Vehicle head up display system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10139978-B2
Application number	US-201715599584-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2017
Priority date	Sep 20, 2002
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

A head up display system for a vehicle includes an image projection device disposed in the vehicle and having a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner and at least one light source operable to emit light. Light emitted by the at least one light source is projected by the biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards a windshield of the vehicle so as to form an image that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle viewing the windshield when driving the vehicle. The image projection device is disposed at one of (i) an accessory module disposed in the vehicle, (ii) an interior rearview mirror assembly disposed in the vehicle, and (iii) a dashboard of the vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A head up display system for a vehicle, said head up display system comprising:
an image projection device disposed in a vehicle equipped with said head up display system, said image projection device comprising a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner and at least one light source operable to emit light;
wherein light emitted by said at least one light source is projected by said biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards a windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to form an image that is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing the windshield when driving the equipped vehicle;
wherein said image projection device is disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly disposed in the equipped vehicle; and
wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a minor casing having a bezel, and wherein a plurality of actuatable elements are arranged along a portion of said bezel, and wherein said actuatable elements are integrally formed at said portion of said bezel during said molding operation that forms said bezel, said actuatable elements each comprising a molded plastic material body portion and a molded plastic material flexible portion, said molded plastic material flexible portion connecting said molded plastic material body portion to the remainder of said bezel so that said body portion is movable relative to the remainder of said bezel via flexing of said flexible portion when said actuatable element is actuated by a user pressing said body portion, and wherein circuitry is disposed within said mirror casing and has electrical actuation switches located generally proximate to and rearward of said body portions of said actuatable elements.

2. The head up display system of claim 1 , wherein said image projection device comprises a thin film transistor liquid crystal element.

3. The head up display system of claim 2 , wherein said image projection device comprises optics that direct light emitted by said at least one light source through said thin film transistor liquid crystal element and toward the windshield.

4. The head up display system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one light source comprises a red-light emitting light source, a green-light emitting light source and a blue-light emitting light source.

5. The head up display system of claim 1 , wherein said at least one light source comprises a red-light emitting diode, a green-light emitting diode and a blue-light emitting diode.

6. The head up display system of claim 1 , wherein said image projection device comprises a laser-scanning image projection device.

7. The head up display system of claim 1 , wherein the image viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprises a virtual image that appears to the driver to be in front of the equipped vehicle.

8. The head up display system of claim 1 , wherein the image viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprises an iconistic image.

9. The head up display system of claim 1 , wherein the image viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprises a video image.

10. The head up display system of claim 9 , wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a reversing camera of the equipped vehicle.

11. The head up display system of claim 9 , wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a camera that is part of a side object monitoring system of the equipped vehicle.

12. The head up display system of claim 9 , wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a camera that is part of a blind spot monitoring system of the equipped vehicle.

13. A head up display system for a vehicle, said head up display system comprising:
an image projection device disposed in a vehicle equipped with said head up display system, said image projection device comprising a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner and at least one light source operable to emit light;
wherein light emitted by said at least one light source is projected by said biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards a windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to form an image that is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing the windshield when driving the equipped vehicle;
wherein the image viewed by the driver viewing the windshield comprises a video image;
wherein said image projection device is disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly disposed in the equipped vehicle; and
wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly comprises a minor casing having a bezel, and wherein a plurality of actuatable elements are arranged along a portion of said bezel, and wherein said actuatable elements are integrally formed at said portion of said bezel during said molding operation that forms said bezel, said actuatable elements each comprising a molded plastic material body portion and a molded plastic material flexible portion, said molded plastic material flexible portion connecting said molded plastic material body portion to the remainder of said bezel so that said body portion is movable relative to the remainder of said bezel via flexing of said flexible portion when said actuatable element is actuated by a user pressing said body portion, and wherein circuitry is disposed within said mirror casing and has electrical actuation switches located generally proximate to and rearward of said body portions of said actuatable elements.

14. The head up display system of claim 13 , wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a reversing camera of the equipped vehicle.

15. The head up display system of claim 13 , wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a camera that is part of a side object monitoring system of the equipped vehicle.

16. The head up display system of claim 13 , wherein the video image is derived, at least in part, from image data captured by a camera that is part of a blind spot monitoring system of the equipped vehicle.

17. A head up display system for a vehicle, said head up display system comprising:
an image projection device disposed in a vehicle equipped with said head up display system, said image projection device comprising a biaxial microelectromechanical scanner and at least one light source operable to emit light;
wherein light emitted by said at least one light source is projected by said biaxial microelectromechanical scanner towards a windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to form an image that is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing the windshield when driving the equipped vehicle;
wherein said image projection device comprises a laser-scanning image projection device;
wherein said image projection device is disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly disposed in the equipped vehicle; and
wherein said interior rearview minor assembly comprises a minor casing having a bezel, and wherein a plurality of actuatable elements are arranged along a portion of said bezel, and wherein said actuatable elements are integrally formed at said portion of said bezel during said molding operation that forms said bezel, said actuatable elements each comprising a molded plastic material body portion and a molded plastic material flexible portion, said molded plastic material flexible portion connecting said molded plastic material body portion to the remainder of said bezel so that said body portion is movable relative to the remainder of said bezel via flexing of said flexible portion when said actuatable element is actuated by a user pressing said body portio

Assignees

• Donnelly Corp

Inventors

• Lindahl John O
• Whitehead Peter J
• Lynam Niall R
• Uken John T
• Karner Lee
• Hook Richard R

Classifications

• G06F3/0489

  using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof · CPC title

• B60R2011/0033

  Rear-view mirrors · CPC title

• B60R1/08

  involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots {, e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors (B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence)} · CPC title

• G02F1/157

  Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title