JPH07168120A - Head-mounted image display device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] To provide an HMD (head-mounted image display device) that can be used as a visual aid particularly suitable for a visually impaired person. [Structure] For a wearer who uses only one eye, the image display unit 2 is used only for one eye, and the imaging unit 3 is housed in the empty space of the HMD housing 1. In addition, by providing the image pickup system objective lens 6 immediately before the one eye or on the midpoint of both eyes and on the line of the one eye, the image pickup position of the image pickup unit and the image display which the conventional camera external type HMD has as a defect. By matching the vertical and horizontal shifts of the positions in the vertical direction and reducing the horizontal shift, the mounting stability can be improved. Further, the position of the image display unit 2 can be changed to either the front side of the right eye or the front side of the left eye, or even if the position of the image display unit 2 is changed to the front side of the right eye or the front side of the left eye, With the configuration in which the position of the objective lens does not move, the image display unit 2 can be used properly for each eye.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a head-mounted image display device which can be mounted so that the image display portion is located in front of the eyes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a head-mounted image display device (Head Mount) equipped with an image display unit such as an LCD in front of the eyes.
Ted Display (HMD) has been developed. The application range of this HMD is various for medical, welfare, consumer use, etc., but due to the recent miniaturization of image display devices such as CCD and LCD and high performance, it can be applied to walking aids under certain conditions. As a result, development of an HMD having an imaging function is desired. For HMDs that have an imaging function, those that use a camera together with an HMD that has only a display function, or an HMD
And a small camera are integrated. The combined use of the HMD and the camera complicates the wiring, and since many wirings hinder the work at the time of mounting, an HMD equipped with a camera is strongly desired. Camera-integrated HMD currently under consideration
Is provided with a camera unit 3 immediately before the image display unit 2 such as an LCD (FIG. 6), or the camera unit 3 on the side surface of the housing 1,
Some are externally attached to the top and bottom surfaces (Fig. 7). Figure 6
The HMD of the type shown in FIG.
The workability at the time of wearing is good because the positions of the HMDs match, but since the camera unit 3 projects in front of the housing 1 and the center of gravity of the HMD is in front of the wearer's head, the balance shifts forward. However, it has a drawback that it feels heavy at the time of wearing and the stability of the wearing is poor. Further, it is desirable that the line of sight is originally on the extension line immediately before each eye or on the extension line immediately before the midpoint between the positions of both eyes, but in the external camera type shown in FIGS. As described above, there is a problem that the line of sight is separated from the position A of the line of sight of the wearer 8 which is supposed to be, by the amount of “externally attached + α” (length L ₁ in the vertical direction and length L ₂ in the horizontal direction). Originally, it is desirable that the line of sight of the wearer 8 is on the extension line immediately before each eye or the extension line immediately before the midpoint of the binocular positions, but in the camera-attached HMD, the camera unit 3 projects from the HMD. There is a problem that mechanical strength is weakened against impact and vibration applied to the part.

[0003]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The camera-integrated HM
Considering that D is used as a visual aid for the visually impaired, especially for the visually impaired, in the case of the visually impaired, there are few cases where the visual functions of both eyes are similar and there are few cases where both eyes see it. There is a difference in the visual function of both eyes, and only one eye, which has a comparatively visual function, sees an object. As described above, in the case of a visually impaired person who sees an object with one eye, an HMD having two image display units currently in practical use uses only one image display unit such as an LCD, which is wasteful. It is something. The weight and cost of the image display unit such as the LCD which is not used is a wasteful burden for many low vision people. Rather, it is desirable for the low vision person to remove the LCD related parts that are not used. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an HMD that can be used as a visual aid, which is particularly suitable for a visually impaired person.

[0004]

The above objects of the present invention can be achieved by the following constitutions. That is, in a head-mounted image display device including an image pickup unit having an objective lens and an image display unit, an HMD (head) in which only a single image display unit is mounted in front of the wearer's eyes Wearable image display device). In the HMD of the present invention, a single image display unit is arranged immediately in front of the right eye or the left eye, and the objective lens of the image pickup unit is arranged on the line connecting the position immediately before the eye without the image display unit and the midpoint of both eyes. The configuration of a single image display unit can be changed from the front of the right eye to the front of the left eye or from the front of the left eye to the front of the right eye, or the position of the single image display unit to the right. The position of the objective lens of the imaging unit may be fixed at a predetermined position even when the front of the eye is changed to the front of the left eye or the front of the left eye is changed to the front of the right eye.

[0005]

The specifications required for the HMD are the quality of the displayed image, the stereoscopic effect by binocular vision, the matching of the imaged line of sight and the display position,
Light weight and stable wearing. The priority of these specifications varies depending on the field of use and method and is not uniform. The stability of the wearing is not so important in the usage method in which the head does not move a lot during the wearing, but the stability of the wearing is the most important specification in the place where there is vibration and the usage with the movement. In addition, some of the usage methods are more important than the binocular vision in terms of lightness and wearing stability. For example, in the case of a camera-integrated HMD used as a visual aid for a visually impaired person who sees things with one eye, the related parts of the image display unit such as the LCD need only be in one eye. The present invention has been focused on the fact that there is a demand that image display to both eyes is not essential, and the present invention has been proposed for an HMD that has a camera function of an image pickup unit but has only one image display unit such as an LCD. It was done.

In the HMD of the present invention, of the two conventional image display sections, the unused image display section is removed, and the image pickup section is housed in the space of the removed section. Further, by providing an imaging system objective lens immediately before the one eye or on the midpoint of both eyes and on the line of the one eye, the imaging position and the image display position of the imaging unit, which the conventional external camera type HMD has as a drawback, have. By matching the vertical and horizontal deviations in the vertical direction to reduce the horizontal deviation, it is possible to stabilize the mounting. Furthermore, by removing one of the two image display units of the conventional HMD, the camera-integrated HMD can be made lighter and the cost can be reduced. In addition, the reduction of the number of parts is done by MTBF (Mea
n Time Between Failure) is increased, leading to improvement in reliability. As a matter of course,
Since it is incorporated in D, the protruding portion of the HMD can be eliminated, and the reliability can be improved as compared with the external camera type.

Also, the position of the single image display unit can be changed to either the front side of the right eye or the front side of the left eye of the wearer, or the position of the single image display unit can be changed to the front side of the right eye or the left side. When the position of the objective lens of the image pickup unit does not move regardless of which side is in front of the eye, the image display unit can be selectively used by one eye on the side corresponding to the display unit. Note that the present invention is extremely effective as a visual function assisting tool for amblyopia who always uses one eye, but also for other people who perform binocular vision, the HMD with a built-in camera is lightweight, highly reliable, and has low reliability. It goes without saying that it is useful if you want a price.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. A schematic view of the HMD of the embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. Now, an image display unit 2 and an image pickup unit 3 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a camera unit 3) are provided in the goggle-shaped housing 1 of the HMD. 1-3, an example in which the image display unit 2 is provided only in front of the right eye (as viewed from the wearer) will be described. If a display system device including the LCD 4 is inserted on the right side in the goggle-shaped casing 1, sufficient space can be secured in the center and the left side of the casing 1. Therefore, the camera unit 3 is put in this space. The example shown in FIG. 2 shows a case where the camera unit 3 including the conventional pen-type camera 5 is placed in the space on the left side of the housing 1. An objective lens 6 is attached to the front surface of the pen-type camera 5. However, when the pen-type camera 5 shown in FIG. 2 is directly inserted into the housing 1 of the goggles, the center of gravity of the HMD moves forward, so that the wearing cannot be stabilized. FIG. 3 solves the drawbacks of the example of FIG.
Instead of arranging the optical systems linearly as in the example above, the optical system is bent using a mirror or the like, that is, the pen type camera 5
By inserting the bent shape into the housing 1, the center of gravity of the HMD can be brought closer to the wearer's head.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, the degree of freedom in which the objective lens 6 is provided in the goggle-shaped housing 1 can be increased. That is, the objective lens 6 can be provided at an appropriate position within the range L ₃ of the positions a to d in the housing 1 of FIG. Regarding the position of the objective lens 6, if it is desired that the line of sight (the right eye is used) and the image display unit 2 are close to each other, the vertical direction of the wearer 8 is made to coincide with each other to minimize the horizontal shift. That is, the better the position is, that is, the line parallel to the line contacting the surfaces of both eyes and closer to the front of the image display unit 2 (position a in FIG. 4). In order to match the working line and the line of sight, the camera unit 3 is placed on the midpoint of both eyes.
It is best to provide the objective lens 6 of the above (position b in FIG. 4). Providing the objective lens 6 immediately before the midpoint of both eyes where the working line and the line of sight coincide with each other makes it possible to display an image when the image display unit 2 side and the camera unit 3 side can be replaced by one HMD. Part 2 from right to left (ie camera part 3
Is changed from left to right) and the image display unit 2 is changed from left to right (that is, the camera unit 3 is changed from right to left), there is an advantage that the position of the line of sight does not change.

In a device in which the left and right arrangements of the image display section 2 and the camera section 3 cannot be changed, which eye is used for monocular viewing, that is, the image display section 2 is placed in front of either the left or right eye. You have to decide whether to place it. However, if one HMD can be used by both right-eye and left-eye users, the manufacturer will not have to change the manufacturing process, and the user will have to select the right eye / left eye at the time of purchase. Disappear. In addition, some users initially used it with the right eye, but since they are tired, there is a demand to see it with the left eye. However, if one HMD can be used by both the right and left eye users, It can respond to any request.

The HMD shown in FIG. 5 can be replaced with a connection point between an image display unit (not shown) and a camera unit (not shown) as a center of rotation so that one HMD can be used by both right and left eye users. However, it is also possible to display the image display unit for both the right eye and the left eye. That is, both the image display unit and the camera unit are incorporated into one captured image display unit 10, and the HMD is configured by dividing the components into the captured image display unit 10 and the support unit 11 fixed to the head of the wearer. And the supporting portion 11 are connected at one point to form an HMD. The image display unit can be switched between the right eye and the left eye with the connection point 12 as the center of rotation. Further, the objective lens 6 is arranged in the captured image display unit 10 in front of the connection point 12. Even if the image display unit (camera unit) is changed left and right by rotating the connecting point 12 portion, the image does not reverse. Because, even if the top of the camera is down, the top of the image display is down,
This is because both are reversed. The mechanism for changing the image display unit is not limited to the above rotation method,
Like a camera external flash attachment / detachment mechanism, a connection mechanism that allows the captured image display unit 10 to be attached / detached to / from the support unit 11 is provided, and it can be adopted for a method of attaching the connection unit 11 to the support unit 11 after removing it once and turning it upside down. .

As described above, the effect of this embodiment is also in cost reduction and weight reduction. By mounting the LCD4 related display parts, which were conventionally two for both eyes, on only one eye side, the number of parts can be reduced, the camera-integrated HMD can be made lighter, and the cost can be reduced. Become. In addition, the reduction of the number of parts is performed by MTBF (M
ean Time Between Failure)
It also leads to improved reliability. Further, by incorporating the camera unit 3 in the space created by the reduction of the number of parts for the image display unit 2 of the HMD, it becomes possible to eliminate the protruding portion of the HMD, and the external HMD of the camera unit 3 can be eliminated.
The reliability can be improved compared to. Note that this embodiment is extremely effective as a visual function assisting tool for amblyopia who always uses one eye, but also for other people who perform binocular vision,
It is needless to say that it is useful when the camera-integrated HMD is desired to be lightweight, highly reliable, and inexpensive.

[0013]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION The HMD of the present invention can reduce the number of parts, reduce the weight, reduce the cost, and improve the reliability of the product by mounting the display parts only on one eye side. It is an effective auxiliary device for persons.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera-integrated HMD according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a camera-integrated HMD according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a camera-integrated HMD according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a possible range of arrangement of an objective lens of a camera-integrated HMD according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a structure in which a connection point between an image display unit and a camera unit of a camera-integrated HMD according to an embodiment of the present invention is interchangeable around a rotation center.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional camera-integrated HMD.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a conventional camera external HMD.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a problem of a conventional camera external type HMD.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Housing, 2 ... Image display unit, 3 ... Imaging unit (camera unit),
4 ... LCD, 5 ... Pen type camera, 6 ... Objective lens, 8 ...
Wearer, 10 ... Captured image display section, 11 ... Support section, 12 ...
Connection point

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A head-mounted image display device comprising an image pickup section having an objective lens and an image display section, wherein only a single image display section is mounted in front of the wearer's eyes. Head-mounted image display device characterized by: 2. A single image display unit is arranged immediately in front of the right eye or the left eye, and an objective lens of the image pickup unit is arranged on a line connecting the position immediately before the eye without the image display unit and the midpoint of both eyes. The head-mounted image display device according to claim 1, wherein 3. The head according to claim 1, wherein the position of a single image display unit can be changed from the front of the right eye to the front of the left eye or from the front of the left eye to the front of the right eye. Wearable image display device. 4. Even if the position of a single image display unit is changed from the front of the right eye to the front of the left eye or from the front of the left eye to the front of the right eye,
The head-mounted image display device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the position of the objective lens of the imaging unit is fixed at a predetermined position.