EP1395868A1 - Method and system for providing information on the eye - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an information system and a method for eye-related provision of information and/or provision of information to be extracted in relation to the eye. The inventive information system comprises a signal detecting device used for detecting signals which are related to the eye and an output device for the provision of information in correlation with the detected eye-related signals. An information system comprising a projection system is disclosed which produces a light beam, which can be projected into the eye with reduced divergence, reduced convergence or in a related manner, whereby the light beam in the transition between the air and the cornea has an unsubstantial diameter when compared to the diameter of the pupil.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE EYE

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an information system and a method for the eye-related provision of information and / or for the provision of eye-related information.

State of the art

In the as yet unpublished applications by PCT / EP00 / 09843, PCT / EPOO / 09840, PCT / EP00 / 09841 and PCT / EPOO / 09842, which were filed on October 7, 2000, DE 101 27 826, which filed on June 8 2001, as well as PCT / EP01 / 11633, which was filed on October 8, 2002, describes a variety of information, projection and recording systems as well as corresponding processes which, among other things, pursue the goal of providing information in a way adapted to the requirements of a sighted person Way to provide.

In the as yet unpublished application by applicant PCT / EP01 / 05886, which was filed on May 22, 2001, manifold methods and devices for adapting an optical system to the direction of the human eye and associated systems for determining the change in the relative position between the optical System and the optical system of the eye described, which can be useful, for example, in connection with the above information, projection and recording systems and corresponding methods.

In the as yet unpublished application of the applicant PCT / EP01 / 11634, which was filed on October 8, 2001, manifold methods and devices for determining the position and / or the orientation of an eye are described, which are used both for obtaining eye-related information and may be useful for eye-related provision of information.

Also relevant to the prior art is the device for recording the retinal reflex image and superimposing additional images according to the published specification DE 196 31 414 AI and the method for improving the

BESTATIGUNGSKOPIE optical perception through modification of the retinal image according to the published patent application DE 197 28 890 AI.

In particular with regard to special application, it is an object of the present invention both to improve the prior art shown above and to combine features of this prior art in a new advantageous inventive manner.

Summary of the invention

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the information system according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

In its most general form, the information system according to the invention comprises a signal detection device suitable for detecting eye-related signals and an output device for making available information in correlation with the detected eye-related signals.

For the purposes of the invention, a signal detection device is any device that is suitable for detecting and / or detecting signals. (In the rest of the application, both the detection and the detection are referred to as "detection" for the sake of simplicity.)

For the purposes of the invention, a detection of eye-related signals is any signal detection whose detected signals are also related to the eye in the broadest sense. For example, signals can be recorded that provide direct or indirect information about the condition and / or a change in condition of the eyeball, its components, the ocular muscles, the eyelids, etc. deliver.

For example, the signal detection device according to the invention could detect the photonic radiation which is directed to an eye, is emitted by an eye and / or is reflected back by an eye. The detection area taken into account during the detection could be part of the eyeball, e.g. the retina, the macula or the iris, as well as an area in the immediate vicinity of the eyeball, e.g. a spectacle lens positioned in front of the eye, one of the eyelids or one next to it camera placed in the eye. Also could be signals regarding the condition of the eyelids, the orientation and / or location of the eyeball and / or activities of the ocular muscles can be detected mechanically, acoustically and / or electrically.

The eye-related signal acquisition is preferably carried out without contact, i.e. without touching the eye and / or its wearer, for example by detecting acoustic and / or electromagnetic signals, for example ultraviolet, infrared and / or visible light. (Detection of light with a wavelength of approx. 1.1 μm is particularly useful according to the disclosure of PCT / EP00 / 09843.) According to the invention, it can be useful to specifically limit the signal detection, for example the detected spatial, temporal and / or to limit spectral “detection windows” by means of filters, diaphragms, alignment of the signal detection device or the like in a determinable manner.

A signal detection device according to the disclosure of PCT / EP00 / 09843 or an optical scanning device according to the disclosure of PCT / EP01 / 11633 could serve as the signal detection device in the sense of the invention. There, an optical scanning device is defined as any device capable of detecting or detecting optical signals for the purpose of information acquisition. Such scanning devices usually comprise at least one signal converter in order to ensure signal separation, signal strength or the like which is sufficient for any processing or signal acquisition. Accordingly, the optical scanning device according to the invention could have an optical signal converter, for example an optoelectronic device such as a CCD photo receiver, a photomultiplier device or a photodiode or a purely optical device, which converts the scanned light into purely optical signals for a further optical and / or opto-electronic processing. With such purely optical devices, considerable technical progress has recently been achieved worldwide, so that their commercial use can also be expected in the near future within the scope of the invention.

For the purposes of the invention, an output device is any device which is suitable for outputting signals in at least one way. The signal is preferably output to one or more people, or to one or more other devices or without a specific addressee, for example as an acoustic loudspeaker output. Ab initio, the invention places no restrictions on the type of signal output, ie it could be done, for example, in an electromagnetic, acoustic, mechanical, thermal and / or chemical manner. The signal could thus be output in such a way that the signals are tactile for a human, are visually, audible, smellable and / or taste-perceptible. How such a signal output according to the invention could take place is described in detail, but not conclusively, in the above applications of the applicant.

The provision of information according to the invention in correlation with detected eye-related signals can take place both via an output device for making available information obtained with respect to an eye (abbreviated as "obtained with respect to the eye" elsewhere) and via an output device for providing information related to the eye Signals output by the output device may be afflicted with information obtained with respect to an eye. This corresponds to the provision of information obtained with respect to the eye. Likewise, the output device can output information-containing signals in a manner that is related to an eye, which may cause one For example, the output device could output signals acoustically when a user of the information system has closed his eyes and output optically, e.g. nn the user has his eyes open. Also, one information system output device could output signals when the user is looking at a particular item, while another information system output device outputs signals when the user is looking at another particular item.

In other words, the invention comprises two options for providing information. Firstly, a site where the information provided reflects a reference to the eye (i.e. a "content approach", in German: "content approach"). Secondly, a point of disposal, in which the way of making available reflects a relation to the eye (i.e. a "carrier approach", in German: "carrier approach"). According to the invention, these approaches can also be combined as desired.

An optical projection device according to the disclosure of PCT / EP01 / 11633 could serve as the output device in the sense of the invention. There, an optical pickup device is defined as any device capable of emitting optical signals or emitting light in a controllable manner. (For the sake of simplicity, both the emitting of optical signals and the controlled emission of light are referred to as "projection" in the rest of the application.) The former includes, for example, lasers, laser diodes, LEDs, OLEDs, etc. The latter could, for example, be a combination of a light source, a modulator often referred to in technical terms as "light valve" and a light guide arrangement that guides the light generated by the light source to the modulator. Preferably the optical projection device itself or in cooperation with another device is capable of projecting light which can be determined with regard to its intensity, direction of propagation, polarization, spectral composition, in particular its wavelength, and / or another of its characteristic values If light changes over time, this is referred to in technical jargon as "modulation".

The propagation of light is typically referred to as radiation-like. Detected or projected light is therefore often referred to in the application as a detected or projected “light beam” or also “scanning beam” or “projection beam”. This is particularly the case in discussions about the beam path, the beam diameter, the spectral composition and similar properties of a sensed or projected light, which are often associated with the concept of a light beam.

For the purpose of routing or shaping a signal to be recorded, output, recorded or output, the information system according to the invention can have one or more signal routing devices, signal converters and / or signal shaping devices. Examples of such devices, whose demarcation from one another is not always clear, are diaphragms, filters, controllable and non-controllable mirrors, splitter mirrors, A / D converters, acousto-optical modulators, cables, light guides, holographic elements, lenses, etc.

Depending on the general conditions of the configuration, a plurality of signal detection devices, signal converters, output devices, signal routing devices and / or signal design devices can be combined with one another as separate units or integral units.

As is made clear in this description, the present invention can be advantageously used in connection with the laid-open publications or applications PCT / EP00 / 09843, PCT / EP00 / 09840, PCT / EP00 / 09841, PCT / EP00 / 09842 , DE 101 27 826, PCT / EP01 / 05886, PCT / EP01 / 11634, PCT / EP01 / 11633, DE 196 31 414 AI and DE 197 28 890 AI use the systems, devices and methods described. The whole The content of these published documents or applications is therefore expressly incorporated into this application by reference. In view of the preferred embodiment of the systems or devices disclosed therein, for the sake of simplicity, they are referred to below as “glasses”. The present invention can also be implemented in this embodiment. Holographic elements can be implemented instead of the glasses or as a coating of the glasses ,

A holographic element in the sense of the invention preferably comprises one or more holographic recordings (which corresponds to a "hologram") of an actual or virtually directly or indirectly computer-controlled exposure of the photographic material on which the holographic recording is based and is thus capable of refraction , Diffraction and / or reflection properties of this object to a certain extent under the specific circumstances of the holographic reproduction, in particular information about the three-dimensional topology of the object can be recorded and reproduced.

The advantage here is that the holographic element itself does not have to have the topology recorded therein in its external form. For example, a flat holographic element could emulate the refractive, diffractive, and / or reflective properties of a curved object. A curved holographic element could also emulate the refraction, diffraction and / or reflection properties of a differently curved or flat object. A holographic element can also emulate the refraction, diffraction and / or reflection properties of different objects at different wavelengths. More information on this topic can be found in section 2 ("holographic element") of PCT / EP01 / 11633.

While the intensity (in color photography depending on the color or wavelength) of the light falling on the photographic material is recorded in a conventional photographic recording, the fine-grained photographic material detects the very fine interference pattern of the light waves falling on the photographic material in a holographic recording. For this reason, the holographic reproduction, which corresponds to a refraction of light in the sense of the invention, generally depends strongly on the wavelength, the angle of incidence and the phase of the incident light. About the technology of holographic recording and reproduction as well as about the possibilities that can be achieved and the respective limitations of these techniques can be found, for example, in the published documents DE 197 03 592 AI and DE 197 99 162 AI as well as in the books and publications “Optical Holography: Principles, Techniques, and Applications (Cambridge Studies in Modern Optics) "by P. Hariharan (ISBN: 0521439655)," Introduction To Fourier Optics "by Joseph Goodman (ISBN: 0070242542)," Optical Information Processing and Holography "by W. Thomas Cathey, John Wiley & Sons, NY, 1974, "Computer Generated Holograms: Techniques and applications" by Wai-Hon Lee in E. Wolf, Progress in Optics XVI, 1978 and "Topics in Applied Physics, Vol. 20: Holography Recording Materials", HM Smith , Ed., Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1977 and the publications mentioned therein. The entire content of these books and publications is therefore published incorporated by reference into this application.

The propagation of light can be influenced via refraction, diffraction and / or reflection, the appropriate term being strongly context-dependent. In the previous section it became apparent that neither a list of the possible types of propagation change by name nor the term

"Light propagation change" allows a brief, understandable wording. The term "refraction" or "breaking" is therefore used in the description as a synonym with the actual generic term "propagation change".

As described above, the present invention can be advantageously used in connection with the aforementioned PCT / EP00 / 09843, PCT / EP00 / 09840, PCT / EP00 / 09841, PCT / EP00 / 09842, DE 101 27 826, PCT / EP01 / 05886, PCT / EP01 / 11634, PCT / EP01 / 11633, DE 196 31 414 AI and DE 197 28 890 AI use the systems, devices and methods described. In particular, the invention can be implemented as an information system that detects or records optical information from one eye using an optical scanning and / or projection device as disclosed there, preferably using the flying spot method, for example using a spiral, circular or elliptical movement pattern. projected into one eye. The invention can also include an eye tracking function as disclosed therein, which enables detection and / or consideration of the eye movements.

The information system according to the invention can be designed, inter alia, as a portable, free-standing and / or multi-part system. For example, you can Information system according to the invention as a so-called "Palm" device (in German: portable device in the palm), as a device integrated in a helmet, as a free-standing examination, treatment, display or operating device or as a multi-part system in which, for example, modulated infrared light reflected from a distant part of the system by the eye and then detected via a holographic element in order to be able to determine the direction of view relative to the distant part of the system.

Many features of the invention are explained in the course of this description, both in general and in the close context of a respective, specifically illustrated exemplary embodiment. Of course, each individual feature of the invention can be combined with any other feature, provided that the resulting combination does not lead to a result which the person skilled in the art can immediately recognize as senseless. This includes the interchangeability of a feature mentioned in the singular with a respective plurality of this feature, provided that

The possibility of such a singularity or plurality has not been explicitly excluded. Also those modifications and alternatives of the described features and combinations of features that the person skilled in the art to the inventive idea and

Including the scope of the invention also belong to the invention. These statements do not concern the determination of the commercial protection area of these

Patent application / patent if a scope of protection is conferred by the claims under applicable law.

Features of a method are described in the present application where appropriate. A device that is suitable for carrying out the proposed method is always expressly disclosed, for example a suitably programmed computer, sensors that are able to deliver the necessary signals, signal processing devices that are able to process these signals in a suitable manner , Etc.

It should also be explicitly pointed out that all of the described device features can be applied analogously in a corresponding method for making information available.

Some further preferred features and combinations of features of the invention are briefly explained below. "The information system according to the invention preferably has an image data processing compression device.

In many configurations of the invention, in particular for mobile applications, it can be advantageous if image data to be projected are processed in an information device located far from the projection device. The image data are then transmitted from the information device to the projection device by radio, cable, light guide or by means of another communication medium. In particular when transferring image data, which could also be very extensive in everyday applications of the information system, it makes sense to compress it before the transfer. This compression can be both lossless and lossy.

When transmitting image data in the opposite direction, for example from an optical scanning device to an external image data processing device, the use of data compression is also useful.

The image data processing compression device preferably reduces input image data in accordance with a predetermined movement pattern and / or a predetermined “pixel arrangement”.

A particularly efficient compression of the image data can be achieved by taking the underlying projection or scanning movement pattern and / or the selected “pixel arrangement” into account. (Here the word pixel arrangement is in quotation marks, since the invention provides projection patterns that are not necessarily under the usual concept a pixel would fall.) Especially in the case of lossy compression methods as well as compression methods that use the characteristics of human perception for data reduction, neighborhood relationships between the pixels often play a decisive role. In the preferred spiral, elliptical or circular movement patterns according to the invention, the image data are not necessarily present in a format that promotes optimal compression, and many image data compression methods are for raster-shaped, rather than spiral, elliptical, circular, or other novel pixel arrangements optimized. Adaptation of the algorithm and / or reshaping of the image data, taking into account the selected “pixel arrangement” and / or the predetermined movement pattern, thus has advantages. The image data processing compression device preferably has an image data memory and is thus able to compress the image data of an image with reference to the image data of one or more images preceding in a sequence of images.

Many embodiments of the invention provide eye related image scanning and / or projection up from 50 Hz. Particularly in view of the close temporal sequence of the images, it can offer considerable advantages to carry out image data compression, which, for example, takes into account any redundancy between images of an image sequence.

The information system according to the invention preferably has a loss-free data compression device.

If the image data has first been compressed in accordance with its image pattern, it makes sense to subsequently transfer this data without loss. If the transmission takes place in the order of the scanning or projection of the image data, depending on the consideration of the pixel sequence of the image data transmission, there may be further compression scope in the image data compression method, which could be exploited by lossless data compression.

Particularly in cases where there is no pattern-based image data compression, lossless data compression can be used before each remote data transmission.

^"Preferably, the information system according to the invention comprises a glasses-shaped projection unit and a projection unit separate from the information unit, which supplies image data to be projected in compressed form to the projection unit, which it is decompressed.

This user-friendly embodiment of the invention is extremely powerful, yet light and ergonomic.

The information system according to the invention preferably comprises a projection system which generates a light beam which can be projected into the eye with little divergence, little convergence or coherently in such a way that the light beam at the air-eyeball transition has a diameter which is insignificant compared to the pupil diameter. Contrary to the prevailing opinion of the prior art, the inventors of the present invention have determined that such a light beam is particularly suitable for direct projection of image information onto the retina according to the flying spot method.

On the one hand, the deflection of a thin light beam generally places fewer demands on the deflection optics compared to the deflection of a wide beam. On the other hand, a very high image resolution can be achieved in this way.

■ The information system according to the invention preferably comprises an optical signal detection system which is suitable for detecting light beams which are emitted by one eye with little divergence, little convergence or coherently in such a way that the light beam at the air-eyeball junction is one in comparison to the pupil diameter has insignificant diameter.

What works for light rays in one direction also applies to light rays in the other direction. However, it can be difficult to limit the shape of the detected beam in this way.

The light beam preferably has a diameter of less than 100 μm, 50 μm, 10 μm or 5 μm at the air-eyeball transition.

Verifying tests have confirmed that these beam diameter values are particularly suitable for direct projection of image information onto the retina in the desired resolution.

«The project ion system is preferably part of an optical system that uses the light beam to project pixels of a perceptible image onto the retina.

As mentioned above, such an information system is suitable for direct projection of image information onto the retina.

The light beam is preferably used to determine the position of the eye. As mentioned above, such an information system is also suitable for determining the viewing direction.

The information system according to the invention preferably comprises an eyeglass-shaped optical device which scans an eye and / or

Performs projection into an eye according to the flying spot principle, the glasses-shaped optical device having a darkening device which allows variable shielding of the eyes vis-à-vis the outside world.

In this way, the information system according to the invention can be used sensibly even in strong ambient light, in particular without dazzling the user.

The darkening device preferably has a darkening layer which automatically becomes more opaque with increasing photon radiation.

A particularly advantageous, since less prone to failure, solution is to provide the glasses with a self-darkening, for example photochemical layer, as is the case with some sunglasses.

The darkening device is preferably controllable, while the information system has a darkening control device which is able to emit control signals to the darkening device in order to specifically vary the degree of shielding of the eyes.

A controlled, for example electrochromatic, variation of the darkening offers the advantage over the previously described solution that the degree of shielding can be specifically changed.

"Preferably, the information system according to the invention comprises a field of view detection device which detects optical signals from the field of view assigned to an eye, and a projection device which projects image information obtained on the basis of the detected optical signals into the eye, wherein if the parallax between the detection direction of the field of view detection device and the viewing direction of the eye exceeds a predetermined limit value, the projection is carried out in such a way that the

Eye primarily perceives the projected image information. According to a preferred embodiment, the information system according to the invention functions as a vision improvement system. However, parallaxes can occur here, in particular in applications in which the information system is used to magnify nearby objects, which have a disruptive effect on the user.

In order to avoid such cases, it is advisable to monitor the angle between the viewing direction and the detection direction necessary to capture the targeted area of the visual field. If this angle exceeds a predetermined limit value, the circumstances of the projection can be changed so that the eye primarily perceives the projected image information. For example, the brightness of the projected image could be increased and / or the eyes shielded at least partially from the outside world. Thus, the eye receives information mainly from one source, namely the projection, with the result that there is no longer any parallax-related optical contradiction.

^In the case of parallax, the eye is preferably at least partially shielded from the outside world by the outside world.

^■ Preferably, the beam intensity of the projection beam is raised at least for a part of the projection in Parallaxenfall.

The advantages of these features of the invention were discussed in the previous section.

^In the case of parallax, the beam intensity of the projection beam is preferably increased when the projected light beam irradiates the macula and its immediate surroundings.

In order to at least partially maintain an advantageous optical relationship to the natural environment even in the case of parallax, it can make sense to limit the perceptual dominance of the projected information to perception via the macula. In this way, the user does not experience any parallax-related optical contradictions in the area of his sharpest vision, but remains in direct visual contact with the outside world in the peripheral visual area. The beam intensity is preferably raised so gently that the limits of the intensity increase are barely or not at all perceptible to the user.

■ The information system according to the invention preferably comprises an optical light guide system by means of which the projection and / or detection direction of a projected or detected light beam can be changed, the optical light guide system having a coarse and a fine deflection device.

Although such a division of the light guide system is associated with additional system outlay, it enables specialization of the respective components, i.e. the coarse and fine deflection devices, as well as advantageous arrangements of these components, so that the advantages of such a division outweigh the result in many exemplary embodiments.

For example, it has been shown that a small beam deflection of less than ± 5 ° to ± 10 ° is sufficient in some applications to project an “eye-filling” image onto the retina. However, such a limited beam deflection is only suitable for this with considerable optical effort to keep an eye on its full range of motion.

On the other hand, the beam deflection on which the movement pattern of a projection is based should take place at a high frequency, for example 10 to 100 kHz, while tracking the eye at a frequency around 50 Hz is entirely sufficient.

It is therefore appropriate to divide the light guiding task on which the information system according to the invention is based into a fast narrow-angle fine deflection and a slow wide-angle coarse deflection.

It can also be advantageous that such a division of the light guide system results in a separation of the respective (coarse or fine deflection) control signals. Since these are generated separately, for example in the case mentioned above, they would otherwise have to be combined using an appropriate algorithm and a corresponding device.

The optical light guide system preferably has a fine deflection device mounted on a coarse deflection device. Such an embodiment of the invention can be usefully used in particular if the rough deflection may be much slower than the fine deflection, and a fine deflection device is available, the mass of which is small enough compared to the rough deflection device so as not to lead to improper braking of the rough deflection device ,

Conversely, the coarse deflection device could of course be mounted on the fine deflection device. In most cases, however, this does not lead to any advantageous results.

■ The fine deflection device preferably comprises an angle-selective optical detector or a light source, the light emission direction of which can be controlled.

The advancement of technology brings both angle-selective optical detectors and light sources whose direction of light emission can be controlled. Such miniatures can be produced in particular on a semiconductor basis. These are mostly based on array-like arrangements that enable control or detection of the light wavefront and thus the direction of light propagation.

Because of their low weight and the possibility of installing such components directly in the moving substrate of a deflection device, such detectors and light sources are suitable for use as a projection or signal detection device with an integrated fine deflection function, i.e. as a fine deflection device in the sense of the advantageous features described above.

• The information system according to the invention preferably comprises an optical one

Signal detection device for detecting light from an eye and a signal processing device based on that detected from the eye

Light determines the position of a "shadow" of the retinal pit of the eye depicted on the cornea of the eye.

Due to its pit-like shape, the retinal pit absorbs more light than the surrounding areas of the retina. Accordingly, the retinal pit casts a permanent "shadow" on an optically opposite point on the inside of the cornea. Using the features described above, the position of this "shadow" relative to the position of the signal detection device can be determined, from which the orientation and position, in particular the direction of view, of the eye can be determined have it determined. The information system according to the invention preferably comprises a projection device which illuminates the retina of the eye with light.

Although the "shadow" of the retinal pit on the inside of the cornea can also be seen with naturally incident light, it can be advantageous for faster and clearer detection of the "shadow", in particular to actively project modulated light into the eye. For example, if light is projected onto a circular area of the retina around the supposed position of the macula, this light, if the macula should actually fall in this area, will form a recognizable circular pattern on the inside of the cornea. If the light is modulated according to a predetermined pattern during projection, the light can be more easily distinguished from the external light, so that a more sensitive pattern recognition is possible.

The invention preferably comprises an eyeglass-shaped information system, in particular an information system for delivering and / or detecting optical signals to or from an eye, with at least one ultrasound source for delivering modulated ultrasound signals, a plurality of ultrasound detectors for detecting the emitted ultrasound signals, and a signal processing system Device based on the detected

Ultrasound signals determine the position and / or orientation of the information system vis-à-vis a user's skull.

In some applications of the information system according to the invention, exact information about the positional relationships of the information system to the head of a user is required. Because of their mobility, however, neither the skin nor the eyes represent an invariable reference system. For such cases, the invention provides the features mentioned above. The use of ultrasound signals offers easy access to the variety of features of the cartilage and bone areas around the eyes.

At least one of the ultrasound detectors is preferably an array-like detector.

Since array-like detectors offer advantages in the detection of the direction of incidence of a detected signal, their use is particularly useful in this context. ^■ The information system according to the invention preferably comprises an optical one

Scanning and / or projection device for scanning an eye or

Projection into one eye according to the flying spot principle, whereby the

Movement pattern of the flying spot is readjusted during the scanning or projection process.

In the above-mentioned applications, due to the lack of other teaching, it is implicitly assumed that no change in the movement pattern is made during a flying spot projection process. However, closer research into this question has shown that readjusting the position and / or the shape of the movement pattern both during a scan and during a projection can lead to improved results which justify the possibly increased effort. In particular, in this way, presumptions determined by the scanning can be confirmed better in many cases (the scanning movement pattern is changed, for example, in such a way that the flying spot crosses an area suspected of having clearer features), or the projection process can be based on the most up-to-date knowledge of the information system to adjust.

^■ Preferably, information system according to the invention comprises an optical projection device for projecting information in an eye according to the flying spot principle, wherein the projection apparatus is characterized according to a pixel irregular pattern.

While the pixels in many conventional display technologies (for example LCD screens) have to appear at a predetermined location, a flying spot projection device is free to draw both the shape and the position of the projected pixels as desired.

In particular, regular pixel patterns can be perceived as disturbing by our visual perception. The invention therefore proposes the use of an irregular pattern in the drawing of the pixels, the respective shape and / or the respective position of the pixels among one another, i.e. their spatial distribution is subject to an irregularity.

The irregularity can be realized in different ways. For example, the diameter of punctiform pixels could be changed according to an irregularity. The pixels could be more irregular as short lines Length can be drawn. The latter could easily be achieved by means of a so-called oversampling of the pixel frequency, in which each pixel actually consists of a series of sub-pixels. Accordingly, the pixels could be positioned according to an irregular pattern.

The irregularity could also lie in the fact that the projection pattern, which could also be regular, is changed according to an irregular pattern after each projection process.

The techniques described above are suitable for use in the spiral, circular and elliptical movement patterns preferred here as well as in grid-shaped movement patterns.

■ The irregular pattern is preferred.

It is particularly easy if a prescribed irregular pattern is used with every projection process.

"The irregular pattern is preferably selected from a predetermined plurality of irregular patterns.

Very good results can also be achieved with comparatively little effort if the irregular pattern is selected from a predetermined number of irregular patterns. The respective pattern could be chosen, for example, "in sequence" or randomly from the large number.

The information system according to the invention preferably comprises a pixel determination device which determines the irregular pattern on the basis of the image data to be projected.

Advantageously realistic pictorial representations can also be achieved at low resolution by determining the irregular pattern on the basis of the image data to be projected. An advantageous basis for data reduction can also be created in this way. The person skilled in the field of pixel-by-pixel image processing will be able to readily understand how this can be achieved in detail and what further advantages can be achieved by means of this feature. ^■ Preferably, information system according to the invention comprises a pixel determining device which determines the respective pixels based on the contents to be projected image data and the irregular pattern.

The aforementioned advantages can also be achieved through this feature. In combination with a determination of the irregular pattern on the basis of the image data to be projected, the advantages can even be mutually reinforced.

The pixel determination device preferably transmits corresponding pixel and / or pattern data to the projection device.

This feature ensures that the information system is extremely flexible. The pixel determination device could transmit the pixel and / or pattern data to the projection device in any manner. For example, the pixel determination device could only transmit an identification number assigned to a selected pattern to the projection device. The pixel determination device could also transmit detailed data, for example exact sequential timing data for the respective pixels of the pattern together with respective pixel content data, to the projection device. In accordance with the features of the invention explained above, the data could of course also be compressed before transmission.

The information system according to the invention is preferably equipped with signal detection devices in such a way that signals from a pair of eyes can be detected, and includes one

Signal processing device which determines the position of a characteristic, typically symmetrically arranged feature of both eyes from the detected signals, and calculates an eye-related horizon from the position of these two features.

In some applications of the information system according to the invention, knowledge of the horizon formed by the eyes is helpful. This horizon can be determined from the position of two presumably facial symmetrical eye features. Such pairs of features are, for example, the pupils, the blind spots, and the retinal pits. These features of the two eyes are usually approximately symmetrical to the symmetry axis of the face. The present invention is described below with reference to the description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. Show it:

1 is a schematic representation of the operation of an information system according to a first embodiment of the invention,

2A is a schematic representation of an unfavorable pixel pattern,

2B shows a schematic illustration of an advantageous pixel pattern according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention,

3 shows a schematic illustration of an advantageous pixel pattern according to a third exemplary embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 4A shows a schematic illustration of a parallax-free observation of an object,

Figure 4B is a schematic representation of a parallax-related view of an object.

Figure 1

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of the structure of an information system according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention, in particular a schematic representation of the structure of a path for information acquisition and regeneration in an eye-tracking, projecting information system.

In the figure, a detection unit 121, an information unit 122 and a projection unit 123 are shown. The detection unit 121 and the projection unit 123 are preferably designed together as glasses-shaped optical units, which comprise a supply unit, for example, which can be worn on the belt for components that cannot be accommodated in the glasses.

According to the structure shown, a signal detection device 101 detects eye-related signals 151. Since these signals 151 form the basis of eye tracking (in English: eye tracking), such signals become in the case described Detects signals that have been emitted by an eyeball 150, ie signals 151 that have been emitted or reflected by the eyeball 150 itself.

The signal detection device 101 converts the detected eye-related signals 151 into signals 111 with the desired signal format and outputs these signals 111 to an eye tracker device 102. The eye tracker device 102, which could be, for example, an eye tracker device according to one of the applicants' applications mentioned at the outset, generates an output signal 112 which, for example, provides information about the viewing direction of the eyeball 150, about a target object or about that currently provides an image of the outside world perceived by the macula of the eyeball 150.

Depending on whether this output signal 112 requires further processing for interpretation or whether it represents absolute image coordinates, for example, the output signal 112 is routed, for example by radio, to an information device 103 and / or a conversion device 104. A “reshaping device” here is a device that processes image data for the purpose of a projection according to the invention, while the term “information device” is to be understood as any device that is capable of supplying image data. The image data can be output as a function of an input signal supplied to the information device, which is why the information device could also have a much more extensive functionality than just the ability to supply image data. This functionality could include, for example, pattern recognition, image processing, database research, or any other information gathering process. The local term

"Information device" thus corresponds to the definition of an "information device" contained in the above-mentioned applications of the applicant.

For the sake of a simple explanation, it is assumed below, contrary to the general statements above, that the information device 103 and the conversion device 104 of the information system shown serve only the purpose of a section of a static image, for example stored in Cartesian coordinates in the information device, depending on the viewing direction of the eyeball 150 to project onto the eyeball 150 and that the eye tracker device 102 is able to provide the viewing direction as absolute coordinates in the coordinate system of the present static image to be projected. Depending on the coordinates 112 obtained from the eye tracker device 102, the information device 103 transmits a section of the static image to the conversion device 104 in the form of image data 113. The information device 103 preferably transmits the image data of an image section that is larger than that Image section to be projected so that image data does not have to be transmitted with every projection process. Likewise, the information device could only transmit the image data that entered the image section due to a change in the viewing direction. Because it is to be expected that the change in the viewing direction between projection processes will be slight. In this sense, the conversion device 104 preferably comprises a memory for storing the incoming image data 113.

In accordance with the image section resulting from the coordinates 112 obtained from the eye tracker device 102, the reshaping device 104 selects the image data to be actually displayed from the received image data 113 and subjects it to one or more reshaping operations.

If the pixel pattern to be used in the forthcoming projection process is fixed (for example, it could be a fixed pattern or specified by a separate pixel determination device), the conversion device 104 could first perform a purely mathematical conversion of the selected image data into the coordinate system of the projection process and the result data save or output in a format suitable for the projection of the pixel pattern.

In particular, during such a coordinate conversion, the conversion device 104 could carry out image data processing compression of the selected image data, i. H. free the image data from redundancies and other data excess, for example on the basis of perception-related phenomena and the pixel neighborhood relationships resulting from the image display of the image data. This could include lossless as well as lossy data operations. The use of lossless data operations presupposes that the image data is appropriately decompressed before the projection.

The use of lossless data compression methods is particularly useful when there are great similarities between images in close succession or to be expected and the conversion device has one Memory that stores compression-relevant data during a sequence of images. Accordingly, the decompression device should also have sufficient memory.

The advantage of an image data processing compression of the selected image data during the coordinate transformation is that some data reduction options can be recognized more easily in a specific coordinate system. During the coordinate transformation, the data reduction options of two coordinate systems and the pixel pattern to be used could be taken into account.

If the pixel pattern to be used in the forthcoming projection process is not fixed, then it is advisable, given the computing power available, that the conversion device 104 ascertains a suitable pixel pattern in the sense of a pixel determination device, taking into account any compression advantages, for example by mathematical analysis or trying out some compression strategies. For example, contiguous pixels of barely distinguishable color along the projection path could be merged into one pixel. Likewise, highly detailed areas of the image could be displayed with a high pixel density, while "quieter" areas of the image could be displayed with a lower pixel density.

The reshaping device 104 could also employ temporal "dithering", in which a detailed image follows an information-reduced image, so that a color addition of the two images felt by the user emulates the desired image. Depending on the degree of compression, this approach may pose a problem in the case of a limited data transmission bandwidth advantageous alternative to a pure repetition of an image (which is only perceptible in borderline cases at a projection frequency of 50 Hz and can therefore be used very advantageously) or even an image sequence.

The image data, which may have been converted by the conversion device 104, plus pixel pattern data, are finally output as output signals 114. This is preferably done in a format suitable for the projection of the pixel pattern.

If the data is first compressed by the conversion device 104 and then converted into a different format for the purpose of output, it could Compression margin arise in the output signal, which is reflected in a subsequent lossless compression step in one

Compression device 105 can be eliminated as needed.

The signal data 115 resulting from the steps described above are transmitted, for example, by radio to the projection unit 123, where they may be decompressed by a decompression device 106 in accordance with the lossless compression methods carried out on the image or signal data. The signal data 116, possibly decompressed, received by the projection unit 123 are temporarily stored in a memory 107 if necessary and are preferably fed to the projection device 108 as a serial data sequence 117 for "flying spot projection". According to the incoming data 117 regarding pixel content and pixel pattern or In accordance with the incoming data 117 with regard to pixel content and a predetermined pixel pattern, the projection device 108 projects optical signals 118 onto the eyeball 150.

Figure 2

FIG. 2A shows a schematic illustration of an unfavorable pixel pattern 240, while FIG. 2B shows a schematic illustration of an advantageous pixel pattern 240 according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Both pixel patterns 240 are based on a multiplicity of concentric circles 241, which could correspond to the movement pattern of a circular projection process according to the flying spot principle. The respective circles 241 are divided into areas 242, which could correspond to the pixels of a circular projection process according to the flying spot principle. According to the exemplary embodiments shown, the respective regions 242 of a respective circle are of the same size. While this can be simplistic and thus advantageous, it is not imperative for the success of the invention. With increasing size, the circles 241 are divided into increasingly more areas 242 as soon as the size of a respective area of a circle exceeds a predetermined limit value. This is also advantageous, but not mandatory, as explained elsewhere in the description.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, the circles 241 are divided along common boundaries 243 in the areas 242. In the case of a projection in which the area boundaries 243 match pixel boundaries, these can Area boundaries 243 or pixel boundaries are particularly easy to be perceived by the eye due to their, in particular, linear regularity and thus have a disruptive effect on the perception of the projected information.

The pixel pattern 240 shown in FIG. 2B, in which the outermost three circles 241 are shown without regions 242 for the sake of clarity, is suitable due to its irregularity to largely avoid such a perception disturbance. This irregularity is achieved compared to the embodiment of FIG. 2A in that each circle has been rotated once at a random or irregular angle around the concentric point with respect to the adjacent circle lying inside it.

Figure 3

FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of an advantageous pixel pattern 340 according to a third exemplary embodiment of the invention.

The pixel pattern 340 is based on a plurality of concentric circles 341, which could correspond to the movement pattern of a circular projection process according to the flying spot principle. The respective circles 341 are divided into regions 342 which are arranged irregularly and which could correspond to the pixels of a circular projection process according to the flying spot principle. According to the exemplary embodiments shown, the respective regions 342 of a respective circle are generally of the same size. While this can be simplistic and therefore advantageous, it is not essential for the success of the invention. As the size increases, the circles 341 are divided into increasingly more areas 342 as soon as the size of a respective area of a circle exceeds a predetermined limit value. This is also advantageous, but not mandatory, as will be explained elsewhere in the description.

In particular, FIG. 3 shows an area 346 in which the size of the areas 342 is larger in relation to the average area 342, and an area 347 in which the size of the areas 342 is smaller in relation to the average area 342. With such a pixel pattern 340, an image with a detail-rich detail and a detail-poor detail can advantageously be efficiently but precisely represented if the positions of the areas 346 and 347 are selected such that the detail-rich detail of the image with pixels of the area 347 and the detail-poor section of the image coincide spatially with pixels of the area 346.

Figure 4

FIG. 4A shows a schematic representation of a parallax-free observation of an object, while FIG. 4B shows a schematic representation of a parallax-related observation of an object.

FIG. 4A shows an object 460 which is distant from a viewing eye 450 and which is likewise optically detected by an optical signal detection device 470. From the perspective of the eye 450, the object 460 lies along a line 452, which stands at an angle α from a “straight-ahead” reference direction 451. From the perspective of the optical signal detection device 470, the object 460 lies along a line 472, which is around one Angle β differs from a "straight looking" reference direction 471. In an arrangement of the object 460 away from the eye as shown, the angles α and β are almost identical despite the distance between the eye 450 and that of an optical signal detection device 470.

In contrast to FIG. 4A, FIG. 4B shows an object 460 ′ which is close to a viewing eye 450 and which is likewise optically detected by an optical signal detection device 470. From the perspective of the eye 450, the object 460 'lies along a line 452', which differs by an angle < ^* t '= 0 from a “straight-ahead” reference direction 451. From the perspective of the optical signal detection device 470, the object lies along a line 472 ', which differs by an angle β' from a "straight-ahead" reference direction 471. In an arrangement of the object 460 'close to the eye as shown, the angles α' and β 'are quite different due to the proximity of the object 460' and the distance between the eye 450 and that of an optical signal detection device 470. This corresponds to a parallax, which, as shown, can also be seen in terms of device technology on the basis of the viewing angles of an object or point which are found to be very different,

Summary In the following, the essential points are summarized again on the basis of groups of features, each of which characterizes the invention in a special way, individually and in combination:

compressed image data

1. Information system with a signal detection device suitable for detecting eye-related signals and an output device for making available information in correlation with the detected eye-related signals.

2. Information system according to item 1, with an image data processing compression device.

3. Information system according to item 1 or 2, wherein the image data processing compression device reduces input image data according to a predetermined projection movement pattern.

4. Information system according to one of the preceding points, wherein the image data processing compression device has an image data memory and is capable of the image data of an image with reference to the

Image data of one or more preceding images in a sequence

Compress image.

5. Information system according to one of the preceding points, with a lossless data compression device.

6. Information system according to one of the preceding points, wherein the

Information system comprises a spectacle-shaped projection unit and an information unit separate from the projection unit, the one to be projected

Provides image data in compressed form to the projection unit, which decompresses it.

small beam

7. Information system with a projection system that generates a light beam that is so with little divergence, little convergence or coherent in an eye can be projected so that the light beam at the air-eyeball transition has a diameter which is insignificant compared to the pupil diameter.

8. Information system with an optical signal detection system, which is suitable for detecting light beams, so with low divergence, less

Convergence or coherent be emitted from an eye that the

Light beam at the air-eyeball junction compared to the

Pupil diameter has insignificant diameter.

9. Information system according to item 7 or 8, wherein the light beam on the air

Eyeball transition has a diameter of less than 100 microns.

10. Information system according to item 7 or 8, wherein the light beam at the air-eyeball transition has a diameter of less than 50 μm.

11. Information system according to item 7 or 8, wherein the light beam at the air-eyeball transition has a diameter of less than 10 μm.

12. Information system according to item 7 or 8, wherein the light beam at the air-eyeball transition has a diameter of less than 5 μm.

13. Information system according to item 7, the projection system being part of an optical system which uses the light beam to project pixels of a perceptible image onto the retina.

14. Information system point 7 or 8, wherein the light beam is used to determine the position of the eye.

darkening

15. Information system with an eyeglass-shaped optical device which performs a scanning of an eye and / or a projection into an eye according to the flying spot principle, the eyeglass-shaped optical device having a darkening device which visually shields the eyes variably. vis the outside world allowed. 16. Information system according to item 15, the darkening device having a darkening layer which automatically becomes more opaque with increasing photon radiation.

17. Information system according to item 15, wherein the darkening device is controllable and with a darkening control device which is able to emit control signals to the darkening device in order to vary the degree of shielding of the eyes in a targeted manner.

Parallaxevermeidung

18. Information system with a visual field detection device, which detects optical signals from the visual field assigned to an eye; and a projection device which projects image information obtained on the basis of the detected optical signals into the eye, wherein if the parallax between the detection direction of the

Field of view detection device and the direction of view of the eye exceeds a predetermined limit, the projection is carried out such that the eye mainly perceives the projected image information.

19. Information system according to item 18, wherein the eye is at least partially shielded from the outside world in the case of parallax from the outside world.

20. Information system according to item 18, wherein the beam intensity of the projection beam is raised at least for part of the projection in the case of parallax.

21. Information system according to item 19, wherein the beam intensity of the projection beam is increased in the case of parallax when the projected

Beam of light illuminates the macula and its immediate surroundings.

Coarse / fine deflection

22. Information system with a light guide system, by means of which the projection and / or detection direction of a projected or detected light beam can be changed, the light guide system having a coarse and a fine deflection device. 23. Information system according to item 22, the light guide system having a fine deflection device mounted on a rough deflection device.

24. Information system according to item 22 or 23, wherein the fine deflection device comprises an angle-selective optical detector.

25. Information system according to one of items 22-24, the fine deflection device comprising a light source whose direction of light emission can be controlled.

Detection of the shadow of the retinal pit

26. Information system with - an optical signal detection device for detecting light from an eye; and a signal processing device which, on the basis of the light detected from the eye, determines the position of a "shadow" of the retinal pit of the eye depicted on the cornea of the eye.

27. Information system according to item 26, with a projection device which illuminates the retina of the eye with modulated light.

Detection of skull features

28. Spectacle-shaped information system, in particular an information system for delivering and / or detecting optical signals to or from an eye, with at least one ultrasound source for delivering modulated ultrasound signals; several ultrasonic detectors for the detection of the emitted

Ultrasonic signals; and a signal processing device based on the detected

Ultrasound signals determine the position and / or orientation of the information system vis-a-vis the skull of a user.

29. Spectacle-shaped information system according to item 28, at least one of the ultrasound detectors being an array-like detector. Readjustment of the movement pattern

30. Information system with an optical scanning and / or projection device for scanning an eye or projection into an eye according to the flying spot principle, the movement pattern of the flying spot being readjusted during the scanning or projection process.

the projection pattern

31. Information system with an optical projection device for projecting information into an eye according to the flying spot principle, the projection device drawing pixels in accordance with an irregular pattern.

32. Information system according to item 31, whereby the irregular pattern is prescribed.

33. Information system according to item 31, wherein the irregular pattern is selected from a predetermined plurality of irregular patterns.

34. Information system according to item 31 or 33, with a pixel determination device which determines the irregular pattern on the basis of the image data to be projected.

35. Information system according to item 34, with a pixel determination device which determines the respective pixel contents on the basis of the image data to be projected and the irregular pattern.

36. Information system according to item 33 or 34, wherein the pixel determination device transmits corresponding pixel and / or pattern data to the projection device.

Eye horizon

37. Information system which is equipped with signal detection devices in such a way that detection of signals originating from a pair of eyes is possible with a signal processing device which determines the position of a characteristic, typically symmetrically arranged feature of both Eyes determined from the detected signals, and an eye-related horizon is calculated from the position of these two features.

Claims

Expectations

1. Information system with a projection system that generates a light beam that can be projected with little divergence, little convergence or coherently into an eye in such a way that the light beam at the air-corneal transition has an insignificant diameter compared to the pupil diameter.

2. Information system according to claim 1, wherein the light beam at the air-cornea transition has a diameter of less than 100 microns.

3. Information system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the light beam at the air-cornea transition has a diameter of less than 50 microns.

4. Information system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the light beam at the air-cornea transition has a diameter of less than 10 microns.

5. Information system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the light beam at the air-cornea transition has a diameter of less than 5 microns.

B. Information system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the

Projection system is part of an optical system that uses the light beam to project pixels of a perceptible image onto the retina.

7. Information system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the

Projection system is part of an optical system that uses the light beam to determine the position of the eye.