Friday, December 27, 2013

Magna & Microvision HUD


Magna/Microvision HUD
Automotive manufactures in recent years have been adding all kinds tech bells and whistles to their products in order to modernize a platform that hasn't really changed all that much in decades. Navigation, active park assist, backup cameras, Bluetooth, lane assist, just to name a few. Whats left? Well there's one very cool feature that no manufacture has yet perfected and that's head up display. All of the major car manufactures are working on an integrated heads up display system. Microvision announced that they have supplied a prototype of their technology to a Tier1 automotive supplier as part of an evaluation process which will determine a final design for an embedded heads up display. The name of the Tier 1 supplier has not been shared and withholding potential partners has become common practice at Microvision until a final commercial licensing agreement has been signed. In the past, Microvision has been burnt by announcing possible partners that never materialized.

Microvision PicoP is one of the leading projection technologies that could be integrated into a head up display system due to its size, power consumption, and picture quality. Not to mention how great of a selling feature it would be to have a laser based HUD! Head up display is the next big ticket option for car manufactures and that's why they are taking their time developing it. General Motors in 2010 stated “We’re looking to create enhanced vision systems". Basically, a whole new way of driving in which the driver never takes their eyes off the wind shield. Everything from navigation to speedometer readings and even displaying the edge of the road in extreme fog.

The rumors of who Microvision provided their prototype have been circulating for some time now. A recent message board post claimed United States Patent 8,614,640 on December 24, 2013,Forward facing sensing system for vehicle, by Magna, clearly outlines the benefits of Microvisions HUD (MicroHUD) over LCD. At this point the patent hasn't been confirmed and there has been no official word from Microvision. Magna is one of the top five global automotive suppliers in the world and if a contract is signed it would be a major milestone for Microvision. The stock of course is trading up 10-15% on this rumor. Stay tuned!



United States Patent 8,614,640 December 24, 2013 Forward facing sensing system for vehicle

Abstract
A forward facing sensing system for a vehicle includes a radar sensor device disposed within the vehicle cabin and having a sensing direction forward of the vehicle, and an image sensor disposed within the vehicle cabin and having a viewing direction forward of the vehicle.

Optionally, the fixed mounting structure and/or mirror casing and/or windshield electronics module may house or support a display device, such as a heads up display device. For example, MicroVision's MicroHUD.TM. combines a MEMS-based micro display with an optical package of lenses and mirrors to achieve a compact high-performance HUD module that reflects a virtual image off the windscreen that appears to the driver to be close to the front of the car. This laser-scanning display can outperform many miniature flat panel LCD display screens because it can be clearly viewed in the brightest conditions and also dimmed to the very low brightness levels required for safe night-time driving. For example, such a display device may be located at or in the mirror casing/mounting structure/windshield electronics module and may be non-movably mounted at the mirror casing or mounting structure or windshield electronics module, and may be operable to project the display information at the windshield of the vehicle so as to be readily viewed by the driver of the vehicle in the driver's forward field of view.