Head mounted display and method of video communication using the same

• US 9,225,934 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Cho, Eunhyung
• Primary Examiner(s): Gay, Sonia
• Application Number:
  US13/772,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20140184724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 359/618, 359/630, 359/50, 348/14.08, 348/14.07
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0127 comprising devices increasing the depth of field
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact

Abstract

A head mounted display (HMD) comprises a display unit configured to output an image; a communication unit configured to transmit and receive video communication image data; a camera unit configured to take an image in a forward direction of the HMD; and a processor configured to control the display unit, the communication unit and the camera unit, wherein the processor is further configured to detect an image of a user wearing the HMD from the taken image, wherein the image of the user includes a camera area of the HMD, recognize an image of a partner from the received video communication image data, provide a video communication interface displaying the image of the partner, wherein the video communication interface displays the image of the partner corresponding to a position of the camera area of the HMD, and transmit a video communication image of the user from the taken image.

Claims

1. A head mounted display (HMD) comprising:

a display unit configured to output an image;

a communication unit configured to transmit and receive video communication image data;

a camera unit configured to take an image in a forward direction of the HMD; and

a processor configured to control the display unit, the communication unit and the camera unit,

wherein the processor is further configured to;

detect an image of a user wearing the HMD from the taken image,

wherein the image of the user is a reflected image in a reflector and includes a camera area of the HMD, and

wherein the camera area includes at least one of a reflected image of the camera unit, a reflected image of the HMD and a reflected image of a middle of the user'"'"'s forehead,

recognize an image of a partner from the received video communication image data,

provide a video communication interface displaying the recognized image of the partner,

wherein the video communication interface displays the recognized image of the partner corresponding to a position of the camera area of the HMD, and

transmit a video communication image of the user from the taken image,

wherein, when a size of the recognized image of the partner is within a predetermined size range, the processor is configured to display an eye area in the recognized image of the partner corresponding to the position of the camera area of the HMD.

2. The HMD according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted video communication image of the user includes an image reversed in left and right direction from the taken image.

3. The HMD according to claim 1, wherein the image of the user includes an image detected within a viewing area of the HMD.

4. The HMD according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to display the video communication interface so that the recognized image of the partner is overlaid on the position of the camera area of the HMD.

5. The HMD according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to display the video communication interface so that the recognized image of the partner and the position of the camera area of the HMD are located in the same direction within a viewing area of the HMD.

6. The HMD according to claim 1, wherein, when at least a part of the camera area is not detected from the taken image, the processor is further configured to provide a notice indicating that at least a part of the camera area of the HMD is not detected from the taken image.

7. The HMD according to claim 6, wherein the notice represents at least one of a direction and a distance to which the camera area of the HMD should move to be detected.

8. The HMD according to claim 1, wherein, when the image of the user wearing the HMD is not detected from the taken image, the processor is further configured to transmit a replacement image.

9. The HMD according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a video communication image determination interface that determines whether to transmit the taken image or a replacement image.

10. The HMD according to claim 1, wherein the video communication image of the user includes at least one of the image of the user wearing the HMD and a replacement image.

11. The HMD according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to display the recognized image of the partner and the video communication image of the user together in the video communication interface.

12. The HMD according to claim 1, wherein, when the image of the user wearing the HMD is not detected from the taken image, the processor is configured to display the image taken by the camera unit of the HMD and the recognized image of the partner in the video communication interface.

13. The HMD according to claim 1, wherein the video communication image of the user includes a peripheral area including the camera area of the HMD in the taken image.

14. The HMD according to claim 1, wherein, when the size of the recognized image of the partner is not within the predetermined size range, the processor is configured to display a face area in the recognized image of the partner corresponding to the position of the camera area of the HMD.

15. The HMD according to claim 1, wherein, when the size of the recognized image of the partner is not within the predetermined size range, the processor is configured to enlarge the recognized image of the partner and display the enlarged image in the video communication interface.

16. The HMD according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to control at least one of a position and a depth of the video communication interface.

17. The HMD according to claim 16, wherein the position of the video communication interface is determined based on the size of the recognized image of the partner.

18. The HMD according to claim 16, wherein the position of the video communication interface is determined based on a setting of the user.

19. A method of video communication using a head mounted display (HMD), the method comprising:

detecting an image of a user wearing the HMD, from an image taken by a camera unit in a forward direction of the HMD,

wherein the image of the user is a reflected image and includes a camera area of the HMD, and

wherein the camera area includes at least one of a reflected image of the camera unit, a reflected image of the HMD and a reflected image of a middle of the user'"'"'s forehead;

recognizing an image of a partner from received video communication image data;

providing a video communication interface displaying the recognized image of the partner,

wherein the video communication interface displays the recognized image of the partner corresponding to a position of the camera area of the HMD; and

transmitting a video communication image of the user from the taken image,

wherein, when a size of the recognized image of the partner is within a predetermined size range, the video communication interface displays an eye area in the recognized image of the partner corresponding to the position of the camera area of the HMD.