Electrically Dimmable Combiner Optics for Head-Up Display

• US 20080218434A1
• Filed: 03/05/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Kelly, Brian D., Romig, Emma
• Granted Patent: US 7,893,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing an electrically dimmable combiner optics for head-up displays are disclosed. In one embodiment, a dimmable head-up display includes a display portion configured to provide head-up display information to an operator. Additionally, a dimmable portion is coupled to the display portion configured to change a transmissivity of the display portion from a first transmissivity level to a second transmissivity level.

Claims

1. A dimmable head-up display, comprising:

a display portion configured to provide head-up display information to an operator; and

a dimmable portion coupled to the display portion configured to change a transmissivity of the display portion from a first transmissivity level to a second transmissivity level.

2. The head-up display of claim 1, wherein the dimmable portion includes a plurality of dimmable segments.

3. The head-up display of claim 2, wherein the plurality of dimmable segments includes independent variable transmissivity.

4. The head-up display of claim 2, wherein the display portion includes a plurality of display segments providing head-up display information, the plurality of display segments corresponding to the plurality of dimmable segments.

5. The head-up display of claim 1, further comprising a combiner control system in communication with the dimmable portion and configured to receive one or more inputs including:

a manual control input from an operator; and

a light sensor input from a light sensor.

6. The head-up display of claim 1, wherein the head-up display is configured in one of:

a helmet mounted head-up display;

a movable visor head-up display; and

a fixably mounted head up display in a moveable platform.

7. The head-up display of claim 1, wherein the display portion is configured to receive a projected display from a projector.

8. The head-up display of claim 1, wherein the display portion includes a liquid crystal display to provide information to the operator.

9. A system for providing a dimmable head-up display, comprising:

a dimmable combiner configured to provide head-up display information to an operator, the dimmable combiner adjustable from a substantially transparent level to a less transparent level;

a light sensor configured to detect the light intensity of an environment surrounding the dimmable combiner; and

a combiner control module configured to receive a light sensor signal from the light sensor and transmit a control signal to the dimmable combiner for adjusting the transmissivity of the dimmable combiner.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a manual combiner control input configured to receive an operator input, the combiner control module configured to receive the operator input from the manual combiner control input, the control signal for adjusting the transparency of the dimmable combiner depending on at least one of the operator input and the light sensor signal.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

an imaging device configured to produce an image of a head-up display with the combiner for viewing by an operator; and

an imaging control module configured to receive an input from the light sensor and transmit a signal to the imaging device for adjusting the head-up display on the dimmable combiner.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the imaging control module is configured to receive a manual imaging control input configured to receive an image input, the imaging control module configured to receive the image input from the manual imaging control input and transmit the image input to the imaging device for adjusting the imaging device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the combiner control module is in communication with the imaging control module, the combiner control module sending a signal to the imaging control module when the combiner control module adjusts the transparency of the combiner, the imaging control module processing the signal and adjusting transparency of the imaging device to improve the head-up display information visibility for the operator.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the combiner is segmented into a plurality of dimmable combiner portions.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the dimmable head-up display is configured for at least one of an aircraft and a passenger vehicle.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein head-up display includes a fail-safe setting configured to increase the transmissivity of the dimmable combiner to a substantially transparent state.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the dimmable combiner utilizes one of electrochromic and photochromic to adjust the transmissivity of the dimmable combiner.

18. A method for providing a dimmable head-up display, comprising:

receiving an input from an operator;

measuring a light intensity from a light sensor; and

adjusting the transmissivity of a dimmable head-up display utilizing one of the input from the operator and the light intensity measured by the light sensor.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising incrementally adjusting the transmissivity of the combiner utilizing the light intensity measurement in a closed loop system until a light intensity limit is obtained through the head-up display.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising adjusting a projection display on the dimmable combiner, the projection display providing a head-up display viewable by the operator.