Observer-identification of a target or other point of interest in a viewing field
First Claim
1. A system for providing identification of a point of interest in a field of view of an observer comprising means operable to provide a measure of eye position of the observer when the observer is looking at said point, means to define a reference point relative to said field of view, means operable to provide a measure of eye position of the observer when the observer is looking at said reference point, and means responsive to the two said measures of eye position to provide a representation identifying said point of interest relative to said reference point.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A head-up display system in a military aircraft provides projection of flight and weapon-aiming information into the pilot'"'"'s line-of-sight through a partially-transparent reflector. The pilot operates a button firstly when he recognizes a target viewing through the display and then again when he fixes his eye on an aiming marker in the display. On each occasion of button operation a measure of his eye position is entered into the system to derive coordinates of the identified target related to the marker position in the display, for generation of the appropriate shifts to move the marker into register with the identified target. The measure of eye position is provided in each case by analysis of video-signal waveforms derived by a vidicon camera that is carried on the pilot'"'"'s helmet and scans reflection in the helmet-visor of the pilot'"'"'s eye as illuminated, also by reflection in the visor, from an infra-red source. The analysis involves determination from the video signals of successive line-scans of the eye-image, of the boundaries of the iris (or pupil) in relation to both the frame and line time-bases, and computation therefrom of coordinates of the centerpoint of the pupil. Compensation for head movement in the interval between the two measurements of eye position is provided in accordance with variation during that interval of the phasing (in the time-bases) of response to two arrays of point-sources mounted on said reflector.
216 Citations
14 Claims
- 1. A system for providing identification of a point of interest in a field of view of an observer comprising means operable to provide a measure of eye position of the observer when the observer is looking at said point, means to define a reference point relative to said field of view, means operable to provide a measure of eye position of the observer when the observer is looking at said reference point, and means responsive to the two said measures of eye position to provide a representation identifying said point of interest relative to said reference point.
- 6. A system comprising means to define a field of view of an observer, means to provide a display within said field to be viewed by said observer, means defining a reference point with respect to said display, means operable by the observer when viewing a point in the said field to signify that point as a selected point, means to provide two measures of eye position of the observer, one of said measures relating to eye-position when the observer is viewing the said reference point and the other relating to eye-position when the observer is viewing said selected point, means responsive to said two measures to compute therefrom coordinate identification of said selected point with respect to said display, and further means responsive to said coordinate identification to perform a predetermined function in respect of said selected point.
- 11. A system for providing a measure of movement of the head of an observer, comprising first means for presenting to the observer a distinctive optical pattern, second means for viewing said pattern to produce electric video-signals in accordance therewith, means for mounting one of the said first and second means on the observer'"'"'s head, and means for analyzing video signals supplied by said second means to detect changes therein and thereby provide said measure of head movement.
- 13. A method for providing identification of a point of interest in an observer'"'"'s field of view, comprising the steps of deriving successive measures of eye position of the observer, one of the measures being derived when the observer views a reference point defined relative to said field and the other when the observer views said point of interest, and deriving from the two said measures of eye position a representation identifying said point of interest relative to said reference point.
Specification