Intelligent electro-optical system and method for automatic glare reduction
First Claim
1. Apparatus for automatically reducing glare produced from a three-dimensional spatial scene by reducing the intensity of light rays propagating from points in the three-dimensional spatial scene towards an optical element having a field of view, said apparatus comprising:
- an electro-optical element having an optically transparent surface including a plurality of pixels through which the field of view of said optical element passes, each said pixel having a controllable light transmittance for selectively reducing the intensity of incident light rays propagating from one or more points in the three-dimensional spatial scene, through said pixel, then towards said optical element;
image acquisition means for acquiring one or more images of said three-dimensional spatial scene within the field of view of said optical element;
image processing means for processing said one or more acquired images and determining at which pixels the light transmittance is to be actively controlled in order to reduce the intensity of incident light rays by a selected amount before reaching said optical element; and
control means for actively controlling the light transmittance of the determined pixels so that after incident light rays propagate through said determined pixels, said incident light rays propagate towards said optical element with an intensity reduced by said selected amount, so that glare produced from the three-dimensional spatial scene is automatically reduced.
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Abstract
An electro-optical system and method are disclosed for modulating the intensity of light rays propagating towards an optical element, such as an eye, a lens or aperture stop in a camera station, a camera station in a machine vision system, or other image detection device. The electro-optical system comprises an electro-optical element having a optically transparent surface having electrically addressable pixels. Each pixel has a light transmittance which is controllable by a controller that is operably associated with a computer system. An image acquisition device, such as a camera station, acquires an image of a spatial scene within the field of view of the optical element. The computer system processes the image to determine which pixels are to be addressed and actively driven in order to modulate (i.e. decrease) the intensity of incident light rays propagating through the determined pixels, towards the optical element. Illustrated uses for the present invention include glare and spatial noise reduction in the automotive, navigational, robotic and recreational arts.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. Apparatus for automatically reducing glare produced from a three-dimensional spatial scene by reducing the intensity of light rays propagating from points in the three-dimensional spatial scene towards an optical element having a field of view, said apparatus comprising:
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an electro-optical element having an optically transparent surface including a plurality of pixels through which the field of view of said optical element passes, each said pixel having a controllable light transmittance for selectively reducing the intensity of incident light rays propagating from one or more points in the three-dimensional spatial scene, through said pixel, then towards said optical element; image acquisition means for acquiring one or more images of said three-dimensional spatial scene within the field of view of said optical element; image processing means for processing said one or more acquired images and determining at which pixels the light transmittance is to be actively controlled in order to reduce the intensity of incident light rays by a selected amount before reaching said optical element; and control means for actively controlling the light transmittance of the determined pixels so that after incident light rays propagate through said determined pixels, said incident light rays propagate towards said optical element with an intensity reduced by said selected amount, so that glare produced from the three-dimensional spatial scene is automatically reduced. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for automatically reducing glare produced from a three-dimensional spatial scene by reducing the intensity of light rays propagating from points in the three-dimensional spatial scene towards an optical element having a field of view, said method comprising the steps:
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a) providing an elector-optical element at a desired distance from said optical element so that the field of view of said optical element passes through said electro-optical element and in the direction of the three-dimensional spatial scene, said electro-optical element having an optically transparent surface including a plurality of pixels, each said pixel having an controllable light transmittance for selectively reducing the intensity of incident light rays propagating from one or more points in said three-dimensional spatial scene, through said pixel, then towards said optical element; b) acquiring one or more images of said three-dimensional spatial scene within the field of view of said optical element; c) processing said one or more acquired images so as to determine at which pixels the light transmittance is to be actively controlled in order to reduce the intensity of incident light rays by a selected amount before said incident light rays reach said optical element; and d) actively controlling the light transmittance of said determined pixels so that after incident light rays propagate through said determined pixels, the incident light rays propagate towards said optical element with an intensity reduced by said selected amount, so that glare produced from points in the three-dimensional spatial scene is automatically reduced. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. An electro-optical system for automatically reducing glare produced from a three-dimensional spatial scene by reducing the intensity of light rays propagating from points in the three-dimensional spatial scene towards the eyes of a driver having a field of view from aboard a vehicle, said electro-optical system comprising:
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an electro-optical element mounted aboard the vehicle and having an optically transparent surface including a plurality of pixels through which the field of view of the eyes of the driver passes, each said pixel having an controllable light transmittance for selectively reducing the intensity of incident light rays propagating from one or more points in the three-dimensional spatial scene, through said pixel, then towards the eyes of the driver; image acquisition means for acquiring one or more images of said three-dimensional spatial scene within the field of view of the eyes of the driver; image processing means for processing said one or more acquired images and determining at which pixels the light transmittance is to be actively controlled in order to reduce the intensity of incident light rays by a selected amount before reaching the eyes of the driver; and control means for actively controlling the light transmittance of said determined pixels so that after incident light rays propagate through said determined pixels, the incident light rays propagate towards the eyes of the driver with an intensity reduced by said selected amount, so that glare produced from the three-dimensional spatial scene is automatically reduced.
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39. A method for automatically reducing glare produced from a three-dimensional spatial scene by reducing the intensity of light rays propagating from points in the three-dimensional spatial scene towards the eyes of a driver having a field of view from aboard a vehicle, sad method comprising the steps:
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a) providing an electro-optical element at a desired distance from the eyes of the driver so that the field of view of the driver passes through said electro-optical element, said electro-optical element having an optically transparent surface including a plurality of pixels, each said pixel having a controllable light transmittance for selectively reducing the intensity of incident light rays propagating from one or more points in the three-dimensional spatial scene, through said pixel, then towards the eyes of the driver; b) acquiring one or more images of the three-dimensional spatial scene within the field of view of the eyes of the driver; c) processing said one or more acquired images so as to determine at which pixels the light transmittance is to be actively controlled in order to reduce the intensity of incident light rays by a selected amount before said incident light rays reach the eyes of the driver; and d) actively controlling the light transmittance of said determined pixels so that after incident light rays propagate through said determined pixels, the incident light rays propagate towards the eyes of the driver with an intensity reduced by said selected amount, so that glare produced from the three-dimensional spatial scene is automatically reduced. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
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Specification