Patent Application
20190056575
The present disclosure relates to a head-up display system that displays a display image as a virtual image using a reflection member, and a moving body equipped with the head-up display system.
PTL 1 relates to a head-up display apparatus that makes a virtual image of a display image visible by projecting the display image on a projection surface having a concave surface shape formed on a windshield. PTL 1 discloses the head-up display apparatus in which an imaging surface of a screen on which laser light projected from a laser scanner is imaged is formed in a convex surface shape that corrects field curvature of the virtual image.
PTL 1: Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-25205
Objects of the present disclosure are to provide a head-up display system small in size that makes image distortion small in an entire viewpoint area of an observer, and a moving body equipped with the head-up display system.
One of the above-mentioned objects is achieved by the following head-up display system. That is, the present disclosure provides a head-up display system configured to project an image on a display member disposed in an eye direction of an observer, and includes a display device configured to display the image and a projection optical system configured to project on the display member the image displayed on the display device. Then, the projection optical system includes, a mirror ML configured to reflect a light beam toward the display member and a mirror ML−1 configured to reflect the light beam toward mirror ML the mirror ML and the mirror ML−1 being arranged in a stated order in a direction from the display member to the display device, and satisfies following condition (1).
0.01<|MLD/MLW|×|ML−1Z/ML−1W| (1)
where
The present disclosure makes it possible to provide a head-up display system small in size that makes image distortion small in an entire viewpoint area of the observer, and a moving body equipped with the head-up display system.
Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, a detailed description more than necessary may be omitted. For example, a detailed description of well-known matters and a duplicate description of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid unnecessary redundancy in the following description and to make the following description easily understandable to those skilled in the art.
The applicant provides the attached drawings and the following description such that one skilled in the art can sufficiently understand the present disclosure, and therefore, they do not intend to restrict the subject matters of claims.
Specific exemplary embodiments and examples of head-up display system 10 of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings.
Herein, an optical path of display image 110 that forms a center of virtual image I shall be reference light beam L. Note that, a viewpoint of observer D shall exist at a center of viewpoint area 300.
Housing 100 includes opening 102. A transparent cover can be provided on opening 102. Providing the transparent cover having a lens shape makes it possible to adjust magnification of the virtual image. Head-up display system 10 according to the first exemplary embodiment includes housing 100. However, housing 100 is not a necessary component, and dashboard 210 of the vehicle may serve as the housing.
Projection optical system 120 includes first mirror 121 (an example of mirror ML−1) and second mirror 122 (an example of mirror ML) in a stated order in a direction from display device 101 to windshield 220 (an example of the display member). That is, projection optical system 120 includes a reflection optical element composed of mirror ML−1 and mirror ML. Display image 110 displayed by display device 101 is reflected via first mirror 121, reflected via second mirror 122, reflected via windshield 220, and reaches viewpoint area 300 of observer D. Then, observer D views display image 110 as virtual image I. Herein, viewpoint area 300 denotes an area where observer D can observe the entire of virtual image I without lacking.
Mirror ML may also have a movable mechanism for adjusting a display position of the image to be projected on the display member.
In display device 101, display image information is controlled by a controller such as a microprocessor not shown. The display image information includes, for example, a road course plan, a distance to a front vehicle, a vehicular battery remaining amount, and a present vehicle speed. The various items of display image information can be displayed on display device 101. As display device 101, a liquid crystal display device (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (electroluminescence), a plasma display, or the like is used.
In head-up display system 10 according to the first to fourth exemplary embodiments, the position of display device 101 is disposed below first mirror 121. Furthermore, a display surface of display device 101 is oriented toward first mirror 121. In this context, display device 101 is desirably disposed such that a light beam emitted from display device 101 inclines with respect to normal line of the display surface. This makes it possible to prevent stray light caused by external light that is introduced in the housing and reflected on the display surface of display device 101.
Furthermore, first mirror 121 is disposed such that its reflection surface is eccentric in a direction in which an image displayed on display device 101 is reflected on second mirror 122.
A reflection area of second mirror 122 is larger than a reflection area of first mirror 121 to enlarge the image to display as virtual image I. Herein, the reflection area is an area of the mirror that reflects incident light, and a shape of the mirror becomes larger as the reflection area becomes larger.
Second mirror 122 is disposed in a horizontal direction of housing 100 and in a vehicle front side with respect to first mirror 121. Furthermore, second mirror 122 is disposed such that its reflection surface is eccentric in a direction in which reflection light from first mirror 121 is incident on windshield 220.
Furthermore, a light beam emitted toward a center of a viewpoint area 300 of the observer D has a first angle and a second angle larger than the first angle, the light beam being among light beams emitted from a center of the image displayed on the display device 101, the first angle being made with a line parallel to a longer side of a display surface of the display device 101, the second angle being made with a line parallel to a shorter side of the display surface.
In the first to third exemplary embodiments, first mirror 121 is a mirror having a free-form surface shape having a convex surface shape. Furthermore, second mirror 122 is a mirror having a free-form surface shape having a concave surface shape. By making first mirror 121 have the convex surface shape, asymmetric eccentric distortion generated on second mirror 122 can be successfully corrected. Furthermore, by making second mirror 122 have the concave surface shape, a virtual image magnified more than the image of display device 101 can be viewed by observer D.
Furthermore, a free-form surface shape is employed in first mirror 121 and second mirror 122. This is to correct distortion of the virtual image generated by reflection such that good virtual image I can be seen in entire viewpoint area 300. However, only any one of first mirror 121 and second mirror 122 may have a free-form surface and the other one may have a shape such as a flat surface or a toroidal shape.
In the fourth exemplary embodiment, first mirror 121 is a mirror having a free-form surface shape having a concave surface shape. Furthermore, second mirror 122 is a mirror having a free-form surface shape having a concave surface shape. By making the reflection surfaces of first mirror 121 and second mirror 122 have the concave surface shape, a virtual image magnified more than the image of display device 101 can be viewed by observer D. Furthermore, making the reflection surfaces of first mirror 121 and second mirror 122 have the concave surface makes it possible to disperse power held by one mirror, making it possible to reduce distortion aberration sensitivity during assembling.
First mirror 121 and second mirror 122 used in head-up display system 10 according to the first to fourth exemplary embodiments have a rotation asymmetric shape. However, the shape may be a surface shape of a so-called saddle type in which signs of curvatures are different in X direction and Y direction as shown in
Effects of head-up display system 10 configured above will be described below with reference to
In each of schematic views of
Using head-up display system 10 of the present disclosure successfully corrects image distortion in the entire area of viewpoint area 300. That is, in viewpoint area 300, observer D can view a good virtual image at any position.
Hereinafter, desirable conditions for head-up display system 10 according to the first to fourth exemplary embodiments to satisfy will be described. Note that a plurality of preferable conditions are regulated with respect to head-up display system 10 according to each exemplary embodiment. Then, a configuration that satisfies all the plurality of conditions is most preferable. However, by satisfying individual condition, an optical system that provides an effect corresponding to the condition can be also obtained.
Head-up display system 10 according to the first to fourth exemplary embodiments includes display device 101 that displays an image, and projection optical system 120 that projects display image 110 displayed on display device 101. Then, projection optical system 120 has first mirror 121 and second mirror 122 in order of an optical path from display device 101 toward windshield 220.
Head-up display system 10 according to the first to fourth exemplary embodiments projects display image 110 displayed on display device 101 on windshield 220 to make virtual image I be viewed by observer D. This makes it possible to make observer D view the image displayed on display device 101 without interrupting forward visibility of observer D.
In head-up display system 10 of the present disclosure, first mirror 121 desirably has a free-form surface shape. This successfully corrects image distortion generated on windshield 220, making it possible to view a good image having less image distortion in entire viewpoint area 300 of observer D.
In head-up display system 10 of the present disclosure, second mirror 122 desirably has a free-form surface shape. This successfully corrects image distortion generated on windshield 220, making it possible to view a good image having less image distortion in entire viewpoint area 300 of observer D.
In head-up display system 10 of the present disclosure, the reflection surface of first mirror 121 is a concave surface or a convex surface. This makes it possible to suppress distortion of a virtual image generated by reflection as compared with a case where first mirror 121 has a flat surface.
In head-up display system 10 of the present disclosure, an outer shape of first mirror 121 is a trapezoid shape. This makes it possible to reduce an unnecessary area other than an area on which an image is reflected on first mirror 121, making it possible to downsize head-up display system 10. Note that the outer shape of first mirror 121 is not limited to the trapezoid shape, and can be appropriately changed depending on a shape of an effective area.
Head-up display system 10 of the present disclosure satisfies following condition (1) when a mirror that reflects a light beam toward windshield 220 is mirror ML, and a mirror that reflects the light beam toward mirror ML is ML−1.
0.01<|MLD/MLW|×|ML−1Z/ML−1W| (1)
Condition (1) defines a relationship between a size and a sag amount of mirror ML and mirror ML−1. Not greater than a lower limit of condition (1) means that power of mirror ML−1 is weak or inclination arrangement in the front-back direction of mirror ML is small with respect to a width of each of mirror ML−1, mirror ML. When the power of mirror ML−1 is weak, it becomes difficult to correct image distortion of virtual image I. Furthermore, when the inclination arrangement in the front-back direction of mirror ML is small, rotation of an image reflected on mirror ML becomes large, disadvantageously enlarging a size of mirror ML.
Furthermore, satisfying following condition (1a) makes it possible to make the above-mentioned effects further successful.
0.015<|MLD/MLW|×|ML−1Z/ML−1W| (1a)
Also, it is desirable that following condition (1b) be satisfied as well as the condition (1).
|MLD/MLW|×|ML−1Z/ML−1W|<0.04 (1b)
Not lower than an upper limit of condition (1b) means that the power of mirror ML−1 is strong or the inclination arrangement in the front-back direction of mirror ML is large with respect to the width of each of mirror ML−1, mirror ML. When the power of mirror ML−1 is strong, a zooming load of mirror ML−1 becomes too large, disadvantageously enlarging mirror ML−1. Furthermore, when the inclination arrangement in the front-back direction of mirror ML is large, the size of hosing 100 is disadvantageously enlarged.
Furthermore, satisfying following condition (1c) makes it possible to make the effects described above further successful.
|MLD/MLW|×|ML−1Z/ML−1W|<0.03 (1c)
Hereinafter, numerical examples obtained by specifically performing the head-up display system according to the first to fourth exemplary embodiments will be described. Note that in each numerical example, a unit of length in each table is all “mm” and a unit of angle is all “°”. Furthermore, in each numerical example, a free-form surface is defined by the following equations.
In the equations, z is a sag amount at a position (x, y) from an axis defining a plane, r is a radius of curvature at an origin of the axis defining the plane, c is a curvature at the origin of the axis defining the plane, k is a conic constant, Cj is a coefficient in a monomial xmyn.
Further, in eccentricity data in each numerical example, ADE denotes an amount of rotation of a mirror about the X-axis from a Z-axis direction to a Y-axis direction, BDE denotes an amount of rotation of the mirror about the Y-axis from an X-axis direction to the Z-axis direction, and CDE denotes an amount of rotation of the mirror about the Z-axis from the X-axis direction to the Y-axis direction.
Projection optical system 120 of numerical example 1 corresponds to the first exemplary embodiment. Configuration data of projection optical system 120 of numerical example 1 is shown in Table 1, and coefficients of the polynomial free-form surface of numerical example 1 are shown in Table 2.
Projection optical system 120 of numerical example 2 corresponds to the second exemplary embodiment. Configuration data of projection optical system 120 of numerical example 2 is shown in Table 3, and coefficients of the polynomial free-form surface of numerical example 2 are shown in Table 4.
Projection optical system 120 of numerical example 3 corresponds to the third exemplary embodiment. Configuration data of projection optical system 120 of numerical example 3 is shown in Table 5, and coefficients of the polynomial free-form surface of numerical example 3 are shown in Table 6.
Projection optical system 120 of numerical example 4 corresponds to the fourth exemplary embodiment. Configuration data of projection optical system 120 of numerical example 4 is shown in Table 7, and coefficients of the polynomial free-form surface of numerical example 4 are shown in Table 8.
Table 9 below illustrates a display image size, a virtual image size, a distance from a pupil of observer D to virtual image I, and the value of condition (1) in each numerical example.
A head-up display system according to the present disclosure is preferable for a head-up display system requiring high image quality such as a head-up display device for in-vehicle use or the like.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-075683 | Apr 2017 | JP | national |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/JP2018/010499 | Mar 2018 | US |
| Child | 16168053 | US |
