Image display device, semiconductor device and optical element

• US 5,926,238 A
• Filed: 04/04/1997
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Inoue, Shunsuke, Miyawaki, Mamoru, Hoshi, Junichi, Kohchi, Tetsunobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TON, MINH TOAN T
• Application Number:
  US08/833,116
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 250/330, 250/331, 359/43-45, 359/48-50, 359/60, 359/72, 349/24, 349/25
• US Class Current: 349/61
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/108 for sampling a portion of a beam or combining a small beam in a larger one, e.g. wherein the area ratio or power ratio of the divided beams significantly differs from unity, without spectral selectivity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/16 used as aids for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133509 Filters, e.g. light shielding masks
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/02 Viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/20 visible in viewfinder
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2213/025 Sightline detection
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14647 Multicolour imagers having a stacked pixel-element structure, e.g. npn, npnpn or MQW elements

Abstract

An optical apparatus includes at least an image display device, a light source for illuminating the image display device, a light-receiving device for receiving the light reflected from the eye of an observer, and a calculation device for calculating the line of sight of the observer based on the output of the light-receiving means. At least part of the illuminating light from the light source is utilized as the illuminating light for illuminating the eye of the observer.

Claims

1. An image display device comprising:

a rear light source for emitting a light including a first component of a visible region and a second component having a longer wavelength than the visible region;

image display means comprising an image display region provided with a plurality of pixels in a matrix, said image display means effecting display by passing the light emitted from said rear light source through said plurality of pixels, wherein at least a part of said image display region of said image display means passes the second component having the longer wavelength than the visible region of the light emitted from said rear light source; and

a fluorescent lamp to generate said visible region component and said longer wavelength component outside the visible region, wherein

said fluorescent lamp includes fluorescent materials emitting red light, green light, blue light and infrared and/or near-infrared light.

2. An image display device according to claim 1, wherein the longer wavelength component outside the visible region contains a component of 850-950 nm.

3. An image display device according to claim 1, further comprising a filter transmitting at least said longer wavelength component outside the visible region.

4. An image display device according to claim 3, wherein said filter substantially does not transmit the visible region component.

5. An image display device according to claim 3, wherein said filter further transmits light of a wavelength of the visible region component.

6. An image display device according to claim 1, wherein said visible region component is colored light selected from red light, green light and blue light.

7. An image display device according to claim 1, wherein said light source includes a 1st light source principally emitting said visible region component and a 2nd light source principally emitting said longer wavelength component outside the visible region.

8. An image display device according to claim 1, wherein said light source includes a semiconductor.

9. An image display device according to claim 1, wherein said image display means further includes a light-receiving unit.

10. An image display device according to claim 1, further comprising a light-receiving unit.

11. An image display device according to claim 1, wherein said image display means is a liquid crystal display.

12. An image display device comprising:

a rear light source for emitting a light including a first component of a visible region and a second component having a longer wavelength than the visible region;

image display means comprising an image display region provided with a plurality of pixels in a matrix, said image display means effecting display by passing the light emitted from said rear light source through said plurality of pixels, wherein at least a part of said image display region of said image display means passes the second component having the longer wavelength than the visible region of the light emitted from said rear light source; and

a filter transmitting at least said longer wavelength component outside the visible region, wherein

said filter is provided at least in an area between said pixels.

13. An image display device comprising:

a rear light source for emitting a light including a first component of a visible region and a second component having a longer wavelength than the visible region;

image display means comprising an image display region provided with a plurality of pixels in a matrix, said image display means effecting display by passing the light emitted from said rear light source through said plurality of pixels, wherein at least a part of said image display region of said image display means passes the second component having the longer wavelength than the visible region of the light emitted from said rear light source; and

a filter transmitting at least said longer wavelength component outside the visible region, wherein

said filter is provided at least within an image display area of said image display means.

14. An image display device comprising:

a rear light source for emitting a light including a first component of a visible region and a second component having a longer wavelength than the visible region;

image display means comprising an image display region provided with a plurality of pixels in a matrix, said image display means effecting display by passing the light emitted from said rear light source through said plurality of pixels, wherein at least a part of said image display region of said image display means passes the second component having the longer wavelength than the visible region of the light emitted from said rear light source; and

a filter transmitting at least said longer wavelength component outside the visible region, wherein

said filter has a configuration substantially the same as that of said pixels.

15. An image display device comprising:

a rear light source for emitting a light including a first component of a visible region and a second component having a longer wavelength than the visible region;

image display means comprising an image display region provided with a plurality of pixels, said image display means effecting display by passing the light emitted from said rear light source through said plurality of pixels, wherein at least a part of said image display region of said image display means passes the second component having the longer wavelength than the visible region of the light emitted from said rear light source;

a fluorescent lamp to generate said visible region component and said longer wavelength component outside the visible region, wherein

said fluorescent lamp includes fluorescent materials emitting red light, green light, blue light and infrared and/or near-infrared light.

16. An image display device comprising:

a rear light source for emitting a light including a first component of a visible region and a second component having a longer wavelength than the visible region;

image display means comprising an image display region provided with a plurality of pixels, said image display means effecting display by passing the light emitted from said rear light source through said plurality of pixels, wherein at least a part of said image display region of said image display means passes the second component having the longer wavelength than the visible region of the light emitted from said rear light source; and

a filter transmitting at least said longer wavelength component outside the visible region, wherein

said filter is provided at least in an area between said pixels.

17. An image display device comprising:

a rear light source for emitting a light including a first component of a visible region and a second component having a longer wavelength than the visible region;

image display means comprising an image display region provided with a plurality of pixels, said image display means effecting display by passing the light emitted from said rear light source through said plurality of pixels, wherein at least a part of said image display region of said image display means passes the second component having the longer wavelength than the visible region of the light emitted from said rear light source; and

a filter transmitting at least said longer wavelength component outside the visible region, wherein

said filter is provided at least within an image display area of said image display means.

18. An image display device comprising:

a rear light source for emitting a light including a first component of a visible region and a second component having a longer wavelength than the visible region;

image display means comprising an image display region provided with a plurality of pixels, said image display means effecting display by passing the light emitted from said rear light source through said plurality of pixels, wherein at least a part of said image display region of said image display means passes the second component having the longer wavelength than the visible region of the light emitted from said rear light source; and

a filter transmitting at least said longer wavelength component outside the visible region, wherein

said filter has a configuration substantially the same as that of said pixels.