Goggles with unpolarized ambient light dimming

Abstract

An electronic goggle device includes a spatial dimming pixel panel within an optical assembly that delivers improved backlight conditions for a displayed image. The spatially dimming pixel panel is spatially dimmed where the image is located on the display, and the unoccupied area of the display is not dimmed (not dimmed) such that the real-world view through the portion of the display is not changed. The spatial dimming pixel panel is made of a plurality of liquid crystal units arranged in a gridding orientation mode, and the liquid crystal units are dye-doped or guest-host liquid crystal systems in a phase change mode in a homeotropic arrangement. The spatially dimming pixel panel absorbs non-polarized light when a voltage is applied on the cells, and passes the non-polarized light when no voltage is applied on the cells.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. application serial number 17 / 870,985, filed on July 22, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present subject matter relates to an electronic eyewear device, such as smart glasses, having a camera and a see-through display. Background Art

[0004] Electronic goggle devices available today, such as smart glasses, headgear, and head caps, integrate cameras, see-through displays, and antennas. The goggles can be used in a variety of lighting environments that may interfere with the performance of the see-through display. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] The accompanying drawings depict one or more implementations by way of example only and not limitation.In the accompanying drawings, like reference numerals represent like or similar elements.

[0006] The features of the disclosed different implementations will be readily understood from the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and throughout the several views of the accompanying drawings, each element is referenced by a reference numeral. When multiple similar elements are present, a single reference numeral may be assigned to the similar elements, with the added letter representing the specific element.

[0007] Unless otherwise indicated, the various elements shown in the drawings are not drawn to scale. The sizes of various elements may be exaggerated or reduced for clarity. Several drawings depict one or more implementations and are presented by way of example only and should not be construed as limiting. The drawings include the following:

[0008] Figure 1A is a side view of an example electronic goggle device including an optical assembly having an image display;

[0009] Figure 1B yes Figure 1A A top cross-sectional view of the optical components and electronics in a portion of the electronic goggle device shown in;

[0010] Figure 2A is a rear view of an example electronic goggle device;

[0011] Figure 2B is a rear view of an example electronic goggle device;

[0012] Figure 2C is a rear view of an example electronic goggle device depicting an image display;

[0013] Figure 2D is a rear view of an example electronic goggle device depicting an image display;

[0014] Figure 3 yes Figure 2A a rear perspective cross-sectional view of an electronic goggle device depicting an infrared emitter, an infrared camera, a front portion of the frame, a rear portion of the frame, and a circuit board;

[0015] Figure 4 It passes through Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of an infrared emitter and a frame of an electronic goggle device;

[0016] Figure 5 is a top view illustrating detection of eye gaze direction;

[0017] Figure 6 is a top view illustrating the detection of eye positions;

[0018] Figure 7 is a block diagram depicting a visible light camera capturing visible light;

[0019] Fig. 8A is a rear view of an example electronic goggle device having a spatially dimming pixel panel;

[0020] Figure 8B is a side cross-sectional view of a spatial dimming pixel panel illustrating an orientation of the spatial dimming pixel panel in a display and an optical assembly relative to an eye of a user;

[0021] Figure 8C is a series of images illustrating the use of spatial dimming with augmented reality;

[0022] Fig. 9 is a block diagram of electronic components of an electronic eyewear device including a frame supporting an optical assembly, wherein the optical assembly includes a spatial dimming pixel panel coupled to a display;

[0023] Fig. 10A is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating an LCD cell within a spatial dimming pixel panel in an inactive state;

[0024] Fig. 10B is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating an LCD cell within a pixel panel in an activated state; and

[0025] Fig.11 is a flow chart of steps for using a spatially dimming LCD in goggles for augmented reality. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] An electronic goggle device having an optical assembly including a display that displays an image for viewing by a user. The optical assembly includes a spatial dimming pixel panel that delivers improved backlight conditions for the displayed image. The spatial dimming pixel panel is spatially dimmed, where an image is displayed on the display, and unoccupied areas of the display where no image is displayed are not dimmed (undimmed). The user's real-world view is unchanged in areas where the dimmer is not dimmed, and is changed in areas where the dimmer is dimmed. The spatial dimming pixel panel can be made of a plurality of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) or a single liquid crystal display having cells arranged in a gridded orientation, the cells having a dye-doped or guest-host liquid crystal system, the dye-doped or guest-host liquid crystal system having a phase change mode of homeotropic or planar arrangement. The pixel panel absorbs non-polarized light when a voltage is applied to the LCD cell, and allows non-polarized light to pass when there is no voltage on the LCD cell.

[0027] Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the examples will be set forth in part in the following description and will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following and accompanying drawings, or may be learned by production or operation of the examples. The objects and advantages of the subject matter may be realized and obtained by the methods, means and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

[0028] In the following detailed description, many specific details are set forth by way of example in order to provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings. However, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that the present teachings can be practiced without such details. In other examples, well-known methods, processes, components, and circuits have been described at a relatively high level without detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present teachings.

[0029] As used herein, the term "coupled" refers to any logical, optical, physical or electrical connection, link, etc., by which a signal or light generated or provided by one system element is imparted to another coupled element. Unless otherwise described, coupled elements or devices are not necessarily directly connected to each other and may be separated by intermediate components, elements or communication media that may modify, manipulate or carry light or signals.

[0030] The orientation of the goggle device, associated components, and any complete device incorporating an eye scanner and camera (as shown in any of the figures in the accompanying drawings) is given by way of example only for purposes of illustration and discussion. In operation for a particular variable optical processing application, the goggle device may be oriented in any other direction suitable for the particular application of the goggle device, such as up, down, sideways, or any other orientation. Moreover, within the scope used herein, any directional terms (such as, front, back, inside, outside, toward, left, right, lateral, longitudinal, up, down, upper, lower, top, bottom, and side) are used only by way of example and do not limit the direction or orientation of any optical component or component of an optical component constructed as otherwise described herein.

[0031] Reference is now made in detail to the examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings and discussed below.

[0032] Figure 1A The present invention depicts a device including an image display 180C ( Figure 2A ) is a diagram of a side view of an example hardware configuration of an electronic goggle device 100 having an optical assembly 180A. The electronic goggle device 100 includes a plurality of visible light cameras 114A and 114B ( Figure 3 ), wherein the first visible light camera 114A is located on the right temple 110A and the second visible light camera 114B is located on the left temple 110B ( Figure 2A ). In the example shown, the optical assembly 180A is located on the right side of the electronic goggles device 100. The optical assembly 180A may be located on the left side of the electronic goggles device 100 or at other locations.

[0033] Visible light cameras 114A and 114B may include image sensors that are sensitive to wavelengths in the visible light range. Each of visible light cameras 114A and 114B has a different forward-facing coverage angle, for example, visible light camera 114A has a depicted coverage angle 111A ( Figure 3 ). The coverage angle is the angular range in which the respective image sensors of visible light cameras 114A and 114B detect incident light and generate image data. Examples of such visible light cameras 114A and 114B include high-resolution complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors and video graphics array (VGA) cameras, such as 640p (e.g., 640×480 pixels totaling 300,000 pixels), 720p, 1080p, 4K, or 8K. Image sensor data from visible light cameras 114A and 114B may be captured along with geolocation data, digitized by an image processor, and stored in memory.

[0034] To provide stereoscopic vision, visible light cameras 114A and 114B may be coupled to an image processor ( Fig. 9Image processor 912 may include circuitry for receiving signals from visible light cameras 114A and 114B and processing these signals from visible light cameras 114A and 114B into a format suitable for storage in a memory. Fig. 9 The timestamp may be added by image processor 912 or other processor controlling the operation of visible light cameras 114A and 114B. Visible light cameras 114A and 114B allow the stereo camera to simulate human binocular vision. The stereo camera also provides a time stamp based on two images ( Figure 3 The image pair 758A and 758B) is used to reproduce the three-dimensional scene ( Figure 3 912). Such three-dimensional images allow for an immersive virtual experience that feels real, such as for virtual reality or video games. For stereoscopic vision, a pair of images 758A and 758B may be generated at a given moment—one for each of visible light cameras 114A and 114B. When the generated pair of images 758A and 758B from forward-facing fields of view (FOVs) 111A and 111B of visible light cameras 114A and 114B are stitched together (e.g., by image processor 912), depth perception is provided by optical assemblies 180A and 180B.

[0035] In the example, the electronic goggle device 100 includes a frame 105, a right edge 107A, a right temple 110A, and a see-through image display 180C ( Figure 2A-2B ), the right temple 110A extends from the right outer side portion 170A of the frame 105, and the see-through image display 180C includes an optical assembly 180A for presenting a GUI or other images to the user. The electronic goggles device 100 includes a first visible light camera 114A connected to the frame 105 or the right temple 110A to capture a first image of a scene. The electronic goggles device 100 further includes a second visible light camera 114B connected to the frame 105 or the left temple 110B to capture a second image of the scene that at least partially overlaps with the first image (e.g., simultaneously with the first visible light camera 114A). Although in Figure 1A and Figure 1B Not shown, but the high speed (HS) processor 932 ( Fig. 9 ) is coupled to the electronic goggle device 100 and is connected to the visible light cameras 114A and 114B and the accessible memory 934 ( Fig. 9 )'s processor 932, and the programming in the memory 934 may be provided in the electronic goggle device 100 itself.

[0036] Although in Figure 1AAs not shown in the figure, the electronic goggles device 100 may also include a head movement tracker ( Figure 1B Element 109) or eye movement tracker ( Figure 2A Element 113 or Figure 2B and Figure 2C The electronic goggles device 100 may further include perspective image displays 180C and 180D of the optical components 180A and 180B for presenting the displayed image sequence, respectively. The electronic goggles device 100 may further include an image display driver (i.e., an image display driver) coupled to the perspective image displays 180C and 180D to drive the image displays 180C and 180D. Fig. 9 The electronic goggles device 100 may further include a memory 934 and a processor 932 ( Figure 4 ), the processor 932 can access the image display driver 942 and the memory 934, and program in the memory 934. The programming executed by the processor 932 configures the electronic goggle device 100 to perform the following functions, which include the function of presenting an initial displayed image of the displayed image sequence via the perspective image displays 180C and 180D, the initial displayed image having an initial field of view corresponding to the initial head direction or the initial eye gaze direction as determined by the eye movement tracker 113 or 213.

[0037] The programming executed by the processor 932 may further configure the electronic goggle device 100 to detect movement of the user of the electronic goggle device 100 by: (i) detecting movement of the user of the electronic goggle device 100 via a head movement tracker ( Figure 1B 109) to track the head movements of the user's head, or (ii) via an eye movement tracker ( Figure 2A Element 113 or Figure 2B and Figure 2C Element 213 of the electronic goggle device 100 tracks eye movement of the user's eye. The programming executed by the processor 932 may further configure the electronic goggle device 100 to determine a field of view adjustment of an initial field of view of an initially displayed image based on the detected movement of the user. The field of view adjustment may include a continuous field of view corresponding to a continuous head direction or a continuous eye direction. The programming executed by the processor 932 may further configure the electronic goggle device 100 to generate a continuously displayed image of the displayed image sequence based on the field of view adjustment. The programming executed by the processor 932 may further configure the electronic goggle device 100 to present the continuously displayed image via the perspective image displays 180C and 180D of the optical components 180A and 180B.

[0038] Figure 1BIt depicts Figure 1A 1 is an illustration of a top cross-sectional view of the optical components and electronics in a portion of the electronic goggle device 100 shown in , which depicts the first visible light camera 114A, the head movement tracker 109, and the circuit board 140. The construction and placement of the second visible light camera 114B are substantially similar to the first visible light camera 114A, except that the connection and coupling is on another outer side portion 170B ( Figure 2A ). As shown, the electronic goggle device 100 includes a first visible light camera 114A and a circuit board, which may be a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) 140. A first hinge 126A connects the right temple 110A to an articulated arm 125A of the electronic goggle device 100. In some examples, the first visible light camera 114A, the flexible PCB 140, or other electrical connectors or contacts may be located on the right temple 110A or the first hinge 126A.

[0039] Figure 1B Also shown is a conductive shield 142, which is coupled to the RF ground plane 144 and the PCB 140 and is disposed between the RF ground plane and the PCB. The shield 142 has a structure that surrounds the low power wireless circuit 924 and the high speed wireless circuit 936 ( Fig. 9 ) of the RF electronic components, and the shield 142 provides RF grounding for the RF electronic components. The shield 142 provides RF shielding to prevent stray RF signals from being emitted to the outside of the shield. The shield 142 also provides grounding for safety and electrostatic discharge protection and can be formed as part of the antenna design. The ground plane 144 can be planar, but it can also be non-planar if desired.

[0040] As shown, the electronic goggle device 100 may include a head movement tracker 109, which includes, for example, an inertial measurement unit (IMU). An inertial measurement unit is an electronic device that uses a combination of accelerometers and gyroscopes (sometimes magnetometers) to measure and report specific forces, angular velocity, and sometimes magnetic fields around the body. The inertial measurement unit works by detecting linear acceleration using one or more accelerometers and detecting rotation rate using one or more gyroscopes. A typical configuration of an inertial measurement unit includes an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a magnetometer for each of the three axes: a horizontal axis (X) for left and right movement, a vertical axis (Y) for top and bottom movement, and a depth or distance axis (Z) for up and down movement. The accelerometer detects the gravity vector. The magnetometer defines rotation in the magnetic field (e.g., facing south, north, etc.) like a compass that produces a heading reference. The three accelerometers detect acceleration along the horizontal, vertical, and depth axes defined above, which may be defined relative to the ground, the electronic goggle device 100 , or a user wearing the electronic goggle device 100 .

[0041] The electronic goggles device 100 can detect the movement of the user of the electronic goggles device 100 by tracking the head movement of the user's head via the head movement tracker 109. The head movement includes a change in the head direction on the horizontal axis, the vertical axis, or a combination thereof from the initial head direction during the presentation of the image initially displayed on the image display. In one example, tracking the head movement of the user's head via the head movement tracker 109 includes measuring the initial head direction (e.g., lateral or diagonal movement) on the horizontal axis (e.g., X-axis), the vertical axis (e.g., Y-axis), or a combination thereof via an inertial measurement unit. Tracking the head movement of the user's head via the head movement tracker 109 further includes measuring the continuous head direction on the horizontal axis, the vertical axis, or a combination thereof via the inertial measurement unit during the presentation of the initial displayed image.

[0042] Tracking head movement of the user's head via the head movement tracker 109 may include determining a change in head direction based on both the initial head direction and the continuous head direction. Detecting the movement of the user of the electronic goggle device 100 may further include determining that the change in head direction exceeds a deviation angle threshold on the horizontal axis, the vertical axis, or a combination thereof in response to tracking head movement of the user's head via the head movement tracker 109. In an example configuration, the deviation angle threshold is between approximately 3° and 10°. As used herein, when referring to an angle, the term "approximately" means a deviation of ±10% from the amount.

[0043] Changes along the horizontal axis slide three-dimensional objects such as characters, Bitmojis, application icons, etc., into and out of the field of view by, for example, hiding, unhiding, or otherwise adjusting the visibility of the three-dimensional objects. In one example, when the user looks up, for example, changes along the vertical axis display weather information, time of day, date, calendar appointments, etc. In another example, when the user looks down on the vertical axis, the electronic goggle device 100 can be powered off.

[0044] like Figure 1B As shown, the right temple 110A includes a temple body 211 configured to receive a temple cover. Figure 1B The temple cap is omitted in the cross-sectional view of FIG. Disposed inside the right temple 110A are various interconnected circuit boards, such as a PCB or flexible PCB 140A, including controller circuitry for a first visible light camera 114A, a microphone 130, a speaker 132, a low power wireless circuit (e.g., for communicating with a user via a wireless controller). Wireless short-range network communications) and high-speed wireless circuits (e.g., for wireless LAN communication and positioning via GPS).

[0045] The first visible light camera 114A is coupled to or disposed on the flexible PCB 140A and is covered by a visible light camera cover lens that is aimed through an opening formed in the right temple 110A. In some examples, the frame 105 connected to the right temple 110A includes an opening for the visible light camera cover lens. The frame 105 may include a front side configured to face outward away from the user's eyes. The opening for the visible light camera cover lens may be formed on the front side and through the front side. In this example, the first visible light camera 114A has an outward-facing coverage angle 111A with the line of sight or viewing angle of the right eye of the user of the electronic goggle device 100. The visible light camera cover lens may also be adhered to the outward-facing surface of the right temple 110A, wherein the opening is formed with an outward-facing coverage angle, but in a different outward direction. The coupling may also be indirect via an intermediate component.

[0046] First visible light camera 114A may be connected to first see-through image display 180C of first optical assembly 180A to generate a first background scene of a first continuously displayed image. Second visible light camera 114B may be connected to second see-through image display 180D of second optical assembly 180B to generate a second background scene of a second continuously displayed image. The first background scene and the second background scene may partially overlap to present a three-dimensional observable area of ​​the continuously displayed image.

[0047] Flexible PCB 140A may be disposed inside right temple 110A and coupled to one or more other components housed in right temple 110A. Although shown as being formed on circuit board 140A of right temple 110A, first visible light camera 114A may be formed on another circuit board (not shown) in one of left temple 110B, articulated arm 125A, articulated arm 125B, or frame 105.

[0048] Figure 2A is a diagram depicting a rear view of an example hardware configuration of the electronic goggle device 100. Figure 2A As shown, the electronic goggles device 100 is configured to be worn by a user. Figure 2A The electronic eyewear device 100 may take other forms and may be combined with other types of frames, such as a head cap, a headset, or a helmet.

[0049] In the goggles example, the electronic goggles device 100 includes a frame 105 including a right edge 107A connected to a left edge 107B via a bridge 106, the bridge 106 being configured to receive the user's nose. The right edge 107A and the left edge 107B include respective apertures 175A and 175B that hold respective optical elements 180A and 180B, such as lenses and see-through displays 180C and 180D. As used herein, the term lens is intended to cover a transparent or translucent sheet of glass or plastic having curved and flat surfaces that cause light to converge / diverge, or cause little or no convergence / divergence.

[0050] Although shown as having two optical elements 180A and 180B, the electronic goggles device 100 may include other arrangements, such as a single optical element, depending on the application or intended user of the electronic goggles device 100. As further shown, the electronic goggles device 100 includes a right temple 110A adjacent to the right outer side 170A of the frame 105 and a left temple 110B adjacent to the left outer side 170B of the frame 105. The temples 110A and 110B may be integrated into the frame 105 on the respective outer sides 170A and 170B (as illustrated) or implemented as separate components of the frame 105 attached to the respective outer sides 170A and 170B. Alternatively, the temples 110A and 110B may be integrated into the articulated arms 125A and 125B attached to the frame 105.

[0051] exist Figure 2A In an example, an eye scanner 113 is provided, which includes an infrared emitter 115 and an infrared camera 120. Visible light cameras typically include a blue light filter to block infrared light detection. In an example, the infrared camera 120 is a visible light camera, such as a low-resolution video graphics array (VGA) camera (e.g., 640×480 pixels, a total of 300,000 pixels), in which the blue filter is removed. The infrared emitter 115 and the infrared camera 120 may be co-located on the frame 105. For example, both are shown as being connected to the upper portion of the left edge 107B. The frame 105 or one or more of the temples 110A and 110B may include a circuit board (not shown) that includes the infrared emitter 115 and the infrared camera 120. The infrared emitter 115 and the infrared camera 120 may be connected to the circuit board by, for example, soldering.

[0052] Other arrangements of the infrared emitter 115 and the infrared camera 120 may be implemented, including arrangements in which both the infrared emitter 115 and the infrared camera 120 are on the right edge 107A or in different locations on the frame 105. For example, the infrared emitter 115 may be on the left edge 107B, and the infrared camera 120 may be on the right edge 107A. In another example, the infrared emitter 115 may be on the frame 105 and the infrared camera 120 may be on one of the temples 110A or 110B, or vice versa. The infrared emitter 115 may be connected substantially anywhere on the frame 105, the right temple 110A, or the left temple 110B to emit a pattern of infrared light. Similarly, the infrared camera 120 may be connected substantially anywhere on the frame 105, the right temple 110A, or the left temple 110B to capture at least one reflected change in the emission pattern of infrared light.

[0053] Infrared emitter 115 and infrared camera 120 can be arranged to face inwardly toward the user's eye through part or all of the eye's field of view to identify the corresponding eye position and gaze direction. For example, infrared emitter 115 and infrared camera 120 can be positioned directly in front of the eye, in the upper portion of frame 105, or in temple 110A or 110B at either end of frame 105.

[0054] Figure 2B 2 is a diagram depicting a rear view of another example hardware configuration of the electronic goggle device 200. In this example configuration, the electronic goggle device 200 is depicted as including an eye scanner 213 on the right temple 210A. As shown, an infrared emitter 215 and an infrared camera 220 are co-located on the right temple 210A. The eye scanner 213 or one or more components of the eye scanner 213 may be located on the left temple 210B and other locations of the electronic goggle device 200 (e.g., the frame 105). The infrared emitter 215 and the infrared camera 220 are co-located on the right temple 210A. Figure 2A The infrared emitter of is similar to an infrared camera, but the eye scanner 213 can be changed to be sensitive to different wavelengths of light, as previously described in Figure 2A Similar to Figure 2A , the electronic eyewear device 200 includes a frame 105 including a right edge 107A connected to a left edge 107B via a bridge 106. The edges 107A-107B may include respective apertures that hold respective optical elements 180A and 180B including see-through displays 180C and 180D.

[0055] Figure 2C and Figure 2D1 is a diagram depicting a rear view of an example hardware configuration of an electronic goggle device 100 that includes two different types of see-through image displays 180C and 180D. In one example, these see-through image displays 180C and 180D of the optical assemblies 180A and 180B include integrated image displays. Figure 2C As shown, optical components 180A and 180B include any suitable type of display matrices 180C and 180D, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, a waveguide display, or any other such display.

[0056] The optical assemblies 180A and 180B also include one or more optical layers 176A-N, which may include lenses, optical coatings, prisms, reflectors, waveguides, light strips, and other optical components in any combination. The optical layer 176 may include a prism having an appropriate size and configuration and including a first surface for receiving light from the display matrix and a second surface for emitting light to the user's eyes. The prisms of the optical layer 176 may extend over all or at least a portion of the corresponding apertures 175A and 175B formed in the edges 107A and 107B to allow the user to see the second surface of the prism when the user's eyes are looking through the corresponding edges 107A and 107B. The first surface of the prism of the optical layer 176 faces upward from the frame 105, and the display matrix is ​​overlaid on the prism so that photons and light emitted by the display matrix strike the first surface. The size and shape of the prism can be determined so that light is refracted within the prism and directed toward the user's eyes by the second surface of the prism of the optical layer 176. In this regard, the second surface of the prisms of the optical layer 176 can be convex so as to direct light toward the center of the eye. The prisms can be sized and shaped to magnify the image projected by the see-through image displays 180C and 180D, and the light travels through the prisms so that the image viewed from the second surface is larger in one or more dimensions than the image emitted by the see-through image displays 180C and 180D.

[0057] In another example, the see-through image displays 180C and 180D of the optical assemblies 180A and 180B may include Figure 2D . The optical assemblies 180A and 180B include a projector 150, which may be a three-color projector using a scanning mirror, a galvanometer, a laser projector, or other type of projector. During operation, a light source such as the projector 150 is disposed in or on one of the temples 110A or 110B of the electronic goggle device 100. The optical assemblies 180A and 180B may include one or more light strips 155A-N spaced across the width of the lens of the optical assemblies 180A and 180B or across the depth between the front and rear surfaces of the lens.

[0058] When the photons projected by the projector 150 travel through the lenses of the optical assemblies 180A and 180B, the photons encounter the light strip 155. When a particular photon encounters a particular light strip, the photon is either redirected toward the user's eye, or it is passed to the next light strip. The combination of the modulation of the projector 150 and the modulation of the light strip can control a particular photon or light beam. In an example, the processor controls the light strip 155 by initiating a mechanical, acoustic, or electromagnetic signal. Although shown as having two optical assemblies 180A and 180B, the electronic goggle device 100 may include other arrangements, such as a single or three optical assemblies, or the optical assemblies 180A and 180B may have different arrangements depending on the application or intended user of the electronic goggle device 100.

[0059] like Figure 2C and Figure 2D As further shown in FIG. 1 , the electronic eyewear device 100 includes a right temple 110A adjacent to the right outer side portion 170A of the frame 105 and a left temple 110B adjacent to the left outer side portion 170B of the frame 105. The temples 110A and 110B may be integrated into the frame 105 on the respective outer sides 170A and 170B (as illustrated) or implemented as separate components of the frame 105 attached to the respective outer sides 170A and 170B. Alternatively, the temples 110A and 110B may be integrated into the articulated arms 125A and 125B attached to the frame 105.

[0060] In one example, the perspective image display includes a first perspective image display 180C and a second perspective image display 180D. The electronic goggle device 100 may include a first aperture 175A and a second aperture 175B for holding the corresponding first optical component 180A and the second optical component 180B. The first optical component 180A may include a first perspective image display 180C (e.g., a display matrix or a light strip and a projector in the right temple 110A). The second optical component 180B may include a second perspective image display 180D (e.g., a display matrix or a light strip and a projector in the right temple 110A (shown as projector 150)). The continuous field of view of the continuous display image may include a viewing angle between about 15° and 30° measured horizontally, vertically or diagonally, and more specifically 24°. The continuous display image with a continuous field of view represents a combined three-dimensional observable area visible by splicing together the two display images presented on the first image display and the second image display.

[0061] As used herein, "angle of view" describes the angular range of the field of view associated with the displayed image presented on each of the image displays 180C and 180D of the optical assemblies 180A and 180B. "Coverage angle" describes the angular range of the lens of the visible light camera 114A or 114B or the infrared camera 220 that can image. Typically, the image circle produced by the lens is large enough to completely cover the film or sensor, possibly including some vignetting (i.e., the brightness or saturation of the image decreases toward the outer edges compared to the center of the image). If the coverage angle of the lens does not fill the sensor, the image circle will be visible, typically with strong vignetting toward the edges, and the effective viewing angle will be limited to the coverage angle. "Field of view" is intended to describe the area of ​​observable area that a user of the electronic goggle device 100 can see through his or her eyes via the displayed images presented on the image displays 180C and 180D of the optical assemblies 180A and 180B. Image display 180C of optical assemblies 180A and 180B may have a field of view covering an angle between 15° and 30° (eg, 24°) and a resolution of 480×480 (or greater; eg, 720p, 1080p, 4K, or 8K) pixels.

[0062] Figure 3 Shows Figure 2A The electronic goggles device 100 includes an infrared emitter 115, an infrared camera 120, a front frame 330, a rear frame 335, and a circuit board 340. Figure 3 As can be seen in FIG. 1 , the upper portion of the left edge of the frame of the electronic goggles device 100 includes a frame front portion 330 and a frame rear portion 335. An opening for the infrared emitter 115 is formed on the frame rear portion 335.

[0063] As shown in the encircled cross section 4 in the upper middle portion of the left edge of the frame, a circuit board, which is a flexible PCB 340, is sandwiched between the frame front 330 and the frame back 335. Also shown in more detail is the attachment of the left temple 110B to the left temple 125B via the left hinge 126B. In some examples, components of the eye movement tracker 113, including the infrared emitter 115, the flexible PCB 340, or other electrical connectors or contacts, can be located on the left temple 125B or the left hinge 126B.

[0064] Figure 4 is through and Figure 3 The cross-sectional view of the infrared emitter 115 and the frame of the electronic goggles device corresponding to the surrounding cross-sectional view 4. Figure 4The multiple layers of the electronic goggle device 100 are shown in the cross-section of FIG. As shown, the frame includes a frame front portion 330 and a frame rear portion 335. The flexible PCB 340 is disposed on the frame front portion 330 and connected to the frame rear portion 335. The infrared emitter 115 is disposed on the flexible PCB 340 and covered by the infrared emitter cover lens 445. For example, the infrared emitter 115 is reflowed to the back of the flexible PCB 340. The reflow attaches the infrared emitter 115 to the contact pads formed on the back of the flexible PCB 340 by subjecting the flexible PCB 340 to controlled heat that melts the solder paste to connect the two components. In one example, the reflow is used to surface mount the infrared emitter 115 on the flexible PCB 340 and electrically connect the two components. However, it should be understood that through holes can be used to connect the leads from the infrared emitter 115 to the flexible PCB 340, for example, via interconnections.

[0065] The frame rear portion 335 includes an infrared emitter opening 450 for an infrared emitter cover lens 445. The infrared emitter opening 450 is formed on a rear side of the frame rear portion 335, which is configured to face inwardly toward the user's eyes. In this example, the flexible PCB 340 can be connected to the frame front portion 330 via a flexible PCB adhesive 460. The infrared emitter cover lens 445 can be connected to the frame rear portion 335 via an infrared emitter cover lens adhesive 455. The coupling can also be indirect via an intermediate component.

[0066] In an example, processor 932 utilizes eye tracker 113 to determine Figure 5 The eye gaze direction 230 of the wearer's eye 234 shown in FIG. 1 , and Figure 6 180. The eye position 236 of the wearer's eye 234 within the human eye window shown in FIG. The eye tracker 113 is a scanner that uses infrared light illumination (e.g., near infrared, short wavelength infrared, medium wavelength infrared, long wavelength infrared, or far infrared) to capture images of changes in reflection of infrared light from the eye 234 to determine the gaze direction 230 of the pupil 232 of the eye 234 and the eye position 236 relative to the see-through display 180.

[0067] Figure 7 The block diagram in FIG. 1 illustrates an example of capturing visible light with cameras 114A and 114B. Visible light is captured by first visible light camera 114A having a circular field of view (FOV) 111A. The selected rectangular first raw image 758A is used for image processor 912 ( Fig. 9). Visible light is also captured by a second visible light camera 114B having a circular FOV 111B. A rectangular second raw image 758B selected by image processor 912 is used for image processing by processor 912. Raw images 758A and 758B have overlapping fields of view 713. Processor 912 processes raw images 758A and 758B and generates a three-dimensional image 715 for display by display 180.

[0068] Fig. 8A A rear view of an example hardware configuration of an electronic goggle device 800 is illustrated. In this example configuration, the optical components 180A-180B include spatial dimming pixel panels 802A-802B coupled to corresponding displays 180C-180D. The spatial dimming pixel panels 802A-802B each include an array of liquid crystal display (LCD) cells 803 arranged in a gridded pattern, referred to as pixels. In the example, each spatial dimming pixel panel 802A-802B includes 45 LCD cells that are configured to selectively absorb impinging non-polarized light when activated. Other examples may have more or fewer pixels to suit a particular application.

[0069] The spatial dimming pixel panels 802A-802B cover the corresponding display areas 180C-180D to selectively reduce the brightness of the background behind the image viewed by the user's eyes. The spatial dimming pixel panels 802A-802B provide spatial dimming of the corresponding displays 180C-180D by selectively activating pixels 803 in the background behind the displayed image. The pixels 803 of the spatial dimming pixel panels 802A-802B have an inactive state 804 and an active state 806, in which the light transmittance of the dimming pixels is high and unchanged, and in which the light transmittance of the dimming pixels is changed to be lower than the inactive state 804. In one example, the light transmittance of the active state 806 is 50% less than the light transmittance of the inactive state 804, and vice versa for the active and inactive state dimming.

[0070] Figure 8B 1 is a cross-sectional view of optical assembly 180A with reference to the user's eye 234. Display 180C is on the side of spatial dimming pixel panel 802A closest to the user's eye 234. This orientation allows spatial dimming pixel panel 802A to reduce the real world view 832 of virtual image 834 displayed adjacent to optical assembly 180A ( Figure 8C) without affecting the transmittance of the virtual image displayed to the user via the display 180C. The individual pixels 803 of the spatial dimming pixel panel 802A are controlled based on the spatial / angular position of the virtual image 834 in the field of view. Each pixel 803 of the spatial dimming pixel panel 802A is controlled by the processor 932 ( Fig. 9 ). Pixels 803 adjacent to a portion of the displayed virtual image 834 are dimmed, and pixels 803 not adjacent to a portion of the displayed image are not dimmed. In one example, processor 932 controls individual pixels 803, where each pixel 803 is a transistor operated as a light valve, such as an LCD unit. Each pixel 803 is individually controlled by controlling the individual transistors. In one example, display 180C is a waveguide that presents virtual content to a user. The dimming of individual pixels 803 is also a function of ambient light detected by ambient light sensor 938, so that pixel dimming increases under higher ambient light conditions. Optical assembly 180B can have a similar construction to optical assembly 180A, where each pixel and each pixel 803 of displays 180C-180D includes an LCD unit.

[0071] Figure 8C is an image sequence 820 depicting an electronic goggle device 800 including an implementation of a pixel panel algorithm 946 ( Fig. 9 802A) for displaying an image with spatial dimming, thereby improving the visibility of the displayed image 834 under bright lighting conditions. The processor 932 actively manages the transparency of portions of the spatial dimming pixel panel 802A based on the ambient brightness detected by the ambient light sensor 938 to maintain a desired level of 'content integrity', which is called spatial dimming. Compared to global dimming in which the light transmittance of the entire display 180C-180D is reduced, spatial dimming is a selective reduction in light transmittance for specific portions of the display 180C-180D.

[0072] Image 822 illustrates the electronic goggles device 800 with an image 834 displayed on the display 180C having a faded state when the spatial dimming pixel panel 802A is in an inactive state, as observed by the goggles user. The displayed image 834 in a faded state is due to the brightness of the real-world view 832. The brightness reduces the visibility of the displayed image 834 to the user. In the inactive state, the real-world view 832 behind the image 834 is viewed through the display 180C which is unchanged.

[0073] Image 824 illustrates the electronic goggle device 800 with pixels 836 of the spatial dimming pixel panel 802B activated in the absence of an image 834. The pixels 803 selectively activated by the processor 932 correspond to the area of ​​the display 180C occupied by the displayed image 834. The processor 932 knows which pixels of the display 180C are used to display the displayed image 834. The activated pixels 836 reduce the transmittance of the real-world view 832 through the display 180C. Pixels 803 of the spatial dimming pixel panel 802A that do not correspond to the area of ​​the display 180C occupied by the displayed image 834 are inactive, as known by the processor 932, thereby allowing high transmittance of the real-world view 832 in the area that does not correspond to the displayed image.

[0074] Image 826 illustrates an electronic goggles device 800 adjacent to an image 834 displayed by an activated pixel 836. The activated pixel 836 reduces the light transmittance of the real world view of the display 180C displaying the virtual image 834 to improve the visibility of the displayed image 834 to the user. In normal operation of the electronic goggles device 800, the displayed image 834 and the activated pixel 836 are displayed simultaneously by the processor 932. During operation, the pixels 803 are additionally activated and deactivated to compensate for changes in the area of ​​the image 834 displayed by the display 180C-180D. In one example, when the video is displayed on the display 180C-180D, a plurality of pixels 803 are activated and deactivated. The spatial dimming pixel panel 802A and the display 180C are configured to operate identically to the spatial dimming pixel panel 802B and the display 180D to operate as a stereoscopic display.

[0075] The visibility of the displayed image 834 is affected by the relative brightness between the displayed image 834 and the background behind the image, as well as the absolute brightness (brightness of the background light). When the brightness of the displayed image 834 is not increased to compensate for the bright background, the brighter background behind the displayed image 834 can make it look transparent or 'see-through'. The relatively dark background behind the displayed image 834 can make it look opaque or 'solid'. If the brightness of the displayed image 834 is not reduced to compensate for the dim background, the very dim background behind the displayed image 834 can make the displayed image 834 'too solid' and appear 'too real and vivid'. The processor 932 actively manages the brightness of the display 180C-180D according to the ambient brightness by using the ambient light sensor 938 to detect the ambient light and via the spatial dimming pixel panel 802A-802B to maintain the desired level of 'content integrity'. For example, the brightness of the dimming pixel panel 802A-802B and the displayed image 834 is controlled by the processor 932 to maintain a brightness ratio between 1 and 4. The brightness ratio is determined by dividing the sum of the ambient light brightness and the brightness of the displayed image 834 by the ambient light brightness. Other brightness ratios may be used to accommodate a variety of environments.

[0076] In another example, the spatial dimming pixel panels 802A-802B are globally controlled to produce a dimming effect on the background light passing through the displays 180C-180D. In one example, when a user walks from a dimly lit room to a bright outdoor area, the entire spatial dimming pixel panels 802A-802B are activated.

[0077] Fig. 9 A high-level functional block diagram including example electronic components provided in the electronic goggle device 100 / 200 is depicted. The electronic components shown include a processor 932, a memory 934, and see-through image displays 180C and 180D.

[0078] The memory 934 includes instructions for execution by the processor 932 to implement the functions of the goggles 100 / 200, including instructions for the processor 932 to control the image 715. The processor 932 receives power from a battery (not shown) and executes instructions stored in the memory 934 or integrated with the processor 932 on a chip to perform the functions of the goggles 100 / 200 and communicate with external devices via a wireless connection.

[0079] The user interface adjustment system 900 includes a wearable device having an eye movement tracker 213 (e.g., Figure 2B925 and 937). The user interface adjustment system 900 also includes a mobile device 990 and a server system 998 connected via different networks. The mobile device 990 can be a smart phone, a tablet, a laptop, an access point, or any other such device capable of connecting to the electronic goggles device 100 using both a low-power wireless connection 925 and a high-speed wireless connection 937. The mobile device 990 is connected to the server system 998 and the network 995. The network 995 may include any combination of wired and wireless connections.

[0080] The electronic goggle device 100 includes at least two visible light cameras 114 (one associated with one side (e.g., right outer side portion 170A) and one associated with the other side (e.g., left outer side portion 170B)). The electronic goggle device 100 further includes two see-through image displays 180C-180D (one associated with each side) of the optical assembly 180A-180B. The electronic goggle device 100 also includes an image display driver 942, an image processor 912, a low power circuit 920, and a high speed circuit 930. Fig. 9 The components for the electronic eyewear device 100 / 200 are shown to be located on one or more circuit boards, such as a PCB or a flexible PCB, in the temples 110A-110B, as previously described. Alternatively or additionally, the depicted components may be located in the temples, frames, hinges, or bridges of the electronic eyewear device 100. The visible light cameras 114A-114B may include digital camera elements, such as complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors, charge coupled devices, lenses, or any other corresponding visible or light capturing elements that can be used to capture data (including images of scenes with unknown objects), etc.

[0081] The eye movement tracking program 945 implements user interface field of view adjustment instructions, including instructions for causing the electronic goggles device 100 to track eye movements of the user's eyes of the electronic goggles device 100 via the eye movement tracker 213. Other implemented instructions (functions) cause the electronic goggles device 100 to determine a field of view adjustment for an initial field of view of an initial display image based on the detected eye movements of the user corresponding to the continuous eye directions. Further implemented instructions generate a continuous display image of a display image sequence based on the field of view adjustment. The continuously displayed images are generated as visible output to the user via the user interface. The visible output appears on the perspective image display 180C-180D of the optical assembly 180A-180B, which is driven by the image display driver 934 to present a series of display images, including an initial display image with an initial field of view and a continuous display image with a continuous field of view.

[0082] like Fig. 9As shown, the high-speed circuit 930 includes a high-speed processor 932, a memory 934, and a high-speed wireless circuit 936. In an example, an image display driver 942 is coupled to the high-speed circuit 930 and is operated by the high-speed processor 932 to drive the image display 180C-180D of the optical assembly 180A-180B to create a virtual image. The high-speed processor 932 can be any processor capable of managing high-speed communications and operations of any general computing system required for the electronic goggles device 100. The high-speed processor 932 includes the processing resources required to manage high-speed data transmission to a wireless local area network (WLAN) on a high-speed wireless connection 937 using a high-speed wireless circuit 936. In some examples, the high-speed processor 932 executes an operating system, such as a LINUX operating system or other such operating systems of the electronic goggles device 100, and the operating system is stored in the memory 934 for execution. In addition to any other duties, the high-speed processor 932 that executes the software architecture of the electronic goggles device 100 is used to manage data transmission using the high-speed wireless circuit 936. In some examples, high-speed wireless circuit 936 is configured to implement the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 communication standard, also referred to herein as Wi-Fi. In other examples, other high-speed communication standards can be implemented by high-speed wireless circuit 936.

[0083] The low power wireless circuit 924 and the high speed wireless circuit 936 of the electronic goggle device 100 may include a short range transceiver (e.g., UWB or Bluetooth TM ) and a wireless wide area, local area network, or wide area network transceiver (e.g., cellular or WiFi) including an antenna. The mobile device 990 (including a transceiver that communicates via a low power wireless connection 925 and a high speed wireless connection 937) can be implemented using details of the architecture of the electronic goggle device 100, as can the other elements of the network 995.

[0084] The memory 934 includes any storage device capable of storing various data and applications, including, among other things, color maps, camera data generated by the visible light cameras 114A-114B and the image processor 912, and images generated by the image display driver 942 for display on the see-through image displays 180C-180D of the optical assemblies 180A-180B. Although the memory 934 is shown as being integrated with the high-speed circuit 930, in other examples, the memory 934 may be a separate, independent element of the electronic goggle device 100. In some such examples, electrical routing lines may provide connections from the image processor 912 or the low-power processor 922 to the memory 934 through a chip including the high-speed processor 932. In other examples, the high-speed processor 932 may manage addressing of the memory 934 so that the low-power processor 922 will direct the high-speed processor 932 at any time when a read or write operation involving the memory 934 is required.

[0085] The server system 998 may be one or more computing devices as part of a service or network computing system, for example including a processor, a memory, and a network communication interface to communicate with the mobile device 990 and the electronic goggles device 100 via the network 995. The electronic goggles device 100 is connected to a host computer. For example, the electronic goggles device 100 is paired with the mobile device 990 via a high-speed wireless connection 937 or connected to the server system 998 via the network 995.

[0086] The output components of the electronic goggles device 100 include visual components, such as Figure 2C to Figure 2D The image displays 180C to 180D of the optical components 180A to 180B described in the figure are (for example, displays (such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs)), plasma display panels (PDPs), light emitting diode (LED) displays, projectors, or waveguides). The image displays 180C to 180D of the optical components 180A-180B are driven by the image display driver 942. The output components of the electronic goggles device 100 also include acoustic components (for example, speakers), tactile components (for example, vibration motors), other signal generators, and the like. The input components of the electronic goggles device 100, the mobile device 990, and the server system 998 may include alphanumeric input components (for example, keyboards, touch screens configured to receive alphanumeric inputs, optical keyboards, or other alphanumeric input components), point-based input components (for example, mice, touch pads, trackballs, joysticks, motion sensors, or other indicating instruments), tactile input components (for example, physical buttons, touch screens or other tactile input components that provide the location and force of touch or touch gestures), audio input components (for example, microphones), and the like.

[0087] The electronic visor device 100 may optionally include additional peripheral device elements 919. Such peripheral device elements may include biometric sensors, additional sensors, or display elements integrated with the electronic visor device 100. For example, the peripheral device elements 919 may include any I / O components, including output components, motion components, position components, or any other such components described herein. The electronic visor device 100 may take other forms and may be combined with other types of frames, such as headgear, headphones, or helmets.

[0088] For example, the biometric components of the user interface field of view adjustment may include components for detecting expressions (e.g., hand expressions, facial expressions, vocal expressions, body postures, or eye tracking), measuring biological signals (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, sweating, or brain waves), identifying people (e.g., voice recognition, retinal identification, facial identification, fingerprint identification, or electroencephalogram-based identification), etc. The motion components include acceleration sensor components (e.g., accelerometers), gravity sensor components, rotation sensor components (e.g., gyroscopes), etc. The position components include position sensor components for generating position coordinates (e.g., global positioning system (GPS) receiver components), WiFi or Bluetooth for generating positioning system coordinates, etc. TM Transceivers, altitude sensor components (e.g., an altimeter or barometer that detects air pressure from which altitude can be derived), orientation sensor components (e.g., a magnetometer), and the like. Such positioning system coordinates may also be received from mobile device 990 via low power wireless circuitry 924 or high speed wireless circuitry 936 over wireless connections 925 and 937.

[0089] According to some examples, an "application" or "applications" is a program that performs the functions defined in a program. One or more of the applications structured in various ways may be created using different programming languages, such as an object-oriented programming language (e.g., Objective-C, Java, or C++) or a procedural programming language (e.g., C or assembly language), etc. In a specific example, a third-party application (e.g., an application created by an entity other than the vendor of a particular platform using ANDROID TM or IOS TM Software Development Kit (SDK) can be used to develop applications on mobile operating systems such as IOS TM ANDROID TM , Phone, etc.) or mobile software running on another mobile operating system. In this example, the third-party application can call API calls provided by the operating system to facilitate the functions described in this article.

[0090] Fig. 10A and Fig. 10B is a diagram showing an LCD cell 803 of a spatially dimmed pixel panel 802A-802B. Fig. 10A The cell 803 is illustrated in an inactive state, wherein the voltage applied by the electrode 1003 on the cell 803 is zero. The electrode 1003 is controlled by the processor 932 to dim the corresponding cell 803. In one example, the cell 803 is a dye-doped or guest-host liquid crystal system used in a phase change mode with a homeotropic arrangement. The cell 803 is encapsulated by a first end 1004 that allows non-polarized light 1002 generated by the environment around the electronic goggle device 800 to enter and a second end 1006 that allows transmitted light 1008A of the non-polarized light 1002 to leave the cell. In one example, the first end 1004 and the second end 1006 are made of glass, but other materials with high visible light transmittance such as plastic can be used. The first end 1004 and the second end 1006 have inner surfaces with a coating 1005, the coating 1005 forming the electrode 1003, and the electrode 1003 applies a voltage on the cell 803. In one example, the coating 1005 is indium tin oxide (ITO). Liquid crystal 1010 and dichroic dye 1012 are disposed between first end 1004 and second end 1006. In the non-activated state, due to the orientation 1014A of liquid crystal 1010 and dichroic dye 1012, light absorption of pixel 803 is low, while transmission of light 1008A is high.

[0091] Fig. 10B The cell 803 is shown in an activated state when a voltage is applied across the cell to generate an electric field 1016. In the activated state, the absorption-based dye-doped liquid crystal system has high absorptivity and low transmittance of light 1008B due to the orientation 1014B of the liquid crystal 1010 and the dichroic dye 1012. The liquid crystal 1010 has a negative anisotropy and a chiral twist that is formed if a voltage is applied to the cell 803 to increase the absorptivity of the cell 803. The helical distribution of the directors orients the absorption axis of the dichroic dye in such a way that multiple polarization planes are absorbed to obtain high absorptivity without the use of a polarizer.

[0092] The guest-host system of liquid crystal cell 803 does not require the use of polarizers to absorb light. This results in an overall increase in the transmittance of light passing through cell 803, since conventional LCD panels only have one polarization component along one direction, resulting in the intensity of the transmitted light being halved. The guest-host system additionally reduces the number of layered components required to construct cell 803 compared to conventional LCDs with crossed polarizers. An alternative liquid crystal mode is the guest-host twisted nematic mode. In this case, the non-activated cell has low transmittance due to the twist formed in the orthogonal alignment layers of the liquid crystal and the low pretilt angle at each cover glass plane. Chiral dopants can be used to produce a higher order of twist cycles.

[0093] Other optional modes of liquid crystal design suitable for dimming in the present disclosure include vertically aligned nematic (VAN) mode, electrically controlled birefringence (ECB) mode, twisted vertically aligned nematic (T-VAN) mode, twisted nematic (TN) mode, and nematic LCw / chiral dopant mode.

[0094] Fig.11 A method 1100 of presenting a virtual image to a user using spatial dimming from the spatial dimming pixel panels 802A-802B of the electronic goggle device 800 using the pixel panel algorithm 946 is shown.

[0095] At block 1102, processor 932 receives instructions to display virtual image 834 on displays 180C-180D. These instructions may be sent as a result of input from a user, a signal from a remote server, a remote device, or other input source.

[0096] At block 1104, the processor 932 determines lighting conditions of the environment surrounding the electronic visor device. The processor 932 may determine the ambient light conditions in response to ambient light sensed by the ambient light sensor 938. In another example, the processor 932 determines the lighting conditions of the environment surrounding the visor device 800 using the visible light cameras 114A-114B.

[0097] At block 1106 , the processor 932 displays the virtual image 834 on the displays 180C- 180D.

[0098] At block 1108, the processor 932 determines the individual pixels 803 of the spatial dimming pixel panels 802A-802B to be activated. The particular cells 803 of the spatial dimming pixel panels 802A-802B are associated with particular pixels of the displays 180C-180D.

[0099] At block 1110, corresponding pixels 803 of the spatial dimming pixel panels 802A-802B corresponding to the spatial locations of the virtual images 834 are activated. The activated pixels 836 dim the background light of the area of ​​the displayed image 834 while allowing the remainder of the real-world view to pass through the display unchanged. The activated pixels are dimmed by applying a voltage to the LCD cell of the pixels 803.

[0100] It will be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have ordinary meanings, as given to such terms and expressions for their respective respective inquiries and research fields, except that the specific meanings have been set forth in this article in addition. Relational terms such as first and second, etc. can be used only to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action, without requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between these entities or actions. The term "comprises", "comprising", "includes", "including" or any other variation thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, so that the process, method, article or equipment including or including a series of elements or steps not only includes those elements or steps, but also includes other elements or steps that are not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, articles or equipment. In the absence of further restrictions, an element preceded by "a" or "an" does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or equipment including the element.

[0101] Unless otherwise stated, any and all measurements, values, ratings, positions, amplitudes, sizes, and other specifications set forth in this specification (including in the following claims) are approximate and imprecise. Such quantities are intended to have reasonable ranges consistent with the functions to which they are related and with the conventional art to which they belong. For example, parameter values, etc. may vary from the stated quantity by as much as ±10%, unless otherwise expressly stated.

[0102] In addition, in the above detailed description, it can be seen that different features are grouped together in different examples for the purpose of simplifying the present disclosure. The method of the present disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting the intention that the claimed examples require more features than the features explicitly stated in each claim. On the contrary, as reflected in the following claims, the subject matter to be protected lies in fewer features than all the features of any single disclosed example. Therefore, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim independently serving as a separately claimed subject matter.

[0103] While the foregoing has described what are considered to be the best modes and other examples, it should be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and the subject matter disclosed herein may be implemented in different forms and examples, and they may be applied to many applications, only some of which are described herein. The appended claims are intended to claim any and all modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the present concept.

Claims

1. An electronic goggles device, comprising: monitor; a processor configured to process an image and display the processed image on the display; as well as A spatial dimming pixel panel is coupled to the display, wherein the spatial dimming pixel panel is configured to be selectively controlled by the processor to produce a dimming portion that is less than the entire spatial dimming pixel panel.

2. The electronic goggles device according to claim 1, wherein: The electronic goggle device further includes an ambient light sensor, wherein the processor is configured to control the transparency of the spatial dimming pixel panel based on the ambient light sensor.

3. The electronic goggles according to claim 1, wherein: The spatial dimming pixel panel includes a plurality of pixels, wherein the processor is configured to selectively control dimming of pixels corresponding to an area of ​​the display displaying a processed image.

4. The electronic goggles according to claim 3, wherein: Pixels that do not correspond to areas of the displayed image are not dimmed.

5. The electronic goggles according to claim 1, further comprising a frame and an optical component coupled to the frame and the spatial dimming pixel panel.

6. The electronic goggles device according to claim 1, wherein: The spatial dimming pixel panel includes liquid crystal display (LCD) pixels configured to absorb unpolarized light.

7. The electronic goggles device according to claim 6, wherein: The transparency of the LCD pixel is reduced by an applied voltage, and wherein the LCD pixel has an unchanged transparency in the absence of the voltage.

8. The electronic goggles device according to claim 7, wherein: The LCD pixel comprises an absorption-based guest-host system.

9. The electronic goggles device according to claim 7, wherein: The LCD pixel comprises a dye-doped liquid crystal system.

10. A method of operating an eyewear device, the eyewear device having: a display; a processor configured to process an image and display the processed image on the display; and a spatial dimming pixel panel coupled to the display, wherein the spatial dimming pixel panel is configured to be selectively controlled by the processor to produce a dimming portion that is less than the entire spatial dimming pixel panel, the method comprising the steps of: displaying the processed image on the display; reducing a transparency of the spatial dimming pixel panel at the dimming portion corresponding to the displayed processed image; and Transparency of the spatial dimming pixel panel is maintained at non-dimmed portions where the processed image is not displayed.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The goggle device further includes an ambient light sensor, wherein the processor controls the transparency of the spatial dimming pixel panel based on the ambient light sensor.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The spatial dimming pixel panel includes a plurality of pixels, wherein the processor selectively controls dimming of pixels corresponding to an area of ​​the display displaying a processed image.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: Pixels that do not correspond to areas of the displayed image are not dimmed.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising a mirror frame and an optical assembly coupled to the mirror frame and the spatial dimming pixel panel.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The spatial dimming pixel panel includes liquid crystal display (LCD) pixels configured to absorb unpolarized light.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein: The transparency of the LCD pixel is reduced by the applied voltage, and wherein the LCD pixel has an unchanged transparency in the absence of the voltage.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The LCD pixel comprises an absorption-based guest-host system.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The LCD pixel comprises a dye-doped liquid crystal system.

19. A spatial dimming pixel panel configured for use with an electronic goggle device having a processor and a see-through display configured to display an image, wherein: The spatial dimming pixel panel is configured to be coupled to the see-through display, the spatial dimming pixel panel comprising pixels and circuitry configured to be selectively controlled by the processor to produce a dimming portion of a pixel that is smaller than the entire spatial dimming pixel panel, wherein the dimming portion of the pixel has a reduced transparency.

20. The spatial dimming pixel panel according to claim 19, wherein: The electronic visor device further includes an ambient light sensor, wherein the dimming portion of the pixel is configured to have a reduced transparency through the ambient light sensor.

Images