JP7562061B2 - Projection function, smart glasses with display, and output terminal - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates generally to wearable device assemblies.
More particularly, the present aspects relate to smart glasses, projection capabilities, and input-driven devices.

Currently, wearable devices such as smart glasses are making steady progress.
A wide variety of patents and media coverage have been confirmed, as listed in Non-Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 2. Smart glasses glass displays are classified into non-transparent binocular type, monocular type, and transparent binocular type (Non-Patent Document 3).
The transparent binocular type is a display that can superimpose information onto reality by projecting images into the wearer's eyes using a transparent optical system and a half mirror.
The mainstream transparent binocular structures are a structure in which a wearable device is attached to the head or ears (Non-Patent Document 1) and the image is projected semi-transparently onto a screen surface attached in front of the eyes, or a structure in which the image is projected onto a display surface attached in front of the eyes.

International Publication No. 2012/176748 Design Registration No. 1663461

FY2015 Patent Application Technology Trends Survey Report (Summary) Wearable Computer, P12 The Economist, Vol. 98, No. 19, Issue 4650, Mainichi Shimbun, P78 Journal of the Institute of Image Information and Television Engineers, Vol. 71, No. 5, Institute of Image Information and Television Engineers, P287

1) Typical smart glasses are large in size and are unsightly and unattractive when worn in everyday life.
Depending on the location and situation, such as during a meeting, it may be hesitant to use information media such as smartphones extensively.
While smart glasses could be used as an alternative to this problem, their large size makes them conspicuous, making it difficult to use the information media.
Although eyeglass-sized smart glasses also exist, they are merely a substitute for eyeglasses, including the glass part, and as a result, they stand out. (Patent Document 2)
In addition, in the case of smart glasses that project images onto the front of the glasses, the image being viewed can be seen by people other than the wearer, which not only makes it possible for people other than the user to discover that they are using an information medium, but also creates confidentiality issues as the information may become known to people other than the user.

2) In many cases, the image projected by the optical system of a transmissive display using a half mirror becomes semi-transparent and cannot be seen clearly (Non-Patent Document 3).
Semi-transparent images have visibility problems, such as the projected image being difficult to see and eye fatigue when viewed for a long period of time.
If you place a screen in front of your eyes to project a clear image, you run into the problem of not being able to see both the image and the front of your glasses at the same time.
Furthermore, due to the focal point of the convex lens in the eye (crystalline lens), a screen placed in front of the eye cannot be seen, and the image can only be perceived as a blurred light.

3) If the input interface is a touch panel, in existing products it cannot be used to operate the cursor such as a mouse pointer when it is not visible.
Specifically, when using touch operations on a smartphone or other device, a display is projected beyond the touch panel so the target area can be seen, allowing the user to select by touching the area after viewing it. However, when trying to operate the touch panel on smart glasses, the target area must be touched without being visible, and it takes time to touch the desired area accurately.
Furthermore, when using touchpads on notebook PCs, the position of the touch panel that is currently being touched cannot be synchronized with the position on the image (PC screen), making it difficult to operate intuitively.

4) Ordinary smart glasses cannot be used as a substitute for high-performance information gathering and recording media like laptops or smartphones.
As an alternative to the problems below (1) to (3), smart glasses could be used.
(1) When working while standing, for example, holding a notebook PC in one hand while operating the PC's interface with the other hand can cause the PC body to wobble due to input operations, reducing visibility and raising the risk of dropping the PC.
2. When trying to operate a small information medium such as a smartphone to check information in an environment where it is difficult to move the body, such as working in a confined space, the user must remove the information medium from its storage location (such as a pocket) and bring it to a position where it can be seen, then place it back in its storage location after using it. This takes time and poses the risk of injury from bending the body too much and the risk of dropping the information medium.
3) During meetings with clients, there are times when paper documents can only be left as paper documents.
However, at present, it is difficult to use smart glasses as a substitute for the above problems.
One of the reasons why it cannot be replaced is the inconvenient interface of the smart glass assembly.
Specifically, a smart glass assembly interface is required that allows for extensive handwriting input, such as for taking notes, and keyboard input.

5) Most general smart glasses use Android or Windows as their operating system, which limits how they can be used.
The system is not yet in place to allow users to think and use it more freely.

1) It is designed to be attached to the user's existing glasses or belt and is unnoticeable.
To implement the structure, the user needs to wear the glasses 1 and the belt 2 .
In terms of structure, it consists of two parts: a smart glass unit 3 and a controller unit 4.
In order to make the smart glass part unnoticeable, the product 6 is attached between the glasses 1 and the front of the eyes 5.
This makes it possible to use the product without it being noticeable when viewed from the front.
The smart glasses section is structured to include a glass section 7 and a temple section 8 that supports the glass section.
The temple portion is equipped with an optical system 9 such as a projector, and projects light onto a screen on the glass portion from the side of the glass portion.
In addition, since the light incident from the temple portion is projected onto the screen in the glass portion, the optical path length changes depending on the location of the screen, and in order to adjust the focal length and magnification, an asymmetric lens 10 is provided in the temple portion.
The controller is attached to the waist belt 2 using a belt clip 11 so as to be unnoticeable.
In addition, the controller is sized so that it is hidden by the hem 12 of the jacket when the user is wearing a jacket and is not noticeable.

2) In order to project a clear image while allowing the user to see beyond the glasses at the same time, the glass is designed to project the image on the screen in front of the user as a virtual image at a distance that is easy to see.
By providing a minute lens shape 13 on the front side of the glass part, an image reflected on a screen 14 in front of the eyes is projected as a virtual image 15 at an easy-to-see distance.
When multiple lenses of this shape are attached, the image they all combine to produce is identical to the image projected by the original optical system.
Regarding the lens shape, a semi-convex meniscus shape 16 or a convex mirror 17 may be considered.

2') In order to enable the user to see both the image and the front of the glasses at the same time while having the above structure, the glass part has a screen only at the end of the imaginary line connecting the line of sight and the lens parts, and the part other than the screen is transparent so that the back can be seen, forming a structure 18.
Specifically, it is designed to resemble a mesh, with a screen that projects images into the open spaces and the tips of the glasses visible in the non-open spaces.
For example, it has been confirmed that if the opening ratio is 50% or more when viewed from the projected area, it is possible to carry out daily life.

3) In order to synchronize the position currently being touched on the touch panel with the position on the image (PC screen), the structure of the touch panel of the controller part is a composite sensor type that combines capacitance and pressure sensing. (Patent Document 1)
This makes it possible to sense the amount of touch (amount of pressure applied), allowing operations to be performed by touch and press.
As a specific operation, the mouse cursor is moved 20 while lightly touching 19, and then strongly touched (pressed) 21 to click (left click) 22 at the cursor position.

4) For handwritten input, the controller part is a bridgeless touch panel having a specific movable structure and is structured for use.
In addition, since the touch panel also has the pressure-sensitive sensor described above, it is possible to input data to the touch panel by placing a paper notebook on the touch panel and writing by hand on the paper.

4') For keyboard input, the controller unit has a structure and function in which, as shown in the figure, the controller is moved forward 24, the movable part is bent forward 25, and when touch input is detected within the wide range of the lower left or lower right used for general keyboard operation 26, it is changed to keyboard input.
The touch panel surface has a keyboard skin 27 with minute projections that allows the user to confirm that the key is being touched, thereby improving the visibility of key touches and the accuracy of the home position.

5) By using a small PC (such as a single board computer) and Linux as the OS, users can develop applications as they like.
Also, a transceiver 28 for communication equipment, a video input/output terminal 29, and a communication terminal 30 such as a USB are introduced into the controller section.
The video input/output terminal makes it possible to view images from external devices on the smart glasses.
The communication device transceiver and communication terminal make it possible to input information from an external device, and output operation details via the controller unit interface to an external device.
This eliminates the need to limit the uses of the product as with existing products.

1) By attaching them to the user's existing glasses, people other than the user will see the user as they normally do, making it difficult for them to notice that they are wearing smart glasses.
Because of their mesh shape, people other than the user can see the user's eyes, making it difficult for them to notice that they are wearing smart glasses.
Since the projected image cannot be seen by anyone other than the user, it is difficult for anyone other than the user to notice that they are wearing smart glasses, and information can also be protected.
Furthermore, even if you do not have glasses, it is possible to attach the temple part, such as a frame that provides support in front of the eyes.

2) By using a screen, it is possible to project a clear image that is not translucent, improving visibility.

3) By having the body intuitively memorize the shape and position of the interface, the user can intuitively and quickly move the interface to any desired position on the display screen even when the interface is not visible.
This is not possible with touch panel or touchpad operation.

4) With regard to handwritten input, by making the drawing area wider, the number of times the position of the drawing input needs to be moved is reduced, eliminating the hassle.
As for keyboard input, it will now be easy to type while standing, something that was previously difficult to do with a notebook PC.

5) There are many ways to use it, but one example is that it makes it possible to operate a sequencer on-site without a notebook PC.
The configuration involves installing a Linux OS that is compatible with the sequencer software, and connecting it to the sequencer body via USB.

Smart Glasses Assembly Installation Schematic Attached to glasses (top view) Schematic diagram of smart glasses structure Controller structure diagram Lens structure and optical path confirmation diagram (cross-sectional view) 1 Lens structure and optical path confirmation diagram (cross-sectional view) 2 How to use a touch panel with a composite sensor How to switch to handwritten note entry How to switch to keyboard input Controller internal structure

In terms of structure, it consists of two parts: the smart glasses section and the controller section.
The structure of the smart glasses section consists of three parts: one glass section and two temple sections that support the glass section.
The temple portion has an optical system such as a projector, a communication device for receiving images, an asymmetric lens, and a battery structure, and projects the output light of the image from the optical system onto the glass portion.
The temple portion has a shape that allows it to be attached to the temples of glasses or the like.
The glass portion is made of a highly transparent material and has a glasses-like shape with the same field of view as that of eyeglasses. One side of the glass portion has a screen onto which light from the temple portion is projected.
The controller unit's interface includes a composite capacitive and pressure-sensitive sensor type touch panel, video input/output terminals, and power supply/distribution terminals.
The controller unit is designed to be able to be separated into two or more parts.

1 Glasses 2 Belt 3 Smart glasses section 4 Controller section 5 In front of eyes 6 This product 7 Glass section 8 Temple section 9 Optical system such as projector 10 Asymmetric lens 11 Belt clip 12 Bottom of jacket 13 Micro lens shape in front of the glasses section 14 Screen 15 Virtual image at an easy-to-see distance 16 Semi-convex meniscus shape 17 Convex mirror 18 Structure that allows you to see into the depths 19 Light touch 20 Move the mouse cursor 21 Firm touch (press)
22 Click the cursor position 23 Outline of a specific moving structure (animation from left to right)
24 Move the controller forward 25 Outline of the action of bending the movable part forward 26 Input detection range of the bottom left or bottom right (circular frame part)
27 Keyboard skin 28 Communication device transceiver 29 Video input/output terminal 30 Communication terminal such as USB

Claims (3)

A glasses-type wearable terminal comprising a smart glasses unit having a glasses unit and a temple unit, and a controller unit,
The glass section is provided with a mesh-shaped projection screen having an aperture ratio of 50% or more for reflecting projected light from a projector provided in the temple section, and a number of asymmetric lenses each having a semi-convex meniscus shape or a convex mirror ,
The glasses-type wearable terminal is provided with a projector, a communication device for receiving video, and a battery in the temple section, and a belt clip, a transceiver for a communication device, a touch panel, a small PC running Linux as its OS, a video input/output terminal, a power supply/distribution terminal, and a communication terminal in the controller section . 2. The glasses-type wearable terminal according to claim 1, wherein the touch panel is a composite sensor type of a capacitive type and a pressure-sensitive type. The glasses-type wearable terminal according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the temple section or the controller section is provided with at least one of a sensor, an interface, an output medium, and a recording medium.