Method for providing color images from a monochromatic electro-optical device using two optical channels and systems, apparatuses and devices related thereto

• US 7,507,964 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chromatra, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tenebraex Corporation
• Inventors: Purcell, Dennis W., Jones, Peter W. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannaher; Constantine
• Application Number:
  US11/084,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20050207015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• Field of Search: 348/34, 348/33, 348/32, 250/330
• US Class Current: 250/330
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/12 with means for image conversion or intensification
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/43 Conversion of monochrome picture signals to colour picture signals for colour picture display

Abstract

An apparatus and methods for converting a monochrome night vision or other electro-optical device into one that provides a sensation of full color, including from red to blue with white and black. The method provides color images from an electro-optical device in which the image data from the electro-optical device contains brightness information of an area being viewed by the device without separate color information. Such a method includes operably coupling an optical channel system to the electro-optical device and configuring the optical channel system and arranging the optical channel system with respect to the electro-optical device so two color informational channels are provided to the viewer, whereby the two informational channels formed by said configuring and arranging of the optical channel system are such that the viewer sees a color image. Such methods and apparatuses of the present invention provides a sensation of full color image, including from red to blue with white and black, to the viewer.

Claims

1. An electro-optical viewing device, comprising:

a light filtering system including a first light filter sub-system positioned at a light-input end of the device and a output sub-system distinct from the first light filter sub-system and positioned at a light-output end of the device,

wherein each of the first filter sub-system and the output sub-system are configured and arranged so as to form two light channels each light channel having a transmission characteristic defining the boundaries of the light channel with respect to wavelength;

wherein the first filter sub-system is further configured and arranged so the transmission characteristics that define the two light channels of the first filter sub-system, cross each other at a predetermined point, where the predetermined point at which the transmission characteristics for the two light channels cross each other lies in a range of wavelengths from about 580 nm to about 620 nm; and

wherein each of the first filter sub-system and the output sub-system are configured and arranged so as to form only two light channels.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device provides a sensation of a full color output to a viewer.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the predetermined point at which the transmission characteristics for the two light channels of the first filter sub-system cross each other is at a predetermined point with respect to a cut-off for each respective transmission characteristic.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the transmission characteristics for the two light channels each have a sloping edge that approaches the cut-off for each respective transmission characteristic and wherein the predetermined point at which the transmission characteristics of the two light channels cross each other is a point along the sloping edge of the respective light channel.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the predetermined point at which the transmission characteristics for the two light channels of the first filtering sub-system cross each other is one of about a ≦

50% or a 10% cut-off point for each respective transmission characteristic.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the output sub-system comprises a second filter sub-system.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the output sub-system comprises a display device.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the first filtering sub-system and the output sub-system are configured and arranged so as to filter light into respective light channels using one of absorption, reflection or filtering techniques.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined point at which the characteristics for the two light channels cross each other lies in another range of wavelengths from about 580 nm to about 600 nm.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined point at which the transmission characteristics for the two light channels cross each other is at a wavelength of about 600 nm.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the first light filtering sub-system and the output sub-system further includes two filters so as to form the two channels, where the two filters are one of electrically operated filter or filters that are oscillated or rotated.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the predetermined point at which the transmission characteristics for the two light channels for each of the first light filtering subsystem and the output sub-system cross is at or about a wavelength selected from the group consisting of

(a) in the range of from about 580 nm to 600 nm, or

(b) about 600 nm.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the first and output filter sub-systems are each rotated at a speed whereby successive switching between each of the plurality of filters comprising each filter sub-system occurs faster than about 15 times per second.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the first light filtering sub-system further includes two filters that are being oscillated or rotated, and wherein excluding portions of the characteristics that are overlapping, one of the filters is a long-wave pass filter and the other of the filters is a short-wave pass filter.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a night vision device.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the device has a substantially monochromatic output in the absence of the filtering system.

17. The electro-optical viewing device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined point at which the transmission characteristics for the two light channels of the first filter light sub-system cross each other lies in a range of wavelengths from about 590 nm to about 610 nm.

18. A night vision system comprising:

an electro-optical viewing device;

a light filtering system including a first light filter sub-system positioned at a light-input end of the electro-optical viewing device and a second light filter sub-system that is distinct from the first light filter sub-system and is positioned at a light-output end of the electro-optical viewing device,

wherein each of the first filter sub-system and the second filter sub-system are configured and arranged so as to include two light channels each light channel having a transmission characteristic defining the boundaries of the light channel;

wherein the first filter sub-system is further configured and arranged so the transmission characteristics that define the two light channels of the first filter sub-system cross each other at a predetermined point, the predetermined point at which the transmission characteristics cross each other is at or about a wavelength that is selected from the group consisting of;

(a) in the range of from about 580 nm to about 620 nm,

(b) in the range of from about 590 nm to 610 nm, or

(c) about 600 nm; and

wherein each of the first filter sub-system and the second filter sub-system are configured and arranged so each defines only two light channels.

19. The night vision system of claim 18, wherein the predetermined point at which the transmission characteristics for the two light channels cross each other is at one of about a ≦

50% or 10% cut-off point for each transmission respective characteristic of the two light channels.

20. A method for providing color images from an electro-optical device in which the image data from the electro-optical device contains brightness information of an area being viewed by the device without separate color information, said method for providing color images, comprising the steps of:

operably coupling an optical channel system to the electro-optical device;

configuring the optical channel system and arranging the optical channel system with respect to the electro-optical device so two color informational channels are provided to the viewer,

wherein a boundary is set between the two color informational channels, where the boundary is in a predetermined range of wavelengths of radiation such that the two informational channels formed by said configuring and arranging of the optical channel system are such that the viewer sees a color image;

wherein the boundary is set so as to satisfy the following relationship;

580≦

λ

_b≦

620 nm

where λ

_b is the wavelength of the radiation corresponding to the boundary between the two color informational channels; and

wherein the optical channel system is configured so only two color informational channels are being provided.

21. The method for providing color images of claim 20, wherein the boundary is set so as to satisfy one of the following relationships:

580≦

λ

_b≦

610 nm 

 

(a)

590≦

λ

_b≦

610 nm 

 

(b)

where λ

_b is the wavelength of the radiation corresponding to the boundary between the two color informational channels.

22. The method for providing color images of claim 20, wherein each color informational channel is characterizable by a transmission characteristic having a cutoff point, and wherein said configuring includes configuring the optical channel system so the boundary between the two color informational channels corresponds to one of a ≦

50% or a 10% cut-off point for each respective transmission characteristic.

23. The method for providing color images of claim 22, wherein the boundary established at the one of ≦

50% or 10% cut-off point of the respective transmission characteristics is set so as to satisfy one of the following relationships;

580≦

λ

_b≦

610 nm 

 

(a)

or

590≦

λ

_b≦

610 nm 

 

(b)

where λ

_b is the wavelength of the radiation corresponding to the boundary between the two color informational channels.

24. The method for providing color images of claim 22, wherein the boundary established at the one of ≦

50% or 10% cut-off point of the respective transmission characteristics is set so λ

_b is about 600 nm, where λ

_b is the wavelength of the radiation corresponding to the boundary between the two color informational channels.

25. A method for providing color images from an electro-optical device in which the image data from the electro-optical device contains brightness information of an area being viewed by the device without separate color information, said method for providing color images, comprising the steps of:

operably coupling an optical channel system to the electro-optical device;

configuring the optical channel system and arranging the optical channel system with respect to the electro-optical device so two color informational channels are provided to the viewer,

wherein a boundary is set between the two color informational channels, where the boundary is in a predetermined range of wavelengths of radiation such that the two informational channels formed by said configuring and arranging of the optical channel system are such that the viewer sees a color image;

wherein the boundary is set so as to satisfy the following relationship;

580≦

λ

_b≦

620 nm

where λ

_b is the wavelength of the radiation corresponding to the boundary between the two color informational channels; and

adding an amount of noise in each of the two color informational channels.

26. The method of providing color images of claim 25, wherein the noise being added in one of random or gaussian.

27. A thermal vision system comprising:

an electro-optical viewing sub-system including sensors that generate outputs in two spectral ranges;

a display device operably coupled to the electro-optical viewing sub-system and including control circuitry so that the display provides alternating displays of the outputs in the two spectral regions;

a filter system positioned so as to be disposed between the display surface and an observer, the filter system having a plurality filter segments, and a mechanism that successively passes each of the plurality of filter segments past the display surface such that the display of outputs for one of the spectral regions is viewed through one of the filter segments of the plurality of filter segments and the display of outputs for the other of the spectral regions is viewed through the other filter segment of the plurality;

wherein a transmission characteristic for said one of the plurality of filter segments is established so as to display light having a wavelength that is less than a specific wavelength that lies in the range of from about 580 nm to about 620 nm and wherein a transmission characteristic for said other of the plurality of filter segments is established so as to display light having a wavelength that is greater than said specific wavelength; and

wherein only two color informational channels are provided.

28. The thermal vision system of claim 27, wherein the electro-optical viewing sub-system includes two thermal electro-optical devices each being characterized as sensing a different spectral range.

29. The thermal vision system of claim 27, wherein the electro-optical viewing sub-system includes two thermal sensors each being characterized as sensing a different spectral range and a beam splitter that is arranged so as to split coming light from scene being observed into beams and directing each of the beams to one of the two thermal sensors.

30. A thermal vision system comprising:

an electro-optical viewing sub-system including sensors that generate outputs in two spectral ranges;

a display device operably coupled to the electro-optical viewing sub-system and including control circuitry so that the outputs in the two spectral regions from the electro-optical viewing sub-system are displayed in an interleaved manner;

wherein the display is composed of two different color elements that are established so as to establish two light channels each light channel having a characteristic defining the boundaries of the color elements for the respective light channel;

wherein the color elements are established so one of the two light channel includes light having a wavelength that is less than a specific wavelength that lies in the range of from about 580 nm to about 620 nm and wherein the other of the two light channels includes light having a wavelength that is greater than said specific wavelength; and

wherein the electro-optical viewing sub-system and the display device are configures so only two light channels are provided.

31. The thermal vision system of claim 30, wherein the electro-optical viewing sub-system includes two thermal electro-optical devices each being characterized as sensing a different spectral range.

32. The thermal vision system of claim 30, wherein the electro-optical viewing sub-system includes two thermal sensors each being characterized as sensing a different spectral range and a beam splitter that is arranged so as to split coming light from scene being observed into beams and directing each of the beams to one of the two thermal sensors.

33. A vision system comprising:

an electro-optical viewing sub-system including two electro-optical devices each for sensing radiation in different spectral ranges and different spectral regions, each electro-optical device generating an output for its respective spectral range;

a display device operably coupled to the electro-optical viewing sub-system and including control circuitry so that outputs in the different spectral ranges are displayed in an interleaved manner;

wherein the display is composed of two different color elements that are established so as to establish two light channels each light channel having a characteristic defining the boundaries of the light channel, the color elements being established so one of the two light channel includes light having a wavelength that is less than a specific wavelength that lies in the range of from about 580 nm to about 620 nm and wherein the other of the two light channels includes light having a wavelength that is greater than said specific wavelength; and

wherein each of the electro-optical viewing sub-system and the display device are configured and arranged so as to form only two light channels.

34. A vision system comprising:

an electro-optical viewing sub-system including two electro-optical devices each for sensing radiation in different spectral ranges and different spectral regions, each electro-optical device generating an output for its respective spectral range;

a display device operably coupled to the electro-optical viewing sub-system and including control circuitry so that outputs in the different spectral ranges are displayed in an interleaved manner;

wherein the display is composed of two different color elements that are established so as to establish two light channels each light channel having a characteristic defining the boundaries of the light channel, the color elements being established so one of the two light channel includes light having a wavelength that is less than a specific wavelength that lies in the range of from about 580 nm to about 620 nm and wherein the other of the two light channels includes light having a wavelength that is greater than said specific wavelength; and

wherein one of two electro-optical devices views radiation in a thermal spectral region and the other of the two electro-optical devices is a night vision device.

35. An electro-optical viewing device, comprising:

a light filtering system including a first light filter sub-system positioned at a light-input end of the device and a output sub-system distinct from the first light filter sub-system and positioned at a light-output end of the device,

wherein each of the first filter sub-system and the output sub-system are configured and arranged so as to form only two light channels each light channel having a transmission characteristic defining the boundaries of the light channel with respect to wavelength; and

wherein the first filter sub-system is further configured and arranged so the transmission characteristics that define the two light channels of the first filter sub-system, cross each other at a predetermined point, where the predetermined point at which the transmission characteristics for the two light channels cross each other lies in a range of wavelengths from about 580 nm to about 620 nm; and

wherein the predetermined point is established so that a predetermined portion of the transmission characteristics that define the two light channels overlap about the predetermined point so that each respective light channel also is sensitive to light in the overlapping portion of the other light channel.