IP Library Granted Patent US 12,657,844
Granted Patent B2
US 12,657,844 · App. 18/574,652 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Wearable terminal apparatus, program, and display method

Inventors: Shingo Ito (Kyoto, JP); Tomokazu Adachi (Yokohama, JP); Kai Shimizu (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
G06T19/006G06F3/1454G06T19/20G06T2200/24G06T2219/004G06T2219/024G06T2219/2012G06T2219/2016G06T2219/2024
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,657,844
App. No.
18/574,652
Granted
Jun 16, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A wearable terminal apparatus to be worn by a user for use includes at least one processor, a camera, and a communication unit. The camera images a space as a visible region of the user. The communication unit performs data communication with an external device to be used by a remote instructor. The at least one processor transmits an image obtained by the camera to the external device via the communication unit. The at least one processor receives instruction information related to an instruction to generate an instruction image via the communication unit, the instruction being made based on the image in the external device. The at least one processor causes a display unit to display the instruction image, the instruction image being visually recognized at a position based on the received instruction information in the space. The at least one processor accepts a user operation to change the displayed instruction image and updates display of the instruction image in accordance with the user operation.

Claims (61)

1 . A wearable terminal apparatus to be worn by a user for use, comprising:

a display unit;

at least one circuitry;

a camera configured to image a space as a visible region of the user; and

a communication unit configured to perform data communication with an external device to be used by a remote instructor,

wherein the at least one circuitry is configured to:

transmit an image obtained by the camera to the external device via the communication unit;

receive instruction information related to an instruction to generate an instruction image via the communication unit, based on a captured image of the space captured by the camera that is displayed on the external device;

cause the display unit to display the instruction image in the space, the instruction image being displayed at a position in the space based on the received instruction information;

determine that the position in the space is within a visible region of the user;

cause the display unit to display the instruction image in the space and the captured image of the space displayed on the external device in which the instruction image is superimposed at the position in the space at a timing when the instruction is generated by the external device, in response to determining that the position in the space is within the visible region of the user; and

accept a user operation to change the displayed instruction image and update display of the instruction image in accordance with the user operation.

2 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the display unit includes a display member having a light-transmitting property, and

the at least one circuitry is configured to cause the instruction image to be displayed on a display surface of the display member, the instruction image being visually recognized in the space that is visually recognized through the display member.

3 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one circuitry is configured to cause the display unit to display an image of the space imaged by the camera and the instruction image superimposed on the image of the space.

4 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

a change of the instruction image includes addition of an annotation to the instruction image, and

the at least one circuitry is configured to cause the display unit to display the instruction image including the annotation.

5 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one circuitry is configured to transmit annotation information including content of the annotation to the external device via the communication unit when the annotation is added to the instruction image.

6 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a change of the instruction image includes a change of a display position of the instruction image.

7 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one circuitry is configured to cause at least one of the instruction image that is being moved to a changed display position in response to the change of the display position or the instruction image for which the change of the display position is completed in a display style different from a display style of the instruction image before the change of the display position.

8 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

a change of the instruction image includes addition of identification information indicating the user who has performed the user operation on the instruction image, and

the at least one circuitry is configured to cause the display unit to display the instruction image including the identification information.

9 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one circuitry is configured to:

cause the display unit to display a virtual image including the identification information when the identification information is added; and

change a direction of the virtual image in response to a change of a position of the wearable terminal apparatus in the space to make a portion including the identification information in the virtual image face toward the wearable terminal apparatus.

10 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a change of the instruction image includes a change of a color of the instruction image.

11 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one circuitry is configured to:

transmit a request signal for requesting permission to change the instruction image to the external device via the communication unit in response to the user operation to change the instruction image, and

change the instruction image in response to reception of a permission signal for permitting the change of the instruction image by the communication unit after the transmission of the request signal.

12 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one circuitry is configured to transmit a notification on a change of the instruction image to the external device via the communication unit when the instruction image is changed.

13 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the communication unit is configured to perform live communication including at least one of real-time audio data communication with the external device or real-time transmission of the image to the external device, and

the at least one circuitry is configured to keep the instruction image unchanged in a live communication period in which the live communication is performed and change the instruction image in a period other than the live communication period.

14 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one circuitry is configured to store, in a storage unit, the captured image when the instruction image is displayed on the display unit.

15 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one circuitry is configured to receive, via the communication unit, the captured image when the instruction image is superimposed on the image of the space displayed in the external device in accordance with the instruction.

16 . The wearable terminal apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one circuitry is configured to:

when a power supply of the wearable terminal apparatus enters an off state and then enters an on state, acquire the instruction information related to the instruction image displayed on the display unit before the power supply enters the off state or instruction image information generated based on the instruction information; and

cause the instruction image to be re-displayed based on the instruction information or the instruction image information.

17 . A display method to be executed by a computer provided in a wearable terminal apparatus to be worn by a user for use, the wearable terminal apparatus including a camera to image a space as a visible region of the user and a communication unit to perform data communication with an external device to be used by a remote instructor, the display method comprising:

transmitting an image obtained by the camera to the external device via the communication unit;

receiving instruction information related to an instruction to generate an instruction image via the communication unit, based on a captured image of the space captured by the camera that is displayed on the external device;

causing a display unit to display the instruction image in the space, the instruction image being displayed at a position in the space based on the received instruction information;

determining that the position in the space is within a visible region of the user;

causing the display unit to display the instruction image in the space and the captured image of the space displayed on the external device in which the instruction image is superimposed at the position in the space at a timing when the instruction is generated by the external device, in response to determining that the position in the space is within the visible region of the user; and

accepting a user operation to change the displayed instruction image and updating display of the instruction image in accordance with the user operation.

18 . A wearable terminal apparatus to be worn by a user for use, comprising:

at least one processor;

a camera configured to image a space as a visible region of the user; and

a communication unit configured to perform data communication with an external device to be used by a remote instructor, wherein

the at least one processor is configured to:

transmit an image obtained by the camera to the external device via the communication unit;

receive instruction information related to an instruction to generate an instruction image via the communication unit, based on the image of the space captured by the camera that is displayed on the external device;

cause a display unit to display the instruction image, the instruction image being visually recognized at a position based on the received instruction information in the space; and

accept a user operation to change the displayed instruction image and update display of the instruction image in accordance with the user operation,

wherein a change of the instruction image includes addition of information on the instruction image, and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

cause the display unit to display a virtual image including the information when the information is added; and

change a direction of the virtual image with a position of the virtual image in the space fixed in response to a change of a position of the wearable terminal apparatus in the space to make a portion including the information in the virtual image face toward the wearable terminal apparatus.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2023
From: ITO, SHINGO; ADACHI, TOMOKAZU; SHIMIZU, KAI
To: KYOCERA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 065964/0285 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240296632A1 · Sep 5, 2024
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