Infrared audio/video interface for head-mounted display

• US 6,101,038 A
• Filed: 05/03/1999
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sherwood Partners Incorporated, Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Optimize, Inc.
• Inventors: Hempson, Kevin R., Hebert, Raymond T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US09/305,092
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 359/618, 359/709, 359/717, 359/646, 359/793, 359/152, 359/189, 359/174, 359/630, 359/633, 345/30, 345/59, 345/87, 345/8
• US Class Current: 359/618
• 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: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1143 Bidirectional transmission

Abstract

A video interface linking a base station with a remote display, e.g., a head-mounted display, converts input video signals from NTSC or PAL formats into modulated video signals containing repetitive sequences of frame times with embedded audio and control signals. Each frame time includes equal consecutive color field times. Frame rates are converted by inserting selected repeating color frames into the datastream. Bursts of image information occupy a portion of each field time. During each data burst, the display is loaded with pixel luminance data. Between bursts, the display is illuminated by a color LED. Two video displays can be driven alternately, i.e., the first display loads while the second is illuminated. The modulated video signal can travel through the atmosphere on an infrared (IR) beam with a wavelength between 700 nm and 1100 nm. In one embodiment, the beam is scattered from a diffuse reflecting surface. Alternatively, the beam is shaped by a shaping lens. Designs for shaping lenses and collecting lens assemblies are described. Some embodiments include return audio transmission.

Claims

1. An apparatus including a video interface for a remote display, comprising:

a video processing circuit configured to output a modulated video signal;

a remote receiver configured to receive said modulated video signal; and

a remote electronic circuit interconnected to said receiver and to a video display device, said remote electronic circuit configured to apply said modulated video signal to control and drive said video display device;

said modulated video signal having a data structure comprising a repetitive sequence of frame times, each said frame time containing substantially equal consecutive field times for each of three color fields, a portion of each said field time containing a burst of pixel luminance and control data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further configured such that said modulated video signal is transmitted from said video processing circuit to said receiver at least in part on a modulated beam of electromagnetic energy.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy is an infrared beam having a wavelength in a range of approximately 700 nm to approximately 1100 nm.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, including an optical fiber connecting said video processing circuit to said receiver, said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy propagating through said optical fiber.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further configured such that said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy propagates to said receiver at least in part through a free atmospheric path.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, configured such that said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy is diffusely reflected from a surface located proximate to said receiver.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a shaping lens assembly located proximate to said receiver, said shaping lens assembly being configured to output said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy in a pattern, wherein said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy is substantially concentrated within a volume including the probable location of said receiver.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said shaping lens assembly comprises:

a convergent output lens having a hollow conic input surface and a substantially hemispherical output surface; and

a divergent input lens having a hollow conic input surface and a flat output surface;

said input lens and said output lens being aligned and adjustably separated along a mutual conic axis; and

said input and output lens being aspheric.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said input and output lens are made of an optically transmitting polymeric material.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polymethyl methacrylates and polycarbonates.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said shaping lens assembly comprises:

a cluster of infrared light emitting diodes; and

an aspheric convergent output lens having a hollow conic input surface and a substantially hemispherical output surface;

said cluster of light emitting diodes and said convergent output lens being aligned and adjustably separated along a mutual axis.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said cluster of light emitting diodes is interconnected with said video processing circuit through a coaxial cable.

13. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said receiver further comprises a collecting lens assembly incorporating:

a photodetector;

an inner light cone optically cemented to said photodetector, said inner light cone having diffusely reflecting outer walls; and

a wide-angle collecting lens attached coaxially to said inner light cone.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said collecting lens assembly further comprises an outer conic cavity disposed coaxially around said wide angle collecting lens and inner light cone, said outer conic cavity having polished reflective inner walls.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said wide angle collecting lens is aspheric.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said wide angle collecting lens is made of an optically transmitting polymeric material.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said wide angle collecting lens and said inner light cone are an integrated monolithic structure.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polymethyl methacrylates and polycarbonates.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a headset to be worn by a user, said headset incorporating said receiver and said video display device.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tether interconnecting said video processing circuit and said receiver, such that said modulated video signal is transmitted through said tether.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said tether includes an electrically conducting coaxial cable, such that said modulated video signal is transmitted through said coaxial cable.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said tether includes an optical fiber, such that said modulated video signal is transmitted through said optical fiber.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said remote electronic circuit is configured to illuminate said video display device sequentially with light from colored light emitting diodes in synchronism with said bursts of pixel luminance data, such that illumination occurs during a portion of each said field time not containing said burst.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further configured to operate two separate video display devices alternately, such that data bursts of a first video signal for a first display device alternate with corresponding data bursts of a second video signal for a second display device, and wherein said first and second video signals are derived from a single time-duplexed video data stream.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said field time is in a range of approximately 4 msec to approximately 6 msec.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, further configured to provide a video bandwidth of the order of or greater than 100 MHz.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said video processing circuit is configured to convert a frame rate in an input video signal into a higher frame rate in said modulated video signal by repeated color fields.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said modulated video signal incorporates an embedded audio signal.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a return audio link configured to propagate a return audio modulated signal from the proximity of said remote receiver to the proximity of said video processing circuit.

30. An apparatus including a video interface for a remote display, comprising:

a video processing circuit configured to output a modulated video signal;

a remote receiver;

said receiver configured to receive said modulated video signal;

a remote electronic circuit interconnected between said receiver and a video display device, said remote electronic circuit configured to apply said modulated video signal to control and drive said video display device; and

a shaping lens assembly located proximate to said receiver, said shaping lens assembly being configured to output said modulated video signal to said receiver at least in part through a free atmospheric path on a modulated beam of electromagnetic energy, such that said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy is concentrated substantially within a volume including the probable location of said receiver.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy is an infrared beam having a wavelength in a range of approximately 700 nm to approximately 1100 nm.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said shaping lens assembly comprises:

a convergent output lens having a hollow conic input surface and a substantially hemispherical output surface; and

a divergent input lens having a hollow conic input surface and a flat output surface;

said input lens and said output lens being aligned and adjustably separated along their respective conic axes; and

said input and output lens being aspheric.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said shaping lens assembly comprises:

a cluster of infrared light emitting diodes; and

an aspheric convergent output lens having a hollow conic input surface and a substantially hemispherical output surface;

said cluster of light emitting diodes and said convergent output lens being aligned and adjustably separated along a mutual axis.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said cluster of light emitting diodes is interconnected with said video processing circuit through a coaxial cable.

35. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said receiver further comprises a collecting lens assembly incorporating:

a photodetector;

an inner light cone optically cemented to said photodetector, said inner light cone having diffusely reflecting outer walls; and

a wide-angle collecting lens attached coaxially to said inner light cone.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said collecting lens assembly further comprises an outer conic cavity disposed coaxially around said wide angle collecting lens and inner light cone, said outer conic cavity having polished reflective inner walls.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said wide angle collecting lens is aspheric.

38. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a headset to be worn by a user, said headset including said receiver and said video display device.

39. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said modulated video signal incorporates an embedded audio signal.

40. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a return audio link configured to propagate an audio modulated signal from the proximity of said remote receiver to the proximity of said video processing circuit.

41. An apparatus including a shaping lens assembly configured for shaping a beam of electromagnetic radiation, said assembly comprising:

a convergent output lens having a hollow conic input surface and a substantially hemispherical output surface; and

a divergent input lens having a hollow conic input surface and a flat output surface;

said input lens and said output lens being aligned and adjustably separated along a mutual axis.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said convergent output lens and said divergent input lens are made of an optically transmitting polymeric material.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein said polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polymethyl methacrylates and polycarbonates.

44. An apparatus including a collecting lens assembly comprising:

an inner light cone having diffusely reflecting outer walls;

a wide-angle collecting lens attached coaxially to said inner light cone; and

an outer conic cavity disposed coaxially around said wide-angle collecting lens, said outer conic cavity having polished reflective inner walls.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising a headset configured to be worn by a user, said headset including said collecting lens assembly and a video display device.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein said wide-angle collecting lens is made of an optically transmitting polymeric material.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein said wide angle collecting lens and said inner light cone are an integrated monolithic structure.

48. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein said polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polymethyl methacrylates and polycarbonates.

49. A method of operating a remote video display device, comprising:

generating a modulated video signal;

transmitting said modulated video signal to a remote receiver; and

applying said modulated video signal to control and drive said video display device;

said modulated video signal having a data structure comprising a repetitive sequence of frame times, each said frame time containing substantially equal consecutive field times for each of three color fields, a portion of each said field time containing a burst of pixel luminance and control data.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein said modulated video signal is transmitted on a modulated beam of electromagnetic energy.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy is an infrared beam having a wavelength in a range of approximately 700 nm to approximately 1100 nm.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy is transmitted through an optical fiber to said receiver.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy is transmitted to said receiver at least in part through a free atmospheric path.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy is diffusely reflected from a surface located above and proximate to said receiver.

55. The method of claim 53, further comprising shaping and outputting said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy prior to said transmitting, using a shaping lens assembly located proximate to said receiver, thereby concentrating said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy within a volume including the probable location of said receiver.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein said shaping is performed using a shaping lens assembly comprising:

a convergent output lens having a hollow conic input surface and a substantially hemispherical output surface; and

a divergent input lens having a hollow conic input surface and a flat output surface;

said input lens and said output lens being aligned and adjustably separated along a mutual axis; and

said input and output lens being aspheric.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein said shaping is performed using a shaping lens assembly comprising:

a cluster of infrared light emitting diodes; and

an aspheric convergent output lens having a hollow conic input surface and a substantially hemispherical output surface;

said cluster of light emitting diodes and said convergent output lens being aligned and adjustably separated along a mutual axis.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein said cluster of light emitting diodes is interconnected with said video processing circuit through a coaxial cable.

59. The method of claim 53, wherein said receiver comprises a collecting lens assembly incorporating:

a photodetector;

an inner light cone optically cemented to said photodetector, said inner light cone having diffusely reflecting outer walls; and

a wide-angle collecting lens attached coaxially to said inner light cone.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein said collecting lens assembly further comprises an outer conic cavity disposed coaxially around said wide angle collecting lens and inner light cone, said outer conic cavity having polished reflective inner walls.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein said wide angle collecting lens is aspheric.

62. The method of claim 49, wherein said receiver and said video display device are incorporated in a headset worn by a user.

63. The method of claim 49, further comprising illuminating said video display device sequentially with light from colored light emitting diodes in synchronism with said bursts of pixel luminance data, such that said illuminating occurs during a portion of each said field time not containing said data burst.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein two separate video display devices are operated alternately, such that data bursts of a first video signal for a first display device alternate with corresponding data bursts of a second video signal for a second display device, and wherein said first and second video signals are derived from a single time-duplexed video data stream.

65. The method of claim 49, further comprising converting a frame rate in an input video signal to a higher frame rate in said modulated video signal by repeating selected color fields.

66. The method of claim 49, further comprising embedding an audio signal into said modulated video signal.

67. The method of claim 49, further comprising transmitting a return audio modulated signal from the proximity of said remote receiver.

68. A method of operating a remote video display device, comprising:

generating a modulated video signal;

transmitting said modulated video signal on a modulated beam of electromagnetic energy through a free atmospheric path to a remote receiver; and

applying said modulated video signal to control and drive said video display device; and

shaping said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy, thereby concentrating said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy within a volume including the probable location of said receiver.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein said modulated beam of electromagnetic energy is an infrared beam having a wavelength in a range of approximately 700 nm to approximately 1100 nm.

70. The method of claim 68, wherein said shaping is performed using a shaping lens assembly, comprising:

a convergent output lens having a hollow conic input surface and a substantially hemispherical output surface; and

a divergent input lens having a hollow conic input surface and a flat output surface;

said input lens and said output lens being aligned and adjustably separated along a mutual axis; and

said input and output lens being aspheric.

71. The method of claim 68, wherein said shaping is performed using a shaping lens assembly, comprising:

a cluster of infrared light emitting diodes; and

an aspheric convergent output lens having a hollow conic input surface and a substantially hemispherical output surface;

said cluster of light emitting diodes and said convergent output lens being aligned and adjustably separated along a mutual axis.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein said cluster of light emitting diodes is interconnected with said video processing circuit through a coaxial cable.

73. The method of claim 68, wherein said receiver comprises a collecting lens assembly incorporating:

a photodetector;

an inner light cone optically cemented to said photodetector, said inner light cone having diffusely reflecting outer walls; and

a wide-angle collecting lens attached coaxially to said inner light cone.

74. The method of claim 73, wherein said collecting lens assembly further comprises an outer conic cavity disposed coaxially around said wide angle collecting lens and inner light cone, said outer conic cavity having polished reflective inner walls.

75. The method of claim 73, wherein said wide angle collecting lens is aspheric.

76. The method of claim 68, wherein said receiver and said video display device are incorporated in a headset worn by a user.

77. The method of claim 68, further comprising embedding an audio signal in said modulated video signal.

78. The method of claim 68, further comprising transmitting a return audio modulated signal from the proximity of said remote receiver.