Electronic viewing device

• US 20060146169A1
• Filed: 01/03/2005
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cnoga Holdings Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Cnoga Holdings Ltd.
• Inventors: Segman, Yosef
• Granted Patent: US 7,535,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/335
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/10 reflecting into the field of view additional indications, e.g. from collimator
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/14 Viewfinders for photographic apparatus G03B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays

Abstract

Electronic viewing devices including image sensors, image processing units, image displays devices, and optional viewfinders are disclosed. Optionally, the image processing unit is configured to produce a distorted image. In some embodiments, the production of the distorted image include using at least one distorting algorithm including coordinate transformations, time transformations, a color transformations a value transformation, and any combination thereof. Optionally, the distorted image is superimposed on a preserved image to form a hybrid image. Exemplary image sensors include but are not limited to visible light sensors, magnetic sensor, heat sensor, infra red sensor, echo location sensor, radio location sensor, remote location reporting sensor, proximity sensor, motion sensor, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the present invention provides a device that wherein the image processing unit includes an image classifier, and alphanumeric electronic data based upon a classified image is displayed by the displayed device and viewed through a viewfinder.

Claims

1. ) A electronic viewing device comprising:

a) a housing;

b) at least one image sensor for producing a sensed electronic image from an observed image, attached to said housing;

c) at least one image processing unit for producing at least one processed image including at least one modified image comprising a distorted image;

d) at least one image display unit for displaying at least one said processed image, attached to said housing; and

e) at least one viewfinder for viewing at least one said processed image including said modified image, attached to said housing.

2. ) The electronic viewing device of claim 1 wherein at least one said modified image further comprises a preserved image superimposed on said distorted image.

3. ) The device of claim 2 wherein said preserved image includes an image obtained from an optical visible light sensor.

4. ) The device of claim 1 wherein said production of said distorted image include using at least one distorting algorithm selected from the group consisting of a coordinate transformation, a time transformation, a color transformation, a value transformation, and any combination thereof.

5. ) The device of claim 1 said production of said distorted image include using at least one distorting algorithm selected from the group consisting of local Fourier transformations, convolutions, neural network, algorithms that introduce white noise, wavelets, partial differential operator transformations, algorithms where the output is the solution to a partial differential equations wherein on or more parameters of the partial differential equation are derived from an inputted image, equations, finite impulse response (FIR), infinite impulse response (IIR) filters, fractal based algorithms, Fractal mechanism, Algebraic technique such as iterative processing algorithms, and any combination thereof.

6. ) The electronic viewing device of claim 1 wherein at least one said image sensor is selected from the group consisting of visible light sensor, magnetic sensor, heat sensor, uv sensor, microphone, infra red sensor, echo location sensor, radio location sensor, remote location reporting sensor, smell sensor, wind sensor, air material sensor, proximity sensor, motion sensor, and any combination thereof.

7. ) The electronic viewing device of claim 1 further comprising:

f) an image recording device, for recording a processed image.

10. ) The electronic viewing device of claim 1, wherein said electronic viewing device includes two said viewfinders including a first viewfinder configured to view a first image and a second viewfinder configured to view a second image.

11. ) The electronic viewing device of claim 10, wherein said image display unit is configured to display two images through said two viewfinders such that the viewed said at least two images forms a stereoscopic image.

12. ) The electronic viewing device of claim 10 wherein said first image is derived from a first array of said image sensors, and said second image is derived from a second array of said image sensors, wherein said first array of sensors includes a type of sensor not included in said second array.

13. ) The electronic viewing device of claim 10 wherein said first image is derived according to a first set of image processing algorithms, said second image is derived according to a second set of image processing algorithms, and said first set of image processing algorithms differs from said second set of image processing algorithms.

14. ) The electronic viewing device of claim 10 wherein a distance between said first and second viewfinders is adjustable.

15. ) The electronic viewing device of claim 1 further comprising:

f) a control device, for controlling parameters associated with at least one algorithm selected from the group consisting of an image distortion algorithm and an image superimposition algorithm.

16. ) The electronic viewing device of claim 1 further comprising:

f) an image zooming device.

17. ) The electronic viewing device of claim 1 further comprising:

f) a focusing device.

8. ) The electronic viewing device further comprising:

f) at least one reflecting surface for reflecting said observed image through at least one said viewfinder.

9. ) The electronic viewing device further comprising:

f) a playback device, for playing back a prerecorded image.

18. ) An electronic device comprising:

a) at least one image sensor for producing a sensed image;

b) at least one image processing unit for producing at least one processed image including at least one hybrid image comprising a distorted image superimposed a preserved image; and

c) at least one image display device for displaying at least one said processed image,

wherein at least one said viewed processed image includes at least one said distorted image.

19. ) The device of claim 18 wherein said preserved image includes an image obtained from an optical light sensor.

20. ) The device of claim 18 wherein said production of said distorted image include using at least one distorting algorithm selected from the group consisting of a coordinate transformation, a time transformation, a color transformation, a value transformation, and any combination thereof.

21. ) The device of claim 18 said production of said distorted image include using at least one distorting algorithm selected from the group consisting of local Fourier transformations, convolutions, neural network, algorithms that introduce noise, wavelets, partial differential operator transformations, algorithms where the output is the solution to a partial differential equations wherein on or more parameters of the partial differential equation are derived from an inputted image, equations, finite impulse response (FIR), infinite impulse response (IIR) filters, ractal based algorithms, algebraic technique such as iterative processing algorithms, and any combination thereof.

22. ) The device of claim 18 wherein at least one said image sensor is selected from the group consisting of visible light sensor, magnetic sensor, heat sensor, uv sensor, microphone, infra red sensor, echo location sensor, radio location sensor, remote location reporting sensor, smell sensor, wind sensor, air material sensor, proximity sensor, motion sensor, or a combination thereof.

23. ) Electronic binoculars comprising:

a) a housing;

b) exactly one image sensor for producing a sensed electronic image from an observed image, attached to said housing;

c) an image processing unit for producing at least one processed image;

d) an image display unit for displaying at least one said processed image, attached to said housing; and

e) two viewfinders for viewing at least one said processed image attached to said housing.

24. ) Electronic binoculars comprising:

a) a housing;

b) at least one image sensor for producing a sensed electronic image from an observed image, attached to said housing;

c) an image processing unit for producing at least one processed image;

d) exactly one image display panel for displaying at least one said processed image, attached to said housing; and

e) two viewfinders for viewing at least one said processed image attached to said housing.

25. ) An electronic viewing device comprising:

a) a housing;

b) at least one image sensor for producing a sensed electronic image from an observed image, attached to said housing;

c) an image processing unit including an image classifier for classifying at least one said sensed electronic image;

d) at least one image display unit for displaying symbolic data derived from said image classifier, attached to said housing; and

e) at least one viewfinder for viewing said displayed electronic data, attached to said housing.

26. ) The device of claim 25 wherein at least one said viewfinder is further configured to view a processed electronic image.

27. ) The device of claim 25 wherein at least one said viewfinder is further configurered to view said observed image.

28. ) The device of claim 26 wherein said image classifier is programmed to classify images according to at least one algorithm selected from the group consisting of neural networks, decision trees, decision tables, and character recognition.