Image display device and method and apparatus for implementing augmented reality using unidirectional beam

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9626887-B2
Application number	US-201414152072-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2014
Priority date	Apr 26, 2013
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

An image display device includes a display panel unit having a plurality of optical elements configured to generate and emit unidirectional lights in an array and a control unit configured to control the plurality of optical elements according to image information. The image display device is located very close to the eyes of a user and displays an additional information image added to a real image, thereby implementing augmented reality.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image display device comprising:
a user wearable lens;
a display panel unit including a plurality of optical elements configured to generate and emit unidirectional lights in an array, the plurality of optical elements being embedded in the user wearable lens or disposed on a surface of the user wearable lens; and
a control unit configured to control the plurality of optical elements according to image information,
wherein each of the plurality of optical elements includes,
a light emitting structure layer configured to generate light, and
reflectors directly on a top and a bottom of the light emitting structure layer, respectively, the reflectors configured to unidirectionally emit the light generated by the light emitting structure layer.

2. The image display device of claim 1 , wherein each of the optical elements comprises one of a laser and a resonant cavity light emitting diode (RCLED).

3. The image display device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical elements form a unit pixel, and
the image display device is configured to form an image by using a spatial combination of lights formed by a plurality of unit pixels, respectively.

4. The image display device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical elements form a unit pixel, and
the image display device is configured to sequentially control an emitting direction of light formed by the unit pixel and the image display device is configured to form an image by the sequential combination of lights heading in different directions.

5. The image display device of claim 4 , further comprising:
a variable optical unit having optical characteristics that vary with an external signal, the variable optical unit configured to sequentially change the emitting direction of the light formed by the unit pixel.

6. The image display device of claim 5 , wherein the display panel unit is embedded in the lens, and
the variable optical unit is embedded in the lens or is disposed on the surface of the lens.

7. The image display device of claim 4 , further comprising:
a driving unit configured to drive positions of the plurality of optical elements.

8. The image display device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a direction adjustment unit configured to control a direction of the lights generated and emitted by the plurality of optical elements.

9. The image display device of claim 8 , wherein the display panel unit is embedded in the lens, and
the direction adjustment unit is embedded in the lens or is disposed on a surface of the lens.

10. The image display device of claim 1 , wherein the display panel unit is disposed in a location in the lens, the location facing a pupil of an eye of the user.

11. The image display device of claim 1 , wherein the lens is formed in a pair corresponding to both eyes of the user,
the display panel unit includes a first display panel unit and a second display panel unit corresponding to both eyes, respectively, and
the control unit includes a first control unit configured to control the first display panel unit according to left eye image information and a second control unit configured to control the second display panel unit according to right eye image information.

12. The image display device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the display panel unit according to wirelessly received image information.

13. The image display device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light amount control unit having a light transmittance, the light amount control unit configured to control the amount of light from outside.

14. The image display device of claim 13 , wherein the light amount control unit includes a liquid crystal.

15. The image display device of claim 1 , further comprising:
an energy storage unit configured to store energy to be supplied to the plurality of optical elements, respectively, to generate lights; and
a reception circuit unit configured to receive image information from outside,
wherein the energy storage unit and the reception circuit unit are disposed in locations of the lens, excluding a location facing the pupil of the eye of the user.

16. A method of implementing one of augmented reality and virtual reality, comprising:
displaying an additional image bearing additional information about an object in reality by directly emitting the additional image, the additional image formed by using unidirectional beams with no diffusion to a retina of an eye of a user, the additional image being formed by a plurality of optical elements embedded in a user wearable lens or disposed on a surface of the user wearable lens,
wherein the plurality of optical elements are configured to generate and emit unidirectional lights, each of the plurality of optical elements including,
a light emitting structure layer configured to generate light, and
reflectors disposed directly on a top and a bottom of the light emitting structure layer, respectively, the reflectors configured to unidirectionally emit the light generated by the light emitting structure layer.

17. An augmented reality implementing apparatus comprising:
a user wearable lens;
a real image display unit configured to display one of at least one object and an image of the object;
an additional image information generation unit configured to convert information about the object into image information; and
an image display device configured to receive the image information from the additional image information generation unit and form an image, the image display device including a first display panel unit having a plurality of optical elements configured to generate and emit unidirectional lights, the plurality of optical elements is embedded in the user wearable lens or is disposed on a surface of the user wearable lens, and a control unit configured to control the plurality of optical elements according to the image information,
wherein each of the plurality of optical elements includes,
a light emitting structure layer configured to generate light, and
reflectors disposed directly on a top and a bottom of the light emitting structure layer, respectively, the reflectors configured to unidirectionally emit the light generated by the light emitting structure layer.

18. An augmented reality implementing apparatus of claim 17 , the image display device is disposed in a location within a distance of 5 cm or less from the eye of the user.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Jae-Soong
• Kim Jin-Eun
• Roh Young-Geun
• Park Yeon-Sang
• Suh Hwan-Soo
• Hwang Sung-Woo

Classifications

• G02B2027/0178

  Eyeglass type (eyeglass details G02C) · CPC title

• G02B27/0101

  characterised by optical features (G02B27/0172 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G09G3/001 Primary

  using specific devices not provided for in groups G09G3/02 - G09G3/36, e.g. using an intermediate record carrier such as a film slide; Projection systems; Display of non-alphanumerical information, solely or in combination with alphanumerical information, e.g. digital display on projected diapositive as background (slide projectors per se G03B23/00 = 42 HP) · CPC title

• G09G2300/046

  with an emissive area and a light-modulating area combined in one pixel · CPC title

• G02B27/017

  Head mounted · CPC title