Image display apparatus and image display system

• US 20060072206A1
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tsuyuki, Takashi, Taniguichi, Naosato
• Application Number:
  US11/240,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20060072206A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/631
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0134 of stereoscopic type
• 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: G02B 7/12 Adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays

Abstract

An image display apparatus enabling a wearer to observe an image free from a sense of incongruity is disclosed. This image display apparatus has an image forming unit for forming a first image and a second image mutually having a parallax, a first optical unit for guiding the first image to a first eye, a second optical unit for guiding the second image to a second eye, an interval changing portion for changing an interval between the first optical unit and the second optical unit and a signal output portion for outputting a signal corresponding to the interval to an image generating portion which generates the first and second images.

Claims

1. An image display apparatus, comprising:

an image forming unit for forming a first image and a second image mutually having a parallax;

a first optical unit for guiding the first image to a first eye;

a second optical unit for guiding the second image to a second eye;

an interval changing portion for changing an interval between said first optical unit and said second optical unit, the interval changing portion mechanically connected to the first optical unit and the second optical unit; and

a signal output portion for outputting a signal corresponding to the interval to an image generating portion for generating the first and second images.

2. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when changing said interval by said interval changing potion, said image forming unit forms an image for adjusting the interval.

3. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an interpupillary distance detecting portion for deriving the distance between said first eye and said second eye; and

an actuator for driving said interval changing portion corresponding to the distance.

4. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first image pickup portion for taking a third image to be overlapped on said first image; and

a second image pickup portion for taking a fourth image to be overlapped on said second image,

wherein centers of image pickup regions in the first and second image pickup portions are located respectively on a first plane that is perpendicular to separating directions of said first and second optical units and includes an optical axis of said first optical unit and on a second plane that is perpendicular to the separating directions and includes an optical axis of said second optical unit.

6. An image display system, comprising:

the image display apparatus according to claim 1;

and

an image generating apparatus for generating, from signals outputted from said signal output portion, said first and second images having a parallax corresponding to said interval and for supplying the image display apparatus with the first and second images having a parallax corresponding to the interval.

5. An image display apparatus, comprising:

an image forming unit for forming a first image and a second image mutually having a parallax;

a first optical unit for guiding the first image to a first eye;

a second optical unit for guiding the second image to a second eye;

an interval changing portion for changing an interval between the first optical unit and the second optical unit, the interval changing portion mechanically connected to the first optical unit and the second optical unit;

an interpupillary distance detecting portion for deriving a distance between the first eye and the second eye; and

a signal output portion for outputting a signal corresponding to the distance to an image generating portion which generates the first and second images.

7. An image display system, comprising:

the image display apparatus according to claim 5;

and

an image generating apparatus for generating, from signals outputted from said signal output portion, said first and second images having a parallax corresponding to said distance and for supplying the image display apparatus with the first and second images having a parallax corresponding to the distance.