Device for a color-based detection of image contents computing device, and motor vehicle including the device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11580716-B2
Application number	US-202017608402-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2020
Priority date	May 3, 2019
Publication date	Feb 14, 2023
Grant date	Feb 14, 2023

Abstract

An apparatus for color-dependent detection of image contents includes a light input coupling apparatus, carrier medium, measuring region, output coupling region, and camera apparatus. The light input coupling apparatus includes a light source to emit light at a first wavelength. The carrier medium receives the light and transmits the light by internal reflection to the measuring region. The measuring region includes a first diffraction structure that outputs light at the first wavelength. The first diffraction structure is formed as a multiplex diffraction structure to input light in a second wavelength range. The output coupling region includes a second diffraction structure formed as a multiplex diffraction structure that outputs light at the first wavelength and the second wavelength range. The camera apparatus captures light output from the carrier medium to the camera apparatus, and provides the light in a form of image data which correlates with the light.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for color-dependent detection of image contents, comprising:
a light input coupling apparatus including a light source configured to emit light at a first wavelength;
a carrier medium configured as a light guide to receive the light emitted by the light source and to transmit the light emitted by the light source by internal reflection to a measuring region;
the measuring region disposed on the carrier medium as a holographic element and including a first diffraction structure configured to output light at the first wavelength, which is incident on the first diffraction structure, out of the carrier medium, and to input light at the first wavelength, which is incident on the first diffraction structure from outside of the carrier medium, into the carrier medium in a direction of an output coupling region, wherein the first diffraction structure is formed as a multiplex diffraction structure configured to input light in a second wavelength range, which is incident on the first diffraction structure from outside of the carrier medium, in the direction of the output coupling region;
the output coupling region disposed on the carrier medium as a holographic element and including a second diffraction structure formed as a multiplex diffraction structure which is configured to output light at the first wavelength and to output light in the second wavelength range, which is from a direction of the measuring region and incident on the second diffraction structure; and
a camera apparatus configured to capture light which is output from the carrier medium to the camera apparatus via the output coupling region, and to provide the light captured by the camera apparatus in a form of image data which correlates with the light captured by the camera apparatus.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the carrier medium has a cuboid shape,
the light input coupling apparatus is attached to a narrow side of the carrier medium, and
the camera apparatus is attached to a surface side of the carrier medium.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first wavelength is in an infrared wavelength range.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the first wavelength is in a wavelength range from 800 nm to 1000 nm.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second wavelength range is in a visible wavelength range.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the second wavelength range is in a wavelength range from 380 nm to 780 nm.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the measuring region and the output coupling region are integrated directly into the carrier medium, or
the carrier medium is formed as a separate element from the measuring region and the output coupling region.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein
when the measuring region and the output coupling region are integrated directly into the carrier medium, the measuring region and the output coupling region are integrated directly into a surface structure of the carrier medium.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first diffraction structure and the second diffraction structure are formed as a volume holographic grating or as a surface holographic grating.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the image data includes a combination of individual images which correspond to respective wavelengths.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the light input coupling apparatus includes a further light source configured to emit light at a third wavelength, and
the carrier medium is configured to receive the light emitted by the further light source and to transmit the light emitted by the further light source by internal reflection to the measuring region,
the first diffraction structure is further configured to output light at the third wavelength, which is incident on the first diffraction structure, out of the carrier medium and to input light at the third wavelength, which is incident on the first diffraction structure from outside of the carrier medium, into the carrier medium in the direction of the output coupling region, wherein the first diffraction structure having the multiplex diffraction structure is configured to input light at the third wavelength, which is incident on the first diffraction structure from outside of the carrier medium, in the direction of the output coupling region, and
the second diffraction structure having the multiplex diffraction structure is configured to output light at the third wavelength, which is from the direction of the measuring region and incident on the second diffraction structure, out of the carrier medium to the camera apparatus.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the third wavelength is in an ultraviolet wavelength range.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the third wavelength is in a wavelength range between 180 nm to 380 nm.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
an identification device configured to:
receive the image data from the camera apparatus,
check the image data for a specified biometric identification feature, and
generate a control signal when a predetermined comparison condition is met.

15. A motor vehicle, comprising:
a windowpane;
a display screen;
an arm rest;
an unlocking mechanism;
a starting apparatus; and
an apparatus integrated in at least one of the windowpane, the display screen, and the arm rest, the apparatus including:
a light input coupling apparatus including a light source configured to emit light at a first wavelength,
a carrier medium configured as a light guide to receive the light emitted by the light source and to transmit the light emitted by the light source by internal reflection to a measuring region,
the measuring region disposed on the carrier medium as a holographic element and including a first diffraction structure configured to output light at the first wavelength, which is incident on the first diffraction structure, out of the carrier medium, and to input light at the first wavelength, which is incident on the first diffraction structure from outside of the carrier medium, into the carrier medium in a direction of an output coupling region, wherein the first diffraction structure is formed as a multiplex diffraction structure configured to input light in a second wavelength range, which is incident on the first diffraction structure from outside of the carrier medium, in the direction of the output coupling region,
the output coupling region disposed on the carrier medium as a holographic element and including a second diffraction structure formed as a multiplex diffraction structure which is configured to output light at the first wavelength and to output light in the second wavelength range, which is from a direction of the measuring region and incident on the second diffraction structure,
a camera apparatus configured to capture light which is output from the carrier medium to the camera apparatus via the output coupling region, and to provide the light captured by the camera apparatus in a form of image data which correlates with the light captured by the camera apparatus, and
an identification device configured to receive the image data from the camera apparatus, check the image data for a specified biometric identification feature, and generate a control signal when a predetermined comparison condition is met to control at least one of the unlocking mechanism and the starting apparatus.

16. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 15 ,

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Klug Markus
• Moll Tobias
• Scheuchenpflug Johannes

Classifications

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/50

  Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• G06V40/1318

  using electro-optical elements or layers, e.g. electroluminescent sensing · CPC title

• G02B27/1093

  for use with monochromatic radiation only, e.g. devices for splitting a single laser source · CPC title