Stereo HUD Using Head Tracking and Distortion Maps
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional head-up displays (HUDs) in aircraft are too large, heavy, and expensive due to the use of curved combiners and heavy relay lenses, which occupy valuable space and increase size, weight, and power consumption (SWaP-C) in the cockpit.
Innovation Solution
A stereoscopic HUD system that eliminates the need for relay lenses by using a combiner and a display with eye or head tracking sensors to generate distortion maps, allowing the display to adjust images based on the operator's position, ensuring a stable and focused stereo image without the need for relay lenses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional HUDs use curved combiners and relay lenses, then image stability and focus are maintained, but the system becomes too large, heavy, and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the relay lens from the conventional HUD system, extracting the heavy optical component that caused weight and space issues. The system achieves image stability without the relay lens by using a flat combiner with head tracking and software-based distortion correction, directly resolving the contradiction between image stability and system weight
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/optical relay lens system with an electronic/software-based solution. Head tracking sensors detect eye position, and software algorithms dynamically adjust image rendering to compensate for the lack of optical elements, substituting heavy mechanical components with lighter electronic systems while maintaining image quality
2Reliability
If conventional HUDs use relay lenses, then the image is delivered to the combiner, but the system occupies valuable cockpit space and increases cost
Solution Approach 1:
The relay lens is extracted from the system, eliminating the need for the heavy optical component that occupied valuable cockpit space. The image delivery function is maintained through a flat combiner combined with head tracking and software distortion correction, achieving the same functional result with significantly reduced spatial requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a three-dimensional optical path requiring deep space (with relay lenses) to a two-dimensional solution using a flat combiner. By rendering images directly onto a flat surface and using software to compensate for viewing angle changes, the system eliminates the need for deep optical paths, reducing the space required in the cockpit
3Reliability
If conventional HUDs use curved combiners and relay lenses, then the HUD function is achieved, but the system power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The relay lens is removed from the system, eliminating the power consumption associated with driving and cooling heavy optical components. The flat combiner system requires less power while achieving the same HUD function through software-based image adjustment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces power-intensive mechanical/optical systems with lower-power electronic and software solutions. Head tracking sensors and image processing algorithms consume less power than the large relay lenses and curved combiners, reducing overall system power consumption while maintaining full HUD functionality
Data Source
AI summary
A system for displaying a stereo image is disclosed. The system includes a stereoscopic head up display (HUD) that includes a combiner and a display configured to display a stereo image. The system further includes either a head tracking sensor or an eye tracking sensor configured to generate a tracking dataset. The system further includes a processor and a memory with instructions that cause the processor to receive the tracking dataset, generate a distortion map based on the tracking dataset and a distortion function, receive a media stereo image, generate a stereo signal based on the distortion map and the media stereo image, and transmit the stereo signal to the display. The system is capable of conveying an image to an operator in the absence of a relay lens.