Head mounted display system

• US 20020149545A1
• Filed: 05/15/2002
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Ishizawa, Takanori, Miyairi, Nobuo, Hanayama, Ryotaro
• Application Number:
  US10/145,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20020149545A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4183 providing its own processing capabilities, e.g. external module for video decoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7491 of head mounted projectors

Abstract

A head mounted display system connects a portable information terminal and a head mounted display device to each other through a PC card. To the PC card is provided a second connector for supplying power and a signal from the outside which are different from power and a signal from an internal bus of the PC card, separately from a first connector of the PC card, and power and a signal to the head mounted display device are collectively supplied by a main cable connected to the first connector.

Claims

1. A head mounted display system comprising an information processing unit and a head mounted display device, said head mounted display system including:

at least one of a signal converter and a power converter, and

an intelligent interface which connects the information processing unit and the head mounted display device to each other.

2. The head mounted display system according to claim 1, wherein at least one path along which a signal is transmitted and at least one path along which power is transmitted are connected to the intelligent interface, said head mounted display system further comprising only one main cable which includes:

the path along which a signal is transmitted and which connects the intelligent interface and the head mounted display device to each other, and

the path along which power is transmitted and which connects the intelligent interface and the head mounted display device to each other.

3. The head mounted display system according to claim 2, wherein the information processing unit includes a bus controller, and the path along which a signal is transmitted and which connects the intelligent interface and the information processing unit to each other, and the path along which power is transmitted and which connects the intelligent interface and the information processing unit to each other are connected to the bus controller.

4. The head mounted display device according to claim 3, wherein the intelligent interface has a PC card including a first connector and a second connector, the first connector being connected to the main cable, the second connector being connected to the path along which a signal is transmitted and the path along which power is transmitted, and the information processing unit includes a PC card slot to which the PC card is inserted.

5. The head mounted display system according to claim 4, wherein the PC card is supplied with at least one of power and a signal through the second connector.

6. The head mounted display system according to claim 4, wherein the head mounted display device and the PC card are supplied with at least one of power and a signal from the outside of the PC card through the second connector.

7. The head mounted display system according to claim 4, wherein the second connector is connected to one of a USB connector, a PS/2 connector and an IEEE1394 connector.

8. The head mounted display system according to claim 1, wherein the head mounted display device includes:

an image display mechanism which can emits image display light, and

a support mechanism which supports the image display mechanism so that the image display mechanism is capable of swiveling and which can be put on the head of a user, and

when the support mechanism is put on the head, the image display mechanism corresponds to only one eye of the user and the image display light emitted by the image display mechanism is led to the eye, and

the image display mechanism is capable of swiveling to cause the image display mechanism to take a position corresponding to one eye of the user and a position corresponding to the other eye.

9. The head mounted display system according to claim 1, wherein the head mounted display device includes:

an image display mechanism including a viewer portion which emits image display light and an arm portion which supports the viewer portion on one end side of the an arm portion, and

a support mechanism which supports the arm portion on the other end side of the arm portion and configured to be put on the head of a user,

said arm portion being supported by the support mechanism so as to swivel among a central position, a first position swiveled from the central position by approximately 90° and

a second position swiveled from the central position by approximately −

90°

, and, while the support mechanism remains put on the head of a user, said viewer portion corresponding to one eye of the user at the first position and the viewer portion corresponding to the other eye at the second position.

10. The head mounted display system according to claim 9, wherein the support mechanism includes:

a tabular member having a shape corresponding to a shape of the head on which the support mechanism is put,

a first ear cover portion provided at one end of the tabular member, and

a second ear cover portion provided at the other end of the tabular member, and

the image display mechanism is supported by the first ear cover portion so as to be capable of swiveling.

11. The head mounted display system according to claim 9, wherein the image display mechanism automatically rotates an image to be displayed by 180°

in response to swiveling of the image display mechanism.