PANORAMIC INFINITY IMAGE DISPLAY

• US 3,785,715 A
• Filed: 05/17/1972
• Issued: 01/15/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cae-Link Corporation
• Original Assignee: Richard A. Mecklenborg
• Inventors: Mecklenborg, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rubin, David H.
• Application Number:
  US05/254,023
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 350/55,174
• US Class Current: 359/631
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/00 Panoramic or wide-screen photography; Photographing extended surfaces, e.g. for surveying; Photographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/32 by projected image G09B9/307, G09B9/36 take precedence

Abstract

A wide angle infinity image display particularly useful in combination with flight trainers and the like is shown. A first tier of abutting mirror beam-splitter displays is arranged around a viewing point and have as an input an intermediate image from a similar tier located above the first tier. With this arrangement it is possible to use a single input screen for the image source into the upper tier and avoid the use of correcting lens.

Claims

1. Visual display apparatus to present to an observer a large horizontal field of view comprising:

a. at least one first spherical mirror shaped as at least a portion of the zone of a sphere arranged around the observer;

b. a first plurality of abutting plane beamsplitters interposed between the observer and said spherical mirror arranged to reflect an image from above said spherical mirror onto said mirror, each of said plurality of beamsplitters cut so that their abutting edges fall in a plane passing through the center of curvature of the spherical mirror and a line of longitude thereon;

c. a second similar spherical mirror placed above said first spherical mirror;

d. a second equal plurality of plane beamsplitters arranged above corresponding ones of said first plurality to direct an image from said second spherical mirror to said first plurality of beamsplitters, the relative positioning of said second plurality and said second spherical mirror being such that the reflected center of curvature of said first spherical mirror and the reflected center of curvature of said second spherical mirror coincide, and;

e. an image source providing an input to said second spherical mirror, said image source positioned so as to form, after being reflected, a virtual image at one-half the radius of said first spherical mirror.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said image souRce is a spherical screen with an image projected thereon whereby a single input screen can supply the total image input.

3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said spherical mirrors forming said zones comprise a plurality of abutting spherical mirrors.

4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said first and second spherical mirrors and said first and second plurality of beamsplitters are identical.

5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein one of said first and second spherical mirrors and its corresponding plurality of beamsplitters are larger thereby increasing the vertical field of view.

6. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said spherical mirror subtends less than 360* and the observer eyepoint is placed inside the center of curvature of said first spherical mirror thereby increasing the horizontal field of view and the vertical field of view in the forward direction.