Head-mounted display device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9372345-B2
Application number	US-201313831928-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Mar 27, 2012
Publication date	Jun 21, 2016
Grant date	Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

A head-mounted display device includes an image processing unit configured to perform processing for generating an image, an image display unit including an image-light generating unit configured to generate image light representing the image, the image display unit being configured to enable a user to visually recognize the virtual image and an external image, an image pickup unit provided in the image display unit and configured to pick up an image in a visual field direction of the user, and a position detecting unit configured to specify an external apparatus present in the picked-up image picked up by the image pickup unit and detect a position in the picked-up image of the external apparatus. The image processing unit generates an image in which information concerning the external apparatus is displayed in a position corresponding to the position detected by the position detecting unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A head-mounted display device that enables a user to visually recognize a virtual image in a state in which the head-mounted display device is mounted on the head of the user, the head-mounted display device comprising:
an image processing unit configured to perform processing for generating an image;
an image display unit including an image-light generating unit configured to generate image light representing the generated image, the image display unit being configured to enable a user to visually recognize the virtual image corresponding to the generated image and an external image;
an image pickup unit provided in the image display unit and configured to pick up an image in a visual field direction of the user; and
a detecting unit configured to specify an external apparatus visually recognized as the external image, the external apparatus being present in the picked-up image picked up by the image pickup unit, the detecting unit detecting a position in the picked-up image of the specified external apparatus;
wherein:
the image processing unit is configured to generate the generated image to be displayed in a position corresponding to the position of the specified external apparatus detected by the detecting unit such that the position of the generated image changes in conjunction with changes in the position of the specified external apparatus detected by the detecting unit, and
the image processing unit is configured to generate the generated image as history information in a position visible to the user when the specified external apparatus is positioned outside the visual field direction of the user.

2. The head-mounted display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the detecting unit detects a position in the picked-up image of the specified external apparatus, and
the image processing unit is further configured to generate an image in which information concerning the external apparatus is displayed in a position corresponding to the position of the specified external apparatus detected by the detecting unit.

3. The head-mounted display device according to claim 2 , wherein the head-mounted display device causes the image display unit to display, as a virtual image, the information concerning the external apparatus in association with the external apparatus visually recognized as the external image and causes the user to visually recognize the external image in regions other than a region where the virtual image is displayed.

4. The head-mounted display device according to claim 2 , wherein the image processing unit generates an image in which regions other than a region where the information concerning the external apparatus is displayed are black pixels.

5. The head-mounted display device according to claim 2 , further comprising a receiving unit configured to receive the information concerning the external apparatus from the external apparatus.

6. The head-mounted display device according to claim 5 , further comprising:
an operation unit for the user to input operation information; and
a transmitting unit configured to transmit a given command to the external apparatus, wherein
the receiving unit receives, as the information concerning the external apparatus, information concerning commands operable in the external apparatus, and
the transmitting unit transmits, among the operable commands, a command selected on the basis of the operation information to the external apparatus.

7. The head-mounted display device according to claim 1 , wherein
the detecting unit is configured to specify a plurality of external apparatuses visually recognized as external images, the external apparatuses being present in the picked-up image picked up by the image pickup unit, the detecting unit detecting positions in the picked-up image of the plurality of specified external apparatuses;
the image processing unit is configured to generate a plurality of generated images to be displayed in positions corresponding to the positions of the plurality of specified external apparatuses detected by the detecting unit.

8. The head-mounted display device according to claim 1 , wherein the image display unit is configured to display the generated image as the history information in a visual field of the user when the when the specified external apparatus is positioned outside the visual field of the user.

9. The head-mounted display device according to claim 1 , wherein the image display unit is configured to display the generated image in the vicinity of the specified external apparatus in a visual field of the user.

10. The head-mounted display device according to claim 9 , wherein generated image does not overlap the specified external apparatus in the visual field of the user.

11. The head-mounted display device according to claim 9 , wherein the generated image includes selectable commands for operating the specified external apparatus, wherein the selectable commands do not overlap the specified external apparatus in the visual field of the user.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Fujimaki Yutaka

Classifications

• G02B2027/0138

  comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera · CPC title

• G02B27/017 Primary

  Head mounted · CPC title

• G02B2027/0141

  characterised by the informative content of the display · CPC title