Mirror system and control method therefor

• US 9,513,478 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2013
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Katano, Yasuo, Matsugu, Masakazu, Suzuki, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Martello, Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/865,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20130286047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators

Abstract

In a mirror system for displaying an image on a mirror surface, a mirror reflects incident light from an object facing its front surface side to present a reflected image, and transmits incident light from its rear surface. A display unit generates a presentation image to be superimposed on the reflected image. An optical unit is arranged between the display unit and the rear surface of the mirror, and images the presentation image. An acquisition unit acquires distance information between the object and the mirror. A controller controls the imaging point of the presentation image by the optical unit according to the distance information.

Claims

1. A mirror system for displaying an image on a mirror surface, comprising:

a mirror which reflects incident light from an object facing on a front surface side to present a reflected image, and transmits incident light from a rear surface;

a display unit configured to generate a presentation image to be superimposed on the reflected image;

an optical unit which is arranged between the display unit and the rear surface of the mirror, and images the presentation image;

an acquisition unit configured to acquire distance information between the object and the mirror in a depth direction with respect to the mirror surface; and

a controller configured to control, in the depth direction, an imaging point of the presentation image by the optical unit according to the distance information in the depth direction, such that the presentation image is arranged at a position where the same angle of convergence and focal length as those of the reflected image of the object are obtained, and such that the position of the presentation image is adjusted forward or backward with respect to the mirror.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the imaging point of the presentation image by the optical unit so that the presentation image is observed as an image with a depth corresponding to the distance information from the front surface of the mirror.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the imaging point of the presentation image by the optical unit so that a virtual image of the presentation image appears at a position corresponding to the distance information on the rear surface side of the mirror.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls a focal length of a lens system of the optical unit according to the distance information.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an imaging unit configured to capture the object; and

a generator configured to generate image data of the presentation image based on an image obtained by capturing the object, and supply the image data to the display unit.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the display unit comprises a plurality of display sections capable of displaying presentation images different from each other,

the optical unit comprises a plurality of optical systems arranged between the plurality of respective display sections and the rear surface of the mirror, and

the controller controls imaging points of presentation images by the plurality of optical systems.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein

the acquisition unit acquires distance information of each of a plurality of objects,

the plurality of display sections respectively generate presentation images corresponding to the plurality of objects, and

the controller controls an imaging point of the presentation image corresponding to each of the plurality of objects according to the distance information of the object.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein the optical unit comprises an optical switch configured to guide light from one of the plurality of optical systems to the rear surface of the mirror.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the optical unit comprises a lens array in which a plurality of lens units each capable of controlling an imaging point are arranged in parallel, and

the controller controls, for each of partial regions obtained by dividing a display region of the display unit, the imaging point of the lens unit of the lens array corresponding to the partial region.

10. A control method of a mirror system which displays an image on a mirror surface and comprises:

a mirror which reflects incident light from an object facing on a front surface side to present a reflected image, and transmits incident light from a rear surface;

a display unit configured to generate a presentation image to be superimposed on the reflected image; and

an optical unit which is arranged between the display unit and the rear surface of the mirror, and images the presentation image,

the control method comprising;

acquiring distance information between the object and the mirror in a depth direction with respect to the mirror surface; and

controlling, in the depth direction, an imaging point of the presentation image by the optical unit according to the distance information in depth direction, such that the presentation image is arranged at a position where the same angle of convergence and focal length as those of the reflected image of the object are obtained, and such that the position of the presentation image is adjusted forward or backward with respect to the mirror.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform a control method of a mirror system which displays an image on a mirror surface and comprises:

a mirror which reflects incident light from an object facing on a front surface side to present a reflected image, and transmits incident light from a rear surface;

a display unit configured to generate a presentation image to be superimposed on the reflected image; and

an optical unit which is arranged between the display unit and the rear surface of the mirror, and images the presentation image,

the control method comprising;

acquiring distance information between the object and the mirror in a depth direction with respect to the mirror surface; and

controlling, in the depth direction, an imaging point of the presentation image by the optical unit according to the distance information in a depth direction, such that the presentation image is arranged at a position where the same angle of convergence and focal length as those of the reflected image of the object are obtained, and such that the position of the presentation image is adjusted forward or backward with respect to the mirror.