Optics apparatus for hands-free focus

• US 8,908,054 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2011
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• 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: Koenck, Steven E., Jensen, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haskins, Twyler
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chiu, Wesley J
• Application Number:
  US13/096,578
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an electronic vision system. The system implements at least 3 apertures. A first aperture is set at near focus, while second and third apertures (positioned to the left and right of the first aperture respectively) are set at far focus. The fields of view of the left and right apertures may be spaced apart relative to each other, thereby forming a blind spot in the overall field of view of the system. However, the field of vision of the center aperture overlaps the blind spot, thereby reducing the blind spot for the system. The system includes a computer configured for receiving electronic image data from the apertures and rendering display data derived from the received image data. The system includes a display mounted to a mounting structure (ex.—helmet) for receiving the display data and displaying visual images of the display data.

Claims

1. An electronic imaging system, comprising:

a mounting structure;

a plurality of apertures, the plurality of apertures being connected to said mounting structure, where each aperture of said plurality of apertures includes;

an electronic light sensor, a processor, and an interconnecting network segment configured for communicating with at least one of said plurality of apertures, the plurality of apertures including at least a first aperture, a second aperture, and a third aperture,

the first aperture having a first field of view and being focused at a close focus range, the close focus range being located away from the system and within the first field of view,

the second aperture having a second field of view and being focused at a mid focus range, the mid focus range being located within the second field of view and being further away from the system than the close focus range,

the third aperture having a third field of view and being focused at a long focus range, the third field of view and the second field of view distanced apart from each other by a blind area, the long focus range being located within the third field of view and being further away from the system than the close focus range, a physical boresight of the first aperture aligned along a centerline of the blind area;

each of the first, second and third apertures being focused at its respective focus range;

the plurality of apertures configured for simultaneously generating electronic image data, the electronic image data including an image generated by the first aperture, an image generated by the second aperture, and an image generated by the third aperture, the first aperture-generated image, the second aperture-generated image and the third aperture-generated image depicting a scene, a near region of the scene being in focus in the first aperture-generated image and being out-of-focus in the second aperture-generated image and the third aperture-generated image, a far region of the scene being out-of-focus in the first aperture-generated image and being in focus in the second aperture-generated image and the third aperture generated image;

a computer being coupled to said plurality of apertures, the computer for receiving the electronic image data from each of the plurality of apertures, the computer performs a spatial frequency analysis of the electronic image data and sends, to a display device, the processed image data for the near region and the far region from one of the first aperture, the second aperture, and the third aperture having a high spatial frequency; and

the display device being disposed on said mounting structure and communicatively coupled with said computer for receiving the processed image data having the high spatial frequency, the display device further having a visual display for rendering the scene, wherein both the near region and the far region are in focus in the rendered scene.

2. An electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mid focus range and the long focus range are equal.

3. An electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second aperture and the third aperture each have a same angular magnitude of field of view.

4. An electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first portion of the first field of view overlaps the second field of view, a second portion of the first field of view overlaps the third field of view, while a third portion of the first field of view is non-overlapping relative to the second field of view and the third field of view, the third portion of the first field of view encompassing at least a portion of the blind area.

5. An electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is configured for being worn by a person, and the rendered scene is viewable by the person wearing the mounting structure.

6. An electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the mounting structure is a helmet.

7. An electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first aperture is aligned with a physical boresight of said mounting structure and the second and third apertures are aligned fifteen degrees from said physical boresight of said mounting structure.

8. An electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said computer is one of said processors of one of said apertures.

9. An electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit board, the circuit board configured for being connected to the mounting structure, wherein said plurality of apertures are disposed in an array upon the circuit board.

10. An electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said computer is coupled to an external network.

11. An electronic imaging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said computer is configured for rendering display data which includes a foveated image, a central region of said foveated image having a higher resolution than a peripheral region of said foveated image, the plurality of apertures including a fovea aperture which is disposed centrally in said plurality of apertures and a peripheral aperture which is disposed in a non-central location in said plurality of apertures, the fovea aperture outputting an image signal having a higher resolution characteristic than an image signal output by the peripheral aperture.

12. A method of generating and displaying images via an electronic vision system, said method comprising:

generating electronic image data via a plurality of apertures of the electronic vision system, the plurality of apertures being connected to a mounting structure of the electronic vision system, the plurality of apertures including at least a first aperture, a second aperture, and a third aperture, the first aperture having a first field of view and being focused at a close focus range, the close focus range being located within the first field of view and being a first distance away from the system, the second aperture having a second field of view and being focused at a mid focus range, the mid focus range being located within the second field of view and being a second distance away from the system, the third aperture having a third field of view and being focused at a long focus range, the long focus range a third distance away from the system, the first distance being less than either the second distance or the third distance, the second field of view and the third field of view distanced apart from each other by a blind area, a physical boresight of the first aperture aligned along a centerline of the blind area;

providing electronic image data from the plurality of apertures of the electronic vision system to a computer of the electronic vision system;

analyzing the provided electronic image data via a spatial frequency analysis;

selecting electronic image data from one of the first aperture, the second aperture, and the third aperture based on the spatial frequency analysis;

transmitting the selected electronic image data to the computer;

processing the electronic image data via the computer to render display data, said display data being derived from the electronic image data;

providing the display data from the computer to a display device of the electronic vision system, the display device being disposed on the mounting structure; and

displaying visual images of the display data via the display device.

13. A method of generating and displaying images as claimed in claim 12, wherein the mid focus range and the long focus range are equal.

14. A method of generating and displaying images as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second aperture and the third aperture each have a thirty degree field of view.

15. A method of generating and displaying images as claimed in claim 12, wherein a first portion of the first field of view overlaps the second field of view, a second portion of the first field of view overlaps the third field of view, while a third portion of the first field of view is non-overlapping relative to the second field of view and the third field of view, the third portion of the first field of view encompassing at least a portion of the blind area.