Dynamic image adjustment to enhance off- axis viewing in a display assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9940696-B2
Application number	US-201615080056-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2016
Priority date	Mar 24, 2016
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A display assembly includes a display console displaying at least one image on an image plane. The image is divided into a plurality of pixels. A controller is operatively connected to the display console and includes a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method for dynamically adjusting the image in real-time for off-axis viewing. The controller is programmed to generate a compensation-over-viewing-angle map which includes respective compensation factors for each of the plurality of pixels for multiple viewing positions. In one embodiment, the controller is programmed to apply separate respective compensation factors for the instantaneous viewing positions of a first user at a time j and a second user at a time k. In another embodiment, the controller is programmed to apply first and second compensation factors simultaneously at a time m, for a first image and a second image, respectively.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A display assembly comprising:
a display console displaying at least one image on an image plane, the at least one image divided into a plurality of pixels;
a controller operatively connected to the display console, the controller including a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which is recorded instructions for executing a method for dynamically adjusting the at least one image in real-time for off-axis viewing;
wherein the display console is configured to be rotated a tilt angle (α) about a rotation axis such that an original position (x 1 , y 1 ) on the at least one image is rotated to a modified position (x 2 , y 2 ) relative to an origin, a y-coordinate (y 2 ) of the modified position (x 2 , y 2 ) being a function of the original position (x 1 , y 1 ) and the tilt angle (α), such that y 2 =(y 1 *cosine (α));
wherein execution of the instructions by the processor causes the controller to:
generate a compensation-over-viewing-angle map, the compensation-over-viewing-angle map including respective compensation factors for each of the plurality of pixels for multiple viewing positions;
obtain a first instantaneous viewing position of a first user at a time j and apply the respective compensation factor from the compensation-over-viewing-angle map to each of the plurality of pixels at the time j, for the first instantaneous viewing position; and
obtain a modified first angle (θ 2 ) and a modified second angle (φ 2 ) to compensate for the tilt angle (α);

wherein the modified first angle (θ 2 ) is based at least partially on a modified projection (r xy,2 ) and a radial distance (r) between the origin and a first eye reference point of the first user, the modified first angle (θ 2 ) being defined as [90−(cosine −1 (r xy,2 /r))];
wherein the modified second angle (φ 2 ) is based at least partially on the modified projection (r xy,2 ) and a modified y coordinate (y 2 ), the modified second angle (φ 2 ) being defined as [180−(sine −1 (y 2 /(r xy,2 ))]; and
wherein the modified projection (r xy,2 ) is a function of the original position (x 1 , y 1 ) and the tilt angle (α), such that r xy,2 =(x 2 +y 2 ) 0.5 .

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to:
obtain a second instantaneous viewing position of a second user at a time k; and
apply the respective compensation factor from the compensation-over-viewing-angle map to each of the plurality of pixels at the time k, for the second instantaneous viewing position.

3. The assembly of claim 1 :
wherein the image plane defines a coordinate system with the origin, an x-axis, a y-axis and a z-axis, the x-axis and the y-axis defining an x-y plane;
wherein the first instantaneous viewing position is based at least partially on a viewing reference vector (R) between the origin and the first eye reference point of the first user, a first angle (θ) and a second angle (φ);
wherein the first angle (θ) is between the x-axis and an x-y projection vector (r xy ), the x-y projection vector (r xy ) being a projection of the viewing reference vector (R) on the x-y plane; and
wherein the second angle (φ) is between a normal vector perpendicular to the display console and the viewing reference vector (R).

4. The assembly of claim 3 , further comprising:
a camera operatively connected to the controller and configured to obtain the eye reference point of the first user in real-time;
wherein the viewing reference vector (R), the first angle (θ) and the second angle (φ) are dynamically adjusted based at least partially on the first eye reference point in real-time.

5. The assembly of claim 1 :
wherein the display console includes a first set of pixels configured to support presentation of a first image visible from a first side of the display console;
wherein the display console includes a second set of pixels configured to support presentation of a second image visible from a second side of the display console; and further comprising:
a barrier structure positioned adjacent to the display console, the barrier structure separating the first and second images such the first image is not visible from the second side and the second image is not visible from the first side.

6. The assembly of claim 5 :
wherein the at least one user includes a first user positioned at the first side of the display console and a second user positioned at the second side of the display console;
wherein the controller is programmed to:
obtain first and second instantaneous viewing positions of the first and second users, respectively;
apply a first and a second compensation factor simultaneously, at a time m, to the first and second images, respectively, based at least partially on the compensation-over-viewing-angle map; and

wherein the first compensation factor is applied to the first set of pixels of the first image for the first instantaneous viewing position of the first user at the time m and second compensation factor is applied to the second set of pixels of the second image for the second instantaneous viewing position of the second user at the time m.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one image is characterized by gray scale levels and the respective compensation factors adjust respective luminance steps of the gray scale levels in real-time.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pixels is characterized by a respective original gamma factor (γ o ) and a respective voltage (V o ), and wherein the controller is programmed to:
employ a predefined desired gamma constant (γ d ) to determine a respective desired luminance (L d ) at the respective original voltage (V o ), for each of the plurality of pixels;
determine a respective shifted voltage (V s ) that results in the respective desired luminance (L d ) at the original gamma factor (γ o ), for each of the plurality of pixels; and
change a respective voltage applied to each of the plurality of pixels from the original voltage (V o ) to the shifted voltage (V s ).

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pixels is characterized by a respective original gamma factor (γ o ) and a respective original gray scale value (G o ), and wherein the controller is programmed to:
employ a predefined desired gamma constant (γ d ) to determine a respective desired luminance (L d ) at the respective original gray scale value (G o ), for each of the plurality of pixels;
determine a respective shifted gray scale value (G s ) that results in the desired luminance (L d ) at the respective original gamma factor (γ o ), for each of the plurality of pixels; and
change the respective original gray scale value (G o ) for each of the plurality of pixels to the respective shifted gray scale value (G s ).

10. A method for dynamically adjusting at least one image in real-time for off-axis viewing in a display assembly having a controller, a display console displaying the at least one image on an image plane, the at least one image being divided into a plurality of pixels, the method comprising:
generating a compensation-over-viewing-angle map having respective compensation factors for each of the plurality of pixels for multiple viewing positions, via the controller;
obtaining a first instantaneous viewing position of a first user at a time j, via a camera;
applying the respective compensation factor from the compensation-over-viewing-angle map to each of the plurality of pixels at the time j, for the first instantaneous viewing position via the controller;
controlling the at least one image based on the respective compensation factor from the compensation-over-viewing-angle map;
wherein the display console is configured

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Carpenter James A
• Seder Thomas A
• Conway William E

Classifications

• G09G2320/028

  by changing the viewing angle properties, e.g. widening the viewing angle, adapting the viewing angle to the view direction · CPC title

• G09G5/00 Primary

  Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators (image data processing or generation, in general G06T) · CPC title

• G09G2320/0673

  for control of gamma adjustment, e.g. selecting another gamma curve · CPC title

• G09G2320/0626

  for control of overall brightness · CPC title

• G09G2320/0261

  in the context of movement of objects on the screen or movement of the observer relative to the screen · CPC title