Patent ID: 6786610
Filing Date: 2004-09-07
Classification: A61F,B60J,G02C

Abstract:
Apparatus for automatically reducing glare produced from a spatial scene by reducing the intensity of light rays propagating from points in the three-dimensional spatial scene towards an optical element having a field of view, said apparatus embodied within a structure for attachment to a visor in a vehicle said apparatus comprising:an electro-optical element having an optically transparent surface including a plurality of pixels through which the field of view of said optical element passes, each said pixel having a controllable light transmittance for selectively reducing the intensity of incident light rays propagating from one or more points in the three-dimensional spatial scene, through said pixel, then towards said optical element; an image acquisition device for acquiring one or more images of said three-dimensional spatial scene within the field of view of said optical element; a processor for processing said one or more acquired images and determining at which pixels the light transmittance is to be actively controlled in order to reduce the intensity of incident light rays by a selected amount before reaching said optical element; a control for actively controlling the light transmittance of the determined pixels so that after incident light rays propagate through said determined pixels, said incident light rays propagate towards said optical element with an intensity reduced by said selected amount, so that glare produced from the spatial scene is automatically reduced; and said structure configured and dimensioned for attachment to said visor in said vehicle.