Augmented imaging using a silhouette to improve contrast
OwnerCharles D. Melvilleinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An augmented display includes an image display source and a silhouette display source. The image display source generates a virtual image to be perceived by a viewer. The silhouette display source occurs in the path of the background light. The silhouette display source generates a mask corresponding to the image content of the image display. The mask is a darkened area reducing or blocking background light. As the light from the virtual image is overlaid onto the background, there is less background light in the portion where the image appears.
Claims13
A method of presenting an image for viewing by a user, comprising the steps of:
- providing a first set of image data to a flat-panel display;
- displaying with the flat-panel display a first image portion corresponding to the first set of image data;
- providing a second set of image data;
- modulating a beam of light according to the second set of image data;
- scanning the modulated beam of light through a predetermined, periodic scan pattern to produce a second image portion;
- and
- superimposing the second image portion on the first image portion to produce the image as a combination of the first image portion and second image portion.
A method of displaying a combined image including a background image portion and a local image portion in response to a set of image data, comprising the steps of:
- defining the background image portion from the set of image data;
- presenting the background image portion in an image field with a first display device having a first resolution;
- defining the local image portion from the set of image data;
- presenting the local image portion with a second display device;
- and
- superimposing the local image portion over the background image portion in the image field.
A display comprising:
- a scanning beam display portion position to present a first image to a viewer in a viewing field;
- and
- an LCD panel position to present a second image to the viewer in the viewing field and oriented such that the first image and second image are overlapped.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.