Head-mounted display

A head-mounted display for displaying an image on a display while controlling a viewing angle of the image and a moving speed of an entire image on the basis of a viewer's head position, head orientation, and line-of-sight direction, comprising:

• head detecting means for detecting the viewer's head position and head orientation, and for outputting the result of the detection as a first head information signal;
• line-of-sight detecting means for detecting the viewer's line-of-sight direction, and for outputting the result of the detection as a line-of-sight information signal;
• filter control means for calculating an amount of head movement and an amount of line-of-sight movement from a first head information signal output from said head detecting means and the line-of-sight information signal output from said line-of-sight detecting means, and for generating from said amount of head movement and said amount of line-of-sight movement a filter control signal for controlling a pass band;
• variable filter means, whose filter characteristic is controlled by said filter control signal, for outputting the result of the control as a second head information;
• and
• image generating means for generating an image by using the second head information signal output from said variable filter means and the line-of-sight information signal output from said line-of-sight detecting means.

A head-mounted display for displaying an image on a display while controlling a viewing angle of the image and a moving speed of an entire image on the basis of a viewer's head position, head orientation, and line-of-sight direction, comprising:

• head detecting means for detecting the viewer's head position and head orientation, and for outputting the result of the detection as a first head information signal;
• filter control means for calculating at least a first derivative of the head position or head orientation with respect to unit time from the first head information signal output from said head detecting means, and for generating a filter control signal to provide a low-pass characteristic when said first derivative is smaller than a prescribed value and an all-pass characteristic when said first derivative is not smaller than the prescribed value;
• variable filter means, whose filter characteristic is controlled by said filter control signal, for outputting a second head information signal;
• and
• image generating means for generating an image by using the second head information signal output from said variable filter means.

A head-mounted display for displaying an image on a display while controlling a viewing angle of the image and a moving speed of an entire image on the basis of a viewer's head position, head orientation, and line-of-sight direction, comprising:

• head detecting means for detecting the viewer's head position and head orientation, and for outputting the result of the detection as a first head information signal;
• line-of-sight detecting means for detecting the viewer's line-of-sight direction, and for outputting the result of the detection as a line-of-sight information signal;
• threshold output means for accepting at an input thereof the line-of-sight information signal output from said line-of-sight detecting means, and for outputting a small threshold when an amount of line-of-sight movement is equal to or greater than a prescribed value and a large threshold when said amount is smaller than the prescribed value;
• second head information generating means for judging whether to proceed to generate an image or stop the image, by comparing the threshold output from said threshold output means with said first head information signal, and for outputting the result of the judgement as a second head information signal;
• and
• image generating means for generating an image by using said second head information signal and the line-of-sight information signal output from said line-of-sight detecting means.

A head-mounted display for displaying an image on a display while controlling a viewing angle of the image and a moving speed of an entire image on the basis of a viewer's head position, head orientation, and line-of-sight direction, comprising:

• head detecting means for detecting the viewer's head position and head orientation, and for outputting the result of the detection as a first head information signal;
• threshold output means for accepting at an input thereof the output of said head detecting means, and for outputting a small threshold when at least a head moving speed or head rotation speed is equal to or greater than a prescribed value and a large threshold when said speed is smaller than the prescribed value;
• second head information generating means for judging whether to proceed to generate an image or stop the image, by comparing the threshold output from said threshold output means with said first head information signal, and for outputting the result of the judgement as a second head information signal;
• and
• image generating means for generating an image by using said second head information signal.

A head-mounted display for displaying an image on a display while controlling a viewing angle of the image and a moving speed of an entire image on the basis of a viewer's head position, head orientation, and line-of-sight direction, comprising:

• head detecting means for detecting the viewer's head position and head orientation, and for outputting the result of the detection as a first head information signal;
• line-of-sight detecting means for detecting the viewer's line-of-sight direction, and for outputting the result of the detection as a line-of-sight information signal;
• moving amount control means for accepting said first head information signal and said line-of-sight information signal, and for outputting a moving amount control signal;
• moving amount translating means for translating said first head information signal in accordance with said moving amount control signal, and for outputting a second head information signal;
• and image generating means for generating an image on the basis of said second head information signal.

A head-mounted display for displaying an image on a display while controlling a viewing angle of the image and a moving speed of an entire image on the basis of a viewer's head position, head orientation, and line-of-sight direction, comprising:

• head detecting means for detecting the viewer's head position and head orientation, and for outputting the result of the detection as a first head information signal;
• line-of-sight detecting means for detecting the viewer's line-of-sight direction, and for outputting the result of the detection as a line-of-sight information signal;
• moving amount control means for accepting said first head information signal and said line-of-sight information signal, and for outputting a moving amount control signal;
• moving amount translating means for translating said first head information signal in accordance with said moving amount control signal, and for outputting a second head information signal;
• error compensating means for accepting said first head information signal, said second head information signal, and said moving amount control signal, errors between said second head information signal and said first head information signal being accumulated as error signals, and for generating an error compensating signal based on accumulated values of said error signals;
• and
• image generating means for generating an image by reference to said line-of-sight information signal such that, when the line of sight is not fixed and when the head is moving, the image is generated by adding said error compensating signal to said second head information signal, and when the line of sight is fixed or when the head is not moving, the image is generated without performing the addition but by using said second head information signal.

A see-through type head-mounted display for viewing outside light and a displayed image in overlaid fashion with a position of the displayed image being changed to match head movement, comprising:

• video signal input means for inputting a video signal;
• magnification control means for outputting a display magnification signal for controlling an image display magnification;
• a head detection sensor for detecting a viewer's head position and head orientation, and for outputting the same as a first head information signal;
• image control means for controlling the image display magnification and image display position on the basis of said first head information signal and said display magnification signal;
• display means for displaying an image output from said image control means;
• a projection lens for projecting the image of said display means in a designated size;
• and
• a mirror having prescribed transmissivity such that the image projected by said projection lens is reflected into the viewer's field of view, while, at the same time, allowing the outside light to enter the viewer's eyes.

A see-through type head-mounted display in which a displayed image position is changed to match head movement, comprising:

• video signal input means for inputting a video signal;
• magnification control means for outputting a display magnification signal for controlling an image display magnification;
• a head detection sensor for detecting a viewer's head position and head orientation, and for outputting the same as a first head information signal;
• line-of-sight detecting means for detecting the viewer's line-of-sight direction, and for outputting the result of the detection as a line-of-sight information signal;
• image control means for calculating the image display magnification and image display position on the basis of said first head information signal and said display magnification signal, and for outputting the same as an image control signal;
• display means for displaying the input image in accordance with said image control signal;
• a projection lens for projecting the image of said display means in a designated size;
• and
• a reflective/transmissive panel constructed from a transparent panel and a liquid-crystal panel attached back-to-back, said liquid-crystal panel being driven in accordance with said image control signal.

A see-through type head-mounted display for viewing outside light and a displayed image in overlaid fashion with a position of the displayed image being changed to match head movement, comprising:

• video signal input means for inputting a video signal;
• magnification control means for outputting a display magnification signal for controlling an image display magnification;
• display means for displaying the input video signal;
• a head detection sensor for detecting a viewer's head position and head orientation, and for outputting the same as a first head information signal;
• a projection lens for projecting the image displayed on said display means by enlarging the image in accordance with said display magnification signal;
• driving means for driving said display means and said projection lens, integrally constructed, in accordance with said first head information signal, and thereby controlling the direction of image projection;
• and
• a mirror having prescribed transmissivity such that the image projected by said projection lens is reflected into the viewer's field of view, while, at the same time, allowing the outside light to enter the viewer's eyes.

A see-through type head-mounted display in which a displayed image position is changed to match head movement, comprising:

• video signal input means for inputting a video signal;
• magnification control means for outputting a display magnification signal for controlling an image display magnification;
• display means for displaying the input video signal;
• a head detection sensor for detecting a viewer's head position and head orientation, and for outputting the same as a first head information signal;
• a projection lens for projecting the image displayed on said display means by enlarging the image in accordance with said display magnification signal;
• driving means for driving said display means and said projection lens as an integral unit in accordance with said first head information signal, and thereby controlling the direction of image projection;
• and
• a reflective/transmissive panel constructed from a transparent panel and a liquid-crystal panel attached back-to-back, said liquid-crystal panel being driven in accordance with said image control signal.

A see-through type head-mounted display for viewing outside light and a displayed image in overlaid fashion with a position of the displayed image being changed to match head movement, comprising:

• video signal input means for inputting a video signal;
• a liquid-crystal panel for displaying an input image;
• an eyepiece, interposed between said liquid-crystal panel and a viewer, for bringing the image of said liquid-crystal panel into focus within a clear vision range of the viewer;
• a magnification adjusting lens positioned behind said liquid-crystal panel, as viewed from the viewer, and whose magnification is the reciprocal of that of the eyepiece;
• a head detection sensor for detecting the viewer's head position and head orientation, and for outputting the same as a first head information signal;
• and
• driving means for moving said liquid-crystal panel, said eyepiece, and said magnification adjusting lens as an integral unit in vertical and horizontal directions in accordance with said first head information signal, and thereby controlling the same to a desired position.

A see-through type head-mounted display in which a displayed image position is changed to match head movement, comprising:

• video signal input means for inputting a video signal;
• display means for displaying an input image signal;
• an eyepiece, interposed between said display means and a viewer, for bringing the image of said display means into focus within a clear vision range of the viewer;
• a head detection sensor for detecting the viewer's head position and head orientation, and for outputting the same as a first head information signal;
• and
• driving means for moving said display means and said eyepiece as an integral unit in vertical and horizontal directions in accordance with said first head information signal, and thereby controlling the same to a desired position.