Helicopter virtual image display system incorporating structural outlines

A virtual image display system for use by a pilot in an aircraft having a canopy structure including a plurality of posts and rails, comprising:

• a forward looking infrared imaging subsystem for generating virtual image signals corresponding to the external world within the field of view thereof;
• a helmet mounted display subsystem worn by the pilot;
• sensing means disposed in interactive relation with said helmet mounted display system for generating position signals corresponding to the spatial location and perspective of said helmet mounted display system with respect to the plurality of posts and rails forming the canopy structure;
• and
• computer processing means being operative in response to said position signals for defining the spatial location and perspective of said helmet mounted display subsystem worn by the pilot;
• said computer processing means being further operative to process said virtual image signals to provide corresponding signals to said helmet mounted display subsystem to generate and display video images for viewing by the pilot, said displayed video images being based upon and synchronized with said defined spatial location and perspective of said helmet mounted display subsystem;
• said computer processing means including a memory structure having stored therein a digitized map defining an interrelated series of structural outlines corresponding to the plurality of posts and rails forming the canopy structure;
• said computer processing means being further operative to reconstruct structural outlines of segments of the plurality of posts and rails from said digitized map based upon and synchronized in perspective with said defined spatial location and perspective of said helmet mounted display subsystem;
• said computer processing means being further operative to superimpose said reconstructed structural outline segments onto said displayed video images viewed by the pilot such that said reconstructed structural outline segments occlude corresponding portions of said displayed video images, said superimposed reconstructed structural outline segments providing the pilot with a referential framework during view of said occluded displayed video images.