Wireless electronic display

• US 7,242,371 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2003
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Havey, Gary D, Lewis, Steven A
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala; Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kovalick; Vincent E.
• Application Number:
  US10/670,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20040090393A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.2, 345/2.1, 345/2.3, 345/5, 345/8, 345/87, 345/169, 345/905, 340/82.72, 340/825.72, 348/53, 348/794, 359/13, 359/600, 359/630
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1612 Flat panel monitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/901 Electronic book with display
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/905 Display device with housing structure

Abstract

The present invention is a portable electronic video display. The display is configured to be worn on the arm or wrist of a user, or stored in a pocket or backpack. The display is raised to eye level and the user looks through an eyepiece to view the video display. Control buttons are located on the display for generating point and click type commands. The display is meant to be used remotely from a computer. The computer would be worn or carried by the person or simply be free standing, some distance away. The computer is configured to convert video signal into a serial data stream and then transmit that stream via an RF signal. The display then receives that signal and converts it back into a video signal, displaying it on a miniature electronic video display. That image is then magnified through various optics to present a final image to the user. The point and click commands are separately transmitted back to the computer, where they are received and acted upon.

Claims

1. A portable electronic video display comprising:

a housing having an enclosed chamber and a viewing opening, wherein the housing is configured to be worn on an operator'"'"'s wrist, and further wherein the viewing opening comprises an eyepiece configured such that an eye region of the operator may be placed proximate the eyepiece;

a display mounted in the housing;

an optics assembly coupled to the display and mounted within the housing, the optics assembly for projecting an image generated on the display to the viewing opening;

an RF receiver coupled to the display for receiving a signal from a source and inputting the signal to the display thus resulting in the generation of the image; and

a data input control mounted to the housing and coupled to a transmitter for sending control signals to a stand alone computer.

2. The portable electronic video display according to claim 1, wherein the display comprises an electroluminescent color sequential display.

3. The portable electronic video display according to claim 2, further comprising an LCD color shutter coupled to the display.

4. The portable electronic video display according to claim 1, further comprising a power switch coupled to the eyepiece so that power is only delivered to the display when the power switch is engaged as the operator'"'"'s face presses against the eyepiece.

5. The portable electronic video display according to claim 1, wherein the source further comprises a stand alone computer remotely linked to the portable electronic video display.

6. The portable electronic video display according to claim 5, further comprising a VGA connector of the computer connected to a RF data transmitter, the transmitter comprising an analog to digital converter for convening an analog video signal generated by the computer into a digital signal transmittable by the transmitter.

7. The portable electronic video display according to claim 6, further comprising an antenna coupled to the receiver, wherein the digital signal sent by the transmitter is received by the receiver through the antenna and converted into an analog signal and sent to the display.

8. A portable electronic video display for use in conjunction with a computing device, comprising:

an enclosed housing configured to be worn on an operator'"'"'s wrist and having a viewing opening, wherein the viewing opening comprises an eyepiece configured such that an eye region of the operator may be placed proximate the eyepiece;

a receiver mounted within the housing;

a color sequential video display also mounted within the housing and coupled to the receiver for displaying a video image of a signal received by the receiver;

a LCD color subtractive shutter optically aligned with the video display;

an optics assembly coupled to the display for allowing an operator to view the image generated by the display through the viewing opening; and

a data input control mounted to the housing and including a transmitter For transmitting control signals to a remote computer.

9. A portable electronic video display according to claim 8, further comprising a stand alone computer remotely linked to the portable electronic video display.

10. A portable electronic video display according to claim 9, further comprising a VGA connector of the computer connected to a RF data transmitter, the transmitter comprising an analog to digital converter for convening an analog video signal generated by the computer into a digital signal transmittable by the transmitter.

11. A portable electronic video display according to claim 10, further comprising an antenna coupled to the receiver, wherein the digital signal sent by the transmitter is received by the receiver through the antenna and converted into an analog signal and sent to the display.

12. A computer system comprising:

a computer having a video output coupled to an analog to digital converter, a transmitter coupled to the analog to digital converter for sending a video signal, and a receiver for receiving control signals from a remote source;

a display having an enclosed housing configured to be worn on an operator'"'"'s wrist, wherein the housing comprises an eyepiece configured such that an eye region of the operator may be placed proximate the eyepiece;

a receiver mounted within the housing for receiving video signals from the transmitter;

a video display coupled to the receiver and contained within the housing of the display for displaying a video image of a signal received by the receiver;

an optics assembly contained within the housing and operably coupled to the video display for allowing an operator to view the image generated by the video display; and

a data input control mounted to the housing and including a transmitter for transmitting control signals to the computer.