Patent Application
20080068565
The accompanying drawings, which are included to aid in understanding the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
In the following description, a micro display device refers to a virtual micro display device for magnifying an image outputted from a micro display using an optical system.
As shown in
In the present invention, in order to miniaturize an overall length of the optical system and thus, resultantly miniaturize the micro display device, a lens 142 and a mirror 144 are only partially used by half or more with respect to an optical axis. The lens 142 is disposed in front of the micro display 130, and the mirror 144 is disposed in asymmetry with the lens 142. In the following description, the lens 142 refers to a lens only partially used by half or more with respect to the optical axis. The mirror 144 refers to a mirror only partially used by half or more with respect to the optical axis.
Referring to
In a more detailed description, the micro display 130 is provided in a position not consistent with the optical axis, at an upper side or a lower side of the optical axis of the lens 142 and the mirror 144. The lens 142 is disposed in front of the micro display 130 such that it is only partially provided by half or more with respect to the optical axis to magnify the image outputted from the micro display 130. The mirror 144 is disposed such that it is only partially provided corresponding to an opposite side of the lens 142 by half or more with respect to the optical axis, to more magnify the image magnified by the lens 142 and generate the virtual image.
In the micro display device having an asymmetric construction, the user sees the mirror 144 to observe the image, and observes the virtual image generated distant away by a designated distance at a rear side of the mirror 144.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the lens 142 forms the virtual image based on the image outputted from the micro display 130. The lens 142 can be constructed to have a distortion of a designated magnitude to correct a curved surface in a visible region (a region where the virtual image is focused) and an aberration of the mirror 144.
Further to the optical system of
In case where the optical system 140 is constructed as in this embodiment, the user can observe the image with more definition.
Referring to
As shown in
In the above micro display device, the micro display 130 is disposed in a position not consistent with the optical axis, thereby preventing the generation of a shadow region in the virtual image observed by the user.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the micro display 130 can be embodied by any one of emissive, transmissive, and reflective display devices. In the case of the emissive display device, the micro display 130 can be constructed using an organic electro luminescent (EL) or inorganic EL display. In the case of the transmissive display device, it can be constructed using a liquid crystal display (LCD). In the case of the reflective display device, it can be constructed using any one of digital light processing (DLP) and liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS). In the case of using the LCOS, it is desirable to use the polarization film for providing the effective reflection effect. Together, in the case of the transmissive display device, it is desirable that an illumination unit is further provided in rear of the micro display 130. In the case of the reflective display device, it is desirable that an illumination unit is further provided in front of the micro display 130.
The micro display 130 can be embodied to have a size of about 0.4 inch to 1.5 inch. A distance from the micro display 130 to the mirror 144, that is, the overall length can be approximately 80 mm to 150 mm. In this case, the virtual image has about 10 to 18 times, preferably 14 times of a size of the micro display 130. It can be differentiated depending on a kind of an object to be displayed, but it is desirable to control the virtual image by 12 inch.
It is desirable that the lens 142 is comprised of a convex lens, and the mirror 144 is comprised of a concave mirror.
The micro display device 10 according to the present invention can be constructed in a housing structure. In other words, the micro display device 10 can be constructed to be housed in a hexahedral box with a cover, and, according to need, expose the optical system, thereby allowing the user to view a desired image. In this case, it is desirable to control a housing box housing the micro display device 10 to have a depth of about 30 mm to 40 mm, and have a length (overall length) of about 80 mm to 150 mm. Such a housing structure can be based on various methods, and its detailed description will be made later.
As shown in
The above application of the micro display device to various devices can be drawn to the user's convenient use of various multimedia services, such as a common use of DMB and watching on TV or viewing a movie while moving, and thus the improvement of a percentage of service use. Also, the inventive micro display device has an advantage that since the overall length is minimized using the lens and the mirror, whole equipment can be more miniaturized while providing a large screen, thereby making a carriage more convenient.
The first link 410 can further include a sliding groove 412. It is desirable that the first link 410 is constructed to allow the second link 410 to be left/right slidable along the sliding groove 412. In this case, an optical distance between the lens 142 and the mirror 144 can be controlled, thereby controlling a magnitude of the outputted image. At the time of housing, the first link 410 can be combined with the second link 420 by the sliding groove 412, thereby achieving miniaturization.
Though not illustrated, the micro display 130 can connect with the interface 120 through the controller 110, and can connect with various electronic devices and communication devices through the interface 120.
As shown, the housing structure includes a housing box 510 opened at its one side (
In the above housing structure of the micro display device,
As shown, the housing structure according to this embodiment of the present invention includes a housing box 610 opened at its one side, and having a micro display (not shown) fixed and provided at one side of an inner part facing an opening part, and having a lens (not shown) only partially provided by half or more with respect to an optical axis in front of the micro display; first links 620 provided at left and right sides of the opening part of the housing box 610, to rotate about the housing box 610 by a hinge; second links 622 provided at the other sides of the first links 620 not connecting with the housing box 610, to rotate with the first links 620 by a hinge; an auxiliary plate 624 provided at the other sides of the second links 622 not connecting with the first link 620, to rotate by a hinge, and opening and closing the opening part of the housing box 610; and a mirror fixing plate 630 vertically provided at the other end of the auxiliary plate 624, and having a mirror 144 only partially fixed and attached inside by half or more corresponding to an opposite side of the lens with respect to an optical axis.
In the above housing structure of the micro display device,
As described above with reference to
According to the present invention, the lens and the mirror can be only partially used by half or more with respect to the optical axis, thereby miniaturizing the micro display device. Thus, in case where the micro display device is applied to the communication device, it can be housed without increasing a volume of the communication device, and the user can carry the communication device while using various multimedia services through the large screen.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
