Display device

• US 9,753,284 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Machida, Akio, Sakamoto, Yukinari
• Primary Examiner(s): Pervan, Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/370,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20140340286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: 345 7- 8, 359 13- 14, 359630
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0105 Holograms with particular structures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0174 holographic
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/101 with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 used for beam splitting or combining

Abstract

There is provided a display device including (I) an eyeglass-shaped frame configured to be mounted on a head of an observer, and (II) an image display device attached to the frame. The image display device includes (A) an image forming device, and (B) an optical device on which light output from the image forming device is incident, in which the light is guided, and from which the light is output. A dimmer configured to adjust an amount of external light incident from outside is installed on a side opposite to a side on which the image forming device of the optical device is disposed. A light shielding member configured to shield incidence of external light on the optical device is disposed in a region of the optical device on which light output from the image forming device is incident.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

(I) a frame configured to be mounted on a head of an observer;

(II) an image display device attached to the frame, wherein the image display device includes;

(A) an image forming device, and

(B) an optical device having a first side including a first surface region on which light output from the image forming device is incident, an interior region in which the light is guided, and a second surface region from which the light is output;

(III) a dimmer configured and arranged to adjust an amount of light transmittance to the optical device of external light incident from outside of the display device, wherein the dimmer is located on a second side of the optical device opposite the first side and is configured to be operated at at least three different light transmittance states; and

(IV) a light shielding member configured and arranged to shield incidence of the external light on a portion of the second side of the optical device opposite the first surface region and a first portion of the dimmer so as to inhibit the external light from reaching the portion of the second side of the optical device and the first portion of the dimmer without also inhibiting the external light from reaching a second portion of the dimmer that is different from the first portion of the dimmer.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the first surface region of the optical device on which light output from the image forming device is incident is included in a projection image of the light shielding member on the optical device.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding member is disposed separate from the optical device on the second side.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding member is disposed in a portion of the optical device on the second side.

5. The display device according claim 1, wherein the light shielding member is disposed in the dimmer.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein a projection image of an edge of the dimmer on the optical device is included in the projection image of the light shielding member on the optical device.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the dimmer comprises:

a first substrate facing the optical device and a second substrate facing the first substrate,

electrodes each provided in the first substrate and the second substrate, and

a light transmission control material layer sealed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the second substrate is thinner than the first substrate.

9. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the first substrate also serves as a constituent member of the optical device.

10. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the light transmission control material layer of the dimmer is configured to be a light shutter formed of a liquid crystal material layer.

11. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the light transmission control material layer of the dimmer is configured to be a light shutter formed of an inorganic electro-luminescence material layer.

12. The display device of claim 1, wherein the dimmer is configured to:

when the measure of ambient light illumination is above a first value, adjust the amount of light transmittance of external light to the optical device to be equal to or lower than a first light transmittance amount; and

when the measure of ambient light illumination is equal to or lower than the first value, adjust the amount of light transmittance of external light to the optical device to be equal to or greater than a second light transmittance amount.

13. The display device of claim 12, wherein the first light transmittance amount is 30% transmittance, and wherein the second light transmittance amount is 51% transmittance.

14. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to measure ambient light illumination and to provide an indication of the measured ambient light illumination to the dimmer.

15. The display device of claim 1,

wherein the dimmer is configured to adjust the amount of light transmittance to the optical device of external light incident from outside of the display device based on a measure of ambient light illumination.

16. The display device of claim 15, wherein the dimmer is configured to:

when the measure of ambient light illumination is above a first value, adjust the amount of light transmittance of external light to the optical device to be equal to or lower than a first light transmittance amount; and

when the measure of ambient light illumination is equal to or lower than the first value, adjust the amount of light transmittance of external light to the optical device to be equal to or greater than a second light transmittance amount.

17. The display device of claim 16, wherein the first light transmittance amount is 30% transmittance, and wherein the second light transmittance amount is 51% transmittance.

18. The display device of claim 15, further comprising a sensor configured to measure ambient light illumination and to provide an indication of the measured ambient light illumination to the dimmer.

19. The display device of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the dimmer comprises an edge portion of the dimmer.