System for and method of controlling contrast or color contrast in see-through displays

• US 8,681,073 B1
• Filed: 09/29/2011
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2011
• 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: Robbins, Steven J., Zimmerman, Kenneth A., Oldham, Michael J., Wilson, John G., Cofer, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holton, Steven
• Application Number:
  US13/249,012
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 9, 345/633
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4318 by altering the content in the rendering process, e.g. blanking, blurring or masking an image region image enhancement or restoration in general G06T5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/58 in dependence upon ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A method of controlling a see-through display includes receiving a sensor signal. The sensor signal provides a representation of an image associated with a view of an outside scene. The method also includes receiving a video frame having pixels. Each of the pixels has a color and intensity. The method further includes changing the color or the intensity of selected pixels of the pixels in response to the sensor signal on a zonal or pixel basis.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a see-through display, the method comprising:

receiving a sensor signal, the sensor signal providing a representation of an image associated with a view of an outside scene;

receiving a video frame having pixels, each of the pixels having a color and intensity; and

changing the intensity of selected pixels of the pixels in response to the sensor signal on zonal or a pixel basis, wherein the intensity is changed according to a mask, the mask defining an area of the display where an image from a night vision sensor is removed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an image associated with the video frame on a combiner, wherein the image from the night vision sensor is removed from the video frame according to the mask.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the intensity is changed on a zonal basis, the zonal basis using at least four zones.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the display is in a head up display (HUD) system and the sensor signal is received from a visible light camera.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the display is a night vision system display.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the sensor signals are from a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sensor camera disposed between a combiner and the night vision sensor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein color is changed.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the color is changed on a zonal basis.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of the image from the night vision display is displayed on a combiner.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a processor adjusts the intensity by removing image data associated with a bright region in a field of view of the night vision sensor.

11. An apparatus for controlling display content on a see-through display, the apparatus comprising:

a camera configured to provide image data associated with a scene associated with the see-through display; and

a processor coupled to receive the image data, the processor adjusting display pixels of display data or groups of the display pixels of the display data for contrast or color in response to corresponding image pixels or groups of the corresponding image pixels of the image data, wherein the processor adjusts the display data by removing the image data associated with a bright region in a field of view of a night vision sensor.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the contrast or color is changed according to a mask, the mask defining an area of the display where an image from the night vision sensor is removed.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the camera is a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sensor.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the display content includes an image from an infrared sensor.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the see-through display includes a liquid crystal display.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the display content includes video content merged with symbology.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the camera is disposed between a combiner and a projector or adjacent the combiner.

18. A night vision head up display (HUD) or helmet mounted display (HMD) system, comprising:

a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) night vision sensor; and

a processor configured to provide an adjusted pixel intensity or color for each of a plurality of pixels associated with a video input signal, the adjusted pixel intensity or color being provided in response to a sensor signal from the CMOS night vision sensor, the processor providing the adjusted pixel intensity or color on a zonal or pixel basis, wherein the processor provides the adjusted pixel intensity or color by removing image data associated with a bright region in a field of view of the night vision sensor.

19. The night vision head up display (HUD) or helmet mounted display (HMD) system of claim 18, wherein the processor is part of display electronics for the head up display (HUD) or helmet mounted display (HMD).

20. The night vision head up display (HUD) or helmet mounted display (HMD) system of claim 18, wherein the video input signal is from a night vision sensor.