Glare blocking device
First Claim
1. Apparatus for automatically reducing glare produced from a spatial scene by reducing the intensity of light rays propagating from points in the three-dimensional spatial scene towards an optical element having a field of view, said apparatus comprising:
- an electro-optical element having an optically transparent surface including a plurality of pixels through which the field of view of said optical element passes, each said pixel having a controllable light transmittance for selectively reducing the intensity of incident light rays propagating from one or more points in the three-dimensional spatial scene, through said pixel, then towards said optical element;
an image acquisition device for acquiring one or more images of said three-dimensional spatial scene within the field of view of said optical element;
a processor for processing said one or more acquired images and determining at which pixels the light transmittance is to be actively controlled in order to reduce the intensity of incident light rays by a selected amount before reaching said optical element; and
a control for actively controlling the light transmittance of the determined pixels so that after incident light rays propagate through said determined pixels, said incident light rays propagate towards said optical element with an intensity reduced by said selected amount, so that glare produced from the spatial scene is automatically reduced.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for automatically reducing glare produced from a spatial scene by reducing the intensity of light rays propagating from points in the three-dimensional spatial scene towards an optical element having a field of view. Further, an apparatus is provided that automatically reduces interfering illumination produced from an illumination source by reducing the intensity of light rays propagating from the illumination source towards a sensor having a field of view of radio communication. Both apparatus include an electro-optical element having an optically transparent surface including a plurality of pixels through which the field of view of the optical element or the sensor passes. Each pixel has a controllable light transmittance for selectively reducing the intensity of incident light rays propagating from one or more points from the illumination source, through the pixel, then towards the sensor or optical element. An image acquisition device is included for acquiring one or more images of the illumination source within the field of view of the sensor or optical element. A processor is also included for processing the acquired images and determining at which pixels the light transmittance is to be actively controlled in order to reduce the intensity of incident light rays before reaching the sensor or optical element. A control is also provided for actively controlling the light transmittance of the determined pixels so that after incident light rays propagate through the determined pixels, the incident light rays propagate towards the sensor or optical element with reduced intensity.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. Apparatus for automatically reducing glare produced from a spatial scene by reducing the intensity of light rays propagating from points in the three-dimensional spatial scene towards an optical element having a field of view, said apparatus comprising:
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an electro-optical element having an optically transparent surface including a plurality of pixels through which the field of view of said optical element passes, each said pixel having a controllable light transmittance for selectively reducing the intensity of incident light rays propagating from one or more points in the three-dimensional spatial scene, through said pixel, then towards said optical element;
an image acquisition device for acquiring one or more images of said three-dimensional spatial scene within the field of view of said optical element;
a processor for processing said one or more acquired images and determining at which pixels the light transmittance is to be actively controlled in order to reduce the intensity of incident light rays by a selected amount before reaching said optical element; and
a control for actively controlling the light transmittance of the determined pixels so that after incident light rays propagate through said determined pixels, said incident light rays propagate towards said optical element with an intensity reduced by said selected amount, so that glare produced from the spatial scene is automatically reduced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16)
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12. Apparatus for automatically reducing interfering illumination produced from an illumination source by reducing the intensity of light rays propagating from the illumination source towards a sensor having a field of view of radio communication, said apparatus comprising:
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an electro-optical element having an optically transparent surface including a plurality of pixels through which the field of view of said sensor passes, each said pixel having a controllable light transmittance for selectively reducing the intensity of incident light rays propagating from one or more points from the illumination source, through said pixel, then towards said sensor;
an image acquisition device for acquiring one or more images of said illumination source within the field of view of said sensor;
a processor for processing said one or more acquired images and determining at which pixels the light transmittance is to be actively controlled in order to reduce the intensity of incident light rays by a selected amount before reaching said sensor;
a control for actively controlling the light transmittance of the determined pixels so that after incident light rays propagate through said determined pixels, said incident light rays propagate towards said sensor with an intensity reduced by said selected amount, so that interference produced from the illumination source is automatically reduced. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification