JP2017146483A - Device and method for displaying floating image - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device and a method for displaying a floating image that can display a floating image with a high sense of reality in a visual field.SOLUTION: There is provided a floating image display device comprising: a display body that displays an image; a first imaging system that includes two or more imaging elements arranged side by side in a direction intersecting with an optical axis; and a second imaging system that is formed of a single imaging element. The first imaging system and the second imaging system are arranged in this order from a side of the display body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a floating image display device and a display method capable of displaying a floating image.

  As a display device capable of displaying a three-dimensional image (stereoscopic image) of an object, for example, there is a display device that displays (presents) an image displayed on a display panel or the like while floating in the air. In Patent Document 1, a plurality of lenses are arranged side by side in the optical axis direction, and the distance between the lenses satisfies a predetermined relationship. An equal-magnification imaging optical system that can form an image is described. Patent Document 2 describes a space floating image display device configured to float an image of an object displayed on a display unit in an external space of the display unit using a 1 × magnification imaging optical system.

Japanese Patent No. 4468227 Japanese Patent No. 4503484

  However, in a display method using an optical system in which lenses are arranged side by side in the optical axis direction, the range (viewing zone) in which an observer can observe an image of an object is narrowly limited by the aperture size of the lens. There was a problem. Furthermore, since the lens of the optical system is on the extension of the observer's line of sight, the image is easily recognized by the observer immediately, and the realism as if the image is a real object is reduced. It was. In addition, mysterious expressions such as displaying images inside specific objects are also difficult.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a floating image display device and a display method capable of displaying a floating image with a high sense of reality in a wide viewing zone.

  One embodiment of the present invention includes a display body that displays an image, a first imaging system that includes two or more imaging elements arranged in a direction intersecting the optical axis, and a single imaging element. A floating image display device, wherein the first image forming system and the second image forming system are arranged in this order from the display body side. is there.

  One embodiment of the present invention is the above-described floating image display device, in which the imaging elements constituting the first imaging system are arranged without a gap between adjacent imaging elements.

  One aspect of the present invention is the floating image display device described above, in which the imaging elements constituting the second imaging system are spherically symmetric or rotationally symmetric having a rotation center axis in a direction intersecting the optical axis. Or has a part of a shape that is spherically symmetric or rotationally symmetric with a central axis of rotation in a direction intersecting the optical axis.

  One aspect of the present invention is the floating image display device described above, in which the optical axes of the two or more imaging elements constituting the first imaging system intersect at one point.

  One aspect of the present invention is the floating image display device described above, wherein a position where an image of the display body is formed by the first imaging system is at one point where the optical axes intersect.

  One embodiment of the present invention is the above-described floating image display device, in which the display body can display a stacked image from a plurality of screens.

  One aspect of the present invention is the floating image display device described above, in which the display body distributes display image data to two layers of a front side and a rear side in the depth direction to display the stacked image. Is possible.

  One aspect of the present invention is a first imaging system having a step of displaying an image on a display body, and two or more imaging elements provided so that light rays of the image are arranged in a direction intersecting an optical axis And a second imaging system composed of a single imaging element, in this order.

  According to the present invention, a highly realistic floating image can be displayed in a wide viewing zone.

It is a schematic block diagram of the display apparatus 10 which is embodiment of the floating image display apparatus of this invention. It is a front view of the 1st imaging system 110 which is one Example. It is a top view of the 1st image formation system 110 which is one example.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a display device 10 which is an embodiment of a floating image display device of the present invention.

  The display device 10 according to the present embodiment includes a first imaging system 11 having two or more imaging elements 11A and 11B. The imaging elements 11A and 11B constituting the first imaging system 11 are provided side by side in a direction intersecting with the optical axes 18A and 18B. The apertures (iris) of the imaging elements 11A and 11B constituting the first imaging system 11 do not overlap each other in the optical axis direction.

  In the present embodiment, the imaging elements 11A and 11B are lenses having the same focal length. Each imaging element 11A, 11B is arranged along a rotating curved surface 11C with the point O as the center. That is, the distances between the imaging elements 11A and 11B and the point O are equal to each other. The rotating curved surface 11C does not need to be configured as a real object (such as a coupling element support member), and may be a virtual curved surface. Specific examples of the rotating curved surface 11C include a spherical surface and a cylindrical surface. In FIG. 1, the rotating curved surface 11C has a rotation center axis perpendicular to the paper surface. When the rotating curved surface 11C is a spherical surface, an arbitrary straight line passing through the center point O is the rotation center axis.

  The display device 10 of the present embodiment includes a second imaging system 12 including a single imaging element 12A. Examples of the imaging element 12A constituting the second imaging system 12 include lenses having a rotating body shape such as a sphere, a spherical shell, a cylinder, and a cylinder. In FIG. 1, the imaging element 12A is a rotating body having a diameter D. The imaging elements constituting the second imaging system are not limited to a spherically symmetric shape or a rotationally symmetric shape having a rotation center axis in a direction intersecting the optical axis, but in a spherically symmetric shape or a direction intersecting the optical axis. A shape that is a part of a rotationally symmetric shape having a rotation center axis, for example, a hemisphere, a partial sphere, or the like may be used.

  The display device 10 according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of display bodies 13A and 13B that display images. The display bodies 13A and 13B of the present embodiment are stacked image display devices that combine two two-dimensional display images with a half mirror. In this stacked image display device, a part of the light constituting the images of the first displays 14A and 14B reaches the observer by passing through the half mirrors 16A and 16B, and the images of the second displays 15A and 15B. Are reflected by the half mirrors 16A and 16B to reach the observer, so that two images that have reached the observer at the same time are optically combined. The image (video) may be a still image or a moving image.

  In the present embodiment, the display bodies 13 </ b> A and 13 </ b> B are arranged so as to correspond to the imaging elements 11 </ b> A and 11 </ b> B constituting the first imaging system 11 on a one-to-one basis. Light rays from the display bodies 13A and 13B are emitted toward the openings of the imaging elements 11A and 11B. Light rays of images emitted from the display bodies 13A and 13B are preferably imaged in the second imaging system 12 by the imaging elements 11A and 11B constituting the first imaging system 11. Thereby, the observer can perceive the image as if the floating image actually exists in the second imaging system 12.

It is preferable that the optical axes 18A and 18B of the imaging elements 11A and 11B constituting the first imaging system 11 intersect at one intersection point O. Thereby, the distance between the centers of the images of the display bodies 13A and 13B formed by the imaging elements 11A and 11B can be made shorter than the distance between the centers of the imaging elements 11A and 11B. The distance between the imaging element 11A, 11B and the intersection O constituting the first imaging system 11, imaging element 11A, longer than the focal length _{f 1} of 11B. The distances between the imaging elements 11A and 11B and the intersection point O are preferably equal to each other.

Imaging elements 11A constituting the first imaging system 11, the focal length of 11B and _{f 1,} the display member 13A, 13B and the distance between the first imaging system 11 and _{d 1,} the first the distance between the center of the imaging system 11 and the second imaging system 12 and d _2. When the imaging elements 11A and 11B constituting the first imaging system 11 form an image displayed by the display bodies 13A and 13B in the vicinity of the center of the second imaging system 12, the following relational expression 1 Holds.

Relational expression 1: (1 / d ₁ ) + (1 / d ₂ ) = (1 / f ₁ )

The relationship 1, and solving for _{d 1, d 1} is determined by the following equation (1).

By setting d ₁ as shown in Equation (Equation 1), the images (videos) of the respective display bodies 13A and 13B can be imaged in the vicinity of the center of the second imaging system 12.

  When the display bodies 13A and 13B are stacked image display devices, the distance between the display and the first imaging system is preferably different depending on the distance in the depth direction. Here, the distance means a length (optical distance) along a path along which light travels. For example, the distance between the second displays 15A and 15B and the first imaging system 11 is the distance between the second displays 15A and 15B and the half mirrors 16A and 16B, and the half mirrors 16A and 16B. This is the sum of the distances between the first imaging elements 11A and 11B.

  As an example, when the first displays 14A and 14B display the rear side in the depth direction and the second displays 15A and 15B display the front side in the depth direction, the first display 14A and 14B and the first connection are displayed. The distance between the image elements 11A and 11B is set to be larger than the distance between the second displays 15A and 15B and the first imaging elements 11A and 11B.

Thus, the distance between the first displays 14A and 14B and the imaging elements 11A and 11B may be different from the distance between the second displays 15A and 15B and the imaging elements 11A and 11B. That is, when the images of a plurality of displays are combined, there may be a slight shift in the position where each image is formed in the second imaging system 12. Therefore, when the display body includes a plurality of displays, the distance d ₁ between the display body and the first imaging system is an intermediate value of the distance between each display and the first imaging system. (For example, an average value) is preferable.

  The center of the imaging element 12A constituting the second imaging system 12 may be arranged in the vicinity of the intersection O of the optical axes 18A and 18B of the imaging elements 11A and 11B constituting the first imaging system 11. preferable. Thereby, each light beam emitted from the respective display bodies 13A and 13B and having passed through the first imaging system 11 can reach the single imaging element 12A in the second imaging system 12.

The apertures (iris) of the imaging elements 11A and 11B constituting the first imaging system 11 connect the images 17A and 17B by the second imaging system 12. These images 17A, 17B and the distance _{d 3} between the second imaging system 12, the focal length of the imaging elements 12A constituting the second imaging system 12 when the _{f 2,} the following relationship Equation 2 holds.

Relational expression 2: (1 / d ₂ ) + (1 / d ₃ ) = (1 / f ₂ )

Note that d ₂ in the relational expression 2 represents the distance between the first imaging system 11 and the center of the second imaging system 12 as in the relational expression 1 described above. The relation 2 and solving for _{d 3, d 3} is determined by the following equation (2).

In the display device 10 of the present embodiment, the light rays from the display bodies 13A and 13B are uniformly transmitted only through the apertures (iris) of the lenses constituting the first imaging system 11. Furthermore the image of iris by the second imaging system 12, the distance from the second imaging system 12 is imaged on the imaging plane 17 is d _3. In this specification, the image forming surface 17 is referred to as an “iris image surface”, and the images 17A and 17B connected to the iris image surface 17 are referred to as “iris images”.

  Accordingly, the images of the display bodies 13A and 13B can be observed on the iris image plane 17 only when the observer's eyes (viewpoints) are present in the iris images 17A and 17B. Since the iris images 17A and 17B are formed by imaging the apertures (iris) of the imaging elements 11A and 11B constituting the first imaging system 11, the iris images 17A and 17B are substantially similar in shape to the iris. In the example of FIG. 1, the second imaging system 12 is configured by a transmissive imaging element, and the imaging element 11A and its iris image 17A exist on the optical axis 18A of the imaging element 11A. Similarly, the imaging element 11B and its iris image 17B exist on the optical axis 18B of the imaging element 11B.

  If there are gaps between the plurality of imaging elements 11A and 11B constituting the first imaging system 11, an area where the iris images 17A and 17B cannot be seen on the iris image plane 17 is generated. Therefore, it is preferable that no gap is generated at the boundary between the imaging elements 11A and 11B constituting the first imaging system 11. Thereby, when an observer moves eyes (viewpoint) along the iris image surface 17, each iris image 17A, 17B can be observed continuously.

  2 and 3 are schematic views showing an example of the first imaging system 110 that can be used in the display device 10 of the present embodiment. 2 is a front view, and FIG. 3 is a top view. When lenses having general circular apertures are arranged as image forming elements as they are, they are in contact with adjacent lenses at only one point on the outer periphery of the lens, and a gap is generated between the apertures of the lenses.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the openings of the lenses 111, 112, 113, and 114 can be brought into close contact with each other by cutting the connection portion 115 in a straight line to remove the gap. The manufacturing method of the first imaging system 110 is not limited to a method in which connection portions are processed and joined to a plurality of separate lenses, and an optical member having a shape in which a plurality of lens surfaces are connected without gaps is integrally formed. It is also possible to do it.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the optical axes of the lenses 111, 112, 113, and 114 constituting the first imaging system 110 intersect at one point O. As in the embodiment of FIG. 1, since the light rays of the image displayed by the display body converge at one point and form an image at one point, the second imaging system can be arranged on the intersection point O. it can. As shown in FIG. 3, in order for the optical axes of the lenses 111, 112, 113, and 114 to intersect at a single point, the connecting portion 115 is preferably tapered toward the intersection point O. When the lenses 111, 112, 113, and 114 are arranged without gaps, the lenses 111, 112, 113, and 114 are arranged with an appropriate curvature.

  The first imaging system of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 has a configuration in which a plurality of lenses are arranged one-dimensionally, but the shape of the lens is a polygon such as a square or a hexagon, and a spherical surface or a cylindrical surface. It is also possible to enlarge the viewing zone in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction by arranging the lenses two-dimensionally on the curved surface. When the first imaging system has a configuration in which imaging elements are arranged on a spherical surface, the second imaging system preferably has a spherically symmetric shape (such as a sphere or a spherical shell). When the first imaging system has a configuration in which imaging elements are arranged on a cylindrical surface, the second imaging system preferably has a cylindrically symmetric shape (such as a cylindrical body or a cylindrical body). In this case, the central axis of the cylinder is preferably perpendicular to the optical axis.

  Here, an embodiment of the display method of the present invention will also be described. The display method of the present embodiment includes a first step of displaying an image on the display bodies 13A and 13B, and a second step in which light rays of the image pass through the first imaging system 11 and the second imaging system 12 in order. It has. Regarding the first step, the display bodies 13A and 13B may repeatedly display the same image or may display different images over time. By the second step, the images of the display bodies 13A and 13B are displayed as floating images. The display method of this embodiment can be implemented by the display device 10 of this embodiment.

  In the display device 10 according to the present embodiment, based on the principle of DFD (depth fusion type three-dimensional) display on a two-layer screen, an image in which the luminance on the front side is increased along the direction observed by the observer and the luminance on the rear side An image with a higher height can be distributed and displayed on different displays, and these images can be synthesized and observed. For example, a display near the viewer presents an image with increased brightness on the front side of the object, and a display far from the viewer presents an image with increased brightness on the back side of the object, Two or more screens are merged into one to make it easier for the viewer to perceive.

  In the display device 10 according to the present embodiment, the images of the display bodies 13A and 13B are formed in one place when viewed from any direction by the combination of the first imaging system 11 and the second imaging system 12 described above. Therefore, when the viewpoint is moved, it is possible to display with a high sense of reality as if an object exists in the vicinity of the center of the imaging element 12A constituting the second imaging system 12.

  In addition, due to the strong refraction of the second imaging system 12, the display body 13 </ b> A, 13 </ b> B can hardly be perceived by an observer who places the viewpoint on the iris image plane 17. A highly realistic image is obtained as if the object actually exists in the imaging element 12A.

  Further, it is known that a DFD-type layered image can express correct motion parallax if the amount of deviation is small even if the position of the observer's viewpoint is slightly displaced from the front of the display body. However, the conventional display method has a problem that the range (viewing zone) in which an object image can be observed is limited by the aperture size of the lens.

  In the display device 10 of the present embodiment, the viewing zone is expanded by forming the images of the plurality of display bodies 13A and 13B with the plurality of imaging elements 11A and 11B constituting the first imaging system 11. Can do. Further, by limiting the range of each of the iris images 17A and 17B of the imaging elements 11A and 11B constituting the first imaging system 11 to a range where the motion parallax is appropriately displayed, Correct motion parallax can be expressed in the images 17A and 17B.

  Further, in the display device 10 according to the present embodiment, a plurality of iris images 17A and 17B are continuously generated, so that the motion parallax of the iris images 17A and 17B observed in the viewing zones of the imaging elements 11A and 11B is increased. Even if the observer is free to move the viewpoint in the iris image plane 17 and is connected smoothly, a natural image similar to that when there is a real object can be obtained.

  Further, in the display device 10 of the present embodiment, the display bodies 13A and 13B are not directly visible to the observer through the second imaging system 12, and the realism is improved. Smooth motion parallax can be provided by using the images of the display bodies 13A and 13B as layered images and continuously connecting the viewing zones.

  That is, it is possible to display a floating image with a high sense of reality in a wide viewing area. Ultimately, a naked-eye 3D display device that can be used simultaneously by a large number of people and presents smooth motion parallax without an observer wearing special devices such as 3D glasses over a wide viewing area. can do.

  The display bodies 13A and 13B used in the present embodiment are a method of displaying a two-layer screen, but it goes without saying that the display range of the depth can be expanded if the display bodies are made of three or more layers. The display bodies 13A and 13B are configured to synthesize a two-layer screen using the half mirrors 16A and 16B. However, the display bodies 13A and 13B are configured by stacking transmissive display elements (displays) such as a liquid crystal panel and a transparent organic EL panel. Alternatively, a laminate of transparent screens such as holographic screens may be used.

  When a display with a high frame rate is vibrated back and forth at high speed by a vibration device such as a voice coil, a single display can be used to switch between two or multiple screens. For example, when the display is located on the front side close to the observer, the front image is displayed in the depth direction, and when the display is located on the rear side far from the observer, the rear image is displayed in the depth direction. In addition, it is conceivable to synchronize vibration and image switching.

  Even when a display body that displays a single-layer screen is used, the motion parallax is slightly awkward, but an image with a high sense of orientation can be obtained.

  In the present embodiment, since the imaging element 12A constituting the second imaging system 12 is a sphere (spherical symmetry), it is symmetrical as an optical system with respect to the optical axis in an arbitrary direction regardless of the incident direction of light. In addition, since many rays passing through the sphere become paraxial rays, aberrations can be reduced equally in the image in any viewing zone. When the imaging elements are arranged one-dimensionally in the first imaging system as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the optical axes of the imaging elements in the first imaging system are aligned with each other. If an optical system that is rotationally symmetric with respect to the vertical rotation center axis is used as the second imaging system, the same effect can be obtained.

  In this embodiment, a lens is used as the imaging element, but the imaging element that can be used in the present invention is not limited to an element based on refraction. It is also possible to employ a diffractive optical element such as a holographic optical element or a reflective optical element such as a concave mirror as an imaging element constituting the first imaging system or the second imaging system. . Further, the reflective optical element may be a transparent body having a low reflectance such as an acrylic spherical shell.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the first imaging system is a transmissive optical element, and the light beam from the display body is uniformly transmitted only through the opening (iris) of the first imaging system. However, in the case where the first imaging system is composed of a reflective optical element, the light beam from the display body may be uniformly reflected only within the aperture (iris) of the first imaging system. Good.

  When a transparent body having a low reflectance is used as the reflective optical element constituting the second imaging system, the display image is fused like the background and augmented reality (AR). This makes it possible to express highly realistic images without being realized. The spherical shell in this case may be a full sphere, a hemisphere, or a partial sphere. The transparent body only needs to have a high transmittance in at least a part of the visible light region, and may be colorless and transparent or colored and transparent.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the centers of the display bodies 13A and 13B, the first imaging system 11, the second imaging system 12, and the iris images 17A and 17B (viewpoint positions) are horizontal (on the paper surface). It is a configuration to be arranged. However, the present invention is not limited to such a form, and for example, a configuration in which the display body is installed on the lower side of the observer and the observer looks into the second imaging body from obliquely above may be employed. In this case, since the optical axis is inclined, the display screen of the display body is not vertical but inclined, but the display screen or the lens can be arranged vertically by giving a tilt (inclination with respect to the optical axis). Further, the direction of the optical axis from the imaging system toward the observer is not limited to the horizontal direction and the diagonally upward direction, and can be set to an arbitrary direction such as diagonally downward, vertically upward, and vertically downward.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention has been described with reference to drawings, said embodiment is only the illustration of this invention, and it is clear that this invention is not limited to said embodiment. . Therefore, additions, omissions, substitutions, and other changes of the components may be made without departing from the technical idea and scope of the present invention.

  Since the display device can display a floating image of an object, it can be applied to, for example, a display system for an object, information, advertisement, or the like. By incorporating the imaging system in the display screen of the touch panel, it is possible to adopt a configuration that allows position input to the floating image.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Display apparatus, 11 ... 1st imaging system, 11A, 11B ... Imaging element, 11C ... Rotating curved surface, 12 ... 2nd imaging system, 12A ... Imaging element, 13A, 13B ... Display body, 14A , 14B ... 1st display, 15A, 15B ... 2nd display, 16A, 16B ... Half mirror, 17 ... Imaging surface (iris image surface), 17A, 17B ... Image (iris image), 18A, 18B ... Light 110, first imaging system, 111, 112, 113, 114, lens, 115, connecting portion.

Claims (8)

  A display body for displaying an image, a first imaging system having two or more imaging elements arranged in a direction intersecting the optical axis, and a second imaging system comprising a single imaging element A floating image display device, wherein the first image forming system and the second image forming system are arranged in this order from the display body side.   2. The floating image display device according to claim 1, wherein the imaging elements constituting the first imaging system are arranged without providing a gap between adjacent imaging elements. 3.   The imaging elements constituting the second imaging system are spherically symmetric or rotationally symmetric having a rotational center axis in a direction intersecting the optical axis, or rotationally symmetric in the direction intersecting spherically or the optical axis. The floating image display device according to claim 1, wherein the floating image display device has a part of a rotationally symmetric shape.   4. The floating image display device according to claim 1, wherein the optical axes of the two or more imaging elements constituting the first imaging system intersect at one point. 5.   5. The floating image display device according to claim 4, wherein a position where an image of the display body is formed by the first imaging system is at one point where the optical axes intersect.   The floating image display device according to claim 1, wherein the display body is capable of displaying a laminated image from a plurality of screens.   The floating image display according to claim 6, wherein the display body is capable of displaying the stacked image by distributing display image data to two layers of a front side and a rear side in a depth direction thereof. apparatus.   A step of displaying an image on a display body; and a first imaging system and a single imaging element having two or more imaging elements provided so that light rays of the image are arranged in a direction intersecting the optical axis And a second imaging system comprising the steps of passing in this order.

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