Split exit pupil heads-up display systems and methods

摘要

Split exit pupil (or split eye-box) heads-up display (HUD) systems and methods are described. The described HUD system methods make use of a split exit pupil design method that enables a modular HUD system and allows the HUD system viewing eye-box size to be tailored while reducing the overall HUD volumetric aspects. A HUD module utilizes a high brightness small size micro-pixel imager to generate a HUD virtual image with a given viewing eye-box segment size. When integrated together into a HUD system, a multiplicity of such HUD modules displaying the same image would enable such an integrated HUD system to have an eye-box size that is substantially larger than the eye-box size of a HUD module. The resultant integrated HUD system volume is substantially volumetrically smaller than a HUD system that uses a single larger imager. Furthermore, the integrated HUD system can be comprised of a multiplicity of HUD modules to scale the eye-box size to match the intended application while maintaining a given desired overall HUD system brightness.

主权项

1. A heads-up display for a vehicle comprising:
a multiplicity of modules, each said module having;
a solid state emissive pixel array imager; anda concave mirror disposed to collimate, magnify and reflect an image generated by the solid state emissive pixel array imager toward a vehicle windshield to form a virtual image that is viewable within an eye-box segment; the multiplicity of modules being disposed so that the eye-box segments combine to provide the heads-up display having a collective eye-box that is larger than the eye-box segment of each module, the collective eye-box being located at a nominal head position of a vehicle's driver; each module being configured and positioned to form the respective virtual image at the same position from the vehicle windshield and each module with its respective eye-box segment being positioned at an exit pupil of the respective module such that adjacent eye-box segments of the multiplicity of modules overlap and combine to form a split exit pupil eye-box, whereby image information presented to the vehicle's driver within the collective eye-box is an angularly multiplexed view of the virtual image extending over a collective angular field of view.