DISPLAY APPARATUS

• US 20120320100A1
• Filed: 06/04/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Machida, Akio, Sakamoto, Yukinari, Kuwahara, Mieko
• Application Number:
  US13/487,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20120320100A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/690
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted

Abstract

A display apparatus includes: a spectacle type frame mounted on a head portion of an observer; and an image display apparatus installed in the frame. The image display apparatus includes an image forming device, and an optical device allowing light output from the image forming device to be incident thereon, to be guided therein, and to be output therefrom. A dimmer which adjusts the amount of external light incident from the outside is disposed in an area of the optical device where the light is output. The dimmer includes a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate facing the first substrate, first and second electrodes which are mounted on the first and second substrates, respectively, and an electrolyte sealed between the first and second substrates and containing metal ions. The first electrode includes a conductive material of a fine line shape. The second electrode includes a transparent electrode layer.

Claims

1. A display apparatus comprising:

(i) a spectacle type frame which is mounted on a head portion of an observer; and

(ii) an image display apparatus which is installed in the frame,

wherein the image display apparatus includes (A) an image forming device, and (B) an optical device which allows light output from the image forming device to be incident thereon, to be guided therein, and to be output therefrom,

wherein a dimmer which adjusts the amount of external light incident from the outside is disposed in an area of the optical device where the light is output,

wherein the dimmer includes a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate which faces the first substrate, a first electrode which is mounted on the first substrate, a second electrode which is mounted on the second substrate, and an electrolyte which is sealed between the first substrate and the second substrate and contains metal ions,

wherein the first electrode includes a conductive material of a fine line shape, and

wherein the second electrode includes a transparent electrode layer.

2. The display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first substrate is disposed closer to an observer side than the second substrate.

3. The display apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the first electrode includes nanowires.

4. The display apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the average diameter of the nanowires is 1 μ

m or less.

5. The display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first electrode includes silver.

6. The display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the second electrode is not patterned in an effective area of the dimmer.

7. The display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the metal ions include silver ions, and

wherein the electrolyte includes at least one type of salt selected from a group including LiX, NaX and KX (here, X indicates a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom or an iodine atom).

8. The display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein coloring and decoloring of the dimmer occurs by precipitation of metal on the second electrode and dissolution of the metal in the electrolyte, based on application of voltages to the first electrode and the second electrode.

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

an illumination sensor which measures the intensity of illumination of an environment where the display apparatus is disposed,

wherein light transmittance of the dimmer is controlled on the basis of a measurement result of the illumination sensor.

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

an illumination sensor which measures the intensity of illumination of an environment where the display apparatus is disposed,

wherein brightness of an image formed by the image forming device is controlled on the basis of a measurement result of the illumination sensor.

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

a second illumination sensor which measures the intensity of illumination based on light which passes through the dimmer from an external environment,

wherein light transmittance of the dimmer is controlled on the basis of a measurement result of the second illumination sensor.

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

a second illumination sensor which measures the intensity of illumination based on light which passes through the dimmer from an external environment,

wherein brightness of an image formed by the image forming device is controlled on the basis of a measurement result of the second illumination sensor.

13. The display apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein the second illumination sensor is disposed closer to an observer side than the optical device.

14. The display apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the highest light transmittance of the dimmer is 50% or more, and the lowest light transmittance of the dimmer is 30% or less.

15. The display apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein when the measurement result of the illumination sensor is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the light transmittance of the dimmer is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

16. The display apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein when the measurement result of the illumination sensor is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, the light transmittance of the dimmer is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

17. The display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the dimmer is detachably disposed in the area of the optical device where the light is output.

18. The display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the optical device includes

(a) a light guide plate which allows incident light to be propagated therein by total reflection, and to be then output therefrom,

(b) a first deflecting section which deflects light incident on the light guide plate so that the light incident on the light guide plate is totally reflected inside the light guide plate, and

(c) a second deflecting section which deflects the light propagated inside the light guide plate by total reflection over a plurality of times to allow the light propagated inside the light guide plate by total reflection to be output from the light guide plate.

19. The display apparatus according to claim 18,

wherein the second deflecting section is disposed in a projected image of the dimmer.

20. A display apparatus comprising:

an image forming device;

an optical device;

a dimmer; and

an illumination sensor,

wherein the optical device guides light output from the image forming device,

wherein the dimmer adjusts the amount of external light incident on the optical device from the outside according to a measurement result of the illumination sensor, and

wherein the illumination sensor measures the amount of external light which passes through the dimmer.