IR FACETRACK SYSTEM METHOD OF INTEGRATION INTO AUTOMOTIVE HEADS UP DISPLAY

Abstract

A head up display arrangement is for a motor vehicle having a human driver. The arrangement includes a picture generation unit producing a light field. A light-reflective mirror reflects the light field such that the light field is visible to the driver as a virtual image. The mirror is transmissive of infrared energy. An infrared energy emitter emits infrared energy through the mirror such that the infrared energy is reflected off of a face of the driver. An infrared camera detects the reflected infrared energy after the reflected infrared energy passes through the mirror a second time.

Claims

1. A head up display arrangement for a motor vehicle having a human driver, comprising: a picture generation unit configured to produce a light field; a light-reflective mirror configured to reflect the light field such that the light field is visible to the driver as a virtual image, the mirror being transmissive of infrared energy; an infrared energy emitter configured to emit infrared energy such that the infrared energy passes through the mirror a first time, and such that the infrared energy is reflected off of a face of the driver; and an infrared camera configured to detect the reflected infrared energy after the reflected infrared energy then passes through the mirror a second time.

2. The head up display arrangement of claim 1 wherein the light field is reflected from the mirror and the reflected infrared energy approaches the mirror along a same optical path.

3. The head up display arrangement of claim 1 where the high reflective mirror is coated to reflect visible light and be transmissive to IR illumination.

4. The head up display arrangement of claim 1 further comprising a reflector configured to: reflect the light field after the light field is reflected by the high reflective mirror; and reflect the infrared energy after the infrared energy passes through the high reflective mirror the first time and before the infrared energy is reflected by the driver's face.

5. The head up display arrangement of claim 3 wherein the reflector is configured to again reflect the infrared energy after the infrared energy is reflected by the driver's face and before the reflected infrared energy passes through the mirror the second time.

6. The head up display arrangement of claim 4 further comprising: an actuator coupled to the reflector and configured to adjust an orientation of the reflector; and an electronic processor coupled to the actuator and to the infrared camera, wherein the electronic processor is configured to control the actuator to adjust the orientation of the reflector dependent upon signals the electronic processor receives from the infrared camera.

6. The head up display arrangement of claim 1 wherein the infrared energy emitter comprises a first infrared energy emitter, the head up display arrangement further comprising a second infrared energy emitter configured to emit infrared energy such that the infrared energy passes through the mirror, and such that the infrared energy is reflected off of a face of the driver.

7. The head up display arrangement of claim 6 wherein the first infrared energy emitter and the second infrared energy emitter are disposed on opposite sides of the infrared camera.

8. A head up display method for a motor vehicle having a driver, said method comprising: producing a light field; using a light-reflective mirror to reflect the light field such that the light field is visible to the driver as a virtual image, the mirror being transmissive of infrared energy; emitting infrared energy through the mirror such that the infrared energy passes through the mirror a first time, and such that the infrared energy is reflected off of a face of the driver; and detecting the reflected infrared energy after the reflected infrared energy passes through the mirror a second time.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the light field is reflected from the mirror along a same optical path as the reflected infrared energy approaches the mirror.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising using a reflector to: reflect the light field after the light field is reflected by the mirror; and reflect the infrared energy after the infrared energy passes through the mirror the first time and before the infrared energy is reflected by the driver's face.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising using the reflector to again reflect the infrared energy after the infrared energy is reflected by the driver's face and before the reflected infrared energy passes through the mirror the second time.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising: coupling an actuator to the reflector; coupling an electronic processor to the actuator and to the infrared camera; and using the electronic processor to control the actuator to adjust an orientation of the reflector dependent upon signals the electronic processor receives from the infrared camera.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the infrared energy is emitted from a first location, the method further comprising emitting infrared energy from a second location through the mirror such that the infrared energy passes through the mirror a first time, and such that the infrared energy is reflected off of a face of the driver.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the reflected infrared energy is detected at a third location between the first location and the second location.

15. A head up display arrangement for a motor vehicle having a human driver, comprising: a picture generation unit configured to produce a light field; a light-reflective mirror configured to provide a first reflection of the light field, the mirror being transmissive of infrared energy; two infrared energy emitters configured to emit infrared energy through the mirror; a reflector configured to provide a first reflection of the infrared energy such that the infrared energy is reflected off of a face of the driver and a second reflection of the infrared energy is provided by the reflector, the reflector being configured to provide a second reflection of the light field such that the light field is visible to the driver as a virtual image; and an infrared camera configured to detect the second reflection of the infrared energy after the second reflection of the infrared energy passes through the mirror.

16. The head up display arrangement of claim 15 wherein the infrared camera is disposed between the two infrared energy emitters.

17. The head up display arrangement of claim 15 wherein the light field is reflected from the mirror along an optical path, and the second reflection of the infrared energy approaches the mirror along the optical path.

18. The head up display arrangement of claim 15 wherein the second reflection of the infrared energy is provided by the reflector after the infrared energy is reflected by the driver's face and before the second reflection of the infrared energy passes through the mirror.

19. The head up display arrangement of claim 15 further comprising: an actuator coupled to the reflector and configured to adjust an orientation of the reflector; and an electronic processor coupled to the actuator and to the infrared camera, wherein the electronic processor is configured to control the actuator to adjust the orientation of the reflector dependent upon signals the electronic processor receives from the infrared camera.

20. The head up display arrangement of claim 15 wherein the reflector comprises a parabolic reflector or an aspheric reflector.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of one embodiment of a HUD and face tracking system of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the HUD and face tracking system of FIG. 1.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a head up display method of the present invention for a motor vehicle having a driver.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a HUD and face tracking system 10 of the present invention including a parabolic/aspheric up reflector 12, a cold fold mirror 14, a PGU in the form of an LCD 16, IR emitters 18a-b, an IR camera 20, and a windshield 22 (FIG. 2). Cold fold mirror 14 may be reflective of visible light and transmissive of IR energy.

[0023] During use, LCD 16 produces a light field that propagates along optical path 24 before being reflected by mirror 14 and continuing along optical path 26. The light field then reflects off of reflector 12 and is again reflected off of windshield 22 such that the light field is visible to a human driver 28 as a virtual image 30.

[0024] IR energy emitted from IR emitters 18a-b transmits through mirror 14, reflects off of reflector 12 and is again reflected off of windshield 22 before being yet again reflected off of the face of driver 28. The IR energy reflected off of the face of driver 28 reflects sequentially off of windshield 22 and reflector 12 before passing through mirror 14 and being received by IR camera 20 along optical path 26. Thus, the visible light that forms virtual image 30 may share the same optical path 26 as the IR energy received by camera 20. That is, the visible light that forms virtual image 30 may be aligned with the IR energy received by camera 20 along optical path 26.

[0025] The output signals of IR camera 20 may be received by an electronic processor 32 that performs tracking of the location of the driver's face and/or eyes based on the signals from camera 20. Based on the location of the driver's face and/or eyes, processor 32 may control an actuator in the form of a stepper motor 34 to adjust the three-dimensional orientation of reflector 12 such that driver 28 can better see virtual image 30.

[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a head up display method 300 of the present invention for a motor vehicle having a driver. In a first step 302, a light field is produced. For example, LCD 16 produces a light field.

[0027] In a next step 304, a light-reflective mirror is used to reflect the light field such that the light field is visible to the driver as a virtual image. The mirror is transmissive of infrared energy. For example, the light field may be reflected by mirror 14, then reflect off of reflector 12, and again be reflected off of windshield 22 such that the light field is visible to a human driver 28 as a virtual image 30. Cold fold mirror 14 may be transmissive of IR energy.

[0028] Next, in step 306, infrared energy is emitted through the mirror such that the infrared energy passes through the mirror a first time, and such that the infrared energy is reflected off of a face of the driver. For example, IR energy emitted from IR emitters 18a-b transmits through mirror 14, reflects off of reflector 12 and is again reflected off of windshield 22 before being yet again reflected off of the face of driver 28.

[0029] In a final step 308, the reflected infrared energy is detected after the reflected infrared energy passes through the mirror a second time. For example, The IR energy reflected off of the face of driver 28 reflects sequentially off of windshield 22 and reflector 12 before passing through mirror 14 a second time and being received and detected by IR camera 20 along optical path 26.

[0030] The foregoing description may refer to motor vehicle, automobile, automotive, or similar expressions. It is to be understood that these terms are not intended to limit the invention to any particular type of transportation vehicle. Rather, the invention may be applied to any type of transportation vehicle whether traveling by air, water, or ground, such as airplanes, boats, etc.

[0031] The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom for modifications can be made by those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.