EP3400475A1

EP3400475A1 - Head-up display

Info

Publication number: EP3400475A1
Application number: EP17700070.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bruno ALBESA; Michael Irzyk
Original assignee: Valeo Comfort and Driving Assistance SAS
Current assignee: Valeo Comfort and Driving Assistance SAS
Priority date: 2016-01-04
Filing date: 2017-01-04
Publication date: 2018-11-14
Also published as: US20200355914A1; FR3046468A1; FR3046468B1; WO2017118672A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a head-up display (10) for a motor vehicle, comprising: - a computer (20), - an imaging unit (11) controlled by the computer so as to generate images, and - an optical unit (12) for projecting virtual images (Img), designed to project every image generated by the imaging unit in the field of vision of the motor vehicle driver. According to the invention, the imaging unit comprises an autostereoscopic filter (16).

Description

HEAD-UP DISPLAY

TECHNICAL FIELD RELATING TO THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to devices for assisting the driving of motor vehicles.

It relates more particularly to a head-up display for a motor vehicle, comprising:

- a calculator,

an image generation unit controlled by the computer for generating images, and

an optical assembly for projecting virtual images, adapted to project each image generated by said image generation unit into the field of vision of the driver of the motor vehicle.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY E

To facilitate and make safer driving a motor vehicle, we want to prevent the driver is forced to look away from the road he takes.

For this, it is known to use a head-up display, adapted to project basic information (speed of the vehicle, direction to follow, ...) and safety information (engine malfunction, presence of obstacles,. ..) at the driver's eye level.

Two types of head-up displays are particularly known.

The displays of the first type use an image forming device comprising a diffuser and a scanning unit designed to generate a light beam scanning an entrance face of the diffuser. The light beam at the output of the diffuser thus forms an image, which can then be projected into the field of vision of the driver of the vehicle by means of a combiner.

The displays of the second type use a screen that generates an image, which is then projected into the field of view of the driver, here also by means of a combiner.

In both cases, the combiner makes it possible for the driver to perceive the elementary and safety information in superposition of the view he has of the road. The driver then perceives this information as if it were displayed in a plan located at a distance from the driver that is greater than that separating the driver from the windshield.

It has also been developed a system for displaying two images in two different planes, so that the driver can perceive the information as if they were displayed in two planes more or less distant from him. This type of system, using two projection optics, does not make it possible to produce a three-dimensional image but only to display two-dimensional information on different planes. Another system uses, in particular, two screens associated with two prisms which make it possible to obtain two distinct images at the same distance from the driver, one of which is visible to the driver's right eye and the other of which is visible to the eye left of the driver thus leading to the three-dimensional perception of the projected content.

This system has two major disadvantages. It presents first of all a high cost. It also limits to two the number of plans in which it is possible to project information. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the state of the art, the invention proposes a head-up display for a motor vehicle, comprising:

- a calculator,

an image generation unit controlled by the computer for generating images,

an optical assembly for projecting virtual images adapted to project each image generated by said image generation unit into the field of vision of the driver of the motor vehicle and in which the image generation unit comprises a self-filtering filter; stereoscopic, the image generation unit providing at least two distinct points of view;

Thus, thanks to the invention, the filter will make it possible to generate images that will be perceived by the driver as being three-dimensional. It will be from then on possible to display information in an infinite number of shots more or less distant from the driver.

Other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics of the head-up display according to the invention are the following:

the auto-stereoscopic filter comprises a network of microlenses

said image generation unit offers eight distinct points of view;

alternatively, the auto-stereoscopic filter comprises a parallax barrier;

the computer is adapted to control the image generation unit in such a way that the virtual images projected by the optical assembly are perceived by the driver as being formed of layers (Img1, Img2, Img3), each layer (Img1 , Img2, Img3) being located in a separate plane and including information visible to the driver;

the computer is adapted to control the image generation unit such that the virtual images projected by the optical assembly are perceived by the driver as representing a three-dimensional shape;

- There is provided a data acquisition device available to the driver, which is connected to the computer and allows the driver to switch the computer between two calculation modes, including an active mode in which the computer controls the generating unit in such a way that the virtual images projected by the optical assembly are perceived by the driver as three-dimensional, and a passive mode in which the computer controls the image generation unit such that each projected virtual image by the optical assembly is seen by the driver as being two-dimensional;

a system for detecting the position of each of the eyes of the driver is provided, and the computer is adapted to control the image generation unit as a function of the detected position of said eyes;

said image generation unit comprises a display screen;

said projection optical assembly comprises at least one optical magnification component; and

said projection optical assembly comprises a combiner in the form of a transparent and semicircular curved optical pane; reflective performing a magnifying function.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be implemented.

In the accompanying drawings:

- Figure 1 is a schematic view of a head-up display according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a portion of a screen and of an auto-stereoscopic filter of the head-up display of FIG. 1; and

In Figure 1, there is shown a head-up display 10 for equipping a vehicle, for example a motor vehicle.

This head-up display 10 comprises an image generation unit

1 1 driven by a computer 20, and an optical projection assembly 12.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the image generation unit 11 comprises a display screen 15, here a liquid crystal display (or

LCD for "Liquid Crystal Dispiaf" with thin-film transistors (or TFT for

"Thin-FHm Transistor.) It also includes a backlight device located at the back of the display screen 15.

This image generation unit 1 1 makes it possible, under the control of the computer 20, to generate an image that the projection optical assembly 12 will be able to project into the driver's field of vision when the driver's gaze is turned towards the driver. road.

Thus, the optical projection assembly 12 is more specifically designed to project a virtual image Img in the field of vision of the driver of the vehicle.

It comprises for this purpose a return optical system 13 and a combiner 14 placed in the field of view of the driver of the vehicle. It could possibly also include a magnification lens (not shown).

The optical return system 13, which here comprises only a folding mirror, makes it possible to send the image generated by the image generation unit 1 1 to the combiner 14.

The combiner 14 makes it possible to reflect this image in such a way that it appears to the driver. Here, this combiner 14 is preferably arranged in the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, between the windshield 1 of the vehicle and the eyes of the driver. Alternatively, the combiner could be formed by the windshield itself.

This combiner 14 comprises a transparent curved optical glass and semi-reflective performing a function of magnification. Here, it is an injected piece of polycarbonate, which is curved so as to enlarge the size of the virtual image Img seen by the driver.

The computer 20 comprises a processor and a storage unit, for example a rewritable non-volatile memory or a hard disk.

The storage unit notably stores a computer application, consisting of computer programs comprising instructions whose execution by the processor allows the implementation by the computer 20 of the method described below.

The computer 20 is particularly adapted to control the display screen 15 so that the latter displays images.

This computer 20 is preferably connected to a detection system 17 of the position of each of the eyes of the driver and to a data input member 18 available to the driver.

Typically, the detection system 17 may be formed by a camera acquiring images of the driver's face. Then, the computer 20 will be provided to determine the instantaneous position of each of the eyes of the driver, given the images acquired.

The input member 18 may itself be formed by a bistable button actuable by the driver. Here, it will rather be considered that this input member will be formed by a touch screen placed in the central console of the motor vehicle.

Here, and more precisely the object of the present invention, the head-up display 10 is designed in such a way that the virtual images Img projected in the field of view of the driver are three-dimensional images. These images are more specifically intended to be viewed in three dimensions by the driver, without requiring the wearing of stereoscopic glasses (better known as "3D glasses").

For this purpose, the image generation unit 11 comprises an automatic filter stereoscopic 1 6.

The computer 20 is then provided to control the display of images by the display screen 15 taking into account the characteristics of this auto-stereoscopic filter 1 6, so that the virtual images Img are perceived by the driver as being three-dimensional .

The auto-stereoscopic filter could be in the form of a parallax barrier.

Here, preferably, the auto-stereoscopic filter is rather in the form of a network of convergent microlenses offering at least two distinct points of view.

By "distinct points of view" is meant that the image generation unit 11 is adapted to simultaneously display in an entangled manner, at least two different two-dimensional images, each of which can be individually observed from a different angle of view. angle under which we can observe the other image.

In this way, the driver can simultaneously observe two two-dimensional images with both eyes, so that his brain can reconstruct a three-dimensional image.

In a preferred embodiment, it will offer more than two points of view, namely here eight points of view. In this way, the driver will be able to observe two two-dimensional images with his two eyes, among the eight available, not only when his head is exactly positioned in the axis of the combiner 14, but also when it is offset relative to this axis.

In FIG. 2, to explain briefly the operation of this auto-stereoscopic display system, a portion of the display screen 15 and the auto-stereoscopic filter 1 6 are very schematically represented in section.

It is observed that the display screen 15 comprises a periodic succession of sub-pixels of different colors: Red (R), Green (V) and Blue (B). Each subpixel triplet forms a pixel P1, P2, P3, P4.

Each sub-pixel has, from the front, a rectangular shape or, as will be described hereinafter, a form of parallelogram.

Each sub-pixel is controlled to emit on the front face of the light with a determined light intensity, the resulting color sensation then the mixture of the three elementary colors in the driver's eye.

The microlens array is composed of microlenses L1, L2, L3 here cylindrical. This is in practice lenses profiled along a vertical axis, convex cross sections. In the example illustrated in the figures, these lenses here have a flat rear face (facing the display screen 15) and a convex front face. Alternatively, it could be otherwise.

The microlens array is placed in front of the display screen 15, parallel to that at a distance equal to the focal length of the microlenses. In this way, the microlenses L1, L2, L3 of the network magnify the points horizontally and they return to infinity the visual information present on the screen.

In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, for the sake of clarity, an image generation unit 1 1 is shown which offers a number of viewpoints TR1, TR2, TR3, TR4 equal to 4.

This figure shows four pixels P1, P2, P3, P4 juxtaposed horizontally.

Three microlenses L1, L2, L3 have also been represented. The pitch of these microlenses L1, L2, L3 is here chosen equal to the width (taken horizontally) of four sub-pixels.

The four points of view TR1, TR2, TR3, TR4 are also shown below which it is possible to observe the image generation unit 1 1. For clarity in Figure 2, these four views are shown on the side of the display screen 15 while in practice, this screen will be seen from the opposite side through the projection assembly 12.

A (single) eye that observes the display screen 15 through the microlens array 1 6 will then see, according to its position:

either the juxtaposition of the red component R of the pixel P1, the green component V of the pixel P2 and the blue component B of the pixel P3 (point of view TRI),

or the juxtaposition of the green component V of the pixel P1, the blue component B of the pixel P2 and the red component R of the pixel P4 (point of view TR2),

or the juxtaposition of the blue component B of the pixel P1, the red component R of the pixel P3, and of the green component V of the pixel P4 (point of view TR3),

or finally, juxtaposing the red component R of the pixel P2, the green component V of the pixel P3 and the blue component B of the pixel P4 (point of view TR4).

In other words, each eye of the driver is likely to visually mix the red, green and blue components of different pixels of the image.

In this way, by skillfully controlling the luminous intensity emitted by each sub-pixel, the computer can display images which, by that they will not be seen under the same angle (that is to say with the same point of view) by the two eyes of the driver, can be interpreted by the brain as three-dimensional images.

As has been explained above, the image generation unit 1 1 will preferably be designed to offer not four, but eight different points of view. For this, we will use microlenses that will each cover not four, but eight sub-pixels.

In a nonlimiting manner, the sub-pixels are elongated along a vertical axis, but the microlenses are elongated along an axis inclined at an angle α with respect to the vertical axis so as to produce assemblies of eight sub-pixels. .

The manner in which the computer 20 controls the image generation unit 11 is now described in detail.

For this, we first define the "frontal planes" as plans that extend substantially orthogonal to the direction of the driver's gaze. Each frontal plane will then be defined by a "depth", that is to say by a distance separating it from the eyes of the driver.

In the illustrated embodiment, the computer 20 will control the image generation unit 1 1 such that each virtual image Img projected by the optical assembly 12 is seen by the driver as consisting of points in a number finished of distinct front planes, this number being for example less than or equal to five.

Here we can consider the case where the number of frontal planes will be equal to three. Each image Img will then be elaborated in such a way that it comprises three parts (called "Img1, Img2, Img3 layer") which will be interpreted by the driver's brain as being each included in a different frontal plane.

Preferably, the Img3 layer closest to the driver will be seen as being at a distance from the driver that is greater than the distance separating the driver from the windshield 1, so that the eyes of the driver will not have to perform work. accommodation to collect the projected information.

We can then predict that one of the layers Img3 is seen by the driver as being 4 meters from him, that a second of the layers is seen as being 5 meters from him and that the third of the layers is seen as lying 6 meters from him.

Each layer can be used to display separate information.

Thus, for example, it will be possible to display the speed of the vehicle on the closest layer Img3, geolocation information on the second layer Img2 and obstacle detection information on the layer Img1 farthest.

One could also provide that the computer 20 controls the image generation unit 1 1 so that a virtual image Img, projected by the optical assembly 12, represents a three-dimensional shape perceived as such by the driver. By way of nonlimiting example, such a three-dimensional shape could be a sphere, a motor vehicle, a continuous white line or the symbolism of a street scene. In this case, the depth of the three-dimensional shape of the virtual image Img will be calculated so that the successive points of the three-dimensional shape appear continuously.

A three-dimensional shape represents an object having at least one surface that extends continuously in a depth, while the above-mentioned layers form a three-dimensional image from their dispositions in planes orthogonal to the direction of gaze and located at different depths.

A virtual image can thus represent at least one form three-dimensional and / or an image formed of one or more layers at different depths.

It may happen that a driver prefers that the image he perceives is not three-dimensional, but rather two-dimensional.

The driver may in this case use the touch screen 18 of the central console of the vehicle, so as to switch the computer 20 from a normal operating mode (called active mode), such as the one above, to a degraded mode ( called passive mode). In this degraded mode, the computer 20 will then be designed to control the image generation unit 1 1 so that each virtual image Img projected by the optical assembly 12 is formed of a single layer.

In this case, with reference to FIG. 2, the computer will control the illumination of the sub-pixels of the display screen 15 so that the color mixture R, V, B seen through each microlens triplet L1, L2, L3 is the same, regardless of the point of view under which the display screen 15 will be observed.

In this way, the two eyes of the driver can observe the same image, which will be interpreted by the driver's brain as a two-dimensional image.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown, but the skilled person will be able to make any variant according to the invention.

Thus, the computer 20 can control the image generation unit 1 1 according to the detected position of the eyes of the driver.

Indeed, if we refer to Figure 2, it is necessary for the driver to see the virtual image clearly, that each of his two eyes is located at one of the points of view TR1, TR2, TR3, TR4.

It may happen that at least one of the eyes of the driver is slightly offset laterally from these points of view.

In this case, the computer may, given the position of each of the two eyes of the driver (detected by the detection system 17), shift laterally at least one of the images seen by one of the eyes of the driver. that the virtual image observed by the driver is clear. In another variant of the invention, it will be possible to display information at a distance from the driver which will be variable and which will be chosen according to the type of information to be displayed or depending on the conditions encountered. For example, it will be possible to display the speed of the vehicle in a frontal plane that will move more or less away from the driver, depending on the speed of movement of the vehicle.

Claims

1. Head-up display (10) for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a calculator (20),

an image generation unit (1 1) controlled by the computer (20) for generating images, and

an optical image projection assembly (12) (Img) adapted to project each image generated by said image generation unit (1 1) into the field of vision of the driver of the motor vehicle,

characterized in that the image generation unit (1 1) has an auto-stereoscopic filter (1 6) and said image generation unit (1 1) has at least two distinct points of view.

The head-up display (10) of claim 1, wherein the auto-stereoscopic filter (16) comprises a microlens array.

3. Head-up display (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein said image generation unit (1 1) offers eight distinct points of view.

The head-up display according to claim 1, wherein the auto-stereoscopic filter comprises a parallax barrier.

Head-high display (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the computer (20) is adapted to control the image generation unit (1 1) so that the virtual images (Img) projected by the optical assembly (12) are perceived by the driver as being formed of layers (Imgl, Img2, Img3), each layer (Imgl, Img2, Img3) being located in a separate plane and comprising information visible to the driver .

The head-up display (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the computer (20) is adapted to control the image generation unit (1 1) so that the virtual images ( Img) projected by the optical assembly (12) are perceived by the driver as representing a three-dimensional shape.

7. Head-up display (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein there is provided a data acquisition device (18) available to the driver, which is connected to the computer (20) and allows the driver to to switch the calculator (20) between two calculation modes, of which an active mode in which the computer (20) controls the image generation unit (1 1) in such a way that the virtual images (Img) projected by the optical assembly (12) are perceived by the driver as being three-dimensional, and

a passive mode in which the computer controls the image generation unit (1 1) in such a way that the virtual images projected by the optical assembly (12) are seen by the driver as being two-dimensional.

8. Head-up display (10) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a detection system (17) of the position of each eye of the driver, and wherein the computer (20) is adapted to control the unit. image generation (1 1) according to the detected position of said eyes.

The head-up display (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said image generation unit (11) comprises a display screen (15).

The head-up display (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said projection optical assembly (12) comprises at least one magnifying optical component.

1 1. A head-up display (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said projection optical assembly (12) comprises a combiner (14) in the form of a transparent and semi-reflective curved optical window performing a function of growth.