See-through near-eye display glasses including an auto-brightness control for the display brightness based on the brightness in the environment

• US 9,097,891 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Border, John N., Osterhout, Ralph F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US13/429,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20120242678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 715/756, 715/757, 715/773, 349/11, 345/629, 353/20, 359/630
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

This disclosure concerns an interactive head-mounted eyepiece with an integrated processor for handling content for display and an integrated image source for introducing the content to an optical assembly through which the user views a surrounding environment and the displayed content. The image source includes an auto-brightness control that controls the brightness of the displayed content based on the brightness in the environment.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an interactive head-mounted device including an optical assembly configured to display virtual content and to enable viewing of at least a portion of a surrounding environment via a see-through display, an integrated processor for processing the virtual content for display, an integrated image source for introducing the virtual content to the optical assembly for display on the see-through display, and a system for implementing alterations of brightness of the optical assembly; and

an auto-brightness control of the integrated image source configured to independently control a brightness of each of a plurality of display areas of the see-through display based on a brightness in the surrounding environment by controlling the system for implementing alterations of brightness of the optical assembly to alter brightness in one display area differently than brightness in another display area based on the brightness in the surrounding environment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system for implementing alterations of brightness comprises an electrochromic material.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the auto-brightness control is configured to change brightness at a rate matched to an adaptation of an eye.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the auto-brightness control is configured to turn off display of virtual content for a period following a sudden change in environment brightness.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the auto-brightness control is configured to dim display of virtual content with a darkening of the surrounding environment.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the auto-brightness control is configured to brighten display of virtual content with a brightening of the environment.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system for implementing alterations of brightness comprises one or more of an electronic paper device, a suspended particle device, and a liquid crystal device incorporated into the see-through display.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system for implementing alterations of brightness comprises an electrochromic material having tungsten oxide.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the auto-brightness control is configured to alter the brightness in one display area differently than the brightness in another display area based on the brightness in the surrounding environment by altering a brightness in a first display area and not altering a brightness in a second display area.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the auto-brightness control is further configured to control the system for implementing alterations of brightness of the optical assembly by altering a brightness in a selected display area based upon a contrast between an image displayed in the selected display area and the brightness in the surrounding environment.

10. A system, comprising:

an interactive head-mounted device including an optical assembly configured to display virtual content and to enable viewing of at least a portion of a surrounding environment, an integrated processor for processing the virtual content for display, and an integrated image source for introducing the virtual content to the optical assembly for display via the optical assembly; and

an auto-brightness control of the integrated image source configured to control a brightness of displayed content based on a brightness in the surrounding environment such that a rate of brightness change of the displayed content is matched to an adaptation of an eye.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the auto-brightness control is configured to adjust the brightness of the displayed content via an electrochromic material incorporated into a see-through display of the optical assembly.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the auto-brightness control is configured to adjust the brightness of the displayed content via one or more of an electronic paper device, a suspended particle device, and a liquid crystal device incorporated into the see-through display device.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a camera, and wherein the interactive head-mounted device is configured to detect an advertisement in the surrounding environment and in response display a projection of the advertisement, and wherein the auto-brightness control is configured to vary a brightness in an area of projection of the advertisement.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the auto-brightness control is configured to turn off display of virtual content for a period following a sudden change in environment brightness.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the auto-brightness control is configured to dim display of virtual content with a darkening of the surrounding environment, and to brighten display of virtual content with a brightening of the surrounding environment.

16. In a system comprising an interactive head-mounted device including an optical assembly configured to display virtual content and to enable viewing of at least a portion of a surrounding environment, the optical assembly comprising a see-through display having a system for implementing alterations of brightness, the system also comprising an integrated processor for processing the virtual content for display, an integrated image source for introducing the virtual content to the optical assembly for display on the see-through display, and an auto-brightness control of the integrated image source configured to independently control a brightness of each of a plurality of display areas of the see-through display based on a brightness in the surrounding environment by controlling the system for implementing alterations of brightness of the optical assembly, a method comprising:

detecting a change in the brightness of the surrounding environment; and

in response to detecting the change in the brightness of the surrounding environment, operating the system for implementing alterations of brightness of the optical assembly to alter brightness in one display area and leave brightness in another display area unaltered based on the brightness in the surrounding environment.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein operating the system for implementing alterations of brightness comprises operating one or more of an electrochromic material, an electronic paper device, a liquid crystal device, and a suspended particle device incorporated in the see-through display.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein operating the system for implementing alterations of brightness comprises dimming display of virtual content with a darkening of the surrounding environment, and brightening display of virtual content with a brightening of the surrounding environment.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the interactive head-mounted device is configured to detect an advertisement in the surrounding environment and in response display a projection of the advertisement, and wherein operating the system for implementing alterations of brightness comprises varying a brightness in an area of projection of the advertisement.