# US 12,112,724 B2 · Information display apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,112,724 B2 - Document ID: US12112724B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/234,381 - Filed: 2023-08-16 - Published: 2023-11-30 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-22 - Assignees: Maxell, Ltd. - Applicants: Maxell, Ltd. - Inventors: Koji Hirata; Akio Misawa; Takumi Nakada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12112724B2 ## CPC - G09G 3/002: {to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT} - G09G 5/38: with means for controlling the display position - B60K 35/00: Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles - B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor - B60K 35/233: controlling the size or position in display areas of virtual images depending on the condition of the vehicle or the driver - B60K 35/235: with means for detecting the driver's gaze direction or eye points - 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 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) - G02B 27/0093: {with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking} - G02B 27/0101: {characterised by optical features (G02B27/0172 takes precedence)} - G02B 27/0179: {Display position adjusting means not related to the information to be displayed} - B60K 35/23: Head-up displays [HUD] (optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01) - B60K 35/415: {Glare prevention} - B60K 2360/149: Instrument input by detecting viewing direction not otherwise provided for - B60K 2360/167: Vehicle dynamics information - B60K 2360/178: Warnings - B60K 2360/179: Distances to obstacles or vehicles - B60K 2360/23: using reflectors - G02B 2027/014: {comprising information/image processing systems} - G02B 2027/0141: {characterised by the informative content of the display} - G02B 2027/0183: {Adaptation to parameters characterising the motion of the vehicle} - G02B 2027/0187: {slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye} - G09G 2340/0464: Positioning - G09G 2340/0471: Vertical positioning - G09G 2340/0478: Horizontal positioning - G09G 2340/0485: Centering horizontally or vertically - G09G 2354/00: Aspects of interface with display user - G09G 2360/144: the light being ambient light - G09G 2380/10: Automotive applications - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) - 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 An information display apparatus capable of reducing the viewpoint movement of a driver and achieving safer driving in consideration of the relationship between the traveling speed and the stopping distance of a vehicle is provided. The information display apparatus is configured to display image information in a transportation and comprises a HUD apparatus disposed between a windshield of the transportation and an instrument panel of the transportation. The HUD apparatus detects a viewpoint position of a driver; and displays a virtual image of the image information in front of the transportation by reflecting light emitted from the HUD apparatus to display the image information by the windshield. The HUD apparatus is configured to set a display position of the virtual image in accordance with movement of the viewpoint position of the driver who is driving the transportation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An information display apparatus configured to display image information in a vehicle, the information display apparatus comprising: a display; a light source configured to supply light to the display; and circuitry configured to acquire information of the vehicle, wherein an image of the display is displayed as a virtual image, wherein, in a vertical direction of the vehicle, a display position of the virtual image continuously changes from a distant position to a close position along a direction from a top to a bottom of the virtual image, and wherein the information of the vehicle includes a traveling speed of the vehicle, and a viewing angle in a horizontal direction of a display region of the virtual image and a depression angle with respect to the display region of the virtual image are changed based on the traveling speed of the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The information display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the virtual image is displayed by reflecting light emitted from the display by a windshield or a combiner of the vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The information display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display position of the virtual image is set to a stopping distance which is a total of a free running distance and a braking distance of the vehicle or to a distance equal to or larger than the stopping distance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The information display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the image information is alert information, and the alert information is for giving a warning of a presence of a pedestrian in front of the vehicle and/or a preceding vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The information display apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a concave mirror configured to reflect light emitted from the display toward a windshield of the vehicle, wherein the concave mirror has a rotating mechanism. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The information display apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising: at least one lens configured to form an image of light from the display; and a mirror configured to converge or diverge the light the image of which has been formed in the at least one lens. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The information display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a display region of the virtual image moves in an up-and-down direction of the vehicle in accordance with a change in a depression angle with respect to the display region of the virtual image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The information display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information of the vehicle includes information of an intensity of external light around the vehicle, and the display position of the virtual image changes in accordance with the intensity of the external light around the vehicle. ### Claim 9 An automobile comprising: an information display apparatus configured to display image information in the automobile, the information display apparatus comprising: a display; a light source configured to supply light to the display; and circuitry configured to acquire information of the automobile, wherein an image of the display is displayed as a virtual image, wherein, in a vertical direction of the automobile, a display position of the virtual image continuously changes from a distant position to a close position along a direction from a top to a bottom of the virtual image, and wherein the information of the automobile includes a traveling speed of the automobile, and a viewing angle in a horizontal direction of a display region of the virtual image and a depression angle with respect to the display region of the virtual image are changed based on the traveling speed of the automobile. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The automobile according to claim 9, wherein the virtual image is displayed by reflecting light emitted from the display by a windshield or a combiner of the automobile. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The automobile according to claim 9, wherein the display position of the virtual image is set to a stopping distance which is a total of a free running distance and a braking distance of the automobile or to a distance equal to or larger than the stopping distance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The automobile according to claim 9, wherein one of the image information is alert information, and the alert information is for giving a warning of a presence of a pedestrian in front of the automobile and/or a preceding automobile. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The automobile according to claim 9, further comprising a concave mirror configured to reflect light emitted from the display toward a windshield of the automobile, wherein the concave mirror has a rotating mechanism. ### Claim 14 A method performed by an information display apparatus configured to display image information as a virtual image in a vehicle, the method comprising: generating light by a light source; reflecting and projecting the light from the light source to a display; displaying an image of the display as a virtual image; continuously changing, in a vertical direction of the vehicle, a display position of the virtual image from a distant position to a close position along a direction from a top to a bottom of the virtual image; acquiring information of the vehicle by circuitry, the information including a traveling speed of the vehicle; and changing a viewing angle in a horizontal direction of a display region of the virtual image and a depression angle with respect to the display region of the virtual image based on the traveling speed of the vehicle. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising displaying the virtual image by reflecting light emitted from the display by a windshield or a combiner of the vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising setting the display position of the virtual image to a stopping distance which is a total of a free running distance and a braking distance of the vehicle or to a distance equal to or larger than the stopping distance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein one of the image information is alert information, and the alert information is for giving a warning of a presence of a pedestrian in front of the vehicle and/or a preceding vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising reflecting light emitted from the display toward a windshield of the vehicle with a concave mirror having a rotating mechanism.