Head-up display with discrete and controlled movement of screen
AssigneeValeo North America, Inc.
InventorsTerrance MCDONALD, Pierre MERMILLOD
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A head-up display includes a laser light source configured to generate a laser light. A mirror is configured to rotate about an axis to scan the laser light onto a screen. In embodiments, the screen is a microlens array that has a plurality of lenses that receive and transmit the scanned laser light. The screen extends within a plane that is perpendicular to the direction of the light received from the mirror. At least one processor is programmed to shift the screen a discrete distance and in a discrete direction along the plane. In embodiments, the discrete distance is a function of a size of the lenses in the microlens array.
Claims20
A head-up display configured to allow an observer to visually recognize a virtual image, the head-up display comprising:
- a laser light source configured to generate a laser light;
- a mirror configured to rotate about an axis and scan the laser light;
- a microlens array that receives the scanned laser light, the microlens array having a plurality of lenses extending along a plane, each lens having a width extending along a horizontal direction of the plane and a height extending along a vertical direction of the plane;
- and
- at least one processor programmed to shift the microlens array by a discrete distance and in a discrete direction along the plane;
- wherein the at least one processor is programmed to shift the microlens array in both the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.
(canceled)
A method of generating a virtual image via a head-up display, the method comprising:
- (a) positioning a microlens array at a first discrete location;
- (b) generating video data by activating a laser light source to generate a laser light with the microlens array located in the first discrete location;
- (c) terminating the video data by deactivating the laser light source with the microlens array located in the first discrete location;
- (d) shifting the microlens array from the first discrete location to a second discrete location after (c) and while the video data is terminated;
- (e) generating the video data by reactivating the laser light source with the microlens array located in the second discrete location;
- (f) terminating the video data by deactivating the laser light source with the microlens array located in the second discrete location;
- and
- (g) shifting the microlens array from the second discrete location to the first discrete location after (f) and while the video data is terminated.
A head-up display configured to allow an observer to visually recognize a virtual image, the head-up display comprising:
- a light source configured to selectively generate light;
- a microlens array that receives the light, the microlens array having a plurality of lenses extending along a plane, each lens having a width extending along a horizontal direction of the plane and a height extending along a vertical direction of the plane;
- and
- at least one processor programmed to shift the microlens array back and forth within the plane between a first discrete location and a second discrete location, wherein the first discrete location and the second discrete location are separated by (a) a horizontal shift distance less than or equal to one half of the width, and (b) a vertical shift distance less than or equal to one half of the height.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.