Single-lens color video stereoscopic helmet mountable display

• US 5,166,778 A
• Filed: 09/05/1991
• Issued: 11/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Beamon, William S. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US07/755,427
• Time in Patent Office: 446 Days
• Field of Search: 358/3, 358/92, 358/91, 358/88, 358/89, 358/104, 358/199, 358/60, 358/56, 358/103, 358/225, 358/250, 358/206, 340/705
• US Class Current: 348/53
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/225 Helmet sighting systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0134 of stereoscopic type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0136 with a single image source for both eyes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/10 Processing, recording or transmission of stereoscopic or multi-view image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/32 using arrays of controllable light sources; using moving apertures or moving light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/324 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/08 having a moving reflector

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 single lens unit operating with a single row of light sources and with first and second oscillatable deflecting surfaces for generating a different scanned image on each of a pair of juxtaposed projection screen portions. The image on each screen portion images is relayed to an associated eye of the wearer.

Claims

1. A helmet mountable display (HMD) system for displaying a scanned stereoscopic image to a wearer of the helmet, comprising:

a plurality N of arrayed light source means each for supplying a respective modulated light beam;

a single lens means having a first surface receiving the arrayed plurality of light beams and a second surface from which a refracted beam is transmitted for each array light beam entering the first surface;

first and second screen means juxtaposed to one another;

first and second means for deflecting the refracted beams from the single lens means second surface to scan across the first and second screen means, to form at least portions of images thereon; and

optical system means for individually energizing the arrayed light sources and for relaying the first and second screen means images to the viewing organs of the wearer.

2. The HMD system of claim 1, wherein the deflecting means causes the refracted beams to again pass through the single lens means prior to impinging upon the first and second screen means.

3. The HMD system of claim 2, wherein the deflecting means includes first and second reflective members respectively oscillatable about respective first and second axes to scan each of the plurality of sources, after refraction through the single lens means, across the first and second screen means.

4. The HMD system of claim 3, wherein the first and second members cooperate to scan the source beams in raster fashion.

5. The HMD system of claim 4, wherein the first and second screen means are scanned in an interleaved manner.

6. The HMD system of claim 1, wherein the array of light sources are located substantially between the first and second screen means.

7. The HMD system of claim 6, wherein the light sources are arrayed along a substantially vertical line.

8. The HMD system of claim 1, wherein the single lens means comprises a single convex lens.

9. The HMD system of claim 1, wherein each of the arrayed light sources is a distal end of an associated light-carrying optic fiber, each having a proximal end receiving a video-modulated optical signal of at least varying amplitude.

10. The HMD system of claim 9, wherein the proximal end of each fiber receives an individually modulated channel light signal.

11. The HMD system of claim 10, wherein each i-th channel, where 1≦

i≦

n, includes;

means for forming a plurality of different monochromatic light signals; and

means for combining the plurality of different monochromatic light signals for that channel to form a full-color signal for introduction into the channel fiber proximal end.

12. The HMD system of claim 11, wherein the combining means is a star coupler, receiving first, second and third individually-modulated light beams for providing a single combined output beam.

13. The HMD system of claim 11, wherein each of the different monochromatic light beams are provided by:

a light source of an associated monochrome color; and

means for individually varying the amplitude of the light entering the combining means from each different source.

14. The HMD system of claim 13, further comprising means for providing a modulating video signal to each individual-varying means and for simultaneously providing synchronizing signals to the deflecting means to cause proper scanning of the arrayed source beams across the first and second screen means.

15. The HMD system of claim 14, wherein the synchronizing signal providing means includes means for adjusting the phase of the signal synchronizing at least one of the first and second deflecting means.

16. The HMD system of claim 15, wherein said adjusting means is provided for each of the first and second deflecting means.

17. The HMD system of claim 14, wherein the synchronizing signal to one of said first and second deflection means is reduced in frequency by a factor of two, to cause the two screen means to be scanned in interleaved fashion.

18. The HMD system of claim 9, further comprising means for providing an individually video-modulated light signal to each individual one of the fibers and for simultaneously providing synchronizing signals to the deflecting means to cause proper scanning of the arrayed source beams across the screen means.

19. The HMD system of claim 18, wherein the synchronizing signal providing means includes means for adjusting the phase of the signal synchronizing at least one of the first and second deflecting means.

20. The HMD system of claim 18, wherein the synchronizing signal to one of said first and second deflection means is reduced in frequency by a factor of two, to cause the two screen means to be scanned in interleaved fashion.