Image observing apparatus for observing outside information superposed with a display image

• US 20010000677A1
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Published: 05/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akinari Takagi, Naosato Taniguchi, Toshiyuki Sudo, Yoshihiro Saito
• Original Assignee: Akinari Takagi, Naosato Taniguchi, Toshiyuki Sudo, Yoshihiro Saito
• Inventors: Saito, Yoshihiro, Takagi, Akinari, Taniguchi, Naosato, Sudo, Toshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 6,271,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/25
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00

Abstract

An image observing apparatus is arranged to observe outside information from the outside and a display image displayed on an image display device via an optical combiner and via an eyepiece lens superimposed. The outside information and the display image are imaged so as to be superimposed on a surface of a spatial modulator having a two-dimensional pixel structure. Part or all of the outside information and display image is selected on an area basis by the spatial modulator. The outside information and image information thus selected is observed through the eyepiece lens.

Claims

1. An image observing apparatus arranged to observe outside information from the outside and a display image displayed on image display means via optical path combining means and via an eyepiece lens superimposed, wherein the outside information and the display image are imaged so as to be superimposed on a surface of a spatial modulator having a two-dimensional pixel structure, part or all of the outside information and display image is selected on an area basis by said spatial modulator, and the outside information and image information thus selected is observed through said eyepiece lens.

3. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein said outside information is imaged on the surface of said spatial modulator by an imaging optical system.

4. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 1

, wherein said display image is imaged on the surface of said spatial modulator by an imaging optical system.

5. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein said outside information and display image imaged on the surface of said spatial modulator are comprised of linearly polarized light beams perpendicular to each other.

6. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 5

, wherein said spatial modulator comprises a transmission type liquid crystal panel.

7. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 5

, wherein said spatial modulator comprises a reflection type liquid crystal panel.

8. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 5

, wherein said spatial modulator and said image display means are constructed of a single member.

9. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein said outside information is input into image input means and operation of said spatial modulator is controlled based on a signal from the image input means and a signal from said image display means.

10. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein said image display means comprises a liquid crystal panel, a light source for illuminating the liquid crystal panel, and a polarizing member for controlling a state of polarization of a beam from the liquid crystal panel.

11. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein the display image displayed on said image display means is an imaginary image produced by computer graphics.

12. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein a focal length of an imaging optical system for imaging said outside information on said spatial modulator is substantially equal to a focal length of said eyepiece optical system.

13. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein a field lens is disposed near said spatial modulator.

14. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 1

or

2

, wherein operation of said spatial modulator is controlled based on a signal from said image display means.

15. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 1

or

2

, comprising image pickup means for picking up said outside information.

16. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 15

, wherein said image pickup means shares part of said imaging optical system.

17. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 15

, comprising transmitting means for transmitting image information from said image pickup means to said display means.

18. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 15

, wherein operation of said spatial modulator is controlled based on signals from said image pickup means and from said image display means.

23. The image observing apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 2, 19 and 21, wherein said display image is two-dimensional image information or/and three-dimensional image information.

24. An image observing apparatus for head-mount use, two of the image observing apparatus as set forth in any one of

claim 1

,

2

, 19 and 21 being mounted for the right eye and the left eye of an observer.

2. An image observing apparatus arranged to observe outside information from the outside and a display image displayed on image display means via optical path combining means and via an eyepiece optical system superimposed, wherein the outside information is imaged on a spatial modulator having a two-dimensional pixel structure, part or all of the outside information and said display means is selected on an area basis by said spatial modulator, and the outside information and image information thus selected is observed through said eyepiece optical system.

19. An image observing apparatus arranged to observe outside information from the outside and a display image displayed on image display means via optical path combining means superimposed, said image observing apparatus comprising a spatial modulator having a two-dimensional pixel structure, and control means for modulating at least a partial area of the spatial modulator to permit switching of observation between a beam composing said outside information and a beam composing said image information and for controlling said spatial modulator so as to intercept or reduce the beam in an area of said outside information in accordance with an area of said image information.

20. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 19

, wherein the beam composing said outside information and the beam composing said image information are beams having respective polarization states different from each other and said spatial modulator comprises a transmission type liquid crystal panel.

21. An image observing apparatus arranged to observe outside information from the outside and a display image displayed on image display means via optical path combining means superimposed, said image observing apparatus comprising image pickup means for picking up said outside information and a spatial modulator having a two-dimensional pixel structure, said image observing apparatus further comprising control means for modulating at least a partial area of the spatial modulator to permit switching of observation between a beam composing said outside information and a beam composing said image information, for controlling said spatial modulator so as to intercept or reduce the beam in an area of said outside information in accordance with an area of said image information, and for complementing a peripheral area around said area of the image information with the information picked up by said image pickup means so as to prevent a dark area from appearing in the peripheral area around said area because of an eclipse of the beam.

22. The image observing apparatus according to

claim 21

, wherein the beam composing said outside information and the beam composing said image information are beams having respective polarization states different from each other and said spatial modulator comprises a transmission type liquid crystal panel.