Sony Patent | Image projection apparatus, image projection method, image display light output control method
Patent: Image projection apparatus, image projection method, image display light output control method
Drawings: Click to check drawins
Publication Number: 20210035478
Publication Date: 20210204
Applicant: Sony
Assignee: Sony Corporation
Abstract
The present technology provides an image projection apparatus including a pupil information acquisition section that acquires a pupil area or size, and an output control section that controls an output of image display light being collected around the pupil and irradiated on a retina on the basis of the pupil area or size acquired by the pupil information acquisition section. In addition, the present technology provides an image projection method including a step of acquiring pupil information to acquire a pupil area or size, a step of controlling an output of the image display light collected around a pupil and irradiated to a retina on the basis of a pupil area or size acquired in the step of acquiring pupil information, and a step of outputting image display light that irradiates the retina with the image display light at the output controlled in the step of controlling the output.
Claims
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An image projection apparatus, comprising: a pupil information acquisition section that acquires a pupil area or size; and an output control section that controls an output of image display light being collected around the pupil and irradiated on a retina on a basis of the pupil area or size acquired by the pupil information acquisition section.
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output control section determines the output of the image display light on a basis of target image display light brightness and the pupil area or size.
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the output of the image display light is determined such that the target image display light brightness and a value obtained by dividing the output of the image display light by the pupil area or size satisfy a predetermined relationship.
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined relationship is represented by the following equation L = C .intg. P ( .lamda. ) .times. K ( .lamda. ) .omega. .times. A d .lamda. [ Math . 1 ] ##EQU00009## or the following equation L = C .lamda. P .lamda. .times. K .lamda. .omega. .times. A [ Math . 2 ] ##EQU00010## (where L denotes the target image display light brightness, C denotes an adjustment factor, .lamda. denotes a wavelength, P denotes the output of the image display light at each wavelength, K denotes visual sensitivity at each wavelength, .omega. denotes a display visual angle, and A denotes a pupil size or a pupil area).
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output control section causes the output of the image display light to change depending on at least one of a change in the pupil area or size, a change in external light illuminance, or a change in an external light contrast.
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the output control section causes the output of the image display light to change depending on the change in the pupil area or size and determines the output of the image display light on a basis of the pupil area or size before and after the change.
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the output control section controls the output of the image display light so as to provide image display brightness determined on a basis of the following equation L.sub.1=E.sub.1/E.sub.0*A.sub.1/A.sub.0*C.sub.1/C.sub.0*L.sub.0 [Math 3] (where L.sub.1, E.sub.1, A.sub.1, and C.sub.1 denote the image display brightness, the external light illuminance, the pupil area or size, and the external light contrast, respectively, after the change, and L.sub.0, E.sub.0, A.sub.0, and C.sub.0 denote the image display brightness, the external light illuminance, the pupil area or size, and the external light contrast, respectively, before the change).
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the output control section determines the target image display light brightness on a basis of gaze point lightness and a contrast with respect to the lightness.
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the pupil information acquisition section acquires position information of the pupil, and the pupil information acquisition section specifies the gaze point on a basis of the position information.
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the pupil information acquisition section includes an infrared camera.
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: a gaze point information acquisition section that acquires the gaze point lightness.
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an image display light irradiation section that irradiates the retina with the image display light at an output controlled by the output control section.
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the image display light irradiation section irradiates the image display light by a retina projection method or a retina scanning method.
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the image display light irradiation section uses laser light as an illumination light source.
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image projection apparatus is ahead mount display.
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image projection apparatus is an eye wear display.
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The image projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image to be projected is displayed so as to be superimposed on an external scene.
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An image projection method, comprising: a step of acquiring pupil information to acquire a pupil area or size; a step of controlling an output of image display light collected around a pupil and irradiated to a retina on a basis of a pupil area or size acquired in the step of acquiring pupil information; and a step of outputting image display light that irradiates the retina with the image display light at the output controlled in the step of controlling the output.
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An image display light output control method, comprising: a step of acquiring pupil information to acquire a pupil area or size; and a step of controlling an output of image display light collected around a pupil and irradiated to a retina on a basis of a pupil area or size acquired in the step of acquiring pupil information.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present technology relates to an image projection apparatus, an image projection method, and an image display light output control method, and, more particularly, to an image projection apparatus and an image projection method in which image display light is collected around a pupil and is irradiated to a retina, and an image display light output control method of controlling an output of the image display light collected around the pupil and irradiated to the retina.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] In recent years, a technology of superimposing an image on an external scene, e.g., a real landscape, and displaying draws an attention. The technology is also called as an augmented reality (AR) technology. One example product obtained by using the technology is a head mount display. The head mount display is used by being worn by a user’s head. In an image display method by using the head mount display, a user’s eye is irradiated with light from the head mount display, for example, in addition to external light, to thereby superimposing an image on an external image and displaying.
[0003] For example, Patent Literature 1 describes an invention relating to a transmissive image display apparatus. The transmissive image display apparatus includes an image display section which displays the image, an optical means which guides the image to the user’s eye, a light control filter which makes the transmittance of external light variable and adjusts the light intensity of the external light reaching the user’s eye, a pupil imaging camera which images the pupil of the user’s eye, and a control section which calculates a pupil diameter of the pupil on the basis of an imaging signal from a pupil imaging means and adjusts each of transmittance of the light control filter and a light intensity of the image of the image display section on the basis of the calculated value of the pupil diameter.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
[0004] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2017-97098
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0005] Along with an increase in an interest toward the AR technology, it needs a better image projection method. For example, it needs to present a clearer image to the user and to present a more readily visible image to the user.
[0006] An object of the present technology is to provide a new image projection technology.
Solution to Problem
[0007] The present inventors found that it is possible to display an image having adequate lightness and clearness superimposed on an external scene for a user by an image projection technology having a specific structure.
[0008] Specifically, the present technology provides an image projection apparatus including a pupil information acquisition section that acquires a pupil area or size, and an output control section that controls an output of image display light being collected around the pupil and irradiated on a retina on the basis of the pupil area or size acquired by the pupil information acquisition section.
[0009] According to one embodiment of the present technology, the output control section may determine the output of the image display light on the basis of target image display light brightness and the pupil area or size.
[0010] According to one embodiment of the present technology, the output of the image display light may be determined such that the target image display light brightness and a value obtained by dividing the output of the image display light by the pupil area or size satisfy a predetermined relationship.
[0011] According to one embodiment of the present technology, the predetermined relationship may be represented by the following equation
L = C .intg. P ( .lamda. ) .times. K ( .lamda. ) .omega. .times. A d .lamda. ##EQU00001##
or the following equation
L = C .lamda. P .lamda. .times. K .lamda. .omega. .times. A ##EQU00002##
[0012] (where L denotes the target image display light brightness, C denotes an adjustment factor, .lamda. denotes a wavelength, P denotes the output of the image display light at each wavelength, K denotes visual sensitivity at each wavelength, .omega. denotes a display visual angle, and A denotes a pupil size or a pupil area).
[0013] According to another embodiment of the present technology, the output control section may cause the output of the image display light to change depending on at least one of a change in the pupil area or size, a change in external light illuminance, or a change in an external light contrast.
[0014] According to another embodiment of the present technology, the output control section may cause the output of the image display light to change depending on the change in the pupil area or size and may determine the output of the image display light on the basis of the pupil area or size before and after the change.
[0015] According to another embodiment of the present technology, the output control section may control the output of the image display light so as to provide image display brightness determined on the basis of the following equation
L.sub.1=E.sub.1/E.sub.0*A.sub.1/A.sub.0*C.sub.1/C.sub.0*L.sub.0
[0016] (where L.sub.1, E.sub.1, A.sub.1, and C.sub.1 denote the image display brightness, the external light illuminance, the pupil area or size, and the external light contrast, respectively, after the change, and L.sub.0, E.sub.0, A.sub.0, and C.sub.0 denote the image display brightness, the external light illuminance, the pupil area or size, and the external light contrast, respectively, before the change).
[0017] According to one embodiment of the present technology, the output control section may determine the target image display light brightness on the basis of gaze point lightness and a contrast with respect to the lightness.
[0018] According to one embodiment of the present technology, the pupil information acquisition section may acquire position information of the pupil, and the pupil information acquisition section may specify the gaze point on the basis of the position information.
[0019] According to one embodiment of the present technology, the pupil information acquisition section may include an infrared camera.
[0020] According to one embodiment of the present technology, the image projection apparatus may further include a gaze point information acquisition section that acquires the gaze point lightness.
[0021] According to one embodiment of the present technology, the image projection apparatus may further include an image display light irradiation section that irradiates the retina with the image display light at an output controlled by the output control section.
[0022] According to one embodiment of the present technology, the image display light irradiation section may irradiate the image display light by a retina projection method or a retina scanning method.
[0023] According to one embodiment of the present technology, the image display light irradiation section may use laser light as an illumination light source.
[0024] According to one embodiment of the present technology, the image projection apparatus may be a head mount display.
[0025] According to one embodiment of the present technology, the image projection apparatus may be an eye wear display.
[0026] According to one embodiment of the present technology, an image to be projected may be displayed so as to be superimposed on an external scene.
[0027] In addition, the present technology provides an image projection method including a step of acquiring pupil information to acquire a pupil area or size,
[0028] a step of controlling an output of image display light collected around a pupil and irradiated to a retina on the basis of a pupil area or size acquired in the step of acquiring pupil information, and
[0029] a step of outputting image display light that irradiates the retina with the image display light at the output controlled in the step of controlling the output.
[0030] In addition, the present technology provides an image display light output control method including a step of acquiring pupil information to acquire a pupil area or size, and
[0031] a step of controlling an output of image display light collected around a pupil and irradiated to a retina on the basis of a pupil area or size acquired in the step of acquiring pupil information.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0032] According to the present technology, an image that has adequate lightness and is clear can be displayed by superimposing on an external scene. It should be noted that the effects achieved by the present technology are not necessarily limited to the effects described here and may be any of effects described in the present specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0033] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an image projection method of refracting image display light at a crystal lens and imaging on a retina.
[0034] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating the image projection method of refracting the image display light at the crystal lens and imaging on the retina.
[0035] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an image projection method utilized by the present technology.
[0036] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the image projection method utilized by the present technology.
[0037] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example of the image projection apparatus according to the present technology.
[0038] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a flow of the image projection method according to the present technology
[0039] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a flow of the image projection method according to the present technology
[0040] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a flow of an image display light output control method according to the present technology.
[0041] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a flow of the image display light output control method according to the present technology.
[0042] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the image projection apparatus according to the present technology.
[0043] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of the image projection apparatus according to the present technology.
[0044] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a specific configuration of the image projection apparatus according to the present technology.
[0045] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an image display light irradiation section by a retina scanning method.
[0046] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of an image display light irradiation section by a retina scanning method.
MODE(S)* FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION*
[0047] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0048] Hereinafter, desirable embodiments for carrying out the present technology will be described. Note that the embodiments described below show representative embodiments of the present technology and the scopes of the present technology are not limited to these embodiments. Note that the embodiments of the present technology will be described in the following order.
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First embodiment (image projection apparatus) (1) Description of first embodiment (2) First example of first embodiment (image projection apparatus) (3) Second example of first embodiment (image display light output control by output control section) (4) Third example of first embodiment (change in output of image display light by output control section) 2. Second embodiment (image projection method) (1) Description of second embodiment (2) First example of second embodiment (image projection method) (3) Second example of second embodiment (image projection method) 3. Third embodiment (image display light output control method) (1) Description of third embodiment (2) First example of third embodiment (image display light output control method) (3) Second example of third embodiment (image display light output control method) 4. Fourth embodiment (program) 5. Configuration example of apparatus
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