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US4636866A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Personal liquid crystal image display

Assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
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Filing: 1983-12-22
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Granted: 1987-01-13
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Expires: 2003-12-22
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Abstract

Abstract A personal liquid crystal image display includes a housing to be worn on a user's head, a light-transmission-type liquid crystal display panel for displaying video signals and a lens positioned between the display panel and a user's eye to enlarge the image. The housing may include earphones. The display and earphones are coupled to a tuner for receiving signal and driving the display and earphones. A portion of the drive circuit for driving the display may be disposed in the housing.

Inventors

  • 👤 Noboru Hattori

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 05:49
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/01; G02B27/017; G02B30/00; G02B30/20; G02B30/34

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 166 words
A liquid crystal image display device to be worn on a user's head, comprising: holding means for holding elements of the display adapted to surround the eyes of the user and be worn on the user's head and formed with at least one opening to permit incident light to enter the holding means in the region in front of the user's eyes; at least one light-transmission-type liquid crystal display panel disposed in the holding member along the line of sight of said at least one opening for displaying an image; lens means disposed in the holding means along the line of sight between said liquid crystal display panel and the user's eyes for enlarging the size of said image displayed on the display panel; and signal means coupled to the display panel for generating liquid crystal drive signals for driving said liquid crystal display panel, said display panel being positioned a distance from the lens means which is within the focal length of said lens means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 166 words
A liquid crystal image display device to be worn on a user's head, comprising: holding means for holding elements of the display adapted to surround the eyes of the user and be worn on the user's head and formed with at least one opening to permit incident light to enter the holding means in the region in front of the user's eyes; at least one light-transmission-type liquid crystal display panel disposed in the holding member along the line of sight of said at least one opening for displaying an image; lens means disposed in the holding means along the line of sight between said liquid crystal display panel and the user's eyes for enlarging the size of said image displayed on the display panel; and signal means coupled to the display panel for generating liquid crystal drive signals for driving said liquid crystal display panel, said display panel being positioned a distance from the lens means which is within the focal length of said lens means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 75 words
The ersonal liquid crystal image display, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one display panel includes two light-transmission-type liquid crystal display panels disposed side-by-side in the opening of the holding means, each display panel disposed along the line of sight of and associated with one of the user's eyes, said lens means including an associated lens means for each display panel disposed in the holding means between the associated panel and eye.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 46 words
The personal liquid crystal image display, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening on said holding means further comprises a light collecting window on the side of said display panel opposite from said lens means for admitting light to be transmitted through said display panel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 24 words
The personal liquid crystal image display as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal means includes driver circuit means for driving said display panel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 29 words
The personal liquid crystal image display, as claimed in claim 4, wherein said driver circuit means includes a circuit which is at least partly mounted in said holding means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 43 words
The personal liquid crystal image display as claimed in claim 1, further including a prism and a reflecting mirror mounted in said holding means between said lens means and the user's eye for directing light transmitted through said display to the user's eye.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
The personal liquid crystal image display as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lens means is a plastic lens.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
The personal liquid crystal image display of claim 1, wherein said signal means includes at least video signal receiving means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 20 words
The personal liquid crystal image display of claim 1, wherein the signal means includes video and audio signal receiving means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 34 words
The personal liquid crystal image display of claim 9, wherein the holding means further includes earphones disposed adjacent to the user's ears to receive signals generated by said video and audio signal receiving means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 26 words
The personal liquid crystal image display as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said signal means is disposed in said holding means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 165 words
A personal liquid crystal image display to be worn on a user's head, comprising: holding means for holding elements of the display device adapted to surround the eyes of the user and to be worn on the user's head and formed with at least one opening to permit incident light to enter the holding means in the region in front of the user's eyes; output circuit means for generating video and audio signals; at least one light-transmission-type liquid crystal display panel disposed in the holding member along the line of sight of the opening and coupled to the output circuit means to receive the video signals, said display panel displaying an image; lens means disposed along the line of sight between said liquid crystal display panel and the user's eyes, said liquid crystal display panel being located within the focal length of said lens means; and at least one earphone for producing sound in response to the audio signals generated by said output circuit means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 165 words
A personal liquid crystal image display to be worn on a user's head, comprising: holding means for holding elements of the display device adapted to surround the eyes of the user and to be worn on the user's head and formed with at least one opening to permit incident light to enter the holding means in the region in front of the user's eyes; output circuit means for generating video and audio signals; at least one light-transmission-type liquid crystal display panel disposed in the holding member along the line of sight of the opening and coupled to the output circuit means to receive the video signals, said display panel displaying an image; lens means disposed along the line of sight between said liquid crystal display panel and the user's eyes, said liquid crystal display panel being located within the focal length of said lens means; and at least one earphone for producing sound in response to the audio signals generated by said output circuit means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 153 words
A personal liquid crystal image display to be worn on the user's head, comprising: holding means for holding elements of the display device adapted to surround the eyes of the user and to be worn on the user's head and formed with at least one opening to permit incident light to enter the holding member in the region in front of the user's eyes; at least one light-transmission-type liquid crystal display panel disposed in the opening in the holding member, said display panel displaying an image; television tuner receiving means coupled to said holding means and said display panel, for receiving video and audio television signals, said video television signals being adapted for driving the liquid crystal display panel; and lens means disposed along the line of sight between said liquid crystal display panel and the user's eyes, said liquid crystal display means being located within the focal length of said lens means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 153 words
A personal liquid crystal image display to be worn on the user's head, comprising: holding means for holding elements of the display device adapted to surround the eyes of the user and to be worn on the user's head and formed with at least one opening to permit incident light to enter the holding member in the region in front of the user's eyes; at least one light-transmission-type liquid crystal display panel disposed in the opening in the holding member, said display panel displaying an image; television tuner receiving means coupled to said holding means and said display panel, for receiving video and audio television signals, said video television signals being adapted for driving the liquid crystal display panel; and lens means disposed along the line of sight between said liquid crystal display panel and the user's eyes, said liquid crystal display means being located within the focal length of said lens means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 34 words
The personal liquid crystal image display of claim 13, wherein the holding means further includes earphones disposed adjacent to the user's ears to receive signals generated by said video and audio signal receiving means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 21 words
The personal liquid crystal image display of claim 13, wherein the television tuner receiving means is separate from the holding means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 263 words
A liquid crystal image display device to be worn on a user's head, comprising: holding means for holding elements of the display device adapted to surround the eyes of the user and be worn on the user's head and formed with at least one opening to permit incident light to enter the holding means in the region in front of the user's eyes; at least one light transmission type liquid crystal display panel disposed in the holding means along the line of sight of the opening for displaying an image; lens means disposed in the holding means along the line of sight between said liquid crystal display panel and the user's eyes for enlarging the size of the image displayed on the display panel, said display panel being positioned a distance from said lens means which is within the focal length of said lens; signal means coupled to the display panel for generating liquid crystal drive signals for driving said liquid crystal display panel including right and left images of a three-dimensional display; prism means and reflecting means mounted in said holding means between said lens means and the user's eyes for directing light transmitted through said display panel to the user's eyes; and shutter means disposed proximate to said prism means for selectively gating the images transmitted to the user's left and right eyes, synchronized with the right and left images, so that when right and left images are alternately displayed on said liquid crystal display panel a three-dimensional image display is achieved with the use of one liquid crystal display panel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 263 words
A liquid crystal image display device to be worn on a user's head, comprising: holding means for holding elements of the display device adapted to surround the eyes of the user and be worn on the user's head and formed with at least one opening to permit incident light to enter the holding means in the region in front of the user's eyes; at least one light transmission type liquid crystal display panel disposed in the holding means along the line of sight of the opening for displaying an image; lens means disposed in the holding means along the line of sight between said liquid crystal display panel and the user's eyes for enlarging the size of the image displayed on the display panel, said display panel being positioned a distance from said lens means which is within the focal length of said lens; signal means coupled to the display panel for generating liquid crystal drive signals for driving said liquid crystal display panel including right and left images of a three-dimensional display; prism means and reflecting means mounted in said holding means between said lens means and the user's eyes for directing light transmitted through said display panel to the user's eyes; and shutter means disposed proximate to said prism means for selectively gating the images transmitted to the user's left and right eyes, synchronized with the right and left images, so that when right and left images are alternately displayed on said liquid crystal display panel a three-dimensional image display is achieved with the use of one liquid crystal display panel.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

DE1103961B Cited
US3738733A Cited
US4021846A Cited
US4310849A Cited
US4403216A Cited
US4395731A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-01-12 1990-07-14 1991-01-13 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-01-12 1994-07-14 1995-01-13 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-01-12 1998-07-14 1999-01-13 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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