EP0121523A1

EP0121523A1 - Monoscopic and stereoscopic television device

Info

Publication number: EP0121523A1
Application number: EP83903012A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Arnvid Sakariassen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-10-14
Filing date: 1983-09-28
Publication date: 1984-10-17
Also published as: DK154387B; FI842376A0; FI79437B; DK154387C; FI79437C; DK289484A; NO152479C; WO1984001680A1; DK289484D0; NO823425L; FI842376A; JPS60500077A; NO152479B

Abstract

Dispositif de télévision pour la réception et la reproduction de sons et d'images monoscopiques et stéréoscopiques envoyés à partir d'un émetteur de télévision ou à partir d'une unité émettrice locale, de reproduction ou génératrice d'images, l'unité émettrice, de reproduction ou génératrice d'images transmettant en paires deux images monoscopiques identiques/différentes sur les fréquences d'émission/canaux identiques ou séparées ou transmettant des images monoscopiques sur le même canal/fréquence d'émission. Le dispositif comprend un récepteur ayant un affichage (1, 2) éventuellement avec des lentilles (3, 4) devant chaque oeil, ou au moins un affichage avec un agencement de miroir devant, et avec au moins un circuit intégré de réception (syntonisateur) et/ou formation (synchronisation/commande, etc.) et distribution (vidéo) des images, une image pour chaque affichage, le récepteur étant placé très près des deux yeux dans un dispositif à lunettes ou du type binoculaire (5, 6).Television device for the reception and reproduction of monoscopic and stereoscopic sounds and images sent from a television transmitter or from a local transmitter, reproduction or image generator unit, the transmitter unit, reproduction or image generator transmitting in pairs two identical / different monoscopic images on the same or separate transmission frequencies / channels or transmitting monoscopic images on the same channel / transmission frequency. The device comprises a receiver having a display (1, 2) possibly with lenses (3, 4) in front of each eye, or at least one display with a mirror arrangement in front, and with at least one integrated reception circuit (tuner) and / or training (synchronization / control, etc.) and distribution (video) of the images, one image for each display, the receiver being placed very close to both eyes in a glasses or binocular type device (5, 6).

Description

Monoscopic and stereoscopic television device

The invention relates to a television device for reception and reproduc¬ tion of monoscopic and stereoscopic images and sound sent from a tele¬ vision transmitter or from a local transmitter-, playback- or image generating equipment.

Coπrnon for all previously known television receivers is that they are constructed for remote placement in relation to the human eyes, and not for placing, mounting or carrying right up to the eyes themselves. This applies to television receivers both for monoscopic and stereoscopic images. For reception and reproduction of stereoscopic television images reference is relevant, for example, to U.S. Pat. No. 4310849. In this patent, the stereoscopic images are transmitted to the eyes via two fiber optic bundles from the television receiver. The television, receiver itself, which receives and reproduces the images, is, however, remotely placed in relation to the eyes. In other words, outside the headset holding the fiber optic bundles, with the necessary addition of lenses, close to the eyes.

According to the invention, the television receiver itself can be placed, mounted or carried right up to the eyes themselves. This again makes it more flexible in use, both outdoors and indoors, and also opens up the possibility for several types of applications. At the same time one achieves maximum area of vision. When reproducing monoscopic television images the effect for these will, in addition, be considerably increased due to the possibility of a certain amount of depth effect, i.e. one experiences a certain distance to the visual placement of the image.

According to the invention, this is brought about by supplying two speci¬ fically designed displays, preferably based on liquid crystals, with high integrated circuits for reception (tuner part), building up (syn¬ chronizing/control etc.) and distribution (video part) of one image for each display, i.e. one image for the left eye and one image for the right eye. The images are in pairs, two identical or two different mono¬ scopic images. Further, a magnifying glass/lens is fixed in front of each display and the complete device is assembled in a frame, side by side in such a way that it can be placed as a pair of spectacles binoculars (without spectacle arm) over the bridge of the nose close to both eyes, so that the left and right eye sees only its corresponding image. In order to focus the monoscopic or stereoscopic image in the best possible way for both eyes, the distance between the lenses and the distance from the lenses to the displays is adjustable.

When receiving monoscopic television images, the same monoscopic image is transmitted to both displays by allowing the high integrated circuits to receive, build up and distribute the same monoscopic image to each of its corresponding displays, or, for example, by allowing one of the video parts to transmit the same monoscopic image to both displays.

The images can be either in colour or in black and white.

The apparatus is charged by batteries. The front of the apparatus may also consist of a solarcell panel. Depending on the amount of light available, it supplies power for operation of the apparatus and, if desired, for loading the batteries. The batteries take over when insuf¬ ficient light is available to the solarcell panel.

As an alternative to displays based on liquid crystals, but as a lesser preferred solution, displays of the type, for example, CRT or LED may be used, or fiber optic bundles. In certain types of the apparatus, only one display with a traditional mirror arrangement in front of the eyes may be used as an alternative.

The frame for a television receiver in a spectacle or binocular form can be of various types and design.

Signals for images to the left and right eye may be received on the same or separate VHF and/or UHF channels or transmitter frequencies.

For the reception and reproduction of sound, in mono or in stereo, the same high integrated circuits as for the video Images may be used. Images and sound may be transmitted via the same VHF and/or UHF channels or transmitter frequencies. Sound is transmitted directly or via a set of earphones, for example, via a conductor through the spectacle arms.

_OMPI In a simpler version of the television receiver, the tuner part can be omitted. This can occur when using cables to, for example, portable/ stationary playback equipment for monoscopic and stereoscopic video programmes or to computer equipment for image generating. A tuner part can also, if wished, be placed in a recording/playback equipment. Video programmes or images can, if desired, be transmitted to several pairs of spectacles or binoculars.

The technique of receiving and transmitting television images to a special liquid crystal display via high integrated circuits has been used, among others, in a product (TELEVISION WATCH) from Seiko (Japan) where, however, the television image (with sound) is transmitted to a wristwatch, and also in flat, so-called pocket televisions from Seiko and Casio. However, these cannot be either placed, mounted or carried right up to both eyes.

Figure 1 and 2 schematically show an example of the placing of two dis¬ plays (1,2) and lenses (3,4) in a spectacle frame (5,6) seen from behind and from above respectively. The h.igh integrated circuits and the other parts and design of the device are not shown on the drawings.

Claims

Patent claim

A television device for reception and reproduction of monoscopic and stereoscopic images and sound sent from a television transmitter or from a local transmitter-, playback- or image generating equipment, in that the transmitter-, playback- or image generator equipment transmits in pairs two identical/different monoscopic images on the same or separate channels/transmitter frequencies or transmits monoscopic images on the same channel/transmitter frequency, and comprises a receiver including one display with possibly lenses in front for each eye, or at least one display with a mirror arrangement in front, and with at least one high integrated circuit for reception (tuner part) and/or building up (syn¬ chronizing/control, etc.) and distribution (video part) of the images, one image for each display, characterized by the receiver being placed in close proximity to both eyes in a spectacle or binocular type device.