Compact display system controlled by eye position sensory system

• US 6,603,443 B1
• Filed: 10/29/1998
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Compound Photonics Limited
• Original Assignee: Three-Five Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Kintz, Gregory J., Hildebrand, Alfred P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Henry N.
• Application Number:
  US09/182,951
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7-9, 359/13, 359/15, 359/629-631, 359/633, 359/636, 359/639, 359/364, 359/471, 359/473, 463/34
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0808 on-axis systems with at least one of the mirrors having a central aperture
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0856 comprising a refractive element with a reflective surface, the reflection taking place inside the element, e.g. Mangin mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0125 Field-of-view increase by wavefront division
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0169 Supporting or connecting means other than the external walls
• 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 25/008 comprising two or more lenses G02B25/004 - G02B25/007 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/027 comprising magnifying means G02B27/023, G02B27/025, G02B27/04, G02B27/06 and G02B27/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1066 for enhancing image performance, like resolution, pixel numbers, dual magnifications or dynamic range, by tiling, slicing or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/144 using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity G02B27/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/30 Polarising elements light-modulating devices with active elements G02F1/00

Abstract

A compact virtual image electronic display system including a beamsplitting magnification optic on which a source object is projected, the beamsplitting magnification optic having a refractive surface and a partially reflective surface for magnifying and reflecting the source object as a magnified virtual image, and a reflective element positioned for receiving and reflecting the magnified virtual image back to the beamsplitting magnification optic. The beamsplitting magnification optic receives the reflected magnified virtual image and magnifies and transmits it through the beamsplitting magnification optic as a compound magnified image of the magnified virtual image to an observer. In this display system, the beamsplitting magnification optic and reflective element are positioned such that the source object is projected on the beamsplitting magnification optic at least partially within an area of the beamsplitting magnification optic on which the reflected magnified virtual image is received by the beamsplitting magnification optic.

Claims

1. A virtual image electronic display system comprising:

a microdisplay for producing a source image, the microdisplay having a display area equal to or less than about 400 mm²;

a beamsplitting magnification optic for receiving light corresponding to the source image, and magnifying and reflecting a portion of the light as a magnified virtual image of the source image;

a reflective element positioned to receive and reflect the magnified virtual image back to the beamsplitting magnification optic;

wherein the beamsplitting magnification optic is positioned to receive the reflected magnified virtual image, the refractive and partially reflective surfaces of the beamsplitting magnification optic magnify and transmit a portion of the reflected magnified virtual image through the beamsplitting magnification optic as a compound magnified image of the magnified virtual image;

an eye position sensor for detecting a direction of an observer'"'"'s eye viewing the magnified virtual image; and

a control circuit for controlling a function of the display system by using the detected direction of the observer'"'"'s eye.

2. The virtual image display system according to claim 1 wherein the function controlled is an operation of the microdisplay.

3. The virtual image display system according to claim 1 wherein the function controlled is the source image formed by the microdisplay.

4. The virtual image display system according to claim 1 wherein the function controlled is a sending of a message by the display system.

5. The virtual image display system according to claim 1 wherein the control circuit uses the detected direction of the eye to determine that the observer is looking at an item appearing in the virtual image.

6. The virtual image display system according to claim 1 wherein the control circuit uses the detected direction of the eye to determine that the observer is looking at a software icon appearing in the virtual image.

7. The virtual image display system according to claim 6 wherein the control circuit selects the software icon based on the detected direction of the eye.

8. The virtual image display system according to claim 1 wherein the control circuit includes an observer activatable mechanism whose activation causes the display system to perform a function in response to the detected direction of the observer'"'"'s eye.

9. The virtual image display system according to claim 1 wherein the control circuit includes an observer activatable mechanism whose activation causes the display system to select a software icon appearing in the virtual image based on the detected direction of the eye.

10. The virtual image display system according to claim 1 wherein the control circuit includes a timing mechanism which the display system uses to determine that the observer is looking at an item appearing in the virtual image.

11. The virtual image display system according to claim 1 wherein the microdisplay is a reflective microdisplay.

12. The virtual image display system according to claim 1 wherein the microdisplay is a transmissive microdisplay.

13. The virtual display system according to claim 1 wherein the microdisplay has a display area equal to or less than 25 mm².

14. The virtual display system according to claim 1 wherein the microdisplay has a display area equal to or less than 9 mm².

15. The virtual image display system according to claim 1 wherein the beamsplitting magnification optic magnifies the source image by a factor of at least 10.

16. The virtual image display system according to claim 1 wherein the beamsplitting magnification optic magnifies the source image by a factor of at least 20.

18. The method according to claim 2 wherein the function controlled is an operation of the microdisplay.

19. The method according to claim 2 wherein the function controlled is the source image produced by the microdisplay.

20. The method according to claim 2 wherein the function controlled is a sending of a message by the display system.

21. The method according to claim 2 wherein the step of detecting a direction of an observer'"'"'s eye includes the steps of

determining that the observer is looking at a software icon appearing in the virtual image, and

controlling a function of the display system includes selecting the software icon.

22. The method according to claim 2 further including activating an observer activatable mechanism whose activation causes the display system to perform a function in response to the detected direction of the eye.

23. The method according to claim 2 wherein detecting a direction of an eye includes determining that the observer'"'"'s eye is looking at a software icon appearing in the virtual image, the method further including the step of activating an observer activatable mechanism whose activation causes the display system to select the software icon.

24. The method according to claim 2 wherein using the detected direction is performed when an observer activates a mechanism to indicate to the display system that the operation should be performed.

25. The method according to claim 2 wherein detecting a direction of the eye includes timing how long an observer is looking at an item in the virtual image.

26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the item is a software icon.

27. The method according to claim 2 wherein the microdisplay has a display area equal to or less than 25 mm².

28. The method according to claim 2 wherein the microdisplay has a display area equal to or less than 9 mm².

29. The method according to claim 2 wherein the magnified virtual image is magnified by a factor of at least 10 relative to the source image.

30. The method according to claim 2 wherein the magnified virtual image is magnified by a factor of at least 20 relative to the source image.

31. The method according to claim 2 wherein selecting the item causes a message to be sent.

17. A method for selecting an item appearing in a magnified virtual image of a display system, said method comprising the steps of:

producing a source image with a microdisplay having a display area equal to or less than about 400 mm²;

receiving light corresponding to the source image, and magnifying and reflecting a portion of the light as a magnified virtual image of the source image with a beamsplitting magnification optic;

reflecting the magnified virtual image back to the beamsplitting magnification optic, wherein the beamsplitting magnification optic is positioned to receive the reflected magnified virtual image, the refractive and partially reflective surfaces of the beamsplitting magnification optic magnify and transmit a portion of the reflected magnified virtual image through the beamsplitting magnification optic as a compound magnified image of the magnified virtual image;

detecting a direction of an observer'"'"'s eye viewing the magnified virtual image; and

controlling a function of the display system by using the detected direction of the observer'"'"'s eye.

32. The method according to claim 17 further comprising the step of holding the virtual image display system adjacent to the observer'"'"'s eye for viewing the magnified virtual image.