Dynamically Tinted Visor for Helmet Display Glare Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional helmet-mounted display visors fail to adequately address the varying brightness levels encountered by pilots, leading to suboptimal performance across different ambient light conditions, as they either increase weight and volume with multiple visors or cannot be controlled by the pilot with single-visor solutions.
Innovation Solution
A dynamically tinted display visor (DTDV) with an electrochromic surface that automatically adjusts its tint setting based on head pose and ambient light levels, using auto-gain sensors and a tint processor, allowing for both automatic and manual control between transparent and opaque states, and also adjusts the brightness of projected visual intelligence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple visors are employed for transparent and dark tint levels, then the display visor can provide adequate performance at different light levels, but the weight and volume of the helmet shell increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a single visor with dynamic, adjustable tint properties that can change between transparent and dark states. This replaces the static multiple-visor approach with a dynamic single-visor system, allowing the visor to adapt its optical properties electronically rather than requiring multiple physical visors, thereby reducing weight while maintaining adaptability across different light conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The visor's optical parameters (tint level, transparency) are made changeable through electronic control. The system adjusts the visor's tint parameter dynamically based on detected light conditions and pilot needs, allowing one visor to perform the function of multiple visors with different fixed tint levels, thus eliminating the need for additional visor components and reducing overall weight
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a dark-tinted visor is used for operations while facing the sun, then glare is reduced, but the clear view of displays within the cockpit is inhibited
Solution Approach 1:
The visor transitions from a static dark-tinted state to a dynamic, adjustable state. The system can switch between dark and transparent modes, or adjust to intermediate tint levels, allowing optimal balancing of glare reduction and cockpit display visibility based on real-time conditions and pilot requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates light sensors that detect ambient light conditions and provide feedback to the control system. This feedback mechanism allows the visor to automatically adjust its tint level to achieve the optimal balance between blocking external glare and maintaining visibility of internal cockpit displays, rather than using a fixed dark tint
3Extent of automation
If photochromic tinting is applied to the display visor, then automatic light adaptation is achieved, but pilot control over the tint setting is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system combines automatic photochromic response with dynamic manual control capability. Rather than being purely automatic or purely manual, the visor system allows the pilot to dynamically adjust the tint setting at any time, overriding or supplementing the automatic photochromic response as needed
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains the self-adjusting photochromic capability while adding manual control interfaces. The visor serves itself through automatic light sensing and adjustment, but also provides self-service control mechanisms that allow the pilot to intervene and adjust settings according to personal preference or specific operational requirements
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The DTDV provides optimal visibility by automatically adapting to changing light conditions, enhancing pilot situational awareness and reducing glare, while allowing manual control for specific needs, thereby improving operational effectiveness across diverse lighting scenarios.
Implementation Method 1
the visor surface is an electrochromic surface
Data Source
AI summary
A dynamically tinted display visor (DTDV) is disclosed. In embodiments, the DTDV includes a visor surface having an untinted or substantially transparent setting and a tinted or substantially opaque setting. The visor surface is fixed to a helmet worn by an operator (e.g., a pilot or co-pilot), the helmet further including a head tracking system for monitoring the head pose (e.g., head position and orientation) of the operator. Helmet-mounted cameras include auto-gain sensors capable of assessing ambient light levels consistent with the head pose of the operator. The DTDV includes a tint processor for adjusting the tint setting of the visor surface based on an assessment of the head pose data and sensed ambient light levels, automatically detinting or darkening the visor as conditions demand or manually detinting/darkening at the operator's command.