Infrared video display eyewear

• US 9,729,767 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2014
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Brian C. Longbotham, Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Longbotham, Brian C., Bain, Judith
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhao, Daquan
• Application Number:
  US14/221,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20160050345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 348 42, 348 51, 348 52, 348 53, 348 54, 348 56, 348 59, 348 61, 348162, 348164
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0127 comprising devices increasing the depth of field
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0134 of stereoscopic type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/125 head-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/246 Calibration of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A wearable display apparatus for viewing video images of scenes and/or objects illuminated with infrared light, the display apparatus including a transparent display that is positioned in a user'"'"'s field of vision when the display apparatus is worn, a stereoscopic video camera device including at least two cameras that each capture reflected infrared light images of a surrounding environment and a projection system that receives the infrared light images from the stereoscopic camera device, and simultaneously projects (i) a first infrared-illuminated video image in real-time onto a left eye viewport portion of the transparent display that overlaps a user'"'"'s left eye field of vision and (ii) a second infrared-illuminated video image in real-time onto a right eye viewport portion of the transparent display that overlaps a user'"'"'s right eye field of vision.

Claims

1. A wearable display apparatus for viewing video images of objects illuminated with infrared light, the display apparatus comprising:

a transparent display that is positioned in a user'"'"'s field of vision when the display apparatus is worn;

an infrared light source that illuminates infrared light to a surrounding environment to cause infrared light images to be reflected from the surrounding environment;

a stereoscopic video camera device including at least two cameras that each capture the reflected infrared light images of the illuminated surrounding environment, the surrounding environment to which the infrared light is illuminated including at least an area in front of the stereoscopic video camera device; and

a projection system that receives the infrared light images from the stereoscopic video camera device, and projects (i) a first infrared-illuminated video image onto a transparent left eye viewport portion of the transparent display, the first infrared-illuminated video image overlapping a user'"'"'s left eye field of vision, and concurrently, (ii) a second infrared-illuminated video image onto a transparent right eye viewport portion of the transparent display, the second infrared-illuminated video image overlapping a user'"'"'s right eye field of vision,

wherein projection of the first infrared-illuminated video image and the second infrared-illuminated video image onto the transparent display creates a stereoscopic image viewable by the user.

2. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the infrared light source includes an infrared light array that includes a plurality of infrared lights.

3. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the array is detachably mountable on the wearable display apparatus.

4. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of infrared lights are arranged around the stereoscopic video camera device.

5. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the infrared light source includes a plurality of infrared light arrays that each include a plurality of infrared lights, and

each of the arrays is detachably mountable to the wearable display apparatus.

6. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the plurality of light arrays includes a substantially linear array of infrared lights.

7. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stereoscopic video camera device includes a housing on which the at least two cameras are mounted.

8. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stereoscopic video camera device is detachably mountable to the wearable display apparatus.

9. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stereoscopic video camera device is arranged to be substantially centered about a user'"'"'s nose when the wearable display apparatus is worn.

10. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the projection system includes (i) a first projector mounted on a left side of the wearable display and configured to project the first infrared-illuminated video image onto the left eye viewport portion, and (ii) a second projector mounted on a right side of the wearable display and configured to project the second infrared-illuminated video image onto the right eye viewport portion.

11. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the wearable display apparatus is worn, the left-eye viewport is positioned substantially opposed to the user'"'"'s left eye, and the right-eye viewport is positioned substantially opposed to the user'"'"'s right eye.

12. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the left-eye and right-eye viewport portions constitute less than half of an area of the transparent display.

13. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in a lighted surrounding environment, the transparent display is configured for the user to simultaneously see (i) the surrounding environment through the transparent display;

and (ii) the first and second infrared-illuminated video images.

14. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an ultraviolet light source.

15. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the at least two cameras are configured to capture reflected ultraviolet light-illuminated video images of the surrounding environment, and

the projector system is configured to (1) receive the ultraviolet light-illuminated video images from the at least two cameras and (2) project the ultraviolet light-illuminated video images onto the left eye viewport portion and the right eye viewport portion of the transparent display.

16. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the at least two cameras are configured capture reflected thermal video images of the surrounding environment, and

the projector system is configured to (1) receive the thermal video images from the at least two cameras and (2) project the thermal video images onto the left eye viewport portion and the right eye viewport portion of the transparent display.

17. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stereoscopic video camera device further includes a microphone device that receives and records sound.

18. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the stereoscopic video camera device further includes a data port that transmits at least one of video data and audio data.

19. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the data port is disposed on a side surface of the stereoscopic video camera device.

20. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the stereoscopic video camera device is configured to capture high definition video images.

21. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a distance between a centerline of a camera lens of each of the at least two cameras is within a range of 10 mm and 70 mm.

22. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stereoscopic video camera device including at least two cameras that each capture first and second thermal images of the surrounding environment.

23. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 22, wherein

the projection system also receives the thermal images from the stereoscopic video camera device, and projects (i) the first infrared-illuminated video image and a first thermal video image onto the left eye viewport portion of the transparent display that overlaps the user'"'"'s left eye field of vision and (ii) the second infrared-illuminated video image and a second thermal video image onto the right eye viewport portion of the transparent display that overlaps the user'"'"'s right eye field of vision.

24. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 23, wherein

the first infrared-illuminated video image and the first thermal video image are projected at an adjustable intensity, and

the second infrared-illuminated video image and the second thermal video image are projected at the adjustable intensity.

25. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 22, wherein

the projection system also receives the thermal images from the stereoscopic video camera device, and projects (i) a first thermal video image onto the left eye viewport portion of the transparent display that overlaps the user'"'"'s left eye field of vision and (ii) a second thermal video image onto the right eye viewport portion of the transparent display that overlaps the user'"'"'s right eye field of vision.

26. The wearable display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least two cameras capture reflected images from white light, ultraviolet light, active infrared light and thermal infrared light of the surrounding environment.

27. Wearable display glasses for viewing stereoscopic infrared-illuminated video images, the glasses comprising:

a transparent display that is positioned in a user'"'"'s field of vision when the display glasses are worn;

a left-side frame and a right-side frame that support the transparent display and are respectively positioned over the user'"'"'s left and right ears when the glasses are worn;

an infrared light source that illuminates infrared light to a surrounding environment to cause infrared-illuminated video images to be reflected from the surrounding environment; and

a stereoscopic video camera device including

two cameras that each capture the reflected infrared-illuminated video images of the illuminated surrounding environment, wherein the surrounding environment to which the infrared light is illuminated includes at least an area in front of the stereoscopic video camera device, and a convergence/divergence angle between the two cameras is adjustable; and

a projection system that receives the infrared-illuminated video images from the two cameras, and projects (i) a first infrared-illuminated video image onto a transparent left eye viewport portion of the transparent display, the first infrared-illuminated video image overlapping the user'"'"'s left eye field of vision, and concurrently, (ii) a second infrared-illuminated video image onto a transparent right eye viewport portion of the transparent display, the second infrared-illuminated video image overlapping the user'"'"'s right eye field of vision, wherein

projection of the first infrared-illuminated video image and the second infrared-illuminated video image onto the transparent display creates a stereoscopic image viewable by the user, and

the projected video images are configured to be perceived as a three-dimensional image.

28. The wearable display glasses according to claim 27, wherein the convergence/divergence angle between the two cameras is manually adjustable by the user.

29. The wearable display glasses according to claim 27, wherein the convergence/divergence angle of the two cameras is automatically adjustable.

30. The wearable display glasses according to claim 27, wherein the convergence/divergence angle of the two cameras is configured to be automatically adjusted based on an expected focal distance of the user'"'"'s eyes.

31. The wearable display glasses according to claim 27, wherein the two cameras are configured to have a relatively convergent angle for near sighted image viewing and a relatively divergent angle for far sighted image viewing.

32. The wearable display glasses according to claim 27, wherein each of the two cameras is positioned so that the first infrared-illuminated video image overlaps the second infrared-illuminated video image.

33. A display system for viewing video images of objects illuminated with infrared light, the display system comprising:

a wearable display including a transparent display that is positioned in a user'"'"'s field of vision when the wearable display is worn;

an infrared light source that illuminates infrared light to a surrounding environment to cause infrared-illuminated video images to be reflected from the surrounding environment;

a stereoscopic video camera device including at least two cameras that each capture the reflected infrared-illuminated video images of the illuminated surrounding environment, the surrounding environment to which the infrared light is illuminated including at least an area in front of the stereoscopic video camera device; and

a projection system mounted to the wearable display that receives the infrared-illuminated video image from the stereoscopic video camera device, and projects (i) a first infrared-illuminated video image onto a transparent left eye viewport portion of the transparent display, the first infrared-illuminated video image overlapping the user'"'"'s left eye field of vision, and concurrently, (ii) a second infrared-illuminated video image onto a transparent right eye viewport portion of the transparent display, the second infrared-illuminated video image overlapping the user'"'"'s right eye field of vision,

wherein projection of the first infrared-illuminated video image and the second infrared-illuminated video image onto the transparent display creates a stereoscopic image viewable by the user.

34. The display system according to claim 33, wherein the stereoscopic video camera device wirelessly transmits the infrared-illuminated video images to the projection system.

35. The display system according to claim 33, wherein the stereoscopic video camera device is configured to be mounted to a mobile, remote-controlled device.

36. The display system according to claim 33, wherein the stereoscopic video camera device is configured to be mounted to an end portion of a telescoping rod.

37. The display system according to claim 33, wherein the stereoscopic video camera device is configured to be mounted to a hard hat.

38. The display system according to claim 37, wherein the infrared light source is configured to be mounted to the hard hat.

39. The display system according to claim 38, further comprising:

a belt that is disposed around the hard hat;

a bracket attachment that is fastened to the belt; and

a support device that is rotatably fixed to the bracket attachment, wherein

the stereoscopic video camera device is attached to one end of the support device, and the infrared light source is attached to another end of the support device.

40. The display system according to claim 39, wherein

the support device is substantially bent at 90°

so that a viewing angle of the stereoscopic video camera device and a viewing angle of the infrared light source are substantially the same.

41. The display system of claim 40, wherein

when the support device is rotated, the viewing angle of the stereoscopic video camera device and the viewing angle of the infrared light source remain substantially the same.

42. The display system of claim 39, further comprising a fastener that fastens the support device to the stereoscopic video camera device.

43. The display system of claim 39, wherein the belt encircles the hard hat and extends over the top of the hard hat.

44. The display system of claim 39, wherein

the bracket attachment increases a clamping force to fix the support device in place, and

the bracket attachment decreases a clamping force to rotate the support device.