JPH11346336A - Eyeglass type head mount display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a small-sized and lightweight head mount display device with a natural wearing sense. SOLUTION: An eyeglass shape is adopted for this head mount display device 1, and a display unit 3 consisting of an image display device that displays an original image of a video image displayed on a visual field so as to display a video image (virtual image) 4 of a simple graphic or character information on part of the visual field, refractor that magnifies the original image on the image display device and a flat half mirror that reflects an image light from the refractor and overlaps the virtual image obtained by magnifying the original image on an image of an external field and casts the overlapped image onto eyes is integrated to part of the eyeglass. For example, the image display device and the refractor are integrated in an eyeglass frame 2F under the eyeglass lens 2L and the flat half mirror is integrated in the eyeglass lens. Through the configuration above, the image light from the image display device and the light from the external field pass once through the flat plate half mirror, then the luminous quantity loss is small and since the flat plate half mirror is in existence only part of the visual field, the user can view the external field with a natural wearing sense.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a spectacle type head mounted display for displaying a virtual image of character information or the like in a field of view of a spectacle so as to be superimposed on an external image. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various applications are conceivable for a simple display that is easily portable and hands-free (that is, does not need to be carried by hand). For example, if you want to read information such as newspapers and magazines while holding a hanging strap on a train, read a manual with both hands closed with tools etc. during construction and various work, and in a tourist spot or unfamiliar land For example, there is a case where the user wants to refer to guidance information or sightseeing information while holding a baggage, or a case where he wants to look up a dictionary while both hands are closed with baggage when traveling abroad.

[0003] As can be seen from these examples, the information to be displayed on a display used for this kind of application is sufficient with text or simple graphics. It is important that the display is small and lightweight, configured to be excellent in portability and hands-free properties, and to provide a natural feeling of wearing. A goggle type head mounted display has been proposed as a display having such excellent portability and hands-free property. FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional goggle type head mounted display. In the goggle type head mounted display 11, a screen display 16 for displaying an original image of a virtual image projected on the screen, a flat plate half mirror 18, and a concave mirror 17 are attached to a goggle type frame 12. Then, after the image light from the screen display 16 is reflected by the flat plate half mirror 18, the image light is enlarged and reflected by the concave mirror 17,
The light passes through the flat half mirror 18 and reaches the eye 9. Eye 9
The virtual image 14 of the original image on the screen display 16 enlarged by the concave mirror 17 is projected forward. In this case, since the image light from the screen display 16 passes (reflects and transmits) the flat half mirror 18 twice, the amount of light is reduced to about 1/4.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 4, since the field of view is covered by the concave mirror 17, the external world cannot be seen.
If 7 is changed to a concave half mirror, an image of the outside world and a display image as a virtual image of the original image on the screen display 16 can be viewed in an overlapping manner. However, in this case, since the entire field of view is covered with the half mirror, the amount of light from the outside becomes about 1/2 and the amount of light from the screen display 16 becomes about 1/8.

[0005] Such a goggle type head mounted display 11 can display 100,000 to 200,000 pixels as a full moving image. However, in order to widen the viewing angle with respect to the displayed image, a half mirror 18 that covers most of the field of view is used. And the concave mirror 17 are required, which is bulky and heavy, the screen display 16 and the image from the outside are both dark, and the feeling of wearing is unnatural.

[0006]

By the way, in the conventional goggle type head mounted display as shown in FIG. 4, in order to show a display image (virtual image) at a wide viewing angle, a concave mirror 17 covering most of the field of view is used. Since the half mirror 18 was required, it was difficult to reduce the size and weight of the device. Also, the light from the screen display 16 is
Since the light is reflected and transmitted by the portion, the amount of light is reduced to 1/4 or less, and there is a problem that the displayed image becomes dark.

Here, if the concave mirror 17 is changed to a concave half mirror, the display image from the screen display 16 can be superimposed on the image of the outside world, but since the entire field of view is covered with the half mirror, the amount of light from the outside world is small. The light amount from the screen display 16 is about 1/2, and the light amount loss is further increased. Accordingly, the present invention provides a small and lightweight screen display, in which the amount of information that can be displayed is small, but a virtual image of necessary text or simple graphic information is superimposed on an external image and displayed in a part of the field of view of the glasses. It is an object of the present invention to provide a spectacle-type head-mounted display that can effectively utilize the amount of light and obtain a natural wearing feeling.

[0008]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an eyeglass-type head-mounted display.
A pair of spectacles (2) and virtual image display means (display unit 3) which is assembled with the spectacles and displays a virtual image of character information or simple graphic information in a part of the field of view of the spectacles so as to be superimposed on an external image of the part. And

The eyeglass-type head-mounted display according to a second aspect is the eyeglass-type head-mounted display according to the first aspect, wherein the virtual image display means displays the original image of the virtual image on a screen. , A refraction lens (7) for enlarging the original image and projecting it on the eyes
And a flat half mirror (8) on an optical path from the refraction lens to the eye, reflecting image light from the refraction lens toward the eye and transmitting light from an external image. And

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the eyeglass-type head-mounted display according to the second aspect, the screen display and the refractive lens are incorporated in a frame (2F) of the eyeglasses. To do. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the spectacles-type head mounted display according to the second or third aspect, the flat half mirror is incorporated in a lens (2L) of the spectacles. .

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of an eyeglass type head mounted display as one embodiment of the present invention. In a glasses-type head-mounted display 1 shown in FIG. 1, a display unit 3 that displays a display image 4 as a virtual image of a character or a simple figure on an image of the outside world in a part of the field of view of the glasses 2 includes the glasses 2. Built in.

In this example, video data and video control signals projected as a display video 4 by the display unit 3 pass through an optical fiber 5 drawn out from the rear end of the vine 2B of the glasses 2, and in this case, clothing of a clothing (not shown) is displayed. It is supplied from the video information transmitting means inserted in the pocket or the like. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the configuration of the display unit 3.
This figure is a side view of the eyeglasses 2 in a wearing state,
2F is a spectacle frame, 2B is a vine of spectacles connected to the spectacle frame 2F, and 2L indicated by a broken line is a spectacle lens fitted into the spectacle frame 2F.

Next, reference numerals 6 and 7 are incorporated in the spectacle frame 2F on the outer peripheral portion of the spectacle lens 2L (in this example, below the spectacle lens 2L) to constitute the display unit 3. The display unit 3 includes a screen display and a refractive lens, respectively. Reference numeral 8 denotes a flat plate half mirror that is incorporated in the spectacle lens 2L in this example and also configures the display unit 3. Here, the screen display 6 is composed of an LCD or the like, and the screen is transmitted via the optical fiber 5 described in FIG.
An original image that is the basis of the display video (virtual image) 4 is displayed. The refracting lens 7 has a role of enlarging an original image on the screen of the screen display 6 and projecting it on the eye 9. The flat half mirror 8 is located in the optical path from the refracting lens 7 to the eye 9, It has a role of reflecting image light toward the eye 9 and transmitting light that enters the eye 9 from the external image through the spectacle lens 2L.

In this way, the eye 9 has a part of the field of view from the spectacles 2 so that the virtual image 4 of the original image on the screen of the screen display 6 magnified by the refraction lens 7 is located in front of the outside image. And it is projected again. Note that FIG.
In the configuration of (1), the flat plate half mirror 8 is incorporated in the spectacle lens 2L, and the overall configuration is compact. Of course, the flat plate half mirror 8 is extended outside the front side or the rear side of the spectacle lens 2L, and Correspondingly, a configuration in which the positions of the screen display 6 and the refraction lens 7 are shifted forward or backward from the position in FIG. 2 is also conceivable.

In this case, the screen display 6 and the refraction lens 7 may be configured to be incorporated in the spectacle frame 2F or may be configured to be mounted outside the spectacle frame 2F. As described above, in the present invention, since it is only necessary to display an image as a virtual image of character information or a simple figure in a part of the field of view of eyeglasses, the viewing angle with respect to the displayed image may be narrow, and a conventional goggle type head mounted display may be used. There is no need for a concave mirror that covers the front of the eye.

A screen display 6 and a refractive lens 7
Since is mounted on the spectacle frame 2F, only the flat plate half mirror 8 can be seen. Although the amount of light from the outside passing through the flat plate half mirror 8 is reduced to about ２, the part covered by the flat plate half mirror 8 is only a small part of the field of view. The image of the outside world does not feel unnatural due to insufficient light.

FIG. 3 is a principle diagram of image enlargement by the refraction lens 7. 6S is an original image to be enlarged on the screen display 6, but here, for convenience of explanation, this original image 6S
Is called an object. By placing the position of the object 6S on the refracting lens 7 side from the focal point Fa of the refracting lens 7 on the object 6S side, the eyes 9 can see the enlarged virtual image 4 of the object 6S. Here, assuming that the magnification from the object 6S to the virtual image 4 is K, K is expressed by the following equation.

[0018]

K = (b + c) / [f · (1 + a · c / f ² )] where f is the focal length of the refractive lens 7 and a is the distance from the position of the focal point Fa on the object 6S side to the object 6S. , B is the distance from the position of the focal point Fb on the image side of the refracting lens 7 (the side opposite to the object 6S) to the virtual image 4, and c is the distance from the position of the focal point Fb on the image side to the eye 9.

For example, assuming the use of a lens of f = 10 mm, a = 5 mm, b = 220 mm, c = 30 mm
, An enlargement factor K = 10 can be realized. That is, if the screen display 6 is placed at the position of the object 6S, two
At the position of 50 mm, the virtual image 4 in which the original image on the screen of the screen display 6 is magnified 10 times can be seen. In FIG. 2, the flat plate half mirror 8 is placed near the focus Fb on the image side, and the enlarged virtual image and the external image are superimposed on the eye 9.

[0020]

According to the present invention, the head mounted display 1 is configured as a spectacle type, and the original image of the virtual image displayed in the visual field is displayed such that character information or a virtual image of a simple figure is displayed in a part of the visual field. Screen display 6 for screen display
A refracting lens 7 for enlarging the original image on the screen display 6, and a flat half mirror 8 for reflecting the image light from the refracting lens 7 and overlaying a virtual image obtained by enlarging the original image with an image of the outside world and projecting it on the eyes. Since the display unit 3 is assembled to a part of the glasses, a concave mirror for covering the front of the eyes is not required unlike the conventional goggle-type head mounted display 11, and the head mounted display is reduced in size and weight. can do.

Further, since both the image light from the screen display 6 and the light from the image of the outside pass only once through the flat half mirror 8, the loss of the light amount is only about 1/2. Since the flat half mirror 8 is only at a very small part of the field of view, the outside world can be seen without feeling unnaturalness due to insufficient light quantity.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an eyeglass-type head mounted display as one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram as an embodiment of the display unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a principle diagram of image enlargement by the refractive lens of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a conventional goggle type head mounted display.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Glasses-type head-mounted display 2 Glasses 2F Glasses frame 2B Glasses vine 2L Glasses lens 3 Display unit 4 Display image (virtual image) 5 Optical fiber 6 Screen display 6S Object 7 Refraction lens 8 Flat plate half mirror 9 Eye Fa Object of refraction lens 7 Side focus Fb Image side focus of refraction lens 7

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A pair of spectacles, and virtual image display means mounted on the spectacles and displaying a virtual image of character information or simple graphic information in a part of the field of view of the spectacles so as to be superimposed on an external image of the part. Glasses-type head-mounted display. 2. The eyeglass-type head-mounted display according to claim 1, wherein said virtual image display means displays an original image of said virtual image on a screen, and a refraction for enlarging and projecting said original image to an eye. A lens, and a flat half mirror that is on an optical path from the refractive lens to the eye, reflects image light from the refractive lens toward the eye, and transmits light from an external image. Glasses-type head-mounted display. 3. The spectacles-type head mounted display according to claim 2, wherein the screen display and the refractive lens are incorporated in a frame of the spectacles. 4. The spectacle-type head mounted display according to claim 2, wherein the flat-plate half mirror is incorporated in a lens of the spectacles.