Augmented imaging using silhouette to improve contrast

• US 6,257,727 B1
• Filed: 05/11/2000
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: University of Washington
• Original Assignee: University of Washington
• Inventors: Melville, Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOWLING, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US09/569,379
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• Field of Search: 353/28, 353/30, 353/97, 353/62, 359/629, 359/630, 349/11, 345/7, 345/8, 345/9
• US Class Current: 353/28
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays

Abstract

An augmented display includes an image display source and a silhouette display source. The image display source generates a virtual image to be perceived by a viewer. The silhouette display source occurs in the path of the background light. The silhouette display source generates a mask corresponding to the image content of the image display. The mask is a darkened area reducing or blocking background light. As the light from the virtual image is overlaid onto the background, there is less background light in the portion where the image appears.

Claims

1. An apparatus for presenting a composite image, comprising:

a first image source which generates first image light;

a controllable light barrier which receives external light not generated by the first image source, the barrier receiving the external light over a first area, the barrier being responsive to a signal which determines size and location of a spatial subarea within the first area at which the received external light is blocked, the barrier passing received external light not within the subarea; and

a beam combiner which receives the first image light and the passed external light and outputs light forming the composite image.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first image source is a scanned display.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controllable light barrier comprises an LCD panel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the external light is light from an external environment of the apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said signal is a masking signal and further comprising:

an electronic controller coupled to the first image source and the controllable light barrier, the electronic controller being responsive to an image signal to provide a first signal to the first image source to define a first image portion and to provide the masking signal to the controllable light barrier.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first image portion includes a selected item of image information, wherein the electronic controller is responsive to the image signal to selectively activate a region of the controllable light barrier aligned to the selected item of image information differently from another region of the controllable light barrier.

7. A method for presenting a composite image, comprising:

generating first image light;

receiving second light at a controllable light barrier, the second image light formed independently of the first image light, the barrier receiving the second light over a first area;

blocking passage of the second light through the controllable light barrier at a select subarea of the first area, the subarea being selected in size, location and time;

passing second light through the controllable light barrier at a remaining portion of the first area outside the select subarea

a beam combiner which receives and combines the first image light and the passed second light to form light of the composite image.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

generating a control signal output to the controllable light barrier for determining the size and location of the select subarea at a given time.

9. The method of claim 7, in which the controllable light barrier is an LCD panel, and further comprising the steps of:

identifying a position of a first image portion of the first image light;

selecting pixels of the LCD array in response to the identified position of the first image portion; and

activating the selected pixels to block second light.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of selecting pixels of the LCD array in response to the identified position of the first image portion includes:

identifying pixels of the LCD array that overlap the identified position, as viewed from a viewing location; and

selecting the pixels from only the identified pixels.