Head-mounted personal visual display apparatus with image generator and holder

• US 6,369,952 B1
• Filed: 08/17/1999
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: i-O Display Systems LLC (Ilixco, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: i-O Display Systems LLC (Ilixco, Inc.)
• Inventors: Etter, Robert T., Tseo, Eric, Amadon, C. Gregory, Nikora, Leo, Donaldson, Douglas, Rallison, Richard Dennis, Mack, Wolfgang Adam Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack, Ricky
• Application Number:
  US09/375,443
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 359/630, 396/51
• US Class Current: 359/630
• 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

Abstract

A visual display device is provided for delivering a generated image, preferably combinable with environment light, to the eye of a user. The device is lightweight and compact but yields a high quality image. In one embodiment, a shroud protects from stray light and holds optical elements in desired alignment. In one embodiment an image generator is masked by at least two masks to provide for a high quality image without waste. In one embodiment, a removably mounted shield or activatable device and convert the apparatus from a see-through device to an immersion device and back again. In one embodiment, the device can be comfortably mounted to the user'"'"'s head while still allowing for use of conventional eyeglasses. A tracker for outputting an indication of the orientation, attitude and/or position of a head-mounted display (HMD) may be provided. The tracker can be configured so that it is incorporated in the HMD housing and/or can be easily decoupled from the HMD, so that the HMD can be used without the tracker (e.g. for watching movies). Preferably, decoupling involves unplugging a single electrical connector (such as a cable) and unfastening a mechanical connection (such as a strap). Preferably the tracker provides pass-through of signal to the HMD and, when the tracker is coupled to the HMD, only a single cable or other data link connects the HMD-tracker combination to the host computer. In one embodiment, the tracker uses magnetic sensors. In another embodiment, one or more inertial sensors, such as a rate gyro and/or accelerometers are used.

Claims

1. A tracker for use with a head-mounted display, comprising:

a housing;

sensors and signal processing circuitry, coupled to said housing, configured to output first signals which indicate movement or position of said housing;

a coupler configured to couple said housing to the head-mounted display in such a way that, when the head-mounted display is positioned on a user'"'"'s head, movement of the user'"'"'s head causes movement of the sensors;

said tracker being coupled to said head-mounted display in a position, with respect to the user'"'"'s head, to counterbalance the weight of said head-mounted display, wherein neck strain is reduced; and

wherein said coupler is configured to permit user removal of said tracker so that the head-mounted display can be used without the tracker.

2. A display system, comprising:

a head-mounted display operatively connected to an image source such that the head mounted display can receive and display images from the image source;

a tracker which includes

a housing;

sensors and signal processing circuitry, coupled to said housing, configured to output first signals which indicate movement or position of said housing;

a fastener configured to removably attach said housing to the head-mounted display in such a way that, when the head-mounted display is positioned on a user'"'"'s head, movement of the user'"'"'s head causes movement of the sensors;

wherein said fastener is configured to permit user removal of said tracker so that the head-mounted display can be used without the tracker.

3. A display system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fastener is a temporary fastener configured to permit the user to remove the tracker from the head-mounted display without tools.

4. A display system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fastener is constructed from Velcro.

5. A display system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said fastener comprises an electrical connector.

6. A display system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said electrical connector conveys signals between said head mounted display and said tracker.

7. A display system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said electrical connector is the only fastener between said head-mounted display and said tracker.

8. A display system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said image source includes a central processing unit.

9. A display system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said image source is a computer.

10. A display system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said image source is a game console.

11. A display system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said image source is a VCR.

12. A display system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said image source is a DVD player.

13. A tracker for use with a head-mounted display operatively connected to an image source such that the head mounted display can receive and display images from the image source comprising:

housing means;

sensors and signal processing means, coupled to said housing means;

coupler means for coupling said housing to the head-mounted display in such a way that, when the head-mounted display is positioned on a user'"'"'s head, movement of the user'"'"'s head causes movement of the sensors;

wherein said coupler means is configured to permit user removal of said tracker so that the head-mounted display can be used without the tracker.

14. A tracker for use with a head-mounted display operatively connected to an image source such that the head mounted display can receive and display images from the image source, comprising:

a housing;

sensors and signal processing circuitry, coupled to said housing, configured to output first signals which indicate movement or position of said housing;

a coupler configured to couple said housing to the head-mounted display in such a way that, when the head-mounted display is positioned on a user'"'"'s head, movement of the user'"'"'s head causes movement of the sensors;

wherein said sensors include inertial sensors.

15. A tracker for use with a head-mounted display, comprising:

a housing;

sensors and signal processing circuitry, coupled to said housing, configured to output first signals which indicate movement or position of said housing;

a coupler configured to couple said housing to the head-mounted display in such a way that, when the head-mounted display is positioned on a user'"'"'s head, movement of the user'"'"'s head causes movement of the sensors;

wherein said sensors include inertial sensors and said inertial sensors include first and second accelerometers configured to sense head pitch in first and second different directions and a rate gyro configured to sens head rotation substantially about a user'"'"'s spinal axis.

16. A display system comprising:

a head-mounted display;

at least a first earphone coupled to said head-mounted display

at least a first bucking magnet adjacent said first earphone

sensors and signal processing circuitry, coupled to said head-mounted display, configured to output first signals which indicate movement or position of said head-mounted display.

17. A display system, comprising:

a head mounted display operatively connected to an image generator;

a tracker which includes;

a housing;

sensors and signal processing circuitry, coupled to said housing, configured to output first signals which indicate movement or position of said housing;

a electrical connector configured to fasten said housing to the head-mounted display in such a way that, when the head-mounted display is positioned on a user'"'"'s head, movement of the user'"'"'s head causes movement of the sensors;

a single communication cable which conveys the electrical signals from said tracker to said image generator, and from said image generator to said head-mounted display.

18. A display system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said electrical connector is configured to permit user removal of said tracker so that the head mounted display can be used without the tracker.

19. A display system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said image generator includes a central processing unit.

20. A display system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said image generator is a computer.

21. A display system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said image generator is a game console.

22. A display system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said image generator is a VCR.

23. A display system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said image generator is a DVD player.