IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,536,964
Granted Patent B2
US 11,536,964 · App. 17/070,397 · Granted Dec 27, 2022

Head-mounted display apparatus, display control method, and computer program

Inventor: Yutaka Fujimaki (Matsumoto, JP)
Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
G02B27/0172G06F3/013G06F3/04886H04N13/332H04N13/383
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,536,964
App. No.
17/070,397
Granted
Dec 27, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a head-mounted display apparatus including: a display unit configured to display each of virtual screens that is set to each of a plurality of predetermined focal lengths; a distance-specific image generation unit configured to generate distance-specific display images for displaying, on the virtual screens, a display object representing an object to be displayed present between two focal lengths next to each other of the plurality of focal lengths; and a display controller configured to display each of the generated distance-specific display images on the virtual screen.

Claims (34)

1. A head-mounted display apparatus, comprising:

a display that functions as a display unit that displays each of virtual screens that is set to each of a plurality of predetermined focal lengths;

a sensor that functions as a line-of-sight detection unit that detects a line of sight of a user wearing the head-mounted display apparatus; and

a processor that functions as:

a distance-specific image generation unit that generates distance-specific display images for displaying, on the virtual screens, a display object representing an object to be displayed present between two focal lengths next to each other of the plurality of focal lengths;

a display controller that displays each of the generated distance-specific display images on the virtual screen; and

a point-of-fixation distance calculation unit that calculates, from the detected line of sight, a point-of-fixation distance that is a distance between the user and a point of fixation upon which the user fixates, wherein

the distance-specific image generation unit generates the distance-specific display images by utilizing the calculated point-of-fixation distance, and

the display controller causes each of the virtual screens corresponding to the point-of-fixation distance to display the distance-specific display images generated by utilizing the point-of-fixation distance.

2. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

when a plurality of the display objects overlap as viewed in a direction of a field of view of the user, the display controller does not cause at least a portion of the display object located far in the direction of the field of view, out of the plurality of the display objects, to be displayed.

3. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the display controller displays an entirety of a continuous display object that is the display object representing an object to be displayed present continuously over a plurality of the focal lengths, onto the virtual screen corresponding to a focal length closest to the point-of-fixation distance, of the plurality of the focal lengths.

4. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the display controller divides, for each of the focal lengths, a continuous display object that is the display object representing an object to be displayed present continuously over a plurality of the focal lengths to display the continuous display object on each of the virtual screens.

5. The head-mounted display apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

in the display unit, a first virtual screen for displaying a first display object representing a first object to be displayed and a second virtual screen for displaying a second display object representing a second object to be displayed are set,

the processor further functions as an intermediate distance image generation unit that generates an intermediate distance display image for displaying the display object representing an object to be displayed present between the first object to be displayed and the second object to be displayed as viewed in a direction of a field of view of the user, onto the virtual screen, wherein,

the intermediate distance image generation unit combines a color of the first display object and a color of the second display object and generates the intermediate distance display image of the resultant color, and

the display controller causes at least one of the first virtual screen and the second virtual screen to display the generated intermediate distance display image.

6. A head-mounted display apparatus, comprising:

a display that functions as a display unit that displays each of virtual screens that is set to each of a plurality of predetermined focal lengths;

a sensor that functions as a line-of-sight detection unit that detects a line of sight of a user wearing the head-mounted display apparatus; and

a processor that functions as:

a distance-specific image generation unit that generates distance-specific display images for displaying, on the virtual screens, a display object representing an object to be displayed present between two focal lengths next to each other of the plurality of focal lengths;

a display controller that displays each of the generated distance-specific display images on the virtual screen; and

a point-of-fixation distance calculation unit that calculates, from the detected line of sight, a point-of-fixation distance that is a distance between the user and a point of fixation upon which the user fixates, wherein

the display controller displays a continuous display object that is the display object representing an object to be displayed present continuously over a plurality of the focal lengths, onto the virtual screen corresponding to a focal length closest to the point-of-fixation distance, of the plurality of the focal lengths.

7. A display control method for a head-mounted display apparatus including a display that displays each of virtual screens that is set to each of a plurality of predetermined focal lengths, the method comprising:

generating distance-specific display images for displaying, on the virtual screens, a display object representing an object to be displayed present between two focal lengths next to each other of the plurality of focal lengths;

displaying each of the generated distance-specific display images on the virtual screen;

detecting a line of sight of a user wearing the head-mounted display apparatus;

calculating, from the detected line of sight, a point-of-fixation distance that is a distance between the user and a point of fixation upon which the user fixates, wherein the generating of the distance-specific display images is by utilizing the calculated point-of-fixation distance; and

causing each of the virtual screens corresponding to the point-of-fixation distance to display the distance-specific display images generated by utilizing the point-of-fixation distance.

Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2018-045023 · Mar 13, 2018 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16299568 · Mar 12, 2019
Related Publication 20210026145A1 · Jan 28, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,380,662