Image display apparatus and method for displaying image

Abstract

A see-through type image display apparatus and a method for displaying image are provided. This is an image display apparatus mounted on the head or face of a user wherein the user can see through the apparatus to observe the external world, and includes: a see-through type display section for displaying an image; an audio input section for inputting the sound generated from the sound source of the external world and generating an audio signal; a sound source detection section for detecting the relative direction with reference to the image display apparatus of the sound source, based on the audio signal generated by the audio input section; and an image generation section for generating an image representing the direction of the aforementioned sound source based on the direction of the sound source detected by the sound source detection section and for outputting it to the display section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b) are external schematic diagrams showing an example of the HMD as an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b) are external schematic diagrams showing another example of the HMD as an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view in cross section representing the display unit in the HMD as an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram representing the electric circuit of the HMD as an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b) are schematic diagram showing an example of the layout of microphones in the HMD as an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b) are schematic diagram showing another example of the layout of microphones in the HMD as an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7 (a) through 7 (d) are schematic diagrams representing an example of the sound source display in the HMD as an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram representing another example of the sound source display in the HMD as an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the flow in the display operation of a sound source in the HMD as an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow in the display operation of a sound source resulting from a change in head position in the HMD as an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 11 (a) through 11 (d) are schematic diagrams showing an example of display of a sound source resulting from a change in head position in the HMD as an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An image display apparatus which is for being attached to a head or a face, and through which a user is able to see an outside world, the apparatus comprising: a display section which is see-through and displays an image;an audio input section for inputting a sound generated by a sound source in the outside world and generating an audio signal;a sound source detection section for detecting a relative direction of the sound source with respect to the image display apparatus based on the audio signal generated by the audio input section; andan image generation section for generating an image to indicate a direction of the sound source and displaying the image on the display section.

2. The image display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sound source detection section detects a relative traveling direction of the sound source with respect to the image display apparatus based on the audio signal generated by the audio input section, and the image generation section generates an image to indicate the traveling direction based on the traveling direction detected by the sound source detection section.

3. The image display apparatus of claim 2, comprising: an image selection section for selecting an image to be generated by the image generation section,wherein the image generation section generates an image to indicate the direction of the sound source and an image to indicate the traveling direction of the sound source or each of the image to indicate the direction and the image to indicate the traveling direction.

4. The image display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio input section comprising: two microphones for collecting the sound generated by the sound source at different positions of the image display apparatus, each of the microphones is arranged facing outwardly centering around the head of the user to be directed different directions.

5. The image display apparatus of claim 1, comprising: a sound recognition section for recognizing the sound generated by the sound source and converting the sound into linguistic information based on the audio signal generated by the audio input section,wherein the image generation section generates an image according to the linguistic information converted by the sound recognition section.

6. The image display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image generation section displays information about the sound source in whole surrounding area of the user as a sound source image indicating a direction of a sound source.

7. The image display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the image generation section displays the sound source image with the user observed from immediately above the user.

8. The image display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the image generation section displays the sound source image with the user observed from obliquely above the user.

9. The image display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the image generation section displays the sound source image with a sound source in a horizontal direction and a sound source in a non-horizontal direction distinguished therebetween.

10. The image display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the image generation section displays, as the sound source image, a situation of continuously moving of the sound source.

11. The image display apparatus of claim 6, wherein the image generation section changes the sound source image into an expression which is easy to visually recognize as the sound source reaches the user.

12. The image display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image generation section generates the sound source image based on the detected sound source which meets a predetermined standard.

13. The image display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the predetermined standard is that a sound pressure of the sound source is not less than a predetermined value.

14. The image display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the predetermined standard is that the sound source includes a predetermined frequency range.

15. The image display apparatus of claim 12, wherein the predetermined standard is that a sound pressure change rate of the sound source is not less than a predetermined value or the sound source includes a frequency change rate not less than a predetermined value.

16. The image display apparatus of claim 1, comprising: a movement detection section for detecting a movement of the display section,wherein when the image generation section detects the movement of the display section, the image generation section changes the display of the sound source image in conjunction with a direction of the movement.

17. The image display apparatus of claim 16, wherein when the image generation section judges that the display section turns to the direction of the sound source displayed on the display section, the image generation section stops displaying the image to indicate the direction of the sound source.

18. A method for displaying an image on an image display apparatus which is for being attached on a head or a face, and through which a user is able to see an outside world, the method comprising the steps of: displaying the image on a see-through display section;inputting a sound generated by a sound source in the outside world, and generating an audio signal;detecting a relative direction of the sound source with respect to the image display apparatus based on the audio signal;generating an image to indicate the direction of the sound source based on the detected direction of the sound source; anddisplaying the image on the display section.

19. An image display apparatus, comprising: a display section for superimposing and displaying an image in a view field of a user of the image display apparatus;a detection section for detecting location information of an sound source in a surrounding area of the user; anda display control section for generating an image to indicate a location of the detected sound source and displaying the image on the display section.