Head-mount type display device and method of controlling head-mount type display device

• US 10,302,944 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Shinichi, Uchiyama, Toshikazu, Wakamiya, Hitomi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghebretinsae, Temesghen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Karki, Paras D
• Application Number:
  US14/314,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20150002373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/00 Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted

Abstract

A head-mount type display device includes an image display device adapted to allow a user to visually recognize an image in a state of being mounted on a head of a user, a detection section disposed in the image display device and adapted to detect biological information of the user, a control section adapted to perform control of the image visually recognized by the user using the image display device, and an annunciation section adapted to inform the user of image control information as information related to the control of the image based on a variation in the biological information detected.

Claims

1. A head-mount type display device comprising:

an image display device adapted to allow a user to view an image when mounted on a head of the user;

a detection section adapted to

detect biological information of the user in response to the image display device beginning to allow the user to view the image, the biological information comprising information for identifying a pulse wave,

calculate a reference value based on the biological information detected by the detection section during an initial use time period, the initial use time period comprising a predetermined time period that begins when the detection section begins detecting the biological information in response to the image display device beginning to allow the user to view the image,

calculate another value based on the biological information detected by the detection section during another time period after the initial use time period, and

determine whether the another value varies from the reference value by more than a predetermined threshold value; and

an annunciation section adapted to

inform the user of image control information in response to a determination that the another value varies from the reference value by more than the predetermined threshold value, the image control information comprising a predetermined message configured to prompt the user to stop viewing the image using the image display device of the head-mount type display device,

wherein

each of the reference value and the another value is a value of a maximum difference in a heartbeat interval,

the value of the maximum difference in the heartbeat interval is a difference between a maximum value of the heartbeat interval and a minimum value of the heartbeat interval in a predetermined number of beats of the heart, and

the image display device displays the predetermined message after the image is displayed on the image display device.

2. The head-mount type display device according to claim 1, wherein

the detection section is disposed so as to have contact with the user, and keep the contact with the user.

3. The head-mount type display device according to claim 1, wherein

the annunciation section allows the user to view the image control information using the image display device.

4. The head-mount type display device according to claim 1, wherein

the annunciation section outputs the image control information as a sound.

5. The head-mount type display device according to claim 1, wherein

the annunciation section is further adapted to perform control of changing the image so as not to be viewable by the user.

7. The head-mount type display device according to claim 1, wherein the image control information is further configured to notify the user that the image will be changed so as not to be viewable by the user.

8. The head-mount type display device according to claim 1, wherein the annunciation section is further adapted to change the image so as not to be viewable by the user if the another value varies from the reference value by more than the predetermined threshold value for a predetermined amount of time after the annunciation section informs the user of the image control information.

9. The head-mount type display device according to claim 1, wherein the detection section is adapted to detect the biological information of the user at periodic intervals.

10. The head-mount type display device according to claim 1, wherein

the detection section comprises a pulse wave sensor, and

the pulse wave sensor is configured to identify the pulse wave from a side of the head of the user.

6. A method of controlling a head-mount type display device including an image display device adapted to allow a user to view an image when mounted on a head of the user and a detection section adapted to detect biological information of the user, the method comprising:

detecting the biological information in response to the image display device beginning to allow the user to view the image;

calculating a reference value based on the biological information detected during an initial use time period, the initial use time period comprising a predetermined time period that begins when the detecting of the biological information in response to the image display device beginning to allow the user to view the image begins;

calculating another value based on the biological information detected during another time period after the initial use period;

determining whether the another value varies from the reference value by more than a predetermined threshold value; and

informing the user of image control information in response to a determination that the another value varies from the reference value by more than the predetermined threshold value,

wherein

the biological information comprises information for identifying a pulse wave,

each of the reference value and the another value is a value of a maximum difference in a heartbeat interval,

the value of the maximum difference in the heartbeat interval is a difference between a maximum value of the heartbeat interval and a minimum value of the heartbeat interval in a predetermined number of beats of the heart,

the image control information comprises a predetermined message configured to prompt the user to stop viewing the image using the image display device of the head-mount type display device, and

the image display device displays the predetermined message after the image is displayed on the image display device.