Shading device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10766342-B2
Application number	US-201715757280-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2017
Priority date	Apr 14, 2017
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

A shading device comprises: a shading member formed using a dimming glass plate capable of changing light transmittance, the shading member having a plate shape; a display apparatus being capable of transmitting light and disposed on a surface of the shading member, the surface being to face an operator during use of the shading member, in such a manner that a display portion faces the operator; an image pickup device to pick up, as an image, a region which an opposite surface of the surface faces, and generate image pickup data; a data processing circuit to generate display image data to be displayed on the display portion during use of the shading member, based on the image pickup data generated by the image pickup device; and a switch to change light transmittance of the dimming glass plate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shading device comprising:
a shading member formed using a dimming glass plate capable of changing light transmittance, the shading member having a plate shape;
a display apparatus comprising a plurality of pixels and being capable of transmitting light and disposed on a surface of the shading member, the surface being to face an operator during use of the shading member, in such a manner that a display portion faces the operator;
an image pickup device to pick up, as an image, a region which an opposite surface of the surface faces, and generate image pickup data;
a data processing circuit to generate display image data to be displayed on the display portion during use of the shading member, based on the image pickup data generated by the image pickup device;
a switch to change light transmittance of the dimming glass plate; and
a first detector that detects a position of an eye of an operator of the shading member; wherein
the data processing circuit further comprises:
an angle identification circuit to identify an angle of a line of vision of the operator facing the shading member relative to the surface, based on a result of detection of the first detector; and
a data correction circuit to correct the image pickup data based on a difference of an angle of the line of vision relative to a given reference angle,

the data processing circuit generates the display image data based on image pickup data corrected by the data correction circuit to display, on the display apparatus, a display image corrected for the difference of the angle of the line of vision relative to the given reference angle,
the display apparatus displays an image that is composed of the plurality of pixels based on the display image data and is showing a view of the region which the opposite surface of the surface faces,
the data processing circuit further comprises a display target data selection circuit to determine a blind spot portion obstructed by the shading member in a field of vision of an operator of the shading member, and select display target data among the image pickup data, the display target data corresponding to the blind spot portion,
the image pickup device picks up a region wider than a region obstructed by the shading member in the field of vision,
the data processing circuit generates the display image data based on the display target data to cause the display apparatus to display a view of the blind spot portion, and
the display apparatus displays, based on the display target data, the view of the blind spot portion determined by the display target data selection circuit over an entirety of the display portion.

2. The shading device according to claim 1 , further comprising a second detector to detect a position of the shading member, wherein the angle identification circuit identifies an angle of the line of vision based on a result of detection of the first detector and a result of detection of the second detector.

3. The shading device according to claim 1 , further comprising a control circuit to control an ON/OFF state of the display apparatus based on light transmittance of the dimming glass plate.

4. The shading device according to claim 2 , further comprising a control circuit that controls the display apparatus to an OFF state when the light transmittance of the dimming glass plate is greater than or equal to a given reference value, and controls an ON/OFF state of the display apparatus based on a result of detection of the second detector when the light transmittance of the dimming glass plate is less than the given reference value.

5. The shading device according to claim 3 , further comprising a third detector to detect intensity of light incident on the dimming glass plate, wherein
the control circuit further controls the switch to change the light transmittance of the dimming glass plate, based on a result of detection of the third detector.

6. The shading device according to claim 1 , wherein the data processing circuit further comprises:
a memory circuit to store reference data related to an appearance feature of a given target;
a comparison circuit to compare the image pickup data and the reference data; and
a display image highlighting circuit to process the display image data to highlight a display image of the given target displayed on the display apparatus more significantly than other display images.

7. The shading device according to claim 1 , further comprising a first driver provided separately from the display apparatus to output a signal used to drive the pixels of the display apparatus, based on the display image data.

8. The shading device according to claim 7 , wherein
the display apparatus comprises a substantially rectangular display screen, and
the first driver is disposed at a first edge portion of edge portions of the shading member, the first edge portion being along a longitudinal direction of the display screen and to be oriented to an upper side during use of the shading member.

9. The shading device according to claim 1 , wherein the display apparatus is an organic EL display panel.

10. The shading device according to claim 1 , wherein the image pickup device comprises a lens comprising a surface on which a coating layer to reduce reflection of light by adjusting a refractive index is formed.

11. The shading device according to claim 1 , wherein the dimming glass plate comprises two conductive films allowing light to pass therethrough and liquid crystal molecules sealed in between the two conductive films.

12. The shading device according to claim 1 , further comprising a supporting member to support the shading member at a desired position, and an engaging member to be combined with the supporting member, wherein
the angle identification circuit determines the angle of the line of vision under assumption that the shading member is positioned in a given reference use position, and
the supporting member and the engaging member comprise a recess portion and a projecting portion to engage with each other when the shading member is positioned at the reference use position.

Assignees

• Sakai Display Products Corp

Inventors

• Kishimoto Katsuhiko

Classifications

• B60J3/04 Primary

  adjustable in transparency · CPC title

• B60R11/04

  Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle · CPC title

• B60R2011/0035

  Sun visors · CPC title

• G02F2201/086

  UV absorbing · CPC title

• B60R11/0235

  of flat type, e.g. LCD · CPC title