Patent Description:
In <CIT> an enhanced vision system and a method is disclosed. The System includes a first optic subsystem and a transparent photodetector subsystem disposed in a common housing. The first optic subsystem includes passive devices such as simple or compound lenses, active devices such as low-light enhancing image intensifiers, or a combination of passive and active devices. The transparent photodetector subsystem receives the visible image exiting the first optic subsystem and converts a portion of the electromagnetic energy in the visible image to a signal communicated to image analysis circuitry. On a real-time or near real-time basis, the image analysis circuitry detects and identifies structures, objects, and/or individuals in the visible image. The image analysis circuitry provides an output that includes information regarding the structure, objects, and individuals to the system user contemporaneous with the system user viewing the visible image.

In <CIT> a weapon system with multi-function single-view scope is disclosed. The System combines a direct view, a visible light video view and an infrared video view mode. Each of the view modes may be viewed individually or simultaneously.

In <CIT> an integrated display image intensifier assembly is disclosed. The system fuses a image intensifier and an IR camera image using optical overlay methods.

In <CIT>a night vision device is disclosed. The device is capable of superimposing and displaying information in an overlapped mode. Therefore, a layer of transparent ultrathin display device is attached to the surface of a low-light-level image intensifiers. In turn, information is displayed by the transparent ultrathin display device. This information can be an infrared image or information content as logo symbols, location coordinates and task instructions.

In <CIT> a night vision display with overlaid sensor data is disclosed. A video signal is generated, which comprises a visual representation of the sensor data. The video signal is combined with a night vision view of the user's environment to overlay a visual representation of the sensor data over the night vision view of the user's environment.

One embodiment includes an optical system having an underlying device. The underlying device is configured to provide output light in a first spectrum from input light received at the underlying device. A transparent optical device is optically coupled in an overlapping fashion to the underlying device. The transparent optical device is configured to transmit light in the first spectrum from the underlying device through the transparent optical device to display a scene to a user. The transparent optical device includes a first plurality of active elements formed in an active area of the transparent optical device configured to cause the transparent optical device to detect light portraying at least a portion of the scene. The underlying device further comprises a first plurality of transparent regions formed in the active area which are transparent to the light in the first spectrum to allow light in the first spectrum to pass through from the underlying device to a user. The optical system further includes an image processor configured to process images produced using light detected by the first plurality of active elements to identify a specific instance of light in the scene. The image processor causes a second plurality of active elements in the active area of the transparent optical device to display an indicator, in the scene, to the user, correlated to the specific instance of light, including during a change in the scene.

One embodiment illustrated herein is directed to an optical system that detects a specific instance of light (such as gunfire) and is able to persist an indicator for the specific instance of light in a scene displayed to a user, even as the scene changes. The optical system includes an underlying device, such as a nightvision system or even a daytime camera system. The underlying device is configured to provide output light in a first spectrum from input light received at the underlying device. Thus, for example, in the nightvision system example, intensified light, in the visible spectrum, is output as a result of receiving weak input light.

The optical system further includes a transparent optical device optically coupled in an overlapping fashion to the underlying device. In particular, the transparent optical device overlaps such that the transparent optical device is configured to transmit light in the first spectrum from the underlying device through the transparent optical device to display the scene to the user. The transparent optical device includes a first set of detector active elements, formed in an active area of the transparent optical device, configured to cause the transparent optical device to detect light portraying at least a portion of the scene. Note that detector elements will also detect the specific instance of light (e.g., the gunfire).

The transparent optical device further includes a set of transparent regions formed in the active area which are at least partially transparent to the light in the first spectrum to allow light in the first spectrum to pass through from the underlying device to a user. The set of transparent regions are configured in size and shape to cause the transparent optical device to have a particular transmission efficiency for light in the first spectrum.

The optical system includes an image processor configured to process images produced using light detected by the set of active elements to identify the specific instance of light in the scene. The transparent optical device also includes a set of display active elements configured to generate and output light to the user. The image processor is configured to cause display active elements in the transparent optical device to display an indicator, in the scene, to the user. The indicator is correlated to the specific instance of light. This correlation is maintained, even when there is a change in the scene. That is, the indicator will indicate with respect to a current state of the scene where the specific instance of light was detected. Examples are illustrated below.

The following illustrates examples illustrated with respect to a nightvision system. However, it should be appreciated that other optical systems can be used alternatively, or additionally.

Attention is now directed to <FIG>, where a specific example of a nightvision system is illustrated. In particular, <FIG> illustrates the PVS - <NUM> nightvision system <NUM>. In the example illustrated, the nightvision system <NUM> includes a housing <NUM>. As will be illustrated in more detail below in other figures, the housing <NUM> houses a transparent optical device having multiple detectors for detecting intensified light from the image intensifier and multiple light emitters for displaying information to a user, and various other components. The nightvision system <NUM> further includes an objective <NUM> which receives weak light reflected and/or generated in an environment. The objective <NUM> includes optics such as lenses, waveguides, and/or other optical components for receiving and transmitting light to an image intensifier, discussed in more detail below. The nightvision system <NUM> further includes an eyepiece <NUM>. The eyepiece <NUM> includes optics for focusing images created by the nightvision system <NUM>, including images created by an image intensifier and images created by a transparent optical device, into the eye of the user.

As discussed above, and with reference to <FIG>, modern ancillary functionality can be added to existing nightvision systems. <FIG> illustrates an image <NUM> including a heads-up display displayed on a nightvision image output from an image intensifier. Some embodiments described herein are directed to implementing a heads-up display implemented by adding image overlay capabilities with a nightvision system, where the image overlay capabilities are able to overlay additional images over the ordinarily monochrome night vision image. In particular, embodiments further include as part of the transparent optical device, a transparent display configured to output images over the image intensifier image based on additional information about objects in the image intensifier image.

The heads-up display may display to the user, in or around the field-of-view of an environment, various pieces of information to create an augmented reality (AR) environment. Such information may include, for example, a navigational heading, the speed at which the user is moving, coordinates, communication messages (such as email, SMS, etc.), time of day or other timing information, vital signs for the user such as heart rate or respiration rate, indicators indicating whether an object being viewed by the nightvision system is friendly or adversarial, battery charge level for the nightvision system or other devices, weather conditions, contact information, audio information (such as volume, playlist information, artist, etc.), etc. Of particular note in this disclosure, is the ability of the heads-up display to persist an indicator for a specific instance of light detected in a scene.

Note that the transparent optical device (or other elements) may include one or more photodetectors for detecting intensified light. Detecting intensified light can be used to determine the locations of various objects in the field of view. A photodetector can also detect a specific instance of light (e.g., a gunshot) in the field of view of the scene. Information about device orientation, objects and the specific instance of light can be used to correlate indicators for specific instances of light to specific object in the scene.

Attention is now directed to <FIG> illustrates a block diagram version of an optical system <NUM>. While not shown in <FIG>, a nightvision system typically includes an objective (such as that shown in <FIG> at <NUM>) to focus input light <NUM> into an underlying device <NUM>, which in this case is an image intensifier. Such input light may be, for example, from ambient sources, such as light from heavenly bodies such as stars, the moon, or even faint light from the setting sun. Additionally, or alternatively, ambient sources could include light from buildings, automobiles, or other faint sources of light that cause reflection of light from an object being viewed in a nightvision environment into the objective. A second source of light may be light being emitted from an external source towards an object, reflected off the object, and into the objective. For example, the source may be an infrared source that is not detectable in the visual spectrum for human observers. A third source of light may be light emitted by an object itself. For example, this may be related to infrared heat energy emitted by the object and directed into the objective. Nonetheless, the nightvision system is able to convert the light emitted from the source into a viewable image for the user.

The objective directs input light <NUM> into an underlying device <NUM>. Note that the underlying device <NUM> may include functionality for amplifying light received from the fiber optic faceplate to create a sufficiently strong image that can be viewed by the user. This may be accomplished using various technologies such as a photocathode <NUM>, a microchannel plate <NUM>, and a phosphor screen <NUM>. The photocathode <NUM> may be configured to generate photo electrons in response to incoming photons. Electrons from the photocathode <NUM> are emitted into the microchannel plate <NUM>. Electrons are multiplied in the microchannel plate <NUM>. Electrons are emitted from the microchannel plate <NUM> to a phosphor screen <NUM> which glows as a result of electrons striking the phosphor screen <NUM>. This creates an image from the filtered light based on the input light <NUM>.

A fiber-optic <NUM> carries this image as intensified light to the eyepiece (such as eyepiece <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>) of a nightvision system where it can be output to the user. This fiber-optic can be twisted <NUM> degrees to undo the inversion caused by the system objective to allow for convenient direct viewing of the screen. However, as illustrated below, the intensified light is output to the user through a transparent optical device <NUM>. The transparent optical device <NUM> allows intensified light to pass through the transparent optical device <NUM>, but also generates its own light, from a transparent display <NUM> which includes LEDs or other light emitters, to transmit light to a user. Creating a transparent optical device may be accomplished, for example, using the teachings of <CIT>, titled "Backside Etch Process For Transparent Silicon Oxide Technology".

As discussed above, the transparent optical device <NUM> may include functionality for displaying information to a user. Such information may include graphical content, including text, images, and the like. Further, such information may include an indicator <NUM> correlated to a specific instance of light <NUM>.

In the example illustrated in <FIG>, the transparent optical device <NUM> outputs display light <NUM> which can be sent to the eyepiece (such as the eyepiece <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>). As noted previously, the output light <NUM>, which in this case is intensified light, is transmitted through the transparent optical device <NUM> is also provided to the eyepiece. Thus, an image such as that illustrated in <FIG> or in <FIG> are presented to the user in the nightvision system.

The transparent optical device also includes a transparent photodetector <NUM>, which includes a plurality of detectors for detecting light from the underlying device <NUM>. While shown separately in <FIG>, the transparent display <NUM> and transparent photodetector <NUM> are implemented on the same semiconductor chip. For example, detector elements could be interdigitated with display elements. An example of this is illustrated in <FIG>, where display elements (represented by example display element <NUM>) are interdigitated laterally with detector elements (represented by the example detector element <NUM>), with transparent regions (represented by the transparent regions <NUM>). An alternative example is illustrated in <FIG>, where detector elements, such as detector element <NUM> is implemented below an active silicon island <NUM>, which is implemented below a display element <NUM>. Note that 'below' used here is relative to the arrangement shown in <FIG>. In practice, the detectors <NUM> are in an optical path of incoming light such that the detectors block (at least partially) light from being transmitted to the active silicon island <NUM> and display element <NUM>.

As noted previously, the transparent optical device <NUM> is composed of a number of active silicon areas. In particular, the transparent optical device <NUM> is a digital display having a certain pixel density. Each pixel has one or more transistors controlling one or more OLED emitters. In some embodiments illustrated herein, as shown above, the pixels may further include light detectors. This can be useful for detecting the intensified light from the phosphor screen <NUM>. This detected light can be used to characterize the image intensifier image, which can in turn be used to determine how light <NUM> is output from the transparent optical device <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the detected light can additionally be used for recording scene events and/or improving placement of elements displayed on the heads-up display. In any case, the transparent optical device <NUM> is representative of a stacked transparent optical device formed in a semiconductor chip that overlaps an underlying device, in this case, the underlying device is an image intensifier. The transparent optical device is transparent to light in a first spectrum, which in this case is the visible spectrum of light output by the phosphor screen <NUM>. That is, the transparent optical device <NUM> is not fully transparent due to the blocking of the active devices, but transparency referred to herein refers to at least partial transparency according to some transmission efficiency Indeed, the more active devices implemented per pixel, the less transparent the transparent optical device <NUM> becomes. Thus, some embodiments are specifically implemented in a fashion designed to limit the number of active devices per pixel, such as by including only a single detector per pixel. However, other embodiments may be implemented with multiple detectors per pixel.

Each detector absorbs a portion of the intensified light converting it to an electrical signal. For example, embodiments can implement a two-dimensional array of detectors that generate charges, current, or any other form of digital data level proportional to intensity of the intensified light as a function of position. An example of this is illustrated in <FIG> by the detectors shown there, of which detector <NUM> is representative. Accordingly, the detectors may generate a two-dimensional array of electrical charge that represents at least portions of the intensified image. This two-dimensional array of electrical charges can be periodically read from the detectors (e.g., the detected signal can be read from the detectors like in a charged coupled device (CCD) camera).

The two-dimensional array of electrical charges from the photodetector <NUM> is processed and/or used locally, e.g., within the transparent optical device <NUM> to modulate in real time the amplitude of the display light <NUM> output by the transparent optical device <NUM>. In particular, the transparent optical device <NUM> will output light based on the light detected by the detectors along with other information.

As noted previously, the transparent optical device <NUM> includes regions that are transparent to intensified light output by the underlying device <NUM>. For example, <FIG> illustrates a number of transparent regions, of which transparent region <NUM> is representative.

The transparent regions shown in the preceding figures can be created in a number of particular ways. In some embodiments, the transparent regions can be created by using the processes described in <CIT> titled "Backside Etch Process For Transparent Silicon Oxide Technology". Briefly, that application describes a process for creating transparent regions in otherwise opaque portions of semiconductor materials. For example, reference is now made to <FIG> which illustrates a transparent optical device <NUM> including active silicon areas shown as active silicon islands (which may be native silicon islands) such as active silicon island <NUM>. In particular, active silicon islands include transistors such as transistor <NUM> which control OLED emitters in an OLED stack <NUM>. Note, that as discussed above, transistors also control detectors, such as various photodiodes or other detectors. In the example illustrated in <FIG>, each of the active silicon islands represents a pixel or sub-pixel of the transparent optical device <NUM>. Thus, by illuminating various LEDs in the OLED stack <NUM> using the transistors in the active silicon islands, an image can be created and output to a user, such as by outputting display light such as the display lights <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, intensified light is transmitted through the transparent optical device <NUM> to the eyepiece of the nightvision system, and then to the user. Note, however, that the intensified light is transmitted to the user through the transparent optical device <NUM>, meaning that the intensified light will be affected by characteristics of the transparent optical device <NUM>.

Referring once again to <FIG>, light <NUM> represents light that is transmitted through transparent portions, illustrated by the transparent region <NUM>, of the transparent optical device <NUM>, while light <NUM> is blocked by active portions of the transparent optical device <NUM>.

However, transmission of light through the transparent optical device is nonetheless increased by removing portions of silicon that are not needed for implementing active electrical components or for supporting metal traces. For example, consider an example where dynamic pixel cells are used. In this particular example, there are two sub pixels per pixel. Anode size for the sub pixels is <NUM> x <NUM>. Pixel area is <NUM> x <NUM>. Pixel pitch is <NUM> x <NUM>. In one example, provides a resolution of <NUM> x <NUM>. In this particular transparent optical device, if the non-active silicon islands are not removed, transparency of the transparent optical device is about <NUM>%. In contrast, transparency is about <NUM>% if the non-active silicon islands are removed such as in the structure illustrated in <FIG>. Thus, in this example, transparency of a transparent optical device is increased by more than <NUM>% by removing silicon and/or oxide trenches.

Note that various engineering trade-offs can be made to meet certain requirements. For example, increased transparency can be obtained by having a lower resolution and/or using fewer sub pixels as there is more space between pixels and/or sub pixels. If a higher resolution is needed, then that transparent optical device will have a lower transparency than an equivalently sized transparent optical device with a lower resolution. Thus, for example, a transparent optical device with a <NUM> pitch can obtain a transparency of <NUM>%, while a transparent optical device of <NUM> pitch can obtain a transparency of <NUM>%, while a transparent optical device having a <NUM> pitch will be about <NUM>% transparency when non-active silicon islands are removed from the transparent optical device in each of the illustrated examples. Thus, some embodiments may be able to create a transparent optical device with at least a <NUM> pitch with at least a transparency of <NUM>%, or a transparent optical device of at least a <NUM> pitch with at least a transparency of <NUM>%, or a transparent optical device having at least a <NUM> pitch with at least a <NUM>% transparency when silicon is removed between active silicon areas. The preceding illustrates one specific example related to a particular manufacturing process.

Pitch and transparency values may be specific to a given semiconductor manufacturing process-also known as the technology or process node-and will of course vary as the node changes. Typically designating the process's minimum feature size, the technology node will dictate the area of required active silicon for the display CMOS based on the transistor size. As the node minimum feature size decreases, whether it be through alternate foundries or improvements in technology, the same need for maximizing transparency applies. Indeed, the benefit to removing non-active silicon islands improves as the ratio of inactive- to active-silicon increases with smaller transistors.

The example numbers described herein are derived assuming a <NUM> technology/process node, although similar calculations can be performed for any specific technology size.

Returning once again to <FIG>, a particular example is further illustrated. <FIG> illustrates that the optical system <NUM> includes the underlying device <NUM>. As discussed above, the underlying device <NUM> is configured to provide output light <NUM> in a first spectrum from input light <NUM> received at the underlying device <NUM>.

The optical system includes a transparent optical device <NUM> optically coupled in an overlapping fashion to the underlying device <NUM>. The transparent optical device <NUM> is configured to transmit light in the first spectrum from the underlying device <NUM> through the transparent optical device <NUM> to display a scene to a user.

The transparent optical device <NUM> includes a set of detector active elements formed in an active area of the transparent optical device <NUM> configured to cause the transparent optical device <NUM> to detect light portraying at least a portion of the scene. Thus, for example, the photodetector <NUM> includes detector elements that detect the scene from light output by the underlying device <NUM> and provides detected scene information <NUM> to an image processor <NUM>.

The transparent optical device <NUM> further includes a set of transparent regions formed in the active area which are transparent to the light in the first spectrum to allow light in the first spectrum to pass through from the underlying device <NUM> to a user <NUM>. Examples of such transparent regions are illustrated at <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> of <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG> respectively.

The optical system <NUM> includes the image processor <NUM>. The image processor <NUM> is configured to process images produced using light detected by the detector active elements to identify a specific instance of light in the scene. In the example illustrated in <FIG>, the specific instance of light <NUM> is a gunshot from a window of a building <NUM>.

The image processor <NUM> is configured to cause display elements in the display <NUM> in the active area of the transparent optical device <NUM> to display an indicator, in the scene, to the user, correlated to the specific instance of light, including during a change in the scene. In particular, the indicator <NUM> is correlated to the specific instance of light <NUM>. The image processor <NUM> is able to correlate the indicator in output to the transparent display <NUM> with objects, orientations, and/or locations in the scene. An example of this is illustrated in <FIG> illustrates an image <NUM>-<NUM> at a first time in a heads-up display and an image <NUM>-<NUM> at a second time in the heads-up display. In these images, the building <NUM> is displayed as a result of the output light <NUM> from the underlying device <NUM>. In contrast, the indicator <NUM> is displayed as a result of the transparent display <NUM> outputting the display light <NUM> as a result of the image processor <NUM> indicating where the indicator <NUM> should be displayed in the displayed scene. Note that in <FIG>, even though the scene changes from image <NUM>-<NUM> to <NUM>-<NUM>, the indicator <NUM> is displayed in the same location with respect to the building <NUM>. Thus, the image processor <NUM> is configured to correlate the indicator <NUM> to specific locations in a scene. Alternatively, the image processor <NUM> may be configured to correlate the indicator <NUM> to specific objects in a scene.

Note that while in this particular example, the scene changes due to user movement, in other examples, the scene may change due to movement of objects in the scene. For example, consider the case where the specific instance of light is from the window of a moving bus. Some embodiments may be configured to persist the indicator on that particular window as the bus moves in the scene.

The image processor can correlate the indicator to specific locations in the scene using a number of different methodologies. For example, in one embodiment, the optical system <NUM> includes an orientation determination device <NUM> coupled to the image processor <NUM>. The orientation determination device <NUM> can determine a particular orientation of the optical system <NUM> at various points and provide that information to the image processor <NUM>. For example, the orientation of the system <NUM> can be provided when the specific instance of light <NUM> is detected, as well as at subsequent times. Knowing the orientation of the device <NUM> allows the image processor <NUM> to cause the display active elements in the transparent optical device <NUM> to display the indicator <NUM>, in the scene, to the user <NUM>, correlated to the specific instance of light by using the orientation determination device <NUM>. Note that the orientation may include a number of different factors including position and various angles often referred to as pitch, roll, and heading. In some embodiments, to accomplish this, the orientation determination device <NUM> may be an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that includes elements such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, GPSs, etc..

In an alternative embodiment, the image processor <NUM> is configured to detect objects in the scene using the detector active elements. For example, the detected scene information <NUM> may be used along with edge detection algorithms to identify specific objects, such as the building <NUM>, in the scene. Similar edge detection may be performed over time to determine device <NUM> position and orientation by comparing scene information at various times. In such embodiments, the image processor <NUM> is configured to cause display active elements in the transparent display <NUM> of the transparent optical device <NUM> to display an indicator <NUM>, in the scene correlated to the specific instance of light by using information about detected objects in the scene.

Note that in addition to the indicator <NUM>, other indicators may be displayed. For example, the indicator <NUM> (see <FIG>) may be displayed as a pointer to the indicator <NUM>. The indicator <NUM> is in a static location in the image provided to the user <NUM>, whereas the indicator <NUM> can change locations as the scene changes. In this way, the user <NUM> knows a specific location where they can look (i.e., the static location of the indicator <NUM>) to attempt to locate the indicator <NUM>. Note that the indicator <NUM> can be displayed when the indicator <NUM> is not displayed if the device <NUM> has sufficient information to direct the user to change the scene to bring objects, location, or orientations corresponding to the indicator <NUM> into view. In an alternative embodiment, if the indicator <NUM> is not displayed, the indicator <NUM> will not be displayed either.

Note further that some embodiments can display multiple indicators analogous to indicator <NUM> at the same time. This may be due to multiple gunshots or for other reasons. In such embodiments, the indicator <NUM> may have certain ordering rules to determine which indicator it will point at. For example, rules may be time based, such as in one example where the indicator <NUM> points to the most recently instantiated indicator. Alternatively, the rules may be brightness based, such as in one example where the indicator <NUM> points to the indicator corresponding to a brightest detected light. Alternatively, the rules may be distance based, such as in one example where the indicator <NUM> points to the indicator corresponding to a closest object or location.

The optical system <NUM> may be implemented where the image processor <NUM> is configured to cause to the indicator to decay over time. For example, <FIG> illustrates the indicator <NUM> in the first image <NUM>-<NUM> with a certain line thickness, whereas the line thickness of the indicator <NUM> in the second image <NUM>-<NUM> is thinner due to the indicator <NUM> decaying over time. Embodiments may show decay by reducing brightness, changing color, changing line thickness, or in other ways, or combinations thereof.

<FIG> illustrates another example with multiple indicators each in different stages of decay. In this example, the indicators <NUM> are created as a result of detecting and tracking gunshots being fired by the user <NUM>.

For example, in one embodiment, the specific instance of light in the scene comprises laser light being reflected off of the back of a bullet. For example, <FIG> illustrates a laser <NUM>. The laser <NUM> is positioned such that it can reflect off of bullets fired by the user <NUM>. For example, the laser <NUM> may be mounted to a rifle. Note that in some embodiments, the system <NUM> may be mounted to a rifle as part of a rifle scope system. In any case, the laser <NUM> is configured to reflect off of flat back bullets to create specific instances of light that can be detected by the photodetector <NUM> for use in displaying indicators such as the indicators <NUM>. In this way, a warfighter can cause every bullet to appear to the warfighter as a tracer round, without needing to fire actual tracer rounds.

Note however, that in other embodiments, the specific instance of light in the scene comprises tracer combustion associated with a bullet. That is, the photodetector <NUM> may be configured to detect tracer round combustion.

Some embodiments may be configured where the image processor is configured to cause a reticle to be updated to be correlated to the indicator. This 'disturbed reticle' embodiment can allow a system being used as a rifle scope to self-sight. For example, consider the example illustrated in <FIG> illustrates a first image <NUM>-<NUM> and a second image <NUM>-<NUM>. The first image <NUM>-<NUM> shows a reticle <NUM> displayed by the transparent display <NUM>, an indicator <NUM>-<NUM> displayed by the transparent display <NUM> as a result of the transparent detector detecting a fired bullet, and a rifle barrel <NUM> displayed by the underlying device <NUM> transmitting intensified light <NUM> through the transparent optical device <NUM>. Embodiments may further include a laser range finder for determining distances of targets. Using various user setting selecting a sighting distance and the displayed indicator <NUM>-<NUM>, the image processor <NUM> can determine that the reticle <NUM> should be moved as illustrated in the second image <NUM>-<NUM>. In this way, the device <NUM> will be sighted in for the desired distance.

In some embodiments, the system <NUM> may include one or more filters configured to filter a portion of light input into the optical system. In some such embodiments, one or more of the detector active elements corresponds to the filter, such that the indicator is displayed dependent on detecting preselected wavelengths of light. For example, attention is directed to <FIG> illustrates a fiber optic <NUM> which includes a plurality of filters, of which filter <NUM> is representative. Filter <NUM> is configured to filter for certain wavelengths of light. For example, filter <NUM> may be configured to pass only certain wavelengths of short wavelength infrared (SWIR), long wavelength infrared (LWIR), or other infrared light. In some embodiments, the underlying device <NUM> is also able to detect such light and emit output light based on detecting such light. However, if light is detected by a detector corresponding to the filter <NUM> (i.e., detector <NUM>), then the system <NUM> can determine that the specific wavelength of light is present in a particular location corresponding to the filter <NUM> and detector <NUM>. This could be used, for example, when using IR lasers to reflect off of bullets to prevent the lasers from being seen by enemy forces. Alternatively, tracer combustion materials may be selected to emit certain wavelengths of IR light, while excluding emissions of visible light, which could be detected by the system <NUM> to display the indicator <NUM>. Again, this could prevent enemy forces from seeing the tracer rounds.

Further, if certain detectors are unfiltered or are filtered for visible wavelengths, then embodiments could distinguish between friendly fire rounds and enemy rounds.

In some embodiments, optical system <NUM> may be implemented where the specific instance of light in the scene comprises light from a beacon. This could be done in either filtered embodiments or unfiltered embodiments. The beacon could include a pulsed code to identify individuals transmitting the beacon. In such case, the indicator could be used to identify specific individuals or other entities.

The detector active elements and the display active elements of the optical system <NUM> are implemented in a single semiconductor chip.

In some embodiments, optical system <NUM> may be implemented where the detector elements are configured to cause the transparent optical device <NUM> to detect light from the underlying device. Examples of this are illustrated in <FIG>, where the photodetector <NUM> is after the underlying device <NUM>. However, other embodiments may be implemented where the photodetector <NUM> is placed before the underlying device <NUM>. This may be less preferred in some embodiments as it reduces input light to the underlying device, inasmuch as the photodetector <NUM> is only partially transparent. However, this arrangement may provide for better color detection or other advantages.

Further, the embodiments may be practiced by a computer system including one or more processors and computer-readable media such as computer memory.

When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a computer, the computer properly views the connection as a transmission medium. Transmissions media can include a network and/or data links which can be used to carry desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer.

Computer-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which cause a general-purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function or group of functions.

Claim 1:
An optical system (<NUM>) comprising:
an underlying device (<NUM>), the underlying device (<NUM>) configured to provide output light in a first spectrum from input light received at the underlying device (<NUM>);
a transparent optical device (<NUM>) optically coupled in an overlapping fashion to the underlying device (<NUM>), wherein the transparent optical device (<NUM>) is configured to transmit light in the first spectrum from the underlying device (<NUM>) through the transparent optical device (<NUM>) to display a scene to a user, the transparent optical device (<NUM>) comprising:
a first plurality of active elements formed in an active area of the transparent optical device (<NUM>) configured to cause the transparent optical device (<NUM>) to detect light portraying at least a portion of the scene; and
a first plurality of transparent regions (<NUM>) formed in the active area which are transparent to the light in the first spectrum to allow light in the first spectrum to pass through from the underlying device (<NUM>) to a user; and
the optical system (<NUM>) further comprising an image processor (<NUM>) configured to:
process images produced using light detected by the first plurality of active elements to identify a specific instance of light in the scene; and
cause a second plurality of active elements in the active area of the transparent optical device (<NUM>) to display an indicator, in the scene, to the user, correlated to the specific instance of light, including during a change in the scene,
characterized in that the transparent optical device (<NUM>) is implemented on a single semiconductor chip.