Display device

Abstract

[Problem] To achieve an increase in definition of a displayed image easily and at a low cost while ensuring a wide angle of view. [Solution] A display device 1 according to an embodiment comprises: an optical system 10 that includes an ocular lens 11; a first display panel 21 that has a first display region 21A in which a plurality of pixels are arranged and that causes the first display panel 21 to face the optical system 10; and a second display panel 22 that has, at a position in the periphery of the first display region 21A in a view of the first display region 21A from the optical system 10, a second display region 22A in which a plurality of pixels are arranged.

Description

display device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a display device.

[0002] Display devices known as head-mounted displays, electronic binoculars, and electronic viewfinders are well known. These types of display devices typically include an optical system including an eyepiece and a display panel that emits light into the optical system. Such display devices are used by a user with their eyes close to the eyepiece. In this state, the display panel emits light for forming an image, which is then guided through the eyepiece to the user's eyes. This allows the user to view an image through the eyepiece in front of their eyes.

[0003] Among the display devices described above, for example, head-mounted displays can be broadly classified into VST (Video See-Through) and OST (Optical See-Through) types. From the standpoints of ease of use and visibility, VST-type head-mounted displays generally require image display with a wide angle of view, as well as the satisfaction of desirable conditions related to eye relief and eyebox size. Eye relief is the distance from the eyeball surface to the eyepiece. Eyebox refers to the range of eye positions in front of the eyepiece where a user can properly view an image through the eyepiece.

[0004] For example, by shortening the eye relief of the optical system, a large angle of view can be ensured even when a small display panel is used. However, in this case, the eye relief dimension may result in an excessively small eyebox, which may impair usability. For these reasons, it is currently said that a display panel size of approximately 2 inches is desirable for a head-mounted display. In this case, it becomes easier to ensure a wide angle of view, such as 100° or more, while still satisfying desirable conditions such as the desired eye relief and the desired eyebox size.

[0005] Furthermore, from the perspective of ease of use, head-mounted displays are generally required to be smaller and lighter. In response to this demand, recent head-mounted displays have tended to switch from the Fresnel lens optical system, which has traditionally been widely used, to a so-called pancake lens type optical system. When using a Fresnel lens, the distance between the Fresnel lens and the display panel becomes relatively large, which can result in a relatively large thickness of the head-mounted display in the optical axis direction. On the other hand, in the pancake lens type, the light emitted by the display panel for image formation is folded back by the optical system and guided to the eyes. This shortens the distance between the optical system and the display panel, thereby reducing the thickness of the head-mounted display in the optical axis direction.

[0006] As mentioned above, it is currently said that the size of the display panel used in a head-mounted display is preferably about 2 inches. Liquid crystal panels are mass-produced in large sizes with relatively high pixel densities, and liquid crystal panels with a size of about 2 inches can be obtained at low cost with relatively high pixel densities. Therefore, from the perspective of cost reduction, liquid crystal panels are useful as display panels for head-mounted displays.

[0007] However, although the pixel density of liquid crystal panels is becoming relatively high, it cannot be said to be sufficient for the high definition that is currently required or is expected to be required in the future for head-mounted displays.

[0008] Specifically, in the field of head-mounted displays, increasing angular resolution has recently been attracting attention as an indicator of high definition. Specifically, it is said that it is desirable for head-mounted displays to have an angular resolution of approximately 60 PPD (Pixels Per Degree). Here, the pixel density that achieves 60 PPD is 4000 PPI (Pixels Per Inch) or more. If an angular resolution of approximately 60 PPD is ensured, for example, users will be able to read text and other images displayed in a VR space without stress. In contrast, the pixel density of liquid crystal panels is currently about 1000 to 1600 PPI, which is considered high definition. Achieving a high pixel density corresponding to 60 PPD in a liquid crystal panel is expected to require considerable development time and cost.

[0009] Meanwhile, in the field of organic electroluminescence (EL), devices with higher pixel densities than liquid crystal panels have already been put to practical use. Specifically, MOLEDs (micro organic light emitting diodes) with pixel densities of approximately 4000 PPI have already been realized. However, it is currently difficult to enlarge MOLEDs to the desired size of approximately 2 inches, which is desirable for use in the head-mounted displays mentioned above. Furthermore, it is believed that enlarging them to the desired size would require considerable development time and costs.

[0010] As described above, achieving both high image resolution and a wide angle of view poses manufacturing difficulties. For example, although various head-mounted display technologies have been proposed, no technology has been known that effectively solves the problems described above.

[0011] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-3641 International Publication No. 2018 / 100237 International Publication No. 2021 / 181303

[0012] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and provides a display device that can easily and inexpensively realize high-definition images while ensuring a wide angle of view.

[0013] The display device of the present disclosure comprises an optical system including an eyepiece lens, a first display panel having a first display area in which a plurality of pixels are arranged and facing the first display area to the optical system, and a second display panel having a second display area in which a plurality of pixels are arranged, positioned around the first display area when the first display area is viewed from the optical system.

[0014] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a head-mounted display as a display device according to an embodiment. It is an exploded perspective view of the head-mounted display shown in FIG. 1. It is a cross-sectional view of the head-mounted display taken along line III-III in FIG. 1. It is a front view of a first display panel and a second display panel constituting the head-mounted display shown in FIG. 1. It is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. 4, illustrating the first display panel, the second display panel, and optical members constituting the head-mounted display. It is a diagram for explaining the function of the optical member shown in FIG. 5. It is a diagram for explaining the function of the optical member shown in FIG. 5. It is a diagram for explaining specific characteristics of the optical member shown in FIG. 5. It is a diagram for explaining a first modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. It is a diagram for explaining a second modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. It is a diagram for explaining a third modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. It is a diagram for explaining a fourth modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. It is a diagram for explaining a fifth modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. It is a diagram for explaining a sixth modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. It is a diagram for explaining a seventh modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. It is a diagram for explaining an eighth modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. It is a diagram for explaining a ninth modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining a tenth modified example of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. FIG. 11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining an eleventh modified example of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] <Schematic Configuration of Head-Mounted Display> Fig. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a head-mounted display 1 as a display device according to one embodiment. Hereinafter, the head-mounted display 1 will be abbreviated as HMD 1. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the HMD 1, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the HMD 1 taken along line III-III in Fig. 1.

[0017] The HMD 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a lens assembly 13 including an optical system 10 , a display panel unit 20 , a housing box 30 , a band 31 , and a display control system 40 .

[0018] The lens assembly 13, the display panel unit 20, and the display control system 40 are housed in a housing box 30. The band 31 is connected to the housing box 30. The optical system 10 in the lens assembly 13 includes an eyepiece 11 through which a user looks. The optical system 10 is held in the housing box 30 with the eyepiece 11 exposed to the outside from the housing box 30. The display panel unit 20 is positioned in the housing box 30 so as to face the optical system 10. The display panel unit 20 emits light toward the optical system 10 to form an image.

[0019] The user can fasten the band 31 around their head with the housing box 30 positioned in front of their eyes. This allows the user to wear the HMD 1 with their eyes e (left eye eL, right eye eR) close to the eyepieces 11. In this wearing state, when the display panel unit 20 emits light for image formation, this light is guided to the user's eyes e through the eyepieces 11. As a result, an image is displayed in front of the user's eyes e. Note that the image displayed to the user by the HMD 1 may be a three-dimensional image or a two-dimensional image. Each part of the HMD 1 will be described in detail below.

[0020] (Lens Assembly) The HMD 1 includes a lens assembly 13 for the left eye eL and a lens assembly 13 for the right eye eR. Each lens assembly 13 has an optical system 10 and a lens housing 13H that holds the optical system 10. Each optical system 10 is configured as a pancake lens assembly, for example, that includes the above-mentioned eyepiece lens 11 and an objective lens 12 that is positioned closer to the display panel unit 20 than the eyepiece lens 11. The left and right lens assemblies 13 have the same configuration, and the left and right optical systems 10 also have the same configuration.

[0021] Needless to say, the left optical system 10 including the left eyepiece 11 and the left objective lens 12 is used to display an image to the left eye eL, and the right optical system 10 including the right eyepiece 11 and the right objective lens 12 is used to display an image to the right eye eR. In the following description, when simply referring to the optical system 10, the eyepiece 11, the objective lens 12, etc., matters common to both the left and right are described.

[0022] As will be described later, the HMD 1 includes a display panel unit 20 for the left eye eL and a display panel unit 20 for the right eye eR. The display panel unit 20 for the left eye eL faces the optical system 10 of the lens assembly 13 for the left eye eL, and the display panel unit 20 for the right eye eR faces the optical system 10 of the lens assembly 13 for the right eye eR. The optical system 10, which is configured as a pancake lens assembly, reflects light that is incident from the corresponding display panel unit 20 and taken into the optical system 10, and then reflects this reflected light again in a direction away from the display panel unit 20 before being emitted to the outside of the optical system 10. The light emitted to the outside of the optical system 10 reaches the user's eye e. The pancake lens assembly allows the user's eye e to focus on the image and displays an appropriate image to the user even if the distance between the optical system 10 and the display panel unit 20 (more specifically, the first display area 21A of the first display panel 21 and the second display area 22A of the second display panel 22, which will be described later) is shortened. This prevents the HMD 1 from increasing in thickness in the optical axis direction.

[0023] The eyepiece 11 has an eyepiece entrance surface 11i facing the display panel unit 20 and an eyepiece exit surface 11e located opposite the eyepiece entrance surface 11i. The objective 12 has an objective entrance surface 12i facing the display panel unit 20 and an objective exit surface 12e located opposite the objective entrance surface 12i. More specifically, the eyepiece entrance surface 11i and the objective exit surface 12e face each other between the eyepiece 11 and the objective 12.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows cross sections of the right eyepiece 11 and right objective lens 12 of the optical system 10, illustrating how light is folded back by the pancake lens assembly in this embodiment. When an image is displayed in front of the user's eyes, as shown in FIG. 3, light from the display panel unit 20 enters the eyepiece entrance surface 11i of the eyepiece 11 via the objective lens 12 and is reflected by the eyepiece exit surface 11e of the eyepiece 11. The light reflected by the eyepiece exit surface 11e is then reflected by the eyepiece entrance surface 11i. The light reflected by the eyepiece entrance surface 11i is then emitted outside the optical system 10 and reaches the eye e. The same light behavior occurs in the left eyepiece 11 and left objective lens 12 as on the right side.

[0025] Pancake lens assemblies are well known and may be constructed using wave plates, reflective films, polarization control elements, etc. These optical elements are not shown in the drawings accompanying this specification. In this embodiment, the pancake lens assembly is configured such that light is reflected twice within the eyepiece 11. However, for example, a configuration in which light is reflected twice within the objective 12, i.e., a first reflection at the objective exit surface 12e of the objective 12 and a second reflection at the objective entrance surface 12i, may also be employed. Alternatively, a configuration in which light is reflected twice between the eyepiece 11 and the objective 12, i.e., a first reflection at the eyepiece entrance surface 11i of the eyepiece 11 and a second reflection at the objective exit surface 12e, may also be employed.

[0026] The optical system 10 may be of a type other than a pancake lens assembly. For example, the optical system 10 may be an optical system using a Fresnel lens or a multi-lens array, or an optical system in which three or more lenses are stacked in the optical axis direction.

[0027] 1 , the HMD 1 includes a display panel unit 20 for the left eye eL and a display panel unit 20 for the right eye eR. The display panel unit 20 for the left eye eL is disposed so as to face the optical system 10 of the lens assembly 13 for the left eye eL, and the display panel unit 20 for the right eye eR is disposed so as to face the optical system 10 of the lens assembly 13 for the right eye eR. Each display panel unit 20 includes a first display panel 21, a second display panel 22, and an optical member 23. In this embodiment, the first display panel 21 and the second display panel 22 are separate display panels, and the HMD 1 includes four separate display panels. However, the pair of first display panels 21 and the pair of second display panels 22, a total of four display panels, cooperate to display one image to the user. In detail, the two first display panels 21 emit light that forms the central visual field within the angle of view of the image to be displayed, and the two second display panels 22 emit light that forms the peripheral visual field of the image, thereby displaying one image to the user.

[0028] The left and right display panel units 20 have the same configuration, and the left and right first display panels 21, the left and right second display panels 22, and the left and right optical members 23 also have the same configuration. In the following description, when simply referring to the display panel unit 20, simply the first display panel 21, simply the second display panel 22, simply the optical member 23, etc., matters common to the left and right are described.

[0029] Fig. 4 is a front view of the first display panel 21 and the second display panel 22. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in Fig. 4, and schematically shows cross sections in the thickness direction of the first display panel 21, the second display panel 22, and the optical member 23 (for ease of explanation, hatching is not applied).

[0030] 4 and 5 , the first display panel 21 has a plate-shaped first substrate 21S and a first display area 21A formed on the surface of the first substrate 21S. The first display area 21A is configured by arranging a plurality of first pixels 21P on the surface of the first substrate 21S. The first display panel 21 has the first display area 21A facing the corresponding optical system 10. More specifically, the first display panel 21 has the first display area 21A facing the objective incident surface 12i of the objective lens 12 of the corresponding optical system 10. In FIG. 4 , the range indicating the first display area 21A is indicated by dots.

[0031] The first display panel 21 may be an OLED (organic light emitting diode) panel or an LCD (liquid crystal display) panel. However, in this embodiment, as described above, the first display panel 21 is the part that emits light that forms the central visual field of the image, so it is desirable to configure it so that it can display high-resolution images. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first display panel 21 uses an OLED, which has the advantage of being more advantageous than an LCD in terms of achieving high resolution. In order to display high-resolution images, the pixel density of the first display panel 21 is preferably 2500 ppi or higher, more preferably 3000 ppi or higher, and even more preferably 4000 ppi or higher.

[0032] Specifically, the first display panel 21 in this embodiment is configured as a MOLED (Micro Organic Light Emitting Diode) panel with a pixel density of approximately 4000 ppi. However, the specific configuration (type, pixel density, etc.) of the first display panel 21 is not particularly limited.

[0033] The arrangement pattern of the first pixels 21P in the first display region 21A may be, for example, a stripe arrangement, a pentile arrangement, a diamond arrangement, or the like. The arrangement pattern of the first pixels 21P in the first display region 21A is not particularly limited. Note that, in this specification, a pixel refers to a portion constituting the smallest unit of an image and refers to an area containing a predetermined number of subpixels. Note that the optical system 10 described above is designed so that the object plane (focal plane) is aligned with the display surface (first display region 21A) of the first display panel 10, which forms the central field of view of the image.

[0034] The material of the first substrate 21S can be determined depending on the type of panel. The first substrate 21S may be a glass substrate, a silicon substrate, etc. The shape of the first substrate 21S is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment it is rectangular, more specifically, a rectangular shape with its longitudinal direction extending in the left-right direction.

[0035] In this embodiment, the first display area 21A has a shape similar to that of the surface of the first substrate 21S and is formed over most of the surface of the first substrate 21S. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5 , an outer non-display area 21n is formed in the first display panel 21. The outer non-display area 21n refers to a region of the surface of the first substrate 21S on which the first display area 21A is formed where no pixels are arranged. In other words, the first display area 21A is formed in a range of the surface of the first substrate 21S other than the outer non-display area 21n. The outer non-display area 21n is adjacent to the first display area 21A and extends along the outer edge of the first display panel 21. The outer edge of the first display panel 21 is formed by the outer edge of the first substrate 21S. In this embodiment, the outer non-display area 21n has a rectangular frame shape as a whole.

[0036] The size of the first display region 21A of the first display panel 21 may be 1.4 inches or less, 1.3 inches or less, or 1.2 inches or less. In this case, even if the first display panel 21 is configured using an MOLED with a pixel density of approximately 4000 ppi, it is easy to avoid excessive increases in manufacturing costs while ensuring the desired display performance. However, the size of the first display panel 21 is not particularly limited.

[0037] The second display panel 22 also has a plate-shaped second substrate 22S and a second display area 22A formed on the surface of the second substrate 22S. The second display area 22A is configured by arranging a plurality of second pixels 22P on the surface of the second substrate 22S. The second display panel 22 has the second display area 22A facing the corresponding optical system 10. More specifically, the second display panel 22 has the second display area 22A facing the objective incident surface 12i of the objective lens 12 of the corresponding optical system 10. In FIG. 4, the range indicating the second display area 22A is indicated by dots.

[0038] In this embodiment, as described above, the second display panel 22 emits light that forms the peripheral visual field of the image. Correspondingly, the second display area 22A is formed in a position that is the periphery of the first display area 21A when the first display area 21A is viewed from the optical system 10.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 5 , in this embodiment, the second display panel 22 has an opening 221 penetrating through it in the thickness direction. The opening 221 is formed in the second base material 22S. The second display area 22A is provided around the opening 221 in the second display panel 22. The first display panel 21 is disposed so that, from the viewpoint shown in FIG. 4 (when viewed from the optical system 10), at least a portion (in this example, the entirety) of the first display area 21A is located inside the opening 221 and the outer peripheral portion does not cover the second display area 22A from the optical system 10 side. As a result, in the display panel unit 20, the second display area 22A is positioned around the first display area 21A when the first display area 21A is viewed from the optical system 10.

[0040] The second display panel 22 may be an OLED panel or an LCD panel. Here, as described above, the second display panel 22 emits light that constitutes the peripheral vision portion of the image. In this case, high-resolution image display is not strongly desired for the second display panel 22. Specifically, by realizing high-resolution image display in the first display area 21A, the HMD 1 can achieve image display desirable for the user even if the second display panel 22 is not configured to achieve high-resolution image display. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second display panel 22 is configured as a display panel having a second display area 22A with a pixel density lower than that of the first display area 21A. This makes it possible to achieve desirable image display while particularly reducing costs.

[0041] According to the findings of the present inventors, in HMD applications, if the pixel density of the first display area 21A is ensured to be 4000 ppi or more and the first display area 21A can cover the user's primary central visual field, desirable image display can be achieved even if the pixel density of the second display area 22A is, for example, 1 / 10 or less of the pixel density of the first display area 21A. Therefore, the second display panel 22 in this embodiment is, for example, configured as an AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) panel whose pixel density of the second display area 22A is 200 ppi or more and 800 ppi or less.

[0042] The HMD 1 according to this embodiment aims to realize desirable image display while reducing the cost of the second display panel 22 in particular and keeping overall costs down by not ensuring excessive pixel density in the second display panel 22. Therefore, the second display panel 22 is configured as a display panel having a second display area 22A with a pixel density lower than the pixel density of the first display area 21A.

[0043] However, the pixel density of the second display region 22A of the second display panel 22 is not particularly limited. For example, the pixel density of the first display region 21A and the pixel density of the second display region 22A may be the same. Even in this case, the first display panel 21 and the second display panel 22 may be manufactured separately, potentially avoiding increased costs due to larger sizes. Furthermore, the pixel density of the first display region 21A may be partially higher than the pixel density of the second display region 22A. In this embodiment, the second display panel 22 is configured with an AMOLED. However, the specific configuration of the second display panel 22 is not particularly limited, and LEDs called micro LEDs or mini LEDs may also be used. The arrangement pattern of the second pixels 22P in the second display region 22A may be, for example, a stripe arrangement, a pen tile arrangement, a diamond arrangement, or the like, but is not particularly limited.

[0044] The material of the second substrate 22S may be determined depending on the type of panel. The second substrate 22S may be a glass substrate, a silicon substrate, or a flexible substrate such as polyimide. The shape of the second substrate 22S is not particularly limited, but its outer contour is rectangular. Specifically, the outer contour of the second substrate 22S is a rectangular shape extending longitudinally in the left-right direction. The opening 221 described above is rectangular, specifically a rectangular shape extending longitudinally in the left-right direction. By forming the rectangular opening 221 in the second substrate 22S, the surface of the second substrate 22S is formed into a rectangular frame shape. Note that the concept of rectangle in this specification includes both a square and a rectangle. In other words, the first display panel 21 and the second display panel 22 described above may be square.

[0045] In this embodiment, the second display area 22A has a shape similar to the shape of the surface of the second base material 22S, i.e., a frame shape, and is formed over most of the surface of the second base material 22S. Meanwhile, as shown in Fig. 4, the second display panel 22 is formed with an outer non-display area 22n and an inner non-display area 22m.

[0046] The outer non-display region 22n and the inner non-display region 22m refer to regions of the surface of the second substrate 22S on which the second display region 22A is formed, where the second pixels 22P are not arranged. The second display region 22A is formed in an area of ​​the surface of the second substrate 22S other than the outer non-display region 22n and the inner non-display region 22m. The outer non-display region 22n is adjacent to the second display region 22A and extends along the outer edge of the second display panel 22. The outer edge of the second display panel 22 is formed by the outer edge of the second substrate 22S. In this embodiment, the outer non-display region 22n has a rectangular frame shape as a whole. The inner non-display region 22m is adjacent to the second display region 22A and extends along the periphery of the opening 221. In this embodiment, the inner non-display region 22m also has a rectangular frame shape as a whole.

[0047] The second display area 22A of the second display panel 22 is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 2 inches for HMD applications. If the size of the second display panel 22 is 2 inches, it becomes easier to realize an HMD that is easy for the user to use while ensuring a wide viewing angle. Note that the size of the second display panel 22 refers to the size of the outer contour of the second display panel 22, without taking into account the opening 221.

[0048] 5, the first display panel 21 and the second display panel 22 are each plate-shaped and are arranged with their thickness directions aligned. As described above, the first display panel 21 is arranged such that, from the viewpoint shown in FIG. 4 (when viewed from the optical system 10), at least a portion (in this example, the entirety) of the first display area 21A is located inside the opening 221 and the outer peripheral portion of the first display area 21A does not cover the second display area 22A from the optical system 10 side. As a result, in the display panel unit 20, the second display area 22A is positioned at a position that surrounds the first display area 21A when the first display area 21A is viewed from the optical system 10.

[0049] 4, the first display panel 21 overlaps the rear surface of the second display panel 22 such that at least a portion (in this example, the entirety) of the first display area 21A is located inside the opening 221. The first display panel 21 faces at least a portion (in this example, the entirety) of the first display area 21A to the optical system 10 through the opening 221.

[0050] 5, the first display panel 21 and the second display panel 22 are arranged such that their outer non-display regions 21n and inner non-display regions 22m overlap each other in the thickness direction. In this case, the outer non-display region 21n of the first display panel 21 is hidden by the inner non-display region 22m of the second display panel 22.

[0051] In this embodiment, the area occupied by the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A forms the entire display area of ​​the display panel unit 20. Here, it is difficult to form a display area close to the outer or inner edge of each display panel. Therefore, the outer non-display area 21n of the first display area 21A and / or the inner non-display area 22m of the second display area 22A are formed as areas where no pixels exist within the display area of ​​the display panel unit 20 formed by the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A. In this case, the outer non-display area 21n of the first display panel 21 is hidden by the inner non-display area 22m of the second display panel 22, thereby reducing the area where no pixels exist within the display area of ​​the display panel unit 20. This reduces the impact of the pixel-free area on image display. In this embodiment, specifically, the outer non-display area 21n of the first display panel 21 is completely hidden by the inner non-display area 22m of the second display panel 22. As a result, the only area in the entire display area (21A, 22A) where no pixels exist is the inner non-display area 22m of the second display panel 22.

[0052] The optical member 23 is disposed between the optical system 10 and the first display area 21A of the first display panel 21 and the second display area 22A of the second display panel 22, and faces the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A. The optical member 23 is sheet-shaped and disposed such that its in-plane direction (direction perpendicular to the thickness direction) is aligned with the first display area 21A of the first front panel 21 and the second display area 22A of the second display panel 22.

[0053] In this embodiment, when the display panel unit 20 is viewed from the optical system 10, the inner non-display region 22m of the second display panel 22 appears as a region where no pixels exist, as shown in Fig. 4. Here, the optical member 23 causes at least a portion (in this embodiment, all) of the light incident from the second display region 22A to exit from an exit point shifted toward the first display region 21A from the point of incidence in an in-plane direction along the surface facing the first display region 21A and the second display region 22A. In this way, the optical member 23 makes the region where no pixels exist less visible, thereby improving the display quality of the image.

[0054] In this embodiment, the optical element 23 is configured to include a PB (Pancharatnam-Berry) phase element, as an example. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5 , the optical element 23 includes a transparent substrate 23A, an incident-side PB phase element 23i, and an exit-side phase element 23e. The transparent substrate 23A is a plate material. The transparent substrate 23A may be formed of a glass plate or a resin plate material that is transparent to visible light. The resin plate material may be made of, for example, acrylic, polycarbonate, or the like.

[0055] The incident-side PB phase element 23i and the exit-side PB phase element 23e are each in the form of a film. The incident-side PB phase element 23i is provided by being bonded to a surface of the transparent substrate 23A facing the first display panel 21 and the second display panel 22. The exit-side PB phase element 23e is provided by being bonded to a surface of the transparent substrate 23A opposite to the surface on which the incident-side PB phase element 23i is provided. The incident-side PB phase element 23i and the exit-side PB phase element 23e are formed by holding liquid crystal oriented in a predetermined direction within a film-like resin. The incident-side PB phase element 23i and the exit-side PB phase element 23e have the function of modulating the phase of incident light, thereby refracting the incident light by a predetermined angle and outputting it, regardless of the angle of incidence.

[0056] In this embodiment, the incident-side PB phase element 23i and the exit-side PB phase element 23e are provided around a portion of the transparent substrate 23A that includes a central position and faces the first display region 21A. The exit-side PB phase element 23e extends further toward the central position of the transparent substrate 23A than the incident-side PB phase element 23i. The incident-side PB phase element 23i is positioned so as to cover the second display region 22A of the second display panel 22 but not the inner non-display region 22m. The exit-side PB phase element 23e is positioned so as to cover both the second display region 22A and the inner non-display region 22m. This embodiment does not intend to change the behavior of light from the second display region 22A using the incident-side PB phase element 23i and the exit-side PB phase element 23e, thereby causing an optical change in the light from the first display region 21A. Therefore, the incident-side PB phase element 23 i and the exit-side PB phase element 23 e are provided partially on the transparent base material 23 A. This can reduce manufacturing costs and suppress effects on the characteristics of light from the first display region 21 A, for example.

[0057] In Figure 5, the path of light incident from the second display region 22A and passing through the incident-side PB element 23i, the transparent substrate 23A, and the output-side PB element 23e is indicated by arrow α. As indicated by arrow α, light perpendicularly incident from the second display region 22A to the incident-side PB phase element 23i is refracted by the incident-side PB phase element 23i and travels through the transparent substrate 23A in a state tilted, for example, with respect to the initial incident direction at the incident point P1. Thereafter, the light incident on the output-side PB phase element 23i is refracted by the output-side PB phase element 23e and is emitted from the output point P2 in a direction perpendicular to the output-side PB phase element 23e. In this embodiment, as an example, the incident-side PB phase element 23i is configured to refract the incident light by a predetermined angle by, for example, modulating the phase of the incident light to delay it. In contrast, the output-side PB phase element 23e is configured to refract the incident light by a predetermined angle in the direction opposite to the input-side PB phase element 23i by modulating the phase of the incident light to advance it, thereby enabling light control as indicated by the arrow α in Figure 5.

[0058] Referring to the arrow α in Figure 5, light incident from the edge or edge periphery of the first display region 21A side of the incident-side PB phase element 23i as an incident point is refracted by the incident-side PB phase element 23i and reaches a portion of the output-side PB phase element 23e facing the inner edge or inner edge periphery of the inner non-display region 22m. Then, the light that reaches the output-side PB phase element 23e rises and is output from the output point in front of the inner non-display region 22m (toward the optical system 10) in a direction perpendicular to the output-side PB phase element 23e. On the other hand, most of the light incident on the optical member 23 from the first display region 21A does not pass through the incident-side PB phase element 23i or the output-side PB phase element 23e, but transmits through the optical member 23. In this case, when the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A emit light for image formation, a portion of the image is displayed on the inner non-display area 22m located between the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A, making the inner non-display area 22m difficult to see.

[0059] 6 and 7 are diagrams for explaining the function of the optical member 23. Fig. 6 shows an image formed by light emitted from the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A in a state where the optical member 23 is not provided. In the image shown in Fig. 6, an inner non-display area 22m located between the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A is displayed.

[0060] Fig. 7 shows an image formed by light emitted from first display region 21A and second display region 22A with optical member 23 provided. In Fig. 7, optical member 23 causes light incident from second display region 22A to exit from an exit point that is shifted toward first display region 21A from the light incident point in the in-plane direction of optical member 23. As a result, a portion of the image is displayed on inner non-display region 22m, making inner non-display region 22m less visible.

[0061] Figure 8 is a diagram for explaining the characteristics of the optical element 23 shown in Figure 5, and shows an enlarged view of the incident-side PB phase element 23i, the exit-side PB phase element 23e, the first display area 21A, and the second display area 22A.

[0062] In FIG. 8 , the symbol l indicates the thickness of the transparent substrate 23A of the optical member 23, and the symbol d indicates the frame length (bezel width), which is the distance in the in-plane direction (direction perpendicular to the thickness direction) from the first display region 21A to the second display region 22A. The symbol θ indicates the angle at which the optical member 23 refracts the light incident on the incident-side PB phase element 23i and the exit-side PB phase element 23e. The angle θ is the angle between the in-plane direction of the incident-side PB phase element 23i and the direction of light traveling inside the optical member 23 (transparent substrate 23A), or the angle between the in-plane direction of the exit-side PB phase element 23e and the direction of light emitted from the optical member 23. The frame length d refers to the width of the region where no pixels exist. In the example of FIG. 5 , the frame length d corresponds to the width of the inner non-display region 22m of the second display panel 22. The optical member 23 may have an optical characteristic in which the refraction angle θ satisfies "tan θ=d / l."

[0063] As indicated by the arrow α and other arrows parallel to it in Fig. 5 , the optical element 23 in this embodiment is configured to refract incident light at a refraction angle θ regardless of the position of the light incident on the incident-side PB phase element 23i. The output-side PB phase element 23e is configured to refract incident light at a refraction angle θ regardless of the position of the light incident on the output-side PB phase element 23e. However, the optical element 23 may be configured to change the degree to which light is refracted depending on the position of incidence.

[0064] Furthermore, when the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A emit light for image formation, a portion of the image is displayed in the inner non-display area 22m located between the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A by the optical member 23, such that the central visual field portion of the image formed by the first display area 21A and the peripheral visual field portion of the image formed by the second display area 22A are integrated. However, in this embodiment, the pixel density of the first display area 21A is higher than that of the second display area 22A. This may result in image distortion or a visual discomfort at or near the boundary between the central visual field and the peripheral visual field. Therefore, image processing may be performed to adjust the distortion and resolution.

[0065] Specifically, for example, image processing may be performed such that the resolution gradually changes, specifically, gradually decreases, from the center toward the outer edge in the peripheral portion of first display area 21A adjacent to second display area 22A. Such image processing is performed under the control of controller 50 described above.

[0066] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the left panel optical system module 8L is configured by integrally holding the lens assembly 13 for the left eye eL and the display panel unit 20 for the left eye eL in the housing 10H. Similarly, the right panel optical system module 8R is configured by integrally holding the lens assembly 13 for the right eye eR and the display panel unit 20 for the right eye eR in the housing 10H. In this embodiment, the left and right panel optical system modules 8L and 8R are separate. The left and right panel optical system modules 8L and 8R can be moved closer to or farther apart in the left-right direction. This allows the lens position to be adjusted appropriately for each user. Note that the lens assembly 13 and the display panel unit 20 do not have to be integrated.

[0067] 1, the display control system 40 includes first to fourth panel drivers 41 to 44 and a controller 50. The first to fourth panel drivers 41 to 44 are electrically connected to the controller 50. The first panel driver 41 is connected to the first display panel 21 for the left eye, and the second panel driver 42 is connected to the second display panel 22 for the left eye. The third panel driver 43 is connected to the first display panel 21 for the right eye, and the fourth panel driver 44 is connected to the second display panel 22 for the right eye.

[0068] The controller 50 controls the driving of the first to fourth panel drivers 41 to 44 according to the image to be displayed. If the display panel is an LED, the first to fourth panel drivers 41 to 44 can express the gradation of the image by controlling the light emission amount of the subpixels. If the display panel is an LCD, the first to fourth panel drivers 41 to 44 can express the gradation of the image by controlling the orientation of the liquid crystal corresponding to the subpixels. As described above, a total of four panels, including the pair of first display panels 21 and the pair of second display panels 22, work together to display a single image to the user, and each panel is controlled by a separate panel driver. That is, in this embodiment, the display control system 40 constitutes a so-called multi-channel display system.

[0069] When performing image processing so that the resolution gradually decreases as described above, the controller 50 may apply a low-pass filter to the portion of the image where the resolution is to be decreased, and then generate drive signals to be provided to the first panel driver 41 and the third panel driver 43.

[0070] (Functions and Effects) Next, the functions and effects of the HMD 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0071] The user wears the HMD 1 with their eyes e (left eye eL, right eye eR) close to the eyepieces 11. In this wearing state, the HMD 1 guides light for image formation emitted by the display panel unit 20 to the user's eyes e through the eyepieces 11. As a result, an image is displayed in front of the user's eyes e. The light for image formation is emitted from each of the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A.

[0072] In this embodiment, the pixel density of the first display area 21A is higher than that of the second display area 22A, so that a high-definition image is formed by the light emitted from the first display area 21A. Meanwhile, the second display area 22A is disposed at a position that surrounds the first display area 21A. This allows the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A to ensure a wide overall display area in the HMD 1. This allows a wide angle of view of the displayed image to be ensured.

[0073] The central visual field of the image is formed by light emitted from the first display area 21A, and the peripheral visual field of the image is formed by light emitted from the second display panel 22. Typically, human vision has high visual resolution only in the central field of vision and low visual resolution in the peripheral field. Therefore, even if the display quality of the peripheral visual field of the image formed by the second display area 22A is not high, it does not significantly affect the user's vision. Therefore, in the HMD 1 according to this embodiment, by forming the central visual field of the image with high resolution using the first display area 21A, it is possible to display a high-resolution image in a manner desirable for the user without unnecessarily widening the high-resolution image range. Furthermore, by not unnecessarily widening the high-resolution image range, the HMD 1 is extremely advantageous in terms of reducing manufacturing effort and costs.

[0074] That is, by separating the HMD 1 into a first display panel 21 having a first display area 21A and a second display panel 22 having a second display area 22A, the HMD 1 achieves high-definition image display desirable for the user without unnecessarily expanding the high-definition image range. In contrast, if a single display panel with a display area having the same pixel density as the first display area 21A were fabricated within a display area roughly equivalent to that occupied by the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A to achieve high-definition image display, the combination of high pixel density and a large area could significantly reduce yields compared to fabricating the first display panel 21 and the second display panel 22 of this embodiment. Therefore, costs could increase significantly. Although the size of the second display panel 22 in the HMD 1 could be large, a reduction in yields could be suppressed because a high pixel density is not required. Therefore, the HMD 1 is extremely advantageous in terms of reducing manufacturing effort and costs while achieving both high definition and a wide angle of view.

[0075] Therefore, with the HMD 1 according to this embodiment, it is possible to easily and inexpensively realize high-definition images to be displayed while ensuring a wide angle of view.

[0076] In this embodiment, the first display panel 21 and the second display panel 22 are arranged such that their non-display areas (21n, 22m) overlap each other. In this case, the area where no pixels exist can be reduced in the entire display area formed by the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A, and the influence of the area where no pixels exist on the image display can be reduced.

[0077] The HMD 1 also includes an optical member 23 disposed between the optical system 10 and the first display area 21A of the first display panel 21 and the second display area 22A of the second display panel 22, facing the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A. The optical member 23 emits at least a portion of the light incident from the second display area 22A from an emission point shifted toward the first display area 21A in the in-plane direction from the incidence point. In this case, the display quality of the image can be improved by making it difficult to view areas where the above-mentioned pixels do not exist in the entire display area formed by the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A.

[0078] The optical member 23 also includes PB phase elements (23i, 23e). PB phase elements are typically formed of film. Therefore, the addition of the optical member 23 can prevent the HMD 1 from becoming larger. The optical system 10 is a pancake lens assembly. A pancake lens assembly can display an appropriate image to the user even if the distance between the optical system 10 and the first display area 21A is shortened. This prevents the HMD 1 from becoming thicker in the optical axis direction.

[0079] <Modifications> Several modifications of the above-described embodiment will be described below. In each modification, the same parts as those in the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0080] (First Modification) Fig. 9 shows a first modification. In the first modification, the configuration of the optical member 23 is different from that of the above-described embodiment.

[0081] The optical member 23 according to the first modification causes at least a portion of light incident from the second display region 22A to exit from an exit point that is shifted toward the first display region 21A in the in-plane direction of the optical member 23 relative to the incident point. This function is common to the above-described embodiment. Meanwhile, the optical member 23 according to the first modification is configured to change the distance from the incident point of light from the second display region 22A to the exit point, which is shifted in the in-plane direction of the optical member 23, depending on the position of the incident point. Note that, as described above, the in-plane direction is the direction along the surface facing the first display region 21A and the second display region 22A.

[0082] Specifically, the optical member 23 shifts the exit point by a greater distance from the incident point of light incident from the second display region 22A to the first display region 21A. In Fig. 9, arrows indicate the paths of light incident from the second display region 22A and passing through the incident-side PB phase element 23i, the transparent substrate 23A, and the exit-side PB phase element 23e. As is clear from the arrows, the amount of shift of the light varies depending on the incidence of the light, and the closer the incident point is to the first display region 21A, the greater the shift of the light.

[0083] 9 indicates the distance (shift amount) from the incident point of light incident on the optical member 23 to the exit point, where the incident point is the periphery of the end of the incident-side PB phase element 23i on the first display region 21A side. The symbol Δ(x2) indicates the distance from the incident point of light incident on the optical member 23 to the exit point, where the incident point is a position farther from the first display region 21A than the incident point of light shifted by the distance Δ(x1). In the first modified example, the relationship distance Δ(x1)>distance Δ(x2) holds.

[0084] 9 indicates the refraction angle when light whose deviation from the incident point to the exit point is the distance Δ(x1) is refracted by the incident-side PB phase element 23i. The angle θ(x2) indicates the refraction angle when light whose deviation from the incident point to the exit point is the distance Δ(x2) is refracted by the incident-side PB phase element 23i. The refraction angle here is the angle between the in-plane direction of the incident-side PB phase element 23i and the direction of light traveling inside the optical element 23 (transparent substrate 23A). In the first modified example, the relationship of angle θ(x1)<angle θ(x2) holds. That is, it can be said that the optical element 23 in the first modified example has the function of refracting the incident light more greatly the closer the incident point of light incident from the second display region 22A is to the first display region 21A.

[0085] According to the first modified example described above, similarly to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to improve the display quality of an image by making it difficult to view areas where no pixels exist in the entire display area formed by the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A. Furthermore, by changing the distance from the incident point to the shifted exit point depending on the position at which light is incident, it is possible to avoid, for example, a situation in which the overall traveling direction of light is excessively changed, thereby improving the display quality of an image.

[0086] (Second Modification) Fig. 10 shows a second modification. In the second modification, the configuration of the optical member 23 differs from that of the above-described embodiment.

[0087] The optical member 23 according to the second modification emits at least a portion of light incident from the second display region 22A from an exit point that is shifted toward the first display region 21A from the incident point in the in-plane direction of the optical member 23. This function is common to the above-described embodiment. However, in the optical member 23 according to the second modification, the thickness of the portion of the optical member 23 facing the first display region 21A is smaller than the thickness of the portion facing the second display region 22A.

[0088] The optical member 23 refracts light incident from the second display region 22A and causes it to exit from an exit point shifted from the incident point. In this case, the optical path length of the light is longer than when light incident from the second display region 22A is transmitted without being refracted. Light incident on the optical member 23 from the first display region 21A basically passes through the optical member 23 without being refracted. Although the first display region 21A is positioned farther from the optical member 23 than the second display region 22A, a difference may occur between the optical path length of light transmitting through the optical member 23 from the first display region 21A and the optical path length of light transmitting through the optical member 23 from the second display region 22A. This difference in optical path length causes so-called blurring in the displayed image. Therefore, in this modified example, the thickness of the portion facing the first display area 21A is made different from the thickness of the portion facing the second display area 22A, thereby reducing or eliminating the difference between the optical path length of light passing through the optical element 23 from the first display area 21A and the optical path length of light passing through the optical element 23 from the second display area 22A.

[0089] 10, symbol l1 indicates the thickness of the portion of the optical member 23 facing the second display region 22A, symbol l2 indicates the thickness of the portion of the optical member 23 facing the first display region 21A, and symbol Δt indicates the thickness of the second base material 22S of the second display panel 22. Specifically, in this modification, the refractive index of the transparent base material 23A of the optical member 23 is n, and the following relational expression (1) holds: Δt + (l1 - l2) + n × l2 = n × l1 (1)

[0090] When the above relationship is satisfied, the difference between the optical path length of light passing through the optical member 23 from the first display region 21A and the optical path length of light passing through the optical member 23 from the second display region 22A becomes small or disappears, and blurring of the image becomes less likely to occur. Note that, since blurring of the image becomes less likely to occur when the difference in optical path length becomes small, the display panel unit 20 may be designed to satisfy, for example, the following relationship (2): 0.95×(Δt+(l1-l2)+n×l2)≦n×l1≦1.05×(Δt+(l1-l2)+n×l2) (2)

[0091] Furthermore, if the difference between the optical path length of light passing through the optical member 23 from the first display region 21A and the optical path length of light passing through the optical member 23 from the second display region 22A is less than 0.1 mm, blurring of the image is less likely to occur. Therefore, for example, the display panel unit 20 may be designed to satisfy the following relational expression (3): |Δt+(l1-l2)+n×l2-n×l1|<0.1 (3) Note that the units of Δt, l1, and l2 in relational expression (3) are mm (millimeters).

[0092] According to the second modification example described above, similar to the above embodiment, it is possible to improve the display quality of an image by making it difficult to see areas where no pixels exist in the entire display area formed by the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A. In addition, it is possible to suppress blurring of the image.

[0093] 11 shows a third modified example, in which the configuration of the optical member 23 differs from that of the above-described embodiment.

[0094] The optical member 23 according to the third modification emits at least a portion of the light incident from the second display region 22A from an emission point that is shifted toward the first display region 21A from the incident point in the in-plane direction of the optical member 23. This function is common to the above-described embodiment.

[0095] Meanwhile, whereas in the above-described embodiment, the incident-side PB phase element 23 i and the output-side PB phase element 23 e are provided partially on the transparent base material 23 A, in this modified example, the incident-side PB phase element 23 i and the output-side PB phase element 23 e are provided entirely on the front and back surfaces of the transparent base material 23 A. However, the portions of the incident-side PB phase element 23 i and the output-side PB phase element 23 e facing the first display region 21 A do not refract incident light.

[0096] According to the third modified example described above, the operation of bonding the incident-side PB phase element 23i and the exit-side PB phase element 23e to the transparent base material 23A can be facilitated.

[0097] 12 shows a fourth modified example, in which the configuration of the optical member 23 differs from that of the above-described embodiment.

[0098] The optical element 23 of the fourth variant emits at least a portion (specifically, a part) of the light incident from the first display area 21A from an exit point that is shifted toward the second display area 22A from the incident point in the in-plane direction of the optical element 23.

[0099] Specifically, the optical element 23 changes the distance from the incident point of light from the first display region 21A to the exit point, which is shifted in the in-plane direction of the optical element 23, depending on the position of the incident point. More specifically, the closer the incident point of light from the first display region 21A is to the second display region 22A, the greater the distance the optical element 23 shifts from the incident point to the exit point. In FIG. 12 , arrows indicate multiple paths of light incident from the first display region 21A and passing through the incident-side PB phase element 23i, the transparent substrate 23A, and the exit-side PB phase element 23e. As is clear from the arrows, the amount of light shift varies depending on the incidence of the light, and the closer the incident point is to the second display region 22A, the greater the shift of the light. In this example, the optical element 23 transmits light from the center and its periphery of the first display region 21A without refracting it.

[0100] The incident-side PB phase element 23i and the exit-side PB phase element 23e are provided in a portion of the transparent substrate 23A facing the first display region 21A. The exit-side PB phase element 23e extends further toward the outer edge of the transparent substrate 23A than the incident-side PB phase element 23i. The incident-side PB phase element 23i and the exit-side PB phase element 23e may be provided on the entire front and back surfaces of the transparent substrate 23A.

[0101] According to the fourth variant example described above, similar to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to improve the display quality of the image by making it difficult to see areas where there are no pixels in the entire display area formed by the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A.

[0102] 13 shows a fifth modified example. In the fifth modified example, the configuration of the optical member 23 is different from that of the above-described embodiment.

[0103] The optical member 23 according to the fifth modification includes a light-transmitting portion 23C including a portion facing the first display region 21A and a peripheral portion 23P including a portion facing the second display region 22A, and the peripheral portion 23P includes an optic plate. The optic plate in the peripheral portion 23P causes at least a portion of light incident from the second display region 22A to exit from an exit point shifted toward the first display region 21A in the in-plane direction of the optical member 23 relative to the incident point. The light-transmitting portion 23C and the peripheral portion 23P are adjacent to each other and form a generally sheet-like shape. The in-plane direction refers to the in-plane direction of the generally sheet-like shape formed by the light-transmitting portion 23C and the peripheral portion 23P or the direction in which the light-transmitting portion 23C and the peripheral portion 23P are adjacent to each other.

[0104] According to the fifth variant example described above, similar to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to improve the display quality of images by making it difficult to see areas where there are no pixels in the entire display area formed by the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A.

[0105] 14 shows a sixth modified example. In the sixth modified example, the configuration of the optical member 23 differs from that of the above-described embodiment.

[0106] The optical member 23 according to the sixth modification, like the fifth modification, includes a light-transmitting portion 23C including a portion facing the first display region 21A and a peripheral portion 23P including a portion facing the second display region 22A. However, the sixth modification differs from the fifth modification in that the peripheral portion 23P includes a magnifying lens. The magnifying lens in the peripheral portion 23P causes at least a portion of the light incident from the second display region 22A to exit from an exit point shifted toward the first display region 21A in the in-plane direction of the optical member 23 relative to the incident point. The sixth modification provides the same effects as the above-described embodiment.

[0107] 15 shows a seventh modification example. In the seventh modification example, the configuration of the optical member 23 differs from that of the above-described embodiment.

[0108] The optical member 23 according to the seventh modification includes a light-transmitting portion 23C including a portion facing the first display region 21A and a peripheral portion 23P including a portion facing the second display region 22A, similar to the fifth modification. However, the seventh modification differs from the fifth modification in that the peripheral portion 23P includes a flat transparent plate. The flat transparent plate in the peripheral portion 23P is disposed at an angle with respect to the second display region 22A.

[0109] The optical member 23 causes at least a portion of light incident from the second display region 22A to exit from an exit point shifted toward the first display region 21A from the incident point in the in-plane direction of the optical member 23 due to the refraction effect of the flat transparent plate of the peripheral portion 23P. The light-transmitting portion 23C and the peripheral portion 23P are adjacent to each other to form a roughly sheet-like shape. The in-plane direction refers to the in-plane direction of the roughly sheet-like shape formed by the light-transmitting portion 23C and the peripheral portion 23P or the direction in which the light-transmitting portion 23C and the peripheral portion 23P are adjacent to each other.

[0110] 16 shows an eighth modification example, in which the configuration of the optical member 23 differs from that of the above-described embodiment.

[0111] The optical member 23 according to the eighth modification diffuses and emits light incident from the second display region 22A. The optical member 23 has a diffusion region 23D in a portion facing the second display panel 22. The diffusion region 23D can be formed by roughening the surface, for example.

[0112] According to the eighth variant, similar to the above-described embodiment, the areas where no pixels exist in the entire display area formed by the first display area 21A and the second display area 22A are made less visible, thereby improving the display quality of the image.

[0113] 17 shows a ninth modification example. In the ninth modification example, the layout of the first display panel 21 and the second display panel 22 differs from that of the above-described embodiment.

[0114] In the ninth modification, the first display panel 21 is disposed closer to the optical system 10 (see also FIG. 1 ) than the second display panel 22. At least a portion (in this example, the entirety) of the first display area 21A of the first display panel 21 covers the opening 221 in the second display panel 22 from the optical system 10 side.

[0115] 18 shows a tenth modification. In the tenth modification, the first display panel 21 is disposed closer to the optical system 10 (see also FIG. 1 ) than the second display panel 22. On the other hand, the second display panel 22 does not have the opening 221 described in the above embodiment.

[0116] 19 shows an eleventh modification. In the eleventh modification, the first display panel 21 is arranged side by side with the second display panel 22. More specifically, the first display panel 21 is arranged inside an opening 221 in the second display panel 22.

[0117] The above-described embodiment shows an example for realizing the present disclosure, and the present disclosure can be implemented in various other forms. For example, various modifications, substitutions, omissions, or combinations thereof are possible without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. Such modifications, substitutions, omissions, etc. are also included within the scope of the present disclosure, as well as the scope of the inventions described in the claims and their equivalents.

[0118] For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the present disclosure is applied to an HMD has been described, but the present disclosure can also be applied to electronic binoculars, electronic viewfinders, and the like.

[0119] Furthermore, the effects of the present disclosure described in this specification are merely examples, and other effects may also be present.

[0120] The present disclosure may also be configured as follows. [Item 1] A display device comprising: an optical system including an eyepiece; a first display panel having a first display area in which a plurality of pixels are arranged, the first display area facing the optical system; and a second display panel having a second display area in which a plurality of pixels are arranged, the second display area being located around the first display area when the first display area is viewed from the optical system. [Item 2] The display device according to Item 1, wherein the pixel density of the first display area is at least partially higher than the pixel density of the second display area. [Item 3] The display device according to Item 1 or 2, wherein the second display panel has an opening penetrating in a thickness direction, the second display area being provided around the opening in the second display panel, and at least a portion of the first display area is located inside the opening when the first display area and the second display area are viewed from the optical system. [Item 4] The display device according to Item 3, wherein the first display panel is located farther from the optical system than the second display panel, and at least a portion of the first display area faces the optical system through the opening. [Item 5] The display device according to Item 3, wherein the first display panel is disposed closer to the optical system than the second display panel, and at least a portion of the first display area covers the opening from the optical system side. [Item 6] The display device according to Item 4 or 5, wherein the first display panel has a non-display area adjacent to the first display area and extending along an outer edge of the first display panel, and the second display panel has a non-display area adjacent to the second display area and extending along a periphery of the opening, and the first display panel and the second display panel are disposed with their respective non-display areas overlapping each other.[Item 7] The display device according to any one of items 1 to 6, further comprising an optical member disposed between the optical system and the first display region and the second display region and facing the first display region and the second display region, wherein the optical member causes at least a portion of light incident from the first display region to exit from an exit point shifted toward the second display region from an incident point in an in-plane direction along a surface facing the first display region and the second display region, or causes at least a portion of light incident from the second display region to exit from an exit point shifted toward the first display region from an incident point in the in-plane direction. [Item 8] The display device according to item 7, wherein the optical member changes a distance from the incident point to the exit point shifted in the in-plane direction depending on a position of the incident point on the optical member. [Item 9] The display device according to item 8, wherein the optical element increases the distance from the incident point to the exit point in the in-plane direction as the incident point of the light incident from the first display region is closer to the second display region or the incident point of the light incident from the second display region is closer to the first display region. [Item 10] The display device according to any one of items 7 to 9, wherein the optical element includes a PB phase element. [Item 11] The display device according to any one of items 1 to 10, further comprising an optical element that diffuses and exits the light incident from the second display region. [Item 12] The display device according to any one of items 1 to 11, wherein the optical system is a pancake lens assembly that includes the eyepiece and an objective lens that is positioned closer to the first display region and the second display region than the eyepiece, and the optical system reflects light that has entered the optical system from the first display region and the second display region, reflects the reflected light again in a direction away from the first display region and the second display region, and then emits the reflected light to the outside of the optical system.

[0121] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...head-mounted displays 8L, 8R...panel optical system module 10...optical system 11...eyepiece lens 11i...eyepiece entrance surface 11e...eyepiece exit surface 12...objective lens 12i...objective entrance surface 12e...objective exit surface 13...lens assembly 13H...lens housing 20...display panel unit 21...first display panel 21S...first substrate 21A...first display area 21P...first pixel 21n...outer non-display area 22...second display panel 22S...second substrate 22A... Second display area 22P...second pixel 22n...outer non-display area 22m...inner non-display area 221...opening 23...optical member 23A...transparent substrate 23i...incident side PB phase element 23e...exit side PB phase element 23C...light transmitting portion 23P...periphery 23D...diffusion area 30...housing box 31...band 40...display control system 41...first panel driver 42...second panel driver 43...third panel driver 44...fourth panel driver 50...controller e...eye

Claims

1. A display device comprising: an optical system including an eyepiece; a first display panel having a first display area in which a plurality of pixels are arranged, the first display area facing the optical system; and a second display panel having a second display area in which a plurality of pixels are arranged, positioned around the first display area when the first display area is viewed from the optical system.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel density of said first display area is at least partially greater than the pixel density of said second display area.

3. The display device of claim 1, wherein the second display panel has an opening penetrating in the thickness direction, the second display area is provided around the opening in the second display panel, and when the first display area and the second display area are viewed from the optical system, at least a portion of the first display area is located inside the opening.

4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the first display panel is disposed at a position farther from the optical system than the second display panel, and at least a portion of the first display area faces the optical system through the opening.

5. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the first display panel is disposed closer to the optical system than the second display panel, and at least a portion of the first display area covers the opening from the optical system side.

6. The display device of claim 4, wherein the first display panel has a non-display area adjacent to the first display area and extending along the outer edge of the first display panel, the second display panel has a non-display area adjacent to the second display area and extending along the periphery of the opening, and the first display panel and the second display panel are arranged with their respective non-display areas overlapping each other.

7. A display device as described in claim 1, comprising an optical element disposed between the optical system and the first display area and the second display area, and facing the first display area and the second display area, wherein the optical element causes at least a portion of the light incident from the first display area to exit from an exit point shifted toward the second display area from the point of incidence in an in-plane direction along a surface facing the first display area and the second display area, or causes at least a portion of the light incident from the second display area to exit from an exit point shifted toward the first display area from the point of incidence in the in-plane direction.

8. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the optical member changes the distance from the incident point to the exit point, which is shifted in the in-plane direction, according to the position of the incident point on the optical member.

9. The display device of claim 8, wherein the optical element increases the distance from the incident point to the exit point shifted in the in-plane direction as the incident point of the light from the first display area is closer to the second display area, or as the incident point of the light from the second display area is closer to the first display area.

10. The display device according to claim 7, wherein the optical member includes a PB phase element.

11. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising an optical member that diffuses and emits light incident from the second display area.

12. The display device of claim 1, wherein the optical system is a pancake lens assembly including the eyepiece and an objective lens positioned closer to the first display area and the second display area than the eyepiece, and the optical system reflects light entering the optical system from the first display area and the second display area, reflects the reflected light again in a direction away from the first display area and the second display area, and then emits the reflected light to the outside of the optical system.

13. The display device according to claim 1, comprising a pair of the optical systems, a pair of the first display panels, and a pair of the second display panels, and wherein separate panel drivers are provided to drive the pair of first display panels and the pair of second display panels, respectively.

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