Optical: systems and elements – Single channel simultaneously to or from plural channels – By partial reflection at beam splitting or combining surface
Patent
1997-11-12
2000-01-04
Epps, Georgia
Optical: systems and elements
Single channel simultaneously to or from plural channels
By partial reflection at beam splitting or combining surface
357631, 357632, G02B 2714
Patent
active
060116536
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a single-eye-type head mount display device (hereinafter referred to as HMD) for magnifying an image generated by an image display means to a magnified virtual image and enabling the magnified virtual image to be seen by either one of the eyes of the user.
2. Discussion of the Background
The necessity for observing a display image shown by the image display means simultaneously with a background image has resulted in the development of single-eye-type HMDs. Various applications of such single-eye-type HMDs to computer display devices and instruction display devices for the aid of manual operations have also been in demand.
A known example of such single-eye-type HMDs is disclosed in JAPANESE PATENT LAYING-OPEN GAZETTE No.H-2-63379. Another example disclosed in JAPANESE PATENT LAYING-OPEN GAZETTE No. H-3-189677 is known as a single-eye-see-through-type HMD.
The single-eye-see-through-type HMD described in JAPANESE PATENT LAYING-OPEN GAZETTE No. H-3-189677 combines an image beam emitted from an optical system arranged at the side of the face of the user with a light beam from a background by means of a combiner arranged in front of the face, thereby superposing a display image upon a background image. In this conventional single-eye-type HMD, the eye for observing the display image is fixed to either the left eye or the right eye, i.e., the user cannot select the eye for observing the display image.
Generally people have a preferential eye for observation among the two eyes. The degree of contribution of the preferential eye for observation of images depends upon the person. The preferential eve for observing the display image may vary depending upon the state of application of the HMD and the physical characteristics of the user. It is also possible that the user of the HMD may have a disorder in one eye. It is accordingly inconvenient to fix the eye for observing the display image in the single-eye-type HMD to either the left eye or the right eye.
An object of the present invention is thus to solve the above problem and provide a single-eye-type HMD that enables the user to observe a composite image of a background image and a display image and to readily select the eye for observing the display image.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one object of the invention is to provide a head mount display device which comprises an image display means, a magnifying optical means, and a switching means. The magnifying optical means is implemented by, for example, a lens or a concave mirror, and refracts a first light beam representing an image formed on the image display means and thereby magnifying the image to a magnified virtual image which is to be observed with one of the eyes of the user. The image combining means is implemented by, for example, a half mirror or a polarizing beam splitter, and causes the first light beam representing the virtual image enter the eye of the user simultaneously with a second light beam from a background view, thereby combining the virtual image with the background view to form a composite image. The switching means shifts to at least two positions relative to the image display means, the magnifying optical means. and the image combining means, in order to make a switch between a first state in which the composite image of the virtual image and the background view is observed with one eye of the user and a second state in which the composite image is observed with the other eye of the user.
In a preferred embodiment, the magnifying optical means and the image combining means are arranged such that the first light beam emitted from the image display means goes first to the magnifying optical means and then the image combining means before reaching the eve of the user. In this case, the magnifying optical means may be implemented by a lens, for example.
In another preferred embodiment, the image combining means and the magnifying optical means are arranged such that the first light beam em
REFERENCES:
patent: Re27356 (1972-05-01), La Russa
patent: 5034809 (1991-07-01), Katoh
Epps Georgia
Lucas Michael A
Seiko Epson Corporation
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