HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAY APPARATUS

• US 20130069850A1
• Filed: 11/14/2012
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mukawa, Hiroshi, Funanami, Akio
• Application Number:
  US13/676,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20130069850A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0159 with mechanical means other than scaning means for positioning the whole image
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0174 holographic
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/346 based on modulation of the reflection angle, e.g. micromirrors micromirrors devices per se G02B26/0833

Abstract

A head-mounted display apparatus includes an image display device, a wearing device with which the image display device is worn on a head of an observer, and an attachment member with which the image display device is attached to the wearing device. The attachment member is capable of adjusting a position of the image display device relative to the wearing device independently in a first direction and in a second direction, the first direction being defined by a virtual line connecting centers of eyes of the observer, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction and extending vertically with respect to the observer.

Claims

1. A head-mounted display apparatus comprising:

an image display device;

a wearing device with which the image display device is worn on a head of an observer; and

an attachment member with which the image display device is attached to the wearing device,

wherein the attachment member is capable of adjusting a position of the image display device relative to the wearing device independently in a first direction and in a second direction, the first direction being defined by a virtual line connecting centers of eyes of the observer, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction and extending vertically with respect to the observer.

2. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image display device and the attachment member are provided for each of right and left eyes.

3. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image display device includes

an image generator;

and

an optical device receiving light from the image generator, guiding the light, and outputting the light toward a corresponding one of the eyes of the observer.

4. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the optical device includes

a light-guiding plate causing the received light to propagate with total reflection thereinside before outputting the light;

first deflecting means deflecting the light received by the light-guiding plate so that the light is totally reflected inside the light-guiding plate; and

second deflecting means deflecting, a plurality of times, the light caused to propagate with total reflection inside the light-guiding plate so that the light is output from the light-guiding plate.

5. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the first deflecting means reflects the light received by the light-guiding plate, and

wherein the second deflecting means transmits and reflects, a plurality of times, the light caused to propagate with total reflection inside the light-guiding plate.

6. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 5,

wherein the first deflecting means functions as a reflective mirror, and

wherein the second deflecting means functions as a transflective mirror.

7. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the first deflecting means diffracts the light received by the light-guiding plate, and

wherein the second deflecting means diffracts, a plurality of times, the light caused to propagate with total reflection inside the light-guiding plate.

8. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first and second deflecting means include diffraction grating elements.

9. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the diffraction grating elements are reflective diffraction grating elements.

10. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the diffraction grating elements are transmissive diffraction grating elements.

11. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 8, wherein one of the diffraction grating elements is a reflective diffraction grating element and the other is a transmissive diffraction grating element.

12. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the optical device includes a transflective mirror receiving the light from the image generator and outputting the light toward the eye of the observer.

13. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the image generator includes

an image-forming device having a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix;

and

a collimating optical system collimating the light from the pixels of the image-forming device into parallel light and outputting the parallel light.

14. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein the image generator includes

a light source;

a collimating optical system collimating light from the light source into parallel light;

scanning means scanningly moving the parallel light from the collimating optical system; and

a relay optical system relaying and outputting the parallel light scanningly moved by the scanning means.

15. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wearing device forms a frame of a pair of glasses.

16. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 15,

wherein the frame includes

a front member to be positioned in front of the observer;

and

two temples turnably attached to respective ends of the front member with hinges, and

wherein the attachment member is attached to each of the ends of the front member.