# US 11,999,234 B2 · Method for operating a field-of-vision display device for a motor vehicle

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 11,999,234 B2
- Document ID: US11999234B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/269,898
- Filed: 2019-09-04
- Published: 2021-10-21
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2018-09-07
- Assignees: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
- Applicants: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
- Inventors: Wolfgang-Andreas Huber
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999234B2

## CPC

- B60K 35/23: Head-up displays [HUD] (optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01)
- G02B 27/0101: {characterised by optical features (G02B27/0172 takes precedence)}
- B60K 35/22: Display screens
- B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10)
- G02B 5/003: {Light absorbing elements}
- G02B 5/045: {Prism arrays}
- G02B 5/30: Polarising elements (light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00)
- G02B 27/0093: {with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking}
- B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
- B60K 35/211: {producing three-dimensional [3D] effects, e.g. stereoscopic images}
- B60K 35/28: characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
- B60K 35/29: Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
- B60K 2360/177: Augmented reality
- B60K 2360/186: Displaying information according to relevancy
- B60K 2360/191: Highlight information
- B60K 2360/23: using reflectors
- B60K 2360/334: Projection means
- B60K 2360/349: Adjustment of brightness
- G02B 2027/0118: {comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility}
- G02B 2027/012: {comprising devices for attenuating parasitic image effects}
- G02B 2027/0129: {comprising devices for correcting parallax}
- G02B 2027/014: {comprising information/image processing systems}
- G02B 2027/0141: {characterised by the informative content of the display}
- G02B 2027/0187: {slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye}
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

A method for operating a field-of-vision display device for a motor vehicle, including an electrically controllable planar pixel assembly for generating a projection light beam having a display content and a reflection-suppressing deflection assembly, which is arranged on the planar pixel assembly and includes one or more flat reflection surfaces, extending along the planar pixel assembly at a predefined acute angle thereto and parallel to one another, for projecting the generated projection light beam onto a partially transparent, reflective projection pane, including a windshield of the motor vehicle, as a result of which a virtual display image shown in a field of vision of a user is generated behind the projection pane, wherein: the one or more reflection surfaces are each light-absorbing on the rear side thereof in order to suppress interfering reflection; at least one driving situation parameter is provided, in dependence on which different area segments of the planar pixel assembly are used to generate a desired display content.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for operating a field-of-vision display device for a motor vehicle, the method comprising:
generating, by an electrically actuatable planar pixel arrangement, a projection light beam having a display content;
projecting, by a reflection-suppressing deflection arrangement arranged on the planar pixel arrangement having one or more flat reflection surfaces extending along the planar pixel arrangement at a predetermined acute angle in relation thereto and parallel to one another, the generated projection light beam on a partially transparent reflective projection pane comprising a windshield of the motor vehicle, whereby a virtual display image overlaid in a field of vision of a user is generated behind the windshield, wherein the one or more flat reflection surfaces are light-absorbing on a rear side thereof for interfering reflection suppression; and
providing at least one travel situation parameter, depending on which different surface segments of the planar pixel arrangement are used in each case to generate a desired display content;
wherein providing the at least one travel situation parameter comprises acquiring a current user position, including an eye position or a viewing direction, and depending thereon, upon an allocation of an object to be displayed onto two or more flat reflection surfaces extending along the planar pixel arrangement in parallel to one another;
a lateral offset of object components belonging to adjacent reflection surfaces within the planar pixel arrangement is generated in such a way that allocation of corresponding components of a virtual object is displayed without parallax upon lateral displacements of a head of the user;
overlap of the object components belonging to the adjacent reflection surfaces within the planar pixel arrangement is generated in such a way that the allocation of the corresponding components of the virtual object merge into one another without interruptions even upon rapid vertical displacements of the head of the user; and
to avoid a visible transition between the allocation of the corresponding components of the virtual display image, smaller objects in a vertical direction are each generated in a surface segment of the planar pixel arrangement which belongs to a single reflection surface, or larger objects in the vertical direction are provided with a concealing texture having a horizontal structure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein
providing the at least one travel situation parameter comprises acquiring at least one of a current environment behind the projection pane, and
as a function of at least one of the acquired current environment and the acquired current user position, predetermined display contents to be displayed statically are generated in a surface segment of the planar pixel arrangement such that a background of the virtual display image behind the projection pane meets predetermined requirements for darkness.

### Claim 3

A method for operating a field-of-vision display device for a motor vehicle, the method comprising:
generating, by an electrically actuatable planar pixel arrangement, a projection light beam having a display content;
projecting, by a reflection-suppressing deflection arrangement arranged on the planar pixel arrangement having one or more flat reflection surfaces extending along the planar pixel arrangement at a predetermined acute angle in relation thereto and parallel to one another, the generated projection light beam on a partially transparent reflective projection pane comprising a windshield of the motor vehicle, whereby a virtual display image overlaid in a field of vision of a user is generated behind the windshield, wherein the one or more flat reflection surfaces are light-absorbing on a rear side thereof for interfering reflection suppression; and
providing at least one travel situation parameter, depending on which different surface segments of the planar pixel arrangement are used in each case to generate a desired display content;
wherein providing the at least one travel situation parameter comprises acquiring a current background for predetermined virtual objects to be displayed in a contact-analog manner behind at least one of the projection pane and a current user position, including an eye position or a viewing direction, and, as a function thereof, the predetermined objects to be displayed in a contact-analog manner are at least one of
dynamically tracked by adapting their position within the planar pixel arrangement to a position of the acquired current background within the projection pane and/or the acquired current user position; and
adapted to a distance of the acquired current background by adapting object dimensions, and in a case of a 3D display, distances of the individual images for left and right eye are adapted within the planar pixel arrangement;
wherein in each case a brightness of the predetermined objects is adapted to a brightness of the acquired current background.

### Claim 4

A method for operating a field-of-vision display device for a motor vehicle, the method comprising:
generating, by an electrically actuatable planar pixel arrangement, a projection light beam having a display content;
projecting, by a reflection-suppressing deflection arrangement arranged on the planar pixel arrangement having one or more flat reflection surfaces extending along the planar pixel arrangement at a predetermined acute angle in relation thereto and parallel to one another, the generated projection light beam on a partially transparent reflective projection pane comprising a windshield of the motor vehicle, whereby a virtual display image overlaid in a field of vision of a user is generated behind the windshield, wherein the one or more flat reflection surfaces are light-absorbing on a rear side thereof for interfering reflection suppression; and
providing at least one travel situation parameter, depending on which different surface segments of the planar pixel arrangement are used in each case to generate a desired display content;
wherein the field-of-vision display device is installed in a motor vehicle, the at least one travel situation parameter in each case currently comprises at least one of a movement of the motor vehicle, a control state of the motor vehicle, an onboard system state, an occupant state including a number and position of occupants in the motor vehicle, an upcoming environment, and upcoming route data and, as a function thereof in the field of vision of the driver and/or other occupants via respective suitable surface segments of the planar pixel arrangement,
contact-analog display contents, including at least one of virtual object images and markings are overlaid to assist the driver and to clarify a driving situation for the driver and the other occupants in a case of assisted or highly automated or fully automated driving;
predetermined static display contents, including safety-relevant specifications on at least one of the onboard system state and route data, are overlaid for at least one of the driver and the other occupants in the case of assisted or highly automated or fully automated driving;
entertainment contents are overlaid for one or more occupants in a case of a stationary vehicle or highly automated or fully automated driving, wherein the surface segments of the windshield corresponding to the respective surface segments of the planar pixel arrangement are switchable between transparent and dark to create a cinema experience; and
predetermined, safety-relevant or legally prescribed specifications are generated via surface segments of the planar pixel arrangement to generate at least partially p-polarized light, wherein corresponding surface segments of the windshield are designed to reflect p-polarized light.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein as a function of the current user position,
upper edges of multiple reflection surfaces parallel to one another of the reflection-suppressing deflection arrangement are aligned from a viewpoint of the user essentially on a line leading to eyes of the user; and
surface segments of the planar pixel arrangement, a light of which is located outside current eye boxes of all users, are used as a dazzle-free interior illumination source.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more flat reflection surfaces of the reflection-suppressing deflection arrangement is formed by a lateral surface side of a prism arranged on the planar pixel arrangement having a triangular, quadrilateral, or pentagonal cross-sectional area,
wherein providing the at least one travel situation parameter comprises acquiring a current viewing direction of the user and depending thereon a flat, horizontal chamfer of one or more upper prism edges is aligned essentially along the acquired viewing direction of the user in consideration of the reflection on the projection pane.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein for each two adjacent reflection surfaces, a light exit plane, which connects an upper edge of one reflection surface and a lower edge of the rear side of a closest reflection surface, is aligned essentially perpendicular to the projection pane in operation of the field-of-vision display device.

### Claim 8

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program which, when executed in a control unit, executes a method comprising:
generating, by an electrically actuatable planar pixel arrangement, a projection light beam having a display content; and
projecting, by a reflection-suppressing deflection arrangement arranged on the planar pixel arrangement having one or more flat reflection surfaces extending along the planar pixel arrangement at a predetermined acute angle in relation thereto and parallel to one another, the generated projection light beam on a partially transparent reflective projection pane comprising a windshield of the motor vehicle, whereby a virtual display image overlaid in a field of vision of a user is generated behind the windshield, wherein the one or more flat reflection surfaces are light-absorbing on a rear side thereof for interfering reflection suppression;
providing at least one travel situation parameter, depending on which different surface segments of the planar pixel arrangement are used in each case to generate a desired display content;
wherein providing the at least one travel situation parameter comprises acquiring a current user position, including an eye position or a viewing direction, and depending thereon, upon an allocation of an object to be displayed onto two or more flat reflection surfaces extending along the planar pixel arrangement in parallel to one another;
a lateral offset of object components belonging to adjacent reflection surfaces within the planar pixel arrangement is generated in such a way that allocation of corresponding components of a virtual object is displayed without parallax upon lateral displacements of a head of the user;
overlap of the object components belonging to the adjacent reflection surfaces within the planar pixel arrangement is generated in such a way that the allocation of the corresponding components of the virtual object merge into one another without interruptions even upon rapid vertical displacements of the head of the user; and
to avoid a visible transition between the allocation of the corresponding components of the virtual display image, smaller objects in a vertical direction are each generated in a surface segment of the planar pixel arrangement which belongs to a single reflection surface, or larger objects in the vertical direction are provided with a concealing texture having a horizontal structure.

### Claim 9

A control unit for a field-of-vision display device, wherein the control unit is programmed to automatically carry out a method comprising:
generating, by an electrically actuatable planar pixel arrangement, a projection light beam having a display content; and
projecting, by a reflection-suppressing deflection arrangement arranged on the planar pixel arrangement having one or more flat reflection surfaces extending along the planar pixel arrangement at a predetermined acute angle in relation thereto and parallel to one another, the generated projection light beam on a partially transparent reflective projection pane comprising a windshield of the motor vehicle, whereby a virtual display image overlaid in a field of vision of a user is generated behind the windshield, wherein the one or more flat reflection surfaces are light-absorbing on a rear side thereof for interfering reflection suppression;
providing at least one travel situation parameter, depending on which different surface segments of the planar pixel arrangement are used in each case to generate a desired display content;
wherein providing the at least one travel situation parameter comprises acquiring a current user position, including an eye position or a viewing direction, and depending thereon, upon an allocation of an object to be displayed onto two or more flat reflection surfaces extending along the planar pixel arrangement in parallel to one another;
a lateral offset of object components belonging to adjacent reflection surfaces within the planar pixel arrangement is generated in such a way that allocation of corresponding components of a virtual object is displayed without parallax upon lateral displacements of a head of the user;
overlap of the object components belonging to the adjacent reflection surfaces within the planar pixel arrangement is generated in such a way that the allocation of the corresponding components of the virtual object merge into one another without interruptions even upon rapid vertical displacements of the head of the user; and
to avoid a visible transition between the allocation of the corresponding components of the virtual display image, smaller objects in a vertical direction are each generated in a surface segment of the planar pixel arrangement which belongs to a single reflection surface, or larger objects in the vertical direction are provided with a concealing texture having a horizontal structure.

### Claim 10

A motor vehicle, comprising:
an upper side of a dashboard extending between a windshield of the motor vehicle and the dashboard;
a field-of-vision display device arranged on or in the upper side of the dashboard, which has an electrically actuatable planar pixel arrangement for generating a projection light beam having a display content and a reflection-suppressing deflection arrangement arranged thereon having one or more flat reflection surfaces extending along the planar pixel arrangement at a predetermined acute angle in relation thereto and parallel to one another for projecting the generated projection light beam on the windshield of the motor vehicle, whereby a virtual display image overlaid in a field of vision of the driver or other occupants is generated behind the windshield, wherein a rear side of the one or more flat reflection surfaces is light-absorbing for interfering-reflection suppression; and
a control unit programmed to automatically carry out a method comprising:
generating, by the electrically actuatable planar pixel arrangement, the projection light beam having the display content;
projecting, by the reflection-suppressing deflection arrangement arranged on the planar pixel arrangement having the one or more flat reflection surfaces extending along the planar pixel arrangement at the predetermined acute angle in relation thereto and parallel to one another, the generated projection light beam on a partially transparent reflective projection pane comprising the windshield of the motor vehicle, whereby the virtual display image overlaid in the field of vision of the user is generated behind the windshield, wherein the one or more flat reflection surfaces are light-absorbing on the rear side thereof for interfering reflection suppression; and
providing at least one travel situation parameter, depending on which different surface segments of the planar pixel arrangement are used in each case to generate a desired display content;
wherein the planar pixel arrangement or the reflection-suppressing deflection arrangement is arranged essentially flush with the upper side of the dashboard;
wherein providing the at least one travel situation parameter comprises acquiring a current user position, including an eye position or a viewing direction, and depending thereon, upon an allocation of an object to be displayed onto two or more flat reflection surfaces extending along the planar pixel arrangement in parallel to one another;
a lateral offset of object components belonging to adjacent reflection surfaces within the planar pixel arrangement is generated in such a way that allocation of corresponding components of a virtual object is displayed without parallax upon lateral displacements of a head of the user;
overlap of the object components belonging to the adjacent reflection surfaces within the planar pixel arrangement is generated in such a way that the allocation of the corresponding components of the virtual object merge into one another without interruptions even upon rapid vertical displacements of the head of the user; and
to avoid a visible transition between the allocation of the corresponding components of the virtual display image, smaller objects in a vertical direction are each generated in a surface segment of the planar pixel arrangement which belongs to a single reflection surface, or larger objects in the vertical direction are provided with a concealing texture having a horizontal structure.