Display device and display method

• US 9,030,383 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tooz Technologies GmbH
• Original Assignee: Carl Zeiss AG (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Lindig, Karsten, Dobschal, Hans-Juergen, Rudolph, Guenter
• Primary Examiner(s): Sitta, Grant
• Application Number:
  US13/121,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20120001833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,066 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 8, 345156-174, 345/690, 359630-633, 359/434, 385/146
• US Class Current: 345/8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/001 using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP

Abstract

A display device has a holding device wearable on a user'"'"'s head and holding a multifunctional glass that comprises a first and second coupling-out section and a coupling-in section, an image generation module that generates and couples an image into the multifunctional glass through the coupling-in section to the first coupling-out section redirecting the image in the direction of the user such that the user can perceive the image in superimposition with the real environment, a control unit for the image generation module, and a detector which is connected to the control unit and which measures the intensity of ambient light coupled through the first coupling-out section to the second coupling-out section and coupled out of the multifunctional glass through the second coupling-out section. The control unit controls the brightness of the image of the image generation module, the brightness controlled according to the intensity measured by the detector.

Claims

1. Display device comprising

a holding device that can be fitted onto the head of a user,

a multifunctional glass that is attached to the holding device and through which the user can perceive the actual surroundings when the holding device is fitted on and which has a first and second coupling-out section as well as a coupling-in section,

an image generation module which generates an image and couples it into the multifunctional glass via the coupling-in section such that it is guided in the multifunctional glass to the first coupling-out section which effects a deflection of the image in the direction of the user when the holding device is fitted on his head such that the user can perceive the image in superimposition with the actual surroundings,

a control unit for the image generation module, and

a detector that is connected to the control unit and that measures an intensity of a portion of ambient light that is coupled via the first coupling-out section into the multifunctional glass, the portion of ambient light being guided along a light path in the multifunctional glass to the second coupling-out section and then coupled out of the multifunctional glass via the second coupling-out section to the detector,

wherein the control unit controls the brightness during the generation of the image by means of the image generation module depending on the intensity measured by the detector.

2. Display device according to claim 1, wherein the second coupling-out section and the coupling-in section are the same section.

3. Display device according to claim 1, wherein a beam splitter which directs the light coupled out of the second coupling-out section onto the detector is arranged between the second coupling-out section and the image generation module.

4. Display device according to claim 1, wherein the image is guided in the multifunctional glass along an image beam path, wherein the ambient light coupled into the multifunctional glass via the first coupling-out section passes through the image beam path.

5. Display device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit interrupts the image generation of the image generation module during the intensity measurement by means of the detector.

6. Display device according to claim 1, wherein a phototropic layer is formed on a front side of the multifunctional glass, wherein the phototropic layer is formed as a passive layer or as an active layer which is controlled by means of the control unit.

7. Display device according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling-out section is formed on the front side or rear side of the multifunctional glass as an element with a diffractive action.

8. Display device according to claim 1, wherein the detector measures the intensity space-resolved and the control unit controls the brightness space-resolved in the generated image.

9. Display device according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling-out section has a first section and a second section, and

wherein only the first section, which is formed of at least one of a plurality of reflective and of a plurality of refractive deflecting elements spaced apart from each other, effects the deflection of the image by at least one of reflection and refraction.

10. Display device according to claim 9, wherein the first section has an imaging function for the image.

11. Display device according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling-out section has a third section with at least one of a plurality of reflective and of a plurality of refractive second deflecting elements spaced apart from each other and a fourth section,

wherein the part of the incident ambient light transmitted by the coupling-out section serves to make the surroundings perceptible for the user and the part of the incident ambient light deflected by at least one of reflection and refraction at the second deflecting elements serves to measure intensity.

12. Display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the second coupling-out section and the coupling-in section is formed as a Fresnel structure with an imaging property, wherein the Fresnel structure has several Fresnel segments, wherein

the optically effective facets of the Fresnel segments optically correspond to an imaginary optical effective surface which is curved and does not have mirror or rotational symmetry and in particular does not have translational symmetry.

13. Display method for a display device

fitting a holding device onto the head of a user, the holding device supporting a

a multifunctional glass that is attached to the holding device and through which the user can perceive the actual surroundings when the holding device is fitted on and which has a first and second coupling-out section as well as a coupling-in section,

generating an image with an image generation module and coupling the image into the multifunctional glass via the coupling-in section such that the image is guided in the multifunctional glass to the first coupling-out section which effects a deflection of the image in the direction of the user when the holding device is fitted on the head of the user such that the user can perceive the image in superimposition with the actual surroundings, and

determining an intensity of a portion of ambient light that is coupled via the first coupling-out section into the multifunctional glass is determined by guiding the portion of ambient light along a light path, in the multifunctional glass to the second coupling-out section and then coupled out of the multifunctional glass via the second coupling-out section to be measured by a detector and controlling the brightness of the image depending on the intensity measured.

14. Method according to claim 13, further comprising making the second coupling-out section and the coupling-in section are the same section.

15. Method according to claim 13, further comprising arranging a beam splitter which directs the light coupled out of the second coupling-out section onto the detector between the second coupling-out section and the image generation module or wherein the image is guided in the multifunctional glass along an image beam path and the ambient light coupled into the multifunctional glass via the first coupling-out section passes through the image beam path.

16. Method according to claim 14, further comprising arranging a beam splitter which directs the light coupled out of the second coupling-out section onto the detector between the second coupling-out section and the image generation module or wherein the image is guided in the multifunctional glass along an image beam path and the ambient light coupled into the multifunctional glass via the first coupling-out section passes through the image beam path.

17. Method according to claim 13, further comprising interrupting the image generation by the image generation module during the intensity measurement or wherein a phototropic layer is formed on a front side of the multifunctional glass and the phototropic layer is formed as a passive layer or as an active layer.

18. Method according to claim 13, further comprising forming the first coupling-out section on the front side or rear side of the multifunctional glass as an element with a diffractive action or the intensity is measured space-resolved and the brightness in the generated image is controlled space-resolved.

19. Method according to claim 13, further comprising arranging the first coupling-out section to have a first section and a second section,

wherein only the first section, which is formed of at least one of a plurality of reflective and of a plurality of refractive deflecting elements spaced apart from each other, effects the deflection of the image by at least one of reflection and refraction, wherein it is preferred that the first section has an imaging function for the image.

20. Method according to claim 13, further comprising arranging the first coupling-out section to have a third section with at least one of a plurality of reflective and a plurality of refractive second deflecting elements spaced apart from each other and a fourth section,

wherein the part of the incident ambient light transmitted by the coupling-out section serves to make the surroundings perceptible for the user and the part of the incident ambient light deflected by at least one of reflection and refraction at the second deflecting elements serves to measure intensity.

21. Method according to claim 13, further comprising forming at least one of the second coupling-out section and the coupling-in section as a Fresnel structure with an imaging property, wherein

the optically effective facets of the Fresnel segments optically correspond to an imaginary optical effective surface which is curved and does not have mirror or rotational symmetry and in particular does not have translational symmetry.

22. Method according to claim 13, further comprising forming the Fresnel structure to have several Fresnel segments.