HUD system and method with dynamic light exclusion
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A head up display for use in a cockpit environment for providing light from an image source, the head up display comprising:
- a sensor array;
a combiner configured to allow viewing of an outside scene and information from the image source, wherein the combiner comprises a waveguide have an input and an output, the light associated with the information traveling from the input to the output by total internal reflection within the waveguide, wherein bright light from the cockpit environment is virtually provided through the waveguide into an eye box at a virtual location;
a processing circuit configured to determine the virtual location in response to data from the sensor array and provide a control signal; and
a dynamic gradient disposed to selectably reduce or prevent transmission through the combiner of the bright light from the cockpit environment observed by the sensor array in response to the control signal, the dynamic gradient utilizing at least one selectably opaque area to reduce or prevent transmission of the bright light through the combiner, the at least one selectably opaque area corresponding to the virtual location of the bright light on the combiner, and wherein the at least one selectably opaque area is shaped to a correspond to a shape of the bright location at the virtual location on the combiner.
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Abstract
A system and method can mitigate or prevent contrast ratio issues due to bright light (e.g., light saturation) in a head up display (HUD). The head up display can include a waveguide combiner (or non-waveguide combiner) and a mitigator disposed to prevent or reduce bright light from being provided through the combiner. The bright light can be direct lunar light, direct solar light, or solar/lunar reflections. The mitigator dynamically selects and reduces bright background light which results in an increase of contrast ratio.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A head up display for use in a cockpit environment for providing light from an image source, the head up display comprising:
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a sensor array; a combiner configured to allow viewing of an outside scene and information from the image source, wherein the combiner comprises a waveguide have an input and an output, the light associated with the information traveling from the input to the output by total internal reflection within the waveguide, wherein bright light from the cockpit environment is virtually provided through the waveguide into an eye box at a virtual location; a processing circuit configured to determine the virtual location in response to data from the sensor array and provide a control signal; and a dynamic gradient disposed to selectably reduce or prevent transmission through the combiner of the bright light from the cockpit environment observed by the sensor array in response to the control signal, the dynamic gradient utilizing at least one selectably opaque area to reduce or prevent transmission of the bright light through the combiner, the at least one selectably opaque area corresponding to the virtual location of the bright light on the combiner, and wherein the at least one selectably opaque area is shaped to a correspond to a shape of the bright location at the virtual location on the combiner. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of providing information to a pilot in an aviation environment, the method comprising:
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providing light associated with the information to a combiner, wherein the combiner comprises a waveguide have an input and an output, the light associated with the information traveling from the input to the output by total internal reflection within the waveguide, wherein bright light in the cockpit environment is provided through the waveguide into an eye box at a virtual location; sensing a location of the bright light from the environment and determining the virtual location in response to data from a sensor array and attenuating the bright light at the virtual location by utilizing at least one selectably opaque area wherein the at least one selectably opaque area is shaped to correspond to a shape of the bright light at the virtual location. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A head up display, comprising:
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a waveguide combiner including an input grating and an output grating, wherein light associated with information travels from the input grating from the output grating by total internal reflection within the waveguide combiner, wherein bright light in an environment of the cockpit is virtually provided through the waveguide combiner into an eye box at a virtual location; and a saturation mitigator disposed to prevent bright light from outside the waveguide combiner from being provided through the output grating and reaching the eye box, the saturation mitigator being selectably opaque in at least one area, the at least one area corresponding to the virtual location of the bright light, and wherein the at least one area is shaped to correspond to a shape of the bright light at the location. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification