Information processing apparatus

• US 6,304,234 B1
• Filed: 02/24/1998
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Horiuchi, Kazuhito
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/028,413
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 345/1, 345/8, 345/9, 359/630
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An information processing apparatus is provided which includes an information/data memory for storing information/data in association with predetermined titles, an external display for displaying a screen for selecting a title, an information/data retrieval device for accepting the selection of a title and retrieving information/data associated with the selected title from the information/data memory, and an information/data display for displaying the information/data on an ocular basis.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

an information/data memory which stores information/data in association with predetermined titles;

an external display which displays a screen for selecting a desired title from among said predetermined titles;

an information/data retrieval device which accepts the desired title selected via the screen displayed on said external device, and which retrieves information/data associated with the selected title from said information/data memory; and

a head-mounted information/data display which projects detailed information/data corresponding to the information/data retrieved by said information/data retrieval device on a display screen thereof;

wherein both said head-mounted information/data display and said external display are capable of achieving display in a same field of view of a single user.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said head-mounted information/data display includes an ocular optical system for guiding said retrieved information/data to the user'"'"'s eyeballs with a substantial magnification from at least a display area of said external display.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said ocular optical system includes an external observation optical system for allowing observation of the screen for title selection displayed on said external display.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said ocular optical system includes an image switching optical system for selectively displaying either or both of the screen for title selection displayed on said external display and said detailed information/data displayed by said head-mounted information/data display.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a distance of distinct vision of said head-mounted information/data display is set in accordance with a distance to said external display.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said information/data display is adapted to enable the user thereof to observe an external environment.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said information/data memory, said external display and said information/data retrieval device are integrally contained in a case which can be carried by hand.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said external display displays icons which correspond to said predetermined titles and which represent contents of the information/data associated with said predetermined titles.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said external display includes an image data contraction/display device which provides a contracted display of each piece of information/data associated with said desired title.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a title display modification device for displaying a respective one of said predetermined titles corresponding to the detailed information/data displayed on said head-mounted information/data display such that the respective one of said predetermined titles can be distinguished from other ones of said predetermined titles on the screen for title selection displayed on said external display.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a handwriting character input device provided in said external display;

a handwritten-character display device which displays handwritten characters input from said handwriting character input device on the external display, after the information/data retrieval device has retrieved the information/data associated with the selected title from said information/data memory;

a character code conversion device which converts the handwritten characters input from said handwriting character input device into character codes; and

a character display device which displays on said head-mounted information/data display the character codes produced by the character code conversion device.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said information/data memory comprises a replaceable memory.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an information/data writing device which writes plural types of information/data which have been created or modified by the user into said information/data memory.

14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said external display comprises a portable display.