Glare elimination and image enhancement system improving lenses, windows and displays

• US 9,321,329 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2014
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chris Beckman
• Original Assignee: Chris Beckman
• Inventors: Beckman, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Labelle, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fenwick, Warren K
• Application Number:
  US14/543,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20150077826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 396/52, 359/237, 359/601, 359/613, 296/97.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/02 adjustable in position B60J3/002, B60J3/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/04 adjustable in transparency
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• 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 27/646 compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position

Abstract

New optic control systems are provided that manage camera, user or environmental movement and other factors impacting optical and resulting image quality. In some aspects of the invention, a variably, directionally shadable screen and actuating system is provided, which prevents and limits problematic glare for an observation point. In other aspects of the invention, a matrix of specialized pixels creates variably-directed light from a plurality of angle-directable, shiftable sources, which aids in creating virtual, 3-D objects of greater realism than conventional 3-D imaging methods and aid in reducing the appearance of distracting interceding objects (e.g., finger blocking a touch screen). In these aspects, existing images and objects viewed through a screen may be enhanced and overlaid with effects and demonstrative information related to the overlaid images and objects and an environment. In still other aspects of the invention, electromagnetically actuated optical control techniques, including rotational lenses and sensors, are provided.

Claims

1. A system for reducing undesired light and enhancing observable images comprising:

hardware capable of defining observation points or regions; and

hardware capable of shading any of several areas of a screen to shade or intercept at least some light that reaches said observation point(s) or region(s), which light transcends a threshold limit of luminance, while leaving other light passing through the screen unshaded or less shaded by shading or not shading at least one of several areas of a screen,

wherein a user may alter and/or calibrate the location of said areas manually by indicating changes in the observation point(s) or region(s), by adjusting an automobile'"'"'s rear-view mirror, display, seat position or other vehicle device or control and based on the relationship between said device or control and the eye position of the user.

2. The system of claim 1, in which a user of the system and/or the system may add margins or tolerance zones of additional shading affecting observation point- or region-destined light around said shaded areas.

3. The system of claim 2, in which said margins or tolerance zones may be expanded, shifted or contracted by the user or system in reaction to live sensory and user control actuation data.

4. The system of claim 1, in which said observation point(s) or region(s) may be variably set by a user and/or system, using a second control, in addition to or instead of the vehicle device or control.

5. The system of claim 1, in which the system creates leading margins for said shaded areas to intercept movement of an object that is a source of said at least some light.

6. The system of claim 1, in which the system determines future movement of an object light source before shifting said shaded areas to intercept future light from said source.

7. The system of claim 1, in which the system reduces or augments at least part of said areas based on potential danger posed by an object that would otherwise be blocked or otherwise reduced due to said shaded areas.

8. The system of claim 7, in which the system creates an image enhancing the visibility of an object determined to pose a danger.

9. The system of claim 7, in which the system augments at least part of said screen to deliver vehicle and/or vehicle environmental information relevant to a user.

10. A system for reducing undesired light and enhancing observable images comprising:

hardware capable of defining observation points or regions; and

hardware capable of shading any of several areas of a screen to shade or intercept at least some light rays that reach said observation point(s) or region(s), which light rays transcend a threshold limit of luminance, while leaving other light rays passing through the screen unshaded or less shaded by shading or not shading at least one of several areas of a screen.

11. The system of claim 10, in which a user of the system and/or the system may add margins or tolerance zones of additional shading affecting observation point- or region-destined light around said shaded areas.

12. The system of claim 11, in which said margins or tolerance zones may be expanded, shifted or contracted by the user or system in reaction to live sensory and user control actuation data.

13. The system of claim 10, in which said observation point(s) or region(s) may be variably set by a user and/or system, using a device or control.

14. The system of claim 10, in which the system creates leading margins for said shaded areas to intercept movement of an object that is a source of said at least some light.

15. The system of claim 10, in which the system determines future movement of an object light source before shifting said shaded areas to intercept future light from said source.

16. The system of claim 10, in which the system reduces or augments at least part of said shaded areas based on potential danger posed by an object that would otherwise be blocked or otherwise reduced due to said shaded areas.

17. The system of claim 16, in which the system creates an image enhancing the visibility of an object determined to pose a danger.

18. The system of claim 16, in which the system augments at least part of said screen to deliver vehicle and/or vehicle environmental information relevant to a user.

19. The system of claim 17, in which said screen comprises a plurality of pixels or other image-creating screen components, capable of maintaining the transparency of said screen, capable of varying their transparency, and capable of generating light in any of a variety of system-selectable directions, creating or augmenting 3-dimensional images viewed through said screen.

20. A system for reducing undesired light and enhancing observation comprising:

hardware capable of defining observation point(s) or region(s) and implementing filtering in any of several areas of a display to reduce at least some effect of light at at least one of said observation focal point(s) or region(s), the location of which filtering may be variably set by the user(s), which light transcends, at the observation point(s) or region(s), a threshold limit of luminance at said observation point(s) or region(s), and so reduces at least some effect of said light to a degree necessary to meet, or fall below, said threshold limit.