Display switching device, switching method, wearable display device and displaying method

• US 10,606,077 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2016
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Li, Wenbo, Wu, Yanbing
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Samantha (Yuehan)
• Application Number:
  US15/527,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20180059419A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules

Abstract

A display switching device, switching method, wearable display device and displaying method are disclosed. The display switching device includes a collector configured to operate in an enable mode for enabling a wearable display device to acquire entity information or a disable mode for disabling the wearable display device to acquire entity information, and a first controller configured to determine display switch of the wearable display device based on an operation mode of the collector. The wearable display device displays an AR image based on the entity information when the collector operates in the enable mode, and the wearable display device displays a VR image when the collector operates in the disable mode. The wearable display device includes the display switching device.

Claims

1. A display switching device for a wearable display device comprising:

a collector configured to be operable in an enable mode for enabling the wearable display device to acquire entity information or in a disable mode for disabling the wearable display device to acquire entity information;

a sensor connected to the collector and configured to monitor in which mode of the enable mode and the disable mode the collector operates by monitoring whether the collector sends entity information or monitoring a state assumed by the collector; and

a first controller connected to the sensor and configured to determine whether to perform a switch between augmented reality AR display and virtual reality VR display of the wearable display device based on an operation mode of the collector, wherein the first controller is configured to control the wearable display device to switch to the AR display for displaying an augmented reality image in response to a monitored mode being the enable mode when the wearable display device operates in the VR display, and to switch to the VR display for displaying a virtual reality image in response to the monitored mode being the disable mode when the wearable display device operates in the AR display;

wherein the collector comprises a reversible color changing device convertible between a transparent state and a blocking state, the transparent state allowing passage of the user'"'"'s line of sight such that the entity information may be viewed directly, and the blocking state blocking the user'"'"'s line of sight such that acquisition of entity information by the wearable display device is blocked, and the reversible color changing device is disposed within the viewing angle range of a user of the wearable display device.

2. The display switching device according to claim 1, wherein the collector further comprises a camera;

and

the camera is configured to switch on in the enable mode so as to acquire entity information and send the acquired entity information to the wearable display device, and switch off in the disable mode so as to stop acquisition and sending of the entity information.

3. The display switching device according to claim 1, wherein

the reversible color changing device is configured to convert to the transparent state in the enable mode so as to allow the wearable display device to acquire entity information through the reversible color changing device, and convert to the blocking state in the disable mode so as to prevent the wearable display device from acquiring entity information through the reversible color changing device.

4. The display switching device according to claim 1, further comprising a second controller configured to control operation mode setting for the collector;

and the second controller informs the first controller of a set enable mode so as to send to the wearable display device an augmented reality display start instruction for switching the wearable display device to the AR display when the collector is set to operate in the enable mode, and informs the first controller of a set disable mode so as to send to the wearable display device a virtual reality display start instruction for switching the wearable display device to the VR display when the collector is set to operate in the disable mode.

5. A wearable display device, comprising:

a virtual reality-type wearable display device body comprising a virtual reality information processing unit and an image display unit,

an augmented reality information processing unit, and

a display switching device according to claim 1;

wherein the collector is configured to be operable in an enable mode for enabling the augmented reality information processing unit to acquire entity information or in a disable mode for disabling the augmented reality information processing unit to acquire entity information; and

the first controller is configured to determine display switch of the virtual reality-type wearable display device body based on the operation mode of the collector, comprising;

controlling the virtual reality-type wearable display device body to display the augmented reality image based on the entity information from the augmented reality information processing unit when the collector operates in the enable mode, and controlling the virtual reality information processing unit to start so as to transmit virtual reality image data to the image display unit to display the virtual reality image when the collector operates in the disable mode;

wherein the augmented reality information processing unit, the virtual reality information processing unit and the image display unit are all disposed outside the viewing angle range of the user.

6. The wearable display device according to claim 5, wherein the collector further comprises a camera;

and

the camera is configured to switch on in the enable mode so as to acquire entity information and send the acquired entity information to the augmented reality information processing unit, and switch off in the disable mode so as to stop acquisition and sending of the entity information.

7. The wearable display device according to claim 5, wherein

the controller is configured to control the virtual reality information processing unit to generate virtual reality image data for displaying a virtual reality image on the image display unit when the collector operates in the disable mode;

and

the collector is a reversible color changing device convertible between a transparent state and a blocking state; and

the reversible color changing device is configured to convert to the transparent state in the enable mode so as to allow the wearable display device to acquire entity information through the reversible color changing device, and convert to the blocking state in the disable mode so as to prevent the wearable display device from acquiring the entity information through the reversible color changing device.

8. The wearable display device according to claim 7, wherein the wearable display device is wearable glasses, and the virtual reality-type wearable display device body in the wearable display device further comprises a frame, the frame comprising rims and legs connected with the rims;

the augmented reality information processing unit, the virtual reality information processing unit, the image display unit and the first controller are arranged on the legs, and the collector is arranged in the rims as lenses.

9. The wearable display device according to claim 8, wherein the virtual reality-type wearable display device body further comprises an image amplification unit capable of amplifying the entity information and an image displayed by the image display unit, the image amplification unit being located within the viewing angle range of the user and arranged in a region between the collector and the user'"'"'s eyes.

10. The wearable display device according to claim 5 further comprising a second controller for controlling operation mode setting for the collector;

and

the second controller is further configured to inform the first controller of a set enable mode so as to send to the augmented reality information processing unit an augmented reality display start instruction for switching the wearable display device to the AR display when the collector is set to operate in the enable mode, and inform the first controller of a set disable mode so as to send to the virtual reality-type wearable display device body a virtual reality display start instruction for switching the wearable display device to the VR display when the collector is set to operate in the disable mode.

11. A method for displaying in a wearable display device according to claim 5, the method comprising steps of:

running the collector to have it operate in an enable mode for enabling the wearable display device to acquire entity information or in a disable mode for disabling the wearable display device to acquire entity information;

using the sensor to monitor in which mode of the enable mode and the disable mode the collector operates by monitoring whether the collector sends entity information or monitoring a state assumed by the collector and transmitting the monitored mode to the first controller;

using the first controller to determine an operation mode of the collector based on the monitored mode; and

determining display switch of the wearable display device based on the monitored operation mode of the collector, comprising;

acquiring the entity information and generating augmented reality image data based on the entity information by the augmented reality information processing unit and controlling, by the first controller, the virtual reality-type wearable display device body to display the augmented reality image based on the augmented reality image data from the augmented reality information processing unit, when the collector operates in the enable mode, and

controlling, by the first controller, the virtual reality-type wearable display device body to display the virtual reality image when the collector operates in the disable mode.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the collector is a camera;

the method further comprising;

switching on the camera in the enable mode so as to acquire entity information and send the entity information to the augmented reality information processing unit, and

switching off the camera in the disable mode so as to stop acquisition and sending of the entity information.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the collector is a reversible color changing device convertible between a transparent state and a blocking state;

and the method further comprising;

converting the reversible color changing device to the transparent state in the enable mode so as to allow the augmented reality information processing unit to acquire entity information through the reversible color changing device; and

converting the reversible color changing device to the blocking state in the disable mode so as to prevent the augmented reality information processing unit from acquiring the entity information through the reversible color changing device; and

the step of controlling the virtual reality-type wearable display device body to display a virtual reality image comprises;

controlling a virtual reality information processing unit of the virtual reality-type wearable display device body to generate virtual reality image data for displaying a virtual reality image on the image display unit of the virtual reality-type wearable display device body.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of displaying the augmented reality image further comprises:

amplifying, by an image amplification unit of the virtual reality-type wearable display device body, the augmented reality image and the entity information displayed to a user on the image display unit; and

the step of displaying the virtual reality image further comprises;

amplifying, by the image amplification unit, the virtual reality image displayed to the user on the image display unit.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

controlling, by a second controller, operation mode setting for the collector based on a user'"'"'s choice; and

informing the first controller of a set enable mode so as to send, by the first controller, to the augmented reality information processing unit an augmented reality display start instruction when the second controller sets the collector to operate in an enable mode; and

informing the first controller of a set disable mode so as to send, by the first controller, to the virtual reality-type wearable display device body a virtual reality display start instruction when the second controller sets the collector to operate in a disable mode.

16. A method for display switching in a display switching device according to claim 1, comprising:

running the collector to have it operate in an enable mode for enabling the wearable display device to acquire entity information or in a disable mode for disabling the wearable display device to acquire entity information;

using the sensor to monitor in which mode of the enable mode and the disable mode the collector operates by monitoring whether the collector sends entity information or monitoring a state assumed by the collector and transmitting the monitored mode to the first controller;

using the first controller to determine whether to perform a switch between augmented reality AR display and virtual reality VR display

of the wearable display device based on the operation mode of the collector monitored by the sensor by;

controlling the wearable display device to switch to the AR display for displaying an augmented reality image in response to a monitored mode being the enable mode when the wearable display device operates in the VR display, and to switch to the VR display for displaying a virtual reality image in response to the monitored mode being the disable mode when the wearable display device operates in the AR display.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

controlling, by a second controller, operation mode setting for the collector based on a user'"'"'s choice; and

informing the first controller of a set enable mode so as to send, by the first controller, to the wearable display device an augmented reality display start instruction for switching the wearable display device to the AR display when the second controller sets the collector to operate in the enable mode; and

informing the first controller of a set disable mode so as to send, by the first controller, to the wearable display device a virtual reality display start instruction for switching the wearable display device to the VR display when the second controller sets the collector to operate in the disable mode.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the collector is a camera;

the method further comprising;

switching on the camera in the enable mode so as to acquire entity information and send the entity information to the wearable display device, and

switching off the camera in the disable mode so as to stop acquisition and sending of the entity information.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the collector is a reversible color changing device convertible between a transparent state and a blocking state;

the method further comprising;

converting the reversible color changing device to the transparent state in the enable mode so as to allow the wearable display device to acquire entity information through the reversible color changing device; and

converting the reversible color changing device to the blocking state in the disable mode so as to prevent the wearable display device from acquiring the entity information through the reversible color changing device.