Head-mounted display apparatus with a single image display device

• US 5,808,802 A
• Filed: 02/25/1997
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daewoo Electronics (Government of South Korea)
• Original Assignee: Daewoo Electronics (Government of South Korea)
• Inventors: Hur, Se-Hurn
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACK, RICKY LEVERN
• Application Number:
  US08/806,881
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 359/618, 359/629, 359/630, 359/631, 359/632, 359/633, 359/636, 359/637, 359/638, 359/639, 345/7, 345/8
• US Class Current: 359/630
• 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 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• 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 13/286 having separate monoscopic and stereoscopic modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• 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 apparatus comprises an image display device, a beam splitter for partially transmitting and partially reflecting light from the image display device, a reflection mirror, and a first and a second magnifying lenses. The image display device is disposed in front of a right eye of an observer and displays images on the basis of video signals from a video signal source. The beam splitter, disposed between the image display device and the right eye, splits the light from the image display device into two light beams. The reflection mirror, disposed in front of a left eye, reflects the light from the beam splitter to the left eye. The first and the second magnifying lenses are respectively disposed between the beam splitter and the right eye and between the reflection mirror and the left eye, thereby enabling the observer to see enlarged virtual image formed at a certain distance from the eyes. The head-mounted display apparatus of the present invention can also provide a stereoscopic vision by displaying images on the image display device on the basis of the principle of binocular parallax.

Claims

1. A head-mounted display apparatus comprising:

an image display device for displaying images;

a beam splitter partially transmitting and partially reflecting the light from the image display device in proportion of substantially 1;

1;

a reflection mirror for reflecting one of the light beams split by the beam splitter;

a first and a second half mirror for reflecting the other light beam split by the beam splitter and the light beam reflected by the reflection mirror, respectively;

a first and a second concave reflection mirror for reflecting the light beams from the first and the second half mirrors to one eye and the other eye of an observer, respectively; and

a first and a second shutter glasses disposed between the first half mirror and one eye of the observer and between the second half mirror and the other eye of the observer, respectively, wherein the image display device alternately displays right-eye and left-eye images photographed from different angles, and the first and the second shutter glasses, synchronized with the right-eye and the left-eye images displayed on the image display device, become alternately clear and cloudy so that the observer is able to see three dimensional images.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and the second shutter glasses are made of a liquid crystal material.

3. A head-mounted display apparatus comprising:

an image display device for displaying images disposed on a frontal upside of a first eye of an observer and aligned with the first eye;

a beam splitter partially transmitting and partially reflecting the light from the image display device, the beam splitter positioned under said image display device;

a reflection mirror for reflecting one of the light beams split by the beam splitter, the reflection mirror disposed on the same level as that of the beam splitter, corresponding to a second eye of the observer;

a first and a second half mirror for reflecting the other light beam split by the beam splitter and the light beam reflected by the reflection mirror, respectively, wherein the first half mirror is positioned under the beam splitter, corresponding to the first eye and the second half mirror is positioned under the reflection mirror, corresponding to the second eye of the observer;

a first and a second concave reflection mirror for reflecting the light beams from the first and the second half mirrors to the first eye and the second eye, respectively, wherein the first concave reflection mirror is disposed on the reflection side of the first half mirror and the second concave reflection mirror is disposed on the reflection side of the second half mirror; and

a first and a second shutter glasses disposed between the first half mirror and first eye of the observer and between the second half mirror and the second eye of the observer, respectively, wherein the image display device alternately displays right-eye and left-eye images photographed from different angles, and the first and the second shutter glasses, synchronized with the right-eye and the left-eye images displayed on the image display device, become alternately clear and cloudy so that the observer is able to see, three dimensional images.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first and the second shutter glasses are made of a liquid crystal material.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the beam splitter partially transmits and partially reflects the light from the image display device in proportion of substantially 1:

1.

6. A head-mounted display apparatus for used by an observer having a first eye and a second eye, said display apparatus comprising:

an image display device for displaying images and emitting a light, the image display device is aligned with the first eye;

a beam splitter for splitting the light from the image display device into a first light beam and a second light beam;

a reflection mirror for reflecting the second light beam from the beam splitter;

a first half mirror for reflecting the first light beam from the beam splitter;

a second half mirror for reflecting the second light beam reflected by the reflection mirror;

a first concave reflection mirror for reflecting the first light beam from the first half mirror to the first eye; and

a second concave reflection mirror for reflecting the second light beam from the second half mirror to the second eye.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further including only one reflection mirror.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein beam splitter partially transmits the light from the image display device as the first light beam and partially reflects the light from the image display device as the second light beam in proportion of substantially 1:

1.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a first shutter glass is disposed between the first half mirror and the first eye, and a second shutter glass is disposed between the second half mirror the second eye, wherein the image display device alternately displays right-eye and left-eye images photographed from different angles, and the first and the second shutter glasses, synchronized with the right-eye and the left-eye images displayed on the image-display device, become alternately clear and cloudy so that the observer is able to see three dimensional images.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the beam splitter is aligned with the first eye and the reflection mirror is aligned with the second eye.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the image display device is disposed above the first eye.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the reflection mirror and the beam splitter are disposed on the same level.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first half mirror is positioned under the beam splitter, and the second half mirror is positioned under the reflection mirror.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the, first concave reflection mirror is disposed on the reflection side of the first half mirror and the second concave reflection mirror is disposed on the reflection side of the second half mirror.