Mixed reality presenting apparatus and image processing method

• US 20030137524A1
• Filed: 01/14/2003
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Hiroyuki, Anabuki, Mahoro
• Granted Patent: US 7,298,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/633
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0198 System for aligning or maintaining alignment of an image in a predetermined direction
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted

Abstract

A mixed reality presenting apparatus for merging an incident real-space image and a generated virtual-space image comprises a measuring section which measures the orientation of a unit for entering the real-space image and the speed or acceleration thereof; a virtual-space image generating section which generates virtual-space image data on the basis of the measurement result; a correcting optical system which corrects the path of light passing therethrough; and a correcting optical system control section which controls the correcting optical system on the basis of the measured speed or acceleration.

Claims

1. A mixed reality presenting apparatus for merging an input real-space image and a generated virtual-space image, comprising:

a measuring section which measures the orientation of a unit for inputting said real-space image and the speed or acceleration thereof;

a virtual-space image generating section which generates virtual-space image data on the basis of the measurement result;

a correcting optical system which corrects the path of light passing therethrough; and

a correcting optical system control section which controls said correcting optical system on the basis of said measured speed or acceleration.

2. A mixed reality presenting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said measuring section further measures the position of said apparatus.

3. A mixed reality presenting apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said correcting optical system corrects the path of external light incident on said apparatus from the real space.

4. A mixed reality presenting apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said correcting optical system corrects the path of image light from a virtual-space image display section.

5. A mixed reality presenting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said correcting optical system control section adjusts the amount of correction of said correcting optical system in response to the time required for generating the virtual-space image by said virtual-space image generating section.

6. A mixed reality presenting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein an amount of correction of the course of light passing through said correcting optical system is set in response to an average time required for generating the virtual-space image data by said virtual-space image generating section.

7. A mixed reality presenting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a real-space image pickup section which picks up external light incident from a real space, and

a display section which displays a merged image formed by merging an image incident from said real space and said generated virtual-space image.

8. An image processing method comprising the steps of:

determining the orientation of an apparatus for inputting a real-space image and determining the speed or acceleration thereof;

generating virtual-space image data on the basis of the measurement result; and

merging the real-space image incident in real-time and said-generated virtual-space image, and

inhibiting a registration error of said incident real-space image and said generated virtual-space image caused by a time delay in generating the virtual-space image by controlling a correcting optical system which corrects the path of light passing therethrough on the basis of said measured speed or acceleration.

9. An image processing method according to claim 8, wherein said real-space image is corrected by use of said correcting optical system.

10. An image processing method according to claim 8, wherein said generated virtual-space image is corrected by means of said correcting optical system.

11. A recording medium which records a program for realizing an image processing method according to any one of claims 8 to 10.

12. A program for realizing an image processing method according to any one of claims 8 to 10.

13. A mixed reality presenting apparatus for merging an incident real-space image and a generated virtual-space image, comprising:

a measuring section which measures the orientation of a viewpoint and the speed or acceleration for detecting the position of the incident real-space image;

a virtual-space image generating section which generates the virtual-space image in response to the measurement result;

a correcting optical system which corrects the path light passing therethrough;

a control section which controls said correcting optical system in response to said measured speed or acceleration; and

a merging section which merges the virtual-space image generated by said virtual-space image generating section with the incident real-space image via the correcting optical system controlled by said control section.

14. A mixed reality presenting apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said measuring section further measures the position of the viewpoint.