Aerial image display device

Abstract

To provide an aerial image display device where it is easy to see which of operation buttons of an aerial image an operation body indicates.SOLUTION: An aerial image display device includes: a video display 3 displaying an operation video on a video display surface 31; an aerial imaging optical system 12 which forms an image of an operation video on an aerial image surface 81 at a plane symmetrical position with respect to a symmetrical surface 41 and displays an aerial image 8; a sensor 6 detecting the position of an operation body 10; and a controller 7 generating data of the operation video displayed on the video display 3 in accordance with an output of the sensor 6. The controller 7 defines a three-dimensional coordinate system with a surface including the aerial image surface 81 as an xy flat surface and with a direction heading for the aerial image surface 81 from the symmetrical surface 41 as a positive direction of a z axis, converts xy coordinates at an operation body position 101 into a corresponding position 32 in the video display surface on the video display surface 31, and performs emphasis processing on a video in an area of an operation button included in a button emphasis region 35 with the position 32 in the video display surface as a center.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to an aerial video display device.

Background Art

[0002] An aerial video display device is known that does not require special glasses and can display an image in the air without using a screen such as fog. For example, in an aerial video display device that uses a two-sided corner reflector array as an aerial imaging optical system and forms an image of the video displayed on a video display in a space at a position that is plane-symmetrical with respect to the two-sided corner reflector array, it is disclosed that the video displayed on the video display is changed according to the three-dimensional relative position of the user detected by a camera (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Also, a video display device is disclosed that changes the expression of a pointer displayed on a video display according to the distance from the input surface to a finger that is an operating body (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When operating an aerial video display device shown in Patent Document 1 with an operating body such as a finger, an operation is performed on the video displayed in the air (hereinafter referred to as an aerial video). Since there is no clear reference indicating the position of the aerial video, there is a problem that it is difficult to understand which operation button of the aerial video the operating body is pointing to.

[0006] This application is made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide an aerial video display device that can easily show which operation button of the aerial video an operating body is pointing to.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The aerial video display device disclosed in this application includes a video display that displays an operation video including operation buttons on a video display surface, an aerial imaging optical system that forms an image of the operation video on an aerial video surface that is symmetrically located with respect to a symmetry plane to display an aerial video, a sensor that detects the position of an operating body, and a controller that generates data of the operation video to be displayed on the video display according to the output of the sensor. The controller defines a three-dimensional coordinate system defined by the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis, which are three axes orthogonal to each other at the origin, with the plane including the aerial video surface as the xy plane and the direction from the symmetry plane to the aerial video surface as the positive direction of the z-axis, including the negative direction of the z-axis. The controller includes an operating body position calculation unit that obtains the xyz coordinates of the operating body in the three-dimensional coordinate system from the output of the sensor as the operating body position, an in-plane position conversion unit that uses the xy coordinates of the operating body position as the in-plane position in the aerial video surface and converts the in-plane position in the aerial video surface to the corresponding position in the video display surface above the video display surface, a highlighting area setting unit that sets a button highlighting area on the video display surface, where the smaller the absolute value of the z coordinate of the operating body position, the smaller the area of the button highlighting area centered on the in-plane position in the video display surface, and on the video display surface in the area of the operation button including the button highlighting area in the part where the operation button is and a button highlighting processing unit that generates data of the operation video obtained by highlighting the video.

Effects of the Invention

[0008] The aerial video display device disclosed in the present application includes a video display that displays an operation video including operation buttons on a video display surface, an aerial imaging optical system that forms an image of the operation video on an aerial video surface that is symmetrically positioned with respect to a symmetry plane to display an aerial video, a sensor that detects the position of an operating body, and a controller that generates data of the operation video to be displayed on the video display according to the output of the sensor. The controller defines a three-dimensional coordinate system defined by three axes that are orthogonal to each other at the origin, namely the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis. The plane including the aerial video surface is taken as the xy plane, and the direction from the symmetry plane to the aerial video surface is taken as the positive direction of the z-axis to define a three-dimensional coordinate system including the negative direction of the z-axis. An operating body position calculation unit that obtains the xyz coordinates of the operating body in the three-dimensional coordinate system from the output of the sensor as the operating body position, an in-plane position conversion unit that takes the xy coordinates of the operating body position as the in-plane position in the aerial video surface and converts the in-plane position in the aerial video surface to the in-plane position on the video display surface that is the corresponding position above the video display surface, and an emphasis area setting unit that sets a button emphasis area on the video display surface with the in-plane position as the center and the area becoming smaller as the absolute value of the z coordinate of the operating body position becomes smaller. On the video display surface in the area of the operation button Included in the button emphasis area in the part where the operation button is A button emphasis processing unit that generates data of the operation video obtained by emphasizing the video of

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, the aerial video display device according to the embodiments for carrying out the present application will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same reference numerals denote the same or corresponding parts.

[0011] Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an aerial video display device 1 according to Embodiment 1. The aerial video display device 1 includes a housing 2, a video display 3 disposed inside the housing 2, a beam splitter 4 provided at an opening of the housing 2, a retroreflective sheet 5 disposed inside the housing 2, a sensor 6 that detects the position of an operating body 10 operated by an observer 9, and a controller 7 that generates data of an operation video to be displayed on the video display 3 according to the output of the sensor 6. The video display 3 displays an operation video including operation buttons. In FIG. 1, the operating body 10 is shown as the finger of the observer 9. The video display 3 is, for example, a display and displays an operation video such as a still image or a moving image.

[0012] The light emitted from the image display 3 is incident on the beam splitter 4, and part of it is reflected and incident on the retroreflective sheet 5. The beam splitter 4 reflects part of the incident light and transmits part of the incident light. The retroreflective sheet 5 has the property of reflecting the incident light in the incident direction. The retroreflective sheet 5 reflects the light incident from the beam splitter 4 back toward the beam splitter 4. Part of the light reflected from the retroreflective sheet 5 toward the beam splitter 4 passes through the beam splitter 4. In this way, the light emitted from the image display 3 passes through the beam splitter 4 and forms an image outside the housing 2, becoming the aerial image 8. The observer 9 can observe this aerial image 8. In the aerial image display device 1 shown in FIG. 1, the surface of the beam splitter 4 becomes the symmetry plane 41, and the retroreflective sheet 5 and the beam splitter 4 form an aerial imaging optical system 12 that forms the operation image displayed on the image display surface 31 of the image display 3 at a position symmetric with respect to the symmetry plane 41 on the aerial image plane 81 to display the aerial image 8.

[0013] In the aerial image display device 1, an operation screen on which operation buttons are arranged is shown in the aerial image 8, and the observer 9 places a finger, which is the operating body 10, on the operation buttons shown in the aerial image 8 to perform an operation.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing another example of the aerial image display device according to the first embodiment. Comparing the aerial image display device 1a shown in FIG. 2 with the aerial image display device 1 shown in FIG. 1, the aerial imaging optical system 12 has become a plane-symmetric imaging optical element 11 from the retroreflective sheet 5 and the beam splitter 4. Other configurations of the aerial image display device 1a are the same as those of the aerial image display device 1.

[0015] The plane-symmetric imaging optical element 11 is an aerial imaging optical system 12 that forms an image of the operation image displayed on the video display 3 at a position plane-symmetric with respect to the symmetry plane 111 to display the aerial image 8. The light incident from the video display 3 on the plane-symmetric imaging optical element 11 is retroreflected within the plane of the symmetry plane 111 and transmitted in the normal direction of the symmetry plane 111. The plane-symmetric imaging optical element 11 is, for example, a combination of two mirror surfaces perpendicular to each other, and is sometimes called a dihedral corner reflector array or a two-plane orthogonal reflector.

[0016] In the aerial image display device according to the first embodiment, the aerial imaging optical system 12 may be any one as long as it forms an image of the operation image displayed on the video display 3 at a position plane-symmetric with respect to the symmetry plane to display the aerial image 8. In the following, the operation of the aerial image display device 1 shown in FIG. 1 using the retroreflective sheet 5 and the beam splitter 4 as the aerial imaging optical system 12 will be described.

[0017] The sensor 6 detects the position of the operating body 10, and is, for example, a three-dimensional distance sensor that detects the position of an object within a spatial region. As the three-dimensional distance sensor, for example, it is a ToF sensor (Time of Flight Sensor). From the distance data detected by the ToF sensor, the distance to the object within the range visible from the sensor 6 can be known, and the shape of the object can be known, so that the position and direction of the operating body 10 can be obtained. The sensor 6 may be, for example, a stereo camera. By using a stereo camera, the operating body 10 can be detected by image recognition, and the position of the operating body 10 can be detected. If the operating body 10 is a finger, the sensor 6 may be, for example, a combination of a normal camera and an infrared distance sensor. The finger may be detected by image recognition from the image information acquired by the normal camera, the distance from the sensor 6 to the finger may be measured by the infrared distance sensor, and finally the position of the finger may be obtained.

[0018] Next, the operation of the controller 7 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the controller 7 in the first embodiment. The controller 7 includes an operating body position calculation unit 71, an in-plane position conversion unit 72, an emphasized area setting unit 73, and a button emphasis processing unit 74.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the processing of the operating body position calculation unit 71 and the in-plane position conversion unit 72 in the first embodiment. The left diagram in FIG. 4 shows a three-dimensional coordinate system defined by three axes x, y, and z that are orthogonal to each other at the origin. Taking the plane including the aerial image plane 81 as the xy plane, a three-dimensional coordinate system including the negative direction of the z axis is defined with the direction from the symmetry plane 41 shown in FIG. 1 toward the aerial image plane 81 as the positive direction of the z axis. As shown in FIG. 1, the y axis is, for example, the vertical direction when the observer 9 views the aerial image 8, and the upward direction as viewed from the observer 9 is the positive direction. The x axis is, for example, the left-right direction when the observer 9 views the aerial image 8, and the right direction as viewed from the observer is the positive direction. The z axis is an axis perpendicular to the xy plane, and the direction from the symmetry plane 41 toward the aerial image plane 81, that is, the direction from the aerial image 8 toward the observer 9 is the positive direction. Note that the origin in the three-dimensional coordinate system may be anywhere on the plane including the aerial image plane 81.

[0020] The operating body position calculation unit 71 obtains, from the output of the sensor 6, the position of the operating body 10 with respect to the aerial image plane 81, that is, the xyz coordinates of the operating body 10 in the three-dimensional coordinate system as the operating body position 101, and outputs it to the in-plane position conversion unit 72. In the left diagram of FIG. 4, the position on the operating body 10 that is closest to the aerial image plane 81 is taken as the operating body position 101, and the xyz coordinates of the operating body position 101 are (x0, y0, z0). The operating body position 101 only needs to indicate the position of the operating body 10. When the operating body 10 is a finger, the position of the fingertip may be detected and used as the operating body position 101. The operating body 10 only needs to be something that operates the aerial image display device 1, and may be, for example, a pen or the like. When the operating body 10 is a pen, for example, the position of the pen tip may be detected as the operating body position 101.

[0021] The in-plane position conversion unit 72 converts the xy coordinates of the operation body position 101 into the in-air image plane position 82 and further converts the in-air image plane position 82 into the corresponding position on the video display surface 31, i.e., the in-video display surface position 32. First, the in-plane position conversion unit 72 determines the position where the perpendicular line dropped from the operation body position 101 to the in-air image plane 81 intersects the in-air image plane 81, that is, obtains the xy coordinates of the operation body position 101 as the in-air image plane position 82. In the left diagram of Fig. 4, since the xyz coordinates of the operation body position 101 are (x0, y0, z0), the in-air image plane position 82 is (x0, y0).

[0022] Next, the in-plane position conversion unit 72 converts the in-air image plane position 82 into the in-video display surface position 32, which is the corresponding position on the video display surface 31. The right diagram of Fig. 4 is for explaining the position on the video display surface 31. For example, the Y-axis represents the vertical direction of the video display surface 31, and the X-axis represents the horizontal direction of the video display surface 31. The in-plane position conversion unit 72 converts the in-air image plane position 82 at (x0, y0) in the left diagram of Fig. 4 into the in-video display surface position 32 at the corresponding position (X0, Y0) on the video display surface 31 in the right diagram of Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 1, when only the in-air imaging optical system 12 exists in the optical path from the video display 3 to the in-air image 8, X0 = x0 and Y0 = y0. However, when there are other optical processes in the optical path from the video display 3 to the in-air image 8 besides the in-air imaging optical system 12, (x0, y0) is converted to (X0, Y0) according to the optical processes in the optical path from the video display 3 to the in-air image 8. For example, when magnification processing is performed in the optical path from the video display 3 to the in-air image 8, reduction processing according to the magnification ratio of the magnification processing is performed when converting (x0, y0) to (X0, Y0).

[0023] The emphasis area setting unit 73 sets, on the video display surface 31, a button emphasis area 35 with an area that becomes smaller as the absolute value of the z coordinate of the operation body position 101 is smaller, centered on the in-plane position 32 of the video display, from the information on the operation body position 101 which is the output of the operation body position calculation unit 71 and the information on the in-plane position 32 of the video display which is the output of the in-plane position conversion unit 72, and outputs the information on the button emphasis area 35 to the button emphasis processing unit 74. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the processing of the emphasis area setting unit 73 and the button emphasis processing unit 74. FIG. 5 corresponds to the right diagram of FIG. 4 and shows the state of the operation video 33 on the video display surface 31 in the XY coordinate system. In the example of FIG. 5, the operation video 33 includes four operation buttons 34 with numbers shown. The emphasis area setting unit 73 sets the button emphasis area 35 on the video display surface 31. At this time, the center of the button emphasis area 35 is the in-plane position 32 of the video display, and the area of the button emphasis area 35 becomes smaller as the absolute value of the z coordinate of the operation body position 101 is smaller. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the shape of the button emphasis area 35 is a circle, and it is assumed that the radius of the circle of the button emphasis area 35 becomes smaller as the absolute value of the z coordinate of the operation body position 101 is smaller. The shape of the button emphasis area 35 may be any shape. For example, the geometric center of the button emphasis area 35 may be set as the center of the button emphasis area 35.

[0024] The button emphasis processing unit 74 uses the information of the button emphasis area 35, which is the output of the emphasis area setting unit 73, to generate data of an operation video in which the video of the area of the operation button 34 included in the button emphasis area 35 on the video display surface 31 is emphasized, and outputs the data of the operation video to the video display 3. As shown in FIG. 5, the button emphasis processing unit 74 performs emphasis processing on the video of the operation button 34 in each of the areas of the four operation buttons 34 included in the button emphasis area 35 on the video display surface 31. When the entire operation button 34 is included in the button emphasis area, emphasis processing is performed on the entire video of the operation button 34. In the example shown in FIG. 5, in the area of the operation button 34 included in the button emphasis area 35, processing is performed to increase the dot density and thicken the outline. Data of an operation video including the operation button 34 subjected to the emphasis processing as shown in FIG. 5 is generated, and the generated data of the operation video is output to the video display 3. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the point indicating the position of the in-video display surface position 32 and the line indicating the outer periphery of the button emphasis area 35 are superimposed on the operation video, but these points or lines do not have to be superimposed on the operation video. By superimposing the point indicating the position of the in-video display surface position 32 and the line indicating the outer periphery of the button emphasis area 35 on the operation video, the observer 9 can more clearly recognize the location indicated by the operating body 10.

[0025] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the processing of the emphasis area setting unit 73 and the button emphasis processing unit 74. In FIG. 6, from left to right, it shows the state when the operating body position 101 of the operating body 10 approaches the aerial video surface 81 of the aerial video 8 and finally the operating body position 101 passes through the aerial video surface 81. The upper five diagrams in FIG. 6 show the state when viewed from the negative direction to the positive direction of the y-axis in the three-dimensional coordinate system shown on the left side of FIG. 4, and the x-axis is omitted because the x-axis overlaps the aerial video surface 81. The lower five diagrams in FIG. 6 show the state of the operation video displayed on the video display surface 31 in the XY coordinate system shown on the right side of FIG. 4, showing the state in which the operation button is emphasized. Also, for example, when the z-coordinate of the operating body position 101 is z1 in the upper left diagram, it shows that the button emphasis area 35a is set on the video display surface 31 as in the lower left diagram.

[0026] The emphasis area setting unit 73 sets a button emphasis area with a smaller area as the absolute value of the z coordinate of the operation body position 101 is smaller. In the example shown in FIG. 6, when comparing the button emphasis area 35a when the z coordinate of the operation body position 101 is z1 and the button emphasis area 35b when the z coordinate of the operation body position 101 is z2, since the absolute value of z2 is smaller than the absolute value of z1, the area of the button emphasis area 35b is smaller than the area of the button emphasis area 35a. Further, the button emphasis processing unit 74 performs emphasis processing on the video image of the area of the operation button 34 included in the button emphasis area. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the dot density of the area of the operation button 34 included in the button emphasis area is made higher than that of other areas, and the outline of the area of the operation button 34 included in the button emphasis area is made thicker than that of other areas. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 6, as the absolute value of the z coordinate of the operation body position 101 becomes smaller, the dot density of the area of the operation button 34 included in the button emphasis area is increased. Further, in the example where the z coordinate of the operation body position 101 shown third from the left in FIG. 6 is zero, the area of the button emphasis area 35c is even smaller compared to the area of the button emphasis area 35a and the area of the button emphasis area 35b. Thus, by setting a button emphasis area with a smaller area as the absolute value of the z coordinate of the operation body position 101 is smaller, the observer 9 can recognize that the finger that is the operation body 10 is approaching the aerial video surface 81. Also, by setting a button emphasis area with a smaller area as the absolute value of the z coordinate of the operation body position 101 is smaller, the observer 9 can roughly know the location indicated when the finger that is the operation body 10 is far from the aerial video surface 81, and can more accurately know the location indicated by the finger that is the operation body 10 when the finger that is the operation body 10 approaches the aerial video surface 81.

[0027] In FIG. 6, the dot density of the area of the operation button 34 included in the button emphasis area is made higher than that of other areas, and the outline of the area of the operation button 34 included in the button emphasis area is made thicker than that of other areas. However, the emphasis processing of the image of the area of the operation button 34 included in the button emphasis area is not limited to this. For example, it may include at least one of the processes of increasing brightness, increasing luminance, increasing saturation, decreasing the transmittance with respect to the background, increasing the contrast with the background, increasing the size of the operation button, adding an outline to the operation button, thickening the outline of the operation button, darkening the color of the outline of the operation button, changing the hue, and increasing the dot density. The process of increasing the contrast with the background is, for example, a process of increasing the color difference with the background or a process of increasing the luminance difference with the background, and the presence of the operation button can be recognized more strongly.

[0028] Also, in the example where the z coordinate of the operation body position 101 shown fourth from the left in FIG. 6 is zero, the entire frame of the operation button including the in-image display position 32 is thickened to emphasize the entire image of the operation button including the in-image display position 32. In this way, when the z coordinate of the operation body position 101 is zero, by emphasizing the image of the entire area of the operation button including the in-image display position 32, the observer 9 can know that the finger that is the operation body 10 is on the plane of the aerial image plane 81. Alternatively, when the absolute value of the z coordinate of the operation body position 101 is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the image of the entire area of the operation button including the in-image display position 32 may be emphasized.

[0029] In the example shown on the far right of FIG. 6, since the operating body position 101 of the operating body 10 passes through the aerial image plane 81 and the operating body position 101 is between the aerial image plane 81 and the symmetry plane 41, the z - coordinate of the operating body position 101 is a negative value z3. At this time, for the button emphasis area 35d, for example, similar to when the z - coordinate of the operating body position 101 is a positive value, a button emphasis area with a smaller area may be set as the absolute value of the z - coordinate value of the operating body position 101 becomes smaller. Thereby, when the operating body position 101 passes through the aerial image plane 81 and moves away from the aerial image plane 81, the observer 9 can recognize that the finger which is the operating body 10 has moved away from the aerial image plane 81. Also, as shown from left to right in FIG. 5, when the operating body position 101 of the operating body 10 approaches and further passes through the aerial image plane 81, since the button emphasis area gradually becomes smaller and then becomes larger again, the observer 9 can recognize that the operating body position 101 has passed through the aerial image plane 81.

[0030] Furthermore, the emphasis area setting unit 73 may make the emphasis process when the z - coordinate of the operating body position 101 is a positive value different from the emphasis process when the z - coordinate of the operating body position 101 is a negative value. For example, when the z - coordinate of the operating body position 101 is a negative value, the hue of the image of the area of the operation button included in the button emphasis area may be changed compared to when the z - coordinate of the operating body position 101 is a negative value. Since the emphasis process when the z - coordinate of the operating body position 101 is a positive value is different from the emphasis process when the z - coordinate of the operating body position 101 is a negative value, the observer 9 can strongly recognize that the operating body position 101 has passed through the aerial image plane 81.

[0031] The data of the operation image generated in the button emphasis processing unit 74 is output to the video display 3, and the operation image is displayed on the video display surface 31 of the video display 3, and an image as shown in the lower row of FIG. 6 can be observed as the aerial image 8.

[0032] As described above, the aerial video display device 1 according to Embodiment 1 includes a video display 3 that displays an operation video including operation buttons 34 on a video display surface 31, an aerial imaging optical system 12 that forms an image on an aerial video surface 81 that is symmetrically located with respect to a symmetry plane 41 to display an aerial video 8, a sensor 6 that detects the position of an operating body 10, and a controller 7 that generates data of the operation video to be displayed on the video display 3 according to the output of the sensor 6. The controller 7 defines a three-dimensional coordinate system defined by an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis that are orthogonal to each other at the origin, with a plane including the aerial video surface 81 as the xy plane and the direction from the symmetry plane 41 to the aerial video surface 81 as the positive direction of the z-axis, including the negative direction of the z-axis. The controller 7 includes an operating body position calculation unit 71 that obtains the xyz coordinates of the operating body 10 in the three-dimensional coordinate system from the output of the sensor 6 as an operating body position 101, an in-plane position conversion unit 72 that sets the xy coordinates of the operating body position 101 as an in-air video surface position 82 and converts the in-air video surface position 82 into an in-video display surface position 32 that is the corresponding position above the video display surface 31, an emphasis area setting unit 73 that sets a button emphasis area 35 on the video display surface 31, with the in-video display surface position 32 as the center and the area being smaller as the absolute value of the z coordinate of the operating body position 101 is smaller, and a button emphasis processing unit 74 that generates data of an operation video in which the video of the area of the operation button 34 included in the button emphasis area 35 on the video display surface 31 is emphasized. Therefore, it is possible to easily recognize the operation button of the aerial video 8 indicated by the operating body 10.

[0033] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the hardware of the aerial video display device according to Embodiment 1. The controller 7 is realized by a processor 201 such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes a program stored in the memory 202. The memory 202 is also used as a temporary storage device in each process executed by the processor 201. Further, a plurality of processing circuits may cooperate to execute the above functions. Furthermore, the above functions may be realized by dedicated hardware. When the above functions are realized by dedicated hardware, the dedicated hardware is, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, an ASIC, an FPGA, or a combination thereof. The above functions may be realized by a combination of dedicated hardware and software, or a combination of dedicated hardware and firmware. The memory 202 is, for example, a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as a RAM, a ROM, a flash memory, an EPROM, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, or a combination thereof. The processor 201, the memory 202, the sensor 6, and the video display 3 are bus-connected to each other. The aerial imaging optical system 12 is a part of the aerial video display device.

[0034] Although exemplary embodiments are described in the present application, the various features, aspects, and functions described in the embodiments are not limited to the application of a specific embodiment, but are applicable to the embodiments alone or in various combinations. Therefore, countless variations not illustrated are envisioned within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present application. For example, it is assumed to include the case of modifying, adding, or omitting at least one component.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0035] 1. 1a Aerial image display device, 2 housing, 3 image display, 4 beam splitter, 5 retroreflective sheet, 6 sensor, 7 controller, 8 aerial image, 9 observer, 10 operating body, 11 plane-symmetric imaging optical element, 12 aerial imaging optical system, 31 image display surface, 32 position within the image display surface, 33 operation image, 34 operation button, 35, 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d button emphasis area, 41 symmetry plane, 71 operating body position calculation unit, 72 in-plane position conversion unit, 73 emphasis area setting unit, 74 button emphasis processing unit, 81 aerial image surface, 82 position within the aerial image surface, 101 operating body position, 111 symmetry plane, 201 processor, 202 memory.

Claims

1. A video display device that displays an operation video including operation buttons on a video display surface, An aerial imaging optical system that forms an aerial image by imaging the operation video on an aerial video surface that is symmetric with respect to a symmetry plane, A sensor that detects the position of an operating body, A controller that generates data of the operation video to be displayed on the video display device according to the output of the sensor, The controller, Defines a three-dimensional coordinate system defined by the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis, which are three axes orthogonal to each other at the origin, with the plane including the aerial video surface as the xy plane and the direction from the symmetry plane to the aerial video surface as the positive direction of the z-axis, including the negative direction of the z-axis, and an operating body position calculation unit that obtains the xyz coordinates of the operating body in the three-dimensional coordinate system from the output of the sensor as the operating body position, An in-plane position conversion unit that uses the xy coordinates of the operating body position as the in-aerial-video-surface position and converts the in-aerial-video-surface position to the in-video-display-surface position, which is the corresponding position above the video display surface, An emphasis area setting unit that sets a button emphasis area on the video display surface with the in-video-display-surface position as the center and the area getting smaller as the absolute value of the z coordinate of the operating body position gets smaller, An aerial video display device, characterized in that it includes a button emphasis processing unit that generates data of the operation video in which the video of the operation button is emphasized in the portion of the area of the operation button on the video display surface that is included in the button emphasis area.

2. The emphasis processing is at least one of a process of increasing brightness, a process of increasing luminance, a process of increasing chroma, a process of decreasing the transmittance with respect to the background, a process of increasing the contrast with the background, a process of increasing the size of the operation button, a process of adding a contour to the operation button, a process of thickening the contour of the operation button, a process of darkening the color of the contour of the operation button, a process of changing the hue, and a process of increasing the dot density. The aerial video display device according to Claim 1.

3. The button emphasis processing unit is characterized in that the emphasis processing when the z coordinate of the operating body position is a positive value is different from the emphasis processing when the z coordinate of the operating body position is a negative value. The aerial video display device according to Claim 1 or 2.

Images