Patents by Inventor James E. Melzer

James E. Melzer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11867913
    Abstract: A method, medium and system for auto-aligning displays of a head/helmet mounted display. The method, medium and system may provide for an auto-alignment of components of a headband, headgear, or a helmet. The method, medium and system may provide for a first sensor mounted to the helmet of a user and configured to communicate and transfer align with a vehicle comprising an inertial navigation system (INS). The method, medium and system may provide for display comprising a second sensor configured to communicate with the first sensor and transfer align the second sensor with the first sensor based on the transfer alignment of the first sensor with the vehicle. The method, medium and system may provide for wherein the first sensor and the second sensor comprise an inertial measurement unit (IMU). Further, the method, medium and system may also provide for the aligning of two displays on the head/helmet relative to each other in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: THALES DEFENSE & SECURITY, INC.
    Inventors: Robert B. Atac, Richard Madison, James E. Melzer
  • Publication number: 20230074442
    Abstract: A method, medium and system for auto-aligning displays of a head/helmet mounted display. The method, medium and system may provide for an auto-alignment of components of a headband, headgear, or a helmet. The method, medium and system may provide for a first sensor mounted to the helmet of a user and configured to communicate and transfer align with a vehicle comprising an inertial navigation system (INS). The method, medium and system may provide for display comprising a second sensor configured to communicate with the first sensor and transfer align the second sensor with the first sensor based on the transfer alignment of the first sensor with the vehicle. The method, medium and system may provide for wherein the first sensor and the second sensor comprise an inertial measurement unit (IMU). Further, the method, medium and system may also provide for the aligning of two displays on the head/helmet relative to each other in real time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Robert B. ATAC, Richard MADISON, James E. MELZER
  • Patent number: 11487124
    Abstract: A method, medium and system for auto-aligning displays of a head/helmet mounted display. The method, medium and system may provide for an auto-alignment of components of a headband, headgear, or a helmet. The method, medium and system may provide for a first sensor mounted to the helmet of a user and configured to communicate and transfer align with a vehicle comprising an inertial navigation system (INS). The method, medium and system may provide for display comprising a second sensor configured to communicate with the first sensor and transfer align the second sensor with the first sensor based on the transfer alignment of the first sensor with the vehicle. The method, medium and system may provide for wherein the first sensor and the second sensor comprise an inertial measurement unit (IMU). Further, the method, medium and system may also provide for the aligning of two displays on the head/helmet relative to each other in real time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: THALES DEFENSE & SECURITY, INC.
    Inventors: Robert B. Atac, Richard Madison, James E. Melzer
  • Publication number: 20210048679
    Abstract: A method, medium and system for auto-aligning displays of a head/helmet mounted display. The method, medium and system may provide for an auto-alignment of components of a headband, headgear, or a helmet. The method, medium and system may provide for a first sensor mounted to the helmet of a user and configured to communicate and transfer align with a vehicle comprising an inertial navigation system (INS). The method, medium and system may provide for display comprising a second sensor configured to communicate with the first sensor and transfer align the second sensor with the first sensor based on the transfer alignment of the first sensor with the vehicle. The method, medium and system may provide for wherein the first sensor and the second sensor comprise an inertial measurement unit (IMU). Further, the method, medium and system may also provide for the aligning of two displays on the head/helmet relative to each other in real time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Robert B. ATAC, Richard MADISON, James E. MELZER
  • Patent number: 10254544
    Abstract: A display system includes a transparent display configured to be worn by a pilot of an aircraft and configured to display information from an image source while allowing the pilot to view a scene, and one or more sensors configured to acquire sensor data indicative of a current orientation and motion of at least one of an eye, a head, and a body portion of the pilot. The display system also includes a controller configured to determine the pilot's current viewpoint of the scene based on the sensor data; determine the pilot's future viewpoint of the scene based on the sensor data and the pilot's current viewpoint of the scene; and cause the image source to provide the display information to the transparent display based on the pilot's determined future viewpoint of the scene to allow the pilot to view the display information and the scene together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventor: James E. Melzer
  • Patent number: 9958583
    Abstract: An optical notch filter includes a particle layer including nano-particles in a substrate material. The nano-particles are arranged in one or more arrays to provide a nano plasmonic absorption of radiation having a wavelength of 532 nm incident on the filter. The filter exhibits a radiation absorption profile with an absorption maxima of at least 99% at 532 nm for an angle of incidence of between +50° and ?50°, and has a full width half maxima transmission of less than 15 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert G. Brown, Steven E. Koenck, James E. Melzer, Wyatt L. Hendrick
  • Patent number: 9678345
    Abstract: A binocular display vergence correction system is described. The binocular display vergence correction system includes a binocular display, a display tracking system, and a controller. The binocular display, being pixelated, includes a left eye image display and a right eye image display. The display tracking system is configured to determine the position and angular orientation of the binocular display relative to an origin position and origin angular orientation. The controller, includes a processor, and is configured to correct the vergence of the binocular display based on an apparent viewing distance from an eye position of the binocular display to a target object to be viewed on a screen based on the determined position and angular orientation of the binocular display. A method of correcting vergence for a pixelated binocular display is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: James E. Melzer, Wyatt L. Hendrick, Augusto H. Alvarez, Juan C. Salazar, David M. Leath, Wei L. Wang
  • Patent number: 9651817
    Abstract: A nanoplasmonic optical reflective includes a particle layer including nano-particles in a substrate material. The nano-particles are arranged in one or more arrays to provide a nano plasmonic reflection of electromagnetic radiation at a selected wavelength. A color display includes a light source configured to emit light, and a nanoplasmonic filter section the nanoplasmonic optical filter. The color display further includes pixel addressing electronics configured to address pixels within the nanoplasmonic filter section, and display optics arranged to display a color image based on addressed pixels by the pixel addressing electronics and the nanoplasmonic reflection or transmission of the light in selected wavelength bands. The color display may be arranged in passive reflective, passive transmissive, active reflective, or active transmissive architectures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: Bobby D. Foote, James E. Melzer, Robert G. Brown
  • Patent number: 9615067
    Abstract: The head mounted digital viewing system includes a sensor system, positionable substantially directly in front of the eyes of the user. The sensor system provides sensor video data. An image processing system is configured to receive the sensor video data. The image processing system modifies the sensor video data and provides display video data. A display system is positionable substantially in front of the eyes of the user. The display system is configured to receive the display video data and provide a display image to at least one eye of the user. The display system is positionable between the sensor system and at least one eye of the user. The line of sight of the sensor system and the display system are substantially aligned with the line of sight of at least one eye of the user. The sensor system and the display system are mechanically separate from each other and mechanically aligned with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: ROCKWELL COLLINS, INC.
    Inventors: Bobby D. Foote, James E. Melzer, David W. Jensen
  • Patent number: 5846185
    Abstract: An endoscopic probe for viewing difficult to reach surfaces is provided. The system utilizes a pair of image transmission elements. The first image transmission element passes a low resolution, wide field of view image of the surface to be examined to one eyepiece. The second image transmission element passes a high resolution, narrow field of view image of a portion of the same surface to a second eyepiece. Thus the viewer receives low resolution, wide field of view information in one eye and high resolution, narrow field of view information in the other eye. The overlapped, low resolution information from the wide field-of-view scene is suppressed by the brain, thus resulting in the two images being combined. The combined image contains both the low resolution, wide field-of-view information and the high resolution, narrow field-of-view information. The endoscopic probe may contain one or more illumination sources in order to provide sufficient light intensity for the imaging system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Inventors: Jerome T. Carollo, James E. Melzer
  • Patent number: 5233458
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing the effects of binocular rivalry in a partially overlapped binocular image are disclosed. A false contour line is generated either electronically or mechanically along the border between the binocular and monocular images. This contour line reduces binocular rivalry in both convergent and divergent partially overlapped binocular displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Assignee: Kaiser Aerospace and Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kirk W. Moffitt, James E. Melzer
  • Patent number: 4859031
    Abstract: An optical collimating apparatus employs a semi-reflective concave mirror and cholesteric liquid crystal element. In one embodiment, the optical collimating apparatus is used as a heads-up display device. Images in the line of sight of an observer substantially pass through a transmitter/combiner, semi-reflective concave mirror, and cholesteric liquid crystal element to an observer. Images generated by an image source are focussed on the transmitter/combiner such that the transmitter/combiner reflects the images into the line of sight of the observer. The generated images are transmitted by the primarily transmissive (convex) side of the semi-reflective concave mirror to the cholesteric liquid crystal element. The cholesteric liquid crystal element reflects the generated images back toward the primarily reflective (concave) side of the semi-refective concave mirror, which in turn reflects the images back toward the cholesteric liquid crystal element, which transmits the generated images to the observer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1989
    Assignee: Kaiser Electronics
    Inventors: Arthur L. Berman, James E. Melzer
  • Patent number: 4761056
    Abstract: A display apparatus for use with headgear, includes in combination visor means adapted to attach to the headgear and having a visor viewing area segment positioned in the line-of-sight of a wearer of the headgear. Optical display generating means are adapted to be attached to the headgear. Parabolic mirror means are interposed in the optical path from the optical display generating means to the visor viewing area segment. Fold mirror means, including at least one fold mirror positioned to receive the image from the parabolic mirror means for directing the image to the visor viewing area segment, is provided, whereby the size and curvature of the visor can be minimized without affecting transmission of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1988
    Assignee: Kaiser Aerospace and Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Charles D. Evans, Andrew T. Tirums, Eric W. Larkin, James E. Melzer