Optical protection apparatus for use with night vision devices

摘要

An optical protection apparatus for preventing the degradation by bright light of the performance of night vision devices which includes a first lens for focusing bright light from a light source onto a charge coupled device sensing array at its focal plane. Simultaneously, light from the source is imaged onto a liquid crystal television display which is positioned in front of the optical image sensing element for the night vision goggles. Raster scan and data processing circuit a first stream of digital data which represents the bright light image focused onto the charge coupled device sensing array. A video contrast enhancer generates a second stream of digital data which represents a negative image of the bright light image. This second stream of digital data is supplied to an electronics control module which generates alternating current drive signals for forming an opaque image on the liquid crystal television display at the position on the liquid crystal television display upon which the bright light image is incident. This opaque image prevents the bright light image from passing through the liquid crystal television display to the optical image sensing element for the night vision device.