Monocular portable communication and display system

• US 5,815,126 A
• Filed: 05/21/1996
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kopin Corporation
• Inventors: Pombo, Stephen, Fan, John C. C., Jacobsen, Jeffrey, Ronzani, Peter A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US08/652,625
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 345/8, 345/7, 345/4, 345/5, 345/6, 345/87, 345/102, 345/76, 345/82, 345/905, 345/903, 348/794, 348/790, 348/800, 348/801, 348/51, 348/53, 348/54, 351/158, 359/630, 359/631
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0143 the two eyes not being equipped with identical nor symmetrical optical devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0158 with adjustable nose pad
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0159 with mechanical means other than scaning means for positioning the whole image
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• 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 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/18 Diffraction gratings holographic optical elements G02B5/32, G03H; integrally combined with optical fibres G02B6/02057; for coupling light guides G02B6/34; integrally combined with optical integrated light guides G02B6/12; grating systems G02B27/44
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/12 Adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs

Abstract

A monocular head mounted display system in which a matrix display element is mounted within a housing that is positioned relative to one eye of the user to display information. The display is connected to a video or information source such that the user can view information or images shown on the display. The display can be mounted to a frame so that the user can move the display in and out of the user'"'"'s filed of view without adjusting the supporting harness that holds the display on the user'"'"'s head.

Claims

1. A head-mounted monocular display system comprising:

a monocular display comprising a display housing, a liquid crystal matrix display mounted within the display housing, and an optical system mounted within the display housing to couple an image generated by the liquid crystal matrix display to a selected eye of a user;

a circuit housing securable to the head of the user, the circuit housing comprising display circuitry mounted therein that operates the liquid crystal matrix display to generate an image; and

a support track connected to the circuit housing, the monocular display being adjustably mounted to the support track relative to a selected eye of the user, the support track holding the display housing such that the monocular display housing can be moved relative to the support track and the circuit housing from a first position near one eye of the user to a second position near the other eye of the user while the circuit housing is secured to the head of the user.

2. The monocular display system of claim 1 wherein the display housing is mounted to the support track with a hinge.

3. The monocular display system of claim 1 wherein the monocular display is hingeably mounted to the support track such that the display housing rotates in a vertical plane.

4. The monocular display of claim 1 wherein the liquid crystal matrix display is mounted in the display housing in a plane orthogonal to a line-of-sight of the user.

5. The monocular display of claim 1 wherein the liquid crystal matrix display is mounted in a plane parallel to a line-of-sight of the user.

6. The monocular display of claim 1 further comprising a microphone attached to the display system.

7. The monocular display of claim 1 further comprising a microphone mounted to the display housing.

8. The monocular display system of claim 1 further comprising a sensor.

9. The monocular display of claim 1 further comprising a battery to provide power to the display.

10. A method of using a monocular display system adjacent the head of a user comprising the step of:

providing a monocular display system having a display housing with an electronic liquid crystal display, a backlight and an optical lens system mounted within the display housing such that the backlight, the liquid crystal display and the optical lens system are aligned along a single axis;

providing a circuit housing securable to a support frame positioned adjacent to the head of a user, the circuit housing having display circuitry mounted therein that operates the electronic display to generate an image;

providing a support frame connected to the circuit housing, the support frame holding the display housing such that the display housing can be moved relative to the support frame and the circuit housing such that the display housing can be moved between a first position adjacent one eye of the user and a second position adjacent a second eye of the user while the circuit housing is secured to the support frame;

positioning the display housing along the support frame relative to the first eye or the second eye of the user; and

receiving image data with a wireless receiver.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of providing a hinge for mounting the electronic display to the support frame such that the electronic display can be moved from a position outside a field of view of the user to a position within the field of view of the user.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the hinged electronic display rotates in a vertical plane within the field of view.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of providing a microphone attached to the monocular display system.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of sensing an environmental characteristic with a sensor mounted on the display system.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of connecting the electronic display to an external source of information to be displayed with a wireless communications module coupled to the electronic display, the communications module and electronic display being powered by a battery.

16. A monocular liquid crystal head mounted display system comprising:

a monocular display comprising a display housing, an active matrix liquid crystal display mounted within the display housing, and an optical system mounted within the display housing to couple an image generated by the matrix display to a selected eye of a user;

a circuit housing securable to the head of the user, the circuit housing comprising drive circuitry mounted therein for driving the matrix display to generate an image;

a support track connected to the circuit housing on which the monocular display is adjustably mounted relative to a selected eye of the user, the support track holding the display housing such that the display housing can be moved relative to the support track and the circuit housing between a first position near one eye of the user and a second position near the other eye of the user while the circuit housing is secured to the head of the user; and

a frame movably mounted to the support track, the frame having the display housing mounted thereon such that the matrix display can be moved from a viewing position within a field of view of the user to a retracted position outside the field of view of the user.

17. The monocular liquid crystal head mounted display of claim 16 further comprising a microphone mounted to the display system, a sensor, a wireless communications module and a battery.

18. The monocular liquid crystal head mounted display of claim 16 wherein the matrix display rotates in a vertical plane in the field of view.

19. The monocular liquid crystal head mounted display of claim 16 further comprising a flexible cable extending from the circuit housing to the display housing for connecting the drive circuitry with the matrix display.

20. The monocular liquid crystal head mounted display of claim 16 wherein the frame is a hinged arm member.

21. The monocular liquid crystal head mounted display of claim 16 wherein the frame is slidable along the support track lateral to the user'"'"'s field of view.

22. The monocular liquid crystal head mounted display of claim 16 wherein the matrix display is mounted in the display housing along the optical axis of the user'"'"'s eye to provide for direct viewing of the generated image.

23. The monocular liquid crystal head mounted display of claim 16 wherein the display housing further comprises at least one mirror mounted therein for reflecting the generated image from the matrix display to the optical axis of the user'"'"'s eye.

24. The monocular liquid crystal head mounted display of claim 16 wherein the matrix display is mounted in the display housing in a plane orthogonal to a line-of-sight of the user.

25. The monocular liquid crystal head mounted display of claim 16 wherein the matrix display is mounted in the display housing in a plane parallel to a line-of-sight of the user.

26. The monocular liquid crystal head mounted display of claim 16 wherein the support track is attached at both ends to the circuit housing.

27. The monocular liquid crystal head mounted display of claim 26 wherein the frame is slideable along the support track.