Patent ID: 8384730

Claim:
A system for generating head-up display (“HUD”) image data from synthetic image data, such system comprising: a source of a multi-channel pixel intensity data set comprised of synthetic image data representative of a three-dimensional, multi-color perspective of a synthetic terrain image, where the synthetic terrain image is being presented on a head-down display (“HDD”) unit; an image generating processor configured to receive a multi-channel pixel intensity data set comprised of the synthetic image data, generate a single-channel pixel intensity data set as a function of at least the multi-channel pixel intensity data set and channel weighting, where the single-channel pixel intensity data set is representative of a non-wireframe, single color perspective of the synthetic image data, where the perspective has the visual appearance of a three-dimensional, lighted solid terrain image formed by varying the brightness of the single color, such that changes in terrain elevation are indicated by varied brightnesses of the single color, whereby darker and lighter areas of the three-dimensional, lighted solid terrain image comprised of the varied brightnesses correlate to greater and lesser transparencies of a head-up display unit, respectively, and provide the single-channel pixel intensity data set to a HUD system; and the HUD system configured to receive the single-channel pixel intensity data set, and display the perspective of the synthetic image data represented in the single-channel pixel intensity data set on a HUD combiner unit of the HUD system.