Head-mounted image display device and data processing apparatus including the same

• US 6,320,559 B1
• Filed: 06/11/1999
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Karasawa, Joji, Watanabe, Noriko, Yoneno, Kunio, Kamakura, Hiroshi, Kinebuchi, Tadashi, Uchiyama, Syoichi, Yasukawa, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US09/330,397
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 345/8, 345/7, 345/156, 345/157, 345/158, 345/9
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0198 System for aligning or maintaining alignment of an image in a predetermined direction
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1615 with several enclosures having relative motions, each enclosure supporting at least one I/O or computing function constructional details of portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts H04M1/0206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1639 the display being based on projection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• 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 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 : Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7491 : of head mounted projectors

Abstract

A head-mounted image display device with a good operability and a data processing apparatus including such a display device. A head-mounted image display device wherein a liquid crystal panel and an enlarging optical system are housed in a frame and wherein images generated on the liquid crystal display panel through the enlarging optical system are visible in the field of view in front of the frame comprises a first direction detection means (107) disposed in part of the frame (101) for detecting the direction of the user'"'"'s head; an observation point detection means (109) disposed in part of the frame for detecting the user'"'"'s line of sight; a trigger input means (4) for transmitting trigger signals; and an image generation means (3, 105) for controlling images generated on the liquid crystal display panel based on signals from the first direction detection, observation point detection, and trigger input means.

Claims

1. A head-mounted image display device wherein a liquid crystal display panel and an enlarging optical system are housed in a frame and wherein images generated on said liquid crystal display panel are visible through said enlarging optical system in the field of view in front of said frame, comprising:

an observation point detection means for detecting a line of sight of a user of said device in the horizontal or vertical directions; and

an image generation means for segmenting the display area into a first display area for displaying images and a second display area for display attributes of images displayed in said first display area, and switching between said first and second display areas based on the output of said observation point detection means.

2. An image display device according to claim 1 wherein said image generation means can switch between said first and second display areas based on the output of said observation point detection means, and controls attribute data shown in said second display area according to voice input signals.

3. An image display device according to claim 1, further comprising a direction detection means for detecting the direction of the head of said user, said observation point detection means being disposed in part of said frame, said image generation means scrolling said images visible through said enlarging optical system based on the output of said direction detection means from a virtual display screen displaying a plurality of virtual images.

4. A head-mounted image display device wherein a liquid crystal display panel and an enlarging optical system are housed in a frame and wherein images generated on said liquid crystal display panel are visible through said enlarging optical systems in the field of view in front of said frame, comprising:

an observation point detection means for detecting a line of sight of a user of said device in the horizontal or vertical directions, and

an image generation means for segmenting the display area into a first display area for displaying attributes of an image, and switching between said first and second display areas based on the output of said observation point detection means to display in said second display area for displaying attributes of an image geometry or operation models to be incorporated in said first display area.

5. An image display device according to claim 4 wherein geometrical data or camera work to be incorporated in said first display area is displayed in said second display area.

6. An image display device according to claim 4 wherein space-time area data to be incorporated in said first display area is displayed in said second display area.

7. An image display device according to claim 4 wherein space-time area data to be incorporated in said first display area is three-dimensionally displayed in said second display area with a parallax provided therein.