Display and image capture apparatus

• US 5,532,736 A
• Filed: 03/09/1995
• Issued: 07/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Inventors: Kuriki, Makoto, Takahashi, Yukio, Uehira, Kazutake, Sakai, Shigenobu
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US08/401,303
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 348/12, 348/13, 348/15, 348/20, 348/207, 348/373, 348/375, 348/744, 348/752
• US Class Current: 348/14.16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact

Abstract

A videocamera is disposed diagonally to the front of a display and the image of a subject is reflected toward the videocamera by a half-transparent mirror placed in front of the screen of the display. The half-transparent mirror has in its front inclined strip-like micro reflective surfaces and inclined strip-like micro transparent surfaces which emit therethrough incident light from the display screen. The angle between each micro transparent surface and a strip-like micro area formed on the back of the half-transparent mirror in opposing relation to the micro transparent surface is determined so that the half-transparent mirror has a light collecting or condensing effect.

Claims

1. A display and image capture apparatus comprising:

display means having a large-sized display screen for displaying an image thereon;

a half-transparent mirror, disposed in front of and substantially parallel to said large-sized display screen substantially over the entire area thereof, for reflecting a portion of light from a subject located in front of said large-sized display screen and for transmitting therethrough a portion of light from said image on said display screen, said half-transparent mirror comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments disposed on the front surface of said half-transparent mirror substantially in parallel to one another, each of which segments extends horizontally of said large-sized display screen and has a micro width vertically thereof, the front surface of each of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments being inclined forward in vertical section thereof and having a reflecting surface formed on the inclined surface for reflecting a portion of light from said subject;

at least one image capturing means disposed diagonally to said large-sized display screen so as to have at least a central area of the display screen surface within the angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means, said image capturing means receiving light reflected from said half-transparent mirror and capturing the image of said subject;

said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments of said half-transparent mirror being continuously disposed in vertical direction, the inclined front surfaces of the half-transparent mirror segments at least positioned at said central area of said display screen surface which is within said angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means protruding in the same direction and being oriented at a predetermined fixed angle, and having half-transparent reflecting surfaces formed thereon for reflecting a portion of light from said subject and for transmitting therethrough a portion of light from said image on said large-sized display screen, respectively; and

said half-transparent mirror further comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro recesses formed in a central region of the back of said half-transparent mirror in opposing relation to said central area of said display screen surface, said strip-like micro recesses being formed in opposing relation to said half-transparent mirror segments positioned at said central area of said display screen surface and having substantially the same widths as those of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments opposed thereto, respectively, said strip-like micro recesses having inclined surfaces oriented in the same direction as that of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments, respectively, the number of said strip-like micro recesses being substantially the same as that of said half-transparent mirror segments positioned at said central area of said display screen surface, angles of said inclined surfaces of said strip-like micro recesses being changed to become larger or smaller on a stepwise basis in the vertical direction.

9. The apparatus of any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 wherein said display means is a projection type display including a projector, and said display screen displays an image projected thereto by said projector.

2. A display and image capture apparatus comprising:

display means having a large-sized display screen for displaying an image thereon;

a half-transparent mirror, disposed in front of and substantially parallel to said large-sized display screen substantially over the entire area thereof, for reflecting a portion of light from a subject located in front of said large-sized display screen and for transmitting therethrough a portion of light from said image on said display screen, said half-transparent mirror comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments continuously disposed on the front surface of said half-transparent mirror vertically of said large-sized display screen and substantially in parallel to one another, each of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments consisting of a strip-like micro reflecting segment which extends horizontally of said large-sized display screen and has a micro width vertically thereof and a strip-like micro light transmitting segment formed adjacent to said strip-like micro reflecting segment which also extends horizontally of said large-sized display screen and has a micro width vertically thereof, the front surface of said micro reflecting segment of each of said half-transparent mirror segments being inclined forward in vertical section thereof and having a reflecting surface formed on the inclined surface for reflecting a portion of light from said subject;

at least one image capturing means disposed diagonally to said large-sized display screen so as to have at least a central area of the display screen surface within the angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means, said image capturing means receiving light reflected from said half-transparent mirror and capturing the image of said subject;

the inclined front surfaces of said micro reflecting segments of said half-transparent mirror segments at least positioned at said central area of said display screen surface which is within said angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means protruding in the same direction and being oriented at a predetermined fixed angle, respectively; and

said micro light transmitting segments of said half-transparent mirror segments at least positioned at said central area of said display screen surface being formed in parallel with a flat back surface of said half-transparent mirror, the inclination angle θ

of each micro reflecting segment, the width d of each micro reflecting segment in the vertical direction and the width w of each micro light transmitting segment being so selected that they satisfy the following equation;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">w≦

d·

tanθ

·

tan2θ

.

3. A display and image capture apparatus comprising:

display means provided with a large-sized display screen for displaying an image thereon;

a half-transparent mirror, disposed in front of and substantially parallel to said large-sized display screen substantially over the entire area thereof, for reflecting a portion of light from a subject located in front of said large-sized display screen and for transmitting therethrough a portion of light from said image on said display screen, said half-transparent mirror comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments disposed on the front surface of said half-transparent mirror substantially in parallel to one another, each of which segments extends horizontally of said large-sized display screen and has a micro width vertically thereof, the front surface of each of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments being inclined forward in vertical section thereof and having a reflecting surface formed on the inclined surface for reflecting a portion of light from said subject;

at least one image capturing means, disposed diagonally to the front of said large-sized display screen so as to have at least a central area of the display screen surface within the angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means, said image capturing means receiving light reflected from said half-transparent mirror and capturing the image of said subject;

said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments of said half-transparent mirror being continuously disposed in vertical direction, the inclined front surfaces of the half-transparent mirror segments at least positioned at said central area of said display screen surface which is within said angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means protruding in the same direction and being oriented at a predetermined fixed angle, and having half-transparent reflecting surfaces formed thereon for reflecting a portion of light from said subject and for transmitting therethrough a portion of light from said image on said large-sized display screen, respectively; and

said half-transparent mirror further comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro recesses formed in a central region of the back of said half-transparent mirror in opposing relation to said central area of said display screen surface, said strip-like micro recesses being formed in opposing relation to said half-transparent mirror segments positioned at said central area of said display screen surface and having substantially the same widths as those of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments opposed thereto, respectively, said strip-like micro recesses having inclined surfaces oriented at said predetermined fixed angle in the same direction as that of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments, respectively, the number of said strip-like micro recesses being substantially the same as that of said half-transparent mirror segments positioned at said central area of said display screen surface.

4. A display and image capture apparatus comprising:

display means having a large-sized display screen for displaying an image thereon;

a half-transparent mirror, disposed in front of and substantially parallel to said large-sized display screen substantially over the entire area thereof, for reflecting a portion of light from a subject located in front of said large-sized display screen and for transmitting therethrough a portion of light from said image on said display screen, said half-transparent mirror comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments disposed on the front surface of said half-transparent mirror substantially in parallel to one another, each of such segments extending horizontally of said large-sized display screen and having a micro width vertically thereof, the front surface of each of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments being inclined forward in vertical section thereof and having a reflecting surface formed on the inclined surface for reflecting a portion of light from said subject;

at least one image capturing means disposed diagonally to said large-sized display screen so as to have at least a central area of the display screen surface within the angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means, said image capturing means receiving light reflected from said half-transparent mirror and capturing the image of said subject;

said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments of said half-transparent mirror being continuously disposed in vertical direction, the inclined front surfaces of the half-transparent mirror segments at least positioned at said central area of said display screen surface which is within said angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means protruding in the same direction and being oriented at a predetermined fixed angle, and having half-transparent reflecting surfaces formed thereon for reflecting a portion of light from said subject and for transmitting therethrough a portion of light from said image on said large-sized display screen, respectively; and

said half-transparent mirror further comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro ridges formed in a central region of the back of said half-transparent mirror in opposing relation to said central area of said display screen surface, said micro ridges being formed in opposing relation to said half-transparent mirror segments positioned at said central area of said display screen surface and having inclined surfaces oriented in the same direction as that of said half-transparent mirror segments opposed thereto, respectively, said micro ridges having substantially the same widths as those of said half-transparent mirror segments opposed thereto, respectively, the number of said micro ridges being substantially the same as that of said half-transparent mirror segments positioned at said central area of said display screen surface, angles of the inclined surfaces of said micro ridges opposed to said half-transparent mirror segments being changed to become larger or smaller on a stepwise basis in vertical direction.

5. A display and image capture apparatus comprising:

display means having a large-sized display screen for displaying an image thereon;

a half-transparent mirror, disposed in front of and substantially parallel to said large-sized display screen substantially over the entire area thereof, for reflecting a portion of light from a subject located in front of said large-sized display screen and for transmitting therethrough a portion of light from said image on said display screen, said half-transparent mirror comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments disposed on the front surface of said half-transparent mirror substantially in parallel to one another, each of said segments extending horizontally of said large-sized display screen and having a micro width vertically thereof, the front surface of each of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments being inclined forward in vertical section thereof and having a reflecting surface formed on the inclined surface for reflecting a portion of light from said subject;

at least one image capturing means, disposed diagonally to the front of said large-sized display screen so as to have at least a central area of the display screen surface within the angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means, said image capturing means receiving light reflected from said half-transparent mirror and capturing the image of said subject;

said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments of said half-transparent mirror being continuously disposed in vertical direction, the inclined front surfaces of the half-transparent mirror segments at least positioned at said central area of said display screen surface which is within said angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means protruding in the same direction and being oriented at a predetermined fixed angle, and having half-transparent reflecting surfaces formed thereon for reflecting a portion of light from said subject and for transmitting therethrough a portion of light from said image on said large-sized display screen, respectively; and

said half-transparent mirror further comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro ridges formed in a central region of the back of said half-transparent mirror in opposing relation to said central area of said display screen surface, said strip-like micro ridges being formed in opposing relation to said half-transparent mirror segments positioned at said central area of said display screen surface and having substantially the same widths as those of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments opposed thereto, respectively, said micro ridges having inclined surfaces oriented at said predetermined fixed angle in the same direction as that of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments, respectively, the number of said micro ridges being substantially the same as that of said half-transparent mirror segments positioned at said central area of said display screen surface.

6. A display and image capture apparatus comprising:

display means having a large-sized display screen for displaying an image thereon;

a half-transparent mirror, disposed in front of and substantially parallel to said large-sized display screen substantially over the entire area thereof, for reflecting a portion of light from a subject located in front of said large-sized display screen and for transmitting therethrough a portion of light from said image on said display screen, said half-transparent mirror comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments continuously disposed on the front surface of said half-transparent mirror vertically of said large-sized display screen and substantially in parallel to one another, each of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments consisting of a strip-like micro reflecting segment which extends horizontally of said large-sized display screen and has a micro width vertically thereof and a strip-like micro light transmitting segment formed adjacent to said strip-like micro reflecting segment which also extends horizontally of said large-sized display screen and has a micro width vertically thereof, the front surface of said micro reflecting segment and the front surface of said micro light transmitting segment of each of said half-transparent mirror segments protruding forward and being inclined in opposite directions to each other in vertical sections thereof, the inclined front surface of each of said micro reflecting segments having a reflecting surface formed thereon for reflecting a portion of light from said subject;

at least one image capturing means disposed diagonally to said large-sized display screen so as to have at least a central area of the display screen surface within the angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means, said image capturing means receiving light reflected from said half-transparent mirror and capturing the image of said subject;

the inclined front surfaces of said micro reflecting segments of said half-transparent mirror segments at least positioned at said central area of said display screen surface which is within said angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means being oriented at a predetermined fixed angle and in the same direction, respectively; and

said half-transparent mirror further comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro recesses formed in a central region of the back of said half-transparent mirror in opposing relation to said central area of said display screen surface, said strip-like micro recesses being formed in opposing relation to said half-transparent mirror segments positioned at said central area of said display screen surface, each micro recess having an inclined surface oriented at said predetermined fixed angle and in the same direction as that of said micro reflecting segment and an inclined surface oriented at the same angle and in the same direction as that of said micro light transmitting segment of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segment opposed thereto, said inclined surfaces of said micro recesses having substantially the same widths as those of said micro reflecting segments and said micro light transmitting segments opposed thereto of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments, respectively, the number of said micro recesses being substantially the same as that of said half-transparent mirror segments positioned at said central area of said display screen surface.

7. A display and image capture apparatus comprising:

display means having a large-sized display screen for displaying an image thereon;

a half-transparent mirror, disposed in front of and substantially parallel to said large-sized display screen substantially over the entire area thereof, for reflecting a portion of light from a subject located in front of said large-sized display screen and for transmitting therethrough a portion of light from said image on said display screen, said half-transparent mirror comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments continuously disposed on the front surface of said half-transparent mirror vertically of said large-sized display screen and substantially in parallel to one another, each of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments consisting of a strip-like micro reflecting segment which extends horizontally of said large-sized display screen and has a micro width vertically thereof and a strip-like micro light transmitting segment formed adjacent to said strip-like micro reflecting segment which also extends horizontally of said large-sized display screen and has a micro width vertically thereof, the front surface of said micro reflecting segment and the front surface of said micro light transmitting segment of each of said half-transparent mirror segments protruding forward and being inclined in opposite directions to each other in vertical sections thereof, the inclined front surface of each of said micro reflecting segments having a reflecting surface formed thereon for reflecting a portion of light from said subject;

at least one image capturing means disposed diagonally to said large-sized display screen so as to have at least a central area of the display screen surface within the angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means, said image capturing means receiving light reflected from said half-transparent mirror and capturing the image of said subject;

the inclined front surfaces of said micro reflecting segments of said half-transparent mirror segments at least positioned at said central area of said display screen surface which is within said angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means being oriented at a predetermined fixed angle and in the same direction, respectively; and

said half-transparent mirror further comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro recesses formed in a central region of the back of said half-transparent mirror in opposing relation to said central area of said display screen surface, said strip-like micro recesses being formed in opposing relation to said half-transparent mirror segments positioned at said central area of said display screen surface, respectively, each micro recess having an inclined surface oriented in the same direction as that of said micro reflecting segment and an inclined surface oriented in the same direction as that of said micro light transmitting segment of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segment opposed thereto, said micro recesses having substantially the same widths as those of said half-transparent mirror segments opposed thereto, respectively, the number of said micro recesses being substantially the same as that of said half-transparent mirror segments positioned at said central area of said display screen surface, angles of the inclined surfaces of said micro recesses opposed to said light transmitting segments being changed to become larger or smaller on a stepwise basis in vertical direction.

8. A display and image capture apparatus comprising:

display means having a large-sized display screen for displaying an image thereon;

a half-transparent mirror, disposed in front of and substantially parallel to said large-sized display screen substantially over the entire area thereof, for reflecting a portion of light from a subject located in front of said large-sized display screen and for transmitting therethrough a portion of light from said image on said display screen, said half-transparent mirror comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments continuously disposed on the front surface of said half-transparent mirror vertically of said large-sized display screen and substantially in parallel to one another, each of said strip-like micro half-transparent mirror segments consisting of a strip-like micro reflecting segment which extends horizontally of said large-sized display screen and has a micro width vertically thereof and a strip-like micro light transmitting segment formed adjacent to said strip-like micro reflecting segment which also extends horizontally of said large-sized display screen and has a micro width vertically thereof, the front surface of said micro reflecting segment and the front surface of said micro light transmitting segment of each of said half-transparent mirror segments protruding forward and being inclined in opposite directions to each other in vertical sections thereof, the inclined front surface of each of said micro reflecting segments having a reflecting surface formed thereon for reflecting a portion of light from said subject;

at least one image capturing means disposed diagonally to said large-sized display screen so as to have at least a central area of the display screen surface within the angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means, said image capturing means receiving light reflected from said half-transparent mirror and capturing the image of said subject;

the inclined front surfaces of said micro reflecting segments of said half-transparent mirror segments at least positioned at said central area of said display screen which is within said angle of field of image capture of said image capturing means being oriented at a predetermined fixed angle and in the same direction, respectively; and

said half-transparent mirror further comprising a multiplicity of strip-like micro ridges formed in a central region of the back of said half-transparent mirror in opposing relation to said central area of said display screen surface, said micro ridges being formed in opposing relation to said micro light transmitting segments of said half-transparent mirror segments positioned at said central area of said display screen surface and having inclined surfaces oriented in the same direction as that of said micro light transmitting segments opposed thereto, respectively, said micro ridges having substantially the same widths as those of said micro light transmitting segments opposed thereto, respectively, the number of said micro ridges being substantially the same as that of said half-transparent mirror segments positioned at said central area of said display screen surface, angles of the inclined surfaces of said micro ridges opposed to said micro light transmitting segments being changed to become larger or smaller on a stepwise basis in vertical direction.