Full color holographic image combiner system

• US 20040066547A1
• Filed: 10/04/2002
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marsupial Holdings Inc.
• Original Assignee: Julie Parker, William S. Parker
• Inventors: Parker, William, Parker, Julie
• Granted Patent: US 6,906,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/15
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0112 comprising device for genereting colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/012 comprising devices for attenuating parasitic image effects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0103 comprising holographic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/32 Holograms used as optical elements

Abstract

A device, such as a heads up display, includes equipment for generating a virtual image in the field of view of an observer. The equipment includes at least one light source having a wavelength range less than 2 nm. The light source can be a low pressure gas discharge lamp. The device also includes a holographic optical element that provides a virtual image. The device also includes an image source, such as a mask or an LCD. In one embodiment the holographic optical element combines an image on a display with an ambient image. The holographic element provides multiple colors undistorted in a virtual image appearing to the observer as converging from the same distance.

Claims

1. A display comprising equipment for generating a virtual image in the field of view of an observer, said equipment comprising at least one light source having a wavelength range less than 2 nm.

2. The display as recited in claim 1, wherein said wavelength range is less than 0.5 nm.

3. The display as recited in claim 1, wherein said light source comprises a non-phosphor light source.

4. The display as recited in claim 1, wherein said light source comprises a low pressure gas discharge lamp, a laser, a vertical cavity surface emitting array laser, a plasma discharge panel, or a filtered broadband source.

5. The display as recited in claim 4, wherein said laser comprises a gas laser, solid state laser, a semiconductor laser, an excimer laser.

6. The display as recited in claim 4, wherein said low-pressure gas comprises mercury, cadmium, krypton, helium, neon, argon, hydrogen, sodium, or xenon.

7. The display as recited in claim 6, wherein said gas comprises an emission line and wherein said source further comprises a filter to provide light at a wavelength corresponding to said emission line and strip out light corresponding to other wavelengths.

8. The display as recited in claim 6, wherein said gas has an emission line and wherein said source further comprises a filter to provide light at a wavelength corresponding to said emission line and strip out light corresponding to other wavelengths.

9. The display as recited in claim 6, wherein said gas has a plurality of emission lines and wherein said equipment further comprises an optical element responsive to only one of said emission lines.

10. The display as recited in claim 9, wherein said optical element comprises a holographic element.

11. The display as recited in claim 9, wherein said holographic element reflects light in the wavelength range of 539 nm to 553 nm.

12. The display as recited in claim 9, wherein said holographic element provides a virtual image.

13. The display as recited in claim 1, wherein said equipment further comprises an image source.

14. The display as recited in claim 13, wherein said image source comprises an LCD, a mask, a phosphor free plasma display, or a shaped gas discharge tube.

15. The display as recited in claim 1, further comprising a holographic element.

16. The display as recited in claim 15, wherein said equipment further comprises an image source.

17. The display as recited in claim 15, wherein said holographic element combines an image on a display with an ambient image and wherein said holographic element provides multiple colors undistorted in the virtual image appearing to an observer as converging from the same distance.

18. The display as recited in claim 16, wherein said holographic element provides color filtration and optical power.

19. The display as recited in claim 16, wherein said holographic element includes a plastic, photographic emulsion, etched glass.

20. The display as recited in claim 16, wherein the display comprises a heads up display.

21. A heads up display comprising equipment for generating a virtual image in the field of view of an observer, said equipment comprising a low-pressure gas discharge and a mask, said gas discharge for providing light having a wavelength range less than 2 nm.

22. The display as recited in claim 21, wherein said mask comprises a fixed mask or a adjustable mask.

23. The display as recited in claim 21, wherein said adjustable mask comprises an LCD display or an array of mirrors.

24. The display as recited in claim 21, wherein said equipment further comprises a holographic optical element (HOE), wherein light from said mask shines on said HOE for forming said virtual image.

25. A heads up display comprising equipment for generating a virtual image in the field of view of an observer, said equipment comprising a pixilated display that provides light having a wavelength range less than 2 nm.

26. The display as recited in claim 25, wherein said display emits light having a wavelength range less than 2 nm.

27. The display as recited in claim 25, wherein said display emits light having a wavelength range greater than 2 nm, said equipment further comprising a filter having a pass band range less than 2 nm.

28. A display comprising equipment for generating a virtual image in the field of view of an observer, said equipment comprising a holographic optical element, an image source, and a light source for providing light having a wavelength range less than 2 nm.

29. The display as recited in claim 28, wherein said image source and said light are separate units.

30. The display as recited in claim 28, wherein said image source and said light are integral.

31. The display as recited in claim 28, wherein said integral image source and light comprise a pixilated display.

32. A hologram for viewing an image by an observer, comprising a holographic optical element that combines an image on a display with an ambient image, wherein said holographic element provides multiple colors undistorted in a virtual image appearing to the observer as converging from the same distance.