EP3286597A1

EP3286597A1 - Display device for a motor vehicle

Info

Publication number: EP3286597A1
Application number: EP16722549.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bruno ALBESA
Original assignee: Valeo Comfort and Driving Assistance SAS
Current assignee: Valeo Comfort and Driving Assistance SAS
Priority date: 2015-04-24
Filing date: 2016-04-25
Publication date: 2018-02-28
Also published as: FR3035519B1; WO2016170191A1; JP2018514168A; FR3035519A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a display device (10) for a motor vehicle (1) whereby said display device (10) comprises: an image generator (12) for displaying an image (Ic) captured by at least one camera (13); at least one opaque mirror (11) for creating a virtual image (Iv) from said displayed image (Ic).

Description

DISPLAY DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE

DOMAI N E TECH N I A L OF THE I NVE NTI ON

The present invention relates to a display device for a motor vehicle. It also relates to an associated display method.

It finds a particular but non-limiting application in the field of motor vehicles.

I NV E NTI ON I N A T I N A T I N A T IO N E R T

In the field of motor vehicles, in order to reduce the CO2 footprint of motor vehicles and their coefficient of penetration into the air, the side and center mirrors can be replaced respectively by side cameras and a rear central camera. Said cameras acquire images of the external environment of the motor vehicle and project said images on one or more display screens arranged in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle. A disadvantage of this state of the art is that depending on where the display or screens are positioned, for example at the level of the dashboard of the motor vehicle or at the level of the central rearview mirror, it is necessary to the driver to make the focal point when he passes from distant vision (for example when he looks at the external environment through the windshield of the motor vehicle) to a near vision (when he looks at the screen or screens) . This causes discomfort for the driver to drive because his eyes must focus on the one or more screens. This also increases the time the driver does not have eyes on the road.

I NV E NTI ON G ENERAL C OMMITTEE

To this end, the invention proposes a display device for a motor vehicle according to which said display device comprises:

an image generator adapted to display an image captured by at least one camera;

at least one opaque mirror adapted to create a virtual image from said displayed image.

Thus, the fact of replacing the display screen with an opaque mirror makes it possible to switch from a direct vision to an indirect vision via a virtual image and thus reduce the problem of focusing the eyes of the automobile driver.

The virtual image is created from a reflection on the opaque mirror of the image displayed by the image generator.

According to non-limiting embodiments, the display device may further comprise one or more additional characteristics from the following. According to a non-limiting embodiment, the camera is a camera located outside the motor vehicle.

According to a non-limiting embodiment, the camera is a rear camera. According to a non-limiting embodiment, the camera is a side camera. According to a non-limiting embodiment, the camera is a camera located inside the motor vehicle.

According to a non-limiting embodiment, the mirror is positioned in the center and at the top of the windshield of the motor vehicle.

According to a non-limiting embodiment, said display device further comprises at least one intermediate opaque mirror. According to a non-limiting embodiment, an opaque mirror is a magnifying mirror.

According to a non-limiting embodiment, the image generator is located at a distance d1 from the opaque mirror and the distance d1 is between 10 cm and 50 cm.

According to a nonlimiting embodiment, the image generator is located at a distance from the intermediate opaque mirror of between 10 cm and 80 cm. It is also proposed a display method for a motor vehicle according to which said display method comprises:

the display by an image generator of an image captured by at least one camera;

the creation by at least one opaque mirror of a virtual image from said displayed image.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The invention and its various applications will be better understood on reading the description which follows and on examining the figures that accompany it. FIG. 1 represents a motor vehicle comprising a display device according to a first nonlimiting embodiment of the invention, said display device comprising an opaque mirror and an image generator;

- Figure 2 shows a windshield of a motor vehicle at which is disposed an opaque mirror of the display device of Figure 1;

FIG. 3 represents a diagram of the display device for a motor vehicle, according to a second nonlimiting embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 represents a diagram of an image captured by the image generator and a virtual image created by the opaque mirror of the display device of FIG. 1, according to one nonlimiting embodiment;

FIG. 5 represents a flowchart of a display method implemented by the display device of FIG. 1 or FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Identical elements, structure or function, appearing in different figures retain, unless otherwise specified, the same references. The display device 10 for a motor vehicle 1 is described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

As illustrated in Figure 1, a motor vehicle 1 comprises at least one camera 13 and a display device 10. In a non-limiting embodiment, the camera 13 is a rear camera. In a non-limiting embodiment, the motor vehicle 1 also includes two side cameras 13 instead of side mirrors.

In a first nonlimiting embodiment, a camera 13 is a camera located outside the motor vehicle 1. In this case, the camera captures images of the external environment to the motor vehicle. In a non-limiting example, the rear and side cameras 13 are located outside the motor vehicle 1.

In a second nonlimiting embodiment, a camera 13 is a camera located inside the motor vehicle 1. In this case, the camera 13 captures images of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle 1. Thus, the inner camera will be able to capture images for example at the rear of the passenger compartment. A driver can observe through an opaque viewing mirror (described below) people sitting on the rear seats. This allows for example an adult driving to control children sitting in the back of the vehicle without having to turn around.

In a third nonlimiting embodiment, the first embodiment and the second embodiment can be combined. Thus, in a non-limiting example, the motor vehicle 1 comprises two external side cameras, an outer rear camera and an inner camera.

The display device 10 comprises:

at least one opaque mirror 11; and

an image generator 12 (called in English "picture generation unit").

As shown in Figure 1, in a non-limiting embodiment, the display device 10 is disposed in a region of the motor vehicle called the dome 1 6 which is located at the ceiling of the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle and which classically includes the command of interior lights, roof if it's opening, etc.

In another non-limiting embodiment, the display device 10 is placed lower, at the dashboard.

As shown in Figure 1, in a non-limiting embodiment, the display device 10 comprises a single opaque mirror 1 1.

The image generator 12 is disposed at a distance d1 from the opaque mirror 11. In a nonlimiting embodiment, the distance d1 is between 10 and 50 centimeters (cm) for a system with a single mirror and could reach 80 cm with a second intermediate mirror 14 (described below).

In non-limiting embodiments, the image generator 12 uses a technology such as TFT ("Thin Film Transistor"), laser scan, DLP ("Digital Light Processing"), or Lcos (Liquid Crystal on Silicon "). The image generator 12 is adapted to receive video images by the camera (s) 13, to format the video images of the camera into appropriate display images, and to display them on a screen, in a non-limiting example a TFT type screen. Note that the image generator 12 includes a computer that allows this image processing.

The opaque mirror 1 1 creates a virtual image Iv from the image displayed by the image generator 12. The virtual image Iv is created from a reflection on the opaque mirror 1 1 of the displayed image. IV by the image generator 12. The opaque mirror 1 1 thus has the function of projecting a virtual image 12 which is the reflection on said opaque mirror 11 of the image displayed on the screen of the image generator 12 .

A virtual image Iv is thus obtained which lies beyond the plane of the opaque mirror 11 as illustrated in FIG.

When the motor vehicle 1 includes only a rear camera 13, the virtual image lv produced by the opaque mirror 1 1 corresponds to the external environment at the rear of the motor vehicle 1.

The opaque mirror 11 is thus a visualization mirror for the driver of the motor vehicle 1.

The rear camera 13 associated with the opaque mirror 1 1 thus makes it possible to replace the central rearview mirror of the motor vehicle 1.

Thus, in a non-limiting embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the opaque mirror 11 is positioned at the place where the central rearview mirror, namely at the center and at the top of the windshield 15 of the motor vehicle 1, is generally located. . In this case, it will be noted that the opaque mirror 1 1 is located substantially at 50cm from the driver's head. The virtual image LV is therefore located substantially at a distance from the eyes (referenced 2) of the driver which is much greater than 50 cm and thus be located in the intermediate vision zone (beyond 70 cm).

In another non-limiting embodiment, the opaque mirror 11 is positioned at the center and bottom of the windshield 15.

Furthermore, in a non-limiting embodiment, the rear camera 13 is located at the top of the tailgate of the motor vehicle 1, namely at the top of the rear window of the motor vehicle 1.

In the non-limiting embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the motor vehicle 1 comprises a rear camera and two side cameras that replace the outside mirrors.

In this case, in a first nonlimiting embodiment, the virtual image IV may comprise three zones respectively displaying the images captured by the two lateral cameras 13 and the images captured by the rear camera 13.

In a second nonlimiting embodiment, an actuator such as in a non-limiting example a button, is used to alternately display on the opaque mirror 1 1 the images captured by the two side cameras 13 and then that captured by the rear camera 13.

To reduce the carbon footprint of a motor vehicle and improve its coefficient of penetration into the air, car manufacturers are led to remove side mirrors but also to reduce the surface of the rear window. Such a surface reduction results in reduced visibility when the driver uses a central mirror. Replacing the central rearview mirror with the rear camera 13 and the opaque mirror 11 makes it possible to improve the visibility of the external environment at the rear of said motor vehicle and consequently to provide greater safety when driving the vehicle. motor vehicle 1.

The use of an opaque mirror 1 1 can bring depth to the projected image Iv. Thus, the effort of accommodation of the eyes of the driver is reduced when the driver alternately looks at the road at infinity and the virtual image Iv in the opaque mirror 1 1.

It is recalled that a fast focusing is usually done when an image is at least 70 cm (intermediate vision) of the eyes of the driver. Thus, in the present nonlimiting case, although the opaque mirror 1 1 is substantially at 50 cm (near vision) of the head and therefore the eyes of the driver, the focusing is done quickly since the virtual image Iv projected is at more than 70cm. In a non-limiting embodiment, the opaque mirror 11 is oriented towards the driver's head so that the driver can easily look at the virtual image Iv.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the optical path of the reflection on the opaque mirror 11 of the rays emitted by the image generator 12 to display the image is defined by the distance d1 seen previously. In a first non-limiting embodiment, the opaque mirror 11 is a plane mirror. In this case, the virtual image is at the distance d1 from the plane of the opaque mirror 11. There is thus a symmetry between the displayed image the one which is at a distance d1 from the plane of the opaque mirror 11 and the virtual image Iv which is on the other side of the plane of the opaque mirror 11 and the same distance d1 of the plane of the opaque mirror 1 1.

In a second nonlimiting embodiment, the opaque mirror 11 is a magnifying mirror. This makes it possible to form a virtual image Iv larger than the size of the image transmitted by the image generator 12.

In a non-limiting variant of this second embodiment, the mirror comprises a curvature. In this case, the virtual image Iv is at a distance greater than the distance d1 seen previously. In a non-limiting embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, the display device 10 further comprises at least one intermediate opaque mirror 14. This allows to fold the optical path so as to obtain a dome 1 6 compact. In this case, the optical path is defined by the distance d1 (between the image generator 12 and the intermediate opaque mirror 14) plus the distance d2 (between the opaque intermediate mirror 14 and the opaque mirror 11).

In a non-limiting embodiment, the distance d2 is between 5 cm and 40 cm.

With this intermediate opaque mirror 14, we increase the feeling of depth of the virtual image Iv. Thus, the greater the distance d1 + d2, the larger the virtual image Iv is beyond the plane of the opaque mirror 11. Thus, in a non-limiting embodiment, the distance to which the virtual image Iv is located with respect to the plane of the opaque mirror 11 is equal to d1 + d2.

In a non-limiting embodiment, the intermediate opaque mirror 14 is a magnifying mirror. In a non-limiting embodiment variant, the magnifying mirror has a curvature.

It will be noted that the opaque magnifying mirror 1 1 and the magnifying opaque mirror 14 can be individually or in combination.

Thus, the display device 10 makes it possible to implement the MTH display method for a motor vehicle 1 illustrated in FIG.

The MTH display method comprises:

the display by an image generator 12 of an image captured by at least one camera 13 (illustrated step DISP (12, 1c, 13));

the creation by at least one opaque mirror 11 of a virtual image Iv from said displayed image on (illustrated step CREAT (11, Iv, le)).

In a non-limiting embodiment, as described above, the creation of the virtual image Iv from said displayed image can be done by means of the opaque mirror 11 and at least one intermediate opaque mirror 14.

Of course, the description of the invention is not limited to the application, the embodiments and the examples described above.

Thus, in a non-limiting embodiment, the opaque mirror 11 can be replaced by a lens or any other device making it possible to give an impression of depth to the virtual image created by the opaque mirror 11. Thus, in a non-limiting embodiment, the virtual image Iv comprises only part of the image captured by the camera 13 and not all of the information of said image le. Part of the information acquired by the camera is thus truncated and not displayed or further diminished in terms of size to be displayed.

Thus, it also allows the driver to adjust his field of vision, for example as shown in Figure 4 (possible settings illustrated by the double vertical and horizontal arrows). In the present description, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality.

Thus, the invention described has the following advantages:

it makes it possible to reduce the problem of focusing since it does not

does not need to be focal point when the driver switches from the distant vision (on the windshield) to an intermediate vision (on the opaque mirror);

- it allows to propose an in-depth image of the information to

display ;

- It allows, through a camera, to monitor a critical area in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle safely;

- It increases the visibility of the driver on the outside environment at the rear of the motor vehicle and thus reduces the risk of accidents; and

it is also useful for example for van-type motor vehicles which comprise two rear doors whose frame can hinder visibility.

Claims

1. Display device (10) for a motor vehicle (1) according to which said display device (10) comprises:

an image generator adapted to display an image captured by at least one camera;

at least one opaque mirror (1 1) adapted to create a virtual image (Iv) from said displayed image (the).

2. Display device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the camera (13) is a camera located outside the motor vehicle (1).

The display device (10) according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the camera (13) is a rear camera.

4. Display device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the camera (13) is a side camera.

5. Display device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the camera (13) is a camera located inside the motor vehicle (1).

6. Display device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the mirror (1 1) is positioned at the center and top of the windshield of the motor vehicle (1).

7. Display device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said display device (10) further comprises at least one intermediate opaque mirror (14).

8. Display device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein an opaque mirror (1 1, 14) is a magnifying mirror.

9. Display device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the image generator (12) is located at a distance d1 from the opaque mirror (1 1) and the distance d1 is between 10cm and 50cm.

10. Display device (10) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the image generator (12) is located at a distance from the intermediate opaque mirror (14) between 10cm and 80cm.

1 1. Display method (MTH) for a motor vehicle (1) according to which said display method (MTH) comprises:

- the display by an image generator (12) of an image captured (the) by at least one camera (13);

the creation by at least one opaque mirror (1 1) of a virtual image (Iv) from said displayed image (le).