Wearable optical display with audio functionality

• US 9,298,010 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2015
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marissa J. Sundquist
• Original Assignee: Marissa J. Sundquist
• Inventors: Sundquist, Marissa J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHERMAN, STEPHEN G
• Application Number:
  US14/705,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20160041392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 9, 359/13, 359/14, 359630-633
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A head-mountable optical display apparatus includes a visor frame and a first image display device. The visor frame includes an upper band, a lower band, an outer surface, and an inner surface. The upper band is configured to be proximate to a user'"'"'s head. The lower band is configured to be distal to the user'"'"'s head. The outer surface and the inner surface extend from the upper band to the lower band. The outer surface is configured to face away from the user'"'"'s head. The inner surface extends is configured to face toward the user'"'"'s head. At least a portion of the inner surface is transparent to the user. The first image display device is disposed along the lower band. The first image display device is configured to display optical images within line of sight of the user.

Claims

1. A head-mountable optical display apparatus comprising:

a visor frame including;

an upper band configured to be proximate to a user'"'"'s head;

a lower band configured to be distal to the user'"'"'s head;

an outer surface extending from the upper band to the lower band, the outer surface configured to face away from the user'"'"'s head;

an inner surface extending from the upper band to the lower band, the inner surface configured to face toward the user'"'"'s head, wherein at least a portion of the inner surface is transparent to the user; and

a first image display device attached to the lower band, the first image display device configured to display optical images within line of sight of the user,

wherein the apparatus is configured to rest against a user'"'"'s forehead and sides of the head to at least above a user'"'"'s ears.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the degree of transparency of the transparent portion of the inner surface is adjustable between fully transparent to the user and partially transparent to the user.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first image display device includes at least one of a liquid crystal display device, a light-emitting diode display device, an organic light-emitting diode display device, and an electroluminescent display device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus further comprising:

two side arms connected to the upper band and the lower band, wherein each of the two side arms rests against a side of the user'"'"'s head and is configured to extend to at least above the ears,

wherein the upper band is configured such that at least a portion rests against the user'"'"'s forehead such that the two side arms and the upper band are configured to secure the apparatus to the user'"'"'s head.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

at least one audio output device disposed in one of the two side arms, wherein the at least one audio output device is at least one of an audio speaker, a bone conduction transducer, and an audio jack for use with an earpiece.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a human input device disposed along at least one of the upper band, the lower band, and the two side arms;

an external electronic communication means; and

an on-board computing system disposed within at least one of the upper band, the lower band, and the two side arms, the on-board computing system including;

a processor electrically connected to at least the human input device, the external electronic communication means, and the first image display device; and

a memory device electrically connected to the processor, the memory device storing at least one of software and firmware for execution by the processor;

wherein the on-board computing system is configured to receive input data from at least one of the human input device and the external electronic communication means, analyze the input data, and generate output data to control images displayed by at least the first image display device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the external electronic communication means includes at least one of:

a wired serial data and power communication device; and

a wireless communication device.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a second image display device, the second image display device includes at least one video projector disposed along at least one of the upper band, the lower band, and the two side arms;

wherein the at least one video projector is configured to project an image onto the inner surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising at least one of:

a forward facing video camera disposed along at least one of the upper band and the lower band, the forward facing video camera configured to capture images in a direction ahead of the user;

a rearward facing video camera disposed along one of the two side arms, the rearward facing video camera configured to capture images in a direction behind the user; and

a downward facing video camera disposed along at least one of the upper band and the lower band, the downward facing video camera configured to capture images in a downward direction with respect to the direction of the line of sight of the user when the user is facing forward,

wherein the images captured by at least one of the forward facing video camera, the rearward facing video camera, and the downward facing video camera are projectable onto the inner surface by the at least one video projector.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the images captured by at least one of the forward facing video camera, the rearward facing video camera, and the downward facing video camera are projectable onto the inner surface by the at least one video projector as magnified images.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, including the downward facing video camera, wherein the apparatus further includes:

a downward facing keyboard projector disposed along at least one of the upper band and the lower band, the keyboard projector configured to project a keyboard image in a downward direction with respect to the direction of the line of sight of the user;

wherein images captured by the downward facing video camera, including typing and input motions, are interpreted by the apparatus as input data.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

a facial video camera disposed along the lower band, wherein the facial video camera is configured to capture images of the user'"'"'s face.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the images captured by the facial video camera are interpreted by the apparatus as input data.

14. A head-mountable optical display apparatus comprising:

a visor frame including;

an upper band configured to be proximate to a user'"'"'s head;

a lower band configured to be distal to the user'"'"'s head;

an outer surface extending from the upper band to the lower band, the outer surface configured to face away from the user'"'"'s head;

an inner surface extending from the upper band to the lower band, the inner surface configured to face toward the user'"'"'s head, wherein at least a portion of the inner surface is transparent to the user;

a first image display device configured to provide a first optical display to the user, the first image display device attached to the lower band such that it aligns with a line of sight of the user; and

a second image display device configured to provide a second optical display to the user, the second image display device including at least one video projector disposed along at least one of the upper band and the lower band;

wherein the at least one video projector is configured to project the second optical display onto the inner surface,

wherein the apparatus is configured to rest against a user'"'"'s forehead and sides of the head to at least above a user'"'"'s ears.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the degree of transparency of the transparent portion of the inner surface is adjustable between fully transparent to the user and partially transparent to the user.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first image display device includes at least one of a liquid crystal display device, a light-emitting diode display device, an organic light-emitting diode display device, and an electroluminescent display device.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, the apparatus further comprising:

two side arms connected to the upper band and the lower band, wherein each of the two side arms rests against a side of the user'"'"'s head and is configured to extend to at least above the ears,

wherein in the upper band is configured such that at least a portion rests against the user'"'"'s forehead such that the two side arms and the upper band are configured to secure the apparatus to the user'"'"'s head.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising at least one of:

a forward facing video camera disposed along at least one of the upper band and the lower band, the forward facing video camera configured to capture images in a direction ahead of the user;

a rearward facing video camera disposed along one of the two side arms, the rearward facing video camera configured to capture images in a direction behind the user; and

a downward facing video camera disposed along at least one of the upper band and the lower band, the downward facing video camera configured to capture images in a downward direction with respect to the direction of the line of sight of the user when the user is facing forward,

wherein the images captured by at least one of the forward facing video camera, the rearward facing video camera, and the downward facing video camera are projectable onto the inner surface by the at least one video projector.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a human input device disposed along at least one of the upper band, the lower band, and the two side arms;

an external electronic communication means; and

an on-board computing system disposed within at least one of the upper band, the lower band, and the two side arms, the on-board computing system including;

a processor electrically connected to at least the human input device, the external electronic communication means, the first image display device, the second image display device, and at least one of the forward facing video camera, the rearward facing video camera, and the downward facing video camera; and

a memory device electrically connected to the processor, the memory device storing at least one of software and firmware for execution by the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to receive input data from at least one of the human input device, the external electronic communication means, and at least one of the forward facing video camera, the rearward facing video camera, and the downward facing video camera;

analyze the input data; and

generate output data to control images displayed by at least one of the first image display device and the second image display device.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the images captured by at least one of the forward facing video camera, the rearward facing video camera, and the downward facing video camera are projectable onto the inner surface by the at least one video projector as magnified images.