Glare blocking device
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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.
7 Citations
33 Claims
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1-11. -11. (canceled)
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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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14-16. -16. (Canceled)
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17. An apparatus for automatically reducing illumination from an illumination source prorogating towards an optical element having a field of view of communication comprising:
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an electro-optical element in optical communication with the optical element and positioned between said illumination source and said optical element;
an image acquisition device for acquiring one or more images of said illumination source within the field of view of said optical element; and
a processor for processing said one or more acquired images and determining one or more locations on the electro-optical element at which the light transmittance is to be actively controlled in order to reduce the intensity of incident light rays before reaching said optical element. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for automatically reducing illumination from an illumination source prorogating towards an optical element comprising:
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(a) an electro optical element position between said optical element and said illumination source thereby intercepting light transmittance from said illumination source;
(b) an image acquisition device for acquiring one or more images of said illumination source;
(c) a processor for processing said one or more acquired images from said illumination souice and (d) said processor further determining the light transmittance reduction zones on said electro-optical element.
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Specification