Helmet mounted display

• US 5,164,848 A
• Filed: 10/26/1990
• Issued: 11/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Plc
• Original Assignee: GEC Marconi Limited (Gooding Consumer Electronics Ltd.)
• Inventors: Firth, Kenneth, Langdon, Roger M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/603,930
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 350/3.7, 350/3.72, 350/3.81, 350/174, 359/13, 359/14, 359/24, 359/34, 359/630, 359/631
• US Class Current: 359/13
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0174 holographic
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/307 by helmet-mounted projector or display G09B9/36 takes precedence; optical parts of head-up displays G02B27/01

Abstract

A holographic objective system (3) produces an intermediate real image (4) of information displayed on an electrically addressable spatial light modulator or SLM (1), the real image (4) being collimated by a powered holographic reflector (5) constructed as part of the visor of a helmet worn by the viewer (9). The SLM (1) is illuminated by laser light from a remote laser (8) via a single optical fibre (6) and beam splitter (2). A diffuser (7) is provided either between the laser and the beam splitter or in the plane of the intermediate image (4). The objective system (3) may alternatively include, or consist entirely of, conventional optical elements.

Claims

1. A display assembly suitable for mounting on a helmet, comprising:

spatial light modulator means for forming a display;

a source of laser light;

optical path means for providing an optical path between the source of laser light and the spatial light modulator means so that the laser light illuminates the spatial light modulator means, the optical path means including a single optical fiber along which the laser light for illuminating the spatial light modulator means is conveyed;

optical system means for forming an image of the display superposed on the field of view of the wearer of the helmet, the optical system means including

an objective system to produce an intermediate image of the display, the intermediate image lying in a plane,

means, including a holographic collimating and combining element, for producing said image of the display from the intermediate image, and

a diffuser located in the plane of the intermediate image; and

a polarising beam splitter interposed between the spatial light modulator means and the optical system means.

2. A display assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical path means further comprises another diffuser which is interposed between the source of laser light and the spatial light modulator means.

3. A display assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diffuser comprises a holographic diffuser.

4. A display assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diffuser comprises a Dammann grating.

5. A display assembly suitable for mounting on a helmet, comprising:

spatial light modulator means for forming a display, the spatial light modulator means reflecting light;

a source of laser light;

optical path means for providing an optical path between the source of laser light and the spatial light modulator means so that the laser light illuminates the spatial light modulator means, the optical path means including a single optical fiber along which the laser light for illuminating the spatial light modulator means is conveyed; and

optical system means for forming an image of the display superposed on the field of view of the wearer of the helmet, the optical system means including

an objective system to produce an intermediate image of the display, the intermediate image lying in a plane,

means, including a holographic collimating and combining element, for producing said image of the display from the intermediate image,

a diffuser located in the plane of the intermediate image, and

an objective lens which is disposed adjacent the spatial light modulator means, the objective lens being traversed by both the optical path and by modulated light reflected by the spatial light modulator means.

6. A display assembly as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a first polariser which is traversed by the reflected light, and wherein the optical path means further comprises a second polariser.

7. A display assembly suitable for mounting on a helmet, comprising:

spatial light modulator means for forming a display;

a source of laser light;

optical path means for providing an optical path between the source of laser light and the spatial light modulator means so that the laser light illuminates the spatial light modulator means, the optical path means including a single optical fiber along which the laser light for illuminating the spatial light modulator means is conveyed and a mode scrambler connected to the single optical fiber; and

optical system means for forming an image of the display superposed on the field of view of the wearer of the helmet, the optical system means including

an objective system to produce an intermediate image of the display, the intermediate image lying in a plane,

means, including a holographic collimating and combining element, for producing said image of the display from the intermediate image, and

a diffuser located in the plane of the intermediate image.

8. A display assembly suitable for mounting on a helmet, comprising:

spatial light modulator means for forming a display;

a source of laser light;

optical path means for providing an optical path between the source of laser light and the spatial light modulator means so that the laser light illuminates the spatial light modulator means, the optical path means including a single optical fiber along which the laser light for illuminating the spatial light modulator means is conveyed; and

optical system means for forming an image of the display superposed on the field of view of the wearer of the helmet, the optical system means including

an objective system to produce an intermediate image of the display, the intermediate image lying in a plane,

means, including a holographic collimating and combining element, for producing said image of the display from the intermediate image, and

a diffuser located in the plane of the intermediate image, the diffuser comprising a Dammann grating.

9. A display assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the helmet has a visor, and wherein the holographic collimating and combining element is disposed on the visor.

10. A display assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the holographic collimating and combining element is a reflection hologram.

11. A display assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the spatial light modulator means comprises an electrically addressable spatial light modulator.

12. A display assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the source of laser light comprises a helium neon laser.

13. A display assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the spatial light modulator means comprises a reflective light modulator in which the angle of polarisation of light reflected therefrom is selectively adjustable.

14. A display assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the spatial light modulator means comprises a transmissive light modulator.

15. A display assembly, comprising:

a source of laser light;

spatial light modulator means for forming a display, the spatial light modulator means being illuminated by the laser light;

an objective system to produce an intermediate image of the display, the intermediate image lying in a plane;

means, including a holographic collimating combiner, for producing, from the intermediate image, another image that is visible to a viewer; and

a diffuser located in the plane of the intermediate image,

wherein the objective system comprises a plurality of transmission holograms which are disposed between the diffuser and the spatial light modulator means.

16. A display assembly as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a transparent body having a surface, the holographic collimating combiner being disposed on the surface of the transparent body.

17. A display assembly as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a single optical fiber which carries all of the laser light that illuminates the spatial light modulator means.

18. A display assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the spatial light modulator means is reflective, and further comprising a positive lens through which the laser light passes both before and after reflection by the spatial light modulator means.

19. A display assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the diffuser comprises a Dammann grating.