Patent US6231371B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6271895B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6271895B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Image observing apparatus for observing outside information superposed with a display image
Assignee: Mixed Reality Systems Laboratory Inc
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Filing: 2000-12-15
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Granted: 2001-08-07
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Expires: 2020-12-15
Abstract
Abstract An image observing apparatus is arranged to observe outside information from the outside and a display image displayed on an image display device via an optical combiner and via an eyepiece lens superimposed. The outside information and the display image are imaged so as to be superimposed on a surface of a spatial modulator having a two-dimensional pixel structure. Part or all of the outside information and display image is selected on an area basis by the spatial modulator. The outside information and image information thus selected is observed through the eyepiece lens.
Inventors
- 👤 Akinari Takagi
- 👤 Yoshihiro Saito
- 👤 Naosato Taniguchi
- 👤 Toshiyuki Sudo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:14
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B27/00; G02B27/01; G02B27/0101; G02B27/017; G02B27/0172; G02B2027/011; G02B2027/0118; G02B2027/0132; G02B2027/0178; G02B5/00; G02B5/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
An image observing apparatus in which a light beam from outside and a light beam from display means are guided to an eye of an observer via optical path combining means to observe, in the same view field, outside image information based on the beam from outside and a display image displayed on the display means, said image observing apparatus comprising image pickup means for picking up outside image information and a spatial modulator having a two-dimensional pixel structure, said image observing apparatus further comprising control means for causing the spatial modulator to modulate at least a partial area thereof so as to permit switching of observation between the beam composing said display image, for controlling said spatial modulator so as to intercept or reduce the beam in an area of said outside image information in accordance with an area of said display image, and for complementing an area of said outside image information, eclipsed by said spatial modulator, around said area of the display image with the image information picked up by said image pickup means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
177 words
An image observing apparatus in which a light beam from outside and a light beam from display means are guided to an eye of an observer via optical path combining means to observe, in the same view field, outside image information based on the beam from outside and a display image displayed on the display means, said image observing apparatus comprising image pickup means for picking up outside image information and a spatial modulator having a two-dimensional pixel structure, said image observing apparatus further comprising control means for causing the spatial modulator to modulate at least a partial area thereof so as to permit switching of observation between the beam composing said display image, for controlling said spatial modulator so as to intercept or reduce the beam in an area of said outside image information in accordance with an area of said display image, and for complementing an area of said outside image information, eclipsed by said spatial modulator, around said area of the display image with the image information picked up by said image pickup means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The image observing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the beam composing the outside image information and the beam composing said display image are beams having respective polarization states different from each other, and said spatial modulator comprises a transmission type liquid crystal panel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
An image observing system comprising a pair of image observing apparatuses as defined in claim 2 , for a right eye and a left eye of an observer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
An image observing system comprising a pair of image observing apparatuses as defined in claim 1 for a right eye and a left eye of an observer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
160 words
An image observing apparatus in which a light beam from outside and a light beam from display means are guided to an eye of an observer via optical path combining means to observe, in the same view field, outside image information based on the beam from outside and a display image displayed on the display means, said image observing apparatus comprising a spatial modulator having a two-dimensional pixel structure disposed in an optical path between said optical path combining means and the eye of the observer, said image observing apparatus further comprising control means for causing said spatial modulator to modulate at least a partial area thereof so as to permit switching of observation between the beam composing the outside image information and the beam composing said display image, and for controlling said spatial modulator so as to intercept or reduce the beam in an area of said outside image information in accordance with an area of said display image.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
160 words
An image observing apparatus in which a light beam from outside and a light beam from display means are guided to an eye of an observer via optical path combining means to observe, in the same view field, outside image information based on the beam from outside and a display image displayed on the display means, said image observing apparatus comprising a spatial modulator having a two-dimensional pixel structure disposed in an optical path between said optical path combining means and the eye of the observer, said image observing apparatus further comprising control means for causing said spatial modulator to modulate at least a partial area thereof so as to permit switching of observation between the beam composing the outside image information and the beam composing said display image, and for controlling said spatial modulator so as to intercept or reduce the beam in an area of said outside image information in accordance with an area of said display image.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The image observing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said spatial modulator comprises a transmission type liquid crystal panel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
An image observing system comprising a pair of image observing apparatuses as defined in claim 6 , for a right eye and a left eye of an observer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image observing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the beam composing the outside image information and the beam composing said display image are beams having respective polarization states different from each other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
An image observing system comprising a pair of image observing apparatuses as defined in claim 8 , for a right eye and a left eye of an observer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
An image observing system comprising a pair of image observing apparatuses as defined in claim 5 , for a right eye and a left eye of an observer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
123 words
An image observing apparatus arranged to observe, in the same view field, outside image information from outside and a display image displayed on display means via optical path combining means, said image observing apparatus comprising a spatial modulator having a two-dimensional pixel structure, the outside image information being observed via said spatial modulator, said spatial modulator selectively modulating a part or all of the display image and the outside image information in the same view field on an area basis, said image observing apparatus further comprising control means for complementing an area of the outside image information around the display image selectively modulated, with image information picked up by image pickup means for picking up outside image information eclipsed by said spatial modulator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
123 words
An image observing apparatus arranged to observe, in the same view field, outside image information from outside and a display image displayed on display means via optical path combining means, said image observing apparatus comprising a spatial modulator having a two-dimensional pixel structure, the outside image information being observed via said spatial modulator, said spatial modulator selectively modulating a part or all of the display image and the outside image information in the same view field on an area basis, said image observing apparatus further comprising control means for complementing an area of the outside image information around the display image selectively modulated, with image information picked up by image pickup means for picking up outside image information eclipsed by said spatial modulator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein said spatial modulator selectively modulates at least a part of the display image and the outside image information by utilizing polarization of the beams having different polarization states from each other.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
An image observing system comprising a pair of image observing apparatuses as defined in claim 12 , for a right eye and a left eye of an observer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
An image observing system comprising a pair of image observing apparatuses as defined in claim 11 , for a right eye and a left eye of an observer.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-08-06 | 2005-02-05 | 2005-08-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-08-06 | 2009-02-05 | 2009-08-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-08-06 | 2013-02-05 | 2013-08-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |