Patent ID: 11912429
Assignee: GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE CORPORATION
Field: Audio-visual technology (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  G  H | IPC B  G  H

Claim 0:
1. An aircraft comprising:
a cockpit to accommodate an occupant;
a windshield that defines a field of view for viewing an environment outside the cockpit;
an aircraft structure outside the cockpit and visible within the field of view, wherein the aircraft structure visually obstructs a portion of the environment;
an imaging system mounted to exterior structure of the aircraft and having a clear line of sight to the portion of the environment that is visually obstructed by the aircraft structure, the imaging system configured and operated to capture image data corresponding to the obstructed portion of the environment;
a controller configured to process the image data captured by the imaging system into a head-up display (HUD) image that represents the obstructed portion of the environment;
a HUD element configured to present projected images that are visible to the occupant; and
a projector coupled to the controller and configured to project the HUD image toward the HUD element, such that the HUD image is visible overlying the aircraft structure;
wherein the controller is configured to adjust an image capture angle of the imaging system based on an eye or head location of the occupant, such that image data captured by the imaging system during flight of the aircraft is processed into the HUD image to register the HUD image with an unobstructed view of the environment outside the cockpit, and such that the HUD image appears to accurately merge with visible surroundings when perceived by the occupant; and
wherein the controller reactively adjusts the image capture angle of the imaging system in response to changes in the eye or head location of the occupant.