner disk can be in the millimeter or micrometer range. The reflective effect of the prism edges for the sub-beam in question can be realized in any suitable manner, for example by total reflection at an optical interface or by an extra reflective coating provided. In this embodiment, the combiner pane in a vehicle can basically also be formed by a surface section of the front pane, in which the said prismatic layer/foil is incorporated/applied.

According to a further aspect, a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle or any other land, air or water vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a windshield, an instrument panel arranged underneath, and a compact multi-user head-up display device of the type set out herein, the imaging unit of which is arranged inside the instrument panel or on top of it, and the combiner screen of which is arranged above the imaging unit. The spatial orientation terms such as "above", "below", "below", "horizontal", "vertical" etc. refer to the usual Cartesian coordinate system fixed to the vehicle with the longitudinal, transverse and vertical directions of the vehicle perpendicular to one another.

A driver's seat and at least one further vehicle seat are provided in the vehicle, which are offset from one another in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The other vehicle seats can in particular be passenger seats in the front row of seats. However, there can also be passenger seats in rows further back.

The horizontal direction of the head-up display device referred to herein is aligned along the transverse direction of the vehicle, specifically parallel thereto. The compactly designed combiner disk can extend in the said horizontal direction, for example, over an area located only opposite the driver's seat or only opposite one of the other vehicle seats and/or over an area located in between. Those users whose vehicle seat is not arranged directly opposite the combiner pane can view the virtual display image provided for them by turning their gaze slightly toward the combiner pane.

In particular, the field of vision display device can be arranged opposite the driver's seat in such a way that its partial reflection area provided for the driver and possibly also the associated display area are essentially centered approximately around the driver's seat. As a result, the driver can perceive the virtual display image intended for him, among other things, when looking directly ahead in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

In the vehicle, the above-mentioned tilting of at least one of the partial reflection surfaces can be coupled automatically (e.g. based on sensor signals from suitable mechanical or optical sensors in the vehicle) to a seat height and/or seat back adjustment of the relevant user in such a way that the beam propagation direction of the associated Partial beam of a caused by the seat adjustment change in viewing direction of this user is tracked.

• 1a ein Kraftfahrzeug mit einem Combiner-HUD für den Fahrer nach Stand der Technik, in Draufsicht;
• 1b eine perspektivische Ansicht des konventionellen Fahrer-Combiner-HUDs der 1a;
• 2 ein Ausführungsbeispiel eines Fahrzeugs mit einer in der Instrumententafel zwischen dem Fahrer und dem Beifahrer angeordneten kompakten Multiuser-Blickfeldanzeigevorrichtung der hierin dargelegten Art für Fahrer und Beifahrer, in Draufsicht;
• 3a-c drei verschiedene Ausführungsbeispiele mit jeweils verschiedener Anordnung einer kompakten Multiuser-Blickfeldanzeigevorrichtung der hierin dargelegten Art für Fahrer und Beifahrer in einem Kraftfahrzeug, jeweils in Draufsicht;
• 4 ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel eines Fahrzeugs mit einer kompakten Multiuser-Blickfeldanzeigevorrichtung der hierin dargelegten Art für Fahrer und Beifahrer, deren Combinerscheibe eine prismatische Folie aufweist, in Draufsicht;
• 5a-c ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel eines Fahrzeugs mit einer kompakten Multiuser-Blickfeldanzeigevorrichtung der hierin dargelegten Art für Fahrer und Beifahrer mit einer horizontal verschiebbaren Combinerscheibe in drei verschiedenen Positionen, jeweils in Draufsicht; und
• 6a-b jeweils in vertikaler Seitenansicht ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel eines Fahrzeugs mit einer kompakten Multiuser-Blickfeldanzeigevorrichtung der hierin dargelegten Art für Fahrer und Beifahrer mit einer vertikal verkippbaren Reflexions-Teilfläche für den Beifahrer zum Anpassen an dessen Sitz- und Liegepositionen.

The above aspects of the invention and its embodiments and specific configurations are explained in more detail below with reference to the examples shown in the accompanying drawings. Although the drawings can be understood, inter alia, as true to scale, this is not limiting: all drawings are also to be understood as purely schematic illustrations of the basic construction principle, ie not as true to scale. Show it:

• 1a a motor vehicle with a combiner HUD for the driver according to the prior art, in top view;
• 1b FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the conventional driver combiner HUD of FIG 1a ;
• 2 an embodiment of a vehicle with a arranged in the instrument panel between the driver and the passenger compact multi-user head-up display device of the type set forth herein for driver and passenger, in plan view;
• 3a-c three different exemplary embodiments, each with a different arrangement, of a compact multi-user visual field display device of the type set out herein for the driver and front passenger in a motor vehicle, each in plan view;
• 4 a further exemplary embodiment of a vehicle with a compact multi-user visual field display device of the type set out herein for the driver and front passenger, the combiner pane of which has a prismatic film, in plan view;
• 5a-c a further exemplary embodiment of a vehicle with a compact multi-user head-up display device of the type set out herein for the driver and front passenger with a horizontally displaceable combiner disk in three different positions, each in plan view; and
• 6a-b a vertical side view of a further exemplary embodiment of a vehicle with a compact multi-user visual field display device of the type presented here for the driver and front passenger with a vertically tiltable partial reflection surface for the front passenger to adapt to his sitting and reclining positions.

1a 10 shows a top view of a conventional motor vehicle 100 with a combiner HUD 200 for the driver 3, as is known in the prior art.

The conventional driver combiner HUD 200 comprises a combiner screen 400 which is arranged on the inside of the vehicle in front of a windscreen 5 in the field of vision of the driver 3 directly opposite his driver's seat 6 .

As in 1b shown in a perspective view, driver combiner HUD 200 of FIG 1a to generate the display content, a projection unit 800 arranged below the combiner disk 400. This contains an imaging unit in the form of a display 900 for generating a light beam L with the desired display content, as well as imaging and projection optics with at least one deflecting (concave) mirror (not detailed shown) in order to shape the generated light beam L and direct it onto the combiner disk 400 so that it is reflected by it to an eyebox E1 of the driver 3, so that he can see the display content as a virtual display image V, which in this case is in a suitable distance outside of motor vehicle 100 in his field of vision. The light beam L is in 1b indicated only by its central ray. An area of space inside motor vehicle 100, from which the virtual display image V1 is visible and which is located in 1b limited to the head area of the driver's seat 6. On the other hand, a passenger 7 cannot see a display through the driver combiner HUD 200 even if he, as in FIG 1a indicated, would direct his gaze to the driver's side at the combiner disk 400.

2 shows a schematic plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle 1 with a compact multi-user head-up display device 2 of the type presented here, which is designed to generate a separate virtual display image for a driver 3 and a passenger 7 and is also designed as a “dual HUD for driver and co-driver” can be designated. In this example, the vehicle 1 is a motor vehicle and comprises a windshield 5, an instrument panel 10 arranged underneath it and vehicle seats arranged offset from one another in the transverse direction of the vehicle 1 - here purely by way of example driver's seat 6 and front passenger's seat 11 - which in 2 are only symbolically indicated by the respective backrest.

The head-up display device 2 is in the area of the instrument panel 10 and in 2 purely as an example in the middle between the driver 3 and the passenger 7 arranged. It contains an imaging unit with a display surface 9, which is designed to independently generate individual display content for the driver 3 and the passenger 7 in associated different display surface areas by appropriately programmed display control. In this example it is a continuous display area 9 of a single display.

In addition, the visual field display device 2 comprises a composite combiner disk 4 which is arranged in the beam path of a total beam bundle generated by the display surface 9 . In the beam path between the display surface 9 and the combiner disk 4, further optical components, for example deflecting or beam-shaping mirrors or lenses and the like, similar to a conventional projection unit 800 of FIG 1b , be provided.

In a horizontal direction y of the visual field display device 2, which corresponds to a transverse direction of the vehicle 1, the combiner disk 4 is composed of two separate partial reflection surfaces 41 and 42, which the user places at a horizontal angle of significantly more than 180°, i.e. with the formation of a Knicks in the combiner disk 4, connect to each other (with a slight spatial break). The reflection partial surface 41 is intended only for the driver 3, in that it only combines a partial beam of rays L1 of the total beam of rays with that for the driver 3 reflects certain display content to its eyebox E1. The partial reflection surface 42 is intended only for the front passenger 7 in that it only reflects a partial beam of rays L2 with the display content intended for him to his eyebox E2. This creates a virtual display image V1 with the display content intended for him in the field of vision of the driver 3 behind the partial reflection area 41, while a virtual display image V2 with the display content intended for him is created in the field of view of the front passenger 7 behind the partial reflection area 42. The partial beams of rays L1 and L2 are only indicated in all figures by their marginal rays and a central ray, which leads from a center of the respective reflection surface 41/42 to a center of the associated eyebox E1/E2.

In this example, the partial reflection surfaces 41 and 42 are each designed as slightly curved reflection disks, the tangential planes of which enclose an angle of, for example, approximately 225° on the user side. The reflected partial beams of rays L1 and L2 cross only in their virtual continuation behind the combiner pane 4, so that the driver 3 cannot under any circumstances be disturbed by the virtual display image V2 of the passenger 7, and vice versa as well. In this example, the image planes of the virtual display images V1 and V2 also cross at an angle of approximately 225°.

3a until 3c show, each in plan view, three different exemplary embodiments, each with a different arrangement of a compact multi-user visual field display device 2 of the type presented here for driver 3 and front passenger 7 in a vehicle 1, for example similar to FIG 2 .

In 3a For example, the entire head-up display device 2 is arranged in a region of the instrument panel 10 which is approximately in the middle between the driver's seat 6 and the front passenger's seat 11 in the transverse direction of the vehicle 1 . In this example, both the driver 3 and the front passenger 7 have to look slightly to the right or left to the center of the vehicle onto the respective partial reflection surface 41 or 42 . The horizontal size ratio of the partial reflection surfaces 41 and 42 and thus also of the associated display surface areas to one another are in 3a selected purely by way of example in such a way that the driver 3 can be presented with a significantly wider virtual display image V1 than the front passenger 7 (V2). Incidentally, the same can be done here as above for 2 executed apply.

In 3b the entire head-up display device 2 is arranged in an area of the instrument panel 10 which extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle 1 from the driver's seat 6 to the center of the vehicle, ie approximately to the center console. In this example, the driver 3 can look almost straight ahead in the vehicle front-rear direction to see his virtual display image V1. The passenger 7, on the other hand, has to look slightly to the left to the driver's side in order to view his virtual display image V2. The horizontal size ratio of the partial reflection surfaces 41 and 42 and thus also of the associated display surface areas to one another is in 3b chosen to be approximately the same purely by way of example, so that both the driver 3 and the front passenger 7 are presented with a fairly wide virtual display image V1 or V2. Incidentally, the same can be done here as above for 2 executed apply.

In 3c For example, the entire head-up display device 2 is arranged in an area of the instrument panel 10 which extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle 1 only opposite to the passenger seat 11 . In this example, the passenger 7 can look almost straight ahead in the vehicle longitudinal direction x in order to view his virtual display image V2. The driver 3, on the other hand, has to look slightly to the right to the passenger side in order to view his virtual display image V1. The horizontal size ratio of the partial reflection surfaces 41 and 42 and thus also of the associated display surface areas to one another is in 3c selected purely by way of example so that the passenger 7 is presented with a significantly wider virtual display image V2 than the driver 3, for example in order to play a film. Incidentally, the same can be done here as above for 2 executed apply.

4 shows a top view of another exemplary embodiment of a vehicle 1 with a compact multi-user visual field display device 2 of the type presented here for the driver 3 and front passenger 7 according to an embodiment described in detail above, in which the combiner disk 4 is formed by a kink-free support disk and a support disk located therein or extending thereon prismatic film (not separately shown) is formed. This embodiment differs from that of 3b mainly due to the fact that the partial reflection surfaces 41 and 42 of the combiner pane 4 in 4 are formed by prism edges of a large number of correspondingly designed prisms (not shown separately) of the prismatic film. Incidentally, the same can be done here as above for 3b executed apply.

5a until 5c show, each in a top view, three different positions of the combiner disk 4, which can be displaced in the horizontal direction y relative to the display surface 9, in an example according to the embodiment of the compact multi-user visual field display device 2 of the type presented here for drivers, which was described in detail above 3 and front passenger 7 in a vehicle 1. Purely by way of example, in this example the entire visual field display device 2 is arranged in an area of the instrument panel 10 which is approximately centrally located between the driver's seat 6 and the front passenger's seat 11 in the transverse direction of the vehicle 1. The horizontal dimension of the combiner disk 4 clearly exceeds, for example by a factor of 3/2, the dimension of the display surface 9 in the horizontal direction y of the visual field display device 2, so that the combiner disk 4 always covers the entire light beam emanating from the display surface 9 when it is displaced. to reflect it to the eyeboxes E1 of the driver 3 and E2 of the passenger 7 with as little loss as possible.

In 5b the combiner disk 4 is designed and positioned approximately symmetrically with respect to the display surface 9 in the horizontal direction y, so that the transition/kink 43 between the partial reflection surfaces 41 and 42 runs centrally with respect to the display surface 9 . As a result, display surface areas for driver 3 and front passenger 7 that have been set accordingly by display control are also of the same size, and thus also the generated virtual display images V1 and V2 for driver 3 and front passenger 7. In 5a is the composite combiner disk 4 as a whole compared to 5b has been shifted in the direction of the directional arrow P1 towards the passenger side, while the display surface 9 has remained stationary, so that the driver 3 can now be presented with a wider display image V1 than the passenger 7. It is similar in FIG 5c the combiner disk 4 compared to 5b been shifted towards the driver's side in the direction of the directional arrow P2, so that the driver 3 now gets a narrower display image V1 generated than the front passenger 7. In this example, the directional arrows P1 and P2 also have a smaller directional component in the longitudinal direction x of the vehicle 1, ie the one mentioned Displacement of the combiner disk 4 relative to the display surface 9 can take place both in the horizontal (transverse) direction y and in the longitudinal direction x of the vehicle 1 perpendicular thereto, in order to simultaneously align the virtual display images V1 and V2 as in 5a-5c to turn. Incidentally, the same can be done here as above for 2 executed apply.

6a and 6b show, each in a vertical side view, another exemplary embodiment of a vehicle 1 with a compact multi-user visual field display device 2 of the type presented here for the driver (not shown) and front passenger 7 according to the embodiment described in more detail above with independently vertically tiltable reflection sub-areas of the Combiner disc for the driver or front passenger 7 to adapt to their respective sitting and lying positions. Incidentally, the same can be done here as above for 2 executed apply.

6a shows a normal seated position of the passenger 7 with a reflection sub-area 42 aligned according to his head and eyebox position in this seated position, as illustrated by a dashed line K drawn along a vertical edge of the reflection sub-area 42. 6b shows a reclining position of the passenger 7 after he has flattened his seat back. Compared to 6a available in 6b due to this seat adjustment, the head position of the user 7 changes backwards and downwards, as illustrated by a directional arrow P3. By a corresponding tilting of the partial reflection surface 42 in the direction of a directional arrow P4, the partial reflection surface 42 and thus the virtual display image V2 generated behind it follows this change, so that the image displayed therein for the front passenger 7 continues (i.e. from the new position of his eyebox E2 ) remains just as visible.

Reference List

1

vehicle

100

conventional motor vehicle

2

compact multi-user head-to-head display device

200

conventional driver combiner HUD

3

driver

4

Combiner screen composed of partial reflection surfaces

41

for the driver intended reflection sub-area

42

partial reflection area intended for the passenger

43

Transition/kink between the reflection patches

400

conventional combiner disc

5

windscreen

6

driver's seat

7

passenger

800

conventional projection unit

9

display area

900

conventional display

10

dashboard

11

passenger seat

L

light beam

L1

Partial beam of rays reflected towards the driver

L2

Partial beam of rays reflected towards the passenger

V1

virtual display image for the driver

v2

virtual display image for the passenger

E1

Driver Eyebox

E2

Passenger Eyebox

y

horizontal direction of the head-up display device, lateral direction of the vehicle

x

longitudinal direction of the vehicle

P1-P4

directional arrows

Claims (10)

Compact multi-user visual field display device (2), in particular for a vehicle (1), which is designed to generate a separate virtual display image (V1, V2) in the visual field of two or more users, which is positioned in a horizontal direction (y) of the visual field display device ( 2) offset from each other, comprising: - An imaging unit with a display area (9) which is designed for the independent generation of individual display content for the two or more users in associated different display area areas; and - a compact combiner disk (4), which is arranged in the beam path of a total beam of rays emanating from the display surface (9) and is divided into two or more partial reflection surfaces (41, 42) in the horizontal direction (y) of the visual field display device (2), which are each intended for only one of the users, in that each partial reflection surface (41, 42) reflects only one partial beam (L1, L2) with the display content intended for this user to his eyebox (E1, E2); - the partial reflection surfaces (41, 42) intended for neighboring users adjoining one another at a horizontal angle of attack of more than 180° in each case, with the formation of a kink (43) in the combiner disk (4), so that partial beams of rays (L1, L2) which are reflected to different users can only cross behind the combiner disk (4) in their virtual continuation. Head-up display device (2). claim 1 , which is designed to generate a separate virtual display image (V1, V2) for exactly two users, in particular a driver (3) and a passenger (7) in a vehicle (1), wherein: - the display surface (9) for independent generation of individual display content for the two users is divided into exactly two associated display areas; and - the combiner disk (4) is divided into exactly two partial reflection surfaces (41, 42) which connect to one another at a horizontal angle of attack of more than 180° with the formation of a kink (43) in the combiner disk (4), so that the two partial beams of rays (L1, L2), which are reflected by the two different reflection partial surfaces (41, 42), can only intersect in their virtual continuation behind the combiner disk (4). Head-up display device (2). claim 1 or 2 , wherein - the imaging unit is designed as a single display with a continuous display surface (9) which is divided into the different display surface areas mentioned for the different users. Head-up display device (2). claim 1 or 2 , wherein the imaging unit comprises two or more separately designed individual displays whose respective individual display areas form the different display area areas mentioned for the different users. Head-up display device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein - the combiner disc (4) is displaceable in said horizontal direction (y) of the head-up display device (2) as a whole with respect to the display surface (9) in order to change relative surface proportions of the display surface areas intended for different users in the display surface (9); and - the device (2) is set up to control the imaging unit for generating the display content intended for different users in the associated display surface areas of the display surface (9), which correspond to a position of the combiner disk (4) set thereby. Head-up display device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein - at least one of the partial reflection surfaces (41, 42) can be rotated about a horizontal axis independently of the other partial reflection surfaces in order to adapt the beam propagation direction of the associated partial beam of rays (L1, L2) to a seat height and/or seat backrest position of the user in question . Head-up display device (2) according to one of Claims 1 until 4 , wherein - the combiner disk (4) is a support disk which is designed to be continuously kink-free and has a prismatic layer extending therein or thereon or foil, in which layer/foil a multiplicity of mutually identical prisms are arranged next to one another along the combiner disk (4); and - the mutually angled reflection partial surfaces (41, 42) are composed of a corresponding number of mutually identical, reflective prism edges of these prisms. Vehicle (1), in particular a motor vehicle, with mutually perpendicular longitudinal, transverse and vertical directions of an on-board Cartesian coordinate system, comprising: - A windscreen (5) and an instrument panel (10) arranged underneath; - Two or more vehicle seats which are offset from one another in the transverse direction of the vehicle (1), in particular are arranged next to one another; as well as - A head-up display device (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, whose imaging unit is arranged inside the instrument panel (10) or on its upper side and whose combiner disc (4) is arranged above the imaging unit; whereby - the horizontal direction (y) of the head-up display device (2) is aligned along the transverse direction of the vehicle (1), in particular parallel thereto; and - the dimension of the combiner disc (4) in the horizontal direction (y) is limited to a spatial area which lies opposite only one of said vehicle seats and/or between them. Vehicle (1) after claim 8 - the field of vision display device (2) is arranged opposite a driver's seat (6) in such a way that its partial reflection surface (41) of the combiner pane (4) intended for the driver (3) is essentially centered around the driver's seat (6). Vehicle (1) after claim 8 or 9 combined with claim 6 , wherein - said tilting of at least one of the partial reflection surfaces (41, 42) is coupled to a seat height and/or seat back adjustment of the associated user in such a way that the beam propagation direction of the associated partial beam of rays (L1, L2) thereby automatically changes to one through the Seat adjustment-related change in viewing direction of this user is tracked.

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