Head-mounted display, method of controlling head-mounted display and computer program to measure the distance from a user to a target

• US 10,082,671 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2016
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Aruga, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOKHAM, JAMES S
• Application Number:
  US14/990,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20160210736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 345 8, 345 53, 345633, 348 53
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

A head-mounted display includes: a distance measurement unit that measures a distance to a target present in a predetermined range; an imaging unit that images the predetermined range and acquires different preliminary information from the measured distance; and a distance decision unit that decides a distance to the target included in a second region based on the preliminary information acquired in regard to the target included in a measured first region when the first region and the second region different from the first region are included in the predetermined range in which the target is imaged.

Claims

1. A head-mounted display comprising:

at least one camera that images a predetermined range and acquires color information; and

a processor configured to;

measure a distance to a target present in the predetermined range;

determine a distance to the target included in a second region based on the color information acquired in regard to the target included in a measured first region when the first region and the second region, which is different from the first region, are included in the predetermined range in which the target is imaged; and

determine that the target included in the first region and the target included in the second region are the same target based on the color information.

2. The head-mounted display according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one camera acquires RGB data as the color information in the predetermined range, and

the processor determines that the target included in the first region and the target included in the second region are the same target when the RGB data of the target included in the second region is a value within the predetermined range based on the RGB data of the target included in the first region, and decides the distance to the target included in the second region.

3. The head-mounted display according to claim 1,

wherein the processor decides that the distance to the target included in the second region is the same as the distance to the target included in the first region.

4. The head-mounted display according to claim 1,

wherein the processor decides the distance to the target included in one of the first and second regions as the distance measured when the target is included in one of the first and second regions and is not included in the other one of the first or second region.

5. The head-mounted display according to claim 1,

wherein the first region is a region on which a center of the imaged predetermined range centers, and

wherein the second region is a peripheral region of the first region.

6. The head-mounted display according to claim 5,

wherein the second region is a region which does not overlap with the first region in the imaged predetermined range.

7. The head-mounted display according to claim 1,

wherein the first region is at least a part of the predetermined range imaged at a specific time point and is an acquired region, and

wherein the second region is at least a part of the predetermined range imaged at a different time point from the specific time point.

8. The head-mounted display according to claim 1, further comprising:

a memory that stores a specific target,

wherein the processor decides the distance to the target included in the imaged predetermined range by collating the stored specific target in the imaged predetermined range.

9. The head-mounted display according to claim 8,

wherein the processor estimates at least one of the color information and the distance to the target in a range other than the imaged predetermined range when the stored specific target is not included in the imaged predetermined range.

10. The head-mounted display according to claim 1, wherein the processor:

receives information regarding a specific target from another device,

decides the distance to the target included in the imaged predetermined range by collating the received specific target in the imaged predetermined range.

11. The head-mounted display according to claim 1, wherein:

the processor is configured to detect a visual line direction of a user, and

the imaged predetermined range is set based on the detected visual line direction.

12. A method of controlling a head-mounted display including at least one camera imaging a predetermined range, the method comprising:

measuring a distance to a target present in the imaged predetermined range;

determining a distance to the target included in a second region based on color information that is different from a distance to the target acquired by imaging the target included in a measured first region when the first region and the second region, which is different from the first region, are included in the predetermined range in which the target is imaged; and

determining that the target included in the first region and the target included in the second region are the same target based on the color information.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for a head-mounted display including at least one camera imaging a predetermined range, the computer program causing a computer to:

measure a distance to a target present in the imaged predetermined range;

determine a distance to the target included in a second region based on color information that is different from a distance to the target acquired by imaging the target included in a measured first region when the first region and the second region, which is different from the first region, are included in the predetermined range in which the target is imaged; and

determine that the target included in the first region and the target included in the second region are the same target based on the color information.