Near eye display system and method for display enhancement or redundancy

• US 9,244,280 B1
• Filed: 03/25/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Tiana, Carlo L., Barber, Sarah, Zimmerman, Kenneth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US14/225,062
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 359630-632, 345 7- 9, 345/32, 345/156, 345/419, 345/426, 345/427, 345/582, 345/633, 348/46, 348/47, 701/408, 701/428, 701/522, 707/736, 707/758, 385/31, 351/209
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0165 associated with a head-down display
• 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 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence
• 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: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/08 Fault-tolerant or redundant circuits, or circuits in which repair of defects is prepared
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/12 Avionics applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

An apparatus provides a virtual display in an environment for various applications including avionic, naval, military, remote control, medical and other applications. The apparatus can be a near eye display, such as, a head up display (HUD) or head worn display (e.g., helmet mounted display (HMD), glasses-based, goggle-based, visor-based, etc.). The near eye display can include a combiner for providing one or more of: an image for a failed display, an image between two or more head down displays, or an image to direct attention to warnings or locations in the field-of-view of the combiner.

Claims

1. An apparatus in an environment, the environment comprising a plurality of head down image sources, the head down image sources each being disposed at a respective image source position and separated by a gap, the apparatus comprising:

a first image source; and

a combiner, configured to receive an image from the first image source and provide the image from the first image source, wherein the image is provided virtually at a location associated with the gap when the combiner is viewed from a user position viewing the head down image sources.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gap is a bezel location.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image includes HUD symbols provided virtually at a location outside of a windshield.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a head tracking device, wherein the image is provided in accordance with a head position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the combiner is fixed to a structure in a cockpit.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the combiner is a waveguide combiner.

7. An apparatus for providing a virtual display in an environment including at least one head down image source, the apparatus comprising:

a computer; and

a combiner configured to provide the virtual display of a first image in response to the computer, the first image from an image source of the apparatus is provided to replace a second image associated with the head down image source when the head down image source is in a failed mode.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first image is comprised of primarily flight data and the combiner receives light from a real world scene.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first image is virtually provided at a location of the head down image source.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the combiner is a near eye fixed waveguide combiner.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a head tracking device, wherein the first image is provided in accordance with a head position.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the combiner is a head worn combiner.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the head down image source is a panel display image source.

14. An apparatus for providing a virtual display in an environment, the apparatus comprising:

a near eye display system comprising a computer, an image source and a combiner, the computer causing the image source to provide an image comprising one or more symbols for directing the attention of a user to a display or instrument in a field of view of the combiner, the image source providing the image as the virtual display via the combiner for directing the attention of the user to the display or the instrument in the field of view.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the image source provides the image to replace an image from a malfunctioning display.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the image is provided virtually at a location of the malfunctioning display.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the combiner is part of a head worn display.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the combiner is not worn by a pilot using the near eye display system.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the combiner is a waveguide combiner.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the combiner virtually provides information to areas between head down displays located separately from the near eye display system.