Control device, eyeglass lens device, eyeglasses, control method, and program

Abstract

To allow a spectacle lens to exhibit its initial functions even when the wearer of the spectacle lens changed the direction of looking.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a controller 10 for controlling at least one of the position and the direction of spectacle lenses 3 for the eyes of a wearer. The controller has a control unit for controlling lens moving means 6 (driving units 601, 602, 603) for moving the spectacle lenses 3 so that at least one of the position and the direction of the optical axis of the spectacle lenses 3 will be changed, on the basis of the result of detection by line-of-vision detection units 21A and 21B for detecting the direction of the line of vision of a wearer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device, an eyeglass lens device, eyeglasses, a control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a lens device that electrically controls a variable-focus lens, such as an oil / water-filled lens, to change the focal length of the variable-focus lens in order to delay the onset or progression of myopia. This device switches between a focused focal length and a focal length corresponding to plus power (+3D) (a defocused focal length) for a myopic wearer wearing the variable-focus lens, at a frequency so high that the wearer cannot sense it. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-173825 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A wearer may change their line of sight while using the eyeglass lens device. For example, when the wearer changes the object being viewed from close to far away (when switching from near vision to far vision), the wearer's line of sight changes. In addition, when the distance to the object being viewed changes, the wearer's eyes move in different directions due to convergence and divergence movements, which also change the line of sight of each eye.

[0005] In conventional eyeglass lens devices, when the wearer's line of sight is changed from a reference direction (for example, the direction of the central axis of the lens), for example, the wearer's line of sight may deviate significantly from the optical axis of the eyeglass lens beyond an acceptable range, which may result in the lens not performing its intended function. Also, when the eyeglass lens is small, for example, the proportion of the field of view outside the lens in the wearer's field of view may increase, which may impair the wearer's convenience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one aspect of the present invention is a control device that controls the position and orientation of a spectacle lens relative to the eye of a wearer, and is characterized by having a control unit that controls lens moving means that moves the spectacle lens so that at least one of the position and direction of the optical axis of the spectacle lens changes based on the detection result of a gaze direction detection unit that detects the gaze direction of the wearer. In this control device, the lens moving means is controlled based on the gaze direction of the wearer detected by the gaze direction detection unit, and at least one of the position and orientation of the eyeglass lens can be changed. As a result, even if the gaze of the wearer viewing through the eyeglass lens changes, the position and orientation of the eyeglass lens are changed accordingly, preventing the wearer's gaze from deviating beyond an acceptable range from the optical axis of the eyeglass lens. As a result, even if the wearer's gaze changes, the eyeglass lens can still perform its original functions (such as correcting eye abnormalities including refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism). Furthermore, when the spectacle lenses are small (for example, when they are about the same size as the human eye or the cornea of ​​the eye, or slightly larger than these), even if the wearer's line of sight deviates slightly from the central axis of the spectacle lenses, the parts outside the spectacle lenses will enter the wearer's field of view, which will likely impair the wearer's convenience.With this control device, even if the wearer's line of sight changes, the position and orientation of the spectacle lenses are changed accordingly, thereby preventing an increase in the proportion of the field of view outside the lenses in the wearer's field of view, and improving the wearer's convenience.

[0007] In the control device, the eyeglass lens may be a variable-focus lens whose focal length is changeable, and the control unit may also control the focal length of the variable-focus lens based on the detection result of the gaze direction detection unit. In this control device, the focal length of the variable-focus lens (eyeglass lens) can be changed in accordance with the change in at least one of the position and orientation of the variable-focus lens (eyeglass lens) by the lens moving means. This makes it possible to reduce movements such as relaxation and contraction of the ciliary muscles of the wearer's eyes, even when the wearer converges or diverges or changes his or her line of sight, which involves a change in the distance to an object viewed through the variable-focus lens (eyeglass lens), thereby reducing discomfort and eye fatigue experienced by the wearer.

[0008] In the control device, the eyeglass lens may be a variable optical axis lens in which at least one optical axis parameter of a direction and a position of an optical axis is changeable, and the control unit may also control the at least one optical axis parameter of the variable optical axis lens based on a detection result of the gaze direction detection unit. In this control device, at least one of the optical axis parameters of the direction and position of the optical axis of the variable optical axis lens (eyeglass lens) is also changed based on the gaze direction of the wearer detected by the gaze direction detection unit. This improves the degree of freedom in controlling the position and direction of the optical axis of the variable optical axis lens compared to changing the position and direction of the lens optical axis simply by changing the position and orientation of the variable optical axis lens (eyeglass lens) using a lens moving means. For example, it is possible to roughly adjust the position and direction of the lens optical axis by changing the position and orientation of the variable optical axis lens (eyeglass lens), and then fine-tune the position and direction of the lens optical axis by controlling the optical axis parameters of the variable optical axis lens. It is also possible to adjust the position of the lens optical axis by changing the position of the variable optical axis lens (eyeglass lens) using the lens moving means, and then adjust the direction of the lens optical axis by controlling the optical axis parameters of the variable optical axis lens.

[0009] Another aspect of the present invention is a spectacle lens device comprising a spectacle lens and a control device that controls at least one of the position and orientation of the spectacle lens relative to the eye of a wearer, characterized in that the device comprises a gaze direction detection unit that detects the gaze direction of the wearer, and lens moving means that moves the spectacle lens so that at least one of the position and direction of the optical axis of the spectacle lens changes, and the control device is used as the control device. This spectacle lens device allows the spectacle lenses to maintain their original functions even if the wearer's line of sight changes. Furthermore, in the case of small spectacle lenses, even if the wearer's line of sight changes, the proportion of the visual field outside the lens in the wearer's field of view can be prevented from increasing, thereby improving convenience for the wearer.

[0010] In the eyeglass lens device, the lens moving means may include at least one of a rotation means that rotates the eyeglass lens around an axis extending in a predetermined direction, and a displacement means that displaces the eyeglass lens along a predetermined path. This makes it possible to move the eyeglass lens so that at least one of the position and direction of the optical axis of the eyeglass lens changes with a simple configuration.

[0011] Yet another aspect of the present invention is a pair of eyeglasses comprising the above-described eyeglass lens device, wherein the eyeglass lenses are held in an eyeglass frame. If the spectacle lens device is used as glasses, the spectacle lenses can perform their intended functions even if the wearer's line of sight through the spectacle lenses changes during daily life while wearing the glasses. Furthermore, if the spectacle lenses are small, even if the wearer's line of sight changes, the proportion of the visual field outside the lenses in the wearer's visual field can be prevented from increasing, thereby improving convenience for the wearer.

[0012] Furthermore, still another aspect of the present invention is a control method for controlling at least one of the position and orientation of a spectacle lens relative to the eye of a wearer, characterized by having a control step of controlling lens moving means for moving the spectacle lens so that at least one of the position and direction of the optical axis of the spectacle lens changes, based on the detection result of a gaze direction detection unit that detects the gaze direction of the wearer. This control method allows the eyeglass lenses to maintain their original functions even if the wearer's line of sight changes. Furthermore, in the case of small eyeglass lenses, even if the wearer's line of sight changes, it is possible to prevent an increase in the proportion of the visual field outside the lenses in the wearer's field of view, thereby improving convenience for the wearer.

[0013] Furthermore, still another aspect of the present invention is a program that causes a computer of a control device that controls at least one of the position and orientation of a spectacle lens relative to a wearer's eye to function, characterized in that the program causes the computer to function as control means that controls lens moving means that moves the spectacle lens so that at least one of the position and direction of the optical axis of the spectacle lens changes based on the detection result of a gaze direction detection unit that detects the gaze direction of the wearer. This program allows the eyeglass lenses to maintain their original functions even when the wearer's line of sight changes. In addition, when the eyeglass lenses are small, even when the wearer's line of sight changes, the proportion of the visual field outside the lenses in the wearer's field of vision can be prevented from increasing, improving convenience for the wearer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible for the spectacle lenses to perform their intended functions even if the wearer's line of sight changes. Furthermore, in the case of small spectacle lenses, even if the wearer's line of sight changes, it is possible to prevent an increase in the proportion of the visual field outside the lens in the wearer's visual field, thereby improving convenience for the wearer. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing the configuration of eyeglasses according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of the eyeglasses. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a variable focus lens in the eyeglasses. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a variable focus lens in the eyeglasses. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device in the glasses. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a left eye gaze direction detection unit in the eyeglasses. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of optical axis parameter control in the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to eyeglasses as an eyeglass lens device equipped with a control device will be described. The spectacle lens device to which the present invention can be applied is not limited to spectacles, but may be other items worn by a wearer (hereinafter referred to as a "user"). Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to items worn by a user, but can also be applied to stationary spectacle lens devices installed in ophthalmology clinics, etc.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of eyeglasses 1 according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of eyeglasses 1 according to this embodiment. The eyeglasses 1 in this embodiment include an eyeglass frame 2, variable-focus lenses 3, 3 which are a pair of eyeglass lenses on the left and right, lens movement mechanisms 6, 6 as lens movement means for moving the variable-focus lenses 3, 3, and a control device 10 as a control device for controlling the lens movement mechanisms 6, 6. Note that while this embodiment uses variable-focus lenses 3, 3 as eyeglass lenses, this is not limiting, and other lenses (such as variable optical axis lenses) in which lens parameters other than focal length can be electrically controlled, or general lenses (such as eyeglass lenses used in known eyeglasses) in which lens parameters cannot be electrically controlled, may also be used.

[0018] The eyeglass frame 2 includes a bridge portion 4, nose pads 7, a pair of left and right end pieces 8, 8, and a pair of left and right temple portions 9, 9.

[0019] The bridge portion 4 extends in the left-right direction between the left and right end pieces 8, 8, and the end pieces 8, 8 are attached to both left-right ends of the bridge portion 4. Lens movement mechanisms 6, 6 that hold the variable-focus lenses 3, 3, respectively, are attached to the bridge portion 4 so as to be movable in the left-right direction.

[0020] The nose pads 7 are held by the bridge portion 4 and are members that position the eyeglasses 1 by coming into contact with the user's nose when the user wears the eyeglasses 1.

[0021] The end pieces 8, 8 are members that connect the bridge portion 4 and the temple portions 9, 9. In this embodiment, the end pieces 8, 8 include an attachment portion 8a that is attached to the end of the bridge portion 4, and a hinge portion 8b that rotatably supports the temple portion 9.

[0022] The temples 9, 9 are components that are hung on the ears of the user when the user wears the eyeglasses 1. In this embodiment, the left and right temples 9, 9 are configured so that they can be folded toward the center of the eyeglasses 1 in the left-right direction by the hinges 8b provided on the end pieces 8, 8.

[0023] The variable-focus lenses 3,3 in this embodiment are not limited to variable-focus lenses, as long as they have an electrically controllable variable-focus function. Examples include liquid crystal lenses that can change the focal length by electrically controlling the refractive index of the liquid crystal layer, and electrostatic liquid lenses that use a liquid interface as a refractive surface and can change the focal length by electrically controlling the wettability of the liquid to change the curvature of the interface. Electrostatic liquid lenses are particularly preferred, as they offer a wide range of focal length change and a high focal length change speed.

[0024] The variable-focus lenses 3,3 are of an electrostatic liquid type, and a known variable-focus lens (also called a variable-focus lens, electrowetting device, liquid lens, etc.) can be used. The variable-focus lenses 3,3 of this embodiment employ variable-focus lenses with a lens portion having a diameter of, for example, about 5 mm to 12 mm. Note that using a larger variable-focus lens can expand the range of the user's line of sight that the variable-focus lens can cover, improving user convenience.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the variable-focus lens 3 in this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the variable-focus lens 3 in this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the variable-focus lens 3 of this embodiment has a configuration in which an insulating liquid 311 and a conductive liquid 312, which are in contact with each other in an unmixed state at an interface I, are enclosed by an annular first electrode 301 and two transparent window members 303, 304 that close the upper and lower ends of the first electrode 301. The insulating liquid 311 is, for example, an oil-based liquid, and the conductive liquid 312 is, for example, an aqueous liquid with relatively low conductivity. A voltage V0 is applied to the first electrode 301, but in this embodiment, V0 = 0 V because the annular first electrode 301 is grounded. The first electrode 301 is insulated from the enclosed insulating liquid 311 and conductive liquid 312 by an insulating layer 301a.

[0026] Furthermore, the variable-focus lens 3 of this embodiment has multiple pairs of second electrodes 302A, 302B, ... arranged at symmetrical positions with respect to the axis O of the first electrode 301. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, four pairs of second electrodes 302A to 302H are arranged on a circumference centered on the axis O, for a total of eight second electrodes 302A to 302H.

[0027] 3, the second electrodes 302A to 302H are disposed in positions where they contact the conductive liquid 312. When voltages VA to VH are applied to the second electrodes 302A to 302H, a potential difference is generated between the second electrodes 302A to 302H and the first electrode 301, and the electrowetting effect causes the end Ia of the insulating liquid 311 (the end Ia of the interface I) to be displaced along the insulating layer portion 301b on the first electrode 301. This displacement of the end Ia of the insulating liquid 311 changes the shape of the insulating liquid 311, thereby changing the curvature of the interface I. Therefore, by controlling the voltages VA to VH applied to the second electrodes 302A to 302H, the focal length of the variable-focus lens 3, which uses the interface I as a refractive surface, can be changed.

[0028] In particular, the variable-focus lens 3 of this embodiment can transform the interface I, which is a refractive surface, into a diffusing lens (concave lens), a flat lens, or a condensing lens (convex lens), by controlling the voltages VA to VH applied to the second electrodes 302A to 302H. Therefore, the eyeglasses 1 of this embodiment can be used as eyeglasses for myopic users by using the variable-focus lens 3 as a diffusing lens (concave lens), and can be used as eyeglasses for hyperopic users by using the variable-focus lens 3 as a condensing lens (convex lens).

[0029] The variable-focus lens 3 of this embodiment can change the focal length in a diopter equivalent range (the reciprocal of the focal length) from -15 D to +15 D. By using a variable-focus lens 3 with such a wide range of focal length changes, it is possible to accommodate users with low vision, such as those with amblyopia.

[0030] In this embodiment, by applying the same voltage to all of the second electrodes 302A to 302H that are arranged at symmetrical positions with respect to the axis O of the first electrode 301, it is possible to change the focal length while keeping the optical axis of the variable-focus lens 3 aligned with the axis O of the first electrode 301. On the other hand, by applying different voltages to the second electrodes 302A to 302H, it is possible not only to change the focal length but also to shift or tilt the optical axis of the variable-focus lens 3. In other words, the variable-focus lens 3 of this embodiment can change either the position or the direction of the optical axis, or both, by controlling the applied voltages VA to VH.

[0031] 1, the control device 10 is provided in one of the left and right end pieces 8, 8 (the left end piece 8 in the figure) together with the battery 20. The control device 10 can control the position and direction of the optical axis and the focal length of the variable-focus lens 3 by controlling the voltage applied from the battery 20 to each of the second electrodes 302A to 302H of the variable-focus lens 3.

[0032] The lens moving mechanisms 6, 6 can independently move the variable-focus lenses 3, 3 held by each of them so as to change at least one of the position and direction of the optical axis of each of the variable-focus lenses 3, 3. The lens moving mechanism 6 in this embodiment includes a first driving unit 601, a second driving unit 602, and a third driving unit 603.

[0033] The first driving unit 601 is a rotation means for rotating the variable-focus lens 3 around a rotation axis A (an axis passing through the central axis O) that extends in a direction perpendicular to both the central axis O of the variable-focus lens 3 (the axis of the first electrode 301) and the longitudinal direction of the bridge portion 4 (the direction of the arrow x in FIG. 1). One example of the first driving unit 601 in this embodiment is a configuration in which the variable-focus lens 3 is held at one end (the lower end in FIG. 1) of a long rotating shaft portion 6a along the rotation axis A, and an engaging portion on the driving side is engaged with an engaged portion provided on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft portion 6a. In this configuration, by driving the engaging portion with the rotational driving force of the first driving source (driving motor), the rotational driving force is transmitted to the rotating shaft portion 6a via the engaged portion on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft portion 6a, and the rotating shaft portion 6a is rotated around the rotation axis A as indicated by the symbol θ in FIG. 1. The first drive source is controlled by the main control unit 11 of the control device 10 to be able to rotate forward and backward, and the rotation position (rotation angle) of the rotating shaft portion 6a can be positioned to a target rotation position (rotation angle) under the control of the main control unit 11, thereby controlling the orientation of the variable-focus lens 3 (the direction of the optical axis of the variable-focus lens 3).

[0034] The second driving unit 602 is a displacement unit that displaces the variable-focus lens 3 along the axial direction of the rotation axis A. As an example of the second driving unit 602 in this embodiment, each end of a U-shaped support arm 6b is attached to the bridge unit 4 so as to be movable along the axial direction of the rotation axis A. The bridge unit 4 is made of a hollow cylindrical member, and a linear movement stage is disposed inside the bridge unit 4, which moves one end of the support arm 6b (the end toward the center of the longitudinal direction of the bridge unit 4) back and forth along the direction z in FIG. 1 (the axial direction of the rotation axis A). As shown in FIG. 1, the first driving unit 601 and the rotation shaft unit 6a are attached to the support arm 6b. With this configuration, the second driving unit 602 moves the support arm 6b along the direction z in FIG. 1 using the z-direction linear movement stage, thereby moving the variable-focus lens 3 attached to the rotation shaft unit 6a along the rotation axis A (a predetermined path). The drive source (second drive source) of the z-direction linear movement stage is controlled by the main control unit 11 of the control device 10, and the z-direction position of the support arm 6b can be set to a target position by the z-direction linear movement stage under the control of the main control unit 11. This makes it possible to control the position (height) of the variable-focus lens 3, i.e., the position (height) of the optical axis of the variable-focus lens 3.

[0035] The third drive unit 603 is a displacement unit that displaces the variable-focus lens 3 along the longitudinal direction of the bridge unit 4. As an example of the third drive unit 603 in this embodiment, an x-direction linear movement stage is disposed inside the bridge unit 4, which reciprocates the z-direction linear movement stage of the second drive unit 602 along the direction indicated by the symbol x in FIG. 1 (the longitudinal direction of the bridge unit 4). With this configuration, the third drive unit 603 moves the z-direction linear movement stage along the x direction using the x-direction linear movement stage, thereby moving the variable-focus lens 3 along the longitudinal direction of the bridge unit 4 (a predetermined path) via the support arm 6b attached to the z-direction linear movement stage. The drive source (third drive source) of the x-direction linear movement stage is controlled by the main control unit 11 of the control device 10, and the x-direction position of the z-direction linear movement stage can be positioned to a target position under the control of the main control unit 11. This allows the position (left-right position) of the variable-focus lens 3, i.e., the position (left-right position) of the optical axis of the variable-focus lens 3, to be controlled.

[0036] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control device 10 in this embodiment. The control device 10 in this embodiment includes a main control unit 11, a voltage changing unit 12, and an operation unit 13. The control device 10 is connected to the second electrodes 302A to 302H of the variable-focus lens 3, a battery 20 as a power source for supplying voltage, gaze direction detection units 21A and 21B that detect the gaze direction of the user, and the drive units 601 to 603 of the lens moving mechanism 6. Note that in this embodiment, two gaze direction detection units 21A and 21B that detect the gaze direction of each of the user's eyes are provided, but a configuration in which only a gaze direction detection unit that detects the gaze direction of one of the user's eyes is provided, or a configuration in which a gaze direction detection unit that detects a single gaze direction common to both of the user's eyes is provided may also be employed.

[0037] The main control unit 11 is configured by, for example, a control board (computer) equipped with a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc., and performs overall control of the eyeglass lens device, that is, the eyeglasses 1, by executing a predetermined control program stored in the ROM. In particular, in this embodiment, the main control unit 11 functions as a control unit (control means) that controls the lens moving mechanism 6 that moves the variable-focus lenses 3 so as to change at least one of the position and direction of the optical axes of the variable-focus lenses 3, 3, based on the user's line-of-sight direction (detection result) detected by the line-of-sight direction detection unit.

[0038] Under the control of the main control unit 11, the voltage changing unit 12 changes the voltage applied from the battery 20 to each of the second electrodes 302A to 302H of the variable-focus lens 3. The voltage changing unit 12 can change the voltage applied to each of the second electrodes 302A to 302H individually for each of the second electrodes 302A to 302H. However, the voltage changing unit 12 may be capable of changing the voltage only for some of the second electrodes 302A to 302H (for example, only one pair of second electrodes).

[0039] When operated by a user, the operation unit 13 outputs an operation signal indicating the user's operation to the main control unit 11. Examples of user operations accepted by the operation unit 13 include power on / off operations, execution instructions for the main control unit 11, and changes to the control contents of the main control unit 11. The operation unit 13 is configured with an operating device of a type suitable for the content of the user operation to be accepted (mechanical or electrostatic touch buttons, rotary operation units such as dials, etc.). Note that it is also possible to configure the device so that these user operations are not required, in which case the operation unit 13 can be omitted.

[0040] The battery 20 functions as a power source for the control device 10, and outputs voltage to be supplied to the second electrodes 302A to 302H of the variable-focus lens 3 and power to be supplied to the lens moving mechanism 6. The battery 20 may be a primary battery or a secondary battery. It may also be one with a power generation function, such as a solar panel.

[0041] The two gaze direction detection units 21A, 21B individually detect the gaze direction of the user's right eye and left eye, and their configuration is not limited as long as they can detect the gaze direction, but it is preferable that they be configured to be able to be placed on the eyeglass frame 2.

[0042] Fig. 6 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the left eye gaze direction detection unit 21B in this embodiment. For the sake of explanation, Fig. 6 does not show the eyeglass frame 2, and only shows the variable-focus lens 3 for the left eye. Left eye gaze direction detection unit 21B of this embodiment is composed of a light source 211, a half mirror 212, a camera 213 as an imaging means, and an image processing unit 214. The configuration of right eye gaze direction detection unit 21A is the same as that of left eye gaze direction detection unit 21B, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0043] The light source 211 and camera 213 of the left eye gaze direction detection unit 21B are attached to the left temple 9 near the left endpiece 8 of the eyeglass frame 2, as shown by reference numeral 21B in Fig. 2. On the other hand, the half mirror 212 of the left eye gaze direction detection unit 21B is disposed between the left eye E of the user wearing the eyeglasses 1 and the variable focus lens 3 for the left eye, as shown in Fig. 6. The half mirror 212 is preferably configured integrally with the variable focus lens 3, but may also be configured separately.

[0044] The half mirror 212 has the function of reflecting incident near-infrared light and transmitting visible light. As a result, visible light L from the object to be viewed, which enters through the variable-focus lens 3, passes through the half mirror 212 and enters the user's eye E, as shown in Figure 6, allowing the user to view the object to be viewed.

[0045] The light source 211 emits near-infrared light L0 as invisible light. The light source 211 is arranged on the same side of the half mirror 212 as the eye E of the user wearing the eyeglasses 1. The near-infrared light L0 emitted from the light source 211 is reflected by the half mirror 212 and enters the user's eye E. The near-infrared light that enters the user's eye E is reflected by the user's eye E (cornea of ​​the eye) and reaches the half mirror 212 again. The near-infrared light L1 reflected by the user's eye E is then reflected by the half mirror 212 and enters a camera 213 arranged near the light source 211.

[0046] Camera 213 is an imaging unit that captures an image of invisible light emitted from light source 211, and in this embodiment is a near-infrared camera that can capture an image of near-infrared light. Camera 213 in this embodiment is equipped with a filter that blocks visible light, and can capture an image of near-infrared light L1 reflected by the user's eye E without being obstructed by visible light. Data of the image captured by camera 213 is output to image processing unit 214.

[0047] Image processing unit 214 is configured by, for example, a control board (computer) equipped with a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc., and executes a predetermined gaze direction detection program stored in the ROM to detect the gaze direction of user's eye E based on image data captured by camera 213. Note that the function of image processing unit 214 may be provided in main control unit 11 of control device 10, and image processing unit 214 may be omitted.

[0048] The near-infrared image, which is an invisible light image captured by camera 213, includes an image of user's eye E. Image processing unit 214 detects the gaze direction of eye E from the image of user's eye E output from camera 213. There are no particular limitations on the method for detecting the gaze direction of eye E. For example, the image captured by camera 213 includes a bright spot of near-infrared light, and one example is a method that utilizes this bright spot. Specifically, since this bright spot appears at a fixed point of eye E on the image regardless of the gaze direction of eye E, this bright spot can be used as a reference position and the gaze direction of eye E can be detected from the relative position of the pupil center of eye E with respect to this reference position. Note that the detection of the bright spot and pupil center in the image output from camera 213 can be realized using existing image processing techniques such as edge extraction and Hough transform.

[0049] Next, an example of movement control of the variable-focus lenses 3, 3 in this embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of movement control in this embodiment. In the movement control of this embodiment, the main control unit 11, which executes a predetermined control program, controls the drive units 601-603 of the lens movement mechanism 6 based on the detection results of the gaze direction detection units 21A, 21B (detection results of the gaze directions of the user's right and left eyes) so as to change the positions and directions of the optical axes of the variable-focus lenses 3,3. Note that the two variable-focus lenses 3,3 corresponding to the user's right and left eyes are controlled independently, but because the control content is similar, the left and right variable-focus lenses 3,3 will be described below without distinguishing between them.

[0050] In this embodiment, when the operation unit 13 receives a power-on operation from the user (S1), first, if setting of the basic focal length of the variable-focus lens 3 has not been completed, it sets the basic focal length (S2). In this embodiment, even if the position or orientation (direction and position of the optical axis) of the variable-focus lens 3 is changed, the focal length of the variable-focus lens 3 remains the basic focal length. Note that while this is an example in which movement control is started when the power is turned on, this is not limiting. For example, a wear detection unit may be provided that detects that the user has put on the eyeglasses 1, and movement control may be started when it detects that the user has put on the eyeglasses 1.

[0051] The basic focal length can be set arbitrarily depending on the intended use (the distance at which the user views an object) of the user using the glasses 1. For example, when the user uses the glasses 1 to view a nearby object (such as a smartphone, tablet, game console, or book), the basic focal length is set to a focal length that brings the nearby object into focus, and conversely, when the user uses the glasses 1 to view a distant object (such as a video (movie, etc.) from a distant location, an object of appreciation such as a work of art, or a landscape), the basic focal length is set to a focal length that brings the distant object into focus.

[0052] The basic focal length may also be set to a fixed focal length for each user, regardless of the intended use of the user wearing the eyeglasses 1. For example, for a user with an eye abnormality, including refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism, the basic focal length is set to a focal length corresponding to the user's prescribed refractive power (basic refractive power). In this case, for example, for a myopic user, a focal length corresponding to minus refractive power is set as the basic focal length.

[0053] The basic focal length can be set by a professional or the user themselves by operating the operation unit 13. For example, if the operation unit 13 is provided with a dial on which refractive powers are indicated, the basic focal length can be set by turning the dial to match the user's prescribed refractive power. In this case, an electrical signal (operation signal) corresponding to the rotation position of the dial is sent to the main control unit 11, and the main control unit 11 controls the voltage change unit 12 so that a voltage corresponding to this signal is applied to the second electrodes 302A to 302H of the varifocal lens 3. As a result, the shape of the interface I between the insulating liquid 311 and the conductive liquid 312 in the varifocal lens 3 changes, changing the curvature of the interface I, and the focal length of the varifocal lens 3 is changed to the set basic focal length.

[0054] Once the setting of the basic focal length of the variable-focus lens 3 is complete, the main control unit 11 starts the detection operation by the gaze direction detection units 21A and 21B (S3). As a result, near-infrared light L0 emitted from the light source 211 is reflected by the half mirror 212 and incident on each of the user's eyes E, and the reflected light is reflected again by the half mirror 212 and incident on each of the cameras 213, which capture an image of each eye E. The image data of each eye E captured by each camera 213 is then processed by the respective image processing units 214, and the gaze direction of each eye E is detected from the image of each eye E. This gaze direction detection operation is repeatedly executed at a predetermined sampling interval.

[0055] The gaze direction detection results of each eye E detected by the gaze direction detection units 21A and 21B are sent to the main control unit 11. The main control unit 11 controls the drive units 601 to 603 of the lens moving mechanism 6 to control the position and orientation of the variable-focus lens 3 based on the gaze direction detection results (S4). Specifically, the main control unit 11 executes control to output drive commands to the drive units 601 to 603 of the lens moving mechanism 6 to the target rotation position θ and target positions x and bz corresponding to the gaze direction detection results. As a result, when the user's gaze direction changes, the first drive unit 601 of the lens moving mechanism 6 is rotated to the target rotation position θ, the second drive unit 602 moves to the target position z, and the third drive unit 603 moves to the target position x in accordance with the detection results, and the position and orientation of the optical axis of the variable-focus lens change to follow the changed gaze direction of the user.

[0056] When the operation unit 13 receives a power-off operation from the user (Yes in S5), the main control unit 11 ends the movement control. At this time, the voltage supply to each of the second electrodes 302A to 302H of the variable-focus lens 3 may be turned off or on. Turning off the voltage supply to each of the second electrodes 302A to 302H of the variable-focus lens 3 can save power consumption of the battery 20.

[0057] On the other hand, if the voltage supply to each of the second electrodes 302A-302H of the variable-focus lens 3 is turned on, the eyeglasses 1 can be used as normal eyeglasses. In this case, for example, when the operation unit 13 receives a power-off operation from the user, voltage continues to be applied to each of the second electrodes 302A-302H so that the focal length of the variable-focus lens 3 remains at the basic focal length.

[0058] According to this embodiment, even if the line of sight of the user wearing the eyeglasses 1 changes, the position and orientation of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 of the eyeglasses 1 are changed accordingly, and the user's line of sight is prevented from deviating so much from the optical axis of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 that it exceeds the tolerance range. As a result, even if the user's line of sight changes, the variable-focus lenses 3,3 can properly perform their original function (the function of correcting the user's eyes with the lenses).

[0059] As described above, the variable-focus lens 3,3 in this embodiment has a lens diameter of approximately 5 mm to 12 mm, which is approximately the same as or slightly larger than the size of the human eye or the cornea of ​​the eye. With such a small lens, even if the user's line of sight deviates slightly from the central axis O of the variable-focus lens 3,3, parts outside the lens (non-lens parts of the outer periphery of the variable-focus lens 3,3 (first electrode 301, etc.), the scenery outside the variable-focus lens 3,3, etc.) come into the user's field of view. This makes it difficult for the user to view an object through the variable-focus lens 3,3, which can easily impair user convenience.

[0060] According to this embodiment, even if the user's line of sight changes, the position and orientation of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 are changed accordingly, making it possible to substantially align the user's line of sight with the central axis O of the variable-focus lenses 3,3. As a result, even if the user's line of sight changes, it is difficult for parts outside the lenses to enter the user's field of view, and it is possible to prevent an increase in the proportion of the field of view occupied by parts outside the lenses in the user's field of view, thereby improving user convenience.

[0061] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the position and orientation of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 are changed while maintaining the focal length of the variable-focus lenses 3,3. Therefore, when the user changes their line of sight without changing the distance to an object viewed through the variable-focus lenses 3,3, there is little movement such as relaxation or contraction of the ciliary muscles of the user's eyes, and discomfort and eye fatigue of the user are reduced.

[0062] However, in this embodiment, the focal length of the variable-focus lens 3,3 may be controlled so that it corresponds to the position and direction of the optical axis of the variable-focus lens 3,3, which changes in response to the detection result of the user's gaze direction. In this case, for example, table data describing the correspondence between the user's gaze direction and the focal length of the variable-focus lens 3,3 is stored in a storage unit. Then, based on the detection result of the user's gaze direction, the main control unit 11 controls the lens moving mechanism 6 to change the position and direction of the optical axis of the variable-focus lens 3,3 so that it follows the user's gaze direction, while reading from the storage unit the focal length corresponding to the changed position and direction of the optical axis and controlling the voltage change unit 12 to change the focal length of the variable-focus lens 3,3.

[0063] This makes it possible to automatically adjust the focal length of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 in accordance with the change in distance to the object being viewed, for example, when the user changes the line of sight accompanying a change in the distance to the object being viewed through the variable-focus lenses 3,3, such as when changing the object being viewed from a close distance to a far distance (when switching from near vision to far vision) or vice versa. Therefore, even when the line of sight is changed accompanying a change in the distance to the object being viewed, there is little movement, such as relaxation or contraction, of the ciliary muscles of the user's eyes, and the user's discomfort and eye fatigue are suppressed.

[0064] In the movement control of this embodiment, the orientation of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 can be changed left and right (in the θ direction) around the rotation axis A by the first drive unit 601, but a rotation means for rotating the orientation of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 in another direction may also be provided. For example, a rotation means may be provided that can change the orientation of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 up and down around an axis (an axis passing through the central axis O of the variable-focus lenses 3,3) that extends in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis A (the longitudinal direction of the bridge portion 4). In this way, even if the user's line of sight is changed up and down, the orientation of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 can be changed to follow this change in line of sight.

[0065] In the movement control of this embodiment, the position and orientation of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 are changed by three drive units 601-603 in the lens movement mechanism 6, but some of these drive units may be omitted. Also, instead of movement control of some of the three drive units 601-603 in the lens movement mechanism 6, optical axis parameter control may be executed to change the optical axis parameters of the variable-focus lenses 3,3.

[0066] That is, the variable-focus lens 3 in this embodiment is an optical axis variable lens that can change either the position or the direction of the optical axis, or both, by applying different voltages to the second electrodes 302A to 302H. Therefore, the main control unit 11, which executes a predetermined control program, controls the voltage changing unit 12, thereby controlling the variable-focus lenses 3,3 so that the position and direction of the optical axis, which are optical axis parameters of the variable-focus lenses 3,3, change, based on the detection results of the line-of-sight direction detection units 21A and 21B.

[0067] Therefore, for example, if the main control unit 11 executes optical axis parameter control to control the variable-focus lenses 3,3 so that the direction of the optical axis of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 is changed by the voltage change unit 12, it is possible to omit the rotation means (for example, the first drive unit 601 in this embodiment) that rotates the variable-focus lenses 3,3 around an axis extending in a predetermined direction. In this case, the configuration of the eyeglass lens device (glasses 1) can be simplified and made smaller.

[0068] Of course, such a rotation means and optical axis parameter control may be used in combination. In this case, for example, the range in which the optical axis direction can be changed by optical axis parameter control can be added to the range in which the optical axis direction can be changed by movement control using the rotation means, making it possible to expand the range in which the lens can follow changes in the user's line of sight. Also, for example, after roughly adjusting the direction of the lens optical axis by movement control using the rotation means, it becomes possible to perform control such that the direction of the lens optical axis can be finely adjusted by optical axis parameter control.

[0069] Similarly, for example, if the main control unit 11 executes optical axis parameter control to control the variable-focus lenses 3,3 so that the position of the optical axis of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 is changed by the voltage change unit 12, it is possible to omit the displacement means (for example, the second drive unit 602 and the third drive unit 603 in this embodiment) that displaces the variable-focus lenses 3,3 along a predetermined path. In this case, too, the configuration of the eyeglass lens device (glasses 1) can be simplified and made smaller.

[0070] Of course, such a displacement means and optical axis parameter control may be used in combination. In this case, for example, the range in which the optical axis position of the lens can be changed by the optical axis parameter control can be added to the range in which the optical axis position can be changed by the movement control of the displacement means, thereby making it possible to widen the range in which the lens can follow a change in the user's line of sight. Also, for example, after roughly adjusting the position of the lens optical axis by the movement control of the displacement means, it becomes possible to perform control such that the position of the lens optical axis can be finely adjusted by the optical axis parameter control.

[0071] Furthermore, in the movement control of this embodiment, the positions of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 can be changed in the z direction and the x direction by the second driver 602 and the third driver 603, respectively, but displacement means for displacing the positions of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 in other directions may also be provided. For example, displacement means may be provided that can displace the positions of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 in a direction perpendicular to both the z direction and the x direction (the front-to-back direction of the user's eyes). This has the advantage of improving the accuracy of aligning the user's line of sight with the central axis O of the variable-focus lenses 3,3 when the user's line of sight changes, compared to a configuration using only the lens movement mechanism 6 (three drivers 601-603) of this embodiment.

[0072] It should be noted that the process steps described herein and components of an eyeglass lens device, such as the eyeglasses 1, can be implemented by various means. For example, these steps and components may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof.

[0073] For hardware implementations, the processing units or other means used to implement the steps and components described above may be implemented in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processors (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, electronic devices, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described herein, computers, or combinations thereof.

[0074] Additionally, for firmware and / or software implementations, the means, such as processing units, used to implement the components may be implemented with programs (e.g., code, such as procedures, functions, modules, instructions, etc.) that perform the functions described herein. In general, any computer / processor-readable medium tangibly embodying firmware and / or software code may be used to implement the means, such as processing units, used to implement the steps and components described herein. For example, the firmware and / or software code may be stored in a memory and executed by a computer or processor, such as in a controller. The memory may be implemented within the computer or processor or external to the processor. Furthermore, the firmware and / or software code may be stored in a computer- or processor-readable medium, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, floppy disk, compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD), magnetic or optical data storage device, etc. The code may be executed by one or more computers or processors and may cause the computers or processors to perform certain aspects of the functionality described herein.

[0075] The medium may be a non-transitory recording medium. The program code may be in any format as long as it can be read and executed by a computer, processor, or other device or machine. For example, the program code may be in any of source code, object code, and binary code, or may be a mixture of two or more of these codes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 1: Glasses 2: Eyeglass frames 3: Variable focus lens 4: Bridge section 6: Lens movement mechanism 6a: Rotating shaft 6b: Support arm 7:Nose part 8: Armor part 8a: Mounting part 8b: Hinge part 9: Temple 10: Control device 11: Main control unit 12: Voltage change section 13:Operation section 20: Battery 21A, 21B: Gaze direction detection unit 211 :Light source 212: Half mirror 213: Camera 214: Image processing unit 301:First electrode 301a, 301b: insulating layer 302A~302H: Second electrode 303, 304: Window materials 311: Insulating liquid 312: Conductive liquid 601: First drive unit 602: Second drive unit 603: Third drive unit D: Lens distance I: Interface Ia: End L: Visible light L0, L1: Near-infrared light O :Axis PD: pupillary distance

Claims

1. A control device for controlling at least one of a position and an orientation of a spectacle lens relative to an eye of a wearer, a control unit that controls lens moving means that moves the eyeglass lenses so that at least one of the height position and direction of the optical axis of the eyeglass lenses changes based on a detection result of a gaze direction detection unit that detects the gaze direction of a wearer.

2. 2. The control device according to claim 1, the spectacle lens is a variable-focus lens whose focal length is changeable, The control device is characterized in that the control unit also controls the focal length of the variable-focus lens based on the detection result of the line-of-sight direction detection unit.

3. 3. The control device according to claim 1 or 2, the spectacle lens is a variable-focus lens in which at least one optical axis parameter of the direction and position of the optical axis is changeable; The control device is characterized in that the control unit also controls the at least one optical axis parameter of the variable-focus lens based on the detection result of the line-of-sight direction detection unit.

4. eyeglass lenses, a control device for controlling at least one of the position and orientation of the eyeglass lens relative to the eye of a wearer, a gaze direction detection unit that detects the gaze direction of a wearer; a lens moving means for moving the eyeglass lens so that at least one of the height position and direction of the optical axis of the eyeglass lens is changed, 4. A spectacle lens device, comprising the control device according to claim 1.

5. The eyeglass lens device according to claim 4, The lens moving means includes at least one of a rotation means for rotating the eyeglass lens around an axis extending in a predetermined direction and a displacement means for displacing the eyeglass lens along a predetermined path.

6. The eyeglass lens device according to claim 4 or 5 is provided, The eyeglasses are characterized in that the eyeglass lenses are held in an eyeglass frame.

7. 1. A control method for controlling at least one of a position and an orientation of a spectacle lens relative to an eye of a wearer, comprising: A control method comprising a control step of controlling lens moving means for moving the eyeglass lenses so that at least one of the height position and direction of the optical axis of the eyeglass lenses is changed based on a detection result of a gaze direction detection unit that detects the gaze direction of a wearer.

8. A program that causes a computer of a control device to function, the control device controlling at least one of the position and orientation of a spectacle lens relative to the eye of a wearer, A program that causes the computer to function as a control means for controlling a lens moving means that moves the eyeglass lenses so that at least one of the height position and direction of the optical axis of the eyeglass lenses changes based on the detection result of a gaze direction detection unit that detects the gaze direction of the wearer.

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