Virtual reality headset with see-through mode

• US 10,371,944 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mallinson, Dominic
• Primary Examiner(s): Mandeville, Jason M
• Application Number:
  US14/338,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20160025978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 345 8
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0196 having transparent supporting structure for display mounting, e.g. to a window or a windshield
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0093 with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features

Abstract

Systems and method for providing a see-through screen in a head-mounted display (HMD) includes a display screen having a front side and a back side. The display screen is configured for rendering media content. First optics is provided adjacent to the front side of the display screen and configured to provide a focus for viewing the media content. A shutter screen is provided adjacent to the backside of the display screen and is switchable between an opaque mode and a transparent mode. Second optics is provided behind the shutter screen such that the shutter screen is between the display screen and the second optics. The second optics provides an adjustment to the focus to allow clear view through the first optics, the display screen, the shutter screen and the second optics, when the transparent mode is activated on the shutter screen.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a display screen for rendering frames of media content thereon, the display screen having a front side and a back side, the display screen being transparent, wherein each frame that is rendered is defined by a frame size having a defined number of pixels;

first optics disposed adjacent to the front side of the display screen, the first optics includes a lens that is configured to focus the frames of media content at a predetermined distance when viewed by eyes of a user wearing the device;

a shutter screen disposed adjacent to the backside of the display screen, wherein different portions of the shutter screen are selectively switchable between an opaque mode and a transparent mode and wherein the opaque mode is active in portions of the shutter screen for enabling the media content rendered on corresponding portions of the display screen to be viewable, and the media content is not viewable in portions of the display screen that corresponds with the portions of the shutter screen where the transparent mode is active;

second optics disposed behind the shutter screen such that the shutter screen is between the back side of the display screen and the second optics, the second optics includes a lens that is configured to provide a correction so that a distortion caused by the first optics is canceled out by the second optics, the correction allows viewing of external environment in vicinity of the device through the first optics, the display screen, the shutter screen and the second optics when the transparent mode is activated on the shutter screen; and

a circuit logic configured to receive signals from one or more sensors distributed on the device and analyze the signals to determine a change in environmental condition in a vicinity of a user of the device, the change in environmental condition prompting a portion defined by a location on the shutter screen to transition from the opaque mode to the transparent mode, the portion being less than an entire portion of the shutter screen.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the adjustment provided in the second optics is to compensate for view distortion caused by the focus of the first optics.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the shutter screen is configured to allow the transparent mode to be activated on the portion of the shutter screen and the opaque mode to be activated for remaining portions of the shutter screen.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the activation of the transparent mode in the portion of the shutter screen causes a viewport to be defined through the portion of the shutter screen to provide a view to the external environment in the vicinity of the device through corresponding portions of the first optics, the display screen and the second optics.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the activation of the transparent mode in the portion of the shutter screen causes activation of a window in the portion of the display screen that corresponds to at least one of the remaining portions of the shutter screen that is in opaque mode, the window rendering a view of a web portal at a web site and options to interact with the web portal.

6. The device of claim 1, further includes a switching circuit that is communicatively connected to the shutter screen to activate the transparent mode or the opaque mode in specific portions of the shutter screen;

and

a microprocessor communicatively connected to the switching circuit to control the switching of the portion of the shutter screen to the transparent mode, wherein the microprocessor is configured to process the media content by formatting the media content, such that the media content is provided for rendering in a portion of the display screen that corresponds with remaining portion of the shutter screen that is in opaque mode.

7. The device of claim 1, further includes an event detector circuit configured to generate a signal for selectively switching the portion of the shutter screen to transparent mode, in response to detection of an event occurring within the media content.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the event detected is one of a change in media content being rendered, change in environment condition within the media content, an audio signal generated in the media content, or any combinations thereof, and wherein the change in environment condition detected by the circuit logic is one of a change in an external environment condition in vicinity of the device, an audio signal detected in the vicinity of the device, a visual cue detected in the vicinity of the user wearing the device, or any combinations thereof.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the change in the external environment condition corresponds to movement of an object in the external environment in vicinity of the device,

in response to the change in the external environment condition, the event detector circuit is configured to track movement of the object and generate appropriate signals to cause selective switching of different portions of the shutter screen that correspond with the movement of the object, to transparent mode to permit viewing of the moving object.

10. The device of claim 1, further includes input device configured for user interaction, wherein the user interaction includes providing annotation on an object provided in the media content or on an object from an external environment, interaction with the media content or the object, blending of the object into the media content or any combinations thereof.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the first optic, the display screen, the shutter screen and the second optic is coated with an anti-reflective coating, wherein an amount of anti-reflective coating on each of the first optic, the display screen, the shutter screen and the second optic is adjusted to optimize viewing efficiency of the display screen.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the display screen rendering the multimedia content thereon is disposed in front of the eyes of a user and is spaced apart from the eyes of the user, when the device is worn by the user,

pixels from video frames of the media content are rendered in portions of the display screen that correspond to portions of the shutter screen that are in opaque mode.

13. A pair of glasses used for viewing content, comprising,

a view port provided with a multi-layer arrangement, the multi-layer arrangement includes,

a first optic including lens configured with a first focus setting to focus frames of media content at a predetermined distance when rendered on a display screen of the pair of glasses worn by a user so as to allow eyes of the user to view the frames of media content;

the display screen rendering the frames of media content thereon is positioned behind the first optic, the display screen being transparent, wherein each frame that is rendered is defined by a frame size having a defined number of pixels;

a shutter screen positioned behind the display screen, wherein different portions of the shutter screen being selectively adjustable between a transparent mode and an opaque mode, wherein media content is provided for rendering so as to be viewable in portions of the display screen that correspond with portions of the shutter screen where the opaque mode is activated and is not provided for rendering in portions of the display screen that correspond with portions of the shutter screen where the transparent mode is activated; and

a second optic including lens configured with a second focus setting, the second focus setting used for adjusting any view distortion caused by the first focus setting of the first optic, to provide a focused see through view of external environment in vicinity of the pair of glasses through the first optic, the display screen, the shutter screen and the second optic, when a specific portion of the shutter screen is set to the transparent mode; and

a micro processor configured to process the media content, based on a change detected in environmental condition, the processing includes activating the transparent mode in the specific portion of the shutter screen and formatting the media content for rendering in a portion of the display screen that corresponds with remaining portion of the shutter screen that is in opaque mode, wherein the specific portion being less than an entire portion of the shutter screen.

14. The pair of glasses of claim 13, further includes a switching circuit communicatively connected to the shutter screen and configured to activate the transparent mode or the opaque mode;

and

the micro processor connected to the switching circuit to control switching of the specific portion of the shutter screen to the transparent mode from the opaque mode.

15. The pair of glasses of claim 13, wherein adjusting any view distortion caused by the first focus setting is by configuring the second focus setting of the second optic to compensate for any view distortion caused by the first focus setting, when viewing through the pair of glasses.

16. The pair of glasses of claim 13, wherein the first optic, the display screen, the shutter screen and the second optic are each coated with anti-reflective coating, a thickness of the anti-reflective coating on each of the first optic, the display screen, the shutter screen and the second optic adjusted to optimize viewing efficiency of the display screen.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving frames of media content for rendering on a display screen of a pair of glasses worn by a user, the pair of glasses including first optics disposed in front of the display screen, the first optics including lens configured to focus the frames of media content at a predetermined distance when rendered on the display screen to allow eyes of the user to view the frames of media content, configured to wherein each frame of the media content is defined by a frame size with a defined number of pixels;

detecting an event trigger generated while the media content is being rendered, the detection causing a signal to be generated, wherein the signal prompts adjustment to a format of the media content transmitted for rendering; and

in response to the generated signal, activating a transparent mode for a portion of a shutter screen in the pair of glasses that is disposed behind the display screen, the activation resulting in the media content from not being rendered in a portion of the display screen corresponding to the portion of the shutter screen where the transparent mode is activated to enable a view to an external environment in vicinity of the pair of glasses, while remaining portions of the shutter screen is maintained in an opaque mode to enable viewing of the images of the frames of media content that is formatted to be rendered on corresponding portions of the display screen, the viewing of the external environment discernible through second optics within the pair of glasses that are disposed behind the shutter screen, the second optics having lens that is configured to provide a second focus that compensates for view distortion caused by the focus of the first optics,

wherein the method is executed by a processor.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the event trigger is caused by a change in condition within the media content, or a change in external environment condition near the pair of glasses, or actions of a user wearing the pair of glasses, or actions of one or more users near the user wearing the pair of glasses, or an audio signal detected in vicinity of the device, or a specific audio signal generated in the media content, or a visual cue detected in the vicinity of the pair of glasses, or any combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 18, further includes,

determining a cause of the event trigger;

when the event trigger is caused by a change in external environment conditions, tracking the change in external environment condition and generating signals to activate transparent mode in specific portions of the shutter screen that correspond to the change.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the event trigger is caused in response to detecting proximity of a user wearing the pair of glasses to a physical object in the external environment that is part of a real-world environment.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the signal is indicative of a safety warning and is provided as one of an audio signal, or a haptic signal, or a message on the display screen of the pair of glasses.