OPTICAL STABILIZATION OF DISPLAYED CONTENT WITH A VARIABLE LENS

• US 20110221657A1
• Filed: 03/16/2011
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Osterhout Design Group
• Inventors: Lohse, Robert Michael, Osterhout, Ralph F., Haddick, John D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,814,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1673 Arrangements for projecting a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/197 Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

This disclosure concerns an interactive, head-mounted eyepiece with an electrically adjustable liquid lens that adjusts a focus of the displayed content for the user. The electrically adjustable liquid lens may be of the type that uses two liquids, a conducting liquid and a non-conducting liquid. Alternatively, the liquid lens may be a tunable liquid crystal cell, in which a non-uniform magnetic field is used to shape the liquid crystal and adjust a focus for the user.

Claims

1. An interactive head-mounted eyepiece, comprising:

an eyepiece for wearing by a user;

an optical assembly mounted on the eyepiece through which the user views a surrounding environment and a displayed content, wherein the optical assembly comprises a corrective element that corrects the user'"'"'s view of the displayed content;

an integrated processor for handling content for display to the user;

an integrated image source for introducing the content to the optical assembly;

an electrically adjustable liquid lens integrated with the optical assembly that adjusts a focus of the displayed content for the user; and

at least one sensor mounted on the interactive head-mounted eyepiece, wherein an output from the at least one sensor is used to stabilize the displayed content of the optical assembly of the interactive head mounted eyepiece using at least one of optical stabilization and image stabilization.

2. The interactive head-mounted eyepiece of claim 1, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a motion sensor, an inertial motion sensor, an accelerometer, a force sensor, a gyroscope, an angular velocity sensor, a body sensor and a position sensor.

3. The interactive head-mounted eyepiece of claim 1, further comprising a camera mounted on the eyepiece, the camera selected from the group consisting of an image sensor, a charge-coupled device, an optical sensor, an IR sensor and a CMOS image sensor.

4. The interactive head-mounted eyepiece of claim 1, further comprising a black silicon SWIR sensor.

5. The interactive head-mounted eyepiece of claim 1, wherein the interactive head-mounted eyepiece has an internet capability, and further comprising sending an advertising message to the user based on the location of the user.

6. The interactive head-mounted eyepiece of claim 1, wherein the electrically adjustable liquid lens comprises at least two electrodes.

7. The interactive head-mounted eyepiece of claim 1, wherein the electrically adjustable liquid lens comprises a transparent spiral electrode.