Method and apparatus for enhancing visual perception of display lights, warning lights and the like, and of stimuli used in testing for ocular disease

• US 5,710,560 A
• Filed: 03/11/1996
• Issued: 01/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carol Mimura
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Cohn, Theodore E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): LA, ANH V
• Application Number:
  US08/613,837
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 340/981, 340/982, 340/908.1, 340/908, 340/931, 340/481, 340/484, 340/485, 340/486, 340/463, 340/464, 340/467, 340/468, 362/62
• US Class Current: 340/982
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/032 Devices for presenting test symbols or characters, e.g. test chart projectors A61B3/036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/44 for indicating braking action or preparation for braking, e.g. by detection of the foot approaching the brake pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies

Abstract

Apparent object motion is created to stimulate rapid M cell response in an observer'"'"'s visual system. In one embodiment, first and second pairs of lights, spaced apart about 1 to 60 minutes of visual angle at the viewing distance, are operated such that the innermost of each pair is activated for duration T1, and after a duration T2, the outermost of each pair is activated for the duration of a warning event. T1 is determined by luminous energy intensity from the innermost light pair, while duration T2 is selected to preclude an overlap in the observer'"'"'s visual system between response to the end of the first-activated light, and the response commencing with the start of the second-activated light. An observer rapidly perceives the lights as looming closer, due to the inward-to-outward sweeping visual image that enhances salience. Because the observer'"'"'s M cells appear to be primarily stimulated by the luminous energy, the observer can react more rapidly to the warning event than to conventional warning lights. In another embodiment, an M-cell stimulus from a flashing pattern enhances an observer'"'"'s attention and response to a warning or hazard. Another embodiment helps detect onset of glaucoma by stimulating a patient'"'"'s visual system to evoke M cell response, using rays from a pair of spaced apart lights, sequentially operated according to the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of sequentially operating at least first and second spaced-apart lights in a display system, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) activating said first light for a time T1, wherein 1 ns≦

T1≦

100 ms;

(b) upon conclusion of said time T1 in after step (a), extinguishing said first light for a time T2, wherein 0≦

T2≦

150 ms, said time T2 being sufficiently long to exceed a duration of visual effect in a viewer of a said first light during said time T1; and

;

(c) after said time T2 in step (b), activating said second light for a time T3, wherein 1 ns≦

T3≦

100 ms;

(d) after said time T3 in step (c), extinguishing said second light for a time T4, wherein 0≦

T4≦

900 ms; and

(e) repeating steps (a) through (d);

wherein said first and second lights are spaced apart a distance equivalent to about 1 minute to about 60 minutes of visual arc at a critical viewing distance from said lights.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second spaced-apart lights are selected from the group consisting of (i) said spaced-apart lights are aircraft wing-tip strobe lights (ii) said spaced-apart lights are warning lights mounted to a motor vehicle;

and (iii) said spaced-apart lights are in a road-side located hazard warning device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second lights are warning lights mounted on a support adapted to be placed adjacent at least one location selected from the group consisting of (i) a hazard, (ii) a hazard in a street, (iii) a potentially hazardous location, (iv) a potentially hazardous location in a street, and (v) a street intersection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second spaced-apart lights are substrate-mounted and help define at least one indicium selected from the group consisting of (i) a warning symbol, (ii) an image, and (iii) at least one word.

5. A visual display system, comprising:

at least first and second spaced-apart lights;

circuit means, coupled to said lights, for sequentially activating said first light for a time T1, wherein 1 ns≦

T1≦

100 ms;

then extinguishing said first light for a time T2, wherein 0≦

T2≦

150 ms;

then sequentially activating said second light for a time T3, wherein 1 ns≦

T3≦

100 ms; and

then sequentially extinguishing said second light for a time T4, wherein 0≦

T4≦

900 ms;

wherein said first and second lights are spaced apart a distance equivalent to about 1 minute to about 60 minutes of visual arc at a critical viewing distance from said lights.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said first and second spaced-apart lights are selected from the group consisting of (i) aircraft wing-tip strobe lights, (ii) said spaced-apart lights are warning lights mounted to a motor vehicle;

(iii) said spaced-apart lights are warning lights mounted on a driver-viewable portion of a motor vehicle, (iv) said spaced-apart lights define a shape of a warning sign and are mounted on a dashboard of a viewer operated motor vehicle, and (v) said spaced-apart lights are in a road-side located hazard warning device.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said first and second spaced-apart lights have at least one characteristic selected from the group consisting of (a) said spaced-apart lights are warning lights mounted on a motor vehicle, (b) said spaced-apart lights are warning lights mounted on a support placeable adjacent a hazard, (c) said spaced-apart lights are warning lights mounted on support placeable adjacent a hazard in a street, (d) said spaced-apart lights are warning lights mounted on a support placeable adjacent a potential street hazard, (e) said spaced-apart lights are warning lights mounted on a support adjacent a street intersection, (f) said spaced-apart lights are mounted on a substrate and help define a warning symbol, (g) said spaced-apart lights are mounted on a substrate and help define an image, and (h) said spaced-apart lights are mounted on a substrate and help define at least one word.

8. The system of claim 5, further including means for monitoring ambient light adjacent said system and varying at least one of said time T1 and said time T2 as a function of said ambient light.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein at least one of said lights is selected from the group consisting of (i) incandescent lights, (ii) gas discharge tube lights, (iii) fluorescent lights, (iv) cathode ray tube lights, (v) liquid crystal display lights, (vi) light emitting diodes, and (vii) a laser.