Methods and apparatus for adjusting the display characteristics of a display unit

• US 6,867,751 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1998
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Meldrum, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US09/224,217
• Time in Patent Office: 2,267 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/9, 345/207, 345/147, 345/32, 345/82, 345/8, 345/102, 340/945, 340/425.5, 340/815.42, 340/815.41, 340/815.5, 340/825.06, 340/436, 340/438, 340/439, 340/701, 340/2, 340/980, 701/32, 701/33, 701/36, 350/345, 349/11
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/066 for control of contrast
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0666 for control of colour parameters, e.g. colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2092 Details of a display terminals using a flat panel, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto suitable for both CRT and flat panel G09G5/003; specific for a CRT G09G1/165

Abstract

A transmission line transmits light from a remote source to a light sensor affixed to a display unit to provide a variation in the display characteristics of the display unit based at least in part upon the remote light intensity. A reception end is integrally formed as part of the transmission line and is physically separated from the light sensor. The reception end gathers the remote light for transmission by the transmission line. An emission end is integrally formed as part of the transmission line and presents the remote light, transmitted by the transmission line, to the light sensor such that the variation in the display characteristics of the display unit may be provided based at least in part upon the remote light intensity.

Claims

1. A system for delivering remote light to a light sensor affixed to a display unit in order to provide a variation in the display characteristics of the display unit based at least in part upon the remote light intensity, said system comprising:

a first transmission line;

a first reception end integrally formed as part of said first transmission line and physically separated from the light sensor affixed to the display unit, said first reception end gathering the remote light for transmission by said first transmission line;

a first emission end integrally formed as part of said first transmission line, said first emission end presenting the remote light, transmitted by said first transmission line, to the light sensor affixed to the display unit such that the variation in the display characteristics of the display unit may be provided based at least in part upon the remote light intensity.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first reception end is physically separated from the display unit.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first optical device connected to said first reception end for focusing the remote light onto said first reception end.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said first optical device comprises a lens.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said first transmission line comprises a fiber optic cable.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a coupler having a first input and a second input, said first input collecting the remote light from said first emission end and said second input collecting the remote light at said second input, said coupler presenting the collected light to the light sensor affixed to the display unit.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a second optical device connected to the second input of said coupler for focusing the remote light onto the second input of said coupler.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said second optical device comprises a lens.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a first optical device connected to said first reception end for focusing the remote light onto said first reception end.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said first optical device comprises a lens.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said first transmission line comprises a fiber optic cable.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a second optical device connected to the second input of said coupler for focusing the remote light onto the second input of said coupler.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said second optical device comprises a lens.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second transmission line;

a second reception end integrally formed as part of said second transmission line, said second reception end physically separated from the light sensor affixed to the display unit and physically separated from said first reception end, said second reception end gathering the remote light for transmission by said second transmission line;

a second emission end integrally formed as part of said second transmission line, said second emission end emitting the remote light transmitted by said second transmission line; and

a coupler having a first input and a second input, said first input collecting the remote light from said first emission end and said second input collecting the remote light from said second emission end, said coupler presenting the collected light to the light sensor affixed to the display unit.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a first optical device attached to said first reception end for focusing the remote light onto said first reception end.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a second optical device attached to said second reception end for focusing the remote light onto said second reception end.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said first optical device comprises a lens.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said second optical device comprises a lens.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said first transmission line comprises a fiber optic cable.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said second transmission line comprises a fiber optic cable.

21. A method of delivering remote light to a light sensor affixed to a display unit in order to provide a variation in the display characteristics of the display unit based at least in part upon the remote light intensity, said method comprising the steps of:

gathering the remote light with a first reception end physically separated from the light sensor affixed to the display unit;

transmitting the remote light, gathered by said first reception end, with a first transmission line integrally formed with said first reception end; and

presenting the remote light, transmitted by said first transmission line, to the light sensor affixed to the display unit, with a first emission end integrally formed with said first transmission line, the remote light presented such that the variation in the display characteristics of the display unit may be provided based at least in part upon the remote light intensity.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step, before said gathering step, of focusing the remote light onto said first reception end with a first optical device connected to said first reception end.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

collecting the remote light, presented by said first emission end, with a first input of a coupler;

collecting the remote light at a second input of said coupler; and

presenting the collected light, with said coupler, to the light sensor affixed to the display unit.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step, before said collecting the remote light at a second input step, of focusing the remote light onto the second input of said coupler with a second optical device connected to the second input of said coupler.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step, before said gathering step, of focusing the remote light onto said first reception end with a first optical device connected to said first reception end.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step, before said collecting the remote light at a second input step, of focusing the remote light onto the second input of said coupler with a second optical device connected to the second input of said coupler.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

gathering the remote light with a second reception end physically separated from the light sensor affixed to the display unit and physically separated from said first reception end;

transmitting the remote light, gathered by said second reception end, with a second transmission line integrally formed with said second reception end; and

presenting the remote light, transmitted by said second transmission line, with a second emission end integrally formed with said second transmission line;

collecting the remote light, presented by said first emission end, with a first input of a coupler;

collecting the remote light, presented by said second emission end, with a second input of said coupler; and

presenting the collected light, with said coupler, to the light sensor affixed to the display unit.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step, before said gathering the remote light with a first reception end step, of focusing the remote light onto said first reception end with a first optical device connected to said first reception end.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step, before said gathering the remote light with a second reception end step, of focusing the remote light onto said second reception end with a second optical device connected to said second reception end.

30. An optical system for delivering remote light to a photodiode affixed to a display unit in the cockpit of an airplane, in order to provide a variation in the display characteristics of the display unit based at least in part upon the remote light intensity, said optical system comprising:

a first lens physically separated from the display unit for focusing the remote light;

a fiber optic cable having a first end connected to said first lens for transmitting the remote light focused by said first lens;

a second lens for focusing the remote light; and

an optical coupler having a first input connected to a second end of said fiber optic cable and having a second input connected to said second lens, said optical coupler collecting the remote light at the first and second inputs and presenting the collected light to the photodiode affixed to the display unit such that the variation in the display characteristics of the display unit may be provided based at least in part upon the remote light intensity.