IN1'<:', ~:~~ ~. .% ~ 2000 ~UNEYA.' ;
E 1'w Patent Application ~ ""~
of W. Steve G. Mann for COVERT HEADWORN INFORMATION DISPLAY OR DATA
DISPLAY OR VIEWFINDER
of which the following is a specification:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains generally to a wearable display apparatus that provides the wearer with a computer data or video display, or a fixed display, or viewfinder.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In photography (and in movie and video production), it is desirable to capture events in a natural manner with minimal intervention and disturbance. Current state-of-the-art photographic or video apparatus, even in its most simple "point and click" form, creates a visual disturbance to others and attracts considerable attention on account of the gesture of bringing the camera up to the eye. Even if the size of the camera could be reduced to the point of being negligible (e.g. no bigger than the eyecup of a typical camera viewfinder, for example), the very gesture of holding a dis-play device up to, or bringing a display device up to the eye is unnatural and attracts considerable attention, especially in corrupt establishments such as certain gambling casinos or criminal-owned establishments where photography is often prohibited. Al-though there exist a variety of unobtrusive cameras such a camera concealed beneath the jewel of a necktie clip, cameras concealed in baseball <;aps, and cameras concealed in eyeglasses, these cameras tend to produce inferior images, not just because of the technical limitations imposed by their small size, but, more importantly because they lack a means of accurately determining which objects in the scene are within the CA 02316473 2000-07-24 .
J f~~ 2 PROFI~I~~~ I~"d'i e~~; ~ ~,~u.t field of view of the camera to aim the camera for obtaining a picture having good photographic or videographic composition, and because of the fact that they do not capture exactly what the wearer is looking at. Because of the lack of a viewfinder, investigative video and photojournalism made with such cameras suffers from poor composition. Accordingly, such covert cameras are often fitted with very wide angle lenses so that the poor aim will not result in missing important subject matter. As a result of these wide angle lenses, details in the scene are typically much more poorly rendered than they would be if a normal or tele lens were used.
Traditional camera viewfinders often include the ability to overlay virtual objects, such as camera shutter speed, or the like, on top of reality, as described in U.S.
Pat. No. 5664244 which describes a viewfinder with additional information display capability. In this case, it is desired that both the virtual objects that exist within the viewfinder and the real objects that exist beyond the viewfinder appear in sharp focus.
Other related technology, such as information displays, as one might use to read email or do an Internet world wide web search, are also of interest. The displays of the prior art are cumbersome at best, and certainly far from covert.
Displayglasses of the prior art with a display element located within the field of view looking through an eyeglass lens, contain some optical element that can be seen by others.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is desired that the apparatus of the invention has the appearance of ordinary headwear (e.g. a baseball cap, headband, hairpiece, ordinary eyeglasses, etc.), in which the apparatus may be used to display computer data, or to function as a viewfinder to, for example, determine the composition and aiming of a camera, or simply to assist the wearer in imagining the aim of a <:amera, or to assist a visu-ally challenged individual to walk straight, by providing a viewframe, aiming reticle, graticule, or the like, that might help reduce dizziness or visual confusion.
It is further desired that the invention, in some embodiments, provide a means of covertly acquiring a picture electronically where the spatial extent (field of view) of the image may be ascertained without having to use one or both hands to hold any device up to the eye.
A feature of the invention is that it may comprise a device called an aremac, where an aremac is a device that may direct light into the eye in such a manner that material viewed by way of the aremac has large or essentially infinite depth of field.
An aremac is to a projector as a camera is to a scanner, in the sense that an aremac may provide some depth of focus control unlike a projector that just; expects to project onto a planar movie screen or the like. Thus the aremac is kind of like a camera in reverse, in the sense that the camera may provide depth of focus adjustment for capture of a 3d scene to a 2d image, unlike the scanner that simply captures a 2d scene to a 2d image. A camera need not necessarily have depth of focus control or extended depth of focus (e.g. cheaper cameras often have no iris), and likewise the aremac may be nothing more than a display, but the aremac can optionally provide the added feature of depth of focus control, or the feature of extended depth of focus. The etymology of the word "aremac" arises by spelling "camera" backwards.
A feature of some embodiments of the invention is that a display, optical element, diverter, aremac, or the like, at the point of viewing, may be at the edge of a headworn item, concealed behind an opaque surface, so that only the wearer of the headworn item can see the point of viewing.
A feature of some embodiments of the invention is that a display or diverter may be imbedded within the edge of an eyeglass frame material, of a pair of ordinary looking glasses.
In some embodiments, the display or diverter or are:mac, or the like, may be in the top of the eyeglass frames of halfglasses, or at the edge of a lens of halfglasses, reading glasses, or the like.
A feature of some embodiments of the invention, is that a graded index relay is concealed inside the temple side piece so that a display medium may be located far enough back in the temple side piece that it can be concealed under the hair of a wearer of the apparatus of the invention.
A feature of the invention is that in some embodiments, a graded index relay having an odd number of quarter cycle lengths is used with a hinge mechanism, so that, the reading glasses can be folded. and so that dirt or dust entering at the fold point is not visible in the picture owing to the fact that light is collimated at odd numbers of quarter cycle lengths along a graded index relay.
Some embodiments provide an eyeglass based device allowing the wearer to covertly view data, such as from the screen of a wearable computer (wearcomp) system but where the device appears to others to be simply ordinary headwear.
Some embodiments provide a headworn device allowing the wearer to covertly view electronically stored pictures but where the device appears to others to be simply ordinary headwear.
Some embodiments of the invention provide a method of covertly positioning a camera in which both hands rnay be left free, and in which the direction in which the camera is facing is clearly indicated to the wearer of the apparatus of the invention by means of some marking that appears as if it were superimposed on the real objects in the scene.
Some embodiments of the invention provide a display means with head tracking capability by way of a camera in order to create a mediated reality environment in which the head is used as a cursor or similar pointing device.
The invention disclosed here facilitates the display of computer data, video, still pictures, or an aimer (reticule, graticule, crosshairs, or other pattern), near an edge of something headworn. To others, the apparatus of the invention looks just like ordinary headwear, but to the wearer, there appears to be a computer screen or television or other kind of display or indication visible only to the wearer of the glasses.
In one embodiment, the display is concealed under the edge of a hat, so that at usual viewing positions, only the wearer can see it. The edge is preferably the front edge of the hat, and in some embodiments, the brim of a baseball hat.
In other embodiments, the lower edge of a headband is used. In still other em-bodiments, reading glasses are used. The kind of reading glasses referred to in this disclosure are normally worn low, e.g. the lenses are worn in the lower half of the eye's field of view. Thus the top of the frame around the lens (if there is a frame around the lens) will pass over the center of the wearer's eyes, so that the central field of vision is directly aimed at the top of the eyeglass frames. Alternatively, if the glasses do not have frames, the center of the eye will line up with the upper edge of the glass or plastic from which the lens is made. The lenses themselves may have infinite focal length (zero power, e.g. zero diopters), so that the reading glasses are simply for effect, e.g. something that looks normal in apparance yet provides a mounting point for the display directly in front of an eye of the wearer.
In some embodiments, the display borne by the glasses is connected to a computer, while in other embodiments it is connected to a camera. Preferably, when a camera is used together with the apparatus of the invention, the camera is also borne by the reading glasses. When the display shows the output of a camera, the apparatus of the invention facilitates a new form of visual art, in which the artist may capture, with relatively little effort, a visual experience as viewed from his or her own perspective.
With some practice, it is possible to develop a very steady body posture and mode of movement that best produces video of the genre pertaining to this embodiment of the invention. Because the apparatus may be made lightweight and situated close to the head, there is not the protrusion associated with carrying a hand-held camera, or using a traditional head mounted display or head worn television viewfinder. Also because components of the proposed invention are mounted very close to the head, in a manner that balances the weight distribution, the apparatus does not restrict the wearer's head movement or encumber the wearer appreciably.
With known video or movie cameras, the best operators tend to be very large peo-ple who have trained for many years in the art of smooth control of the cumbersome video or motion picture film cameras used. In addition to requiring a very large per-son to optimally operate such cameras, various stabilization devices are often used, which make the apparatus even more cumbersome. The apparatus of the invention may be optimally operated by people of any size. Even ;young children can become quite proficient in the use of the wearable display system.
A typical embodiment of the invention comprises one or two spatial light modu-lators or other display means built into a pair of reading glasses.
In some embodiments, a beamsplitter or a mirror silvered on both sides is used to combine the image of the display with the apparent position of a camera also borne by the apparatus of the invention.
Accordingly the present invention in one aspect comprises a headworn display system using headgear in which there is an inward facing display near an edge of the headgear and in which the display is viewable by the wearer of the headgear, but generally not by others. By inward facing display, what is meant is that it faces toward the wearer (the wearer is considered to be inward, e.g. on the inside of the headgear). By edge, what is meant is the rim or brim of a hat, or the periphery of eyeglasses, such as the portion of the frames of eyeglasses in view of the wearer, which are not the interior central region of the lens.
In another embodiment, the headwear is eyeglasses, and, in particular, uses the portion of the eyeglass frame that is visible to an eye of the wearer of the eyeglasses.
In some embodiments, a camera is also included in the eyeglasses.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a display means in the portion of the eyeglass frames that surround the lens of a pair of eyeglasses.
Preferably the portion of the eyeglass frames surrounding the lens of the eyeglasses is easily visible within the field of view of the eye. Preferably the eyeglass lenses are small, or the eyeglasses are halfglasses (e.g. a form of reading glasses in which the top of the frames are directly in the wearer's field of vision), so that the frames at the edges of the lenses are within the wearer's field of view.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a display at the edge of the eyeglass lenses, where there is not necessarily a frame, or substantial frame. Preferably there is a partial frame or largely frameless pair of eyeglasses with electronic display means visible to the wearer at an edge of the eyeglass lenses.
Preferably the eyeglasses are halfglasses or reading glasses in which the top of the eyeglass lenses are substantially in the wearer's field of view, and the edge where the display is located is the top edge of the eyeglass lens.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of examples which in no way are meant to limit the scope of the invention, but, rather, these examples will serve to illustrate the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates the use of the display of the invention as part of a wearable camera system implementing the virtual light principle in which the perception of reality is to be fully mediated within a mediation zone defined by a fully silvered diverter (two sided mirror).
FIG. la shows a closeup view of just a diverter, along with the physical dimensions (size) and the geometric constructs used to calcuate its size.
FIG. lb shows a front view of a diverter, along with the physical dimensions (size).
FIG. lc shows a front view of a diverter, along with the physical dimensions (size), in which it has been enlarged by an amount equal to the circle of confusion created by its being out of focus from the camera's point of view.
FIG. 2 illustrates the use of the display of the invention as part of a wearable camera system implementing the virtual light principle in which the perception of reality is to be partially mediated within a mediation zone defined by a partially mediated reality using a partially silvered diverter (two sided mirror), and in which video feedback prevention means through the use of polarization is implemented.
FIG. 3a illustrates an embodiment of the display in edgewear using a hollow optical cavity as the top portion of the eyeglass frames.
FIG. 3b shows an edgeworn covert aremac system for use with a diffrac;tive contact lens so that the wearer can look straight ahead and still see directly into an information space provided by a covert edgeworn display.
FIG. 3c shows the manufacturing process of the contact lens as depicted in Fig. 9b.
FIG. 3d shows a multielement edgeworn covert aremac system for use with a multiply diffractive contact lens so that the wearer can look straight ahead and still see directly into an information space provided by a covert edgeworn display.
FIG. 3e shows an embodiment of the covert display system which includes an infrared camera, in which the camera optics are lowtap spectrally concealed.
FIG. 3f shows an embodiment of the edge concealed display system which includes a laser eye camera, in which the camera optics are bandtap spectrally concealed.
FIG. 4 shows a top view of the reading glasses frames, and shows an example of how the display has been concealed inside the optical cavity so that the wearer can see it by way of his or her left eye.
FIG. 5 shows an EyeTap (TM) embodiment of the invention, where the invention is used in conjunction with a wearable camera that is imaged directly into an eye of the wearer of the apparatus.
FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the reading glasses display invention where the mirror or diverter is curved, so that a lens is not needed.
FIG. 7a shows a full-diverter (fully silvered two-sided mirror) imbedded in the eyeglass frame material of a pair of reading glasses, together with the appropriate converging lenses.
FIG. 7b shows a partial-diverter (beamsplitter) imbedded in the eyeglass frame material of a pair of reading glasses, having an optical cavity in which the converging lenses are moved out of the direct visual path.
FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the wearable display invention where there is a three quarter cycle length of graded index relay in a temple side piece, which then feeds into a right angle prism, followed by another 1/4 cycle to make a total length which is an even number of half cycle lengths, to provide a display with the aid of a beamsplitter imbedded in the optical cavity above a lens of the reading glasses.
FIG. 9 shows a frameless embodiment of the invention in which the edges of the lenses are graded index image conduits.
FIG. 10a shows an embodiment of the invention in which a display is located near an outer edge of the lenses of the eyeglasses, the outer edge being defined as the edge near the temple side piece of the eyeglasses.
FIG. 10b shows an embodiment of the invention in which a display is located near an inner edge of the lenses of the eyeglasses, the inner edge being defined as the edge near the nosepoint of the eyeglasses, the nosepoint being the nosebridge or the location of the nose when the eyeglasses would be worn.
FIG. 10c shows an embodiment of the invention in which a display is located near an upper edge of the lenses of the eyeglasses, the upper edge being defined as the edge near the top of the eyeglasses, when the eyeglasses would be worn.
FIG. lOd shows an embodiment of the invention in which a display is located near a lower edge of the lenses of the eyeglasses, the lower edge being defined as the edge near the bottom of the eyeglasses, when the eyeglasses would be worn.
FIG. 11a shows an embodiment of the invention in which a laser aremac is located near an outer edge of the lenses of the eyeglasses, the outer edge being defined as the edge near the temple side piece of the eyeglasses, the aremac being preferably for viewing with a special diffractive contact lens.
FIG. 11b shows an embodiment of the invention in which a laser aremac is located near an inner edge of the lenses of the eyeglasses, the inner edge being defined as the edge near the nosepoint of the eyeglasses, the nosepoint being the nosebridge or the location of the nose when the eyeglasses would be worn, the aremac being preferably for viewing with a special difl'ractive contact lens.
FIG. 11c shows an embodiment of the invention in which a laser aremac is located near an upper edge of the lenses of the eyeglasses, the upper edge being defined as the edge near the top of the eyeglasses, when the eyeglasses would be worn, the aremac being preferably for viewing with a special diffractive contact lens.
FIG. 11d shows an embodiment of the invention in which a laser aremac is located near a lower edge of the lenses of the eyeglasses, the lower edge being defined as the edge near the bottom of the eyeglasses, when the eyeglasses would be worn, the aremac being preferably for viewing with a special difl'ractive contact lens.
FIG. 12a shows a hat with an edgeworn display, the display being near an edge (e.g. brim) of the hat, concealed by the edge of the hat.
FIG. 12b shows a hat with an edgeworn laser aremac, the aremac being near an edge of the hat, concealed by the edge of the hat, the aremac being preferably for viewing with a special diffractive contact lens.
FIG. 12c shows an edgeworn display in a hat together with equiscopic camera the display being near a front edge (brim) of the hat, concealed by the front edge of the hat.
FIG. 12d shows a hat with an edgeworn laser aremac, the aremac being near a front edge of the hat, concealed by the edge of the hat, the aremac being preferably for viewing with a special difl'ractive contact lens, with an equiscopic forward looking camera.
FIG. 13 shows a hat with hollow edgewear.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
While the invention shall now be described with reference to the preferred em-bodiments shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the intention is not to limit the invention only to the particular embodiments shown but rather to cover all alterations, modifications and equivalent arrangements possible within the scope of appended claims.
In all aspects of the present invention, references to "viewscreen" shall not be limited to just miniaturized television monitors or computer monitors, but shall also include computer data display means, as well as fixed display means, where such fixed display means include crosshairs, graticules, reticles, brackets, etc., and other video display devices, still picture display devices, ASCII text display devices, terminals, and systems that directly scan light onto the retina of the eye to form the perception of an image, whether or not there is an actual or aerial image formed outside the eye.
Similarly references to "camera" mean any device or collection of devices capable of simultaneously determining a quantity of light arriving from a plurality of directions and or at a plurality of locations, or determining some other attribute of light arriving from a plurality of directions and or at a plurality of locations.
References to "processor" , or "computer" shall include sequential instruction, par-allel instruction, and special purpose architectures such as digital signal processing hardware, Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices, as well as analog signal processing devices.
When it is said that object "A" is "borne" by object "B", this shall include the possibilities that A is attached to B, that A is part of B, that A is built into B, or that A is B.
FIG 1 illustrates the 'virtual light' principle used in embodiments of the invention where the display of the invention is used to display the output of a camera.
Rays of light spanning a visual angle from ray 110 to ray 120 that would otherwise enter the eye, instead enter the apparatus and are intercepted by a, device called a diverter. In this embodiment, the diverter is a two-sided mirror 115, typically mounted at a 45 degree angle with respect to the optical axis of a camera 130. These rays of light enter camera 130. The video output of the camera 130 is displayed by virtue of aremac 140 possibly after having been processed on a body-worn computer system or the like.
Aremac 140 and diverter 115 form the apparatus of the invention when concealed above or at the top of an eyeglass lens. Aremac 140 is a display device that may also have additional depth of focus beyond what an ordinary display such as a traditional camcorder viewfinder might have.
Aremac 140 is seen in one side of mirror 115, so that the aremac image of ray 110 appears as virtual ray 160 and the aremac image of ~°ay 120 appears as ray 170.
Since the camera 130 records, by way of the other side of mirror 115, an image that is backwards, a backwards image is created and then displayed on aremac 140.
Since the aremac 140 is reflected in a mirror, the image is reversed again so that the view seen at pencil of light rays 190 is not backwards. In this way a portion of the wearer's visual field of view is replaced by the exact same subject matter, in perfect spatial register with the real world as it would appear if the apparatus were absent.
Thus the portion of the field of view spanned by rays 110 to 120 which emerges as virtual light, will align with the surrounding view that is not mediated by the apparatus, such as rays 111 and 121 which pass through the apparatus and enter directly into the eye without being deflected by two-sided mirror 115. The image could, in principle also be registered in tonal range, using the photoquantigraphic image processing framework for estimating the unknown nonlinear response of the camera, and also estimating the response of the display, and compensating for both, as described in Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol. 86, No. 11, November, 1998, 29 pages (30 including cover; cover picture of issue depicts an early embodiment of Mann's WearComp invention) Pages 2123-2151.
FIG la depicts a closeup view of just the diverter 115 where the dimensions of diverter 115 are indicated. These dimensions are indicated with respect to the principal point 116 of diverter 115. The principal point 116 is the point where the principal axis of camera 130 intersects the diverter 115. To calculate the dimensions, a square is drawn between the upper right end of the diverter and the point 116, and a smaller square is drawn between 116 and the lower left end of the diverter 115.
It should be emphasized that the diverter should be the correct size. If it is too big, it will block out vision beyond what is needed for the display of a rectangular image raster. If it is too small, it will not display the entire raster.
Let the horizontal half angle subtended by the display of the invention be denoted by B, as illustrated in Fig la.
Let d denote the distance from the center of projection of the eye's lens (e.g. the location of the pencil of rays corresponding to the reflection of the diverted light) to the point on the mirror at which the optical axis of this pencil of rays intersects the mirror, as illustrated in Fig la.
Let ll denote the length of the diverter to the left of this point as projected orthographically onto a plane parallel to the image plane, as indicated in Fig la.
This is the edge length of square 117.
Let lz denote the length of mirror to the right of this point as projected ortho-graphically onto a plane parallel to the image plane. This is the edge length of square 118.
tang=dhll (1) Therefore, Similarly, Therefore, _ dtanB ( ) 1+tanB
tan B = d + lz (3) _ dtan9 ( ) Lz 1 - tan B 4 The width of the diverter is thus the square root of two times the sum of these two lengths:
dtanB dtanB
w = ~(ll + Lz) _ ~( 1 + tan 8 + 1 -- tan B ) Since one end of the diverter is closer to the camera than the other, the diverter will have a trapezoidal shape, as illustrated in Fig lb. The side closer to the eye will be less tall than the side further from the eye. When oriented at a 45 degree angle inside a pair of eyeglasses, the diverter will subtend a solid rectangular cone 4 units wide and 3 units high. Dimensions of the diverter as viewed at a 0 degree angle (e.g.
directly luead--on) are illustrated in this figure (Fig lb).
We know that there will be no foreshortening of height (e.g. foreshortening in the vertical direction) because both the near and far edge of the diverter are parallel to the image plane in the eye.
If the apparatus of the invention is to be used to display either VGA computer data or NTSC television images, then it should be noted that the standard aspect ratio of VGA or NTSC video images is 4 units wide and 3 units high, so we know that the total height at the principal point (where the optical axis intersects the diverter) is 4~(ll +l2). Moreover, the left half of the diverter is simply a perspective projection of the left half of a television image onto a 45 degree angle, so 2l1 high at that point (e.g. in the plane defined along distance ll, we would see the left side of the television picture). It is easiest to think of the diverter in four quadrants. For this reason the diverter has been partitioned into four quadrants of pro,jectively equal sizes (but of course the Euclidean sizes of the right quadrants are larger owing to the fact that they are further from the camera). These quadrants are marked in Fig lb.
From this observation, we have that the diverter is 21,1 = 2 +tari high at the left side and 2 l2 = 2 a tta B high at the right side, and has a width of ~( +t n B
+ d tt n a ) The above is a simplification of the actual size of the diverter, because the diverter will be slightly out of focus, so there is a small increase in size to account for the circle of confusion 119 of the camera lens. For this reason the diverter typically has a slightly larger trapezoidal size and the corners are slightly rounded. This increased size is depicted in Fig lc.
FIG 1c depicts a frontal view of the diverter with corners rounded by a circle of projectively constant size. This is an approximation to the actual shape since the circle of confusion 119 will be projectively smaller further from the camera (toward the scene and thus toward better focus). Thus the actual size of the blurring circle will be somewhere between constant projective size and constant Euclidean size.
However, the important thing to note is the rounded corners and the fact that it is slightly larger than that calculated in Fig lb.
FIG 2 depicts a similar electronic display apparatus in which only a portion of the rays of the leftmost ray of light 110 is deflected by a device called a diverter.
In this embodiment, the diverter comprises a beamsplitter 215 which is installed in place of the mirror 115 in Fig 1. The visual angle subtended by incoming light ray 110 to light ray 120 is diverted by way of beamsplitter 215 into camera 130.
Output from this camera is sent to aremac 140, possibly after processing on a body-worn computer or processing at one or more remote sites, or a combination of local and remote processing. A partial reflection of the image from aremac 140 is visible to the eye of the wearer by way of beamsplitter 215. The leftmost ray of light 260 of the partial view of television 140 is aligned with the direct view of the leftmost ray of light 110 from the original scene. Thus the wearer sees a superposition of whatever real object is located in front of ray 110 and the aremac image of the same real object at the same location. The rightmost ray of light 120 is similarly visible through the beamsplitter 215 in register with the rightmost virtual ray reflected off the diverter 215.
Note that the partial transparency of beamsplitter 215 allows one to see beyond the display screen of the invention, so it is not necessary t;o carefully cut beamsplitter 215 to fit exactly the field of view defined by display medium 140, or to have the degree of silvering feather out to zero at the edges beyond the field of view defined by display medium 140.
Rays 260 and 270 differ from rays 160 and 170 in that 260 and 270 present the viewer with a combination of virtual light and real light. In order to prevent video feedback, in which light from the aremac would shine into the camera, a polarizes 280 is positioned in front of the camera. The polarization axis of the polarizes is aligned at right angles to the polarization axis of the polarizes inside display medium 140, assuming the aremac already has a built-in polarizes as is typical of small battery powered LCD televisions, LCD camcorder viewfinders, and LCD computer monitors.
If the aremac does not produce polarized light, a polarizes is added in front of the aremac. Thus video feedback is prevented by virtue of the two crossed polarizers in the path between the aremac 140 and the camera 130. The pencil of rays of light 290 will provide a mixture of direct light from the scene, and virtual light from the aremac 140. The pencil of rays 290 thus differs from the pencil of rays 190 (FIG 1) in that 290 is a superposition of the virtual light of 190 with real light from the scene.
In describing this invention, the term "pencil" of rays shall be taken to mean rays that intersect at a point in arbitrary dimensions (e.g. 3D as well as 2D) even though the term "pencil" usually only so-applies to 2D in common usage. This will simplify matters (rather than having to use the word "bundle" in 3D and "pencil" in 2D, and deal with the various different ways that these words are used in the literature). In some literature, the term "pencil" is used to denote parallel rays, wheras in other literature, to denote converging rays (converging to a point). In this disclosure it is used to denote converging rays (converging to a point).
It is desired that both the real light and virtual light be in perfect or near perfect registration. However, in order that the viewfinder provide a distinct view of the world, it may be desirable that the virtual light from the aremac be made different in color or the like from the real light from the scene. For example, if the aremac is simply a black and white television screen, with the appropriate optics, placing a colored filter over the television, will give rise to a unique appearance of the region of the wearer's visual field of view by virtue of a strong difference in color between the television image and the real world upon which it is exactly superimposed.
Even with such chromatic mediation of the television view of the world, it may still be difficult for the wearer to discern whether or not video is correctly exposed.
Accordingly, a pseudocolor image may be displayed, or unique patterns may be used to indicate areas of over exposure or under exposure. Once the wearer becomes aware of areas of improper exposure (such as when an automatic exposure algorithm is failing), the parameters of the automatic exposure algorithm (such as setting of program mode to "backlight" , "high contrast" , "sports mode" or the like) may be changed, or the automatic exposure may be overridden.
The display apparatus is typically concealed at the edge of a field of view of eyeglasses, e.g. in the eyeglass frames, at the edge, below, or above one or both lenses, in which a display, or display optics such as a diverter (mirror or beamsplitter or the like) is typically embedded the eyeglass frame.
In one embodiment, the display is located above the eyeglass lens, and this is called a lenstop display. In this case (the lenstop display), there may be a display for each eye or for just one eye. In the case of a monocular lenstop display, the apparatus is built above one lens, and a dummy version of the apparatus may be positioned over the other lens for visual symmetry. The diverters may be integrated into the frames in such a manner to have the appearance of ordinary frames of ordinary reading glasses. Typically there is a transparent portion of the eyeglass frame tinted to match the appearance of the rest of the eyeglass frame, so there is no visual discontinuity introduced by the diverter(s). This design limits the choice of frame colours to black, silver, gold, chrome, copper, and the like, in embodiments of the invention which include a camera, and where maximum undetectability is desired.
FIG 3a depicts the apparatus of the lenstop display invention. In this embodiment of the invention, the display is viewed by the left eye, through a transparent opening in the top of the eyeglass frames 330. The top of the eyeglass frames 330 in fact forms an optical cavity which is either hollow or filled; in whole or in part, with some optically transparent material. The reading glasses of the invention comprise temple side-pieces 310 connected by hinges 320 to eyeglass frames and optical cavity 330, in which there are lenses 300. Inside the optical cavity there is a beamsplitter 360. The hollow cavity is considered to be edgewear, in the sense that it exists at an edge of the wearable apparatus, namely the portion of the frames at the edge of the eyeglass lenses. The wearer can thus see the display at the edge, and beyond the edge. Edgewear concealment means that the wearer's view is not excessively obstructed, and the edgewear is explicable to others as a natural form of headwear.
FIG 3b depicts an edge concealed laser aremac or edge concealed optics 361 for where light emerges from a laser aremac. This system may be used with or without a special contact lens 301. When used without the special contact lens, it functions much like the apparatus of Fig. 3a, but with optionally greater depth of focus, owing to the effect of the laser aremac. When used with the special diffractive contact lens 301, the wearer need not look quite so far up in order to see the information or pattern displayed by the laser aremac. A diffraction pattern 302 on the contact lens 301 bends light from the edge of the field of view of the eyeglass lens, toward the central portion of this field of view. Preferably grating pattern 302 is such that light is bent sufficiently for a wearer to see the output of the aremac when looking straight ahead. The contact lens is preferably weighted to keep the grating oriented appropriately.
FIG 3c depicts manufacture of the contact lens of Fig. 3b, in which rays 303 inter-fere with rays 304 to create a diffraction pattern 302 in a light sensitive material inside contact lens 301. A satisfactory light sensitive material is DuPont photopolymer, em-bedded therein, and later cured under ultraviolet light. Rays 304 which continue as dashed lines to point 306, denoted point P, define where the aremac will be ideally located (at point P) in actual use. Thus working backwards from point P, rays pro-duced there diffract by the contact lens to emerge as rays 303 in the first order of diffraction to enter the eye and be visible as a point focused at infinity.
Points near P will likewise contribute to an image as seen in an eye of a wearer using the contact lens together with eyeglasses bearing an edge concealed aremac.
FIG 3d depicts a multi component aremac embodiment in which one component 3618 of an aremac system is concealed at one place near the edge of the eyeglass lens field of view, and another component 3616 is concealed elsewhere along the edge.
These components operate at two different wavelengths, for example, 3618 being red, and 3616 being green. A suitable contact lens 301 with multiple diffraction gratings 3028 and 3026 each tuned to these respective wavelengths, aligns the resultant output of the aremac components into a colored image. A weight 301W in the contact lens 301 keeps it and the diffraction gratings therein oriented properly.
FIG 3e depicts the edge concealed display used with a spectrally concealed cam-era system, the spectral concealment being lowtap concealment. An infrared camera 391 is concealed partially or wholly in the eyeglass frames, and an optical element 390 is concealed spectrally. Spectral concealment is concealment in which the ele-ment 390 has a normal appearance in the normal visible spectrum as a typical other person would see it. Element 390, in the preferred embodiment, is a dichroic element concealed in the eyeglass lens. The dichroic element passes visible light and reflects infrared light, so it is a diverter that is like clear glass in the visible, and like a mir-ror in the infrared. The center of projetion of camera 391 is preferably located by reflection at the center of projection of a lens of an eye of the wearer of the apparatus when the apparatus is in use. The appratus of Fig. 3e may be used together with the contact lens system of Fig. 3b or Fig. 3d, so that the camera samples rays of light in the infrared and displays collinear rays of light in the visible, so that a given ray of light entering the eye can, in at least one mode of operation of the apparatus, give rise to a ray of aremac or display light that is:
~ responsive to; and ~ collinear with a corresponding ray of light:
~ collinear with a line passing through an eye of the wearer;
~ going toward an eye of the wearer.
FIG 3f depicts the edge concealed display used with a bandtap camera comprised of doubling crystal 390C, laser source 391L, and sensor 3915. Preferably laser operates in the infrared for ideal invisibility. Doubling crystal 390C allows rays of light passing through it to interact and be measured at sensor 3915.
Similarly, the appratus of Fig. 3f may be used together with the contact lens system of Fig.
3b or Fig. 3d, so that the camera samples rays of light in the infrared and displays collinear rays of light in the visible, so that a given ray of light entering the eye can, in at least one mode of operation of the apparatus, give rise to a ray of aremac or display light that is:
~ responsive to; and ~ collinear with a corresponding ray of light:
~ collinear with a line passing through an eye of the wearer;
~ going toward an eye of the wearer.
FIG. 4 shows a top view of the lenstop display invention. Temple side-pieces 310 and nose bridge 400 support optical cavity 330 comprising the top portion of the eyeglass frames. Inside the optical cavity, a point source of light 410, which is typically a laser diode, shines light through a spatial light modulator 420. A
lens 430, sometimes together with a second lens 440 froms an image in the eye of the wearer of the apparatus of the invention. A mirror 360 causes a right angle bend in the optical path. Typically lens 440, if present, has a smaller diameter than lens 430 because it is closer to the pencil of rays generated by point source 410. Typically the center of projection of an eye of the wearer is located at the pencil of rays formed by point source 410, just beyond lens 440. Depth of focus may be controlled by adjusting the size of point source 410. If a laser diode is used, depth of focus for the display will be essentially infinite, so that the wearer will see the display at any focal distance of the eye, regardless of any corrective eyewear the wearer may or may not be wearing.
The wearer will also generally see dust on the eye itself, as well as blood vessels inside the eye, and surface irregularities of the eyeball. If it is desired to slightly reduce the depth of focus so that the inside and surface of the eye of the wearer is not seen by the wearer, then a conventional white LED may be used in place of laser diode 410.
A white LED is typically composed of three LEDs of red, green, and blue colour, which may be sequenced in synchronization with the display of respective red, green, and blue components of the desired image on spatial light modulator 420.
If the apparatus of the invention is to be used to display video from a wearable camera, it is convenient to place this wearable camera 450 also inside the cavity 330 and use the other side of mirror 360 to divert a portion of the incoming light into the camera lens 460.
FIG. 5 depicts the use of the display of the invention to display images from a camera also borne by the apparatus of the invention. Optical cavity 330 is assumed to be made of black plastic and is assumed to match in apparance black plastic frames of a pair of reading glasses. Optical cavity 330 is either wholly transparent but very dark plastic (such as might transmit 1/10 of the light incident upon it and absorb the other 9/10), or has a portion 510 that is a dark plastic window.
This window provides camera 450 with a view of the world in two-sided mirror 360. The camera 450, reflected in mirror 360 has an effective location inside an eye 520 of the wearer of the apparatus. The effective camera location 451 is shown in dashed lines. The effective center of projection of camera 450 is the center of projection of eye 520. In this embodiment, the display has only one lens, lens 530, which is selected to give the same field of view of spatial light modulator 420 that the camera has of the scene.
FIG. 6 is a diagram depicting an embodiment of the wearable display system in which a curved mirror 610 is used. Mirror 610 forms an image of point source directly in the center of projection of eye 520.
FIG. ?a depicts an embodiment of the wearable display invention with a diverter 360 imbedded in an eyeglass frame 330. Lens 530 protrudes from the inside of the top portion of the eyeglass frame and since it faces eye 520 it is not appreciably visible to others. diverter mirror 360 provides a view of a display system located to the left.
In embodiments of the wearable display invention where the display is used to show an image that is responsive to a camera, the camera may be worn inside the eyeglass frames as well. In one such embodiment, the camera may be located to the right of mirror 360 and use lens 460 to form an image of the scene. Lens 460 may be darkly tinted so that it forms a window to the outside world that is dark to match a pair of black plastic eyeglass frames. Preferably lens 460 would also be plano convex with the planar side facing outwards.
FIG. ?b shows an embodiment more suitable for partially mediated reality so that the wearer of the glasses can see through them as well as aim the camera.
Lenses 530 and 460 are imbedded within the eyeglass frames rather than in front and behind the frames.
A beamsplitter may be used for diverter 360, and poliarizers 720 and 730 are then inserted at crossed orientation to prevent video feedback. Preferably the entire eyeglass frame optical cavity is made partially transparent so that the wearer can see through it but it is also made still quite dark so that it looks black to others. In this manner, it does not appreciably obstruct the wearer's vision.
FIG. 8 depicts a wearable display system. Some light from subject matter 800 passes through beamsplitter cube 810 which has been imbedded into the top portion of the eyeglass frame material. Some of the light from subject matter 800 is also diverted to the right, to camera 899. The effective center of projection COPC
of camera 899 is preferably at the center of projection COPE of a lens of an eye of a wearer of the apparatus. The effective center of projection of the camera takes into account the camera plus diverter, in the sense that the camera plus diverter are collectively responsive to rays of light passing through the center of projection COPE
of the eye.
The apparatus has at least one mode of operation in which an output of the camera may be, (possibly after appropriately being processed), fed to display element 890, to cause rays of light to emerge such that each ray of emergent light is:
~ responsive to; and ~ collinear with a ray of incoming light prior to its being diverted to the camera 899.
Rays of displayed light to the eye come from a plano-piano gradient index image forming lens 820. A satisfactory beamsplitter cube is a 5mm cube or a 6.5mm cube which may be obtained from Eftonscience in Toronto, Canada. In actual manufacture, the dichroic or other beamsplitter surface would be formed directly in a transparent material inside the eyeglass frames rather than by imbedding or moulding around a dichroic beamsplitter cube.
An image forming lens 820 is typically 9 millimeters along its path length.
The remaining path length within the eyeglass lens material is comprised of a length of gradient index image relay material such as that with trade names Selfloc or EndoGRIN. The left edge of the eyeglass lens material provides this image relay to right angle prism 840 concealed in the frames of the eyeglasses.
Hinge 850 which attaches the temple side piece of the glasses is such that another section of image relay 860 concealed within the left temple side piece brings the image to another piano-piano graded index image forming lens 870, where the light comes through video feedback prevention polarizer 880 into display medium 890 which is sufficiently far back as to be concealable under the hair of the wearer. If the display element produces polarized light, video feedback prevention polarizer 880 may not be necessary. In either case a video feedback preventer for camera 899 may comprise a polarized beamsplitter, or separate polarizers, or display in pulsed light during blanking intervals when the camera is not responsive to light.
The total path length inside the image relay should be an integer multiple of half cycle lengths. If it is an odd number of half cycle lengths the image will be erect.
If an even number of half cycle lengths the image will be inverted, and this can be corrected by simply mounting the display medium 890 upside-down.
In the case depicted in Fig. 8, it is one whole cycle length so the image is inverted.
Preferably the break in the relay where the hinge is located will be an odd number of 1/4 cycle lengths from the display medium 890 so that light there will be collimated and thus dirt 851 falling into the hinged part of the eyeglasses where the image relay 860 joins prism 840 will not be visible in the display.
A satisfactory relay material is that made by trade name EndoGRIN, in particular, the 2.7mm size which has cycle length 130mm. Thus segment 860 will typically be 97.5mm long which is sufficient distance back from the front of the glasses that the bulge in the temple side piece where the display medium 890 is located can be under the hair of the wearer of the glasses.
Segment 830 will thus be 32.5mm long which puts the display's effective center of projection, if present, in the eye of the wearer.
FIG. 9 shows an alternate embodiment of the wearable display system in which there are no eyeglass frames. This embodiment is based on temple side-pices being attached to a single lens 300 which is its own support, and which also contains a nose bridge, etc., so that no frames are necessary. This frameless design is a popular style for reading glasses. In order to conceal the display system, the display optical pathways are hidden at the top of the eyeglass lens material 300 using a process called edgeGRINding (TM), in which the upper edge of the lens material is treated in such a manner that it has a ground glass appearance, just like the other edges, but with a graded index image conduit formed at the upper edge. The upper edge is straight, and includes image conduit 930 and mirror 960. Mirror 960 is typically a right angle prism (45 degree prism) hidden behind the ground glass edgeGRINd.
To understand edgeGRINding, one might first consider an image conduit prod-uct called EndoGRIN. A characteristic of EndoGRIN is that its exteriour surface is frosty rather than polished. This frostiness is deliberately induced as part of the manufacturing process in order to minimize light scatter. This frosty characteristic of EndoGRIN material has the appearance of ground gaass, and makes it possible to conceal EndoGRIN at the edge of the eyeglass lens material 300. Most notably, EndoGRIN may be moulded into the upper edge of lens 300. Alternatively, lens may be treated so that it has a graded index image conduit formed directly within the glass, at the edge of the glass, and so that the edge of the glass is frosty in appearance just like the edge of a normal eyeglass lens normally appears.
FIG. l0a shows a lenstop display 1010 concealed by eyeglass frames 1001 and supplied with power and information bearing signal on connection 1000 which may be concealed in under the shirt and hair of a wearer. Preferably temple side pieces 1002 are bent at the end 1003 so that they can clip behind the ears of the wearer for extra support. The off axis (edgeworn) display is angled down in this ease, so that the wearer can look up to see the display which is concealed behind eyeglass frames 1001.
FIG. 10b shows an outward display 1020 concealed by the eyeglass frames 1001 and temple side piece 1002 of the eyeglass frames 1001 and supplied with power and information bearing signal on connection 1000 which may be concealed in under the shirt and hair of a wearer. The off axis (edgeworn) display is angled inward in this case, so that the wearer can look outward to see the display which is concealed behind the eyeglass frames and temple side piece.
FIG. 10c shows an inward display 1030 concealed by the eyeglass frames 1001 and temple side piece 1002 of the eyeglass frames 1001 and supplied with power and information bearing signal on connection 1000 which may be concealed in under the shirt and hair of a wearer. The off axis (inward edgeworn) display is angled outward in this case, so that the wearer can look inward to see the display which is concealed behind the eyeglass frames and temple side piece. In some embodiments of the invention a camera is included. A camera 1050 is covertly concealed in the nosebridge of the eyeglasses and is preferably set such that it is angled in the same way that the display is angled and has the same field of view as the display, so that subject matter in view of the camera is aligned with subject matter displayed by the display 1030. Thus. with reference to Fig. lOc, the wearer's right eye, when looking inward (to the left) sees a display corresponding to a field of view of the camera 1050. The display may be an aimer (aiming reticle, graticule, crosshairs, rectangle, brackets, viewscreen, or the like), fixed, or it may be an electronic display such as an email or emacs window that corresponds to the field of view of the camera so that it can be used as an aimer. Alternatively, it may actually be responsive to an output of the camera, or even display the signal from the camera.
FIG. lOd shows a downward display 1040 concealed by the eyeglass frames 1001 and temple side piece 1002 of the eyeglass frames 100:1 and supplied with power and information bearing signal on connection 1000 which may be concealed in under the shirt and hair of a wearer. The off axis (downward edgeworn) display is angled upward in this case, so that the wearer can look downward to see the display which is concealed behind the lower portion of the eyeglass frames 1001.
FIG. lla shows a lenstop aremac 1110 concealed by eyeglass frames 1001 and supplied with power and information bearing signal on connection 1000 which may be concealed in under the shirt and hair of a wearer. The off' axis (edgeworn) aremac is angled down in this case, so that the wearer can look up to see what is displayed on the aremac which is concealed behind eyeglass frames 1101. In some embodiments of the invention a special contact lens 1111 is weighted such that there are horizontal gratings to provide a straight ahead view of displayed material from aremac 1110.
FIG. llb shows an outward aremac 1120 concealed by the eyeglass frames 1001 and temple side piece 1002 of the eyeglass frames 1001 and supplied with power and information bearing signal on connection 1000. The off axis (edgeworn) aremac is angled inward in this case, so that the wearer can look outward to see the displayed material by way of the aremac which is concealed behind the eyeglass frames and temple side piece. In some embodiments of the invention a special contact lens is weighted such that there are vertical gratings to provide a straight ahead view of displayed material from aremac 1120.
In other embodiments, there may be a contact lens with other orientation, ap-propriate for one or more display elements around the periphery of the eyeglass lens area.
FIG. 11c shows an inward aremac 1130 concealed by the eyeglass frames 1001 and temple side piece 1002 of the eyeglass frames 1001 and supplied with power and information bearing signal on connection 1000 which may be concealed in under the shirt and hair of a wearer. The ofi axis (inward edgeworn) aremac is angled outward in this case, so that the wearer can look inward to see the material displayed thereupon, the aremac or output optics of the aremac being concealed behind the eyeglass frames and temple side piece. In some embodiments of the invention a camera is included. A
camera 1050 is covertly concealed in the nosebridge of the eyeglasses and is preferably set such that it is angled in the same way that the material on the aremac is angled and has the same field of view as the aremac produces, so that subject matter in view of the camera is aligned with subject matter displayed by the aremac 1130.
Thus, with reference to Fig. llc, the wearer's right eye, when looking inward (to the left) sees a display corresponding to a field of view of the camera 1150. The display may be an aimer (aiming reticle, graticule, crosshairs, rectangle, brackets, viewscreen, or the like), fixed, or it may be an electronic display such as an email or emacs window that corresponds to the field of view of the camera so that it can be used as an aimer. Alternatively, it may actually be responsive to an output of the camera, or even display the signal from the camera.
FIG. 11d shows a downward aremac 1140 concealed by the eyeglass frames 1001 and temple side piece 1002 of the eyeglass frames 1001 and supplied with power and information bearing signal on connection 1000 which may be concealed in under the shirt and hair of a wearer. The off axis (downward edgeworn) aremac is angled upward in this case, so that the wearer can look downward to see the displayed material by way of the aremac or aremac output optics which is concealed behind the lower portion of the eyeglass frames 1001.
FIG. 12a shows an edgeworn display for the upper edge of the wearer's field of view, where the display is concealed by the edge 1201 of hat 1200. Consider two points on the display, point 1240 and point 1250. These points radiate light in various directions. Preferably the display is such that light is radiated primarily backward toward the wearer. Additionally, an optional director 1210 (a honeycomb filter or the like, that attenuates light going forward), makes it harder for others to see the display, even when looking under the edge 1201 of hat 1200. Rays 1241 and 1251 enter eye 1299 through lens 1298, when eye 1299 is looking upward.
FIG. 12b shows an edgeworn aremac for the upper edge of the hat, in which lens 1298 is a special contact lens worn on the lens 1211 of eye 1299. Special contact lens 1298 has diffraction gratings 1220 for directing relatively coherent light produced by an aremac under edge 1201 of hat 1200, which sends rays 1241 and 1251 into eye 1299.
These rays form image points 1243 and 1253 respectively. For example, rays converge at point 1253. Thus a forward looking image is derived from the edgeworn display.
Thus the contact lens forms a centerer (edgeward to central converter). Addi-tionally, the contact lens may be photonically powered by solar cell 1280 and contain switchable gratings.
FIG. 12c shows the hat of Fig. 12a with an equiscopic camera 1200U. In order to be equiscopic the camera 1200U must aim upwards. By equiscopic, what is meant is that the field of view must be the same and that the center of the field of view must point the same way, so that the display can be used as a viewfinder for properly aiming the camera, even when the display is not responsive to an output of the camera. A
processor 1200P corrects for barrel distortion of camera 1200U, and also predistorts the image with the inverse map of the distortion that will arise from viewing the display at an oblique angle.
FIG. 12d shows the hat of Fig. 12b with an equiscopic camera 1200F. In order to be equiscopic the camera 1200F must aim forward. A processor 1200P corrects for barrel distortion of camera 1200F, and also predistorts the image with the inverse map of the distortion that will arise from viewing the a~remac at an oblique angle, notwithstanding the straight ahead view provided by the contact lens grating.
Instead of a hat, other headwear is possible, such as a headband, or hairpiece, containing the display of the invention. If the display is an aremac, similiar possi-bilities also exist, and if the display is narrowband, a diffractive contact lens may be used. Since pinhole aremacs are often narrowband, the contact lens diffractor may thus be used with the invention.
FIG. 13 shows a hat 1200 with hollow edgewear of edge 1201 formed by a second edge 1301, with space therebetween. A display 1302 is concealed therein.
Second edge 1301 is of black mesh fabric angled for viewing by the wearer, whereas edge 1201 is of solid waterproof fabric to keep rain out of display 1302. Additionally, a conductive fabric mesh 1300M forms a ground plane enhanced by touching the wearer's head, for transmitter 1300TX with antenna 1300A optionally fitted with propeller to look like the propeller hats commonly worn, such that antenna 1300A does not seem to be out of the ordinary. The hollow cavity formed between hat 1200 outside and mesh 1300M is not considered to be part of the edgewear. The hollow cavity formed between edge 1201 and edge 1301 is edgewear, because it is at an edge of the headwear, and it is within the field of view of the wearer during normal wear.
BENEFITS OF THE INVENTION
The apparatus of this invention allows the wearer to have the use of an electronic display over a long period of time. For example, after wearing the apparatus sixteen hours per day for several weeks, it begins to function as a true extension of the mind and body. In this way, whatever the display is used for, may take the form of routine background activity, within the prosthetic territory of the individual.
For example, if the apparatus of the invention is used in conjunction with a body-worn computer (WearComp which is short for wearable computational signal process-ing system) the computer will begin to function as a true extension of the wearer's mind and body, and thus the wearer will be able to function as a true cyborg (cyber-netic organism).
If the apparatus of the invention is used in conjunction with a wearable camera system, the camera will similarly, after time, begin to function as a true extension of the mind and body. Photographic composition well, after time, become much more optimal, because the act of taking pictures or shooting video will no longer require conscious thought or effort. Moreover, the intentionality of the picture-taking process will not be evident to others, because picture-taking is not preceeded by a gesture such as holding a viewfinder object up to the eye.
In this use, the apparatus of the invention becomes a wearable viewfinder allowing the wearer to experience everyday life through a screen, and therefore be always ready to capture anything that might happen, or even anything that might have happened previously by virtue of a retroactive record capability.
Moreover, additional information beyond just exposure and shutter speed may be displayed in the camera viewfinder. For example, when the apparatus of the invention is used with both a wearable camera and a WearComp, t:he camera allows the wearer to augment, partially diminish, or otherwise alter his or her perception of visual reality. This mediated-reality experience may be shared. The wearer may allow others to partially alter his or her perception of reality. In this way the wear able display invention is useful as a new communications medium, in the context of collaborative photography, collaborative videography, and telepresenc;e. Moreover, the invention may perform other useful tasks such as functioning as a personal safety device and crime deterrent by virtue of its ability to maintain a video diary transmitted and recorded at multiple remote locations, as well as to provide expert advice on how to deal with issues such as physical assault and unlawful confinement.
As a tool for photojournalists and reporters, the invention has clear advantages over other competing technologies such as pen and paper or laptop computers in which the display is not always easily visible, and in which the act of looking at the display may attract undue attention from others. For example, the apparatus of the invention can be used together with a chording keyboard hidden in a pocket or under a sweater, so that the user can take down notes without writing on a notepad which tends to draw considerable attention.
From the foregoing description, it will thus be evident that the present invention provides a design for a wearable display system. As various changes can be made in the above embodiments and operating methods without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
Variations or modifications to the design and construction of this invention, within the scope of the invention, may occur to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the disclosure herein. Such variations or modifications, if within the spirit of this invention, are intended to be encompassed within the scope of any claims to patent protection issuing upon this invention.