Gec-marconi Limited

Gec Avionics Limited

Colin J Tredwell

Donald R Price

A data display method and apparatus for use in a vehicle, e.g. for use by the pilot of an aircraft, wherein each eye (EL, ER) of the user (23) is presented with a virtual image at infinity of a respective one of two largely identical displays (31L, 31R). By arranging for corresponding elements (33) of the two displays representative of a controller in the vehicle at a position accessible to the user to have a transverse positional disparity the virtual images of the corresponding elements appear to the user to fuse together to form a single image (I2) in a plane of the controller at a finite distance from the user within the vehicle thereby to facilitate operation of the controller by the user. Other corresponding elements (41, 43, 45, 47, 49) of the two displays (31L, 31R) will normally have no such positional disparity so that their virtual images fuse to present an image (I1) at infinity as in known binocular head-up display (HUD) systems. An aircraft pilot using a binocular HUD system is presented with an image of a control panel (37) in the aircraft to facilitate operation of the panel while using the HUD system.

Methods and apparatus for displaying data

An apparatus for indicating the position of an object in a three dimensional space is described. The apparatus includes a video arrangement for producing a stereoscopic image of a scene including the object. Overlay generators superimpose on this image a stereoscopic image of a cursor. Cursor control means are provided for varying the apparent position of the cursor in the scene and for providing an output representing the apparent position of the cursor.

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Rainham, United Kingdom

Colin J Tredwell