Worn display system and method without requiring real time tracking for boresight precision

• US 8,659,826 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2010
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, Robert D., Raynal, Francois, Robbins, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): FONT, FRANK G
• Application Number:
  US12/700,557
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 359/402, 359/403, 359/566, 359/567, 359/630, 359/634, 359/636
• US Class Current: 359/402
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• 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 23/08 Periscopes arrangements on floating structures of underwater viewing devices B63C11/49; arrangement of visual watch equipment on submarines B63G8/38
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/14 operating by reflection only
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4205 having a diffractive optical element [DOE] contributing to image formation, e.g. whereby modulation transfer function MTF or optical aberrations are relevant
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/18 Diffraction gratings holographic optical elements G02B5/32, G03H; integrally combined with optical fibres G02B6/02057; for coupling light guides G02B6/34; integrally combined with optical integrated light guides G02B6/12; grating systems G02B27/44

Abstract

A worn display, such as a head worn display, includes a projector and a periscopic system configured to be wearable. The periscopic system includes at least one diffraction grating member. The member includes an input end for receiving an image from a projector and a combiner end for receiving light from a scene and providing the image received at the input end and the light received from the outside scene to the user. The head worn display can be used in aircraft applications to provide guidance information to a pilot.

Claims

1. A worn display for a user having a head and eyes, the worn display, comprising:

a projector; and

a periscopic system configured to be wearable and physically separate from the projector and physically free from the projector across rotational movement of the periscopic system when worn on the head, the periscopic system including at least one diffraction grating member, the diffraction grating member having an input end for receiving a collimated image from the projector, and a combiner end for receiving light from an outside scene and providing the collimated image received at the input end and the light received from the outside scene to the user, wherein the worn display is configured to receive the collimated image at the input end from the projector disposed at a location above and behind the head when the periscopic system is worn on the head, the at least one diffraction grating member extending vertically from the input end to the combiner end, wherein the input end is configured to be disposed above the head to receive the image from the projector and the combiner end is configured to be disposed in front of the eyes when the periscopic system is worn by the user.

2. The display of claim 1, wherein the periscopic system comprises two separate diffraction grating members, each diffraction grating member being disposed in front of a respective one of the eyes at the combiner end;

wherein the diffraction grating members are elongated rectangles extending longitudinally from the input end to the combiner end.

3. The display of claim 2, wherein each diffraction grating member comprises at least one diffraction grating having a spatial frequency of 2000-4000 gratings per millimeter.

4. The display of claim 3, wherein the diffraction grating is etched or printed.

5. The display of claim 4, wherein the diffraction grating members are each a unitary piece of plastic material.

6. The display of claim 5, wherein the diffraction grating members are bendable.

7. The display of claim 6, wherein the diffraction grating members have a thin rectangular prismatic shape.

8. The display of claim 7, wherein the projector is a micro display.

9. The display of claim 2, wherein an intermediate section of the diffraction grating members is disposed between the combiner end and the input end and does not include a grating.

10. A head mounted device for use with a display projector providing a collimated or near collimated image to eyes of a user, the user having a head, the head mounted device comprises:

a first diffraction grating member; and

a second diffraction grating member, wherein the first diffraction grating member and the second diffraction grating member are configured so that a first end of each of the first and second diffraction grating members can be provided in front of a respective eye of a user and a second end of each of the first and second diffraction grating members receives the collimated or near collimated image, wherein the first end receives light from a real world scene, wherein the second end is disposed above a top of the head of the user when the first diffraction grating member and the second diffraction grating member are worn by the user, wherein the first diffraction grating member and the second diffraction grating member are physically separate from the display projector and physically free from the display projector across rotational movement of the first diffraction grating member and the second diffraction grating member when worn on the head of the user.

11. The head mounted device of claim 10, wherein the first and second diffraction grating members provide a periscopic effect.

12. The head mounted device of claim 11, wherein the diffraction grating members include markings at a spatial frequency between 2000 and 4000 gratings per millimeter.

13. The head mounted device of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second members is a unitary piece comprised of flexible plastic material.

14. The head mounted device of claim 10, wherein the first and second diffraction grating members each have a first flat planar side and a second flat planar side, where the first side is opposite the second side and is closer to the respective eye than the second side and the collimated or near collimated image is received from the display projector on the first side, and the light from the real world scene is received on the second side.

15. The head mounted device of claim 10, wherein the first diffraction grating member and the second diffraction grating member are flat and flexible.

16. The head mounted device of claim 15, wherein the display projector for providing the collimator or near collimated image is provided behind a user.

17. A pair of optical elements configured for use with a projector disposed above and behind a head of a pilot, the pair of optical elements being worn by the pilot and each of the pair of optical elements comprising:

a first diffraction grating configured to receive a collimated image or near collimated image from the projector when worn by the pilot, wherein the first diffraction grating is disposed above a head of the pilot when worn by the pilot; and

a second diffraction grating disposed in front of a respective eye of the pilot when worn by the pilot, wherein the second diffraction grating provides an image from the projector to the pilot and allows conformal viewing of the image with a real world scene, wherein the pair of optical elements is physically separate from the projector and is physically free across rotational movement of the pair of optical elements from the projector when worn on the head of the user.

18. The pair of optical elements of claim 17 wherein the optical elements are thin flexible material.

19. The pair of optical elements of claim 18 wherein each of the optical elements extends as a single unitary piece from the first grating to the second grating.

20. The pair of optical elements of claim 17, wherein the pair is attached to an eye frame, hat or helmet.