Method and a device for bi-monocular image transfer

• US 7,177,080 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Flir Systems AB (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Flir Systems AB (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Soderlindh, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson; Mark A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FINEMAN, LEE A
• Application Number:
  US10/934,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20050046940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 359/363, 359/400, 359/404, 359629-630, 359480-482, 359/466, 359/472, 359/475, 359/477, 348/79, 349/5, 349/8, 349/9, 349/11, 345 7- 9
• US Class Current: 359/480
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/18 for binocular arrangements focusing binocular pairs G02B7/06; adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs G02B7/12

Abstract

A viewing arrangement includes an image generator having a single, two-sided display screen having a front and a back side which display a front image and a back image, respectively, of a translucent or transparent image generated by the image generator; two eyepieces suitable for viewing the front and back images via respective eyes of a person using the arrangement; and an optical imaging system which images and transmits the front image to one eye of the person using the arrangement via the first eyepiece, and the back image to another eye of the person using the arrangement via the second eyepiece. A corresponding method includes generating an image; processing the image with an optical imaging system into front and back images; displaying the front and back images on a two-sided display; and transmitting the front and back images to first and second eyepieces.

Claims

1. A viewing arrangement, comprising:

an image generator comprising a single, two-sided display screen having a front and a back side which display a front image and a back image, respectively, of a translucent or transparent image generated by the image generator;

first and second eyepieces suitable for viewing the front and back images via respective eyes of a person using the arrangement;

an image inverter;

a compensating prism in an optical path including the first eyepiece;

an optical imaging system which images and transmits the front image to one eye of the person using the arrangement via the first eyepiece, and the back image to another eye of the person using the arrangement via the second eyepiece,

wherein the back image is transmitted through the image inverter and inverted before being transmitted through the second eyepiece, and

wherein the front image is transmitted through the compensating prism before being transmitted through the first eyepiece.

2. The viewing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the front and back images corresponding to the image comprise two simultaneous mirror images of the translucent or transparent image.

3. The viewing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the two-sided display screen is transmissive for imaging the image via transillumination of the screen.

4. The viewing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the two-sided display screen is reflective for imaging the image via reflection from a surface of the display screen.

5. The viewing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the optical imaging system comprises imaging devices and at least one light source suitably arranged to enable either transillumination or direct illumination of the two-sided display screen.

6. The viewing arrangement of claim 5, wherein the imaging devices comprise a beam deflector that deflects the front image generated by the image generator.

7. The viewing arrangement of claim 6, wherein the beam deflector comprises an optical mirror or a prism having a reflective surface arranged at an angle of about 45°

with respect to an axis of symmetry of one of the first and second eyepieces,

wherein the beam deflector transmits an image of one side of the two-sided display screen to one of the first and second eyepieces.

8. The viewing arrangement of claim 6, wherein the image inverter comprises a prism.

9. The viewing arrangement of claim 8, wherein the means for inverting and transmitting comprises two mirrors or prisms.

10. The viewing arrangement of claim 6, wherein the at least one light source comprises a point-source lamp or light emitting diode arranged to the beam deflector, and wherein the two-sided display screen is transmissive,

the point source being arranged to illuminate the transmissive two-sided display screen from inside and through the beam deflector via a condenser lens which disperses and aligns the light from the point source.

11. The viewing arrangement of claim 6, wherein the at least one light source comprises two point-source lamps or light emitting diodes arranged so as to each directly illuminate a respective side of the two-sided display screen,

the two-sided display screen comprising a reflective display screen, wherein the two point-source lamps or light emitting diodes are arranged so that a reflection of the front image and back image displayed by the image generator is achieved in a direction towards the a corresponding one of the imaging devices.

12. The viewing arrangement of claim 5, wherein the imaging devices comprise two imaging devices arranged as two separate units which are movable in relation to each other in an X-direction to enable adjustment of an interpupillary distance between the first and second eyepieces.

13. The viewing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the image inverter comprises a pentagonal prism having at least three reflective surfaces thereon.

14. The viewing arrangement of claim 1, further comprising moving devices which move the optical imaging system in a Y-direction in relation to the first and second eyepieces so as to focus the image, and which also move the first and second eyepieces in an X-direction to adjust an interpupillary distance between the first and second eyepieces.

15. The viewing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the two-sided display screen comprises a liquid crystal display.

16. The viewing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the image generator comprises a video or digital generator.

17. The viewing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the image generator comprises a computer.

18. The viewing arrangement of claim 1, wherein the image generated by the image generator comprises an observed and/or created object or landscape.

19. A method for viewing an image, the method comprising:

generating an image;

processing the generated image with an optical imaging system into front and back images;

displaying the front and back images on a single, two-sided display;

inverting the back image;

compensating for a path length difference between the front image and the back image by passing the front image through a prism; and

simultaneously transmitting each of the compensated front image and inverted back image to respective first and second eyepieces which are suitable for use by a person viewing the front and inverted back images.