DISPLAYED CONTENT DIGITAL STABILIZATION
The present disclosure concerns digital stabilization of displayed content viewed on an interactive head-mounted eyepiece. The images may be stabilized by sensing movement or vibration of the interactive, head-mounted eyepiece, sending signals from the sensors to a computer, and applying a digital stabilization technique, such as image stabilization or optical stabilization. Optical stabilization refers to the use of adjustable lenses or mounts to correct the images as they are taken. Image stabilization refers to the use of software to digitally correct the images after they are taken to reduce the chatter and vibration of the displayed content. Image enhancement techniques may also be used to enhance the displayed content.
1 . A method for stabilizing images, comprising:
providing an interactive head-mounted eyepiece including a camera and an optical assembly through which a user views a surrounding environment and displayed content;
imaging the surrounding environment with the camera to capture an image of an object in the surrounding environment;
displaying, through the optical assembly, the content at a fixed location with respect to the user's view of the imaged object;
sensing vibration and movement of the eyepiece; and
stabilizing the displayed content with respect to the user's view of the surrounding environment via at least one digital technique.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of sensing is provided using sensors selected from the group consisting of motion sensors, accelerometers, angular velocity sensors and gyroscopes.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of stabilizing is accomplished by gyroscopically stabilizing the camera, a lens of the camera or a mount of the camera.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of stabilizing is accomplished by manipulating data representative of the images to reduce perceived vibration and movement of the camera.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of stabilizing is accomplished by correcting inputs to an LED engine of the interactive head-mounted eyepiece.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of stabilizing is accomplished via an electrically-variable liquid lens in series with a projector of the images.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising focusing the camera using input from a range finder operably connected to the interactive head-mounted eyepiece.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of providing includes providing a black silicon short wave infrared (SWIR) image sensor as the camera.
9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying an image enhancement technique to correct the displayed content, the image enhancement technique selected from the group consisting of a keystone correction, a distortion correction and a perspective correction.
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising programming a processor controlling the interactive head-mounted eyepiece to initiate contact with selected websites via preprogrammed voice command codes.
11 . A method for stabilizing images, comprising:
providing an interactive head-mounted eyepiece including a camera and an optical assembly through which a user views a surrounding environment and displayed content, the assembly also comprising a processor for handling content for display to the user and an integrated projector for projecting the content to the optical assembly;
imaging the surrounding environment with the camera to capture an image of an object in the surrounding environment;
displaying, through the optical assembly, the content at a fixed location with respect to the user's view of the imaged object;
sensing vibration and movement of the eyepiece; and
stabilizing the displayed content with respect to the user's view of the surrounding environment via at least one digital technique.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of sensing is provided using sensors selected from the group consisting of a range finder, motion sensors, accelerometers, angular velocity sensors and gyroscopes.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of stabilizing is accomplished by an electrically-controllable lens that changes its shape in response to the sensed vibration and movement of the eyepiece.
14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of stabilizing comprises optically stabilizing the imaged object.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of stabilizing is accomplished by digital image stabilizing.
16 . A method for stabilizing images, comprising:
providing an interactive, head-mounted eyepiece worn by a user, wherein the eyepiece includes an optical assembly through which the user views a surrounding environment and displayed content, wherein the optical assembly comprises a corrective element that corrects the user's view of the surrounding environment, an integrated processor for handling content for display to the user and an integrated image source for introducing the content to the optical assembly;
imaging the surrounding environment with a camera to capture an image of an object in the surrounding environment;
displaying, through the optical assembly, the content at a fixed location with respect to the user's view of the imaged object;
sensing vibration and movement of the eyepiece;
sending signals indicative of the vibration and movement of the eyepiece to the integrated processor of the interactive head-mounted device; and
stabilizing the displayed content with respect to the user's view of the environment via at least one digital technique.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising controlling the camera through gestures of the user with position sense devices without touching controls of the interactive head-mounted eyepiece.
18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of scanning is accomplished with the camera selected from the group consisting of a charge-coupled device, an optical sensor, an IR sensor, a black silicon SWIR sensor and a CMOS image sensor.
19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of stabilizing is accomplished by an electrically-controllable liquid lens that changes its shape in response to the sensed vibration and movement of the camera.
20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising controlling the interactive head-mounted eyepiece using a sensor in communication with the interactive head-mounted eyepiece, the sensor selected from the group consisting of a motion sensor, an inertial motion sensor, an accelerometer, a force sensor, a gyroscope, an angular velocity sensor, a body sensor and a position sensor.