Opacity filter for display device
An optical see-through head-mounted display device includes a see-through lens which combines an augmented reality image with light from a real-world scene, while an opacity filter is used to selectively block portions of the real-world scene so that the augmented reality image appears more distinctly. The opacity filter can be a see-through LCD panel, for instance, where each pixel of the LCD panel can be selectively controlled to be transmissive or opaque, based on a size, shape and position of the augmented reality image. Eye tracking can be used to adjust the position of the augmented reality image and the opaque pixels. Peripheral regions of the opacity filter, which are not behind the augmented reality image, can be activated to provide a peripheral cue or a representation of the augmented reality image. In another aspect, opaque pixels are provided at a time when an augmented reality image is not present.
1. An optical see-through head-mounted display device, comprising:
a see-through lens extending between a user's eye and a real-world scene when the display device is worn by the user, the see-through lens comprises an opacity filter and a display component, the opacity filter comprises a panel or film comprising a plurality of pixels, each pixel is individually controllable between minimum and maximum transmissivities to adjust an opacity of the pixel and to pass or block light from the real world scene;
an augmented reality emitter which emits light to the user's eye using the display component, the light emitted by the augmented reality emitter represents an augmented reality image having a shape; and
at least one control configured to control the opacity filter to provide an increased opacity for pixels of the opacity filter which are behind the augmented reality image, from a perspective of the user's eye, the pixels of the opacity filter which are behind the augmented reality image comprise pixels which follow a perimeter of the shape and pixels which are within the perimeter of the shape, the at least one control is also configured to provide an increased opacity for pixels of the opacity filter which surround the perimeter in a region of uniform thickness around the perimeter.
2. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 1 , wherein:
the see-through lens is mounted to a frame worn on the user's head;
the optical see-through head-mounted display device further comprises a tracking component which tracks a location of the user's eye relative to the frame; and
the at least one control is responsive to the location of the user's eye relative to the frame.
3. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 2 , wherein:
the tracking component is mounted to the frame and tracks a center of a pupil of the eye.
4. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 1 , wherein:
the see-through lens is mounted to a frame front of a frame worn on the user's head.
5. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 2 , wherein:
the at least one control is configured to maintain a registration of the pixels which are behind the augmented reality image with the augmented reality image in correspondence with the location of the user's eye relative to the frame.
6. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 2 , wherein:
the at least one augmented reality emitter maintains a registration of the augmented reality image with the pixels which are behind the augmented reality image in correspondence with the location of the user's eye relative to the frame.
7. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 1 , wherein:
the display component comprises at least one optical component which combines the light from the real-world scene and the light representing the augmented reality image, the display component is between the opacity filter and the user's eye.
8. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 1 , wherein:
the opacity filter is out of focus to the user's eye due to the opacity filter being at a near distance to the user eye, so that a fuzzy black border surrounds the shape of the augmented reality image; and
the augmented reality image is in focus to the user's eye.
9. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 1 , wherein:
the pixels of the opacity filter which surround the perimeter in the region of uniform thickness around the perimeter provide a darkened region around the augmented reality image, the darkened region has a shape corresponding to the shape of the augmented reality image.
10. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 1 , wherein:
the augmented reality image is limited to a first angular extent of a field of view of the user' eye; and
the opacity filter extends in a second angular extent which includes the first angular extent and a more peripheral angular extent of the field of view.
11. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 10 , wherein:
the at least one control is configured to provide an increased opacity for pixels of the opacity filter which are in the more peripheral angular extent to depict a peripheral cue for the augmented reality image.
12. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 10 , wherein:
the at least one control is configured to provide an increased opacity for pixels of the opacity filter which are in the more peripheral angular extent to depict a representation of the augmented reality image.
13. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 1 , wherein:
the opacity filter comprises an LCD panel.
14. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 1 , wherein:
the opacity filter comprises an electrochromic film.
15. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one control is configured to control the opacity filter to provide non-darkened pixels of the opacity filter which are not behind the augmented reality image.
16. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 7 , wherein:
the at least one optical component comprises a beam splitter adjacent to the opacity filter.
17. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 1 , wherein:
the increased opacities are more opaque than an opacity of other pixels of the opacity filter.
18. An optical see-through head-mounted display device, comprising:
a see-through lens extending between a user's eye and a real-world scene when the display device is worn by the user, the see-through lens comprises an opacity filter and a display component, the opacity filter comprises a plurality of pixels, each pixel is individually controllable between minimum and maximum transmissivities to adjust an opacity of the pixel and to pass or block light from the real world scene;
an augmented reality emitter which emits light to the user's eye using the display component, the light emitted by the augmented reality emitter represents an augmented reality image having a shape; and
at least one control which is configured to control the opacity filter to provide an increased opacity for pixels of the opacity filter which follow a perimeter of the shape, for pixels of the plurality of pixels which are within the perimeter of the shape and for pixels of the opacity filter which surround the perimeter in a region of uniform thickness around the perimeter, the increased opacities are more opaque than an opacity of other pixels of the opacity filter.
19. The optical see-through head-mounted display device of claim 18 , wherein:
the opacity filter comprises a panel or film.
20. A method for use at an optical see-through head-mounted display device, comprising:
emitting light to a user's eye using a display component of a see-through lens, the light represents an augmented reality image having a shape; and
adjusting an opacity of each pixel of a plurality of pixels in an opacity filter of the see-through lens to pass or block light from a real world scene, each pixel is individually controllable between minimum and maximum transmissivities to adjust an opacity of the pixel, the see-through lens extend between the user's eye and the real-world scene when the display device is worn by the user, and the adjusting comprises providing an increased opacity for pixels of the opacity filter which follow a perimeter of the shape, for pixels of the plurality of pixels which are within the perimeter of the shape and for pixels of the opacity filter which surround the perimeter in a region of uniform thickness around the perimeter, the increased opacities are more opaque than an opacity of other pixels of the opacity filter.