HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAY WITH ENVIRONMENTAL STATE DETECTION

• US 20120050143A1
• Filed: 08/25/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Border, John N., Cok, Ronald S., Fedorovskaya, Elena A., Wang, Sen, Landry, Lawrence B., Kane, Paul J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,111,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0179 Display position adjusting means not related to the information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/04 Changes in size, position or resolution of an image
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers

Abstract

Controlling a head-mounted display includes providing a head-mounted display, the head-mounted display includes a switchable viewing area that is switched between a transparent viewing state and an information viewing state. The transparent viewing state is transparent with respect to the viewing area and enables a user of the head-mounted display to view the scene outside the head-mounted display in the user'"'"'s line of sight. The information viewing state is opaque with respect to the viewing area and displays information in the switchable viewing area visible to a user of the head-mounted display. An external environmental state detector provides an external stimulus notification in response to a detected change in the external environment and causes the viewing state to automatically switch in response to the external stimulus notification.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a head-mounted display, comprising the steps of:

providing a head-mounted display, the head-mounted display including a switchable viewing area that is switched between a transparent viewing state and an information viewing state, wherein;

i) the transparent viewing state is transparent with respect to the viewing area and enables a user of the head-mounted display to view the scene outside the head-mounted display in the user'"'"'s line of sight; and

ii) the information viewing state is opaque with respect to the viewing area and displays information in the switchable viewing area visible to a user of the head-mounted display;

providing an external environmental state detector that provides an external stimulus notification in response to a detected change in the external environment; and

causing the viewing state to automatically switch in response to the external stimulus notification.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

setting the head-mounted display in the information state;

receiving an external stimulus notification; and

automatically switching the head-mounted display from the information state to the transparent state in response to the external stimulus notification.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of

setting the head-mounted display in the transparent state;

receiving an external stimulus notification; and

automatically switching the head-mounted display from the transparent state to the information state in response to the external stimulus notification.

4. The method of claim 1, further including the step of moving the information displayed in the switchable viewing area across the switchable viewing area as the viewing state switches.

5. The method of claim 4, further including the step of moving the information displayed in the switchable viewing area across the switchable viewing area until the information is moved out of the switchable viewing area.

6. The method of claim 1, further including the step of providing independently controllable portions of the switchable viewing area that are switched between the transparent state and the information state.

7. The method of claim 6, further including the step of sequentially switching adjacent portions and moving the information displayed in the switchable viewing area out of the switched adjacent portions across the switchable viewing area.

8. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of detecting a temperature, air pressure, air composition, humidity, objects in the external environment or movement of objects in the external environment.

9. The method of claim 1, further including the step of displaying information in the switchable viewing area when the switchable viewing area is in the transparent state.

10. The method of claim 9, further including the step of displaying semi-transparent information in the switchable viewing area when the switchable viewing area is in the transparent state.

11. The method of claim 9, further including the step of displaying information in a portion of the switchable viewing area that obscures a corresponding portion of the scene outside the head-mounted display in the user'"'"'s line of sight.

12. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

providing a second external stimulus notification in response to a detected change in the external environment.

causing the viewing state to automatically switch in response to the second external stimulus notification.

13. The method of claim 1, further including the step of presenting information in the switchable viewing area that is related to the external stimulus.

14. The method of claim 1, further including the step of gradually switching the viewing state.

15. The method of claim 1, further including the step of switching the viewing state at a rate related to a measured brightness of the environment.

16. The method of claim 1, further including the step of switching the viewing state after a predetermined period of time.

17. The method of claim 16, further including the step of switching the viewing state from the transparent state to the information state after the predetermined period of time.

18. A head-mounted display apparatus, comprising:

a head-mounted display, the head-mounted display including a switchable viewing area that is switched between a transparent state and an information state, wherein;

i) the transparent state enables a user of the head-mounted display to see the real world outside the head-mounted display in the user'"'"'s line of sight;

ii) the information state is opaque and displays information in the switchable viewing area visible to a user of the head-mounted display; and

an external environmental-state detector that provides an external stimulus notification in response to a detected change in the external environment; and

a controller for causing the viewing state to automatically switch in response to the external stimulus notification.

19. The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller sets the head-mounted display in the information state, receives an external stimulus notification, and automatically switches the head-mounted display from the information state to the transparent state in response to the external stimulus notification.

20. The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller sets the head-mounted display in the transparent state, receives an external stimulus notification, and automatically switches the head-mounted display from the transparent state to the information state in response to the external stimulus notification.

21. The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller moves the information displayed in the switchable viewing area across the switchable viewing area as the viewing state switches.

22. The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 21, wherein the controller moves the information displayed in the switchable viewing area across the switchable viewing area until the information is moved out of the switchable viewing area.

23. The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 21, wherein the switchable viewing area includes independently controlled portions that are switched between the transparent and the information state.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the controller sequentially switches adjacent portions and moves the information displayed in the switchable viewing area out of the switched adjacent portions across the switchable viewing area.

25. The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller displays information in the switchable viewing area when the switchable viewing area is in the transparent state.

26. The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller displays semi-transparent information in the switchable viewing area when the switchable viewing area is in the transparent state.

27. The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller displays information in a portion of the switchable viewing area that obscures a corresponding portion of the scene outside the head-mounted display in the user'"'"'s line of sight when the switchable viewing area is in the transparent state.

28. The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 18, further including environmental state sensors for detecting a temperature, air pressure, air composition, humidity, objects in the external environment or movement of objects in the external environment.

29. The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 18, further including an environmental state detector mounted on the head-mounted display.

30. The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller gradually switches the viewing state.

31. The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 18, further including a sensor for measuring the brightness of the environment and wherein the controller switches the viewing state at a rate related to an environmental brightness measurement.

32. The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 18, further including a controller for switching the viewing state after a predetermined period of time.

33. The head-mounted display apparatus of claim 18, further including a controller for switching the viewing state from the transparent state to the information state after the predetermined period of time.