US 8,711,462 B1Granted

Stroboscopic image modulation to reduce the visual blur of an object being viewed by an observer experiencing vibration

AssigneeThe United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)

InventorsMary K. Kaiser, Bernard D. Adelstein, Mark R. Anderson, Brent R. Beutter, Albert J. Ahumada, Jr., Robert S. McCann

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for reducing the visual blur of an object being viewed by an observer experiencing vibration. In various embodiments of the present invention, the visual blur is reduced through stroboscopic image modulation (SIM). A SIM device is operated in an alternating “on/off” temporal pattern according to a SIM drive signal (SDS) derived from the vibration being experienced by the observer. A SIM device (controlled by a SIM control system) operates according to the SDS serves to reduce visual blur by “freezing” (or reducing an image's motion to a slow drift) the visual image of the viewed object. In various embodiments, the SIM device is selected from the group consisting of illuminator(s), shutter(s), display control system(s), and combinations of the foregoing (including the use of multiple illuminators, shutters, and display control systems).

Claims33

Dependent claims

A method of reducing the visual blur of an object (“viewed object”) being viewed by an observer experiencing vibration (“observer vibration”), comprising:

a) determining information for one or more parameters for a stroboscopic image modulation (SIM) drive signal derived from said observer vibration;
wherein said one or more parameters for said SIM drive signal (SDS) comprises:
frequency (Fsds), duty cycle (DCsim), SIM synchronizing parameter (SPsim), “on” time duration (Ton), SIM onset trigger mechanism (OTMsim), SIM shutoff trigger mechanism (STMsim), “on” pulse time duration (Tp), SIM temporal delay (TDsim), or combinations of the foregoing;
and
wherein said determining said SDS parameter information (SPI) comprises:
i) utilizing previously determined SPI,
ii) manual entry of SPI by said observer (or a third party), or
iii) combinations of the foregoing;
b) generating said SDS using said SPI, wherein said SDS comprises a pulsed signal with two-state logic (on/off), to operate a SIM device in an alternating “on/off” temporal pattern according to said SIM drive signal (SDS);
wherein said SIM device comprises:
i) a SIM illuminator (SIMH), wherein, in an “on” state, said SIMil provides light to said viewed object, and in an “off” state, said SIMil does not provide light to said viewed object;
ii) a SIM object shutter (SIMos) (interposed between said observer and said viewed object), wherein, in an “on” state, said SIMos is open, allowing said observer to view said viewed object, and in an “off” state, said SIMos is shut, preventing said observer from viewing said viewed object;
iii) a SIM light shutter (SIMls) (interposed between said viewed object and a non-SIM illuminator providing light to said viewed object), wherein, in an “on” state, said SIMls is open, allowing said non-SIM illuminator to provide light to said viewed object;
and wherein, in an “off” state, said SIMls is shut, preventing said non-SIM illuminator from providing light to said viewed object;
iv) a SIM display (SIMdisp), comprising said viewed object, wherein, in an “on” state, said SIMdisp provides a visual image to said observer, and in an “off” state said SIMdisp provides a blank screen (no visual image) to said observer;
or
v) combinations of the foregoing.

14 more elements

An apparatus to reduce the visual blur of an object (“viewed object”) being viewed by an observer experiencing vibration (“observer vibration”), operating in conjunction with a device (“SIM device”), said apparatus comprising:

a) storage medium (selected from the group consisting of:
computer medium, electronic medium, printed hardcopy, and combinations of the foregoing) containing previously determined information for one or more parameters for a stroboscopic image modulation (SIM) drive signal derived from said observer vibration;
wherein said one or more parameters for said SIM drive signal (SDS) is selected from the group consisting of:
frequency (Fsds), duty cycle (DCsim), SIM synchronizing parameter (SPsim), “on” time duration (Ton), SIM onset trigger mechanism (OTMsim), SIM shutoff trigger mechanism (STMsim), “on” pulse time duration (Tp), SIM temporal delay (TDsim), and combinations of the foregoing;
b) apparatus to determine said SDS parameter information (SPI), wherein said SPI determining apparatus is selected from the group consisting of:
i) computer hardware/software to retrieve said SPI stored on computer medium or electronic medium,
ii) controls enabling manually entry of said SPI by said observer (or a third party), and
iii) combinations of the foregoing;
and
c) a strobe signal generator to generate said SDS using said SPI, wherein said SDS comprises a pulsed signal with two-state logic (on/off);
wherein said SDS may be used to operate said SIM device in an alternating “on/off” temporal pattern according to said SIM drive signal (SDS);
and
wherein said SIM device is selected from the group consisting of:
i) a SIM illuminator (SIMil), wherein, in an “on” state, said SIMil provides light to said viewed object, and in an “off” state, said SIMil does not provide light to said viewed object;
ii) a SIM object shutter (SIMos) (interposed between said observer and said viewed object), wherein, in an “on” state, said SIMos is open, allowing said observer to view said viewed object, and in an “off” state, said SIMds is shut, preventing said observer from viewing said viewed object;
iii) a SIM light shutter (SIMls) (interposed between said viewed object and a non-SIM illuminator providing light to said viewed object), wherein, in an “on” state, said SIMls is open, allowing said non-SIM illuminator to provide light to said viewed object;
and wherein, in an “off” state, said SIMls is shut, preventing said non-SIM illuminator from providing light to said viewed object;
iv) a SIM display (SIMdisp), comprising said viewed object, wherein, in an “on” state, said SIMdisp provides a visual image to said observer, and in an “off” state, said SIMdisp provides a blank screen (no visual image) to said observer;
and
v) combinations of the foregoing.

17 more elements

An apparatus to reduce the visual blur of an object (“viewed object”) being viewed by an observer experiencing vibration (“observer vibration”), comprising:

a) storage medium (selected from the group consisting of:
computer medium, electronic medium, printed hardcopy, and combinations of the foregoing) containing previously determined information for one or more parameters for a stroboscopic image modulation (SIM) drive signal derived from said observer vibration;
wherein said one or more parameters for said SIM drive signal (SDS) is selected from the group consisting of:
frequency (Fsds), duty cycle (DCsim), SIM synchronizing parameter (SPsim), “on” time duration (Ton), SIM onset trigger mechanism (OTMsim), SIM shutoff trigger mechanism (STMsim), “on” pulse time duration (Tp), SIM temporal delay (TDsim), and combinations of the foregoing;
b) apparatus to determine said SDS parameter information (SPI), wherein said SPI determining apparatus is selected from the group consisting of:
i) computer hardware/software to retrieve said SPI stored on computer medium or electronic medium,
ii) controls enabling manual entry of said SPI by said observer (or a third party), and
iii) combinations of the foregoing;
c) a strobe signal generator to generate said SDS using said SPI, wherein said SDS comprises a pulsed signal with two-state logic (on/off);
and
d) a SIM device that receives said SDS, said SDS causing said SIM device to operate in an alternating “on/off” temporal pattern according to said SIM drive signal (SDS);
wherein said SIM device is selected from the group consisting of:
i) a SIM illuminator (SIMil), wherein, in an “on” state, said SIMil provides light to said viewed object, and in an “off” state, said SIMil does not provide light to said viewed object;
ii) a SIM object shutter (SIMos) (interposed between said observer and said viewed object), wherein, in an “on” state, said SIMos is open, allowing said observer to view said viewed object, and in an “off” state, said SIMds is shut, preventing said observer from viewing said viewed object;
iii) a SIM light shutter (SIMls) (interposed between said viewed object and a non-SIM illuminator providing light to said viewed object), wherein, in an “on” state, said SIMls is open, allowing said non-SIM illuminator to provide light to said viewed object;
and wherein, in an “off” state, said SIMls is shut, preventing said non-SIM illuminator from providing light to said viewed object;
iv) a SIM display (SIMdisp), comprising said viewed object, wherein in an “on” state said SIMdisp provides a visual image to said observer, and in an “off” state, said SIMdisp provides a blank screen (no visual image) to said observer;
and
v) combinations of the foregoing.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.