JP2011145578A - Head mounted display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a head-mounted display device capable of providing an observer with an observation object with a sense of distance as accurate as possible without giving the observer a feeling of fatigue even when the observer uses it for a long time.
A visor (or combiner) 21, a night vision module (image intensifier and optical system) 2, a head holding device 20 to which they are attached, and an image amplified by the night vision module are (Or combiner) 21 is a head-mounted display device 1 that includes an image transmission unit 40 that projects through a main optical system 30. The image transmission unit 40 includes an imaging fiber in which a plurality of optical fibers 41 are bundled. 40, the imaging fiber 40 is bendable, and an image is input at one end 40a of each optical fiber 41, transmitted, and output from the other end 40b of each optical fiber 41. An image is projected.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a head-mounted display device, and more particularly, to a head-mounted display device that provides an external image acquired by an image intensifier to a helicopter or an aircraft pilot.

  There is a head-mounted display device that is mounted on the head of a wearer (observer). In a head-mounted display device, an external image is acquired, amplified, and displayed at night, in a situation where visual confirmation is difficult. In particular, a display device using an image intensifier as a means for acquiring an external image can acquire an external image and display it to the wearer even under conditions that cannot be visually recognized. In addition, the acquired external image can be displayed on the wearer after image processing is performed to further improve the visibility. Therefore, it is effective for night operation in a helicopter or an aircraft.

Currently, night vision devices called “NVG (Night Vision Goggle)” using image intensifiers are already used in the field of aircraft and the like. Visible.
The NVG generally has an appearance similar to that of a monocular or binocular, and is used by being placed in front of the wearer's eyes. The NVG includes an objective lens (optical system), an image intensifier, and an eyepiece. (Optical system) has a three-stage configuration in which these are arranged in this order. In such NVG, first, an optical image of faint light in the outside world is obtained by an objective lens. Next, the obtained optical image of the weak light is imaged on the input surface (photoelectric surface) of the next image intensifier, and is further photoelectrically converted inside the image intensifier, and the electrons are accelerated. As a result, the electrons are multiplied and collide with the fluorescent screen, whereby an amplified optical image (amplified optical image) is reproduced on the output surface (fluorescent screen) of the image intensifier. Finally, the wearer views the output surface of the image intensifier through the eyepiece.

On the other hand, in recent years, HMD (Helmet- or Head-Mounted Display) has been developed and is in widespread use (for example, see Patent Document 1). There are various types of such HMDs. A night vision module (image intensifier and optical system) is arranged on the side of a helmet (head holding device), etc., and an external image acquired by the night vision module is stored. The image is projected onto the visor (or combiner) via the relay optical system and the main optical system, and the wearer visually recognizes the virtual image as an infinite display.
FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of an HMD including a night vision module, and FIG. 7 is a plan view of the HMD illustrated in FIG. The HMD 60 includes a helmet 20 having a visor (or combiner) 21, a left-eye night vision module 2L that acquires a left-eye external image, a right-eye night-vision module 2R that acquires a right-eye external image, Left-eye main optical system 30L for projecting an eye image onto the visor 21, right-eye main optical system 30R for projecting a right-eye image onto the visor 21, left-eye night vision module 2L, and left-eye main optics A left-eye relay optical system 32L that transmits images between the system 30L and a right-eye relay optical system 32R that transmits images between the right-eye night vision module 2R and the right-eye main optical system 30R. .

  The visor 21 has a predetermined curved surface shape and is configured by a half mirror, a hologram element, or the like. The visor 21 is supported by the helmet 20 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. When the visor 21 is lowered, the visor 21 is arranged in front of the left eye EL and the right eye ER of the wearer P.

The night vision module 2L for the left eye includes an optical system that inputs an optical image of the outside world, a photocathode that converts the incident optical image into a photoelectron image, an electron multiplier that multiplies an electron group of the photoelectron image, And a fluorescent screen that generates an amplified optical image from the multiplied electron group. The night-eye night-vision module 2R has the same structure as the left-eye night-vision module 2L.
The left-eye night-vision module 2L is arranged in the helmet 20 so that the photographing direction is the front direction, and the right-eye night-vision module 2R is also arranged in the helmet 20 so that the photographing direction is the front direction. Is done.

Since the reflective surface of the visor 21 has a curved surface shape and the head of the wearer P is disposed in front of the visor 21, the left-eye image display light emitted from the left-eye main optical system 30L The right-eye image display light emitted from the right-eye main optical system 30R is projected onto the reflecting surface of the visor 21 so as to avoid the head of the wearer P, thereby forming a non-coaxial optical system. .
For this reason, in order to form a virtual image without distortion in front of the wearer P, each relay optical system 32L, 32R, each main optical system 30L, 30R, and each visor 21 cancel each other optical distortion. Many lenses are required in the systems 32L and 32R, the main optical systems 30L and 30R, and the visor 21.

  As a result, the left-eye external image acquired by the left-eye night vision module 2L is guided to the left-eye main optical system 30L through the left-eye relay optical system 32L while canceling the optical distortion. The left-eye image display light emitted from the left-eye main optical system 30L is reflected by the reflecting surface of the visor 21 so that it is guided to the left eye EL of the wearer P and is similarly used for the right eye. The right-eye image display light emitted from the main optical system 30 </ b> R is guided by the right eye ER of the wearer P by being reflected by the reflecting surface of the visor 21. Therefore, the wearer P can visually recognize the object to be observed and can also visually recognize the external environment in front by the light transmitted through the visor 21.

JP 2006-189634 A

However, when the wearer wears the NVG as described above, the center of gravity of the helmet is fixed because the NVG having a protruding shape such as monoculars or binoculars is fixed to the helmet so as to hang down in front of the eyes. Is considerably biased forward, which is a heavy burden on the wearer and causes fatigue when used for a long time.
Furthermore, the housing portion of the NVG is a cause of visual field obstruction, is difficult to see, promotes a feeling of fatigue, and is uneasy from the aspect of handling safety.

  On the other hand, when the wearer P wears the HMD 60, the center of gravity does not deviate extremely forward like the helmet with the NVG fixed, and the instrument panel and the like can be easily visually recognized, but as shown in FIG. Further, the left-eye night-vision module 2L is arranged with a predetermined distance on the left side of the helmet 20, and the right-eye night-vision module 2R is arranged with a predetermined distance on the right side of the helmet 20. Yes. That is, the optical axes of the left-eye night-vision module 2L and the right-eye night-vision module 2R for acquiring an external image do not coincide with the visual axes of the wearer P's left-eye EL and right-eye ER. This is because the left-eye relay optical system 32L needs to be arranged in order to guide the image of the left-eye night-vision module 2L to the left-eye main optical system 30L, and the optical axis of the left-eye night-vision module 2L is Thus, the visual axis of the left eye EL of the wearer P is considerably separated. Similarly, the optical axis of the right-eye night-vision module 2R is considerably separated from the visual axis of the right eye ER of the wearer P.

Therefore, in such an HMD 60, an external image acquired from a position different from the visual axis of the wearer P's left eye EL and right eye ER is provided in front of the wearer P. As a result, for the wearer P It may cause errors in recognition of the outside world or appear as a sense of discomfort in distance due to binocular visual effects.
Therefore, the present invention provides a head-mounted display device that does not give the observer a feeling of fatigue even when the observer uses it for a long time and can provide the observer with an observation object with a sense of distance as accurate as possible. For the purpose.

  The head-mounted display device of the present invention, which has been made to solve the above problems, is disposed in front of an optical system, a night vision module having a function of amplifying light incident from the optical system, and the eyes of the observer. The visor or combiner, the night vision module, the head holding device to which the visor or combiner is attached, and the image that is amplified by the night vision module is projected onto the visor or combiner via the main optical system. A head-mounted display device comprising a transmission means, and an image transmission means for transmitting an image between the night vision module and the main optical system, using an imaging fiber in which a plurality of optical fibers are bundled, The imaging fiber can be bent, and an image is input to one end of each optical fiber, and an image is input to the other end of each optical fiber. By image transmission, and to output the image to the visor or combiner from the other end of the imaging fiber.

Here, “amplifying light” means amplifying light in an image. For example, an optical image (image) obtained by amplifying light so that an optical image (image) of weak light can be visually recognized. It means to make. Examples of such amplifying light include an image intensifier.
The “head holding device” refers to a device to which a night vision module and a visor or a combiner can be attached and which can be attached to an observer's head, such as a helmet or headgear. Etc.
According to the head-mounted display device of the present invention, an image is input at one end of the imaging fiber and an image is output from the other end of the imaging fiber. The imaging fiber can be bent. Thereby, an image is transmitted between the night vision module and the main optical system by the imaging fiber. At this time, since the image is transmitted between the night vision module and the main optical system by the imaging fiber, it is not necessary to arrange at a position optically coupled to the main optical system like a relay optical system. It is possible to arrange the optical axis and the visual axis of the observer's eye closer, and it is possible to arrange the night vision module at an optimal position in the helmet so that the center of gravity does not extremely deviate.

  Therefore, according to the head-mounted display device of the present invention, the observation object can be visually recognized in a state as close as possible to the observer's visual axis. Further, the center of gravity does not extremely bias forward.

(Means and effects for solving other problems)
Further, in the above invention, the size of the cross-sectional area of the one end of the optical fiber and the size of the cross-sectional area of the other end of the optical fiber are configured differently, thereby enlarging / reducing the image, and / or Alternatively, the arrangement of the optical fibers at one end of the imaging fiber and the arrangement of the optical fibers at the other end of the imaging fiber are different from each other, so that the optical generated by the main optical system and the visor or combiner. You may make it cancel distortion.
Furthermore, in the above invention, a control unit that generates a display image, and a display unit that superimposes the display image generated by the control unit on an image amplified by a night vision module and projects the image onto a visor or a combiner via a main optical system. May be provided.

It is a side view which shows schematic structure of HMD which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of HMD shown in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the method of canceling an optical distortion. It is a side view which shows schematic structure of HMD which is one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of HMD shown in FIG. It is a side view which shows schematic structure of the conventional HMD. It is a top view of HMD shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and it goes without saying that various aspects are included without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

<First embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of an HMD (head-mounted display device) according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the HMD shown in FIG. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the thing similar to HMD60.
The HMD 1 includes a helmet 20 having a visor 21, a left-eye night-vision module 2L that acquires a left-eye external image, a right-eye night-vision module 2R that acquires a right-eye external image, and a left-eye image. The left-eye main optical system 30L that projects onto the visor 21, the right-eye main optical system 30R that projects the right-eye image onto the visor 21, the left-eye night vision module 2L, and the left-eye main optical system 30L A left-eye imaging fiber 40L that transmits an image between them, and a right-eye imaging fiber 40R that transmits an image between the right-eye night vision module 2R and the right-eye main optical system 30R.

The left-eye imaging fiber 40L is an imaging fiber in which a plurality of optical fibers 41 capable of ensuring the necessary image resolution are bundled.
The optical fiber 41 has a cylindrical shape made of plastic or the like, and outputs light from a circular cross section at the other end by inputting light through a circular cross section at one end. The plurality of optical fibers 41 are bundled so that the cross sections of the one end portions of the plurality of optical fibers 41 are arranged in a predetermined arrangement and the cross sections of the other end portions of the plurality of optical fibers 41 are arranged in a predetermined arrangement. Thereby, the imaging fiber 40L for left eyes is formed.
The right-eye imaging fiber 40R has the same structure as the left-eye imaging fiber 40L.

Then, one end of the left-eye imaging fiber 40L is disposed behind the left-eye night vision module 2L, and the other end of the left-eye imaging fiber 40L is disposed in front of the left-eye main optical system 30L. An image is output by outputting an image input from one end of each optical fiber 41 from the other end of each optical fiber 41.
At this time, in order to form a distortion-free virtual image in front of the wearer P, the left-eye night vision module 2L acquires the optical distortion caused by the left-eye main optical system 30L and the visor 21. It is necessary to guide the left-eye image to the left-eye main optical system 30L.

Therefore, the size of the one end portion 40a and the other end portion 40b of the left-eye imaging fiber 40L are set so as to cancel the optical distortion caused by the left-eye main optical system 30L and the visor 21 and further enlarge and reduce the image. (The size of one end of the optical fiber 41 is different from the size of the other end), the arrangement of the optical fibers 41 at the one end 40a of the left-eye imaging fiber 40L, and the left eye The arrangement of the optical fibers 41 in the other end portion 40b of the imaging fiber 40L is made different.
Here, a method for canceling the optical distortion caused by the left-eye main optical system 30L and the visor 21 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a method of canceling optical distortion.
In FIG. 3A, an image is input at one end 40a of the left-eye imaging fiber 40L so as to cancel the optical distortion caused by the left-eye main optical system 30L and the visor 21, and the left-eye imaging fiber 40L An image is output from the other end portion 40b. On the other hand, FIG. 3B shows one end of the imaging fiber 140L for the left eye without canceling the optical distortion caused by the main optical system 30L for the left eye and the visor 21. The image is input by the unit 140a, and the image is output from the other end 140b of the imaging fiber 140L for the left eye.

In FIG. 3B, the image input at the one end portion 140a of the left-eye imaging fiber 140L is guided as it is. Thereafter, the image is guided to the left eye EL of the wearer P through the main optical system 30L for the left eye and the reflecting surface of the visor 21. As a result, the left eye EL of the wearer P recognizes an image in which optical distortion has occurred.
However, in FIG. 3A, the image input from the one end portion 40a of the left-eye imaging fiber 40L is guided as an image considering optical distortion. Thereafter, the image is guided to the left eye EL of the wearer P through the main optical system 30L for the left eye and the reflecting surface of the visor 21. As a result, the left eye EL of the wearer P recognizes an image in which the optical distortion is canceled.

The left-eye imaging fiber 40L is made of plastic or the like and can be bent. Therefore, there is no restriction on the vicinity of the left-eye main optical system 30L, and the left-eye night-vision module 2L can be arranged. Therefore, in the helmet 20 in which the optical axis of the left-eye night-vision module 2L and the visual axis of the left eye EL of the wearer P can be made more coincident and the center of gravity is not extremely biased. The left-eye night-vision module 2L can be arranged at an optimal position.
The right-eye imaging fiber 40R is used in the same manner as the left-eye imaging fiber 40L.

  As described above, according to the HMD 1, it is possible to bring the observation object close to the wearer P as close as possible to the visual axis distance of both eyes, and it is possible to visually recognize the object close to the actual sense of distance. Further, the center of gravity does not extremely bias forward.

<Second Embodiment>
FIG. 4 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of an HMD (head-mounted display device) according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of the HMD shown in FIG. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the thing similar to HMD1.
The HMD 1 includes a helmet 20 having a visor 21, a left-eye night-vision module 2L that acquires a left-eye external image, a right-eye night-vision module 2R that acquires a right-eye external image, and a left-eye image. The left-eye main optical system 30L that projects onto the visor 21, the right-eye main optical system 30R that projects the right-eye image onto the visor 21, the left-eye night vision module 2L, and the left-eye main optical system 30L A left-eye imaging fiber 40L for transmitting an image between the right-eye night vision module 2R and the right-eye main optical system 30R, and a left-eye display image for a visor. Left-eye flat panel (left-eye display means) 33L projected onto the right eye 21, right-eye flat panel (right-eye display means) 33R onto which the right-eye display image is projected onto the visor 21, and left-eye flatness And an image signal processing unit (control unit) 3 which outputs an image signal and an image signal for the right eye left eye channel 33L and the right-eye flat panel 33R.

The control and calculation contents executed by the video signal processing unit 3 will be described separately for each function. The display image generation unit 3a that generates an image and the left-eye image signal that is output to the left-eye flat panel 33L. The image signal output unit 3b and the right-eye image signal output unit 3c that outputs the right-eye image signal to the right-eye flat panel 33R.
The display image generation unit 3a performs control to generate a left eye display image and a right eye display image.

The left-eye flat panel 33L emits a left-eye display image based on the left-eye image signal. An optical coupling element 34L is arranged in front of the left eye flat panel 33L. The optical coupling element 34L has a function of optically superimposing images input from two directions. As a result, the left-eye image emitted from the left-eye imaging fiber 40L and the left-eye display image emitted from the left-eye flat panel 33L are superimposed by the optical coupling 34L, and the left-eye main optical It is guided to the left eye EL of the wearer P through the system 30L and the visor 21. Therefore, the left-eye display image can be displayed superimposed on the left-eye image.
The right-eye flat panel 33R and the optical coupling element 34R are used in the same manner as the left-eye flat panel 33L and the optical coupling element 34L.

  As described above, according to the HMD 50, the wearer P can visually recognize the observation object at the most accurate distance possible. Further, the center of gravity does not deviate forward.

  The present invention can be used for, for example, a head-mounted display device that provides an external image to a helicopter, an aircraft pilot, or the like.

1, 50, 60 HMD (head-mounted display device)
2L Night-eye night vision module (image intensifier and optical system)
2R Night-eye night vision module (image intensifier and optical system)
20 Helmet (or head holding device such as headgear)
21 Visor (or combiner)
30L Main optical system for left eye 30R Main optical system for right eye 40L Imaging fiber for left eye 40R Imaging fiber for right eye 41 Optical fiber EL Left eye ER Right eye P Wearer (observer)

Claims (3)

An optical system and a night vision module having a function of amplifying light incident from the optical system;
A visor or combiner placed in front of the observer's eyes;
A head holding device to which the night vision module and a visor or combiner are attached;
A head-mounted display device comprising image transmission means for projecting an image amplified by the night vision module onto the visor or combiner via a main optical system,
As an image transmission means for transmitting an image between the night vision module and the main optical system, an imaging fiber in which a plurality of optical fibers are bundled is used.
The imaging fiber is bendable,
An image is input to one end of each optical fiber, and an image is transmitted to the other end of each optical fiber, thereby outputting an image from the other end of the imaging fiber to a visor or combiner. Head-mounted display device. By making the cross-sectional area size of one end of the optical fiber different from the cross-sectional area size of the other end of the optical fiber, the image can be enlarged / reduced and / or the imaging fiber By making the arrangement of the optical fibers at one end different from the arrangement of the optical fibers at the other end of the imaging fiber, the optical distortion caused by the main optical system and the visor or combiner is canceled out. The head-mounted display device according to claim 1. A control unit for generating a display image;
3. A display unit that superimposes a display image generated by the control unit on an image amplified by a night vision module and projects the image on a visor or a combiner via a main optical system. The head-mounted display device described in 1.

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