Head-wearable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10156896-B2
Application number	US-201514965447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2015
Priority date	Jan 14, 2015
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

A head-wearable electronic device includes a frame worn on a head of a user and an electro-optical device coupled to the frame. The electro-optical device includes a display module generating a data image, an optical module, and a camera module. The optical module includes a first switchable mirror layer and a second switchable mirror layer, each having a light transmittance that is controllable. The first switchable mirror layer provides the second switchable mirror layer with the data image generated by the display module and the second switchable mirror layer provides eye of the user with the data image provided from the first switchable mirror layer. The camera module provides an external image having information about the eye of the user corresponding to an operation of the first and second switchable mirror layers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A head-wearable electronic device comprising:
a frame wearable on a head of a user; and
an electro-optical device coupled to the frame, the electro-optical device comprising:
a display module generating a data image;
an optical module comprising a first switchable mirror layer and a second switchable mirror layer, each of the first and second switchable mirror layers having a controllable light transmittance, the first switchable mirror layer providing the second switchable mirror layer with the data image generated by the display module and the second switchable mirror layer providing eye of the user with the data image provided from the first switchable mirror layer; and
a camera module securing an external image having information about the eye of the user corresponding to an operation of the first and second switchable mirror layers,
wherein:
the optical module comprises first, second, and third body parts, each of the first, second, and third body parts comprising:
an upper surface defined by a first direction and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction;
a rear surface spaced apart from the upper surface in a line direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the first direction and the second direction; and
a plurality of side surfaces connecting the upper surface and the rear surface;

the side surfaces of the first body part comprise a first diagonal surface and a second diagonal surface;
the side surfaces of the second body part comprise a third diagonal surface facing and spaced apart from the first diagonal surface to form a predetermined first gap; and
the side surfaces of the third body part comprise a fourth diagonal surface facing and spaced apart from the second diagonal surface to form a predetermined second gap;
the first switchable mirror layer and the second switchable mirror layer are configured to be operated in a transmissive mode, a transflective mode, or a reflective mode set by the user during predetermined time periods; and
the first switchable mirror layer and the second switchable mirror layer are configured to be operated in a different operating mode from each other during first time periods.

2. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first switchable mirror layer is disposed between the first diagonal surface and the third diagonal surface, and
the second switchable mirror layer is disposed between the second diagonal surface and the fourth diagonal surface.

3. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the side surfaces of each of the first, second, and third body parts are substantially perpendicular to at least one of the upper surface and the rear surface.

4. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 2 , wherein:
the first and second switchable mirror layers are spaced apart from each other in the first direction, and
a first imaginary surface substantially parallel to the first switchable mirror layer crosses a second imaginary surface substantially parallel to the second switchable mirror layer.

5. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 4 , wherein:
the camera module faces one side surface of the side surfaces of the second body part,
the one side surface of the side surface of the second body part faces the first switchable mirror layer in the first direction, and
the display module faces one side surface of the side surfaces of the first body part, the one side surface of the side surfaces of the first body part faces the first switchable mirror layer in the second direction.

6. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the first switchable mirror layer is operated in the reflective mode during the first periods to provide the second switchable mirror layer with the data image generated by the display module and operated in the transmissive mode during second periods different from the first periods to transmit the external image having the information about the eye of the user.

7. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the camera module provides an external image in front of the user and the external image reflected by the first switchable mirror layer during the first periods, and provides the external image having the information about the eye of the user during the second periods.

8. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the second switchable mirror layer is operated in the transflective mode during the first periods and operated in the transflective mode or the reflective mode in the second periods.

9. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the second periods have a time length shorter than a time length of the first periods.

10. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 9 , wherein a transmittance of the second switchable mirror layer in the second periods is lower than a transmittance of the second switchable mirror layer in the first periods.

11. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the optical module further comprises a reflection layer disposed on one side surface of the side surfaces of the second body part, which faces the first switchable mirror layer in the first direction, the camera module is disposed on one side surface of the side surfaces of the second body part, which faces the first switchable mirror layer in the second direction, and the display module faces one side surface of the side surfaces of the first body part, which faces the first switchable mirror layer in the second direction.

12. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the first switchable mirror layer is operated in the reflective mode during the first periods to provide the data image to the second switchable mirror layer and operated in the transflective mode during second periods different from the first periods to transmit and reflect the external image having the information about the eye of the user.

13. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the second switchable mirror layer is operated in the transflective mode during the first periods and operated in the transflective or reflective mode during the second periods.

14. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the first switchable mirror layer is spaced apart from the second switchable mirror layer in the first direction and substantially parallel to the second switchable mirror layer.

15. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the optical module further comprises a reflection layer disposed on one side surface of the side surfaces of the third body part, which faces the second switchable mirror layer in the first direction, the camera module is disposed on one side surface of the side surfaces of the second body part, which faces the first switchable mirror layer in the first direction, and the display module faces one side surface of the side surfaces of the first body part, which faces the first switchable mirror layer in the second direction.

16. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the first switchable mirror layer is operated in the reflective mode during the first periods to provide the data image to the second switchable mirror layer and operated in the transmissive mode during second periods different from the first periods to transmit the external image having the information about the eye of the user.

17. The head-wearable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the camera module provides an external image in front of the user, which is reflected by the first switchable mirror layer duri

Assignees

• Samsung Display Co Ltd
• Samsung Display Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Kwanghoon
• Kim Mugyeom
• Ryu Anna
• Yoo Hee Soo
• Lee Myoungjin

Classifications

• G06F1/1639

  the display being based on projection · CPC title

• G06K9/00604

  Physics · mapped topic

• G02B27/0179

  Display position adjusting means not related to the information to be displayed · CPC title

• G02B27/0093

  with means for monitoring data relating to the user, e.g. head-tracking, eye-tracking · CPC title

• G06F3/011 Primary

  Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality (blind teaching G09B21/00) · CPC title