Integrated display image intensifier assembly

• US 6,798,578 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2003
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L3 Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Litton Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Iosue, Michael J., Kern, Lynn, Beystrum, Timothy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harrington, Alicia M.
• Application Number:
  US10/250,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20040196566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 359/629, 359/630, 359/634, 348/33, 348/34, 348/38, 348/216.1, 348/217.1, 348/7-9
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A system (S) for combining multi-spectral images of a scene includes a first detector (18) for transmitting a scene image in a first spectral band. A separate, second detector (22) senses the scene in a second spectral band. The second detector (22) has an image output that is representative of the scene. A transparent display (26) mounted in the output viewing path (30) of the first detector (18) and displays a displayed image in the second spectral band. The image of the transparent display is aligned such that the image (12) of the scene in the second spectral band combines with the image output (10) in the first spectral band. The combined multi-spectral images (54) are conveyed to an output (32) for a user (U).

Claims

1. A system for combining multi-spectral images of a scene, the system comprising:

a channel for transmitting a scene image in a first spectral band;

a separate second detector for sensing the scene in a second spectral band, the second detector having an image output representative of the scene;

a transparent display for receiving the image output of the second detector, and displaying a displayed image from the second spectral band; and

the transparent display being positioned in an output optical path of the transmitted scene in the first spectral band.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the transparent display is self luminous.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the transparent display is a transparent Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED).

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the first channel includes an image intensifier.

5. A method for combining multi-spectral images of a scene, which comprises:

transmitting a scene image in a first spectral band through a first channel;

sensing the scene with a second separate detector responding to a second spectral band, the second detector having an image output representative of the scene; and

combining the scene image in the first spectral band with an image displayed by a transparent display adapted for receiving the image output of the second detector;

the transparent display being positioned in an output optical path of the transmitted scene in the first spectral band.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the transparent display is self luminous.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the transparent display is a transparent Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED).

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the first channel includes an image intensifier.