JP2010134134A - Head mount display - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a see-through-type head mount display capable of maintaining see-through properties and suppressing image light passing through a half mirror from leaking to the external world. <P>SOLUTION: The head mount display 100 is constituted so that a light shielding plate 124 is held in a position where a light beam 120c which is a part of a light beam 120a emitted from an image presentation device 114 and has passed through the half mirror 116 is shielded from the external world and external light passes through and in a position where the light beam 120c which has passed through the half mirror 116 is shielded from the external world and the external light is shielded. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a see-through type head mounted display that transmits external light and can visually recognize an external field image even when the head mounted display is mounted.

A head-mounted display has been proposed in which a content image indicated by content data is presented to a user's eyes so that the user can recognize the content image, and the user can recognize the content image. Here, the head-mounted display includes a type in which an external image can be visually recognized and a type incapable of being visually recognized. The latter is particularly referred to as a see-through type head-mounted display. The following configuration has been proposed for a see-through type head mounted display. That is, a technology that enables an electronic image that is not affected by external light to be displayed at an arbitrary place in the external image, specifically, a half mirror that combines an external image and an electronic image on a liquid crystal display element. A head-mounted display having a configuration in which a transmissive liquid crystal panel capable of arbitrarily changing a light-shielding region is disposed in front of the screen (on the opposite side of the user's eyes with respect to the half mirror, in other words, the outside side). (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
JP-A-5-328260

  By the way, the image light emitted to the half mirror is reflected by the half mirror, but a part of the image light is transmitted through the half mirror. The transmitted image light is emitted to the outside as it is. For example, in a place where a lot of people gather, image light emitted to the outside world is uncomfortable when it enters the eyes of people around it, so it is necessary to consider such leakage of image light. With the see-through type head mounted display described above, it may be possible to prevent such leakage of image light in the light shielding region of the transmissive liquid crystal panel. However, the feature of the see-through type head mounted display is that an external image can be visually recognized without needing to be described. In order to maintain such characteristics, a means (device) for shielding the external image is arranged on the outer interface side (“front” based on Patent Document 1) of the half mirror employed to make the external image visible. Then, even if the above problem can be solved, maintaining the characteristics regarding see-through may be hindered.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a see-through type head-mounted display capable of maintaining see-through characteristics and suppressing leakage of image light transmitted through a half mirror to the outside.

  The head-mounted display of the present invention made in view of the above-described conventional problems is a position where the image light transmitted through the half mirror is shielded from the external environment and the external light is transmitted, and the image light transmitted through the half mirror is applied to the external environment. The light shielding plate is held at a position where light is shielded and external light is shielded.

  The first problem-solving means reflecting the present invention is that the image light emitted from the emitting portion is reflected by a half mirror that transmits the external light from the outside and can visually recognize the outside image, and is reflected by the half mirror. An image light is incident on a user's eye, and the head mount display causes the user to recognize an image indicated by the image light, and the half mirror is provided on the eye of the user wearing the head mounted display. Arranged at the front and on the outer interface side of the half mirror, the image light transmitted through the half mirror and the outside light transmitted through the half mirror are shielded without being reflected by the half mirror A light shielding plate capable of shielding the image light transmitted through the half mirror from the outside world, and provided at a predetermined position of the head mounted display; A holding portion capable of holding the light-shielding plate at a position where external light is transmitted, and at a position where the image light transmitted through the half mirror is shielded against the outside and the external light is shielded. This is a characteristic head-mounted display. According to this, it is possible to switch between transmission and light shielding of external light while shielding the image light transmitted through the half mirror from the outside.

  The second problem solving means is the head mounted display of the first problem solving means, wherein the holding portion is substantially parallel to the line of sight of the user wearing the head mounted display, and the half mirror is The position where the transmitted image light is shielded from the outside and the exterior light is transmitted, and the image light transmitted through the half mirror is substantially parallel to the outer interface of the half mirror and shielded from the outside. The light shielding plate can be held at a position where external light is shielded. According to this, when the image light is shielded from the external environment and the external light is transmitted, the half mirror is made as small as possible so that the protrusion from the face is as small as possible, and the light shielding plate exists in the user's field of view. Even in this case, it is possible to suppress a state where the field of view is blocked by the light blocking plate.

  A third problem solving means is the head-mounted display of the first or second problem solving means, wherein the holding part is configured to connect the half mirror and the light shielding plate via a rotation shaft constituting the holding part. It is connected directly or indirectly, and the light shielding plate is held so as to be rotatable about the rotation shaft. According to this, the position where the light shielding plate is held can be switched.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a see-through type head mounted display that can maintain see-through characteristics and can suppress leakage of image light transmitted through a half mirror to the outside.

  Embodiments for implementing the above problem solving means reflecting the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. In addition, the said subject solution means is not limited to the structure as described below, A various structure is employable in the same technical idea. For example, in the following description, a separate head mounted display configured by connecting a head mounted display main body and a control box that provides a content image to the head mounted display main body will be described as an example. Can also be configured as an integral device. In the following description, the head-mounted display body is simply referred to as a head-mounted display (hereinafter referred to as “HMD”).

(Overview of head mounted display)
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the HMD, more specifically, FIG. 1A shows a top view of the HMD, FIG. 1B shows a front view of the HMD, and FIG. 1C shows a left side view of the HMD. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the user wears the HMD.

  The HMD 100 includes temples 104A and 104B each having a modern 102A and 102B that hits a user's ear at one end, armor 106A and 106B coupled to the other end of the temples 104A and 104B via trillions 112A and 112B, A skeleton portion is formed by a front frame 108 that connects 106A and 106B, and a nose pad 110 that is formed integrally with the center portion of the front frame 108 and abuts against the user's nose. The temples 104A and 104B can be folded at the trillions 112A and 112B formed on the armatures 106A and 106B. The structure of the skeleton part of the HMD 100 is the same as, for example, normal glasses, and the HMD 100 is supported on the user's face by the modern 102A and 102B and the nose pad 110 when worn on the user. (See FIG. 2). In FIG. 1B, drawing of the moderns 102A and 102B and the temples 104A and 104B is omitted.

  The image presentation device 114 (emission unit) is attached to the skeleton part of the HMD 100 via an attachment part 122 provided (provided) near the armor 106A. The image presentation device 114 is installed at a position that is substantially the same height as the left eye 118 of the user wearing the HMD 100 when attached to the vicinity of the armor 106A via the attachment portion 122 (see FIG. 2). . The image presentation device 114 is connected to the control box 200 and a predetermined signal cable 250 (see FIG. 2). The control box 200 is used by being attached to the user's waist or the like, for example.

  The control box 200 executes rendering processing on the content data stored in a predetermined area, controls an input / output interface (hereinafter referred to as “I / F”) included in the own device, and is obtained by the rendering processing. A content image signal including the content image is output to the image presentation device 114 via the signal cable 250. The image presentation device 114 receives the content image signal output from the control box 200 via the input / output I / F that is not depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 and acquires it. Then, the content image based on the content image signal is optically emitted toward the half mirror 116.

  The content image (light beam) emitted from the image presentation device 114 is reflected by the half mirror 116 and is incident on the left eye 118 of the user, in other words, presented (projected) so as to be visible. Thereby, the user recognizes the content image. Here, in FIG. 1A, reference numeral 120a indicates a light beam related to the content image emitted from the image presentation device 114, and reference numeral 120b indicates a light beam that reflects the half mirror 116 and enters the left eye 118 of the user. Show. A light beam 120 c indicates a light beam related to the content image that has passed through the half mirror 116.

  A light shielding plate 124 is rotatably held at the tip of the half mirror 116. The light shielding plate 124 is always present in the user's field of view. However, when the light shielding plate 124 is held at a position parallel to the user's line of sight 126, the light beam 120c transmitted through the half mirror 116 is transmitted without blocking the user's field of view. Block. When rotated to the half mirror 116 side and held at a position substantially parallel to the half mirror 116 (overlapping the half mirror 116), external light incident on the half mirror 116 can be shielded. Details of the configuration for holding the light shielding plate 124 will be described later. The light shielding plate 124 is formed in such a manner as to absorb the light beam 120c so as to suppress the reflection of the light beam 120c. For example, the surface of the light shielding plate 124 is black.

  The image presentation device 114 scans the light rays 120a and 120b corresponding to the acquired content image signal in a two-dimensional direction, and guides the scanned light rays 120a and 120b to the user's left eye 118 to form a content image on the retina. In addition to a retinal scanning type display, a configuration using a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Organic Electroluminescence) display, and other devices can also be used. In particular, in the liquid crystal display system and organic EL system, light is emitted from the entire display surface, so the amount of light that is transmitted to the outside through the half mirror is large. Unlike people putting it in their eyes, it causes flickering and other discomfort. The HMD 100 and the control box 200 are driven by being supplied with power from the battery connected to the power controller via the power controller.

(First configuration for holding the light shielding plate)
3 and 4 show a first configuration for holding the light shielding plate, and the details are as follows. That is, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration in which the light shielding plate is held at a position substantially parallel to the user's line of sight. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration in which the light shielding plate is held at a position substantially parallel to the half mirror. 3 and 4 show the image presentation device 114, the half mirror 116, and the light shielding plate 124 among the respective parts constituting the HMD 100.

  First, the first configuration will be described with reference to FIG. As is clear from FIG. 3, a half mirror mounting frame 128 to which the half mirror 116 is mounted is mounted on the image presentation device 114 by a predetermined method. The half mirror mounting frame 128 has a substantially V shape that can hold the half mirror 116 at a predetermined angle with respect to the traveling direction of the light beam 120a (see FIG. 1A). The light beam 120b (see FIG. 1A) reflected by the half mirror 116 attached to the half mirror attachment frame 128 is the left eye 118 of the user wearing the HMD 100 as described above (see FIG. 1A). Is incident on.

  At the front end of the half mirror mounting frame 128 (on the side opposite to the image presentation device 114), a light shielding plate mounting frame 130 to which the light shielding plate 124 is attached is positioned substantially parallel to the user's line of sight 126 (see FIG. 1A). Is held by. In other words, the light beam 120c (see FIG. 1A) transmitted through the half mirror 116 at a position substantially parallel to the user's line of sight 126 is shielded from the outside at the tip of the half mirror mounting frame 128). A holding portion 132 that can hold the light shielding plate 124 is formed at a position where the light shielding plate 124 is to be placed. The holding part 132 is configured such that the through hole formed in the half mirror mounting frame 128 and the through hole formed in the light shielding plate mounting frame 130 are respectively matched, and a pin member is inserted and fixed into the integrated through hole. Has been. In the state where the pin member is fixed, the light shielding plate mounting frame 130 can rotate around the pin member. For example, it can rotate from the state of FIG. 3 to the state of FIG. When the light shielding plate 124 is at the position shown in FIG. 3, external light that enters the half mirror 116 passes through the half mirror 116.

  In the state shown in FIG. 4, the light shielding plate 124 shields the light beam 120c transmitted through the half mirror 116 from the outside, and the light beam 120c does not leak to the outside (the light beam 120c is shielded from the outside). The light shielding plate 124 also shields external light from the outside that enters the half mirror 116. In other words, when the light shielding plate 124 is held at a position substantially parallel to the half mirror 116, outside light that passes through the half mirror 116 is normal (for example, when the light shielding plate 124 is at the position of FIG. 3). Is shielded by the light shielding plate 124.

  The light shielding plate 124 has a size (area) that can shield the light beam 120 c and is held at a position parallel to the half mirror 116 when the user visually recognizes an external image through the half mirror 116. The size is configured to overlap with a predetermined range on the half mirror 116 including the line-of-sight position. In the first configuration, the light shielding plate 124 has a size (area) equivalent to that of the half mirror 116 (see FIG. 4). In the first configuration described above, the light-shielding plate 124 is attached to the light-shielding plate mounting frame 130, but a configuration in which the two are integrally formed may be employed. Further, the half mirror 116 and the half mirror mounting frame 128 may be integrally formed.

(Second configuration for holding the light shielding plate)
FIG. 5 shows a second configuration for holding the light shielding plate. In the second configuration, an image light shielding plate 134 that shields light rays that have passed through the half mirror 116 and an external light shielding plate 136 that shields external light incident on the half mirror 116 from the outside are provided. In the second configuration, the mounting structure and the like of the half mirror 116 are the same as those in the first configuration, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the image presentation device 114 is equipped with a light shielding plate mounting frame 138. The light shielding plate mounting frame 138 is mounted such that the intermediate surface 138 a forming the light shielding plate mounting frame 138 is substantially parallel to the half mirror 116. Further, the light shielding plate mounting frame 138 is formed in a vertical direction on a predetermined surface of the image presentation device 114 (see an arrow drawn in FIG. 5. The upper side is an upward direction and the lower side is a downward direction in a state when FIG. 5 is viewed from the front. The same)) is movably mounted.

  Here, the mounting of the light shielding plate mounting frame 138 to the image presentation device 114 is performed via the holding unit 140. The holding unit 140 is formed on the light-shielding plate mounting frame 138 and protrudes from a predetermined surface of the image presentation device 114 by projecting from a predetermined surface of the image presentation device 114 and a substantially H-shaped groove 140a in which each of the narrow portions 140c is formed at four corners. It is comprised by the two protrusion parts 140b which slide to an up-down direction. The groove 140a is formed so as to penetrate the light shielding plate mounting frame 138 in the thickness direction. When the projecting portion 140b is positioned in the narrow portion 140c, a predetermined force acts on the projecting portion 140b, and the state can be maintained. In other words, the dimensions of both are in a tight fit relationship.

  The front end of the light shielding plate mounting frame 138 is bent and formed at an angle equivalent to that of the half mirror mounting frame 128 (see the bending angle θ drawn in FIG. 5). An image light shading plate 134 and an external light shading plate 136 are respectively attached to predetermined positions of the tip of the light shielding plate mounting frame 138 attached to the image presentation device 114. Specifically, the image light shielding plate 134 is attached to the distal end portion of the shielding plate attachment frame 138 in a positional relationship substantially parallel to the line of sight 126 (see FIG. 1A) of the user wearing the HMD 100. In addition, the external light shielding plate 136 is attached to the distal end portion of the shielding plate mounting frame 138 in a positional relationship substantially parallel to the half mirror 116.

  When the user slides the light shielding plate mounting frame 138 in the vertical direction, the projecting portion 140b and the narrow portion 140c constituting the holding portion 140 are fitted, and the image light shielding plate 134 and the external light shielding plate 136 are respectively It is fixedly arranged at a predetermined position. Specifically, when the user slides the light shielding plate mounting frame 138 downward and fits the protruding portion 140b to the upper narrow portion 140c (the state shown in FIG. 5), the image light shielding plate 134. Is held at a position that is substantially parallel to the user's line of sight and shields the light beam 120c (see FIG. 1A) transmitted through the half mirror 116 from the outside. In this case, external light that enters the half mirror 116 passes through the half mirror 116.

  On the other hand, when the user slides the light shielding plate mounting frame 138 in the upward direction and fits the protruding portion 140b into the lower narrow portion 140c (two narrow portions depicted in FIG. 5). The external light shielding plate 136 is held at a position substantially parallel to the half mirror 116 and at the line-of-sight position when the user visually recognizes the external image through the half mirror 116. The In this case, the light beam 120c transmitted through the half mirror 116 is shielded from the outside. Further, external light is also shielded by the external light shielding plate 136.

  In the above configuration, the light shielding plate mounting frame 138 is formed of a transparent material in order to ensure see-through characteristics when external light is not blocked by the external light shielding plate 136.

(Third configuration for holding the light shielding plate)
FIG. 6 shows a third configuration for holding the light shielding plate. The third configuration employs a holding unit having a different configuration from the holding unit 140 employed by the second configuration. Since other configurations are the same as those of the second configuration, only the configuration of the holding unit will be described in the following description. When the image light shielding plate and the external light shielding plate are at the same positions as in the second configuration, the image light and the external light are shielded as described above.

  In the third configuration illustrated in FIG. 6, the holding unit 142 is configured so that the vertical groove 142 a formed on a predetermined surface of the image presentation device 114 and the light-shielding plate mounting frame 144 are attached to the image presentation device 114. The tip portion is formed by a protruding portion (not drawn in FIG. 6) made of a magnetic material, which is formed in a predetermined portion of the light shielding plate mounting frame 144 facing the groove 142a. Note that each of the vertical groove 142a and the protruding portion has a vertical direction in which the vertical portion 142a protrudes (see the arrow drawn in FIG. 6. The upper side is the upward direction and the lower side is the downward direction when FIG. 6 is viewed from the front. The light shielding plate mounting frame 144 has a predetermined shape that does not fall off from the image presentation device 114 even if it moves to the same.

  Here, magnets 142b are arranged at the upper and lower ends of the vertical groove 142a (in FIG. 6, the magnets 142b arranged at the lower end are drawn). Therefore, when the protruding portion moves to the upper end or the lower end of the vertical groove 142a, the tip of the protruding portion and the magnet 142b are attracted to each other, or the tip of the protruding portion is attracted to the magnet 142b. It can be fixedly disposed (held) in this state. That is, when the user slides the light-shielding plate mounting frame 144 downward, the image light light-shielding plate 134 is positioned substantially parallel to the user's line of sight and passes through the half mirror 116 (see FIG. 1). ) Is shielded from the external environment and is held at a position where the external light is transmitted. When the user slides the light shielding plate mounting frame 144 upward (see FIG. 6), the external light light shielding plate 136 is at a position substantially parallel to the half mirror 116, and the user holds the half mirror 116. Thus, it is held at the line-of-sight position (a position where both the light beam 120c and the external light are shielded) when visually recognizing the external image.

(Advantageous effects based on the configuration of the present embodiment)
In the HMD 100 of the above-described embodiment, the light beam 120c transmitted through the half mirror 116 is shielded from the outside by the light shielding plate 124 (image light shielding plate 134) held at a position parallel to the line of sight of the user wearing the HMD 100. (For example, see FIGS. 3 and 5). According to this, while the light shielding plate 124 (image light light shielding plate 134) is within the field of view, while ensuring the field of view of the user wearing the HMD 100, in other words, while maintaining the see-through characteristics of the HMD 100, It is possible to prevent the light beam 120c from leaking to the outside.

  Further, the HMD 100 of the above embodiment employs a configuration in which external light from the outside is shielded by the light shielding plate 124 (external light light shielding plate 136) held substantially parallel to the half mirror 116 (for example, FIG. 4 and FIG. 6). reference). According to this, the see-through type HMD 100 that is hardly affected by external light can be obtained. Even in this case, the light beam 120c is shielded from the outside world, so that the light beam 120c can be prevented from leaking to the outside world.

  That is, according to the HMD 100 of the above-described embodiment, the light beam 120c transmitted through the half mirror 116 can always be shielded against the outside world, and the outside light can be switched between transmission and shielding.

(A) thru | or (c) is a figure which shows the external appearance of HMD in embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the state which mounted | wore with HMD in embodiment of this invention. The figure which is a 1st structure holding the light-shielding plate in embodiment of this invention, Comprising: The figure which shows the aspect which hold | maintained the light-shielding plate in the position substantially parallel to a user's eyes | visual_axis The figure which is a 1st structure holding the light-shielding plate in embodiment of this invention, Comprising: The figure which shows the aspect which hold | maintained the light-shielding plate in the substantially parallel position with a half mirror The figure which shows the 2nd structure holding the light-shielding plate in embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the 3rd structure holding the light-shielding plate in embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

100 Head Mount Display (HMD)
114 Image Presentation Device 116 Half Mirror 120a, 120b, 120c Light Beam 124 Light Shield Plate 132, 140 Holding Unit 134 Image Light Shield Plate 136 External Light Shield Plate

Claims (3)

The image light emitted from the emission unit is reflected by a half mirror that transmits the external light from the outside and allows the external image to be visually recognized, and the image light reflected by the half mirror is incident on the user's eyes and is used. A head-mounted display that allows a person to recognize an image indicated by the image light,
The half mirror is disposed in front of the eyes of the user wearing the head mounted display,
A light-shielding plate that is disposed on the outer interface side of the half mirror and is capable of shielding the image light transmitted through the half mirror and the external light transmitted through the half mirror without being reflected by the half mirror;
A position that is provided at a predetermined position of the head mounted display, shields the image light transmitted through the half mirror from the outside and transmits the outside light, and the image light transmitted through the half mirror to the outside. A head-mounted display, comprising: a holding unit capable of holding the light-shielding plate at a position where the light-shielding plate is shielded against the outside light.   The holding portion is substantially parallel to the line of sight of the user wearing the head mounted display, shields the image light transmitted through the half mirror from the outside, and transmits the external light; and The light shielding plate can be held at a position that is substantially parallel to an outer interface of the half mirror, shields the image light transmitted through the half mirror from the outside, and blocks the outside light. Item 2. The head mounted display according to Item 1.   The holding unit directly or indirectly couples the half mirror and the light shielding plate via a rotation shaft constituting the holding unit, and holds the light shielding plate so as to be rotatable about the rotation shaft. The head mounted display according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the head mounted display is used.

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