Electronic device and method providing 3-dimension image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12586492-B2
Application number	US-202418651709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2024
Priority date	May 2, 2023
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

An electronic device includes a first light emitting module, a second light emitting module, a screen configured to provide to a user a first image emitted from the first light emitting module and a second image emitted from the second light emitting module, and an eye tracker configured to detect a position of eyes of the user. The first light emitting module and the second light emitting module are configured to adjust a focal length between the eyes of the user and an image identifiable by the user, corresponding to the position of eyes of the user detected by the eye tracker, based on a binocular parallax between a visual object in the first image and a visual object in the second image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device, comprising:
a first light emitting module; a second light emitting module; a screen configured to provide a first image using light emitted from the first light emitting module and a second image using light emitted from the second light emitting module, to a user; and an eye tracker configured to detect a position of eyes of the user; and at least one processor operatively coupled to the first light emitting module, the second light emitting module, the screen, and the eye tracker, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: identify, using the eye tracker, information indicating a focal length of the user; based on a visual object to be displayed through the screen:
control the first light emitting module to display the visual object at a first position; and
control the second light emitting module to display the visual object at a second position different from the first position in accordance with the focal length,
wherein a position difference between the first position and the second position along a horizontal direction is determined to cause a binocular parallax of the visual object according to the focal length indicated by the information, and wherein a distance of the visual object within a virtual screen for the user's recognition is changed by changing the first position and the second position, such that:
as the position difference between the first position and the second position increases, the binocular parallax of the visual object is increase; and
as the binocular parallax increases, the visual object within the virtual screen approaches to the user's recognition.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second light emitting module is spaced apart from the first light emitting module,
wherein the screen spaced apart from the first light emitting module and the second light emitting module includes: a first transparent layer; a second transparent layer spaced apart from the first transparent layer; and a transparent film disposed between the first transparent layer and the second transparent layer and including a wrinkled surface; wherein the wrinkled surface includes a first inclined surface facing the first light emitting module and a second inclined surface facing the second light emitting module; wherein the first inclined surface is configured to reflect light emitted from the first light emitting module to a first eye of the user; wherein the second inclined surface is configured to reflect light emitted from the second light emitting module to a second eye of the user.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the screen further includes a refractive index matching material that fills a space between the first transparent layer and the second transparent layer, and
wherein the refractive index matching material compensates a difference in refractive index between the film and the second transparent layer through which light reflected by the film passes.

4 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein
the first light emitting module and the second light emitting module are configured to emit light facing the film such that the light reflected by the screen is transmitted to the user, when the user looks at the screen, and the first transparent layer and the second transparent layer include glass or polymer materials.

5 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein a surface of the first transparent layer facing the film and a surface of the second transparent layer facing the film are coated by polyvinyl butyral.

6 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the screen functions as at least part of a windshield of a vehicle on which the electronic device is mounted.

7 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first light emitting module and the second light emitting module function as a projection device providing an image through light reflected by the screen.

8 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a layer within the screen includes a wrinkled surface,
wherein first light emitting elements of the first light emitting module and second light emitting elements of the second light emitting module include transparent organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), and wherein the wrinkled surface includes first inclined surfaces on which each of the first light emitting elements is disposed and facing a first eye of the user and second inclined surfaces on which each of the second light emitting elements is disposed and facing a second eye of the user.

9 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to control a posture of the first light emitting module and a posture the second light emitting module, based on the position of eyes of the user obtained from the eye tracker.

10 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to:
identify whether a gaze position of the user is moved based on the position of the eyes of the user; and based on identification that the gaze position of the user is moved, control the first light emitting module and the second light emitting module to change the position difference according to the focal length changed in association with the moved gaze position.

11 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to control a posture of the first light emitting module and a posture of the second light emitting module, based on the focal length for changing a position of a virtual object provided through the screen.

12 . The electronic device of claim 11 , further comprising a front camera configured to obtain an image related to an environment in front of the electronic device,
wherein the processor is configured to: identify, from visual objects obtained through the front camera, a visual object corresponding to an external object the user is looking at, identify the focal length between the external object and eyes of the users, based on the visual object identified, and adjust a posture of the first light emitting module and a posture of the second light emitting module to provide image information on the focal length, based on the focal length identified.

13 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to:
provide a first image, toward a first eye of the user, corresponding to the image information using the first light emitting module, and provide a second image, toward a second eye of the user, corresponding to the image information using the second light emitting module, and provide the image information on the focal length, by adjusting a distance between a first virtual object in the first image and a second virtual object in the second image corresponding to the first image.

14 . The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the image information is selected from at least one of driving direction, driving distance, remaining distance, travel path, surrounding location information, or a combination thereof.

15 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein each of the first light emitting module and the second light emitting module is configured to be tilted relative to the screen or adjust a distance to the screen, to provide visual information towards to the users.

16 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first light emitting module and the second light emitting module are configured to adjust a distance between the visual object provided from the screen and the user, based on binocular parallax between a first visual object in the first image provided to a first ey

Assignees

• Thinkware Corp

Inventors

• Ko Sukpil

Classifications

• G02B27/0093

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

• G02B2027/0185

  Displaying image at variable distance · CPC title

• G09G3/3208

  organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED] · CPC title

• G09G2380/10

  Automotive applications · CPC title

• G02B2027/0134

  of stereoscopic type · CPC title