System, module, and method for creating a variable FOV image presented on a HUD combiner unit

• US 7,961,117 B1
• Filed: 09/16/2008
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Walker, Lance D., Albert, Gary J., Armstrong, Robert A., Zimmerman, Kenneth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): La; Anh V
• Application Number:
  US12/283,880
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 340/980, 340/974, 340/975, 340/973, 340/972, 340/961, 340/977, 345 7- 9, 701/4, 701/14, 348/115, 348/121, 434/30
• US Class Current: 340/980
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays

Abstract

The embodiments disclosed herein present novel and non-trivial system, module, and method for creating a variable FOV image presented on a HUD combiner unit. A processor receives navigation system data and data associated with eye position. A variable FOV image data set representative of navigation symbology is generated, where the image data set is determined by applying the navigation system and eye position data to an adaptive FOV function, where the function correlates eye position to an FOV image. The image data set is presented to a HUD system where an image represented in the image data set is displayed on a combiner unit, whereby the image FOV correlates to eye position. Furthermore, the processor may receive terrain data and generate a variable FOV image data set inclusive of data representative of a three-dimensional perspective scene outside an aircraft.

Claims

1. A system for creating a variable FOV image presented on a HUD combiner unit, such system comprising:

a source for providing navigation system data;

a source for providing data associated with eye position;

a processor, operatively coupled to receive data, where such processor is configured to

receive navigation system data;

receive data associated with eye position of a viewer, where the data associated with eye position correlates to a viewer'"'"'s FOV with respect to a combiner unit mounted inside a compartment that is occupied by the viewer;

generate an image data set representative of an image of navigation symbologies representative of the navigation system data, where such image has a variable FOV and is comprised of a plurality of areas to which such navigation symbologies are mapped, such that

the image data set is generated by applying the navigation system data and the data associated with eye position to an adaptive FOV function, whereby

the variable FOV of the image and the size of at least one area are increased with an increase to the viewer'"'"'s FOV, and

the variable FOV of the image and the size of at least one area are decreased with a decrease to the viewer'"'"'s FOV, so that

the visibility of the navigation symbologies is not interrupted when projected onto the combiner unit; and

provide the image data set to a HUD system; and

the HUD system, operatively coupled to receive the image data set, wherein such HUD system is configured to

receive the image data set, and

project the image represented in the image data set onto the combiner unit of the HUD system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the adaptive FOV function is configured to produce conformal symbology, non-conformal symbology, or both.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data associated with eye position comprises eye position data or motion tracking data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a processor of an aircraft system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the aircraft system is a vision system, the HUD system, or a system associated with sensing eye position.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a source for providing terrain data, where

the processor is further configured to receive terrain data, such that

the terrain data is included in the generation of the image data set, whereby the image represented in the image data set includes a three-dimensional perspective of the scene outside the aircraft.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the source for providing terrain data includes a terrain database, a non-database terrain acquisition system, or combination of both.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the adaptive FOV function is configured to produce a conformal three-dimensional perspective of the scene outside the vehicle independent of eye position.

9. A module for creating a variable FOV image presented on a HUD combiner unit, such module comprising:

an input communications interface to facilitate the receiving of data from at least one data source by a processor;

the processor, where such processor is configured to

receive navigation system data;

receive data associated with eye position of a viewer, where the data associated with eye position correlates to a viewer'"'"'s FOV with respect to a combiner unit mounted inside a compartment that is occupied by the viewer;

generate an image data set representative of an image of navigation symbologies representative of the navigation system data, where such image has a variable FOV and is comprised of a plurality of areas to which such navigation symbologies are mapped, such that

the image data set is generated by applying the navigation system data and the data associated with eye position to an adaptive FOV function, whereby

the variable FOV of the image and the size of at least one area are increased with an increase to the viewer'"'"'s FOV, and

the variable FOV of the image and the size of at least one area are decreased with a decrease to the viewer'"'"'s FOV, so that

the visibility of the navigation symbologies is not interrupted when projected onto the combiner unit; and

provide the image data set to a HUD system; and

an output communications interface to facilitate the providing of the image data set to the HUD system, whereby the image represented in the image data set is projected onto the combiner unit of the HUD system.

10. The module of claim 9, wherein the adaptive FOV function is configured to produce conformal symbology, non-conformal symbology, or both.

11. The module of claim 9, wherein the data associated with eye position comprises eye position data or motion tracking data.

12. The module of claim 9, wherein the module comprises a module of an aircraft system.

13. The module of claim 12, wherein the aircraft system is a vision system, the HUD system, or a system associated with sensing eye position.

14. The module of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to receive terrain data, and such that

the terrain data is included in the generation of the image data set, whereby the image represented in the image data set includes a three-dimensional perspective of the scene outside the aircraft.

15. The module of claim 14, wherein the source for providing terrain data includes a terrain database, a non-database terrain acquisition system, or combination of both.

16. The module of claim 14, wherein the adaptive FOV function is configured to produce a conformal three-dimensional perspective of the scene outside the aircraft independent of the eye position.

17. A method for creating a variable FOV image presented on a HUD combiner unit, such method comprising:

performing the following elements, where such elements are performed by an aircraft system processor;

receiving navigation system data from a navigation system;

receiving data associated with eye position of a viewer from a source for providing data associated with eye position, where the data associated with eye position correlates to a viewer'"'"'s FOV with respect to a combiner unit mounted inside a compartment that is occupied by the viewer;

generating an image data set representative of an image of navigation symbologies representative of the navigation system data, where such image has a variable FOV and is comprised of a plurality of areas to which such navigation symbologies are mapped, such that

the image data set is generated by applying the navigation system data and the data associated with eye position to an adaptive FOV function, whereby

the variable FOV of the image and the size of at least one area are increased with an increase to the viewer'"'"'s FOV, and

the variable FOV of the image and the size of at least one area are decreased with a decrease to the viewer'"'"'s FOV, so that

the visibility of the navigation symbologies is not interrupted when projected onto the combiner unit; and

provide the image data set to a HUD system, whereby the image represented in the image data set is projected onto the combiner unit of the HUD system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the adaptive FOV function is configured to produce conformal symbology, non-conformal symbology, or both.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the data associated with eye position comprises eye position data or motion tracking data.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving terrain data from a terrain data source, such that

the terrain data is included in the generation of the image data set, whereby the image represented in the image data set includes a three-dimensional perspective of the scene outside the aircraft.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the adaptive FOV function is configured to produce a conformal three-dimensional perspective of the scene outside the vehicle independent of the eye position.