Patent Application
20170293260
This application claims the priority benefit of China application serial no. 201610213096.9, filed on Apr. 7, 2016. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification.
The invention relates to a projection apparatus and an image projection method, and particularly relates to a projection apparatus used for projection a virtual image and an image projection method.
In related techniques, there are a variety of user-wearable display devices. Such type of the display devices can be broadly divided into a monocular viewing type and a binocular viewing type. Regarding the monocular viewing type, after an image displayed by a projection panel passes through an optical assembly, regardless whether it is directly imaged on a retina of a user or produce a virtual image to an eye of the user, the image content viewed by the user is the same to the content displayed by the projection panel, which only has two-dimensional (2D) image information. In order to present three-dimensional (3D) image information to the user, the display device is required to provide image information of different angles to the user at different time points through a time multitasking manner. Therefore, in order to facilitate the user viewing the 3D image information by using the monocular-viewing type display device, a holographic image corresponding to the 3D image can be calculated according to the 3D image to be displayed by using a computer holography technical means, and by using a light modulator having amplitude and phase modulating capability in collaboration with suitable light conditions, for example, wavelength, wave front and direction, the holographic image may produce a virtual image to be displayed at a specific direction and a specific position. Moreover, although computer-generated holography (CGH) can be adopted to provide the user with the 3D information, when such device is used in collaboration with a lens of the user, a reconstructed image generated by the CGH may have deformation in size or shape due to a focal power of the lens. In related techniques, an extra optical lens is generally adopted to compensate such deformation, though such compensation may enlarge a volume and a weight of the display device, which is not conducive to user's wearing.
The information disclosed in this “BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION” section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the described technology and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Further, the information disclosed in the “BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION” section does not mean that one or more problems to be resolved by one or more embodiments of the invention were acknowledged by a person of ordinary skill in the art.
The invention is directed to a projection apparatus and an image projection method. The projection apparatus is adapted to project a virtual image onto a projection target, such that a user is able to view 3D image information, and image information of different angles can be provided to the user at different time points without using a time multitasking manner through a display device. Therefore, the user may view 3D image information by using a monocular-viewing type display device. Moreover, in the invention, it is unnecessary to use an extra optical lens to compensate a deformed image, so that the projection apparatus of the invention has a small volume and light weight, which is conducive to user's wearing.
Other objects and advantages of the invention can be further illustrated by the technical features broadly embodied and described as follows.
In order to achieve one or a portion of or all of the objects or other objects, an embodiment of the invention provides a projection apparatus. The projection apparatus is adapted to project a virtual image to a projection target. The projection apparatus includes a light source module, a light modulator, an optical lens and an optical film. The light source module is adapted to provide a light beam. The light modulator is disposed on a transmission path of the light beam, and is adapted to adjust a transmission direction of the light beam. The light modulator modulates the light beam to generate the virtual image according to an input signal. The optical lens is disposed on a transmission path of the virtual image, and has a front view direction on a reference plane. The projection target receives an environment beam in the front view direction of the optical lens to form an environment image. The optical film is disposed on the transmission path of the virtual image, and is adapted to project the virtual image to the projection target along a projection direction. The front view direction and the projection direction have an included angle on the reference plane.
In order to achieve one or a portion of or all of the objects or other objects, an embodiment of the invention provides an image projection method. The image projection method is adapted to a projection apparatus. The image projection method is adapted to project a virtual image to a projection target. The projection apparatus includes a light source module, a light modulator, an optical lens and an optical film. The image projection method includes following steps. A light beam is provided by the light source module. The light beam is modulated according to an input signal by using the light modulator, so as to generate the virtual image. An environment beam is received in a front view direction of a reference plane by using the optical lens, so as to form an environment image on the projection target. The virtual image is projected to the projection target along a projection direction by using the optical film. The front view direction and the projection direction have an included angle on the reference plane.
According to the above description, the embodiment of the invention has at least one of the following advantages and effects. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the light modulator generates the virtual image according to the input signal, where the projection direction thereof deviates from the front view direction, and the virtual image is projected to the projection target in a predetermined angle.
In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the invention comprehensible, several exemplary embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.
Other objectives, features and advantages of the invention will be further understood from the further technological features disclosed by the embodiments of the invention wherein there are shown and described preferred embodiments of this invention, simply by way of illustration of modes best suited to carry out the invention.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. In this regard, directional terminology, such as “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” etc., is used with reference to the orientation of the Figure(s) being described. The components of the invention can be positioned in a number of different orientations. As such, the directional terminology is used for purposes of illustration and is in no way limiting. On the other hand, the drawings are only schematic and the sizes of components may be exaggerated for clarity. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” and “mounted” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. Similarly, the terms “facing,” “faces” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect facing, and “adjacent to” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass directly and indirectly “adjacent to”. Therefore, the description of “A” component facing “B” component herein may contain the situations that “A” component directly faces “B” component or one or more additional components are between “A” component and “B” component. Also, the description of “A” component “adjacent to” “B” component herein may contain the situations that “A” component is directly “adjacent to” “B” component or one or more additional components are between “A” component and “B” component. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
The invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The terms used herein such as “above”, “below”, “front”, “back”, “left” and “right” are for the purpose of describing directions in the figures only and are not intended to be limiting of the invention.
In an embodiment, the lens module 150, for example, includes a plurality of solid lenses made of a light penetrating material such as glass or polymer, etc., which have a fixed focal length. The lens module 150 is a combination of a plurality of solid lenses, and a valid focal length thereof can be changed by adjusting a gap between the solid lenses, such that the lens module 150 has a zoom function. In an embodiment, the lens module 150, for example, includes a liquid crystal lens (LC-lens), an electrowetting lens (EW-lens), a liquid-filled membrane lens or a dielectric liquid lens, and an electric signal is adopted to change the valid focal length of the lens module 150, such that the lens module has the zoom function. In the embodiment, since enough instructions and recommendations for detailed steps and implementation of the method for changing the valid focal length of the lens module 150 can be learned from general acknowledge of the related technical field, detailed description thereof is not repeated.
In the embodiment, the light modulator 120 is disposed on the transmission path of the light beam LB, and is adapted to adjust a transmission direction of the light beam LB. For example, the light modulator 120 reflects the light beam LB coming from the lens module 150 to the optical lens 130. In the embodiment, the light modulator 120 modulates the light beam LB according to an input signal SIN to generate a virtual image VI, wherein the input signal SIN is output from an image source device having image signals, for example, a smartphone or a laptop, etc. . . . . In the embodiment, the virtual image VI is located at a side of a first surface S1 of the optical lens 130. In other words, the projection target PT (for example, a human eye) may view the virtual image VI having a depth of field at the side of the first surface S1 of the optical lens 130. The light modulator 120 is disposed at other position beside the side of the first surface S1. For example, the light modulator 120 is disposed outside an area of an included angle α, wherein an area of an included angle α is defined that the area is contained by the front view direction (Y) and the projection direction (D) such that the modulator 120 is free from the transmission path of the environment beam EB.
In an embodiment, the light modulator 120 is, for example, disposed at the side of a second surface S2 of the optical lens 130.
In the embodiment, the light modulator 120 is, for example, a spatial light modulator (SLM), the light modulator 120 receives image information carried by the input signal SIN, and loads one-dimensional or two-dimensional light data to the carried image information. The light modulator 120 is, for example, controlled by an electric driving signal varied along with time or other control signal for changing amplitude or intensity, phase, polarization of a spatial light distribution. In the embodiment, the pattern of the virtual image VI illustrated in
In an embodiment, the light modulator 120 is, for example, a reflective or a transmissive SLM. The reflective SLM is, for example, liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) or digital micro-mirror device (DMD), etc., and the transmissive SLM is, for example, a transparent liquid crystal panel. Moreover, based on different methods for inputting the control signal, the light modulator 120 is, for example, an optically addressed spatial light modulator (OASLM) or an electrically addressed spatial light modulator (EASLM), and the implementation and type of the light modulator 120 are not limited by the invention. In the embodiment, since enough instructions and recommendations for detailed steps and implementation of the method for generating the virtual image VI by the light modulator 120 can be learned from general acknowledge of the related technical field, detailed description thereof is not repeated.
In the embodiment, the optical lens 130 is disposed on a transmission path of the virtual image VI. The optical lens 130 has a front view direction Y on a reference plane XY. The projection target PT receives an environment beam EB in the front view direction Y to form an environment image at the projection target PT. To be specific, in the embodiment, the optical lens 130 has the first surface S1 and the second surface S2. Taking the optical lens 130 as a reference, the environment light EB of the embodiment is transmitted from the side of the first surface S1 to the side of the second surface S2 along the front view direction Y, so as to form the environment image at the projection target PT.
In the embodiment, the optical lens 130 is, for example, a non-plane lens with a refractive power, for example, a biconcave lens, a biconvex lens, a concave-convex lens, a convex-concave lens, a plano-convex lens, a plano-concave lens, etc. In the embodiment, the optical lens 130 can also be a planar lens. The implementation and type of the optical lens 130 are not limited by the invention.
In the embodiment, the projection target PT is, for example, the user's eye, and the environment image is, for example, a field of view image within a visual range of the user. The virtual image VI is projected to the user's eye and is imaged on a retina of the eye together with the environment image. Relative to the virtual image VI, the environment image can be a foreground or a background, which is not limited by the invention. In the embodiment, the projection target PT can also be an image capturing device or image recording device to replace the position of the user's eye, for example, a charge coupled device image sensor (CCD image sensor) or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, etc., which is not limited by the invention.
In the embodiment, the optical film 140 is, for example, disposed on the transmission path of the virtual image VI and on the first surface S1 of the optical lens 130. In an embodiment, the optical film 140 may also be disposed on the second surface S2 of the optical lens 130. The configuration position of the optical film 140 is not limited by the invention. In the embodiment, the optical film 140 is adapted to project the virtual image VI to the projection target PT along a projection direction D. In the embodiment, the front view direction Y of the optical lens 130 and the projection direction D of the virtual image VI have an included angle α on the reference plane XY. The included angle α is, for example, an acute angle, and the light modulator 120 is disposed outside the included angle c.
In the embodiment, the optical film 140, for example, includes one of or multiple of a normal prism sheet, a multi-functional prism sheet, a micro-lens film, a reflective polarizer and a diffuser film, etc., or a combination thereof. The implementation and type of the optical film 140 are not limited by the invention.
In the embodiment, based on the image information displayed by the light modulator 120, the reconstructed virtual image VI is generated by the light source module 110, the optical lens 130 and the lens module 150. The virtual image VI is further presented in the projection direction D deviated from the front view direction Y through the optical film 140 capable of changing the direction of the light beam LB.
In the embodiment, the projection apparatus 100 is, for example, configured on a wearable device, for example, a pair of glasses, in an embedded or plugin manner. In the implementation that the projection apparatus 100 is configured on the wearable device in the embedded manner, the optical lens 130 is, for example, one of the lenses of the pair of glasses, and the other optical assembly can be disposed on a glass frame or glass rack. In the implementation that the projection apparatus 100 is configured on the wearable device in the plugin manner, the whole of the projection apparatus 100 is, for example, disposed on the glass frame or glass rack. The implementation and type of the wearable device are not limited by the invention.
To be specific, the optical film 240 changing the projection direction D is, for example, disposed at the side of the optical lens 230 close to the projection target PT. Based on the image information displayed by the light modulator 220, the reconstructed virtual image VI is generated through the light source module 210, the optical lens 230 and the lens module 250. The virtual image VI is further presented in the projection direction D deviated from the front view direction Y through the optical film 240 capable of changing the direction of the light beam LB.
Moreover, since enough instructions and recommendations for operations of other optical assembly and the image projection method of the embodiment can be learned from the description of the embodiment of
In the embodiment, the control unit 364 is connected to the calculation unit 362. The control unit 364 is adapted to output a control signal CTRL to adjust a position of the lens module 350, so as to adjust the image parameter of the virtual image VI. For example, the lens module 350 is a combination of a plurality of solid lenses, and is disposed on a mechanism assembly. The control unit 364 includes an actuator, which is adapted to adjust a gap of a position of each of the solid lenses to change a valid focal length of the lens module 350. Therefore, the lens module 350 has a zoom function to adjust the image parameter of the virtual image VI. Moreover, in an embodiment, the lens module 350 may also include a liquid crystal lens, and the control unit 364 uses the control signal to change a valid focal length of the liquid crystal lens, so that the lens module 350 has the zoom function.
In the embodiment, the calculation unit 362 and the control unit 364, for example, include a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a programmable controller, a programmable logic device (PLD) or other similar devices or a combination of the devices, which is not limited by the invention. Moreover, in an embodiment, various control functions of the calculation unit 362 and the control unit 364 can be implemented as a plurality of program codes. Theses program codes are stored in a memory (not shown), and are executed by a processor circuit or a controller circuit in the calculation unit 362 and the control unit 364. Alternatively, in an embodiment, the various control functions of the calculation unit 362 and the control unit 364 can be implemented as one or a plurality of circuits. The various control functions of the calculation unit 362 and the control unit 364 can be implemented in a software manner or a hardware manner, which is not limited by the invention.
Therefore, in the embodiment, the projection apparatus 300 adopts the image adjusting unit 360 in collaboration with the light modulator 320 to correct and compensate image deformation of the virtual image VI caused by the optical lens 330 and the lens module 350, and further adjusts the display position of the virtual image VI, and may further change an image depth and a resolution of the virtual image VI through time multiplexing in collaboration with user's persistence of vision.
Moreover, since enough instructions and recommendations for operations of other optical assembly and the image projection method of the embodiment can be learned from the description of the embodiments of
Moreover, since enough instructions and recommendations for operations of other optical assembly and the image projection method of the embodiment can be learned from the description of the embodiments of
Moreover, since enough instructions and recommendations for operations of other optical assembly and the image projection method of the embodiment can be learned from the description of the embodiments of
Moreover, since enough instructions and recommendations for operations of other optical assembly and the image projection method of the embodiment can be learned from the description of the embodiments of
Since enough instructions and recommendations for operations of other optical assembly and the image projection method of the embodiment can be learned from the description of the embodiments of
In summary, the embodiment of the invention has at least one of the following advantages and effects. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the light modulator is irradiated by a light beam coming from the light source module and the lens module, and generates the virtual image according to the input signal. After the virtual image passes through the optical film located at the surface of the optical lens and capable of refracting a direction of the light beam, a projection direction thereof deviates from the front view direction, so that the virtual image can be projected to the projection target in a direction deviating from the front view direction by a predetermined angle.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. Moreover, any embodiment of or the claims of the invention is unnecessary to implement all advantages or features disclosed by the invention. Moreover, the abstract and the name of the invention are only used to assist patent searching. Moreover, “first”, “second”, etc. mentioned in the specification and the claims are merely used to name the elements and should not be regarded as limiting the upper or lower bound of the number of the components/devices.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form or to exemplary embodiments disclosed. Accordingly, the foregoing description should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in this art. The embodiments are chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its best mode practical application, thereby to enable persons skilled in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use or implementation contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents in which all terms are meant in their broadest reasonable sense unless otherwise indicated. Therefore, the term “the invention”, “the present invention” or the like does not necessarily limit the claim scope to a specific embodiment, and the reference to particularly preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention does not imply a limitation on the invention, and no such limitation is to be inferred. The invention is limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Moreover, these claims may refer to use “first”, “second”, etc. following with noun or element. Such terms should be understood as a nomenclature and should not be construed as giving the limitation on the number of the elements modified by such nomenclature unless specific number has been given. The abstract of the disclosure is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract, which will allow a searcher to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure of any patent issued from this disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Any advantages and benefits described may not apply to all embodiments of the invention. It should be appreciated that variations may be made in the embodiments described by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. Moreover, no element and component in the disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element or component is explicitly recited in the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201610213096.9 | Apr 2016 | CN | national |
