Light irradiating apparatus and light irradiating method

• US 8,551,148 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2011
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Asakawa, Takeshi, Shigeyoshi, Yasufumi, Wada, Seija
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Sam
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nganga, Boniface N
• Application Number:
  US13/069,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20110245896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 607/88
• US Class Current: 607/88
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0648 the light being directed to the eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0651 Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0618 Psychological treatment

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a light irradiating apparatus including: a light source block configured to radiate a light to eyes of a user; a view line detection block configured to detect a view line direction of the user; and a light source control block configured to control the light radiated from the light source so as to restrict a light quantity in an area corresponding to a view line direction detected by the view line detection block.

Claims

1. A light irradiating apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a reflecting plate attached to the frame;

a light source block formed on peripheral edges of the frame and configured and arranged to radiate a light to eyes of a user by radiating the light from the light source block to the reflecting plate, and then reflecting the light off the reflecting plate back to the eyes of the user;

a view line detection block configured to detect a view line direction of the user, the view line detection block including two electrodes, and a reference electrode, said view line detection block detecting a view line direction of said user from a potential difference between said two electrodes and said reference electrode; and

a light source control block configured to control the light radiated from said light source so as to restrict a light quantity in an area corresponding to the view line direction detected by said view line detection block.

2. The light irradiating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said view line detection block detects a movement of the view line of said user by comparing said potential difference with a threshold at which the view line of said user is assumed moving, and

said light source control block controls said light source block not to radiate a light if the movement of the view line of said user is detected by said view line detection block.

3. The light irradiating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said electrodes are arranged at positions different in up and down direction and left and right direction around the eyes of said user.

4. The light irradiating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light source block is composed of a plurality of light sources each configured to radiate a light to one of small areas of the reflecting plate, said small areas obtained by dividing an area that is a range of sight of said user.

7. The light irradiating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame includes an abutting section, the abutting section having a first surface and a second surface opposed thereto, wherein the light source block is formed on the first surface of the abutting section.

8. The light irradiating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the two electrodes are formed on the second surface of the abutting section.

9. The light irradiating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a light diffusing plate formed between the light source block and the light reflecting plate.

5. A light irradiating method comprising the steps of:

radiating a light to eyes of a user, the light being radiated from a light source block formed on peripheral edges of a frame of a light irradiating apparatus to a reflecting plate and back to the eyes of a user;

detecting a view line direction of the user based on a potential difference between two electrodes provided on the frame and a reference electrode; and

controlling a light source radiating a light to the eyes of the user so as to restrict a light quantity in an area corresponding to a view line direction detected in said view line detection step.

6. A light irradiating apparatus comprising:

a frame;

a reflecting plate attached to the frame;

light source means formed on peripheral edges of the frame and configured and arranged for radiating a light to eyes of a user by radiating the light from the light source means to the reflecting plate, and then reflecting the light off the reflecting plate back to the eyes of the user;

view line detection means for detecting a view line direction of the user, the view line detection block including two electrodes formed on the second surface, and a reference electrode, said view line detection block detecting a view line direction of said user from a potential difference between said two electrodes and said reference electrode; and

light source control means for controlling the light radiated from said light source so as to restrict a light quantity in an area corresponding to—

a the view line direction detected by said view line detection means.