Receiver with miniature virtual image display

• US 6,157,353 A
• Filed: 04/22/1994
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Song, John, Jachimowicz, Karen E., Moyer, Curtis D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, LUN YI
• Application Number:
  US08/231,570
• Time in Patent Office: 2,419 Days
• Field of Search: 345/44, 345/32, 345/82, 345/38, 345/40, 345/1, 345/39, 340/825.44, 340/815.13, 379/58, 379/59, 379/61, 379/96, 379/433, 379/93.17, 379/93.19, 379/93.23, 379/110.01, 359/804, 385/120, 313/500
• US Class Current: 345/32
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 25/002 Magnifying glasses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0149 characterised by mechanical features G02B27/0176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/026 and a display device, e.g. CRT, LCD, for adding markings or signs or to enhance the contrast of the viewed object
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60

Abstract

A portable communications receiver with virtual image display including a semiconductor array providing a real image and an optical system mounted to receive the real image and produce a virtual image at a viewing aperture. Electronics are associated with the array to produce real images in accordance with messages received by the receiver. The display is sufficiently small to mount in a hand held microphone for viewing by the operator while using the microphone.

Claims

1. A portable communications receiver with multiple visual displays comprising a portable communications receiver with a miniature virtual image display having a viewing aperture, the miniature virtual image display being operably attached to the receiver and including image generation apparatus for providing a real image and a fixed optical system for producing, from the real image, a virtual image viewable through the viewing aperture and a direct visual display operably attached to the receiver.

2. A portable communications receiver with multiple visual displays as claimed in claim 1 wherein the image generation apparatus includes a semiconductor device array defining a plurality of pixels with at least one semiconductor device in each pixel and image forming electronics connected to the pixels and to the portable communications receiver, the semiconductor device array producing the real image in accordance with signals received from the portable communications receiver.

3. A portable communications receiver with multiple visual displays as claimed in claim 1 wherein the semiconductor device array includes light emitting diodes.

4. A portable communications receiver with multiple visual displays as claimed in claim 1 wherein the optical system is further constructed to provide eye relief sufficient to allow an operator to use personal eye glasses when viewing the virtual image in the viewing aperture.

5. A portable communications receiver with multiple visual displays as claimed in claim 1 wherein the portable communication receiver includes a hand held microphone and the virtual image display is mounted in the hand held microphone.

6. A portable electronic device with visual displays comprising:

a portable electronic device;

a miniature virtual image display electrically connected to the electronic device for receiving video data therefrom and having a viewing aperture, the display including

image generation apparatus for providing a real image, and

an optical system mounted adjacent the image generation apparatus to receive the real image therefrom, magnify the image and produce a virtual image at the viewing aperture, the optical system producing a magnification sufficient to easily perceive the virtual image through the viewing aperture; and

a direct visual display electrically connected to the electronic device for receiving data therefrom and providing a direct view display thereof.

7. A portable electronic device with visual displays as claimed in claim 6 wherein the optical system includes a bundle of fiber optics defining a first and a second surface and tapered to provide a predetermined amount of magnification from the first surface to the second surface, the bundle of fiber optics being mounted with the first surface positioned in juxtaposition to the real image provided by the image generation apparatus, and a lens system mounted adjacent the bundle of fiber optics to receive an image from the second surface thereof, further magnify the image and produce a virtual image at the viewing aperture.

8. A portable electronic device with visual displays as claimed in claim 7 wherein the bundle of fiber optics is tapered sufficiently to provide magnification of at least a power of two.

9. A portable electronic device with visual displays as claimed in claim 7 wherein the lens system is constructed to further magnify the image by a power of at least ten.

10. A portable electronic device with visual displays as claimed in claim 6 wherein the image generation apparatus providing the real image is formed in a single semiconductor chip.

11. A portable electronic device with visual displays as claimed in claim 10 wherein the apparatus providing the real image includes a two dimensional light emitting diode array.

12. A portable electronic device with visual displays as claimed in claim 6 including in addition image forming electronics connected to the apparatus providing the real image and to the portable electronic device, the apparatus producing the real image in accordance with signals received from the portable electronic device.

13. A portable electronic device with visual displays as claimed in claim 6 wherein the direct visual display includes a liquid crystal display.

14. A portable electronic device with visual displays as claimed in claim 6 wherein the apparatus providing the real image includes semiconductor lasers.

15. A portable electronic device with visual displays as claimed in claim 6 wherein the portable electronic device includes a portable communications receiver.

16. A portable communications device with multiple visual displays comprising:

a portable communication device; and

a miniature virtual image display having a viewing aperture, the display being operably attached to the communications device for visually displaying signals received from the communications device and including

image generation apparatus, the image generation apparatus including a two dimensional semiconductor device array formed on a single semiconductor chip and defining a plurality of rows and columns of pixels in sufficient number to generate a real image of one of a complete picture and several lines of text, the real image being of a size to require magnification to be perceivable with the human eye,

a fixed optical system for producing, from the real image, a magnified virtual image viewable and perceivable by an operator through the viewing aperture,

the semiconductor device array and the optical system of the miniature visual display providing a virtual image easily perceived by an operator without substantially effecting the size and power requirements of the portable communications device; and

a direct visual display electrically connected to the communications device for receiving data therefrom and providing a direct view display thereof.

17. A portable communications device with a multiple visual displays as claimed in claim 16 wherein the real image is of a size to require at least a power of ten magnification to be perceivable with the human eye and the fixed optical system is designed to produce a magnified virtual image greater than ten times the real image.

18. A method of operating a portable communications receiver with multiple visual displays comprising the steps of:

providing a portable communications receiver with a miniature virtual image display having a viewing aperture, the miniature virtual image display being operably attached to the receiver and including image generation apparatus for providing a real image and a fixed optical system for producing, from the real image, a virtual image viewable through the viewing aperture and a direct visual display operably attached to the receiver;

coupling numbers called to the direct visual display; and

coupling received signals representative of large alpha-numeric and pictorial messages to the miniature virtual image display.