Navigation method based on a see-through head-mounted device

• US 9,976,867 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2014
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essilor International SA
• Original Assignee: Essilor International SA
• Inventors: Debieuvre, Amandine, Callier, Benot, Swital, Marion
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US14/915,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20160202081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 701523, 345207, 345419, 345633, 345 8, 463 42
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/365 Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself
• 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 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features

Abstract

A navigation method for a wearer of a see-through head mounted device, the method comprising: •—a wearer visualization parameter providing step (S1), during which at least one wearer visualization parameter is provided, •—a geo-position determining step (S2), during which the geo-position of the wearer along a route is determined, •—a geo-position comparing step during which the geo-position of the wearer determined during the geo-position determining step is compared to stored geo-positions along the route and •—a navigation visual aid function adapting step (S3) during which upon matching of the geo-position of the wearer with one of the stored geo-positions, the navigation visual aid function is adapted based on the wearer vision parameter and the geo-position of the wearer to facilitate the guiding of the wearer.

Claims

1. A navigation method for a wearer of a see-through head mounted device, the method comprising:

a wearer visualization parameter providing step, during which at least one wearer visualization parameter relating to an eye condition of the wearer is received;

a geo-position determining step, during which the geo-position of the wearer along a route is determined;

a geo-position comparing step, during which the geo-position of the wearer determined during the geo-position determining step is compared to stored geo-positions along the route; and

a navigation visual aid function adapting step, during which upon matching of the geo-position of the wearer with one of the stored geo-positions, the navigation visual aid function is adapted based on both the wearer visualization parameter and the geo-position of the wearer, wherein the navigation visual aid is provided by the see-through head mounted device.

2. The navigation method according to claim 1, wherein the head mounted device comprises a display device and the navigation visual aid function adapting step further comprises:

a processed image selection step, during which upon matching of the geo-position of the wearer with one of the stored geo-positions, at least one of processed image associated with the stored geo-position matching the geo-position of the wearer is selected according to the wearer visualization parameter; and

a display step during which the processed image of the visual environment of the wearer is displayed to the wearer by the see-through head mounted display device.

3. The navigation method according to claim 1, wherein the head mounted device comprises a display device and a camera adapted to acquire images of the visual environment of the wearer, and the navigation visual aid function adapting step further comprises:

an image acquisition step, during which at least one image of the visual environment of the wearer is acquired by the camera;

an image processing selection step, during which upon matching of the geo-position of the wearer with one of the stored geo-positions, at least one of the image processing associated with the stored geo-position matching the geo-position of the wearer is selected according to the wearer visualization parameter;

an image processing step, during which the image of the visual environment acquired during the image acquisition step is processed according to the image processing selected during image processing selection step; and

a display step, during which the processed image of the visual environment is displayed to the wearer by the see-through head mounted display device.

4. The navigation method according to claim 3, wherein the navigation visual aid function adapting step further comprises:

an image element identifying step, during which the image of the visual environment of the wearer is analyzed so as to identify at least one predefined element listed in a predefined elements list, each of the predefined elements being associated with at least one image processing; and

during the image processing selection step, upon identification of an element of the image of the visual environment of the wearer corresponding to one of the predefined elements listed in the predefined elements list, an image processing associated with the predefined element identified in the image of the visual environment of the wearer is selected.

5. The navigation method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises:

a visual environment parameter determining step during which at least one visual environment parameter is determined; and

during the image processing selection step the image processing is selected according to the visual environment parameter and/or during the processed image selection step, the processed image is selected according to the visual environment parameter.

6. The navigation method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises:

a sending step during which the geo-position is sent to a distant entity to be compared to stored geo-positions associated with at least one image processing; and

a receiving step during which the selected image processing and/or the processed image is received from a distant entity.

7. The navigation method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises:

a sending step, during which the geo-position to a distant entity to be compared to stored geo-positions associated with at least one image processing, and the acquired image of the visual environment of the wearer is sent to the distant entity to be processed based on the image processing associated to the geo-position; and

a receiving step, during which the processed image is received from a distant entity.

8. The navigation method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises displaying complementary visual information based over the processed image of the visual environment based on the geo-position of the wearer.

9. The navigation method according to claim 3, wherein the head mounted display device comprises an active function and a control unit configured to control the active function, and the active function is adapted during the navigation visual aid function adapting step.

10. The navigation method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises a step of pre-registering, in a database, an association between a wearer identifier and said wearer visualization parameters.

11. The navigation method according to claim 10, wherein at least one of said wearer visualization parameter is stored in a wearer database on a server connected to the head mounted device via a network, in association with the wearer identifier.

12. The navigation method according to claim 10, wherein the navigation visual aid function modification data are defined according to said wearer identifier, optionally in accordance with access rights.

13. The navigation method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises a preliminary step of pre-registering, in a database, at least a route comprises the following sub steps:

an association step during which a geo-position along the route determined during the geo-position determining step is associated with at least one navigation visual aid function modification, and

a storing step during which the geo-position and the associated at least one navigation visual aid function modification are stored.

14. The navigation method according to claim 13, wherein the preliminary step further comprises:

an image acquisition step, during which at least one image of the visual environment of the wearer is acquired by the camera;

an image processing selection step during which at least one of image processing is selected according to the wearer visualization parameter;

an image processing step during which the image of the visual environment acquired during the image acquisition step is processed according to the image processing selected during image processing selection step; and

during the association step the processed image is associated with the geo-position.

15. The navigation method according to claim 13, wherein the preliminary step further comprises:

an image selection step, during which at least one image is selected; and

an image processing selection step during which at least one of image processing is selected according to the wearer visualization parameter;

an image processing step during which the selected image is processed according to the image processing selected during image processing selection step; and

during the association step the processed image is associated with the geo-position.

16. The navigation method according to claim 13, wherein the association step is carried out by the wearer.

17. The navigation method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises prior to the geo-position comparing step, performing a receiving step, during which the stored geo-positions associated with the navigation visual aid function modification are received and stored from a distant entity.

18. A computer program product comprising one or more stored sequences of instructions that are accessible to a processor and which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to carry out instructions comprising:

a wearer visualization parameter providing step, during which at least one wearer visualization parameter relating to an eye condition of the wearer is received;

a geo-position determining step, during which the geo-position of the wearer along a route is determined;

a geo-position comparing step, during which the geo-position of the wearer determined during the geo-position determining step is compared to stored geo-positions along the route; and

a navigation visual aid function adapting step, during which upon matching of the geo-position of the wearer with one of the stored geo-positions, the navigation visual aid function is adapted based on both the wearer visualization parameter and the geo-position of the wearer, wherein the navigation visual aid is provided by the see-through head mounted device.