EP0597477A1
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EP
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Image display apparatus
Assignee: Olympus Corp
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Filing: 1993-11-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-11-11
Abstract
Abstract An image display apparatus comprises an image display unit (1) capable of producing and displaying not an image itself but a Fourier-transform image of the image, and a light transmission unit (5) for focusing the Fourier-transform image produced and displayed on the image display unit (1) on a pupil face (A) of an observer's eye (3) and producing an original image on the retina (3a) of the eye (3). The light transmission unit (5) includes a lens (7) and an eye lens (9) such that an image-side focal position of the lens (7) coincides with an object-side focal position of the eye lens (9). A mask (11) is situated at the object-side focal position of the eye lens (9) to determine the range and shape of a visual field. The image display unit (1) is situated at an image-side focal position of the lens (7), and the pupil face (A) of the observer's eye (3) is alinged at an image-side focal position of the eye lens (9).
Inventors
- 👤 Nobutoshi C/O Intell. Pty & Legal Dept Sekiguchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 03:34
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/01; G02B27/0101; G02B27/017; G02B27/0172; G02B27/42; G02B27/46; G02B2027/0112; G02B2027/0116; G02B2027/0118; G02B2027/0132; G02B2027/014; G02B27/0149; G02B2027/0154; G02B2027/0178; G02B5/00; G02B5/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
An image display apparatus for forming a produced and displayed image on the retina of an observer's eye, characterized in that said image display apparatus comprises: display means (1) for producing and displaying a Fourier transformed image of an original image; and optical means (5) for forming the Fourier transformed image displayed by the display means (1) near a pupil plane (A) of an observer's eye (3) so that the original image is produced on the retina (3a) of the eye (3).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
82 words
An image display apparatus for forming a produced and displayed image on the retina of an observer's eye, characterized in that said image display apparatus comprises: display means (1) for producing and displaying a Fourier transformed image of an original image; and optical means (5) for forming the Fourier transformed image displayed by the display means (1) near a pupil plane (A) of an observer's eye (3) so that the original image is produced on the retina (3a) of the eye (3).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 1, characterized in that the optical means (5) comprises lens means (7, 9) for making the display means (1) conjugate with the pupil plane (A) of the observer's eye (3) so that the Fourier transform of the Fourier transformed image displayed by the display means (1) is produced on the retina (3a) of the eye (3).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
84 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 2, characterized in that the lens means (7, 9) comprises a first lens (7) and a second lens (9), the display means (1) being located on the primary focal plane of the first lens (7), the pupil plane (A) of the observer's eye (3) being located on the secondary focal plane of the second lens (9), and the secondary focal point of the first lens (7) coinciding with the primary focal point of the second lens (9).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
103 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 1, characterized in that the display means (1) comprises: a light source (19); a first polarizer (23) for transmitting a predetermined polarization component of the light beam emitted from the light source (19); first means (25) with a plurality of pixels for controlling the polarization direction of the light beam transmitted from the first polarizer (23) for pixels, each of which represents a spectrum of the Fourier transformed image to be displayed; and a second polarizer (27) for transmitting a predetermined polarization component of the light beam transmitted from the first polarization direction controlling means (25).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 4, characterized in that the first polarization direction controlling means (25) comprises a liquid crystal device having a plurality of pixels.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 4, characterized by further comprising: phase control means (29) for receiving the light beam from the second polarizer (27) and for controlling a relative phase for each of the spectra of the Fourier transformed image to be displayed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 6, characterized in that the phase control means (29) comprises means for controlling an optical path length for each of the spectra of the Fourier transformed image to be displayed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 7, characterized in that the optical path length controlling means comprises a liquid crystal device having a plurality of pixels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 6, characterized in that the phase control means (29) comprises means for providing phase difference due to relative wave retardation for each of the spectra of the Fourier transformed image to be displayed.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
105 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 9, characterized in that the phase difference providing means comprises: second means (37) for controlling the polarization direction of the light beam from the second polarizer (35) for each of the pixels corresponding to the Fourier transformed image to be displayed; a phase plate (39) for receiving the light beam from the second polarization direction controlling means (37) and for providing the substantial phase difference of 7 r/2 between the polarization components perpendicular to each other; and a third polarizer (41) for receiving the light beam from the phase plate (39) and for transmitting a predetermined polarization component.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 1, characterized in that the display means (1) comprises: lens means (49) for Fourier transforming the original image; and optical fiber means (51) for outputting the image which is Fourier transformed by the lens means (49) and is formed on the one end (51 a) thereof from the other end (51 b) thereof to the optical means (5).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
66 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 1, characterized in that the display means (1) comprises: a light source (19); beam splitting means (57) for splitting the light beam emitted from the light source (19); means (59, 61) for directing each of the beams split by the beam splitting means (57); and means (71) for optically combining the beams directed by the beam directing means (59,61)
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
63 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 12, characterized in that the beam directing means (59, 61) comprises: modulation means (59, 61) for generating a diffraction beam for each of the beams split by the splitting means; and means (4) connected to the modulation means for controlling a diffraction angle for each of the diffraction beams generated by the modulation means (59, 61)
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 12, characterized in that the beam directing means comprises: reflecting means with two rotational axes orthogonal each other for reflecting each beam split by the splitting means; and means for controlling the rotation of the reflecting means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 12, characterized in that the light source includes one dimensional array and the beam directing means includes reflecting means rotatable about an axis parallel to the direction of the array for reflecting each beam split by the splitting means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
59 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 12, characterized in that one dimensional liquid crystal array is located between the light source (19) and the splitting means (57), the beam directing means including reflecting means rotatable about an axis parallel to the direction of the one dimensional liquid crystal array for reflecting each beam split by the splitting means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
106 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 1, characterized in that the display means (1) comprises: a light source; beam splitting means for splitting the light beam from the light source; phase control means for providing a relative phase retardation for each of the beams split by the beam splitting means; and means for providing a symmetric displacement for the light beams from the phase control means; means for optically synthesizing the beams from the displacement providing means; and a polarizer located between the synthesizing means and the pupil of the observer's eye for transmitting a predetermined polarization component of the beam from the synthesizing means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
62 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 17, characterized in that the displacement providing means comprises: an optical member (93) with two parallel plane, the two beams incident respectively on the two parallel plane from the phase control means having parallel and opposite directions to each other, and the optical member being rotatable; means for controlling the rotation of the optical member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 18, characterized in that the optical member is rotatable about two axes perpendicular to the optical axis (97).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 18, characterized in that the optical member is rotatable about the optical axis and about one of the axes perpendicular to the optical axis (97).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
138 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 1, characterized in that the display means (1) comprise: a laser array constituted such that light beams emitted from the same laser element are coherent and light beams emitted from different laser element are incoherent each other; beam splitting means for splitting the beam emitted from said laser array; image rotating means for rotating one of the split beams produced by said splitting means by 180 about an optical axis and outputting the rotate beam; optical coupling means for optically coupling the other of said split beams produced by said splitting means and the beam emitted from said image rotating means such that these beams are arranged in a rotational symmetry; and phase conversion element array for providing relative phase retardation for each of the spectra of the Fourier transformed image.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 21, characterized in that the image rotating means includes two Porro prisms (107a, 107b) combined perpendicularly to each other.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
91 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 3, characterized in that the display means (1) comprises: a point light source (121); a third lens (123) with a secondary focal point coincident with the primary focal point of the first lens (7) for focusing the light beam from the point light source (121); a prism (125) located between the secondary focal point of the third lens (123) and the first lens (7) for forming two symmetric points about the optical axis; and driving means for moving the prism in a predetermined direction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
56 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 23, characterized by further comprising: an optical member (127) with two parallel plane, which is rotatable and located between the first lens (7) and the second lens (9), for providing displacement for the points formed by the prism; and controlling means for controlling the rotation of the optical member.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
48 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 6, characterized in that the display means (1) comprises: a density filter (129) located near the phase control means and constructed to have a transmittance which is highest at the center thereof and decreases toward periphery thereof at a predetermined rate.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
53 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 6, characterized in that the display means (1) comprises: a density filter (131) located near the phase control means for eliminating a spatial frequency component exceeding a Nyquist frequency of photoreceptor array in human retina, the density filter having a circular opening having a constant transmittance.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
35 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 6, characterized in that the display means (1) comprises: a density filter (133) located near the phase control means for eliminating a spectrum component inducing low visual effect.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
37 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 27, characterized in that the filter (135) is constructed to have the transmittance which is highest at the center thereof and decreases toward a periphery thereof at a predetermined rate.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
62 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 1, characterized in that the display means (1) comprises: a liquid crystal element array (139) for producing and displaying the Fourier transformed image; and a micro-lens array (137) positioned such that a laser beam incident on each of microlenses has a focal point near the center of each pixel of the liquid crystal array (139).
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
115 words
An image display apparatus wearable on head for forming a produced and displayed image on the retina of an observer's eye, characterized in that said image display apparatus comprises: a white light source (143); a collimation lens (149) for collimating a light beam from the white light source (143); display means (1) located in the parallel light beam from the collimation lens (149) for displaying a Fourier transformed image of an original image; optical means (151, 153, 157) for forming the Fourier transformed image displayed by said display means (1) on a pupil plane (A) of an observer's eye (159) so that the original image is formed on the retina (159a) of the eye (159).
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
115 words
An image display apparatus wearable on head for forming a produced and displayed image on the retina of an observer's eye, characterized in that said image display apparatus comprises: a white light source (143); a collimation lens (149) for collimating a light beam from the white light source (143); display means (1) located in the parallel light beam from the collimation lens (149) for displaying a Fourier transformed image of an original image; optical means (151, 153, 157) for forming the Fourier transformed image displayed by said display means (1) on a pupil plane (A) of an observer's eye (159) so that the original image is formed on the retina (159a) of the eye (159).
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
37 words
An image display apparatus as in claim 30 characterized by further comprising: an optical shutter (161) for controlling a image provided for the observer, which combines the image produced by the display means and a outer world.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
100 words
A perimeter for examining the visual field, characterized in that said perimeter comprises: a fixation mark (163); first optical means (165, 167, 169, 173) for forming a image of the fixation mark (163) on a retina (159a) of a subject's eye (159); monitoring means (175, 167, 169, 173) for checking that the subject watches the mark; display means (1) for displaying a Fourier transformed image; and second optical means (143, 145, 147, 149, 151, 171, 173) for forming a image of the Fourier transformed image displayed by the display means (1) on a pupil plane (A) of the eye (159).
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
100 words
A perimeter for examining the visual field, characterized in that said perimeter comprises: a fixation mark (163); first optical means (165, 167, 169, 173) for forming a image of the fixation mark (163) on a retina (159a) of a subject's eye (159); monitoring means (175, 167, 169, 173) for checking that the subject watches the mark; display means (1) for displaying a Fourier transformed image; and second optical means (143, 145, 147, 149, 151, 171, 173) for forming a image of the Fourier transformed image displayed by the display means (1) on a pupil plane (A) of the eye (159).
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
131 words
A method of arraigning an optical axis of an display apparatus recited in claim 3 to an optical axis of the observer's eye characterized by comprising the steps of: moving an aperture (11) placed between the first lens (7) and the second lens (9) along the optical axis of the display apparatus until the two images of the aperture (11) are formed on the retina of the observer's eye; moving observer's eye position in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the display apparatus until the two images of the aperture (11) have the same brightness; and moving the aperture (11) placed between the first lens (7) and the second lens (9) along the optical axis of the display apparatus until two images of the aperture become a single image.
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