# US 9,753,283 B2 · Head-up display device

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- Number: US 9,753,283 B2
- Document ID: US9753283B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/101,745
- Filed: 2015-02-26
- Published: 2016-10-20
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2014-04-24
- Assignees: Denso Corporation
- Applicants: Denso Corporation
- Inventors: Takahiro Nambara
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9753283B2

## CPC

- G02B 27/0101: {characterised by optical features (G02B27/0172 takes precedence)}
- B60K 35/23: Head-up displays [HUD] (optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01)
- B60K 35/50: Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence)
- G02B 27/01: Head-up displays
- G02B 27/281: {used for attenuating light intensity, e.g. comprising rotatable polarising elements}
- H04N 9/3105: {for displaying all colours simultaneously, e.g. by using two or more electronic spatial light modulators (simultaneous projection in colour photography G03B33/10; beam splitting or combining systems per se G02B27/10)}
- H04N 9/3155: {for controlling the light source (light source control per se H05B35/00 – H05B47/00; control of an illumination source for displays in general G09G3/3406)}
- H04N 9/3182: {Colour adjustment, e.g. white balance, shading or gamut (white balance per se H04N9/73; control of amplitude of colour signals H04N9/68; colour control circuits for displays in general G09G5/02, G09G3/2003, G09G3/3607)}
- H04N 9/3194: {including sensor feedback}
- B60K 2360/334: Projection means
- G02B 5/3058: {comprising electrically conductive elements, e.g. wire grids, conductive particles}
- G02B 7/006: {Filter holders}
- G02B 2027/014: {comprising information/image processing systems}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- 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
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A head-up display device includes a projector, an expansion optical system, an estimating part, a determination part, and a light amount control part. The projector has a light source and a liquid crystal panel. The expansion optical system expands an imagery output from the projector. The estimating part estimates a relative position of the sun with respect to a mobile unit. The determination part determines whether the liquid crystal panel is protected based on a relation between the relative position estimated by the estimating part and a solid angle representing a range in which a light from the sun is incident to the liquid crystal panel through the expansion optical system. The light amount control part decreases an amount of light incident to the liquid crystal panel when the determination part determines that the liquid crystal panel should be protected.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A head-up display device that displays a virtual image of an imagery to be recognized by an occupant by projecting the imagery to a projection component in a mobile unit, the head-up display device comprising:
a projector having a light source that emits a light and a liquid crystal panel on which the imagery is formed, the projector projecting the imagery by making the light emitted from the light source to be incident on the liquid crystal panel;
an expansion optical system that expands and projects the imagery output from the projector on the projection component;
an estimating part that estimates a relative position of the sun relative to the mobile unit based on a position of the mobile unit and a position of the sun;
a determination part that determines whether the liquid crystal panel is to be protected based on a relation between the relative position of the sun estimated by the estimating part and a solid angle which represents a range in which a light of the sun is incident to the liquid crystal panel through the expansion optical system; and
a light amount control part that decreases an amount of light incident to the liquid crystal panel when the determination part determines that the liquid crystal panel is to be protected compared with a case where the determination part determines that the liquid crystal panel is not to be protected.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The head-up display device according to claim 1, wherein
the determination part determines that the liquid crystal panel is to be protected when the relative position of the sun is within an allowable range with respect to the solid angle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The head-up display device according to claim 2, wherein
the determination part determines that the liquid crystal panel is to be protected when the relative position of the sun continues to be within the allowable range with respect to the solid angle during a preset time period.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The head-up display device according to claim 1, wherein
the light amount control part decreases the amount of light incident to the liquid crystal panel by decreasing an amount of light emitted from the light source.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The head-up display device according to claim 4, wherein
the light amount control part gradually decreases the amount of light emitted from the light source.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The head-up display device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a filter that regulates the light of the sun incident to the liquid crystal panel through the expansion optical system; and
an insertion mechanism that inserts the filter into an optical path between the projection component and the liquid crystal panel, wherein
the light amount control part decreases the amount of light incident to the liquid crystal panel by inserting the filter into the optical path by the insertion mechanism.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The head-up display device according to claim 6, wherein
the light amount control part controls the insertion mechanism to insert the filter into the optical path between the expansion optical system and the liquid crystal panel.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The head-up display device according to claim 6, wherein
the filter is a polarizing plate, and
the light amount control part controls the insertion mechanism to insert the filter by mating a transmission axis of the filter with a polarization direction of light of the imagery.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The head-up display device according to claim 6, wherein
the light amount control part reflects at least a part of the light of the sun incident to the filter through the expansion optical system toward the expansion optical system.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The head-up display device according to claim 6, wherein
the light amount control part controls the insertion mechanism to insert the filter into the optical path when a display of the virtual image of the imagery is stopped.