System and method for generating three-dimensional image displays

• US 7,098,458 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carl Zeiss Optronics GmbH
• Original Assignee: Zeiss Optronik GmbH
• Inventors: Vogel, Holger, Kuerbitz, Gunter, Schlemmer, Harry
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANINGCO, MARCUS H
• Application Number:
  US10/860,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20040256558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 250/330
• US Class Current: 250/330
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/14 for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation G02B13/008, G02B13/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0134 of stereoscopic type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/34 Stereoscopes providing a stereoscopic pair of separated images corresponding to parallactically displaced views of the same object, e.g. 3D slide viewers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/23 from thermal infrared radiation
• 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 and a method for generating three-dimensional image displays with two sensors, in particular two thermal imagers, having two optical channels with fields of view of equal size and with a virtually identical line of sight has at least one image reproduction unit. The optical axes of the sensors are aligned in parallel with one another. The sensors are each provided with a detector for a stereo recording, the stereo recording being performed simultaneously by means of the detectors.

Claims

1. A system for generating three-dimensional image displays comprising:

a first and a second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising an optical channel with an optical axis, wherein the optical channel of said first sensor is different from the optical channel of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each have a field of view with a size,

wherein the size of the field of view of said first sensor is essentially identical with size of the field of view of said second sensor,

wherein the optical axis of said optical channel of said first sensor is aligned in parallel with a horizontal spacing with respect to the optical axis of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising a detector being sensitive to infrared radiation, wherein recording of thermal images is performed simultaneously by said detectors of said first and said second sensor,

comprising at least one image reproduction unit generating stereo image pairs of visible light from images recorded by said detectors of said first and said second sensor by detecting infrared light, and

wherein said sensors are provided with cooled detectors.

2. The system according to claim 1, said system comprising two image reproduction units, a thermal image recorded with said first sensor being displayed on a first one of said two reproduction units and a thermal image recorded with said second sensor being displayed on a second one of said two reproduction units.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said first and said second sensor are arranged in parallel on opposite sides of a support designed to be carried on a head, said support further comprising two reproduction units arranged at a distance, wherein said distance is adjustable.

4. The system according to claim 2, further comprising a basis plate and wherein said first and said second sensor are arranged in parallel next to one another on said basis plate and form a thermal imager-binoculars with a fixed stereo basis.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said reproduction units are arranged within eye pieces.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said eye pieces are arranged with a spacing there between and wherein said spacing is adjustable.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said two sensors are operated in an unsynchronized fashion.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said two sensors are operated in a synchronized fashion for providing stereoscopic image pairs.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said detectors are sensitive to radiation in a wavelength region between 0.8 μ

m and 2.5 μ

m.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said detectors are sensitive to radiation in a wavelength region from 3 μ

m to 5 μ

m.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said detectors are sensitive to radiation in a wavelength region from 7 μ

m to 14 μ

m.

12. Use of a system according to claim 1 for the field of military use.

13. Method for generating three-dimensional thermal image displays with the steps:

providing two thermal imager sensors each having a detector sensitive to infrared radiation,

adjusting said two thermal imager sensors to a common target area or target object with a virtually identical line of sight and fields of view of equal size,

recording thermal images with said two sensors simultaneously, and

displaying said thermal images recorded with said two sensors on at least one image reproduction unit simultaneously to form stereoscopic image pairs with light in the visible spectral region.

14. Use of a method according to claim 13 for the field of military use.

15. A system for generating three-dimensional image displays comprising:

a first and a second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising an optical channel with an optical axis, wherein the optical channel of said first sensor is different from the optical channel of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each have a field of view with a size,

wherein the size of the field of view of said first sensor is essentially identical with size of the field of view of said second sensor,

wherein the optical axis of said optical channel of said first sensor is aligned in parallel with a horizontal spacing with respect to the optical axis of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising a detector being sensitive to infrared radiation, wherein recording of thermal images is performed simultaneously by said detectors of said first and said second sensor,

comprising at least one image reproduction unit generating stereo image pairs of visible light from images recorded by said detectors of said first and said second sensor by detecting infrared light, and

wherein said first sensor is mounted on a rotatable basis having a motor drive and a control for controlling a rotation of said base by said motor drive, wherein said second sensor has a command key and wherein upon an activation of said command key said control of said base of said first sensor rotates said first sensor to direct said optical axis of said first sensor to be parallel to said optical axis of said second sensor.

16. A system for generating three-dimensional image displays comprising:

a first and a second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising an optical channel with an optical axis, wherein the optical channel of said first sensor is different from the optical channel of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each have a field of view with a size,

wherein the size of the field of view of said first sensor is essentially identical with size of the field of view of said second sensor,

wherein the optical axis of said optical channel of said first sensor is aligned in parallel with a horizontal spacing with respect to the optical axis of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising a detector being sensitive to infrared radiation, wherein recording of thermal images is performed simultaneously by said detectors of said first and said second sensor,

comprising at least one image reproduction unit generating stereo image pairs of visible light from images recorded by said detectors of said first and said second sensor by detecting infrared light, and

wherein said first sensor is arranged on a first moveable device and said second sensor is arranged on a second moveable device, said first and said second sensor having optics with an identical resolution, and wherein thermal images recorded with said first and said second sensor are displayed to one and the same observer simultaneously to generate stereoscopic image pairs.

17. A system for generating three-dimensional image displays comprising:

a first and a second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising an optical channel with an optical axis, wherein the optical channel of said first sensor is different from the optical channel of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each have a field of view with a size,

wherein the size of the field of view of said first sensor is essentially identical with size of the field of view of said second sensor,

wherein the optical axis of said optical channel of said first sensor is aligned in parallel with a horizontal spacing with respect to the optical axis of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising a detector being sensitive to infrared radiation, wherein recording of thermal images is performed simultaneously by said detectors of said first and said second sensor,

comprising at least one image reproduction unit generating stereo image pairs of visible light from images recorded by said detectors of said first and said second sensor by detecting infrared light, and

wherein said first and said second sensor are arranged on a single moveable device, said first and said second sensor having optics with an identical resolution, and wherein thermal images recorded with said first and said second sensor are displayed to one and the same observer simultaneously to generate stereoscopic image pairs.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said sensors are provided with cooled detectors.

19. A system for generating three-dimensional image displays comprising:

a first and a second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising an optical channel with an optical axis, wherein the optical channel of said first sensor is different from the optical channel of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each have a field of view with a size,

wherein the size of the field of view of said first sensor is essentially identical with size of the field of view of said second sensor,

wherein the optical axis of said optical channel of said first sensor is aligned in parallel with a horizontal spacing with respect to the optical axis of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising a detector being sensitive to infrared radiation, wherein recording of thermal images is performed simultaneously by said detectors of said first and said second sensor,

comprising at least one image reproduction unit generating stereo image pairs of visible light from images recorded by said detectors of said first and said second sensor by detecting infrared light, and

wherein said two sensors are combined in the manner of a II-driver'"'"'s visual display unit to form a driver'"'"'s thermal imager.

20. A system for generating three-dimensional image displays comprising:

a first and a second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising an optical channel with an optical axis, wherein the optical channel of said first sensor is different from the optical channel of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each have a field of view with a size,

wherein the size of the field of view of said first sensor is essentially identical with size of the field of view, of said second sensor,

wherein the optical axis of said optical channel of said first sensor is aligned in parallel with a horizontal spacing with respect to the optical axis of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising a detector being sensitive to infrared radiation, wherein recording of thermal images is performed simultaneously by said detectors of said first and said second sensor,

comprising at least one image reproduction unit generating stereo image pairs of visible light from images recorded by said detectors of said first and said second sensor by detecting infrared light,

wherein said first sensor is arranged on a first moveable device and said second sensor is arranged on a second moveable device, said first and said second sensor having optics with an identical resolution, and wherein thermal images recorded with said first and said second sensor are displayed to one and the same observer simultaneously to generate stereoscopic image pairs, and

wherein said sensors are provided with cooled detectors.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said detectors are sensitive to radiation in a wavelength region from 3 μ

m to 5 μ

m.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein said detectors are sensitive to radiation in a wavelength region from 7 μ

m to 14 m.

23. A system for generating three-dimensional image displays comprising:

a first and a second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising an optical channel with an optical axis, wherein the optical channel of said first sensor is different from the optical channel of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each have a field of view with a size,

wherein the size of the field of view of said first sensor is essentially identical with size of the field of view of said second sensor,

wherein the optical axis of said optical channel of said first sensor is aligned in parallel with a horizontal spacing with respect to the optical axis of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising a detector being sensitive to infrared radiation, wherein recording of thermal images is performed simultaneously by said detectors of said first and said second sensor,

at least one image reproduction unit generating stereo image pairs of visible light from images recorded by said detectors of said first and said second sensor by detecting infrared light,

two image reproduction units, a thermal image recorded with said first sensor being displayed on a first one of said two reproduction units and a thermal image recorded with said second sensor being displayed on a second one of said two reproduction units, and

a basis plate and wherein said first and said second sensor are arranged in parallel next to one another on said basis plate and form a thermal imager-binoculars with a fixed stereo basis.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said reproduction units are arranged within eye pieces.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein said eye pieces are arranged with a spacing there between and wherein said spacing is adjustable.

26. The system according to claim 23, wherein said sensors are provided with uncooled detectors.

27. A system for generating three-dimensional image displays comprising:

a first and a second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising an optical channel with an optical axis, wherein the optical channel of said first sensor is different from the optical channel of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each have a field of view with a size,

wherein the size of the field of view of said first sensor is essentially identical with size of the field of view of said second sensor,

wherein the optical axis of said optical channel of said first sensor is aligned in parallel with a horizontal spacing with respect to the optical axis of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising a detector being sensitive to infrared radiation, wherein recording of thermal images is performed simultaneously by said detectors of said first and said second sensor,

comprising at least one image reproduction unit generating stereo image pairs of visible light from images recorded by said detectors of said first and said second sensor by detecting infrared light, and

wherein said two sensors are operated in an unsynchronized fashion.

28. A system for generating three-dimensional image displays comprising:

a first and a second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising an optical channel with an optical axis, wherein the optical channel of said first sensor is different from the optical channel of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each have a field of view with a size,

wherein the size of the field of view of said first sensor is essentially identical with size of the field of view of said second sensor,

wherein the optical axis of said optical channel of said first sensor is aligned in parallel with a horizontal spacing with respect to the optical axis of said second sensor,

said first and said second sensor each comprising a detector being sensitive to infrared radiation, wherein recording of thermal images is performed simultaneously by said detectors of said first and said second sensor,

comprising at least one image reproduction unit generating stereo image pairs of visible light from images recorded by said detectors of said first and said second sensor by detecting infrared light, and

wherein said two sensors are operated in a synchronized fashion for providing stereoscopic image pairs.