Optical design of a wide field of view pupil forming hud
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsRandall L. Kovaluk, Carl J. Vorst, Eric H. Ford
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A head up display or HUD system, including methods and apparatus, suitable for use in a flight simulator. According to the present teachings, a flight simulator HUD may be configured to produce a HUD image that appears superimposed on a simulated cockpit field of view image, and which has substantially the same relatively short focal distance from the user as the simulated image. A simulator HUD according to the present teachings does not require any holographic optical elements or an unrealistic cockpit volume, and provides an accurate simulation of conditions in a real aircraft cockpit.
Claims20
A head up display for use with a flight simulator visual system, comprising:
- an image source configured to produce a head up display image;
- a relay lens assembly configured to receive the head up display image from the image source and to provide a first correction to the head up display image;
- a mirror assembly configured to receive the head up display image from the relay lens assembly and to provide a second correction to the head up display image;
- and
- a non-holographic combiner assembly configured to receive the head up display image from the mirror assembly and to display the head up display image to a flight simulator user in combination with a simulated cockpit field of view image.
A method of simulating an aircraft cockpit environment, comprising:
- displaying a simulated external environment image on a display screen of a flight simulator;
- producing a head up display image with an image source;
- passing the head up display image through a relay lens assembly;
- reflecting the head up display image with a fold mirror assembly;
- and
- reflecting the head up display image with a non-holographic image combiner assembly so that a user of the flight simulator will see the head up display image overlaid upon the simulated external environment image.
A short focal length head up display assembly, comprising:
- an image source configured to produce a head up display image;
- a lens assembly including at least one anamorphic surface configured to provide a first correction to the head up display image;
- a mirror assembly including an anamorphic reflecting surface configured to provide a second correction to the head up display image;
- and
- a non-holographic image combiner including a parabolic reflector sandwiched between two refractive elements;
- wherein the image combiner is configured to combine the head up display image with a simulated windshield image into a combined image, and to display the combined image to a simulator user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.