The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 04, 1988
Filed:
Apr. 17, 1987
Robert B Wood, Hillsboro, OR (US);
Mark A Thomas, Lake Oswego, OR (US);
Thomas E Hodel, Beaverton, OR (US);
Robert E Stockwell, Beaverton, OR (US);
Flight Dynamics, Inc., Portland, OR (US);
Abstract
A head up display system includes a combiner alignment detector (24) that determines whether the combiner (22) and a cathode-ray tube (CRT) (18) are aligned within a preassigned operational tolerance. The CRT emits display symbology that reflects off the combiner toward an observer. The combiner is secured to a combiner bracket (38) which is pivotally mounted to a mounting structure (70) having a stationary relationship with the CRT. A light emitting diode (LED) (86) and a light-sensitive linear position detector (88) are secured to the mounting structure. Light rays emanating from the LED are reflected by a mirror (34), which is secured to the combiner bracket, and strike the position detector. Pivotal motion of the combiner bracket relative to the mounting structure results in movement of the mirror relative to the LED and the position detector. The pivotal motion of the mirror causes light reflected by the mirror to strike varying locations on the position detector, which provides corresponding output signals. A processing circuit (110) receives the signals provided by the detector and provides to a control circuit (129) a signal corresponding to the alignment of the combiner and the CRT and to the position of the display symbology reflected by the combiner. The control circuit provides a warning signal whenever the information provided by the processing circuit indicates that the display symbology is not located at a preselected position.