Helmet display

• US 5,091,719 A
• Filed: 12/26/1989
• Issued: 02/25/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Beamon, William S. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Brier, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Application Number:
  US07/456,502
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 358/103, 358/104, 358/93, 358/88, 340/705, 340/780, 340/980, 350/174
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays

Abstract

A helmet mountable display system may display a raster scanned image to each eye of a wearer of the helmet for presenting a stereoscopic image. The system includes a first and second lens having a respective optical axis and first and second oscillatable deflecting surfaces for generating the raster. The lenses may be arranged so that the optical axes from a V with the first and second deflecting surfaces disposed substantially at the apex of the V. This arrangement may be bilaterally symmetrical such that a plurality of light rays for forming a first image passes through the first lens along one optical path, strikes the first deflecting surface, is directed onto the second deflecting surface, and is directed through the second lens toward a focal plane where a real image is available to be supplied to one eye. Another plurality of light rays for forming a second image passes through the second lens along another optical path generally opposite to the one optical path, strikes the first deflecting surface, is directed onto the second deflecting surface and is directed through the first lens toward a focal plane where another real image is available to be supplied to the other eye. The real images are raster scanned when the first and second surfaces are oscillating in a predetermined pattern. Each light ray supplies information to a corresponding zone of the image.

Claims

1. A helmet mountable display system for displaying a first raster-scanned image to a wearer of the helmet in response to a plurality of first light source means, each of the plurality of first light source means for supplying a respective first light signal having a respective first predetermined size, the display system comprising:

first lens means having a central optical axis and a first optical input/output and a second optical input/output respectively disposed about the central optical axis of the first lens means and optically coupled to each other, each input/output of the first lens means having a respective focal point lying on the central axis, the first input/output of the first lens means optically coupled to the plurality of first light source means for receiving each first light signal, the first lens means for providing a first collimated light pattern at the second input/output of the first lens means in response to each first light signal supplied to the first input/output of the first lens means;

a first deflecting surface oscillatable about a first axis and optically coupled to the second input/output of the first lens means for receiving the first collimated light pattern, the first deflecting surface for deflecting the first collimated light pattern in a first direction along a first predetermined optical path;

a second deflecting surface oscillatable about a second axis and optically coupled to the first deflecting surface for receiving the first collimated light pattern from the first deflecting surface, the second deflecting surface for deflecting the first collimated light pattern received from the first deflecting surface in a second direction along the first predetermined optical path;

second lens means having a central optical axis and a first optical input/output and a second optical input/output respectively disposed about the central axis of the second lens means and optically coupled to each other, each input/output of the second lens means having a respective focal point lying on the central axis, the second input/output of the second lens means optically coupled to the second deflecting surface for receiving the first collimated light pattern deflected from the second deflecting surface in the second direction along the first predetermined optical path, the second lens means focusing the first collimated light pattern received from the second deflecting surface; and

first optical system means optically coupled to the first input/output of the second lens means for receiving the focused first collimated light from the second lens means, the first optical system means for transporting the focused first collimated light from the second lens means to the wearer such that the wearer may observe the first raster scanned image when the first and second deflecting surfaces are oscillating at a respective predetermined rate and displacement about the first and second axis respectively.

2. The display system as in claim 1, wherein each first light source means includes an optical waveguide for having an end, the end of the optical waveguide supplying the first light signal and the size of the end for determining the first predetermined size of the corresponding light signal, and further wherein the ends of the optical waveguide are disposed at a first focal plane of the first lens means, the first focal plane of the first lens means including the focal point of the second input/output of the first lens means and yet further wherein the first optical system means includes a planar surface for displaying the image of each of the first light signals, the planar surface of the first optical system means disposed coplanarly with a first focal plane of the second lens means, the first focal plane of the second lens means including the focal point of the second input/output of the second lens means.

3. The display system as in claim 2, wherein the first optical system means includes a visor surface viewable by the wearer, the visor surface optically coupled to the planar surface of the first optical system means for presenting the first raster scanned image to the wearer.

4. The display system as in claim 3, wherein the planar surface of the first optical system means is a rear projection screen.

5. The display system as in claim 3, wherein the first optical system means includes relay lens means optically coupled between the planar surface of the first optical system means and the visor surface, the relay lens means for transporting the image from the first screen means to the surface of the visor.

6. The display system as in claim 2, wherein the optical combination of the first and second lens means provides about a 1:

1 image ratio from the end of the waveguide to the planar surface of the first optical system means.

7. The display system as in claim 1, wherein the image of the first light signals is scannable in a predetermined raster, the first deflecting surface providing the horizontal scan when oscillating about the first axis and the second deflecting surface providing the vertical scan when oscillating about the second axis.

8. The display system as in claim 1, wherein the image of the first light signals is scannable in a predetermined raster, the first deflecting surface providing the vertical scan when oscillating about the first axis and the second deflecting surface providing the horizontal scan when oscillating about the second axis.

9. The display system as in claim 7, wherein the predetermined raster is a horizontal sweep raster.

10. The display system as in claim 7, wherein the predetermined raster is a vertical sweep raster.

11. The display system as in claim 2, wherein the ends of the waveguide are disposed in a substantially horizontal row and the first and second deflecting surface are disposed to provide a vertical raster scanned image at the planar surface of the first optical system means.

12. The display system as in claim 2, wherein the ends of the waveguide are disposed in a substantially vertical row and the first and second deflecting surface are disposed to provide a horizontal scanned image at the planar surface of the first optical system means.

13. The display system as in claim 1, wherein the first and second deflecting surfaces are disposed with respect to each other and with respect to the first lens means such that the outer margin of the first collimated light pattern obtains a minimum diameter along the first optical path between and including the first and second deflecting surfaces.

14. The display system as in claim 1, wherein the first deflecting surface is further disposed such that the first collimated light pattern in the second direction along the first predetermined optical path is intercepted by the first deflecting surface and the second deflecting surface further for deflecting the collimated light pattern received from the second direction in a third direction along the first predetermined optical path and further wherein the second lens means further disposed for receiving the first collimated light pattern deflected from the second deflecting surface in the third direction.

15. The display system as in claim 1, the display system further for displaying a second raster-scanned image in response to a second plurality of light source means, each of the second plurality of light source means for supplying a respective second light signal having a respective second predetermined size, the display system further comprising:

second optical system means optically coupled to the first input/output of the first lens means, the second optical system means for displaying a second raster scanned image when the first and second deflecting surfaces are oscillating at a respective predetermined rate and displacement about the first and second axis, wherein

the first input/output of the second lens means is optically coupled to the plurality of second light source means for receiving each second light signal, the second lens means further for providing a second collimated light pattern at the second input/output of the second lens means in response to each second light signal supplied to the first input/output of the second lens means,

the first deflecting surface further optically coupled to the second input/output of the second lens means for receiving the second collimated light pattern, the first deflecting surface further for deflecting the second collimated light pattern in a first direction along a second predetermined optical path,

the second deflecting surface further optically coupled to the first deflecting surface for receiving the second collimated light pattern from the first deflecting surface and further for deflecting the second collimated light pattern received from the first deflecting surface in a second direction along the second predetermined optical path,

the second input/output of the first lens means further optically coupled to the second deflecting surface for receiving the second collimated light pattern deflected from the second deflecting surface in the second direction along the second predetermined optical path, the first lens means further for focusing the second collimated light pattern received from the second deflecting surface, and further

the second optical system means optically coupled to the first input/output of the first lens means for receiving the focused first collimated light from the first lens means, the second optical system means for transporting the focused second collimated light from the first lens means to the wearer such that the wearer may observe the second raster scanned image.

16. The display system as in claim 15, wherein the first and second lens means are disposed with respect to each other such that the respective central optical axes form a V and further wherein the first and second deflecting surface are disposed substantially at the apex of the V.

17. The display system as in claim 15, further including visor display means having a visor surface viewable by the observer, the visor surface optically coupled to the first and second optical system means for presenting the first and second raster scanned image to the left and right eye, respectively, of the wearer for presenting a stereoscopic image to the observer.

18. A helmet mountable display system, comprising:

first lens means having a central optical axis, a first input/output, a second input/output, the first and second input/output optically coupled to each other and a first focal point with respect to the second input/output disposed on the central optical axis;

second lens means having a central optical axis, a first input/output, a second input/output, the first and second input/output optically coupled to each other and a first focal point with respect to the second input/output disposed on the central optical axis;

a first plurality of light source means for supplying a first light pattern, the first plurality of light source means optically coupled to the first input/output of the first lens means;

a second plurality of light source means for supplying a second light pattern, the second plurality of light source means optically coupled to the first input/output of the second lens means;

first screen means optically coupled to the first input/output of the second lens means for receiving the first light pattern;

second screen means optically coupled to the first input/output of the first lens means for receiving the second light pattern;

a first deflecting surface oscillatable about a first axis and optically coupled to the first lens means for receiving the first light pattern and further optically coupled to the second lens means for receiving the second light pattern; and

a second deflecting surface oscillatable about a second axis and optically coupled to the first deflecting surface,

the first deflecting surface further for deflecting the first light pattern in a first direction along a first predetermined optical path and for deflecting the second light pattern in a first direction along a second predetermined optical path

the second deflecting surface for deflecting the first light pattern received from the first direction in a second direction along the first predetermined optical path and for deflecting the second light pattern received from a second direction along the second predetermined optical path,

wherein a first raster scanned image is displayable by the second screen means in response to the first light pattern and a second raster scanned image is displayable by the first screen means in response to the second light pattern when the first and second deflecting surfaces are perturbating in a predetermined pattern about the respective first and second axes.

19. The display system as in claim 18, wherein each first and second plurality of light source means includes an optical waveguide having a respective end, the ends of the optical waveguide for supplying the corresponding first and second light pattern, the ends of the optical waveguide disposed at a corresponding first focal plane of the first and second lens means, the first focal plane of the first and second lens means including the focal point of the corresponding second input/output of the first and second lens means, the first and second light pattern including a respective outer margin and the first and second surface further disposed with respect to each other and with respect to the first and second lens means such that the margin of the first and second light patterns obtains a minimum diameter along the corresponding first and second optical path between and including the first and second deflecting surfaces.

20. A helmet mountable display system for providing a first full color raster scanned image to a wearer of the helmet, the first image in response to light from a first plurality of light sources, comprising:

first optical means for receiving light from each of the first plurality of light sources and for supplying a respective first ray of light in response to the light from each of the first plurality of light sources;

first lens means optically coupled to the first optical means, the first lens means for collimating the first rays of light;

first reflecting means optically coupled to the first lens means, the first reflecting means for deflecting the first rays of light in a first direction along a first predetermined optical path;

second reflecting means optically coupled to the first reflecting means for receiving the first rags of light that are deflected by the first deflecting means, the second reflecting means further for deflecting the first rays of light in a second direction along the first predetermined optical path;

second lens means optically coupled to the second reflecting means for receiving the first rays of light that are deflected by the second deflecting means, the second lens means for focusing the first rays of light; and

first optical system means optically coupled to the second lens means, the first optical system means for transporting the first rays of light that have been focused to the wearer such that the wearer may observe the first full color raster scanned image,

wherein the first and second directions of the first optical path are selected such that the first full color raster scanned image is available at a focal plane of the second lens means from the first rays of light that have been focused.

21. The display system as in claim 20, the display system further for providing a second full color raster scanned image to the wearer, the second image in response to light from a second plurality of light sources, comprising:

second optical means for receiving light from each of the second plurality of light sources and for supplying a respective second ray of light in response to the light from each of the second plurality of light sources; and

second optical system means optically coupled to the first lens means, the first optical system means for transporting the second rays of light that have been focused to the wearer such that the wearer may observe the second full color raster scanned image, wherein

the second lens means optically further coupled to the second optical means, the second lens means further for collimating the second rays of light,

the first reflecting means further optically coupled to the second lens means, the first lens means further for deflecting the second rays of light in a first direction along a second predetermined optical path,

the second reflecting means further optically coupled to the first reflecting means for receiving the second rays of light that are deflected by the second reflecting means, the second reflecting means further for deflecting the second rays of light in a second direction along the second predetermined optical path,

the first lens means further optically coupled to the second reflecting means for receiving the second rays of light that are deflected by the second deflecting means, the first lens means further for focusing the second rays of light, and

the first and second directions of the second optical path are selected such that the second full color raster scanned image is available at a focal plane of the first lens means from the second rays of light that have been focused,

and further wherein the first and second image is supplied to the left and right eye, respectively, of the wearer, whereby a stereoscopic image may be presented to the wearer.