Eyesight auxiliary liquid crystal device

• US 5,106,179 A
• Filed: 05/08/1991
• Issued: 04/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kamaya, Naoki, Sato, Seizi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney B.
• Application Number:
  US07/697,208
• Time in Patent Office: 349 Days
• Field of Search: 351/41, 351/44, 351/45, 351/46, 351/47, 351/48, 351/49, 351/158, 351/206, 351/207, 351/208, 359/41, 359/57, 359/58, 359/64, 359/66, 359/67, 359/68, 359/84, 359/85, 2/432
• US Class Current: 351/158
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/08 Devices or methods enabling eye-patients to replace direct visual perception by another kind of perception
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0136 with a single image source for both eyes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/125 head-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features

Abstract

An eyesight auxiliary device having within a main body of the device is described, a spot light source, transparent liquid cyrstal panels illuminated by the spot light source and convex lenses substantially integrally arranged with the liquid crystal panels. The main body of the device is fitted to a user'"'"'s head, the image of the liquid crystal panels is directly projected onto the retina of the user'"'"'s eyeballs through the spot light source. Further, a small-sized camera for capturing the image of the liquid crystal panels is arranged at a position corresponding to the height positions of the eyeballs.

Claims

1. An eyesight auxiliary device including in a main body of the device a spot light source;

transparent liquid crystal panels illuminated by said light source; and

convex lenses substantially arranged integral with said liquid crystal panels, in which said main body of the device is installed at a user'"'"'s head and an image of said liquid crystal panels is directly projected onto a respective retina of each of the eyeballs through said spot light source characterized in that a small-sized camera for taking the image of said liquid crystal panels is arranged at the position corresponding to the height positions of the eyeballs in said main body of the device.

2. An eyesight auxiliary device according to claim 1 in which an image reflected by a mirror surface is taken by said small-sized camera, said image is projected to the liquid crystal panel, and the image of said liquid crystal panel is reflected at the mirror surface and projected onto the retina of the eyeballs.

3. An eyesight auxiliary device according to claim 2 in which a mirror surface for reflecting an image taken by said small-sized camera and another mirror surface for reflecting an image of said liquid crystal panel are composed of one mirror.

4. An eyesight auxiliary device according to claim 1 in which an external image is taken by said small-sized camera, said image is projected by the liquid crystal panel, and the image of said liquid crystal panel is projected onto the retina of the eyeballs.

5. An eyesight auxiliary device according to claim 1 in which said small-sized camera is composed of an infra-red ray camera.

6. An eyesight auxiliary device according to claim 1 in which an image/sound input terminal is provided, said liquid crystal panels are driven by image signals inputted from said terminal and the head-phones are driven by the sound signal.