Helmet system having adjustable light transmission

• US 10,274,733 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2015
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elbit Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Elbit Systems Limited
• Inventors: Benesh, Gil
• Primary Examiner(s): Khan, Ibrahim A
• Application Number:
  US15/517,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20170242253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/0126 Opto-optical modulation, i.e. control of one light beam by another light beam, not otherwise provided for in this subclass

Abstract

A HMD system including a visor mounted on a head of a user. The visor includes adjustable light transmission layer activated by activation radiation of at least a visible activation waveband and an Ultra Violet (UV) activation waveband. The visor defines a Line Of sight (LOS) projecting from a point on the visor and further defines a Field Of View (FOV) projecting from at least a section of the visor that surrounds the point on the visor. The visor is configured to admit an outside scene image. The HMD system further includes a luminosity sensor configured to detect luminosity within the FOV and a UV activation radiation source configured to selectively irradiate at least a portion of the visor with activation UV light included in the UV activation waveband according to luminosity detected by the luminosity sensor, thereby activating the adjustable light transmission layer.

Claims

1. A HMD system comprising:

a visor mounted on a head of a user, said visor including an adjustable light transmission layer activated by activation radiation including at least a visible activation waveband and an Ultra Violet (UV) activation waveband, said visor defining a Line Of sight (LOS) projecting from a point on said visor, said visor defining a Field Of View (FOV) associated with said LOS and projecting from at least a section of said visor that surrounds said point on said visor, said visor configured to admit an outside scene image, said FOV covering only a portion of the entire scene available to the user;

a luminosity sensor configured to detect luminosity within said FOV, thereby providing luminosity measurement associated with said LOS of said visor mounted on said head of said user; and

a UV activation radiation source configured to selectively irradiate at least a portion of said visor with activation UV light included in said UV activation waveband according to luminosity measurement associated with said LOS of said visor mounted on said head of said user detected by said luminosity sensor, thereby activating said adjustable light transmission layer;

wherein, said HMD system being located in a UV-attenuated environment such that said adjustable light transmission layer being activated by activation ambient light in said visible activation waveband, and can further be activated by activation UV light emitted from said UV activation radiation source.

2. The HMD system of claim 1, further comprising a controller coupled with said luminosity sensor and with said UV activation radiation source, said controller configured to receive luminosity measurement associated with said LOS of said visor mounted on said head of said user detected by said luminosity sensor, to determine a desired light transmission level for said visor for said LOS, and to operate said UV activation radiation source for inducing said desired light transmission level.

3. The HMD system of claim 2, further comprising a Line of Site (LOS) sensor coupled with said controller, said LOS sensor configured to determine said LOS defined by said visor, said controller configured to determining said FOV defined by said visor according to said LOS, said controller configured to operate said luminosity sensor to measure luminosity in said FOV.

4. The HMD system of claim 2, wherein said controller is configured to determine said desired light transmission level of said visor at least according to luminosity measurement associated with said LOS of said visor mounted on said head of said user measured by said luminosity sensor.

5. The HMD system of claim 4, wherein said controller is configured to determine said desired light transmission level further according to at least one of the list consisting of:

an input from a user;

the time of day;

the angle of the sun;

the weather conditions; and

a background of an outside scene.

6. The HMD system of claim 1, further comprising an image source configured to generate a data image and to project said data image onto said visor.

7. The HMD system of claim 6, wherein said image source is configured to project said data image onto an interior side of said visor, and wherein said visor being a semi-reflecting visor configured to reflect said data image and to admit said outside scene image.

8. The HMD system of claim 6, wherein said image source is configured to project said data image onto an exterior side of said visor, and wherein said visor is configured to admit said data image and said outside scene image.

9. The HMD system of claim 1, wherein said UV activation radiation source is configured to irradiate an interior side of said visor.

10. The HMD system of claim 1, wherein said UV activation radiation source is configured to irradiate an exterior side of said visor.

11. The HMD system of claim 1, wherein said luminosity sensor consists of a plurality of luminosity sensors and wherein said UV radiation activation source consists of a plurality of radiation sources, each of said radiation sources being associated with a respective one of said luminosity sensors and is positioned on an axis of said respective one of said luminosity sensors facing opposite directions,

wherein said plurality of luminosity sensors and said plurality of radiation sources are spread across said UV attenuated environment, and

wherein a selected one of plurality of radiation sources is configured to irradiate activation radiation according to luminosity detected by a respective one of said plurality of luminosity sensors and associated with said LOS.

12. The HMD system of claim 1, further comprising a LOS sensor and a controller, wherein said controller is configured to determine said LOS of said visor according to LOS readings of said LOS sensor, and wherein said controller is configured to operate selected ones of said plurality of luminosity sensors and of said plurality of radiation sources according to said LOS of said visor.

13. A method for operating an HMD system, comprising the following procedures:

determining an FOV defined by a visor of said HMD system and associated with the Line-Of-Sight (LOS) of a user, said FOV covering only a portion of the scene available to said user;

measuring luminosity within said FOV by employing a luminosity sensor, thereby providing a LOS associated luminosity measurement;

determining whether said LOS associated luminosity measurement, measured within said FOV, exceeds a desired light transmission level of said visor; and

irradiating said visor with UV radiation for adjusting the light transmission layer.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the procedure of determining current light transmission level of said visor, and wherein said procedure of irradiating said visor with UV radiation being performed according to a difference between said current light transmission level and said desired light transmission level.