Infrared binocular system

Abstract

Binocular system, including method and apparatus, for viewing a scene. The system may comprise a left camera and a right camera that create left and right video signals from detected optical radiation. At least one of the cameras may include a sensor that is sensitive to infrared radiation. The system also may comprise a left display and a right display arranged to be viewed by a pair of eyes. The left and right displays may be configured to present respective left video images and right video images formed with visible light based respectively on the left and right video signals.

1 . A binocular system, comprising:
 a left camera and a right camera that create left and right video signals from detected optical radiation received from about a same field of view along respective left and right optical axes that are parallel to and offset from each other, at least one of the cameras including a sensor that is sensitive to infrared radiation; and   a left display and a right display arranged to be viewed by a pair of eyes and configured to present left and right video images formed with visible light based respectively on the left and right video signals,   wherein the left camera is configured to detect a first wavelength band of optical radiation and the right camera is configured to detect a second wavelength band of optical radiation, and wherein the first wavelength band and the second wavelength band are different from each other.   
     
     
         2 . The binocular system of  claim 1 , wherein the left camera includes a first sensor and the right camera includes a second sensor, and wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are sensitive to respective wavelength bands of optical radiation that are different from each other. 
     
     
         3 . The binocular system of  claim 1 , wherein the left camera includes a first sensor and first input optics and the right camera includes a second sensor and second input optics, and wherein the first input optics and second input optics transmit respective wavelength bands of optical radiation that are different from each other to the corresponding sensors. 
     
     
         4 . The binocular system of  claim 3 , wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are sensitive to a same wavelength band of optical radiation. 
     
     
         5 . The binocular system of  claim 1 , wherein the first wavelength band and the second wavelength band overlap one another. 
     
     
         6 . The binocular system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the cameras is an infrared camera. 
     
     
         7 . The binocular system of  claim 6 , wherein both of the cameras detect mid-wave infrared radiation and/or long-wave infrared radiation. 
     
     
         8 . The binocular system of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the cameras includes input optics that includes a filter that filters the optical radiation before such radiation is detected by a camera. 
     
     
         9 . The binocular system of  claim 1 , wherein a relative intensity of left video images compared to right video images is adjustable by a user. 
     
     
         10 . The binocular system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller and a third camera that creates a third video signal, wherein the controller is programmed to blend the third video signal with another of the video signals to produce a blended signal, and wherein a display is configured to present video images based on the blended signal. 
     
     
         11 . The binocular system of  claim 1 , wherein the displays are capable of presenting alphanumeric characters and/or other symbols with a single display as both displays present video images, such that the characters and/or symbols are seen only with one eye when the video images are viewed by a pair of eyes. 
     
     
         12 . The binocular system of  claim 1 , wherein each display is operatively connected to a respective eyepiece, and wherein a focus of each eyepiece is adjustable independently of the other eyepiece. 
     
     
         13 . A binocular system, comprising:
 a left camera and a right camera that create left and right video signals from detected optical radiation received from about a same field of view along respective left and right optical axes that are parallel to and offset from each other, at least one of the cameras including a sensor that is sensitive to infrared radiation; and   a left display and a right display arranged to be viewed by a pair of eyes and configured to present left and right video images formed with visible light based respectively on the left and right video signals,   wherein the displays are capable of presenting other information with a single display as both displays present video images, such that the other information is only seen with one eye when the video images are viewed by a pair of eyes.   
     
     
         14 . The binocular system of  claim 13 , wherein the other information includes one or more alphanumeric characters and/or other symbols. 
     
     
         15 . The binocular system of  claim 13 , wherein the other information at least partially overlaps video images presented by the single display. 
     
     
         16 . The binocular system of  claim 13 , wherein the other information and video images are presented at least partially adjacent each other by the single display. 
     
     
         17 . The binocular system of  claim 13 , wherein each display is operatively connected to a respective eyepiece, and wherein a focus of each eyepiece is adjustable independently of the other eyepiece. 
     
     
         18 . The binocular system of  claim 13 , further comprising a controller programmed (a) to determine a distance from the system to an object represented in the video images based on processing the left and right video signals, and (b) to drive presentation of an indication of the distance by at least one of the displays. 
     
     
         19 . The binocular system of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is programmed to cause at least a portion of a representation of the object in one or more of the video images to be displayed in a color that indicates the distance. 
     
     
         20 . The binocular system of  claim 13 , further comprising a controller and a third camera that creates a third video signal, wherein the controller is programmed to blend the third video signal with another of the video signals to produce a blended signal, and wherein a display is configured to present video images based on the blended signal. 
     
     
         21 . The binocular system of  claim 13 , wherein the left camera is configured to detect a first wavelength band of optical radiation and the right camera is configured to detect a second wavelength band of optical radiation, and wherein the first wavelength band and the second wavelength band are different from each other. 
     
     
         22 . The binocular system of  claim 13 , further comprising a controller operatively connected to the displays and programmed to drive presentation of left video images and right video images formed using a different palette for each display. 
     
     
         23 . The binocular system of  claim 22 , wherein the controller is programmed to drive presentation of monochromatic video images by one of the displays and video images including at least one color by the other display. 
     
     
         24 . The binocular system of  claim 23 , wherein the video images including at least one color are substantially monochromatic, and wherein the at least one color highlights regions of video images that meet a predefined condition. 
     
     
         25 . The binocular system of  claim 13 , wherein the other information includes one more alphanumeric characters, and wherein the alphanumeric characters are automatically flipped for presentation in a right-side up orientation to a user when the binocular system is turned upside down. 
     
     
         26 . A method of providing video of a scene, comprising:
 creating left and right video signals from incident optical radiation received from about a same field of view along left and right optical axes that are parallel to and offset from one another, the left and right video signals respectively representing optical radiation detected from a first wavelength band and a second wavelength band, the first and second wavelength bands being different from each other and at least one of the wavelength bands including infrared radiation;   presenting left and right video images formed with visible light based respectively on the left and right video signals; and   receiving the left and right video images at respective left and right eyepieces arranged to be aligned with a pair of eyes.