Variable transmissivity virtual image projection system
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsLucio Kilcher, Nicolas Abele, Patrick Gerard McGlew, Michel Combes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are apparatus, devices, and methods to provide a modified-transmissivity zone on a projection surface used to generate a virtual image superimposed onto a real-world view. In particular, a variable-transmissivity material may be provided in the projection surface. The transmissivity of variable-transmissivity material may be modified responsive to application of a stimulus. A stimulus source may be configured to selectively apply a stimulus to the variable-transmissivity material to generate a discrete modified-transmissivity zone on the projection surface.
Claims25
An apparatus, comprising:
- a projection surface comprising a variable-transmissivity material to modify a transmissivity of the projection surface to ambient light responsive to one or more stimuli being applied to the variable-transmissivity material;
- a projection unit to project light onto the projection surface to generate a virtual image superimposed onto a real-world view;
- and
- one or more stimulus sources to apply the one or more stimuli to at least a portion of the variable-transmissivity material to generate one or more modified-transmissivity zones on the projection surface.
A method to project a virtual image superimposed over a real-world view, the method comprising:
- generating a modified-transmissivity zone by modifying a transmissivity of a projection surface to ambient light by applying one or more stimuli to at least a portion of a variable-transmissivity material of the projection surface;
- and
- projecting, by a projection unit, light onto the projection surface to generate a virtual image superimposed onto a real-world view, at least a portion of the virtual image being superimposed over at least a portion of the modified-transmissivity zone.
A heads-up display device, comprising:
- a projection surface comprising a variable-transmissivity material to modify a transmissivity of the projection surface to ambient light responsive to one or more stimuli being applied to the variable-transmissivity material;
- a projection unit to project light onto the projection surface to generate a virtual image superimposed onto a real-world view;
- one or more stimulus sources to apply the one or more stimuli to at least a portion of the variable-transmissivity material;
- and
- logic, at least partially implemented in hardware, the logic to:
- receive zone information comprising at least one property of a modified-transmissivity zone, and
- control the one or more stimulus sources to apply the one or more stimuli to generate the modified-transmissivity zone based on the zone information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.