Method and system for displaying an image

Abstract

There is disclosed a method and apparatus for displaying an image that includes selecting a camera unit horizontal field of view (FOV) of about eighteen degrees and selecting a system magnification of less than 1.0. The method and apparatus also includes determining an aspect ratio for the image based on the selected camera unit horizontal FOV and the selected system magnification, receiving energy from a scene for forming the image and displaying the image on a display.

1 . A method for displaying an image on a display, comprising: 
 selecting a camera unit horizontal field of view (FOV) of about eighteen degrees;    selecting a system magnification of less than 1.0;    determining an aspect ratio for the image based on the selected camera unit horizontal FOV and the selected system magnification;    receiving energy from a scene for forming the image; and    displaying the image on a display of an automobile.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting a camera unit horizontal field of view (FOV) of about eighteen degrees comprises selecting a camera unit horizontal FOV of between fifteen and twenty-one degrees.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting a system magnification of less than 1.0 comprises selecting a system magnification greater than or equal to 0.4.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 selecting a camera unit horizontal field of view (FOV) of about eighteen degrees comprises selecting a camera unit horizontal FOV of eighteen degrees;    selecting a system magnification of less than 1.0 comprises selecting a system magnification of approximately 0.55; and    determining an aspect ratio for the image based on the selected camera unit horizontal FOV and the selected system magnification comprises determining an aspect ratio for the image of approximately 10:3.3.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the image on a display comprises reflecting the image onto an imaging mirror.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the image on a display comprises displaying the image on a liquid crystal display (LCD).  
   
   
       7 . A method for displaying an image on a display, comprising: 
 selecting a camera unit horizontal field of view (FOV) of about eighteen degrees;    selecting a system magnification of less than 1.0;    determining an aspect ratio for the image based on the selected camera unit horizontal FOV and the selected system magnification;    receiving energy from a scene for forming the image at each of a plurality of detector elements;    converting the energy received at each detector element into information representative of the received energy;    forming the image using the information representative of the received energy; and    displaying the image on a display.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein displaying the image on a display comprises projecting the image onto a fold mirror and reflecting the visible image to an imaging mirror using the fold mirror.  
   
   
       9 . A system for displaying an image, comprising: 
 a camera unit having a horizontal field of view (FOV) selected to be about eighteen degrees;    a system magnification selected to be less than 1.0; and    a display coupled to the camera unit, the display operable to display the image, the image having an aspect ratio determined based on the selected camera unit horizontal FOV and the selected system magnification.    
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a camera unit having a horizontal field of view (FOV) selected to be about eighteen degrees comprises a camera unit having a horizontal FOV selected to be between fifteen and twenty-one degrees.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a system magnification selected to be less than 1.0 comprises a system magnification selected to be greater than or equal to 0.4.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 a camera unit having a horizontal field of view (FOV) selected to be about eighteen degrees comprises a camera unit having a horizontal FOV selected to be eighteen degrees;    a system magnification selected to be less than 1.0 comprises a system magnification selected to be approximately 0.55; and    the image having an aspect ratio determined based on the selected camera unit horizontal FOV and the selected system magnification comprises the image having an aspect ratio of approximately 10:3.3.    
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the display comprises the imaging mirror and further comprising a fold mirror operable to display the image onto the imaging mirror.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the display comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD).  
   
   
       15 . A system for displaying an image, comprising: 
 a camera unit having a horizontal field of view (FOV) selected to be about eighteen degrees;    a system magnification selected to be less than 1.0;    a display coupled to the camera unit, the display operable to display the image, the image having an aspect ratio determined based on the selected camera unit horizontal FOV and the selected system magnification;    a lens system operable to direct energy from a scene toward a detector;    a display unit comprising the display, the display unit coupled to the detector, the display unit operable to form the image using information received from the detector; and    wherein the detector includes an array of detector elements, each detector element operable to receive energy from a portion of the scene and to convert the received energy into information representative of the received energy and to send the information associated with at least some of the detector elements to the display unit.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the display unit comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD) operable to project the image onto a fold mirror, the fold mirror configured to reflect the visible image to an imaging mirror.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the detector comprises a vanadium oxide bolometer.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the detector comprises a thin-film ferrolectric bolometer.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the detector comprises an alpha-silicon bolometer.