Augmented imaging using a silhouette to improve contrast

Abstract

An augmented display includes an image display source and a silhouette display source. The image display source generates a virtual image to be perceived by a viewer. The silhouette display source occurs in the path of the background light. The silhouette display source generates a mask corresponding to the image content of the image display. The mask is a darkened area reducing or blocking background light. As the light from the virtual image is overlaid onto the background, there is less background light in the portion where the image appears.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of presenting an image for viewing by a user, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a first set of image data to a flat-panel display;    displaying with the flat-panel display a first image portion corresponding to the first set of image data;    providing a second set of image data;    modulating a beam of light according to the second set of image data;    scanning the modulated beam of light through a predetermined, periodic scan pattern to produce a second image portion; and    superimposing the second image portion on the first image portion to produce the image as a combination of the first image portion and second image portion.    
     
     
         2 . The method of    claim 1    wherein the flat-panel display is an LCD panel.  
     
     
         3 . The method of    claim 1    wherein the beam of light includes light of a plurality of wavelengths.  
     
     
         4 . The method of    claim 1    wherein the first image portion is lower resolution than the second image portion.  
     
     
         5 . A method of displaying a combined image including a background image portion and a local image portion in response to a set of image data, comprising the steps of: 
 defining the background image portion from the set of image data;    presenting the background image portion in an image field with a first display device having a first resolution;    defining the local image portion from the set of image data;    presenting the local image portion with a second display device; and    superimposing the local image portion over the background image portion in the image field.    
     
     
         6 . The method of    claim 5    wherein the second display device is a scanning beam display.  
     
     
         7 . The method of    claim 6    wherein the first display device is a cathode ray tube.  
     
     
         8 . The method of    claim 6    wherein the first display device is an LCD panel.  
     
     
         9 . The method of    claim 8    wherein the first display device includes a backlight aligned to the LCD panel.  
     
     
         10 . The method of    claim 8    wherein the first display device is aligned to transmit light from a background scene to the image field.  
     
     
         11 . A display comprising: 
 a scanning beam display portion position to present a first image to a viewer in a viewing field; and    an LCD panel position to present a second image to the viewer in the viewing field and oriented such that the first image and second image are overlapped.    
     
     
         12 . The display of    claim 11    further comprising a data processing circuit having an input portion for receiving image data, a first output coupled to the scanning beam display portion, and a second output coupled to the LCD panel, the data processing circuit being operative to define the first image and second image from the image data.  
     
     
         13 . The display of    claim 11    further comprising combining optics having a first input aligned to scanning beam display portion, a second input aligned to the LCD panel, and an output configured for alignment to a viewer's eye.