# US 12,010,289 B2 · Communication head-up display system, communication device, mobile body, and non-transitory computer-readable medium

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- Number: US 12,010,289 B2
- Document ID: US12010289B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/285,081
- Filed: 2019-10-28
- Published: 2021-11-18
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-02
- Assignees: KYOCERA Corporation
- Applicants: KYOCERA Corporation
- Inventors: Kaoru Kusafuka; Sunao Hashimoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010289B2

## CPC

- H04N 13/366: using viewer tracking
- B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
- B60K 35/22: Display screens
- B60K 35/231: characterised by their arrangement or structure for integration into vehicles
- B60K 35/50: Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence)
- B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10)
- B60K 35/85: Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
- G02B 27/0101: {characterised by optical features (G02B27/0172 takes precedence)}
- G02B 30/30: involving parallax barriers
- H04N 13/322: using varifocal lenses or mirrors
- H04N 13/363: using image projection screens (volumetric display H04N13/388)
- B60K 35/211: {producing three-dimensional [3D] effects, e.g. stereoscopic images}
- B60K 35/65: Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive
- B60K 2360/23: using reflectors
- B60K 2360/334: Projection means
- G02B 27/0093: {with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking}
- G02B 27/0179: {Display position adjusting means not related to the information to be displayed}
- G02B 30/27: involving lenticular arrays
- G02B 2027/0136: {with a single image source for both eyes}
- G02B 2027/0187: {slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye}
- H04N 13/305: using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses
- H04N 13/31: using parallax barriers
- H04N 2213/001: Constructional or mechanical details
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- 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 communication head-up display system includes a communication device and a head-up display. The communication device includes a first controller which determines eye-positions of eyes of a user in at least one direction. The head-up display includes a display panel, an optical element, a reflector. The display panel displays a parallax image. The optical element defines a propagation direction of image light emitted from the parallax image. The reflector reflects the image light whose propagation direction is defined by the optical element. The reflector includes a reflection element and a drive device. The reflection element reflects the image light. The drive device changes at least one of position and posture of the reflection element so that the image light reflected by the reflection element arrives at the eye-positions.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A communication head-up display system, comprising:
a communication device comprising
a sensor, a first controller configured to estimate eye-positions of eyes of a user in at least one direction based on an output of the sensor, and a first communication unit configured to transmit the eye-positions estimated by the first controller; and
a head-up display comprising
a display panel configured to display a parallax image,
an optical element configured to define a propagation direction of image light emitted from the parallax image,
a reflector configured to reflect the image light whose propagation direction is defined by the optical element, and
a second communication unit configured to be able to receive the eye-positions from the communication device,
the reflector comprising
a reflection element configured to reflect the image light, and
a drive device configured to change at least one of position and posture of the reflection element so that the image light reflected by the reflection element arrives at eye-positions acquired by the second communication unit, wherein
the communication device further comprises a memory that stores positional information indicating the eye-positions,
in a case where the positional information is stored in the memory when the first communication unit establishes connection with the head-up display, the first controller controls the first communication unit so as to transmit the positional information to the head-up display,
the first communication unit comprises
a first communication module configured to transmit identification information used to identify the communication device or a user of the communication device, to the head-up display, and
a second communication module configured to transmit the positional information to the head-up display,
the second communication unit comprises
a third communication module configured to receive the identification information from the first communication module, and
a fourth communication module configured to receive the positional information from the second communication module, and
the first controller is configured to establish connection of the fourth communication module with the second communication module after communication between the first and third communication module is established.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The communication head-up display system according to claim 1, wherein
the first controller is configured to estimate eye-positions in a height direction of the user, and
the drive device is configured to change at least one of position and posture of the reflection element, based on the eye-positions in the height direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The communication head-up display system according to claim 1, wherein
the sensor is an image capture element configured to capture an image of the user and a predetermined object which is at a predetermined position in a real space and generate a captured image, and
the first controller is configured to, based on an image of at least a bodily part of the user and a position of an image of the predetermined object in the captured image, and a position of the predetermined object in the real space, estimate eye-positions of the eyes of the user in the real space.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The communication head-up display system according to claim 1, wherein
the communication device is installed to be able to move to a plurality of different positions in a real space, and the sensor is an image capture element configured to capture images of the user at the plurality of different positions and generate a plurality of captured images, and
the first controller is configured to, based on a position of an image of at least a bodily part of the user in each of the plurality of captured images and a plurality of different positions of the image capture element at a time of imaging the user, estimate the eye-positions of the eyes of the user in the real space.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The communication head-up display system according to claim 1, wherein
the head-up display comprises a second controller configured to, after the drive device changes at least one of position and posture of the reflection element, determine subpixels at which a first image is displayed so that a first eye of the user views the first image in the parallax image, and subpixels at which a second image is displayed so that a second eye of the user views the second image in the parallax image, based on eye-positions of the eyes of the user.

### Claim 6

A communication device capable of communicating with a head-up display, the head-up display comprising a display panel configured to display a parallax image, an optical element configured to define a propagation direction of image light emitted from the parallax image, and a reflector configured to reflect the image light whose propagation direction is defined by the optical element, the reflector comprising a reflection element configured to reflect the image light and a drive device configured to change at least one of position and posture of the reflection element, the communication device comprising:
an image capture element configured to generate a captured image obtained by capturing an image of a user;
a controller configured to estimate eye-positions of eyes in a height direction of the user, based on the captured image and generate positional information comprising eye-positions in the height direction; and
a communication unit configured to transmit the positional information to the head-up display so that the positional information is used to control the drive device, wherein
the communication unit comprises a first communication unit configured to transmit the eye-positions estimated by the controller,
the head-up display comprises a second communication unit configured to be able to receive the eye-positions from the first communication unit,
the communication device further comprises a memory that stores positional information indicating the eye-positions,
in a case where the positional information is stored in the memory when the first communication unit establishes connection with the head-up display, the first controller controls the first communication unit so as to transmit the positional information to the head-up display,
the first communication unit comprises
a first communication module configured to transmit identification information used to identify the communication device or a user of the communication device, to the head-up display, and
a second communication module configured to transmit the positional information to the head-up display,
the second communication unit comprises
a third communication module configured to receive the identification information from the first communication module, and
a fourth communication module configured to receive the positional information from the second communication module, and
the first controller is configured to establish connection of the fourth communication module with the second communication module after communication between the first and third communication module is established.

### Claim 7

A mobile body, comprising:
a communication head-up display system comprising
a communication device comprising a sensor, a first controller configured to estimate eye-positions of eyes of a user in at least one direction based on an output of the sensor, and a first communication unit configured to transmit the eye-positions estimated by the first controller, and
a head-up display comprising a display panel configured to display a parallax image, an optical element configured to define a propagation direction of image light emitted from the parallax image, a reflector configured to reflect the image light whose propagation direction is defined by the optical element, and a second communication unit configured to be able to receive the eye-positions from the first communication unit, the reflector comprising a reflection element configured to reflect the image light and a drive device configured to change at least one of position and posture of the reflection element so that the image light reflected by the reflection element arrives at eye-positions; and
a mounting unit configured to mount the communication device so that the communication device is movable, wherein
the communication device further comprises a memory that stores positional information indicating the eye-positions,
in a case where the positional information is stored in the memory when the first communication unit establishes connection with the head-up display, the first controller controls the first communication unit so as to transmit the positional information to the head-up display,
the first communication unit comprises
a first communication module configured to transmit identification information used to identify the communication device or a user of the communication device, to the head-up display, and
a second communication module configured to transmit the positional information to the head-up display,
the second communication unit comprises
a third communication module configured to receive the identification information from the first communication module, and
a fourth communication module configured to receive the positional information from the second communication module, and
the first controller is configured to establish connection of the fourth communication module with the second communication module after communication between the first and third communication module is established.

### Claim 8

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program executed by a controller of a communication device comprising an image capture element, the controller, and a communication unit, the communication device being configured to communicate with a head-up display, the head-up display comprising a display panel configured to display a parallax image, an optical element configured to define a propagation direction of image light emitted from the parallax image, and a reflector configured to reflect the image light whose propagation direction is defined by the optical element, the reflector comprising a reflection element configured to reflect the image light and a drive device configured to change at least one of position and posture of the reflection element, wherein
the communication device comprises a first communication unit configured to transmit eye-positions estimated by the controller,
the head-up display comprises a second communication unit configured to be able to receive the eye-positions from the first communication unit,
the communication device further comprises a memory that stores positional information indicating the eye-positions,
in a case where the positional information is stored in the memory when the first communication unit establishes connection with the head-up display, the first controller controls the first communication unit so as to transmit the positional information to the head-up display,
the first communication unit comprises
a first communication module configured to transmit identification information used to identify the communication device or a user of the communication device, to the head-up display, and
a second communication module configured to transmit the positional information to the head-up display,
the second communication unit comprises
a third communication module configured to receive the identification information from the first communication module, and
a fourth communication module configured to receive the positional information from the second communication module, and
the first controller is configured to establish connection of the fourth communication module with the second communication module after communication between the first and third communication module is established,
the program causing the controller to control such that, based on a captured image generated by capturing an image of a user by the image capture element, eye-positions of eyes in a height direction of the user are estimated and positional information comprising the eye-positions in the height direction is generated; and
to control the communication unit to transmit the positional information to the head-up display so that the positional information is used to control the drive device.