Multiple scene projection system

• US 7,048,384 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2003
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Cole, Barrett E., Higashi, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, William B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cruz, Magda
• Application Number:
  US10/351,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20040227906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 353/94, 353 30- 31, 353/48, 353/84, 353/121, 353/10, 359/583, 359/479, 359/629, 359/639, 345/15, 349/108, 250/495.1, 250/504.R, 102/213, 348/33, 348/47, 348/38
• US Class Current: 353/94
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/53 Reference sources, e.g. standard lamps; Black bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/002 for television cameras
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor

Abstract

A projection system for presenting infrared scenes having biological and chemical agents, simulants and objects such as battlefield items. The generated scenes are primarily for the evaluation of infrared sensors, cameras and stand-off detectors. The system may have two or more projectors that combine various scenes into one scene having components with modified or imposed spectra signatures. Also, the system may generate a dynamic series of scenes that show synthetic scenarios of moving objects, agent clouds, non-toxic simulants and other items.

Claims

1. A projection system comprising:

a first array projector;

a second array projector;

at least one absorption cell proximate to said second array projector; and

a radiation combiner proximate to said first and second array projectors.

2. The projection system of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one absorption cell contains a spectral simulant; and

said second array projector emanates a first scene through said at least one absorption cell resulting in a second scene having a spectra signature of the simulant.

3. The projection system of claim 2, wherein:

said first array projector emanates a third scene; and

said combiner combines the second and third scenes into a fourth scene.

4. The projection system of claim 3, wherein the fourth scene is available for sensing by an IR camera or the like which may be able to detect and identity the simulant in the fourth scene.

5. A scene projection system, comprising:

a first array for emitting a scene;

a second array for emitting the scene;

a cell exhibiting a signature of at least one agent or simulant, proximate to the second array; and

a combiner proximate to the first and second arrays and the cell.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the scene is emitted from the second array through the cell and then combined with the scene emitted from the first array;

the scene as emitted by the first and second arrays has a signature; and

the signature of the scene from the second array is modified by the cell.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first and second arrays are black body emitters.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the scene is dynamic in that it may reflect movement of at least one agent or simulant and other items in the scene.

9. A scene projection system comprising:

a plurality of projectors;

wherein;

each projector can project at least a portion of a scene;

some projectors of said plurality of projectors have at least one absorption cell situated proximate to the some projectors so that at least a portion of the scene is projected through the at least one absorption cell; and

at least one absorption cell adds spectra of at least one gas or simulant to the portion of the scene projected through the absorption cell; and

the at least one portion of the scene is combined with any other portion of the scene.

10. The scene projector system of claim 9, wherein at least one portion of a scene is projected in an infrared wavelength.

11. A scene projection system comprising:

a first projector array for projecting a first portion of a scene in a first waveband;

a second projector array for projecting a second portion of a scene in a second waveband; and

a beam combiner situated proximate to said first and second projector arrays; and

an absorption cell containing a gas, situated proximate to said second projector array; and

wherein;

said beam combiner substantially combines the first portion of the scene and the second portion of the scene into one scene; and

said beam combiner substantially transmits the first portion of the scene and substantially reflects the second portion of the scene to a common location in that the first and second portions are combined into one scene.

12. The projection system of claim 11, wherein absorption spectra of the gas are displayed in the one scene.

13. The projection system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second wavebands may be different.

14. The projection system of claim 11, wherein the first and second portions of a scene may be whole portions.

15. The projection system of claim 11, wherein said first projector array comprises a plurality of pixels, and each pixel of the plurality of pixels is selectively heated to display the first portion of the scene in a first wavelength.

16. The projection system of claim 15, wherein said second projector array comprises a plurality of pixels, and each pixel of the plurality of pixels is selectively heated to display the second portion of the scene in a second wavelength.

17. A scene projection system comprising:

a first projector array for projecting a first portion of a scene in a first waveband;

a second projector array for projecting a second portion of a scene in a second waveband; and

a beam combiner situated proximate to said first and second projector arrays; and

wherein;

said beam combiner substantially combines the first portion of the scene and the second portion of the scene into one scene;

the first and second wavebands may be the same; and

the first and second bandwidths may have the frequency spectra of a black body.

18. A projection system comprising:

means for projecting a first scene;

means for projecting a second scene;

means for imposing a spectra signature of an agent or simulant in the second scene;

means for combining the first scene and the second scene having the spectra signature, into a third scene;

means for projecting a fourth scene;

means for imposing a second spectra signature of a second agent or simulant in the fourth scene; and

means for combining the third scene and the fourth scene having the second spectra signature, into a fifth scene.

19. The projection system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for projecting a sixth scene;

means for imposing a third spectra of a third agent or simulant in the sixth scene; and

means for combining the fifth scene and the sixth scene having the third spectra signature, into a seventh scene.

20. A method of projecting scenes, comprising:

projecting a first scene;

projecting a second scene;

adding a simulation of an agent to the second scene;

combining the first scene with the second scene having the simulation of the agent, into a third scene;

projecting a fourth scene;

adding a simulation of a second agent to the fourth scene; and

combining the third scene with the fourth scene having the simulation of the second agent, into a fifth scene.