Method for providing color images from a monochromatic electro-optical device using two optical channels and systems, apparatuses and devices related thereto

Abstract

An apparatus and methods for converting a monochrome night vision or other electro-optical device into one that provides a sensation of full color, including from red to blue with white and black. The method provides color images from an electro-optical device in which the image data from the electro-optical device contains brightness information of an area being viewed by the device without separate color information. Such a method includes operably coupling an optical channel system to the electro-optical device and configuring the optical channel system and arranging the optical channel system with respect to the electro-optical device so two color informational channels are provided to the viewer, whereby the two informational channels formed by said configuring and arranging of the optical channel system are such that the viewer sees a color image. Such methods and apparatuses of the present invention provides a sensation of full color image, including from red to blue with white and black, to the viewer.

1 . An electro-optical viewing device, comprising:
 a light filtering system including a first light filter sub-system positioned at a light-input end of the device and a output sub-system distinct from the first light filter sub-system and positioned at a light-output end of the device,   wherein each of the first filter sub-system and the output sub-system are configured and arranged so as to form two light channels each light channel having a transmission characteristic defining the boundaries of the light channel with respect to wavelength;   wherein the first filter sub-system is configured and arranged so the characteristics for the two light channels cross each other at a predetermined point, where a wavelength at which the characteristics for the two light channels cross each other lies in the range of from about 580 nm to about 620 nm;   wherein the device has a substantially monochromatic output in the absence of the filtering system; and   wherein the two light channels provides a sensation of a full color output to a viewer.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the characteristics for the two light channels of the first filter sub-system cross each other at a predetermined point with respect to a cut-off for each respective characteristic. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the characteristics for the two light channels each have a sloping edge that approaches the cut-off for each respective characteristic and wherein the characteristics of the two light channels cross at a predetermined point along the sloping edge of the respective light channel. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the output sub-system comprises a second filter sub-system. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the output subs-system comprises a display device. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first filtering sub-system and the output sub-system are configured and arranged so as to filter light into respective light channels using one of absorption, reflection or filtering techniques. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the characteristics for the two light channels of the first filtering sub-system cross each other at one of about a ≦50% or a 10% cut-off point for each respective characteristic. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the wavelength at which the characteristics for the two light channels cross each other lies in the range of from about 580 nm to about 600 nm. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the characteristics for the two light channels cross each other at a wavelength of about 600 nm. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first light filtering sub-system and output sub-system further includes two filters so as to form the two channels, where the two filters are one of electrically operated filter or filters that are oscillated or rotated. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the wavelength at which the characteristics for the two light channels cross is selected from the group consisting of
 (a) in the range of from about 580 nm to 600 nm, or   (b) about 600 nm.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first light filtering sub-system further includes two filters that are being oscillated or rotated, and wherein excluding portions of the characteristics that are overlapping, one of the filters is a long-wave pass filter and the other of the filters is a short-wave pass filter. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a night vision device. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second filter sub-systems are each rotated at a speed whereby successive switching between each of the plurality of filters comprising each filer sub-system occurs faster than about 15 times per second. 
     
     
         17 . A night vision system comprising:
 an electro-optical viewing device;   a light filtering system including a first light filter sub-system positioned at a light-input end of the device and an output sub-system that is distinct from the first light filter sub-system and is positioned at a light-output end of the device,   wherein each of the first filter sub-system and the output second filter sub-system are configured and arranged so as to include two light channels each light channel having a characteristic defining the boundaries of the light channel;   wherein the first filter sub-system is configured and arranged so the characteristics for the two light channels cross each other at a predetermined point:   wherein the electro-optical viewing device has a substantially monochromatic output; and   wherein the two light channels provides a sensation of a full color output to a viewer.   
     
     
         18 . The night vision system of  claim 17 , wherein a wavelength at which the characteristics for the two light channels cross is selected from the group consisting of
 (a) in the range of from about 580 nm to about 620 nm,   (b) in the range of from about 590 nm to 610 nm, or   (c) about 600 nm.   
     
     
         19 . The night vision system of  claim 18 , wherein the characteristics for the two light channels cross each other at a point that is at one of about a ≦50% or 10% cut-off point for each respective characteristic of the two light channels. 
     
     
         20 . A method for providing color images from an electro-optical device in which the image data from the electro-optical device contains brightness information of an area being viewed by the device without separate color information, said method for providing color images, comprising the steps of:
 operably coupling an optical channel system to the electro-optical device;   configuring the optical channel system and arranging the optical channel system with respect to the electro-optical device so two color informational channels are provided to the viewer, wherein a boundary is set between the two color informational channels, where the boundary is in a predetermined range of values of wavelengths of radiation, whereby the two informational channels formed by said configuring and arranging of the optical channel system are such that the viewer sees a color image; and   wherein the boundary is set so as to satisfy the following relationship:
   580≧λ b ≧620 nm 
   
       where λ b  is the wavelength of the radiation corresponding to the boundary between the two color informational channels. 
     
     
         21 - 36 . (canceled)