VARIABLE FOCUS STEREOSCOPIC DISPLAY SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20120250152A1
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Larson, Brent D., Cupero, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 8,953,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/464
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 15/00 Optical objectives with means for varying the magnification anamorphotic objectives G02B13/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/24 involving temporal multiplexing, e.g. using sequentially activated left and right shutters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/25 using polarisation techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/34 Stereoscopes providing a stereoscopic pair of separated images corresponding to parallactically displaced views of the same object, e.g. 3D slide viewers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/30 Image reproducers optical systems for producing stereoscopic or other three-dimensional effects G02B30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2213/008 Aspects relating to glasses for viewing stereoscopic images

Abstract

A variable focus stereoscopic display system includes first and second lenses positioned between a viewer'"'"'s eyes and a stereoscopic display that alters the distance to the focus plane of the viewer based on the vergence of the viewer'"'"'s eyes while viewing the stereoscopic display.

Claims

1. A variable focus stereoscopic display system adjusting a focus plane for viewing a stereoscopic display, the variable focus stereoscopic display system comprising:

a first lens configured to be positioned between a first eye and the stereoscopic display; and

a second lens configured to be positioned between a second eye and the stereoscopic display;

wherein the first and second lenses are configured to modify a distance of the focus plane from the first and second eyes in response to a vergence of the first and second eyes, and changes in the distance are positively correlated with changes in a convergence distance of lines of sight of the first and second eyes.

2. The variable focus stereoscopic display system of claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor configured to sense an amount of the vergence; and

a controller configured to modify the optical power of the first and second lenses in response to the amount of the vergence.

3. The variable focus stereoscopic display system of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second lenses comprise:

a first portion having a first optical power; and

a second portion having a second optical power greater than the first optical power.

4. The variable focus stereoscopic display system of claim 3 wherein the first portions of the first and second lenses are adjacent to one another.

5. The variable focus stereoscopic display system of claim 3 wherein the first portions of the first and second lenses are offset from the second portions with respect to a line between the first and second eyes.

6. The variable focus stereoscopic display system of claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor configured to sense an amount of the vergence;

a controller configured to modify the optical power of the first and second lenses in response to the amount of the vergence;

a third lens configured to be positioned between the first eye and the stereoscopic display; and

a fourth lens configured to be positioned between the second eye and the stereoscopic display;

wherein each of the third and fourth lenses comprise;

a first portion having a first optical power; and

a second portion having a second optical power greater than the first optical power.

7. The variable focus stereoscopic display system of claim 1 further comprising:

an apparatus configured for tracking a direction of a gaze of the eyes and enabling the variable focus stereoscopic display system when the eyes are viewing the stereoscopic display and disabling the variable focus stereoscopic display system when the eyes are not viewing the stereoscopic display.

8. The variable focus stereoscopic display system of claim 1 wherein the first and second lenses are calibrated to provide about a zero optical power at a viewer preferred focus plane.

9. The variable focus stereoscopic display system of claim 1 further comprising:

a flight deck display system of an aircraft including the stereoscopic display.

10. A variable focus stereoscopic display system for viewing a stereoscopic display, comprising:

a focus plane having an associated focus distance;

a first lens configured to be positioned over a first eye for viewing the stereoscopic display;

a second lens configured to be positioned over a second eye for viewing the stereoscopic display, the first and second lenses each configured to provide a first optical power or a second optical power to increase the focus distance as a convergence decreases, and to decrease the focus distance as the convergence increases.

11. The variable focus stereoscopic display system of claim 10 further comprising:

a sensor configured to sense an amount of the convergence; and

a controller configured to modify the optical power of the first and second lenses in response to the amount of the convergence.

12. The variable focus stereoscopic display system of claim 10 wherein each of the first and second lenses comprise:

a first portion having a first optical power; and

a second portion having a second optical power greater than the first optical power.

13. The variable focus stereoscopic display system of claim 10 further comprising:

a sensor configured to sense an amount of the convergence;

a controller configured to modify the optical power of the first and second lenses in response to the amount of the convergence;

a third lens configured to be positioned between the first eye and the stereoscopic display; and

a fourth lens configured to be positioned between the second eye and the stereoscopic display;

wherein each of the third and fourth lenses comprise;

a first portion having a third optical power; and

a second portion having a fourth optical power greater than the first optical power.

14. A method for adjusting a focus plane for viewing a stereoscopic display, comprising:

altering a distance of the focus plane from first and second eyes in response to vergence of the first and second eyes, wherein changes in the focus plane distance are correlated with changes in the vergence such that the disparity between focus plane and vergence cues are reduced from prior to the distance being altered.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

sensing an amount of the vergence; and

modifying, in response to the amount of the vergence, the optical power of first and second lenses positioned between the stereoscopic display and the first and second eyes, respectively.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the altering step comprises altering the distance by adjusting the line of sight of the first and second eyes to change the view of the stereoscopic display from a first portion of each of the first and second lenses to a second portion of each of the first and second lenses, the second portion having an optical power different than the first portion such that changes in the focus plane distance are positively correlated with changes in the convergence distance.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the first and second lenses comprise a single lens region.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

tracking the direction of the gaze of the eyes; and

disabling the altering step when the first and second eyes are not viewing the stereoscopic display.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

switching the focus plane to a nominal optical power setting when the altering step is disabled.

20. The method of 15 further comprising:

increasing the optical power as the convergence distance is decreased when the altering step is disabled.