Method of and apparatus for viewing an image

Apparatus for viewing an image, comprising:

• an image generator;
• a dynamic optical device, the dynamic optical device being operative to create a modulation in respect to at least one of phase and amplitude in light of the image received thereby, said modulation being variable from one point or spatial region in the optical device to another;
• a control circuit operative to apply a stimulus to the dynamic optical device, whereby the modulation at any point or spatial region can be varied, the control circuit being operative to alter periodically the characteristics of the dynamic optical device so that the device acts sequentially to direct received, modulated image light of different colors to an observer's eye;
• a first sensor operative to sense the direction of gaze of the observer's eye, the control circuit being operative on the dynamic optical device to create an area of relatively high resolution in said direction of gaze, the dynamic optical device providing a lesser degree of resolution of the image elsewhere, the control circuit being responsive to the first sensor and being operative to alter the characteristics of the dynamic optical device to reposition said area of relatively high resolution to include said direction of gaze as the latter is altered;
• wherein the first sensor comprises a radiation emitter operative to emit radiation for projection onto the observer's eye and a detector operative to detect radiation reflected back from the eye;
• wherein the radiation emitter and/or the detector are provided on a light-transmitting screen disposed between the image generator and the dynamic optical device.

Apparatus for viewing an image comprising:

• an image generator;
• a dynamic optical device, the dynamic optical device being operative to create a modulation in respect of at least one of phase and amplitude in light of the image received thereby, said modulation being variable from one point or spatial region in the optical device to another;
• a control circuit operative to apply a stimulus to the dynamic optical device, whereby the modulation at any point or spatial region can be varied, the control circuit being operative to alter periodically the characteristics of the dynamic optical device so that the device acts sequentially to direct received, modulated image light of different colors to an observer's eye;
• a first sensor operative to sense the direction of gas of the observer's eye, the control circuit being operative on the dynamic optical device to create an area of relatively high resolution in said direction of gaze, the dynamic optical device providing a lesser degree of resolution of the image elsewhere, the control circuit being responsive to the first sensor and being operative to alter the characteristics of the dynamic optical device to reposition said area of relatively high resolution to include said direction of gaze as the latter is altered;
• wherein the first sensor comprises a radiation emitter operative to emit radiation for projection onto the observer's eye and a detector operative to detect radiation reflected back from the eye
• wherein the image generator produces a pixilated image, and the radiation emitter and/or detector are provided at pixel level within the field of view.

Apparatus for viewing an image, comprising:

• an image generator;
• a dynamic optical device, the dynamic optical device being operative to create a modulation in respect of at least one of phase and amplitude in light of the image received thereby, said modulation being variable from one point or spatial region in the optical device to another;
• a control circuitry operative to apply a stimulus to the dynamic optical device, whereby the modulation at any point or spatial region can be varied, the control circuit being operative to alter periodically the characteristics of the dynamic optical device so that the device acts sequentially to direct received, modulated image light of different colors to an observer's eye;
• a first sensor operative to sense the direction of gaze of the observer's eye, the control circuit being operative on the dynamic optical device to create an area of relatively high resolution in said direction of gaze, the dynamic optical device providing a lesser degree of resolution of the image elsewhere, the control circuitry being responsive to the first sensor and being operative to the alter the characteristics of the dynamic optical device to reposition said area of relatively high resolution to include said direction of gaze as the latter is altered;
• wherein the first sensor utilizes infra-red radiation;
• at least one optical element provided in tandem with the dynamic optical device, which acts upon infra-red light but not upon visible light.

Apparatus for viewing an image, comprising:

• an image generator;
• a dynamic optical device, the dynamic optical device being operative to create a modulation in respect of at least one of phase and amplitude in light of the image received thereby, said modulation being variable from one point or spatial region in the optical device to another;
• a control circuit operative to apply a stimulus to the dynamic optical device, whereby the modulation at any point or spatial region can be varied, the control circuitry being operative to alter periodically the characteristics of the dynamic optical device so that the device acts sequentially to direct received, modulated image light of different colors to an observer's eye;
• a first sensor operative to sense the direction of gaze of the observer's eye, the control circuitry being operative on the dynamic optical device to create an area of relatively high resolution in said direction of gaze, the dynamic optical device providing at lesser degree of resolution of the image elsewhere, the control circuit being responsive to the first sensor and being operative to alter the characteristics of the dynamic optical device to reposition said area of relatively high resolution to include said direction of gaze as the latter is altered;
• wherein the first sensor utilizes infra-red radiation
• wherein the detector is provided on a light transmitting screen disposed between the image generator and the dynamic optical device.

Apparatus for viewing an image, comprising:

• an image generator;
• a dynamic optical device, the dynamic optical device being operative to create a modulation in respect of at least one of phase and amplitude in light of the image received thereby, said modulation being variable from one point or spatial region in the optical device to another;
• a control circuit operative to apply a stimulus to the dynamic optical device, whereby the modulation at any point or spatial region can be varied, the control circuit being operative to alter periodically the characteristics of the dynamic optical device so that the device acts sequentially to direct received, modulated image light of different colors to an observer's eye;
• a first sensor operative to sense the direction of gaze of the observer's eye, the control circuit being operative on the dynamic optical device to create an area of relatively high resolution in said direction of gaze, the dynamic optical device providing a lesser degree of resolution of the image elsewhere, the control circuitry being responsive to the first sensor and being operative to alter the characteristics of the dynamic optical device to reposition said area of relatively high resolution to include said direction of gaze as the latter is altered
• wherein the first sensor utilizes visible light;
• wherein the visible light is utilized in short bursts.

Apparatus for viewing an image, comprising:

• an image generator;
• a dynamic optical device, the dynamic optical device being operative to create a modulation in respect of at least one of phase and amplitude in light of the image received thereby, said modulation being variable from one point or spatial region in the optical device to another;
• a control circuit operative to apply a stimulus to the dynamic optical device, whereby the modulation at any point or spatial region can be varied, the control circuit being operative to alter periodically the characteristics of the dynamic optical device so that the device acts sequentially to direct received, modulated image light of different colors to an observer's eye;
• a first sensor operative to sense the direction of gaze of the observer's eye, the control circuit being operative on the dynamic optical device to create an area of relatively high resolution in said direction of gaze, the dynamic optical device providing a lesser degree of resolution of the image elsewhere, the control circuit being responsive to the first sensor and being operative to alter the characteristics of the dynamic optical device to reposition said area of relatively high resolution to include said direction of gaze as the latter is altered
• wherein the first sensor utilises visible light;
• wherein the first sensor includes a light emitter means operative to emit light for projection onto the observer's eye, the image generator produces a pixilated image, the emitter is provided at a pixel level within the field of view, and the wavelength of light emitted by the light emitter is matched to that of the surrounding pixels in the generated image.

Apparatus for viewing an image, comprising:

• an image generator;
• a dynamic optical device, the dynamic optical device being operative to create a modulation in respect of at least one of phase and amplitude in light of the image received thereby, said modulation being variable from one point or spatial region in the optical device to another;
• a control circuitry operative to apply a stimulus to the dynamic optical device, whereby the modulation at any point or spatial region can be varied, the control circuitry being operative to alter periodically the characteristics of the dynamic optical device so that the device acts sequentially to direct received, modulated image light of different colors to an observer's eye;
• a first sensor operative to sense the direction of gaze of the observer's eye, the control circuitry being operative on the dynamic optical device to create an area of relatively high resolution in said direction of gaze, the dynamic optical device providing a lesser degree of resolution of the image elsewhere, the control circuit being responsive to the first sensor and being operative to alter the characteristics of the dynamic optical device to reposition said area of relatively high resolution to include said direction of gaze as the latter is altered
• wherein the first sensor utilizes visible light;
• wherein the visible light is utilized in specific narrow band of wavelengths.