JP2018045143A - Head-up display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a head-up display device that has a simple structure and enables a driver to view a bright virtual image even when changing his or her posture.SOLUTION: A head-up display device comprises: an image pickup part 130 which picks up an image of a viewing person who views a virtual image 30; and a detection control part 150 which detects the positions of the eyes of the viewing person relative to an eye box 40 as a visible region for the virtual image from the picked-up image obtained by the image pickup part, and controls a light emission state of a light source part of a display unit 110, wherein a plurality of light source parts are arranged and in conjugation relation with the eye box. Then the detection control part makes, when the positions of the eyes move from a center side to a circumferential side of the eye box, the brightness of the light source part higher than the brightness before the movement. At this time, it is preferred that the detection control part makes the brightness of a light source part, corresponding to the movement-side positions of the eyes, among the plurality of light source parts higher than the brightness before the movement.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a head-up display device that displays images to a user by reflecting an image from a display device with a reflection device and irradiating the image on, for example, a front windshield.

  As a conventional head-up display (HUD) device, for example, one described in Patent Document 1 is known. The HUD device of Patent Document 1 includes a display (liquid crystal display panel) that is transmitted and illuminated by a light emitting element, and a reflection device (concave mirror) that reflects display light formed by the display to a windshield (front glass) of a vehicle. It has. The display light reaching the windshield is reflected to the driver side so that the driver can visually recognize a virtual image by the display light in front of the windshield. In Patent Document 1, a plurality of lens groups are provided between a light emitting element and a display, and display light from the light emitting element is condensed to increase the brightness of a virtual image.

  Further, in the head-up display device disclosed in Patent Document 2, an image pickup unit that picks up an eye point position in a driver's eye box (eye range), an adjustment unit that adjusts a rotation position in the reflection device and a position in the vehicle left-right direction And. In Patent Document 2, when the driver's eye position (eye point position) obtained by the imaging unit deviates from the determination boundary, the adjustment unit adjusts the position of the reflecting device when a predetermined adjustment condition is satisfied. Thus, the position of the virtual image is adjusted to suppress a decrease in the visibility of the virtual image due to a change in the driver's posture.

JP 2009-169399 A JP 2009-292409 A

  However, in Patent Document 1, the luminance of the virtual image is increased at the center of the eye box by the plurality of lens groups, but the luminance is decreased around the eye box. Therefore, the virtual image looks bright when the driver's eyes are in the center of the eyebox, but the virtual image appears dark when the driver's posture changes and the eye's position deviates from the center. .

  On the other hand, in Patent Document 2, since the position of the reflecting device is adjusted according to the position of the driver's eyes, the brightness of the virtual image is maintained even if the driver's posture changes. Therefore, it is necessary to set an adjusting means for adjusting the above, which leads to a complicated structure in the apparatus, an increase in the size of the apparatus, and an increase in cost.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a head-up display device that has a simple structure and allows a bright virtual image to be viewed even when the driver's posture changes.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following technical means.

In the present invention, a display (113) that is transmitted and illuminated by the light source unit (111) and emits display light representing display information;
A reflection device (120) for reflecting display light emitted from the display to the projection member (20),
In a head-up display device that displays a virtual image (30) of display information in front of a projection member,
An imaging unit (130) for imaging a viewer who visually recognizes a virtual image;
A detection control unit (150) that detects the position of the eyes of the viewer and controls the light emission state of the light source unit with respect to the eye box (40) that is a visible region of the virtual image from the image captured by the imaging unit. Prepared,
A plurality of light source units are arranged with respect to the display and are in a conjugate relationship with the eye box,
The detection control unit is characterized in that when the eye position moves from the center side of the eye box to the peripheral side, the luminance of the light source unit is made higher than the luminance before the movement.

  According to the present invention, when the position of the eyes moves from the center side of the eye box to the peripheral side according to the posture of the viewer, the detection control unit increases the luminance of the light source unit higher than the luminance before moving the eyes. Therefore, even when the eye position moves to the periphery of the eye box, the viewer can view a bright virtual image. In the present invention, as in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, it is not necessary to set the adjusting means for adjusting the rotational position of the reflecting device and the position in the left-right direction of the vehicle according to the position of the eyes of the viewer, and a simple structure It can be.

  In addition, the code | symbol in the bracket | parenthesis of each said means shows a corresponding relationship with the specific means of embodiment description mentioned later.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a head-up display apparatus. It is an arrow line view which shows the head-up display apparatus at the time of seeing from the II direction in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of a display apparatus. It is an arrow line view which shows the light source part at the time of seeing from the IV direction in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the adjustment point of the brightness | luminance in 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the adjustment point of the brightness | luminance in 2nd Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the adjustment point of the brightness | luminance in 3rd Embodiment.

  A plurality of modes for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each embodiment, parts corresponding to the matters described in the preceding embodiment may be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description may be omitted. When only a part of the configuration is described in each mode, the other modes described above can be applied to the other parts of the configuration. Not only combinations of parts that clearly indicate that the combination is possible in each embodiment, but also a combination of the embodiments even if they are not clearly specified unless there is a problem with the combination. It is also possible.

(First embodiment)
A head-up display device 100 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a head-up display (Head-Up Display) device 100 is mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile, and displays display light representing display information emitted from the display device 110. Then, the light is incident on the projection position 20a of the windshield 20 provided in the vehicle. The head-up display device 100 forms a display image 30 of the display information on the vehicle front extension line (in front of the windshield 20) of the line connecting the driver (viewer) and the projection position 20a. The driver visually recognizes the display image 30 as a virtual image through the box 40.

  With the head-up display device 100, the driver can visually recognize the display image 30 and the foreground of the vehicle in a superimposed manner. Hereinafter, the head-up display device 100 is referred to as the HUD device 100.

  The windshield 20 corresponds to the projection member of the present invention. The windshield 20 is a windshield on the front side of the vehicle. For example, a laminated glass formed of two sheets of glass and an intermediate film provided therebetween is used. The windshield 20 has a slight curvature in the horizontal direction when viewed from above the vehicle and in the direction along the line of the windshield 20 when viewed from the side of the vehicle. The image 30 can be enlarged and displayed further away.

  The eye box 40 is an area in which the driver can visually recognize the display image 30, and is like a peep window virtually imagined in front of the driver's eyes. The eye box 40 has, for example, a rectangle corresponding to the outline of the display image by display light.

  The HUD device 100 includes a display device 110, a reflection device 120, a camera 130, a position adjustment switch 140, a control device 150, and the like.

  The display device 110, the reflection device 120, and the control device 150, which are main components of the HUD device 100, are disposed inside the instrument panel 10 that extends from the lower end surface of the windshield 20 to the rear of the vehicle interior and further downward. ing. Further, the camera 130 is disposed outside the instrument panel 10 at a position where the driver's face can be easily captured, and the position adjustment switch 140 is provided at a position where the driver can easily operate.

  Note that an opening 10a for allowing display light from the reflection device 120 to pass through is provided on the upper surface of the instrument panel 10, and further, a dust-proof cover having translucency is provided in the opening 10a. . Hereinafter, details of each component of the HUD device 100 will be described.

  The display device 110 emits display light representing display information, and includes a light source unit 111, a lens 112, a display 113, and the like as shown in FIGS.

  The light source unit 111 is a light emitting element that emits light to the display unit 113 when energized. For example, a light emitting diode (Light Emitting Diode = LED) is used. The light source unit 111 emits light along the optical axis with respect to the display unit 113 by controlling the light emission state by the control device 150.

  A plurality of light source units 111 are arranged on a rectangular substrate 111 a on one end side of the display device 110. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the plurality of light source units 111 are arranged so as to form m columns and n columns in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, respectively. Here, an example in which m = 3 and n = 3 is shown.

  The plurality of light source units 111 are arranged in a conjugate relationship with the rectangular eye box 40 on the rectangular substrate 111a. For example, the n1 column of the light source unit 111 corresponds to the left region of the eye box 40, and the n3 column of the light source unit 111 corresponds to the right region of the eye box 40. Similarly, the m1 column of the light source unit 111 corresponds to the upper region of the eye box 40, and the m3 column of the light source unit 111 corresponds to the lower region of the eye box 40.

  The lens 112 is a member that condenses the light from the light source unit 111 toward the display unit 113, and is disposed on the light emission side of the light source unit 111.

  The display 113 is transmitted and illuminated by the light from the light source unit 111 and emits display light representing display information, and is driven and controlled by a drive circuit of the control device 150. As the display 113, for example, a TFT liquid crystal panel using a thin film transistor (TFT), a dual scan type display (Dual Scan Super Twisted Nematic = D-STN), a TN (Twisted Nematic) segment liquid crystal, or the like is used. Is done.

  The display unit 113 emits display light representing display information toward the reflection device 120 on the side opposite to the light source unit 111 by the light emitted from the light source unit 111. The display light emitting surface of the display 113 is, for example, oriented in the vertical direction, and is arranged so that the optical axis of the display light faces the front-rear direction of the vehicle (the emission direction faces the front side of the vehicle). Has been.

  The display information formed by the display unit 113 can be, for example, map information in the vehicle navigation system, current position information of the vehicle on the map, or guide information to the destination. Alternatively, the display information may be information such as vehicle speed, engine speed, engine coolant temperature, and battery voltage as vehicle information during vehicle travel.

  The display device 113 can be formed on the surface of the display device 113 one by one or a combination of a plurality of types of display information as described above. The driver can select which display information to use by using a display changeover switch.

  The reflection device 120 is a device that reflects display light, and includes a mirror part 121, a holder part 122, a shaft part 123, a motor part 124, and the like, as shown in FIGS.

  The mirror unit 121 is a member that reflects display light from the display unit 113 to the projection position 20 a of the windshield 20 through the opening 10 a of the instrument panel 10. The mirror part 121 is formed, for example, by depositing a metal such as aluminum or silver on a transparent glass plate material, and the surface facing the display 113 is a reflection surface. The mirror unit 121 is a concave mirror that is recessed on the back side (the side opposite to the reflecting surface). The mirror unit 121 can enlarge the display information toward the projection position 20a.

  In addition, the mirror part 121 is not restricted to what is formed from a glass plate material, for example, aluminum etc. are vapor-deposited on the surface (area | region equivalent to the mirror part 121) which becomes the indicator 113 side of the resin holder parts 122. It is good also as a resin-made mirror part formed by making it.

  The holder part 122 is a member that holds the mirror part 121 and is formed of, for example, a resin material. The holder part 122 is arrange | positioned so that the back side of the mirror part 121 may be covered. The mirror part 121 is joined to the holder part 122.

  The shaft portion 123 is integrally formed on both ends of the holder portion 122 in the horizontal direction (left-right direction), and is rotatably supported by a support body (not shown).

  The motor unit 124 is, for example, a synchronous motor that operates in synchronization with input pulse power, and is connected to the shaft unit 123 on one side. The rotation of the motor unit 124 is controlled by the control device 150. When the motor part 124 is rotated in the forward direction or the reverse direction, the holder part 122 (mirror part 121) is rotated with respect to the support about the shaft part 123.

  The camera 130 is an imaging unit that captures a driver's face image, and is mounted on, for example, the upper part of the steering column, the combination meter, or the upper part of the windshield 20 so as to face the driver's face. . The camera 130 captures a driver's face image, thereby capturing the eye position and the change in the eye position according to the driver's posture as an image. Data of the captured image captured by the camera 130 is output to the control device 150.

  The position adjustment switch 140 is an input unit that generates a request signal for adjusting the position of the display image 30 on the windshield 20 to the upper side or the lower side according to the driver's preference by an input operation by the driver. It has become. The position adjustment switch 140 is provided on the surface of the instrument panel 10 that faces the driver, for example. The position adjustment switch 140 has, for example, a rectangular switch surface facing the driver, and a request signal for changing the position of the display image 30 to the upper side is generated by pressing the upper side of the switch surface. Further, by pushing the lower side of the switch surface, a request signal for changing the position of the display image 30 to the lower side is generated. Then, the generated request signal is output to the control device 150.

  The control device 150 is a detection control unit that detects the position of the driver's eyes and the change in the position of the eyes from the captured image data obtained from the camera 130 and controls the light emission state of the light source unit 111. . Further, the control device 150 controls the formation of display information on the display unit 113 and controls the operation of the motor unit 124 according to a request signal from the position adjustment switch 140 or an on / off signal of an ignition switch. .

  The HUD device 100 is configured as described above, and the operation of the HUD device 100 by the control device 150 will be described below.

  When the ignition switch is turned off, the control device 150 operates the motor unit 124 to change the rotation position of the holder unit 122 (mirror unit 121) to a preset reset position. The reset position is a rotational position of the mirror part 121 when the ignition switch is turned off and the driver is not driving, and sunlight reflects on the mirror part 121 so that the state inside the vehicle is reflected on the windshield 20. It is set to prevent it from being shown.

  Then, when the ignition switch of the vehicle is turned on, the control device 150 operates the motor unit 124 to set the rotation position of the mirror unit 121 from the reset position by the driver during the previous driving. Return to the driver setting position. And the control apparatus 150 determines the display information which should be displayed based on the driver | operator's instruction | indication by a display changeover switch, and makes the display 113 form display information via a drive circuit.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the display unit 113 causes the mirror unit 121 to emit display information as display light by the light emitted from the light source unit 111. The mirror unit 121 reflects the display light emitted from the display unit 113 to the projection position 20a of the windshield 20 through the opening 10a (dust-proof cover). The display light (display information) reflected by the projection position 20a is displayed (image formation) as a display image 30 (virtual image) on the vehicle front extension line (in front of the windshield 20) of the line connecting the driver and the projection position 20a. Then, it is visually recognized by the driver through the eye box 40.

  When the position adjustment switch 140 is operated by the driver and a request signal for changing the position of the display image 30 is generated, the control device 150 operates the motor unit 124 to request the mirror unit 121. Rotate in the direction and adjust to the new driver setting position (adjust up and down).

  Here, in the HUD device 100, when the driver's posture changes and the position of the driver's eyes moves from the center side to the peripheral side of the eye box 40, the brightness of the display image 30 appears to decrease, and driving There was a problem that the person felt uncomfortable.

  In the present embodiment, the control device 150 detects the position of the driver's eyes with respect to the eye box 40 from the captured image data output from the camera 130, and detects the change in the position of the eyes over time. It has become. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, when the position of the eye moves from the center side to the peripheral side of the eye box 40, the control device 150 increases the luminance of the plurality of light source units 111 higher than the luminance before the movement. Control. For example, the control device 150 increases the energization current to each light source unit 111 in order to increase the luminance of the light source unit 111.

  According to the present embodiment, when the position of the eyes moves from the center side of the eyebox 40 to the peripheral side according to the driver's posture, the control device 150 sets the luminance of the light source unit 111 to be higher than the luminance before moving the eyes. Make it high. Therefore, even when the eye position moves to the peripheral side of the eye box 40, the driver can view the bright display image 30 (virtual image). In the present embodiment, as in Patent Document 2 described in the section “Background Art”, an adjustment unit that adjusts the rotational position of the reflecting device 120 and the position in the left-right direction of the vehicle according to the position of the driver's eyes. Setting is unnecessary, and a simple structure can be obtained.

(Second Embodiment)
A second embodiment is shown in FIG. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in how to increase the luminance with respect to the plurality of light source units 111.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, when the eye position moves from the center side of the eye box 40 to the peripheral side, the control device 150 moves to a position on the side where the eyes move among the plurality of light source units 111. The luminance of the corresponding light source unit 111 is set higher than the luminance before movement.

  For example, if the position of the driver's eyes is moved to the right side of the eye box 40, the luminance of the light source units 111 in the n3 column in FIG. For the other (n1 column, n2 column) light source units 111, the luminance is maintained as it was before the movement. Similarly, if the eye position is moved to the left side, the luminance of the light source unit 111 in the n1 column is increased, and if the eye position is moved upward, the luminance of the light source unit 111 in the m1 column is increased and moved to the lower side. Then, the luminance of the light source units 111 in the m3 column is increased. In these cases, the luminance of the light source unit 111 in the area other than the moved side is maintained as it was before the movement.

  As a result, among the plurality of light source units 111, only the light source unit 111 corresponding to the position on the side where the eyes have moved is increased in luminance, and the luminance of the light source unit 111 in the region other than the moved side is maintained as it was before the movement. Therefore, power consumption for increasing the luminance can be suppressed.

(Third embodiment)
A third embodiment is shown in FIG. In the third embodiment, as in the second embodiment, in addition to the light source 111 corresponding to the position on the side where the eyes have moved, the luminance is higher than the luminance before the movement, and the side on which the eyes have moved. The luminance of the light source unit 111 corresponding to the position on the opposite side is made lower than the luminance before movement.

  For example, if the position of the driver's eyes has moved to the right side of the eye box 40, the luminance of the light source units 111 in the n3 column in FIG. Is maintained as it was before the movement, and the luminance of the light source unit 111 in the n1 column is set lower than that before the movement.

  Similarly, if the eye position is moved to the left side, the luminance of the light source unit 111 in the n1 column is increased, the luminance is maintained as it is before the light source unit 111 in the n2 column, and the light source unit in the n3 column is further maintained. For 111, the luminance is made lower than before the movement. If the eye position is moved upward, the luminance of the light source unit 111 in the m1 column is increased, the luminance is maintained as it is for the light source unit 111 in the m2 column, and the light source unit 111 in the m3 column is further maintained. Makes the brightness lower than before moving. Further, if the eye position is moved downward, the luminance of the light source units 111 in the m3 column is increased, the luminance is maintained as it is for the light source units 111 in the m2 column, and the light source unit 111 in the m1 column is further maintained. For, make the brightness lower than before moving.

  Thereby, since the brightness | luminance of the light source part 111 corresponding to the position on the opposite side to the side to which the eye moved among several light source parts 111 is made low, power consumption can be suppressed further.

(Other embodiments)
In each of the above embodiments, the luminance of each light source unit 111 is changed by changing the energization current for the plurality of light source units 111. However, for example, when the light source unit 111 at each arrangement point is further formed from a plurality of light source units, and the luminance of the light source unit 111 is increased, the number of light source units that emit light is increased. May be reduced by reducing the number of light source units that emit light.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the windshield 20 of the vehicle is used as the projection member for the display light emitted from the display device 113. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a combiner or the like provided exclusively for the HUD device 100 may be used.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, the display light from the display unit 113 is reflected by the reflection device 120. However, the display light from the display unit 113 is once reflected by, for example, a plane mirror and then emitted to the reflection device 120. You may do it.

  Further, the display 113 has been described as using a TFT liquid crystal panel, a dual scan type display, a TN segment liquid crystal, etc., but is not limited thereto, and is a self-luminous display such as electroluminescence. It is also good. Furthermore, a laser projector that scans a laser may be used.

20 Windshield (projection member)
30 Display image (virtual image)
40 Eye box 100 Head-up display device 111 Light source unit 113 Display device 120 Reflecting device 130 Camera (imaging unit)
150 Control device (detection control unit)

Claims (3)

A display (113) that is transmitted and illuminated by the light source unit (111) and emits display light representing display information;
A reflection device (120) for reflecting the display light emitted from the display to a projection member (20),
In a head-up display device that displays a virtual image (30) of the display information in front of the projection member,
An imaging unit (130) for imaging a viewer who visually recognizes the virtual image;
A detection control unit that detects the position of the eyes of the viewer and controls the light emission state of the light source unit with respect to the eye box (40) that is the visible region of the virtual image from the image captured by the imaging unit. 150),
A plurality of the light source units are arranged with respect to the display, and are in a conjugate relationship with the eye box,
The detection control unit is a head-up display device that, when the position of the eye moves from the center side of the eye box to the peripheral side, makes the luminance of the light source unit higher than the luminance before the movement.   2. The head-up display device according to claim 1, wherein the detection control unit increases a luminance of the light source unit corresponding to a position on a side where the eyes have moved among a plurality of the light source units to be higher than a luminance before the movement. .   The said detection control part makes the brightness | luminance of the said light source part corresponding to the position on the opposite side to the side to which the said eye moved among the some said light source parts lower than the brightness | luminance before a movement. The head-up display device described in 1.

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