|Publication number||US7932960 B1|
|Application number||US 12/059,371|
|Publication date||Apr 26, 2011|
|Priority date||Mar 31, 2008|
|Publication number||059371, 12059371, US 7932960 B1, US 7932960B1, US-B1-7932960, US7932960 B1, US7932960B1|
|Original Assignee||Yazaki North America, Inc.|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (8), Classifications (9), Legal Events (4)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
The present disclosure generally relates to display backlighting, and more particularly to a system and method for an integrator array for backlighting a heads-up display (HUD) in a motor vehicle.
Traditionally, HUDs are employed in motor vehicles to display information regarding the operation of the motor vehicle in a line of site of an operator. For example, the HUD can display a speed of the motor vehicle, a radio station playing on a stereo of the motor vehicle or even a live image from the night vision camera. The image of the HUD is typically located at a position sufficiently far from the driver such that the driver's eyes can see clearly both the HUD image and the road afar simultaneously. Thus, the HUD can enable the operator to obtain important information regarding the current operation of the motor vehicle without diverting his or her eyes to look at gages on an instrument panel.
Generally, the information displayed by the HUD can be projected by a backlit display. For example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) can be used to generate the data displayed by the HUD, which can then be backlit by a suitable lighting system. As the HUD is placed a great distance from the driver's eyes, in order for the HUD image to be sufficiently bright, the light coming out of the LCD needs to be highly concentrated or focused.
A system for providing spatially uniform and angularly focused backlighting to a liquid crystal display is provided. The system can include at least one light source that emits a plurality of light rays. The system can also include at least one column having a first end positioned adjacent to the at least one light source, a second end adapted to be positioned adjacent to the liquid crystal display and a plurality of walls. The system can further include an optical receptor coupled to the first end of the at least one column. The optical receptor can include a centrally-positioned inner lens and an angled side wall that can be coupled to the plurality of walls of the at least one column. Some of the plurality of light rays from the at least one light source can have a small angle relative to the main optical axis, and can be collimated by the inner lens. Some of the plurality of light rays from the at least one light source can have an angle big enough to miss the inner lens, and can be totally internally reflected by the angled side wall and plurality of walls and in this process can be collimated. With the combination of the inner lens, the angled side walls and plurality of walls, a majority of the plurality of light rays entering the integrator array can be collimated to create angularly focused backlighting. The total internal reflection by the walls can create at least one virtual light source to backlight the liquid crystal display.
Further provided is a system for providing uniform and focused backlighting to a liquid crystal display. The system can include a plurality of columns. Each column can have a first end, a second end, and four walls extending between the first and second ends. Each wall can diverge outwardly from the first end such that the columns can be spaced apart at the first end and are operable to be coupled together at the second end. The system can also include an optical receptor positioned at the first end of each column. Each optical receptor can have an outer angled side wall that can merge into the four walls and a centrally-positioned inner lens. Light rays entering each column at the first end can be reflected by the angled side wall, the lens and four walls to remain within a space defined by the column.
A system for providing uniform and focused backlighting to a liquid crystal display is provided. The system can include a plurality of light sources that emit a plurality of light rays. The system can also include a plurality of columns arranged in parallel rows. Each column can have a first end, a second end, and four walls extending between the first and second ends that diverge outwardly from the first end such that the columns can be spaced apart at the first end and adjacent to each other at the second end. The system can further include an optical receptor coupled to the first end of each column and positioned adjacent to one of the plurality of light sources. Each optical receptor can have an outer angled side wall coupled to the four walls and a centrally-positioned inner lens. The system can further include a liquid crystal display that displays a message. The liquid crystal display can be positioned adjacent to the second ends of the plurality of columns. The plurality of light rays from the plurality of light sources can be totally internally reflected by the angled side wall and plurality of walls to create a plurality of virtual light sources and the angled sidewall, four walls and inner lens cooperate to provide spatially uniform backlighting of the liquid crystal display.
Further areas of applicability of the present teachings will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the description and specific examples, while indicating various embodiments of the present teachings, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present teachings.
The present teachings will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description of various embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present teachings. Although the following description is related generally to an integrator array for backlighting a liquid crystal display (LCD) for use with a head's up display (HUD) of a motor vehicle, it will be understood that the integrator array, as described and claimed herein, can be used in combination with any appropriate system or device where it is desirable to backlight a display using a concentrated beam of light, such as a virtual reality display. Therefore, it will be understood that the following discussions are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.
With reference to
With reference to
The housing 30 can include an aperture 42, one or more walls 44, a first end 46 and a second end 48. In addition, the housing 30 can include one or more features that facilitate the coupling of the housing 30 to the motor vehicle 10. The housing 30 can be composed of any suitable material, such as a metal, metal alloy, polymer or combinations thereof. The aperture 42 of the housing 30 can receive the integrator array 34. The walls 44 can surround and define the aperture 42, and can include one or more supports to support the integrator array 34, if desired. If employed, the supports can suspend the integrator array 34 above the light sources 36 and the PCB 38. The first end 46 of the housing 30 can be adjacent to the LCD 32. Generally, the ends 44 c of the walls 44 can be configured to support the LCD 32 over the integrator array 34. The second end 48 of the housing 30 can be coupled to the PCB 38.
The liquid crystal display (LCD) 32 can be received onto the first end 46 of the housing 30 so that the LCD 32 can be adjacent to the integrator array 34. Generally, the LCD 32 can be overlaid or positioned substantially over the integrator array 34 by the housing 30 so that the integrator array 34 can serve to backlight the LCD 32. In addition, the LCD 32 can include circuitry 32 a that can receive the messages 16 from the controller 40. The LCD 32 can be a monochrome or a full color LCD as generally known in the art. Briefly the circuitry 32 a of the LCD 32 can be in communication with and responsive to the controller 40 to receive at least one control signal 33 that comprises the message 16 as will be discussed. Based on the control signal 33, the LCD 32 can generate the message 16 (
With reference to
With reference to
The proximal end 52 of each column 50 can be positioned adjacent to a respective one of the light sources 36 and can include an optical receptor 58 having a lens 60, an angled or cylindrical side wall 62 and a straight side wall 65. The lens 60 can be disposed within an opening 63 in the optical receptor 58 with the side walls 62, 65 surrounding the lens 60. The lens 60 can comprise a convex lens having a central axis C, which can be aligned with the main optical axis M of the light source 36. The light rays R entering the lens 60 from the light source 36 can be slightly bent by the lens 60 so as to be directed towards the distal end 54 of the column 50. Generally, the light rays R either extend without further obstruction towards the distal end 54 of the column 50 or reflect once internally (e.g., reflect off walls 56). In other words, the light rays R can be slightly bent by the lens 60 such that the light rays R can contact the walls 56 at an angle larger than the critical angle θc to enable the total internal reflection of the light rays R in a direction substantially parallel to the main optical axis M.
Certain of the light rays R, however, are not received at the lens 60 and are instead directed toward walls of the opening 63. The refractive index of the opening 63 causes the light rays R to be directed towards the angled side wall 62 surrounding the lens 60. The side wall 62 can have an angle A relative to the opening 63. The angle A can be selected to enable the light rays R from the light source 36 to contact the side wall 62 at an angle larger than the critical angle θc to facilitate the total internal reflection of the light rays R in a direction that is nearly parallel to the main optical axis M. The angle A can be dependent upon the material that comprises the integrator array 34, but can generally be a steep angle, such as an angle between about 20 degrees and about 80 degrees. The side wall 62 can be coupled to the side wall 65, which can, in turn, couple the optical receptor 58 to the walls 56 of the column 50. In this way, the light rays R from the light source 36 can be received within the column 50 and directed substantially parallel to the main optical axis M for uniform and focused backlighting of the LCD 32.
The distal end 54 of the column 50 can be positioned adjacent to the LCD 32 when the HUD system 12 is assembled. The distal end 54 of the columns 50 can be coupled to the support structure 51. With reference to
The support structure 51 can include a flange 51 a and one or more support legs 51 b. The flange 51 a can be coupled to or integrally formed from the distal ends 54 of the columns 50. The flange 51 a can define a planar surface P for receipt of the LCD 32 thereon. The support legs 51 b can extend from the flange 51 a and can couple the flange 51 a to the PCB 38.
With reference to
With reference to
The control signal 33 can comprise the message 16 for display on the LCD 32. The light signal 74 can comprise a signal transmitted on the PCB 38 to illuminate the light sources 36 to backlight the LCD 32. With reference to
Thus, the HUD system 12 can provide the operator of the motor vehicle 10 with one or more messages 16 that can be projected onto the windshield 14 (
While specific examples have been described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined in the claims. Furthermore, the mixing and matching of features, elements and/or functions between various examples is expressly contemplated herein so that one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate from this disclosure that features, elements and/or functions of one example may be incorporated into another example as appropriate, unless described otherwise, above. Moreover, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular examples illustrated by the drawings and described in the specification as the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the scope of the present disclosure will include any embodiments falling within the foregoing description and the appended claims.
For example, while the HUD system 12 has been described as including an LCD 32 that enables the display of data to the operator of the motor vehicle 10, those of skill in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure, in its broadest aspects, may be constructed somewhat differently. For example, the messages 16 could be formed on a template that is overlaid onto the common plane P of the integrator array 34, and the light sources 36 could be used to illuminate the messages 16 depending upon the status of the motor vehicle 10. For instance, the graphical message overlay could include an illustration of the fuel tank, and the light sources 36 can be used to illuminate the fuel tank illustration to notify the operator of the motor vehicle 10 that the fuel tank is almost empty, in one example.
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|U.S. Classification||349/11, 349/61, 349/62|
|Cooperative Classification||G02B19/0028, G02F1/133608, G02F2001/133612, G02F1/133308, G02B19/0066|
|Apr 1, 2008||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: YAZAKI NORTH AMERICA, INC., MICHIGAN
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:FONG, CHING;REEL/FRAME:020731/0751
Effective date: 20080328
|Dec 5, 2014||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|Mar 11, 2015||SULP||Surcharge for late payment|
|Mar 11, 2015||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4