Virtual screen display device

• US 6,292,305 B1
• Filed: 08/24/1998
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Sakuma, Nobuo, Momose, Akira, Obu, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lucas, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US09/138,954
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 359/630-639, 359/642, 359/649, 359/402, 359/434
• US Class Current: 359/649
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• 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 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00

Abstract

A virtual screen display apparatus includes a display arranged to generate display information and having an effective diagonal length DLC and an optical projecting element arranged to receive the display information from the display and to project and form an image, the optical projecting element having an effective F number which is defined by Fe=S1/PuD wherein S1 is a distance between the display and a principal point of the optical projecting element and PuD is a diameter of an exit pupil of the optical projecting element. A field optical element arranged to form an in-space image in a position of a virtual screen and to direct a divergent light flux from the virtual screen to a view region where the image is viewable to an observer. A diameter of a range in which the image is viewable to the observer in the view region is ERD and a diagonal length of the virtual screen is VSD and a distance between the virtual screen and the view region is VSP, and the following equation is satisfied:

VSD/VSP=DLC/(ERD×Fe).

Claims

1. A virtual screen display apparatus comprising:

a display arranged to generate display information and having an effective diagonal length DLC;

an optical projecting element arranged to receive the display information from the display and to project and form an image, the optical projecting element having an effective F number which is defined by Fe=S1/PuD wherein S1 is a distance between the display and a principal point of the optical projecting element and PuD is a diameter of an exit pupil of the optical projecting element; and

a field optical element arranged to form an in-space image in a position of a virtual screen and to direct a divergent light flux from the virtual screen to a view region where the image is viewable to an observer;

wherein

a diameter of a range in which the image is viewable to the observer in the view region is ERD and a diagonal length of the virtual screen is VSD and a distance between the virtual screen and the view region is VSP, and the following equation is satisfied;

2. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the field optical element is arranged such that an image of the in-space image is created at a retina of the observer when the retina of the observer is positioned in the view region.

3. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical projecting element comprises only a single lens.

4. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the field optical element comprises only a single lens.

5. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the following relationship is satisfied:

6. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display comprises at least one of a cathode ray tube, a liquid crystal display element and a digital mirror device.

7. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical projecting element is adapted to enlarge and project the image of an object displayed by the display.

8. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical projecting element comprises a projecting lens.

9. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical projection element comprises at least one of a positive lens, a reflective image forming element, a Fresnel optical system, a hologram, and a concave mirror.

10. A virtual screen display apparatus comprising:

a display means for outputting display information and having an effective diagonal length DLC;

an optical projecting means for receiving the display information from the display and for projecting and forming an image, the optical projecting element having an effective F number which is defined by Fe=S1/PuD wherein S1 is a distance between the display and a principal point of the optical projecting element and PuD is a diameter of an exit pupil of the optical projecting element; and

a field optical means for forming an in-space image in a position of a virtual screen and for directing a divergent light flux from the virtual screen to form an image in a view region where the image is viewable to an observer;

wherein

a diameter of a range in which the image is viewable to the observer in the view region is ERD and a diagonal length of the virtual screen is VSD and a distance between the virtual screen and the view region is VSP, and the following equation is satisfied;

11. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the optical projecting means comprises only a single lens.

12. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the field optical means comprises only a single lens.

13. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the following relationship is satisfied:

14. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the display means comprises at least one of a cathode ray tube, a liquid crystal display element and a digital mirror device.

15. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the optical projecting means enlarges and projects the image of an object displayed by the display means.

16. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the optical projecting means comprises a projecting lens.

17. The virtual screen display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the optical projection means comprises at least one of a positive lens, a reflective image forming element, a Fresnel optical system, a hologram, and a concave mirror.

18. A method of manufacturing a virtual screen display apparatus comprising the steps of:

providing a display for generating display information and having an effective diagonal length DLC;

providing an optical projecting element adjacent to the display to receive the display information from the display and to project and form an image, the optical projecting element having an effective F number which is defined by Fe=S1/PuD wherein S1 is a distance between the display and a principal point of the optical projecting element and PuD is a diameter of an exit pupil of the optical projecting element; and

providing a field optical element adjacent to the optical projecting element to form an in-space image in a position of a virtual screen and to direct a divergent light flux from the virtual screen to form an image in a view region where the image is viewable to an observer; and

selecting the display, the optical projecting element and the field optical element to have characteristics such that the following equation is satisfied;

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the optical projecting element comprises only a single lens.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the field optical element comprises only a single lens.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of selecting the display, the optical projecting element and the field optical element is performed such that the display, the optical projecting element and the field optical element have characteristics such that the following relationship is satisfied:

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein the display comprises at least one of a cathode ray tube, a liquid crystal display element and a digital mirror device.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein the optical projecting element is adapted to enlarge and project the image of an object displayed by the display.

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein the optical projecting element comprises a projecting lens.

25. The method according to claim 18, wherein the optical projection element comprises at least one of a positive lens, a reflective image forming element, a Fresnel optical system, a hologram, and a concave mirror.

26. A television comprising:

a display arranged to generate display information and having an effective diagonal length DLC;

an optical projecting element arranged to receive the display information from the display and to project and form an image, the optical projecting element having an effective F number which is defined by Fe=S1/PuD wherein S1 is a distance between the display and a principal point of the optical projecting element and PuD is a diameter of an exit pupil of the optical projecting element; and

a field optical element arranged to form an in-space image in a position of a virtual screen and to direct a divergent light flux from the virtual screen to a view region where the image is viewable to an observer;

wherein

a diameter of a range in which the image is viewable to the observer in the view region is ERD and a diagonal length of the virtual screen is VSD and a distance between the virtual screen and the view region is VSP, and the following equation is satisfied;

27. A television telephone apparatus comprising:

a display arranged to generate display information and having an effective diagonal length DLC;

an optical projecting element arranged to receive the display information from the display and to project and form an image, the optical projecting element having an effective F number which is defined by Fe=S1/PuD wherein S1 is a distance between the display and a principal point of the optical projecting element and PuD is a diameter of an exit pupil of the optical projecting element; and

a field optical element arranged to form an in-space image in a position of a virtual screen and to direct a divergent light flux from the virtual screen to a view region where the image is viewable to an observer;

wherein

a diameter of a range in which the image is viewable to the observer in the view region is ERD and a diagonal length of the virtual screen is VSD and a distance between the virtual screen and the view region is VSP, and the following equation is satisfied;

28. A computer comprising:

a display arranged to generate display information and having an effective diagonal length DLC;

an optical projecting element arranged to receive the display information from the display and to project and form an image, the optical projecting element having an effective F number which is defined by Fe=S1/PuD wherein S1 is a distance between the display and a principal point of the optical projecting element and PuD is a diameter of an exit pupil of the optical projecting element; and

a field optical element arranged to form an in-space image in a position of a virtual screen and to direct a divergent light flux from the virtual screen to a view region where the image is viewable to an observer;

wherein

a diameter of a range in which the image is viewable to the observer in the view region is ERD and a diagonal length of the virtual screen is VSD and a distance between virtual screen and the view region is VSP, and the following equation is satisfied;

29. A computer according to claim 28, wherein the computer is a laptop computer.

30. A computer according to claim 28, wherein the computer is a notebook computer.

31. A computer according to claim 28, wherein the computer is a miniature mobile computer.

32. A computer according to claim 28, wherein the computer is a desktop personal computer.

33. A video player comprising:

a display arranged to generate display information and having an effective diagonal length DLC;

an optical projecting element arranged to receive the display information from the display and to project and form an image, the optical projecting element having an effective F number which is defined by Fe=S1/PuD wherein S1 is a distance between the display and a principal point of the optical projecting element and PuD is a diameter of an exit pupil of the optical projecting element; and

a field optical element arranged to form an in-space image in a position of a virtual screen and to direct a divergent light flux from the virtual screen to a view region where the image is viewable to an observer;

wherein

a diameter of a range in which the image is viewable to the observer in the view region is ERD and a diagonal length of the virtual screen is VSD and a distance between the virtual screen and the view region is VSP, and the following equation is satisfied;

34. The video player according to claim 33, wherein the video player is a video tape player.

35. The video player according to claim 33, wherein the video player is a digital video disc player.

36. A virtual screen display apparatus comprising:

a display arranged to generate display information and having an effective diagonal length DLC;

an optical projecting element arranged to receive the display information from the display and to project and form an image, the optical projecting element having an effective F number which is defined by Fe=S1/PuD wherein SI is a distance between the display and a principal point of the optical projecting element and PuD is a diameter of an exit pupil of the optical projecting element; and

a field optical element arranged to form an in-space image in a position of a virtual screen and to direct a divergent light flux from the virtual screen to a view region where the image is viewable to an observer;

wherein

a diameter of a range in which the image is viewable to the observer in the view region is ERD and a diagonal length of the virtual screen is VSD and a distance between the virtual screen and the view region is VSP, and the following equation is satisfied;