Electronic device and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9958681-B2
Application number	US-201415029548-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2014
Priority date	Oct 28, 2013
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic device including: a display; at least one optical lens configured to change an optical path of light generated in the display at a fixed refractive index; a prism configured to reflect the light, which has passed through the at least one optical lens, at least one time to guide the light to a destination point; a variable lens positioned in the optical path of light between the display and the destination point, a refractive index of at least a portion of the variable lens being changed by a control signal to change at least a portion of the optical path of light; and a controller configured to generate the control signal. An optical path of light generated in the display may be changed by the variable lens whose refractive index can be changed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a display generating light;
a first optical lens including:
a first surface facing the display, the first surface provided with the light from the display; and
a second surface opposite to the first surface;

a second optical lens including:
a first surface facing the second surface of the first optical lens, the first surface of the second optical lens provided with the light from the first optical lens; and
a second surface opposite to the first surface;

a light guide including:
an incidence surface facing the second surface of the second optical lens, the incidence surface provided with the light from the second surface of the second optical lens;
a transmission surface spaced apart from the incidence surface, the transmission surface transmitting the light toward an outside of the light guide; and
a reflector facing both the incidence surface and the transmission surface;

a wearing sensor configured to sense whether the electronic device is worn on a user; and
a controller electrically connected to the wearing sensor and the second optical lens, the controller is configured to provide the second optical lens with a control signal based on a sensed value from the wearing sensor,
wherein the second optical lens is positioned between the first optical lens and the light guide,
wherein the incidence surface is positioned between the first optical lens and the transmission surface, and
wherein a shape of the second optical lens is changed when the control signal is changed.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein a shape of the second surface of the second optical lens is changed when the control signal is changed.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein when the electronic device is not worn on the user, the controller determines a projection surface in which an image is to be displayed, based on at least one among a color and a material of a seating surface on which the electronic device is placed.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second optical lens operates in at least one of a first mode in which the light which has passed through the second optical lens is diverged, a second mode in which the light which has passed through the second optical lens is converged, a third mode in which there is no change in an optical path of the light before and after the light passes through the second optical lens, and a fourth mode in which the light which has passed through the second optical lens is refracted in a particular direction.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising
a camera configured to obtain an external image, wherein the camera is electrically connected to both the wearing sensor and the controller, wherein the wearing sensor senses a current state among a first state in which the electronic device is worn on the user and a second state in which the electronic device is not worn on the user, and
wherein the controller displays content in different manners in accordance with the current state.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , further comprising:
a projector,
wherein the controller projects the content toward a projection surface by using the projector in the second state.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the controller changes at least one among a color, contrast, and brightness of the projected content based on a state of the projection surface.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a frame coupled to at least one point of a user's face to allow the electronic device to be worn on the user's face,
wherein the controller is installed in the frame and is configured to determine whether the electronic device is worn on the user's face based on a first information obtained from a direct sensing device coupled to the frame, and
wherein the direct sensing device includes at least one of:
a contact sensor electrically connected to the controller, the contact sensor is configured to contact the user;
a camera electrically connected to the controller;
a frame sensor electrically connected to the controller, the frame sensor is configured to sense a state of the frame; and
a motion sensor electrically connected to the controller, the motion sensor is configured to sense a movement of the electric device.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the second lens is flat.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the light is internally reflected totally from the incidence surface to the reflector.

11. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the electronic device in worn on the user's face based on at least one among the first information and a second information, and
wherein the second information includes information whether the electronic device is being electrically charged.

12. A method for controlling an electronic device including a display, a first optical lens, a second optical lens, a wearing sensor configured to sense whether the electronic device is worn on a user and a light guide, wherein the second optical lens is positioned between the first optical lens and the light guide and wherein the second optical lens includes a rear surface facing the light guide, the method comprising:
sensing whether the electronic device is worn on a user's face by using the wearing sensor;
when the electronic device is worn on the user's face, forming the rear surface of the second optical lens in a first shape for forming a first optical path from the display toward an eyeball of the user via the first optical lens, the second optical lens, and the light guide, sequentially; and
when the electronic device is not worn on the user's face, forming the rear surface of the second optical lens in a second shape for forming a second optical path from the display toward a projection surface formed on a seating surface on which the electronic device is placed, via the first optical lens, the second optical lens, and the light guide, sequentially, and
wherein a shape of the second surface of the second optical lens corresponds to a sensed value from the wearing sensor.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the forming of the second optical path comprises:
determining a position of the projection surface; and
forming the shape of the second optical lens in accordance with the position of the projection surface.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the forming of the second optical path comprises:
changing the projection surface based on at least one among a color and a material of the projection surface.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Ko Dongseuck
• Heo Jeongyun
• Jang Yujune
• Cheon Jeeyoung

Classifications

• H04N9/3147

  Multi-projection systems (video walls G06F3/1446) · CPC title

• G02B26/004

  based on a displacement or a deformation of a fluid · CPC title

• G02B27/0172 Primary

  characterised by optical features · CPC title

• G02F1/29

  for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection · CPC title

• G02B2027/014

  comprising information/image processing systems · CPC title