IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE, IMAGE DISPLAY METHOD, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20150253573A1
• Filed: 07/01/2013
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sako, Yoichiro, Miyajima, Yasushi, Mukawa, Hiroshi, Narahara, Tatsuya, Takai, Motoyuki, Takeda, Masashi, Ogawa, Hiroaki, Wada, Seiji, Hayakawa, Ichigo, Tange, Akira, Tanikame, Takao, Kemmochi, Kazuhide
• Granted Patent: US 9,798,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0112 comprising device for genereting colour display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• 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 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/10 Intensity circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06

Abstract

Provided is an image display device used by being mounted to a head or a face of a user, including a first display unit that displays an internal image seen from a side of the user, a second display unit that displays an external image seen from outside the image display device, and a control unit that controls display of the internal image and the external image.

Claims

1. An image display device used by being mounted to a head or a face of a user, comprising:

a first display unit that displays an internal image seen from a side of the user;

a second display unit that displays an external image seen from outside the image display device; and

a control unit that controls display of the internal image and the external image.

2. The image display device according to claim 1, wherein

the display units are equipped with a single display device that displays the internal image and the external image, and a waveguide that guides the internal image displayed on the display device to a location seen from the side of the user, while also guiding the external image displayed on the display device to a location seen from outside the image display device.

3. The image display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a projection unit that projects the external image externally from the image display device.

4. The image display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an input operating unit with which the user conducts an input operation,

wherein the control unit controls display of the internal image and the external image according to an input operation by the user.

5. The image display device according to claim 4, wherein

the control unit, according to an input operation by the user on the input operating unit, turns display of the internal image or the external image on/off, conducts a color adjustment of the internal image or the external image, conducts a brightness adjustment of the internal image or the external image, changes a display size of the external image, or moves a display area of the external image.

6. The image display device according to claim 4, wherein

the control unit, according to an input operation by the user on the input operating unit, causes at least one of a same image as the internal image, a different image from the internal image, information about a surrounding environment, or a current status of the user to be displayed as the external image, or causes the external image to be displayed as the internal image.

7. The image display device according to claim 4, wherein

the control unit changes display of the external image according an input operation based on a blink operation or eyeball movement of the user.

8. The image display device according to claim 4, wherein

the control unit, according to an input operation by the user on the input operating unit, causes a continuous display, an intermittent display, or a display at a predetermined time interval of the external image to be conducted.

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

an environmental information acquisition unit that acquires information related to a surrounding environment of the image display device,

wherein the control unit controls display of the internal image and the external image on the basis of the surrounding environment.

10. The image display device according to claim 9, wherein

the control unit controls a brightness of the external image in response to a detection of a change in environmental lighting.

11. The image display device according to claim 9, wherein

the control unit controls an intermittent display or a timer display of the external image in response to an elapsing of a current time.

12. The image display device according to claim 9, wherein

the control unit controls a turning of display on/off, a brightness level, a display area, and a display size of the external image according to a number of people nearby.

13. The image display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a status information acquisition unit that acquires information related to a status of the user,

wherein the control unit controls display of the internal image and the external image on the basis of a status of the user.

14. The image display device according to claim 13, wherein

the control unit displays a current work status, action status, mental status, or physiological status of the user acquired by the status information acquisition unit as the external image.

15. The image display device according to claim 13, wherein

the control unit identifies a mental status of the user on the basis of information of a blink operation of the user, and controls display of the external image according to the mental status.

16. The image display device according to claim 13, wherein

the control unit controls text information in the external image to stay horizontal according to a horizontal tilt of the head of the user.

17. The image display device according to claim 13, wherein

the control unit controls a position of the internal image or the external image to stay in place according to a rotation of the head of the user.

18. The image display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a content information acquisition unit that acquires content information related to image content to be displayed on the internal display unit,

wherein the control unit controls display of the external image according to the content information.

19. An image display method used by being mounted to a head or a face of a user, comprising:

a first display step that displays an internal image seen from a side of the user;

a second display step that displays an external image seen from outside the image display device; and

a control step that controls display of the internal image and the external image.

20. A computer-readable recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon, the computer program controlling an image display device used by being mounted on a head or a face of a user, the computer program causing the computer to function as:

a first display unit that causes an internal image seen from a side of the user to be displayed;

a second display unit that causes an external image seen from outside the image display device to be displayed; and

a control unit that controls display of the internal image and the external image.