HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAY, METHOD OF CONTROLLING HEAD-MOUNTED DISPLAY, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM

• US 20160210736A1
• Filed: 01/07/2016
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: ARUGA, Naoto
• Granted Patent: US 10,082,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

A head-mounted display includes: a distance measurement unit that measures a distance to a target present in a predetermined range; an imaging unit that images the predetermined range and acquires different preliminary information from the measured distance; and a distance decision unit that decides a distance to the target included in a second region based on the preliminary information acquired in regard to the target included in a measured first region when the first region and the second region different from the first region are included in the predetermined range in which the target is imaged.

Claims

1. A head-mounted display comprising:

a distance measurement unit that measures a distance to a target present in a predetermined range;

an imaging unit that images the predetermined range and acquires different preliminary information from the measured distance; and

a distance decision unit that decides a distance to the target included in a second region based on the preliminary information acquired in regard to the target included in a measured first region when the first region and the second region different from the first region are included in the predetermined range in which the target is imaged.

2. The head-mounted display according to claim 1,

wherein the preliminary information is color information.

3. The head-mounted display according to claim 2,

wherein the imaging unit acquires RGB data as the color information in the predetermined range, and

wherein the distance decision unit determines that the target included in the first region and the target included in the second region are the same target when the RGB data of the target included in the second region is a value within the predetermined range based on the RGB data of the target included in the first region, and decides the distance to the target included in the second region.

4. The head-mounted display according to claim 1,

wherein the distance decision unit decides that the distance to the target included in the second region is the same as the distance to the target included in the first region.

5. The head-mounted display according to claim 1,

wherein the distance decision unit decides the distance to the target included in one of the first and second regions as the distance measured by the distance measurement unit when the target is included in one of the first and second regions and is not included in the other one of the first or second region.

6. The head-mounted display according to claim 1,

wherein the first region is a region on which a center of the imaged predetermined range centers, and

wherein the second region is a peripheral region of the first region.

7. The head-mounted display according to claim 6,

wherein the second region is a region which does not overlap with the first region in the imaged predetermined range.

8. The head-mounted display according to claim 1,

wherein the first region is at least a part of the predetermined range imaged at a specific time point and is an acquired region, and

wherein the second region is at least a part of the predetermined range imaged at a different time point from the specific time point.

9. The head-mounted display according to claim 1, further comprising:

a target storage unit that stores a specific target,

wherein the distance decision unit decides the distance to the target included in the imaged predetermined range by collating the stored specific target in the imaged predetermined range.

10. The head-mounted display according to claim 1, further comprising:

an information reception unit that receives information regarding a specific target from another device,

wherein the distance decision unit decides the distance to the target included in the imaged predetermined range by collating the received specific target in the imaged predetermined range.

11. The head-mounted display according to claim 9,

wherein the distance decision unit estimates at least one of the color information and the distance to the target in a range other than the imaged predetermined range when the stored specific target is not included in the imaged predetermined range.

12. The head-mounted display according to claim 1, further comprising:

a visual line detection unit that detects a visual line direction of a user,

wherein the imaged predetermined range is set based on the detected visual line direction.

13. A method of controlling a head-mounted display including an imaging unit imaging a predetermined range, the method comprising:

measuring a distance to a target present in the imaged predetermined range; and

deciding a distance to the target included in a second region based on different preliminary information from a distance to the target acquired by imaging the target included in a measured first region when the first region and the second region different from the first region are included in the predetermined range in which the target is imaged.

14. A computer program for a head-mounted display including an imaging unit imaging a predetermined range, the computer program causing a computer to execute:

a function of measuring a distance to a target present in the imaged predetermined range; and

a function of deciding a distance to the target included in a second region based on different preliminary information from a distance to the target acquired by imaging the target included in a measured first region when the first region and the second region different from the first region are included in the predetermined range in which the target is imaged.