Method and device for providing information

• US 6,341,869 B1
• Filed: 08/10/1999
• Issued: 01/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Kawakami, Naoki, Maeda, Taro, Yanagida, Yasuyuki, Tachi, Susumu, Inami, Masahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Dowling, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLACKMAN, ROCHELLE ANN J
• Application Number:
  US09/371,412
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 353/11, 353/12, 353/13, 353/14, 353/28, 353/30, 353/97, 359/630, 359/632, 359/633, 345/156, 345/173, 348/14.01, 348/14.07, 348/14.08, 348/14.1
• US Class Current: 353/28
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/012 comprising devices for attenuating parasitic image effects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• 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: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00

Abstract

A projector is disposed at a position that is optically conjugated to a position of eyes of an observer. The projector projects an image to a screen that has retroreflection function so as to provide information of virtual space to the observer. If a real object such as a tactile sense provision device that is to be shielded by the virtual space exists, a part or the whole of the real object is optically hidden from the projection of the projector by a shielding member having retroreflection function, for example, by placing a shielding screen on which a retroreflection material is coated, or by coating the retroreflection material.

Claims

1. A method for providing information of virtual space to an observer by projecting an image to a screen, having retroreflection function on a surface thereof, by a projector disposed at a position optically conjugated to a position of eyes of the observer, wherein when a real object to be shielded by the virtual space exists, a part or the whole of the real object is optically hidden, by a shielding member having retroreflection function from the projection by the projector.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the real object is hidden by coating a retroreflection material on the real object.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the real object is hidden by placing a shielding screen having retroreflection function in front of the real object.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein a tactile sense provision device for providing a tactile sense to the observer is provided and the tactile sense provision device is hidden by a shielding screen having retroreflection function.

5. A method for providing information of virtual space to an observer by projecting an image to a screen having retroreflection function by a projector disposed at a position optically conjugated to a position of eyes of the observer, the method being characterized by:

placing a real object between the observer and the screen;

providing retroreflection function to a portion of the real object to be shielded from view by the projector; and

providing to the observer the image which is projected to the portion, to be shielded, of the real object instead of the image to be projected to the screen.

6. A method for providing information of virtual space by optically hiding a part or a whole of a real object placed between a background object and an observer, wherein retroflection function is provided to the portion of the real object to be hidden from view by a projector, an image of the background object is projected to the portion to be hidden from view of the real object by a projector disposed at a position optically conjugated to a position of eyes of the observer, and the image of the background object corresponds to the portion of the real object to be hidden.

7. An information provision device, comprising:

a projector, disposed at a position optically conjugated to a position of eyes of an observer, for projecting an image;

an image generator for generating an image of an object to be observed by the observer and for outputting the image to the projector;

a screen having retroreflection function for displaying the image projected by the projector; and

a tactile sense provision device for providing a tactile sense to the observer, wherein the tactile sense provision device is optically shielded from the projection by the projector by a shielding member having retroreflection function.

8. An information provision device according to claim 7, wherein the projector is integrated with optical members for disposing the projector at the position optically conjugated to the position of eyes of the observer, and is adapted to be mounted on the head of the observer.

9. An information provision device for providing information of virtual space by optically hiding a portion of a real object placed between a background object and an observer, comprising:

a projector, disposed at a position optically conjugated to a position of eyes of the observer, for projecting an image;

a camera for taking a picture as an image of the background object; and

a processor for outputting the image obtained by the camera to the projector so that the projector projects the image to the portion of the real object to be hidden, to which retroreflection function is provided.