Peripheral vision head-mounted display for imparting information to a user without distraction and associated methods

• US 9,645,396 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2013
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 4Iiii Innovations Inc.
• Original Assignee: 4Iiii Innovations Inc.
• Inventors: Andes, Ian Edward, Fyfe, Kipling William, McEvoy, Jacob P.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCLOONE, PETER D
• Application Number:
  US13/848,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20130214998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 345 8, 345 7, 348E13074, 348E13075, 348 46, 348 51, 359630, 340340, 34052913
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/10 Intensity circuits

Abstract

A head-mounted peripheral vision display and associated methods display information to a user without distraction. A plurality of light display elements are positioned within an area of peripheral vision of at least one eye of the user such that the information is imparted to the user without a need for repositioning or refocusing of the eye. The information may be determined from data received from one or more sensors and an illumination pattern is determined based upon the performance information. The light display elements are controlled to display the illumination pattern to the user.

Claims

1. A peripheral vision head-mounted display system for imparting information to a user without distraction, comprising:

a flexible boom;

at least one light display element located proximate a distal end of the flexible boom, wherein the flexible boom is configured to position the at least one light display element to direct non-reflected illumination into peripheral vision of the user'"'"'s eye such that a non-textual illumination pattern is visually imparted to the user without repositioning or refocusing, the at least one light display element comprising a plurality of light display elements formed as a linear one-dimensional array, a subject light display element of the plurality of light display elements configured to emit light at a fixed wavelength based upon a position of the subject light display element; and

a microcontroller coupled with the light display element for processing information from one or more sensors to determine the illumination pattern based upon the information and for controlling the light display element to display the illumination pattern.

2. The display of claim 1, the flexible boom comprising a flexible substrate having position memory to allow the user to position the light display element relative to the user'"'"'s eye.

3. The display of claim 2, further comprising an attachment feature integrated with the flexible boom for securing the boom to one of eyewear and headwear of the user.

4. The display of claim 1, further comprising a mounting clip for physically coupling the flexible boom onto an item worn on a head of the user.

5. The display of claim 1, further comprising one or more of an accelerometer for detecting movement of the peripheral vision head-mounted display system, a proximity sensor for detecting proximity of a hand of the user, a capacitive sensor for detecting a touch of a finger of the user, and a microphone for detecting sounds from the user.

6. The display of claim 1, further comprising a receiver configured to receive the information from the sensors selected from the group including:

bike computer, exercise equipment computer, and motor vehicle computer.

7. The display of claim 6, wherein exercise equipment, including the exercise equipment computer, comprises one of a stationary bike, a treadmill, and an elliptical machine.

8. The display of claim 6, the receiver comprising a GNSS receiver, and wherein the information comprises one or both of speed and distance.

9. The display of claim 6, the receiver comprising a wireless receiver for receiving the information wirelessly.

10. The display of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise a microphone for detecting sound, and wherein the illumination pattern is based upon the sound.

11. A method for imparting information to a user without distraction, comprising the steps of:

receiving the information within a microcontroller of a peripheral vision head-mounted display system having at least one light display element located proximate a distal end of a flexible boom;

determining, within the microcontroller, a non-textual illumination pattern for the light display element based upon the information; and

controlling the light display element to illuminate peripheral vision of an eye of the user with the illumination pattern without reflection;

wherein the flexible boom positions the at least one light display element to illuminate the non-textual illumination pattern onto the peripheral vision of the eye, the at least one light display element comprising a plurality of light display elements formed as a linear one-dimensional array, a subject light display element of the plurality of light display elements configured to emit light at a fixed wavelength based upon a position of the subject light display element.

12. The method of claim 11, the step of receiving comprising:

receiving, within the microcontroller, data from one or more sensors; and

processing the data to generate the information.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising sensing ambient light level and adjusting intensity of illuminated light display elements based upon the ambient light level.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting motion of the peripheral vision head-mounted display system using a motion sensor;

interpreting the motion as user input; and

selecting one of a plurality of display modes of the light display element based upon the user input.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the information is received from a signaling device, further comprising sending the user input to the signaling device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the motion sensor comprises one or more of an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

sensing sound from at least one microphone coupled with the peripheral vision display system; and

generating the illumination pattern based upon the sound.

18. The method of claim 17, the at least one microphone comprising at least two directional microphones, wherein the microcontroller determines directionality of the sound and generates the illumination pattern to indicate the directionality.