High pressure display

Described herein are embodiments of displays which may be used in high pressure environments, e.g., in underwater environments, and systems which utilize such displays. In some embodiments, a system comprises at least one electronic device comprising an optical output, a first optical interface to couple the optical output to an optical transmission medium, a second optical interface coupled to the optical transmission medium, and a display coupled to the second optical interface. In some embodiments the second optical interface comprises a material having a graded index of refraction, and the display comprises an optically transmissive material coupled to the second optical interface to transmit an image from the second optical interface to a reflective surface.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

BACKGROUND

The subject matter described herein relates to displays for use with electronic device(s), and more particularly to a display which may be used to in high pressure environments, e.g., underwater.

In some circumstances it may be useful to have access to a display module in a high pressure environment, e.g., underwater. By way of example, divers working in underwater environments may wish to use a display module which is associated with, or coupled to, a computing system. Current displays utilize curves lenses, which results in one or more voids in the housing of a display. In high pressure environments such displays collapse.

Accordingly, high pressure displays and associated systems and methods may find utility.

SUMMARY

Described herein are embodiments of displays which may be used in high pressure environments, e.g., in underwater environments, and systems which utilize such displays. In some embodiments, a system comprises at least one electronic device comprising an optical output, a first optical interface to couple the optical output to an optical transmission medium, a second optical interface coupled to the optical transmission medium, and a display coupled to the second optical interface. In some embodiments the second optical interface comprises a material having a graded index of refraction, and the display comprises an optically transmissive material coupled to the second optical interface to transmit an image from the second optical interface to a reflective surface.

In another embodiment, a display comprises an optical interface comprising a material having a graded index of refraction to receive an optical signal from a remote source, an optically transmissive material coupled to the optical interface to transmit an image from the optical interface, and a reflective surface coupled to the optically transmissive material to reflect the image onto a viewing surface.

In another embodiment, a computer program product to assess the integrity of a structural repair to a surface comprises logic instructions stored in a computer readable medium which, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to receive a first strain measurement from an external strain indicator, receive a second strain measurement from the measurement sensor after at least one stress test is applied to the structural repair, and generate a signal when a difference between the first strain measurement and the second strain measurement exceeds a threshold.

In another embodiment, a system comprises a waterborne vehicle having a hull, at least one electronic device on board the waterborne vehicle, the electronic device comprising an optical output, a first optical interface to couple the optical output to an optical transmission medium, a second optical interface coupled to the optical transmission medium, and a display coupled to the second optical interface. The second optical interface comprises a material having a graded index of refraction and the display comprises an optically transmissive material coupled to the second optical interface to transmit an image from the second optical interface to a reflective surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described herein are embodiments of displays which may be used in high pressure environments, e.g., in underwater environments, and systems which utilize such displays. In some embodiments, a display is constructed using an optical interface which comprises a material that has an index of refraction which varies across the optical interface. Such materials are sometimes referred to as “gradient index,” “gradient index optics,” or “graded” refractive index materials. The gradient index optical interface functions as a lens to focus an image onto a reflective surface, which in turn reflects the image onto a viewing surface. Using an optical interface with a gradient index allows the display to be constructed in a solid state form, i.e., without the voids commonly associated with conventional displays. Thus, a display constructed in accordance with this description may be used in high pressure environments without concerns about the display collapsing under pressure.

A display as described herein may be used in conjunction with into an electronic device, e.g., a computing system or the like. In some embodiments an optical output from the electronic device is input into a first optical interface. The optical output may be embodied in electrical signals or in optical signals. A first optical interface transmits the optical output from the electronic device across a transmission medium to a second optical interface which is optically coupled to the display, where an image based on the optical signal may be presented.

In the following description and/or claims, the terms “coupled” and/or “connected,” along with their derivatives, may be used. In particular embodiments, connected may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical and/or electrical contact with each other. Coupled may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical and/or electrical contact. However, coupled may also mean that two or more elements may not be in direct physical contact with each other, but yet may still cooperate and/or interact with each other. For example, “coupled” may mean that two or more elements do not contact each other but are indirectly joined together via another element or intermediate elements.

Finally, the terms “on,” “overlying,” and “over” may be used in the following description and claims. “On,” “overlying,” and “over” may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical contact with each other. However, “over” may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other. For example, “over” may mean that one element is above another element but not contact each other and may have another element or elements in between the two elements. Furthermore, the term “and/or” may mean “and”, it may mean “or”, it may mean “exclusive-or”, it may mean “one”, it may mean “some, but not all”, it may mean “neither”, and/or it may mean “both”, although the scope of claimed subject matter is not limited in this respect. In the following description and/or claims, the terms “comprise” and “include,” along with their derivatives, may be used and are intended as synonyms for each other.

FIG. 1is a schematic illustration of various components of a system which includes a high pressure display, according to embodiments. Referring toFIG. 1, various components of a system100may reside on board a waterborne vessel, e.g., a ship, submarine, or the like, while other components of the system100may reside out board the waterborne vessel, e.g., in an underwater environment. The onboard environment is separated from the outboard environment by a hull105.

In some embodiments, system100comprises at least one electronic device which generates an optical output. In the embodiment depicted inFIG. 1the system100comprises three electronic devices: a laptop computer110A, a server110B, and personal digital assistant (PDA110C). The specific number of electronic devices associated with the system100is not critical. Herein, the electronic devices110A,110B,110C may be referred to generally by the reference numeral110.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, electronic devices110generate an optical output which may be presented on a display. Laptop computer110A and PDA110C may comprise an integrated display, while server110B may or may not be coupled to a display. The optical output generated by the electronic devices110may be input into an optical interface120. By way of example, an optical output from computers110A,110B may be coupled to interface120via a cable112, e.g., n High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cable, a coaxial cable, composite video cable, S-Video cable, component video cable, D-Terminal cable, VGA. cable or the like. The particular interface is not critical. PDA110C may be coupled to optical interface120via a similar wired interface or by a wireless connection114.

Optical interface120converts signals from electronic devices110to an optical signal, and may include one or more adapters122to couple the optical output of interface120to an optical transmission medium130A, which is coupled to a port132in the hull105. By way of example, and not limitation, in some embodiments optical transmission medium130A may comprise an optical fiber and optical interface120may comprise an optical fiber converter to convert between RS232 signals and fiber optic signals. Port132provides a connection for optical transmission medium130A, such that a second optical transmission medium130B may be coupled to the optical transmission medium130A. In alternate embodiments the port132may provide a pass-through in the hull105such that a single optical transmission medium130may be used. In alternate embodiments the interface120may be coupled directly to the hull105such that the port132is an integral component of interface120. The optical transmission medium130B couples to a second optical interface150, which is coupled to, or may be integrated with, a display140.

In alternate embodiments the interface120may be omitted and the cable(s)112from the electronic devices110may extend to the interface150. In such embodiments the interface150may comprise an adapter122to convert electrical signals to optical signals.

System100may further comprise one or more input/output devices160, e.g., a mouse or PDA interface, which provides an input/output interface to the electronic device(s)110in the on board environment. In some embodiments the I/O device(s)160may be coupled to the electronic device(s)110via a wireless communication link. In alternate embodiments the I/O devices may be coupled to the electronic device(s) via an optical like through the port132.

Having described various components of the system100, attention is now directed to aspects of the display140.FIGS. 2-4are schematics illustration of various components of a high pressure display, according to embodiments. Referring first toFIG. 2, aspects of optical components of a display140are described. In some embodiments a display140comprises an optical interface150comprising a material having a graded index of refraction, an optically transmissive material144coupled to the optical interface150to transmit an image from the optical interface150, and a reflective surface148coupled to the optically transmissive material144to reflect the image onto a viewing surface142. The display140may further comprise a protective surface160disposed over the viewing surface142. An image generator170coupled to the optical transmission medium130may be coupled to the optical interface150to present an image signal to the optical interface150.

Optical interface150and optically transmissive material144may be formed from any suitable optically transmissive material, e.g., glass or an optically transmissive polymer. Reflective surface148may be on a block146of material which need not be optically transmissive. The reflective surface may be formed by coating the surface of block146with a reflective material, e.g., silver. Alternatively, the materials144and146may be formed from materials having relative indices of refraction such that light traveling through optically transmissive material144is reflected in accordance with Snell's law at the interface with block146.

In operation, optical signals on the optical transmission medium130are input into the image generator170, which converts the signals from optical transmission medium130into an image. The image generator170may be implemented as a solid state display device and may comprise one or more lens assemblies, e.g., a diffraction lens, to direct the output of the image generator170as indicated by arrows172.

The image generator170may be optically coupled to the optical interface150, such that the image from the image generator170is input into the optical interface150. In some embodiments the optical interface150may be formed from an optically transmissive material, e.g., glass or an optically transmissive polymer or the like, such that image from image generator170may be transmitted through optical interface150.

In some embodiments the optical interface150may utilize gradient optics to transfer the image from the image generator170to a reflective surface148, which reflects the image onto a viewing surface142. In some embodiments the material from which optical interface150is formed may comprise an index of refraction that varies in one dimension as a function of a linear distance from an end of the optical interface150, as illustrated by the graph152plotting the index of refraction, n, against the distance, y, from the end of the optical interface150proximate the protective cover160. In the embodiment depicted inFIG. 2the optical interface150has a low index of refraction in regions proximate the protective cover160, and the refractive index increases as the distance from the protective cover160increases.

In some embodiments the material from which the optical interface150is formed may have a refractive index which varies in two dimensions. As illustrated by the graph154plotting the index of refraction, n, against the distance, x, from the surface of optical interface150which couples to image generator. In the embodiment depicted inFIG. 2the optical interface150has a high index of refraction in regions proximate the surface of optical interface150which couples to image generator, and the refractive index decreases as the distance from the surface of optical interface150which couples to image generator increases.

Thus, light which enters the optical interface from the image generator170will be refracted by progressively greater amounts as the distance from the protective cover160increases. Further, in embodiments in which the refractive index varies along as indicated by graph154light which enters the optical interface150from the image generator170will be refracted progressively less as it travels through optical interface150.

The protective cover160may be formed form a material which is optically transmissive, e.g., glass or a transmissive polymer. In some embodiments the protective cover160may have a substantially constant index of refraction throughout. In other embodiments, such as the embodiment depicted inFIG. 2, the protective cover160may be formed from a material that has a refractive index which varies as a function of a distance from an end of the display140. As illustrated by the graph162plotting the index of refraction, n, against the distance, x, from the end of the display140. In the embodiment depicted inFIG. 2the protective cover160has a high index of refraction in regions proximate the end of the display140which appears on the left hand side of the drawing inFIG. 2, and the refractive index decreases as the distance from the end increases.

Thus, light which enters the protective cover160on the left end of the drawing inFIG. 2will be refracted by a relatively high amount, and light which enters the protective cover160farther form the end will be refracted progressively less. As illustrated inFIG. 2, this directs light out of the protective cover at near-normal angles.

One skilled in the art will recognize that the material from which the optical interface150may also have an index of refraction which varies in the along the z-axis, which is perpendicular to the plane of the cross-section illustrated inFIG. 2.

In operation light which enters the regions of optical interface150proximate the protective cover160will be refracted by a relatively small amount. By contrast, light which enters lower regions of the optical interface150will be refracted by a relatively high amount. The refracted light is transmitted into the optically transmissive material144, which has a substantially constant index of refraction. Thus, light travels through the optically transmissive material144in a substantially straight line onto a reflective surface148, which reflects the light onto viewing surface142to present the image from image generator170on the viewing surface142. In some embodiments the protective cover160also functions to direct light emitted from the display at near-normal angles.

In some embodiments a display140may be provided with a housing.FIG. 3is a schematic, cross-sectional illustration of a display140with a housing180. The display140depicted inFIG. 3is substantially the same as the display140depicted inFIG. 2. Referring toFIG. 3, the display140may be enclosed in a housing180that surrounds at least a portion of the display140. The housing140may comprise one or more doors182that open and close on hinges184to provide access to the display140. In addition, the housing180may comprise an access opening186which allows the image generator170to be optically coupled to the optical interface150.

The embodiment depicted inFIG. 4is similar to the embodiment depicted inFIG. 3. However, in the embodiment depicted inFIG. 45the image generator170is integrated into the housing180. In such embodiments the housing180may comprise a plug or a port to enable the transmission medium130to couple to the image generator170.

Thus, various embodiments of displays140have been described. One skilled in the art will recognize that various components on the display140may be modified in accordance with the spirit of this disclosure. By way of example, the geometric shapes of the optical interface150, transmissive medium144, and the reflective surface may be modified by increasing or decreasing the angles of the corners of the triangles. Also, although the various surfaces depicted inFIG. 2are substantially planar, curved surfaces could be implemented.

FIG. 5is a schematic illustration of a computing system500that may be used in conjunction with a system100. In some embodiments, system500includes a computing device508and one or more accompanying input/output devices including a display502having a screen504, one or more speakers506, a keyboard510, one or more other I/O device(s)512, and a mouse514. The other I/O device(s)512may include a touch screen, a voice-activated input device, a track ball, and any other device that allows the system500to receive input from a user.

The computing device508includes system hardware520and memory530, which may be implemented as random access memory and/or read-only memory. A file store580may be communicatively coupled to computing device508. File store580may be internal to computing device508such as, e.g., one or more hard drives, CD-ROM drives, DVD-ROM drives, or other types of storage devices. File store580may also be external to computer508such as, e.g., one or more external hard drives, network attached storage, or a separate storage network.

System hardware520may include one or more processors522, video controllers524, network interfaces526, and bus structures528. In one embodiment, processor522may be embodied as an Intel® Pentium we processor available from Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, Calif., USA. As used herein, the term “processor” means any type of computational element, such as but not limited to, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, a reduced instruction set (RISC) microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or any other type of processor or processing circuit.

Graphics controller524may function as an adjunction processor that manages graphics and/or video operations. Graphics controller524may be integrated onto the motherboard of computing system500or may be coupled via an expansion slot on the motherboard.

In one embodiment, network interface526could be a wired interface such as an Ethernet interface (see, e.g., Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers/IEEE 802.3-2002) or a wireless interface such as an IEEE 802.11a, b or g-compliant interface (see, e.g., IEEE Standard for IT-Telecommunications and information exchange between systems LAN/MAN—Part II: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) specifications Amendment 4: Further Higher Data Rate Extension in the 2.4 GHz Band, 802.11G-2003). Another example of a wireless interface would be a general packet radio service (GPRS) interface (see, e.g., Guidelines on GPRS Handset Requirements, Global System for Mobile Communications/GSM Association, Ver. 3.0.1, December 2002).

Memory530may include an operating system540for managing operations of computing device508. In one embodiment, operating system540includes a hardware interface module554that provides an interface to system hardware520. In addition, operating system540may include a file system550that manages files used in the operation of computing device508and a process control subsystem552that manages processes executing on computing device508. Further, memory module530may comprise an evaluation module560to implement the analysis operations described with reference toFIG. 2.

Operating system540may include (or manage) one or more communication interfaces that may operate in conjunction with system hardware520to transceive data packets and/or data streams from a remote source. Operating system540may further include a system call interface module542that provides an interface between the operating system540and one or more application modules resident in memory530. Operating system540may be embodied as a UNIX operating system or any derivative thereof (e.g., Linux, Solaris, etc.) or as a Windows® brand operating system, or other operating systems.

Thus, described herein are embodiments of displays which may be used in high-pressure environments, e.g., underwater. Also described are electronic device such as computer systems to which such displays may be coupled. Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “some embodiments” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least an implementation. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification may or may not be all referring to the same embodiment.