APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR A BIOPTIC REAL TIME VIDEO SYSTEM

• US 20160282628A1
• Filed: 06/14/2016
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: eSight Corporation (Gentex Corporation)
• Inventors: HILKES, ROBERT
• Granted Patent: US 10,495,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0127 comprising devices increasing the depth of field
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

A method and apparatus of displaying an electronic video image using a head-worn near-to-eye display in a non-immersive fashion, such that the wearer can choose, through simple adjustments of their neck and eye angles, to either look at the displayed video image or their natural environment. The invention also relates to the incorporation of prescription lenses into the optical chain of the near-to-eye display. The invention also relates to the use of motion and position sensors incorporated into the head-worn device to enable automatic stabilization of the video image. The invention also relates to the use of motion and position sensors incorporated into the head-worn device to automatically adjust the vertical angle of either the camera or the electronic display or both, by sensing the vertical angular position of the user'"'"'s head.

Claims

1. A head-worn device comprising:

a frame;

an electronic near-to-eye display assembly pivotally attached to the frame; and

whereby the wearer views their environment directly with their head in a first position such that the electronic near-to-eye display is pivoted upwards;

views visual content presented on the electronic near-to-eye display with their head in a second position such that the electronic near-to-eye display is pivoted down in front of their eyes; and

views the visual content presented on the electronic near-to-eye display with their head in a third position, wherein the third position is such that the electronic near-to-eye display is pivoted further down in front of them than when their head was in the second position.

2. The head-worn device according to claim 1, wherein

the visual content presented to the wearer is obtained from either a camera associated with the wearer or an external source;

and

the visual content presented to the wearer changes when the wearer'"'"'s head is in the second and third positions respectively by either a vertical adjustment in the camera or external source or by defining a different area of pixels of the image obtained from the camera or external source for each of the second and third position respectively of the wearer'"'"'s head.

3. The head-worn device according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic near-to-eye display automatically pivots into the different positions based upon the wearer'"'"'s head being in the first, second, and third positions.

4. The head-worn device according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic near-to-eye display is manually pivoted into the different positions when the wearer'"'"'s head is in the first, second, and third positions.

5. The head-worn device according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic near-to-eye display is manually pivoted into the different positions when the wearer'"'"'s head is in the first and second positions;

and

the electronic near-to-eye display automatically pivots into the different position based upon the wearer'"'"'s head moving from the second position to the third position.

6. The head-worn device according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic near-to-eye display incorporates a camera for providing the visual content;

and

the vertical angle of a camera is at least one of manually adjustable between a first angle and a second angle when the wearer'"'"'s head is in the second and third positions respectively and adjusts according to whether the wearer'"'"'s head is in the first position or the second position.

7. The head-worn device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a camera associated with the wearer;

an orientation sensor; and

a motion sensor,

wherein the image content acquired by the camera is stabilized using motion information provided by the orientation and motion sensors for presentation to the wearer as the visual content.

8. The head-worn device according to claim 7, wherein the vertical angle of the camera is automatically adjusted for a given task using information provided by the orientation and motion sensors.

9. The head-worn device according to claim 1, wherein the visual content presented on the electronic near-to-eye display when the wearer'"'"'s head is in the second and third positions is overlaid to the wearer'"'"'s normal vision.

10. The head-worn device according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of:

the frame further comprises a prescription lens of the wearer; and

the electronic near-to-eye display assembly is either monocular or binocular.

11. The head-worn device according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic near-to-eye display assembly comprises a display and an optical element having a first surface adjacent the display and a second surface disposed towards a user'"'"'s head when worn, wherein

a normal perpendicular to the surface of the display is approximately orthogonal to a line of sight of the user of the head-worn device.

12. A head mounted electronic near-to-eye display module, the electronic near-to-eye display module comprising:

a display electronics circuit in communication with a source of visual content;

a head mounted display optics having a first surface adjacent the display electronics circuit and a second surface disposed towards a user'"'"'s head; and

a means for pivotally attaching the electronic near-to-eye display module to a frame worn by the user,

whereby the wearer views their environment directly with their head in a first position such that the electronic near-to-eye display is pivoted upwards;

views visual content presented on the electronic near-to-eye display with their head in a second position such that the electronic near-to-eye display is pivoted down in front of their eyes; and

views the visual content presented on the electronic near-to-eye display with their head in a third position, wherein the third position is such that the electronic near-to-eye display is pivoted further down in front of them than when their head was in the second position.

13. The head mounted electronic near-to-eye display module according to claim 12, wherein

the visual content presented to the wearer is obtained from either a camera associated with the wearer or an external source;

and

the visual content presented to the wearer changes when the wearer'"'"'s head is in the second and third positions respectively by either a vertical adjustment in the camera or external source or by defining a different area of pixels of the image obtained from the camera or external source for each of the second and third position respectively of the wearer'"'"'s head.

14. The head mounted electronic near-to-eye display module according to claim 12, wherein

the head mounted electronic near-to-eye display automatically pivots into the different positions based upon the wearer'"'"'s head being in the first, second, and third positions.

15. The head mounted electronic near-to-eye display module according to claim 12, wherein

the head mounted electronic near-to-eye display is manually pivoted into the different positions when the wearer'"'"'s head is in the first, second, and third positions.

16. The head mounted electronic near-to-eye display module according to claim 12, wherein

the head mounted electronic near-to-eye display is manually pivoted into the different positions when the wearer'"'"'s head is in the first and second positions;

and

the head mounted electronic near-to-eye display automatically pivots into the different position based upon the wearer'"'"'s head moving from the second position to the third position.

17. The head mounted electronic near-to-eye display module according to claim 14, wherein

the head mounted electronic near-to-eye display incorporates a camera for providing the visual content;

and

the vertical angle of a camera is at least one of manually adjustable between a first angle and a second angle when the wearer'"'"'s head is in the second and third positions respectively and adjusts according to whether the wearer'"'"'s head is in the first position or the second position.

18. The head mounted electronic near-to-eye display module according to claim 12, further comprising:

a camera associated with the wearer;

an orientation sensor; and

a motion sensor,

wherein the image content acquired by the camera is stabilized using motion information provided by the orientation and motion sensors for presentation to the wearer as the visual content.

19. The head mounted electronic near-to-eye display module according to claim 18, wherein

the vertical angle of the camera is automatically adjusted for a given task using information provided by the orientation and motion sensors.

20. The head mounted electronic near-to-eye display module according to claim 12, wherein

a normal perpendicular to the surface of the display electronics circuit is approximately orthogonal to a line of sight of a user of the head mounted electronic near-to-eye display module.

21. The head mounted electronic near-to-eye display module according to claim 12, wherein

the visual content presented on the electronic near-to-eye display when the wearer'"'"'s head is in the second and third positions is overlaid to the wearer'"'"'s normal vision.

22. The head mounted electronic near-to-eye display module according to claim 12, wherein

at least one of:

the frame further comprises a prescription lens of the wearer; and

the electronic near-to-eye display assembly is either monocular or binocular.