Dual output headlight system for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9766454-B2
Application number	US-201514818021-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2015
Priority date	Aug 4, 2015
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A dual output headlight system includes a projection system having a laser light source to emit incoherent light. The projection system also has a partitioned display surface including a headlight display section and a selectively active augmented display section. The partitioned display surface is positioned in a first path of the incoherent light from the laser light source and to generate a display output. The dual output headlight system also includes an optical splitter positioned in a second path of the display output to split the display output into a headlight illumination output and a graphical output.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dual output headlight system, comprising:
a projection system configured to be disposed within an automotive vehicle, the projection system including:
a laser light source configured to emit incoherent light;
a partitioned display surface including a headlight display section and a selectively active augmented display section, the partitioned display surface disposed within a first path of the incoherent light and configured to generate a display output;
a body control module operatively connected to the partitioned display surface; and
a vehicle sensory system operatively connected to the body control module;
wherein:
the selectively active augmented display section of the partitioned display surface having a display state selected from at least one of an active state and a dark state, wherein:
in the active state, the display output includes graphical output that forms a projected image on a surface exterior to the automotive vehicle;
in the dark state, the display output does not include the graphical output;
the display state is automatically selectable by the body control module in response to object distance data obtained by the vehicle sensory system; and

an optical splitter positioned in a second path of the display output to split the display output into a headlight illumination output and a graphical output.

2. The dual output headlight system as defined in claim 1 wherein the partitioned display surface includes a pixel array generator portion configured to generate the display output.

3. The dual output headlight system as defined in claim 2 wherein the pixel array generator portion includes at least one of a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) shutter array or a digital micromirror device.

4. The dual output headlight system as defined in claim 1 wherein the laser light source includes:
a laser light generator configured to generate laser light; and
a film layer having a laser light-responsive phosphor deposited thereon, wherein the phosphor is configured to emit the incoherent light in response to excitation by the laser light.

5. The dual output headlight system as defined in claim 4 wherein:
the laser light source is configured to emit pulses of the incoherent light, wherein:
the pulses of the incoherent light are discrete pulses of at least 2 primary additive colors,
the pulses of the incoherent light are emitted in a series of frames at a frame rate of at least 60 Hz, each of the frames having the pulses emitted in a predetermined sequence including the at least 2 primary additive colors,
each discrete pulse has only one of the at least 2 primary additive colors, and
each discrete pulse is emitted at a sub-frame rate of at least a product of the frame rate and a total quantity of the at least 2 primary additive colors.

6. The dual output headlight system as defined in claim 5 wherein the at least 2 primary additive colors are red, green and blue.

7. The dual output headlight system as defined in claim 5 wherein:
the laser light source is configured to scan at least a first portion of the headlight display section and at least a second portion of the selectively active augmented display section with a beam of the incoherent light in each discrete pulse; and
the laser light source further includes a beam steering device to controllably direct the beam of the incoherent light to the partitioned display surface.

8. The dual output headlight system as defined in claim 7 wherein the beam steering device is at least one of a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) micro mirror or an Acousto-Optic Modulator.

9. The dual output headlight system as defined in claim 1 wherein the laser light source is configured to project the incoherent light on the entire partitioned display surface simultaneously.

10. The dual output headlight system as defined in claim 1 wherein:
the dark state is selected when the object distance data is less than a threshold distance; and
the active state is selected when the object distance data is equal to or greater than the threshold distance.

11. The dual output headlight system as defined in claim 1 wherein the optical splitter is selected from the group consisting of a beam splitter, a motorized projector head, a prism, and a mirror.

12. The dual output headlight system as defined in claim 1 wherein the display output includes the headlight illumination output from the headlight display section and graphical information conveyed by the graphical output.

13. The dual output headlight system as defined in claim 1 wherein the dual output headlight system is configured to illuminate a zone with white light from the headlight illumination output and to project the graphical output as an image projected below the zone with white light.

14. A vehicle system, comprising:
an automotive vehicle;
a body control module operatively disposed within the vehicle;
a vehicle sensory system operatively disposed within the vehicle;
a vehicle bus operatively connecting the body control module and the vehicle sensory system; and
a dual output headlight system responsive to commands from the body control module, the dual output headlight system including:
a laser light source having a laser light generator configured to generate laser light and a film layer having a laser light-responsive phosphor deposited thereon wherein the phosphor is configured to emit incoherent light in response to excitation by the laser light;
a partitioned display surface positioned disposed in a first path of the incoherent light from the laser light source and configured to generate a display output, the partitioned display surface including a headlight illumination section and a selectively active augmented display section wherein:
the partitioned display surface includes a pixel array generator portion configured to generate the display output; and
the selectively active augmented display section is responsive to object distance data obtained by the vehicle sensory system;
wherein:
the selectively active augmented display section of the partitioned display surface having a display state selected from at least one of an active state and a dark state;
in the active state, the display output includes graphical output that forms a projected image on a surface exterior to the automotive vehicle;
in the dark state, the display output does not include the graphical output;
the display state is automatically selectable by the body control module in response to object distance data obtained by the vehicle sensory system, wherein:
the dark state is selected when the object distance data is less than a threshold distance; and
the active state is selected when the object distance data is equal to or greater than the threshold distance; and

an optical splitter disposed in a second path of the display output to split the display output into a headlight illumination output and a graphical output.

15. The vehicle system as defined in claim 14 , further comprising an active shutter system wherein:
the graphical output includes a private image portion that conveys private information and a mask image portion;
the private image portion is projected intermittently having visible intervals and masked intervals;
the mask image portion is projected during the masked intervals to prevent the private information from being discernable to a human observer via an eye of the human observer unaided by a temporal decryption device; and
the active shutter system is synchronized with the visible and masked intervals to allow the display output to be

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Chau Jarvis
• Forest Thomas M

Classifications

• G09G3/001

  using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background (slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP) · CPC title

• G02F1/33

  Acousto-optical deflection devices {(circuit or control arrangements therefor G02F1/113)} · CPC title

• B60Q1/143

  combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers · CPC title

• F21S41/675

  by moving reflectors · CPC title

• G02B27/0101 Primary

  characterised by optical features (G02B27/0172 takes precedence) · CPC title