Portable computer and head mounted display

• US 5,281,957 A
• Filed: 07/10/1991
• Issued: 01/25/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schoolman Scientific Corporation
• Original Assignee: Schoolman Scientific Corporation
• Inventors: Schoolman, Arnold
• Primary Examiner(s): HJERPE, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US07/728,095
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 340/705, 358/88, 358/89, 358/90, 358/91, 358/92, 364/708, 361/380, 361/390, 359/13, 359/462, 359/464, 359/466, 341/22
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0134 of stereoscopic type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/34 Stereoscopes providing a stereoscopic pair of separated images corresponding to parallactically displaced views of the same object, e.g. 3D slide viewers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/158 Switching image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/221 using the relative movement between cameras and objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/275 from 3D object models, e.g. computer-generated stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/286 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/361 Reproducing mixed stereoscopic images; Reproducing mixed monoscopic and stereoscopic images, e.g. a stereoscopic image overlay window on a monoscopic image background
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

A portable or "lap-top" computer includes an associated head mounted display. The display is constructed in a manner similar to a pair of eyeglasses but with liquid crystal display screens replacing or forming a portion of the eyeglass lenses. The display screens can be either opaque or light transmitting, and can be hinge mounted to the glasses frame so that they can be swung up and out of the field of vision of the user. Specialized uses for the portable computer and head mounted display include a computer desk for secretarial workstations and the like, a research library workstation, and a moving map installation in an automobile or airplane.

Claims

1. A computer and head mounted display apparatus comprising:

(a) a keyboard housing having a CPU, a memory, a communications interface, a left and a right hand video display channel, each of which includes a video display generator and a video RAM, a left and a right video channel, and a left and a right video output;

(b) a portable display electronics module which includes left and right video monitor electronics connected to said right and left video outputs, respectively;

(c) said head mounted display comprising a support frame means adapted to be supported by the ears of a user and a display panel attached to said support frame via a hinge means mounted on top of said frame means and said display panel, said display panel being pivotable relative to said frame means about said hinge means such that said display panel can be selectively pivoted upward and out of the field of vision of said user, or, alternatively, downward and into a topmost portion of the field of view of said user, said display panel including a left and a right LCD display screen connected to said left and right monitor electronics, respectively, and positionable in front of the left and right eyes of the user, respectively, and a pair of focusing lenses, one of which is positioned between each eye of the user and the corresponding LCD display screen, said LCD display screens and said focusing lenses encompassing only said topmost portion of the field of view of said user, a lower portion of the field of view being encompassed by a pair of eyeglass lenses, said LCD display screens and said eyeglass lenses being positioned in said display panel in a bifocal arrangement whereby

(d) video information generated by said computer is displayed to said user on the left and right LCD display screens of said head mounted display.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) said display panel is attached to said support frame via a hinge whereby said display panel can be positioned in the line of sight of said user for viewing or can be flipped up and out of the line of sight of said viewer for accomplishing other visually oriented tasks.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) said LCD display screens are light transmitting;

whereby

(b) said video information can be viewed in a "heads-up" manner.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

(a) said keyboard housing is located in an automobile dashboard;

whereby

(b) operating parameters and map information can be viewed by said user in said "heads-up" fashion.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

(a) said keyboard housing is located in an aircraft avionics panel, and is connected to a navigation system;

whereby

(b) navigation information can be viewed by said user in said "heads-up" fashion.

6. The apparatus and associated head mounted display according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) said LCD display screens are light transmitting and said focusing lenses form a portion of a pair of normal appearing eyeglass lenses, said LCD display screens being attached to the outside of said focusing lens portions of said eyeglass lenses;

whereby;

(b) said video information can be viewed in a "heads-up" manner.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

(a) said keyboard housing is located in an automobile dashboard;

whereby

(b) operating parameters and map information can be viewed by said user in said "heads-up" fashion.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

(a) said keyboard housing is located in an aircraft avionics panel, and is connected to a navigation system;

whereby

(b) navigation information can be viewed by said user in said "heads-up" fashion.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) said computer is portable and said keyboard housing is hinged in the middle so that it can be folded over itself for compact storage and transportation.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein:

(a) said LCD display screens are light transmitting;

whereby

(b) said video information can be viewed in a "heads-up" manner.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein:

(a) said LCD display screens are light transmitting and said focusing lenses form a portion of a pair of normal appearing eyeglass lenses, said LCD display screens being attached to the outside of said focusing lens portions of-said eyeglass lenses;

whereby;

(b) said video information can be viewed in a "heads-up" manner.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

(a) a computer desk connected to a central computer, said computer desk including a pair of plug receptacles; and

(b) said portable computer and said head mounted display being connectable to said computer desk via said pair of plug receptacles;

whereby

(c) said desk, said portable computer, and said head mounted display can provide said user both with computer capability and a normally unobstructed work surface.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

(a) said keyboard housing is located in a library workstation;

whereby

(b) library and reference information can be viewed by said user.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

(a) three dimensional information is displayable to said user by presenting separate stereo left and right perspective video information on said left and right LCD display screens, respectively.

15. A computer desk system with a portable computer and associated head mounted display, said system comprising:

(a) a computer desk including a pair of plug receptacles, a work surface area, and a central computer connected to each of said plug receptacles;

(b) a keyboard housing having a CPU, a memory, a communicators interface, a left and a right hand video display channel, each of said channels including a video display generator and a video RAM, a left and a right video channel, and a left and a right video output;

(c) a portable display electronics module including left and right video monitor electrodes adapted to be connected to said right and left video outputs, respectively;

(d) said head mounted display comprising a support frame means adapted to be supported by the ears of a user and a display panel attached to said support frame via a hinge means mounted on top of said support frame and said display panel, said display panel being pivotable relative to said frame means about said hinge means such that said display panel can be selectively pivoted upward and out of the field of vision of said user, or, alternatively, downward and into a topmost portion of the field of view of said user, said display panel including a left and a right LCD display screen connected to said left and right monitor electronics, respectively, and positionable in front of the left and right eyes of the user, respectively, and a pair of focusing lenses, one of said lenses being positioned between each eye of the user and the corresponding LCD display screen, said LCD display screens and said focusing lenses encompassing only said topmost portion of the field of view of said user, a lower portion of the field of view being encompassed by a pair of eyeglass lenses, said LCD display screens and said eyeglass lenses being positioned in said display panel in a bifocal arrangement;

(e) said portable computer and said head mounted display being connectable to said computer desk, and thus to said central computer, via said pair of plug receptacles;

whereby

(f) video information generated by said portable computer or said central computer is displayed to said user on the left and right LCD display screens of said head mounted display and said desk, said portable computer, and said head mounted display can simultaneously provide said user with computer capability and a normally unobstructed work surface.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein:

(a) said display panel is attached to said support frame via a hinge whereby said display panel can be positioned in the line of sight of said user for viewing or can be flipped up and out of the line of sight of said viewer for accomplishing other visually oriented tasks.

17. The system according to claim 15 wherein:

(a) said LCD display screens and said focusing lenses encompass a first portion of the field of view of said user, a second portion of said field of view being encompassed by a pair of eyeglass lenses, said LCD display screens and said eyeglass lenses being positioned in said display panel in a bifocal arrangement.

18. The system according to claim 15 wherein:

(a) said LCD display screens are light transmitting;

whereby

(b) said video information can be viewed in a "heads-up" manner.

19. The system according to claim 15 wherein:

(a) three dimensional information is displayable to said user by presenting separate stereo left and right perspective video information on said left and right LCD display screens, respectively.

20. A computer and head mounted display apparatus comprising:

(a) a keyboard housing having a CPU, a memory, a communications interface, a left and a right hand video display channel, each of which includes a video display generator and a video RAM, a left and a right video channel, and a left and a right video output;

(b) a portable display electronics module which includes left and right video monitor electronics connected to said right and left video outputs, respectively;

(c) said head mounted display comprising a support frame means adapted to be supported by the ears of a user and a display panel attached to said support frame via a hinge means mounted on top of said support frame and said display panel, said display panel being pivotable relative to said frame means about said hinge means such that said display panel can be selectively pivoted upward and out of the field of vision of said user, or, alternatively, downward and into a topmost portion of the field of view of said user, said display panel including a left and a right LCD display screen connected to said left and right monitor electronics, respectively, and positionable in front of the left and right eyes of the user, respectively, and a pair of focusing lenses, one of which is positioned between each eye of the user and the corresponding video display screen, said display screens and said focusing lenses encompassing only said topmost portion of the field of view of said user, a lower portion of the field of vision being encompassed by a pair of eyeglass lenses, said display screens and said eyeglass lenses being positioned in said display panel in a bifocal arrangement, said display screens being light transmitting;

whereby

(d) video information generated by said computer is displayed to said user on the left and right video display screens of said head mounted display, and, in the absence of said video information, allowing said user to see through said display screens to view his surroundings.