Head-mounted projection display system

• US 6,982,683 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2003
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Stanton, Douglas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lamarre, Guy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alphonse, Fritz
• Application Number:
  US10/390,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20030179157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 345/8, 345/7, 345/9, 359/630, 359/631, 359/633, 348/115, 348/42, 348/51, 348/52, 348/118
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/307 by helmet-mounted projector or display G09B9/36 takes precedence; optical parts of head-up displays G02B27/01

Abstract

A head-mounted projection display system is characterized by a pair of head-mounted low-power image projectors mounted adjacent the eyes of the viewer, and aimed to project in a direction along the line of sight of the viewer toward a high-gain, retro-reflective screen. Stereoscopic viewing is enabled by projecting separate images to the right and left projectors. The retro-reflectivity of the screen ensures that the right and left images will be returned to the right and left eye, respectively.

Claims

1. A binocular projection display system, comprising:

a retroreflective projection display screen;

a headset configured to fit on a viewer'"'"'s head, the headset being independently moveable from the screen,

a first projector including an electro-optical light modulator disposed on the headset and a projection lens disposed to project a first component of a stereoscopic image in the line-of-sight of the viewer from a first location adjacent to a first one of viewer'"'"'s eyes when the headset is worn; and

a second projector disposed to project a second component of the stereoscopic image in the line-of-sight of the viewer from a second location adjacent to a second one of the viewer'"'"'s eyes when the headset is worn.

2. The system of claim 1, the retroreflective projection display screen including an array of reflective microspheres on a substrate.

3. The system of claim 1, the retroreflective projection display screen including an array of reflective microspheres on a curved substrate.

4. The system of claim 3, in which the substrate has a spherical curvature.

5. The system of claim 1, the retroreflective projection display screen including an array of reflective microspheres on a wall of a room.

6. The system of claim 5, further including a transparent platform in the room on which the viewer can stand.

7. The system of claim 1, the electra-optical light modulator including an LCD.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the display screen is a sphere surrounding the viewer and headset.

9. The system of claim 8, further including a transparent platform in the room on which the viewer can stand.

10. A binocular projection display system, comprising:

a retroreflective projection display screen;

a headset configured to fit on a viewer'"'"'s head, the headset being independently moveable from the display screen,

a first projector disposed on the headset and adapted to project a first component of a stereoscopic image in the line-of-sight of the viewer from a first location adjacent to a first one of viewer'"'"'s eyes when the headset is worn; and

a second projector disposed on the headset and adapted to project a second component of the stereoscopic image in the line-of-sight of the viewer from a second location adjacent to a second one of the viewer'"'"'s eyes when the headset is worn,

wherein the first projector comprises a light source, a projection lens, and an electra-optical light modulator adapted to receive and modulate light from the light source and to pass the modulated light therethrough to the lens for projection as the first component of the stereoscopic image.

11. The system of claim 10, the retroreflective projection display screen including an array of reflective microspheres on a substrate.

12. The system of claim 10, the retroreflective projection display screen including an array of reflective microspheres on a curved substrate.

13. The system of claim 12, in which the substrate has a spherical curvature.

14. The system of claim 10, the retroreflective projection display screen including an array of reflective microspheres on a wall of a room.

15. The system of claim 14, further including a transparent platform in the room on which the viewer can stand.

16. The system of claim 10, the electra-optical light modulator including an LCD.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the display screen is a sphere surrounding the viewer and headset.

18. The system of claim 17, further including a transparent platform in the room on which the viewer can stand.