Patent Abstract:
A proposition is to provide a wearable display suitable for enjoying contents including images by plural users simultaneously. To realize the proposition, the wearable display provides an external output unit outputting a signal having the same contents as a signal input to a device to an external device, at an exterior part of an apparatus body including the device making information of contents including images into a state capable of being sensed by a user, and mounting fixtures mounting the device on a head portion of the user.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a Continuation Application of International Application No. PCT/JP2007/000387, filed Apr. 11, 2007, designating the U.S., in which the International Application claims a priority date of Apr. 26, 2006, based on prior filed Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-122409, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present invention relates to a head mountable image displaying apparatus (a wearable display). 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In recent years, a wearable display in which a displaying device such as a liquid crystal display element (LCD) is mounted on a head portion of a user is proposed. This wearable display is generally called as a head mount display (HMD) and so on (refer to Patent Document 1, and so on). 
     The user couples the HMD to a mobile media player (terminal) and so on, carries it, and thereby, it is possible to enjoy desired video contents at a place where the user has gone and so on (Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-232810). 
     In future, a requirement in which plural HMD users want to enjoy the same contents simultaneously may occur when the HMD users increase. However, an equipment branching a video signal output from the terminal, an equipment converting the video signal into a radio signal, and so on are necessary to realize the above-stated requirement by the conventional HMD. 
     SUMMARY 
     A proposition of the present invention is to provide a wearable display suitable for plural users to enjoy contents including images simultaneously. 
     To realize the above-stated proposition, a wearable display according to the present invention includes an apparatus body including a device making information of contents including images into a state capable of being sensed by a user and mounting fixtures mounting the device on a head portion of the user, and an external output unit outputting a signal having same contents as a signal input to the device to an external device, at an exterior part of the apparatus body. 
     Incidentally, a signal processing part performing a process for the signal output to the external device is included inside the apparatus body, and the signal processing part limits operations of the process during a period when the external device is not coupled to the external output unit. 
     Besides, the mounting fixtures are able to invert a direction of the device relative to the user, and an inverting processing part inverting only the signal input to the device between the signal input to the device and the signal output to the external device, in accordance with an inverting direction thereof when the direction is inverted, may be included inside the apparatus main body. 
     Besides, it is desirable that at least an image displaying device making the images included in the contents into a state capable of being sensed by one eye of the user, is included in the device. 
     Besides, it is desirable that the image displaying device making the images included in the contents into a state capable of being sensed by one eye of the user and an audio output device making audio included in the contents into a state capable of being sensed by left and right ears of the user are included in the device. 
     Besides, a memory part capable of storing files of the contents, and a signal reproducing part reproducing the files of the contents and generating the signal may be included inside the apparatus body. 
     Besides, an external input unit inputting the signal from the external device may be provided at the exterior part of the apparatus body. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an embodiment of an HMD system of a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of an HMD main body  100  of the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is an operation flowchart of a CPU  520  of a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B  are exterior views (schematic views) of the HMD main body  100  of a third embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the HMD main body  100  of the third embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is an operation flowchart of the CPU  520  of the third embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     First Embodiment 
     A first embodiment of the present invention is described. The present embodiment is an embodiment of an HMD system. 
     First, an overall configuration of the present system is described. 
       FIG. 1  is an overall configuration chart of the present system. As shown in  FIG. 1 , two HMD main bodies  100 ,  100 ′ having the same configuration with each other, and a terminal  500  are included in the present system. 
     The HMD main body  100  includes left and right headphones  102 L,  102 R, a headband  103  supporting these headphones  102 L,  102 R, a side arm  104  coupled to the headband  103 , a displaying unit  101  fixed at a tip portion of the side arm  104 , and so on. The headband  103  presses the left and right headphones  102 L,  102 R to left and right ears of a user when this HMD main body  100  is mounted on a head portion of the user. The side arm  104  disposes the displaying unit  101  in front of one eye of the user in this state. Here, this eye is set to be a left eye, and it is called as a “viewing eye”. 
     An operating button CB is provided on a case of the right headphone  102 R, and an external input terminal  202   in  and an external output terminal  202   out  are provided on a case of the left headphone  102 L, in this HMD main body  100 . Among them, the external input terminal  202   in  is coupled to an external output terminal  500 out of the terminal  500  via a cable  200 , and the external output terminal  202   out  is coupled to an external input terminal  202   in  of the HMD main body  100 ′ via a cable  200 ′. 
     Incidentally, each of the external input terminals  202   in , the external output terminal  202   out , and the external output terminal  500 out has at least three kinds of electric contacts to transmit/receive later-described video signal and left/right audio signals, and connectors complying with these terminals are provided at both ends of the cables  200 ,  200 ′. 
     Files such as video/audio contents, audio contents, video contents, still image contents are stored inside the terminal  500 , and various kinds of operating buttons are provided at a surface of the terminal  500 . It is possible for the user to specify any of the contents to give a reproduction indication thereof to the terminal  500  by operating these operating buttons. When certain contents are specified and the reproduction indication is given, the terminal  500  reproduces the file of the contents, generates a contents signal, and outputs the contents signal to the HMD main body  100  in a generation sequence. 
     Here, when a subject of reproduction is the video/audio contents, the contents signals become a video signal and left/right audio signals (all of them are analog signals) generated in parallel. Besides, when the subject of reproduction is the audio contents, the contents signals become the left/right audio signals (both of them are analog signals) generated in parallel. Besides, when the subject of reproduction is the video contents, the contents signal becomes the video signal (analog signal). Besides, when the subject of reproduction is the still image contents, the contents signal becomes the video signal for still images (analog signal). 
     Hereinafter, it is described that the subject of reproduction is the video/audio contents, and the contents signals are the video signal and the left/right audio signals generated in parallel. 
     Next, an internal configuration and operations of the HMD main body  100  are described. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the HMD main body  100 . In  FIG. 2 , elements which are the same as those in  FIG. 1  are shown by the same reference numerals. 
     A lens  101 L, a mirror  101 M, an LCD (liquid crystal display element)  101 D, a backlight  101 B, and so on are disposed sequentially from the viewing eye side, inside a case of the displaying unit  101 . The LCD  101 D is to make the video signal into video information capable of being sensed by the viewing eye. The lens  101 L has a function to form a magnified virtual image of the LCD  101 D behind the displaying unit  101 . 
     A left speaker  570 L, a CPU  520 , a RAM  530  used for a work of the CPU  520 , a ROM  510  storing operation programs of the CPU  520 , an encoder  540   en  and a decoder  540   de  complying with a standard such as an NTSC, an LCD driver  101 D′, a backlight driver  101 B′, an amplifier  550 , and so on are disposed inside the case of the left headphone  102 L. Besides, the external input terminal  202   in  and the external output terminal  202   out  are provided on the case of the left headphone  102 L, as stated above. 
     A right speaker  570 R, a power supply circuit  501 , and so on are disposed inside the case of the right headphone  102 R. The power supply circuit  501  supplies necessary power to respective parts of the HMD main body  100  under an indication of the CPU  520 . Besides, the operating button CB is provided on the case of the right headphone  102 R as stated above. The user operates this operating button CB to give an indication to the HMD main body  100 . 
     Incidentally, disposition destinations of elements other than the lens  101 L, the mirror  101 M, the LCD  101 D, the backlight  101 B, the speakers  570 L,  570 R may be changed in the above-stated HMD main body  100 . 
     The video signal and the left/right audio signals are input in parallel from an external device (terminal  500 ) coupled thereto to the external input terminal  202   in . These video signal and the left/right audio signals are digitally processed in parallel at the decoder  540   de , and thereafter, downloaded to the CPU  520 . The CPU  520  transmits the video signal to the LCD driver  101 D′, and transmits the left/right audio signals to the amplifier  550 . 
     The LCD driver  101 D′ converts the given video signal into an appropriate modulating signal, gives it to the LCD  101 D, and performs a time modulation of a transmissivity distribution of the LCD  101 D. At this time, the backlight  101 B is lighted by the backlight driver  101 B′ with appropriate intensity. Accordingly, video is displayed on a front surface of the LCD  101 D, and the video capable of being sensed by the viewing eye of the user is supplied from the HMD main body  100 . 
     The amplifier  550  performs an amplifying process of the given left/right audio signals in parallel, and thereafter, transmits the left audio signal to the speaker  570 L, and transmits the right audio signal to the speaker  570 R. Accordingly, audio is output from the speakers  570 L,  570 R, and the audio capable of being sensed by the left and right ears of the user is supplied from the HMD main body  100 . 
     Besides, the CPU  520  transmits the video signal which is the same as the one transmitted to the LCD driver  101 D′ and the left/right audio signals which are the same as the ones transmitted to the amplifier  550 , to the encoder  540   en  in parallel. These video signal and the left/right audio signals are analog processed in parallel at the encoder  540   en , then given to the external output terminal  202   out , and output to an external device (HMD main body  100 ′) which is coupled thereto in parallel. 
     Further, the above-stated operations of the HMD main body  100  are similarly applicable for another HMD main body  100 ′ (refer to  FIG. 1 ). Accordingly, the HMD main body  100 ′ supplies the video and audio to the user in accordance with the video signal and the left/right audio signals transmitted from the coupled external device (HMD main body  100 ) in parallel. The video and audio supplied to the user of the HMD main body  100 ′ at a certain timing are the same as the ones supplied to the user of the HMD main body  100  at approximately the same timing. 
     Accordingly, it is possible to let the user of the HMD main body  100  and the user of the HMD main body  100 ′ enjoy the same video/audio contents simultaneously only by coupling the HMD main body  100  and the HMD main body  100 ′ properly in the present system. 
     Modified Example of First Embodiment 
     Incidentally, two HMD main bodies having the same constitution are coupled with each other in the present system, but three or more HMD main bodies having the same constitution as the above may be coupled with each other. Accordingly, it is possible to let three or more users enjoy the same video/audio contents simultaneously. 
     Besides, the HMD main body  100  of the present system transmits the contents signals (here, the video signal and the left/right audio signals) input from outside to outside via the CPU  520 , but the contents signals may be transmitted to outside as they are not via the CPU  520 . 
     Besides, the ROM  510  is to store the operation programs of the CPU  520  in the HMD main body  100  of the present system, but the files of the contents may be stored in the ROM  510  while using a large-capacity, rewritable memory (flash memory and so on) as the ROM  510 . In this case, a function reproducing the file to generate the contents signal is given to the CPU  520  of the HMD main body  100 . Besides, in this case, the HMD main body  100  may output the contents signal generated internally to outside instead of outputting the contents signal input from outside to outside. 
     Besides, a coupling terminal to couple to an information terminal such as a computer and so on, and to transmit/receive the files of the contents between the information terminal is provided at the HMD main body  100 , when the files of the contents are stored in the ROM  510 . 
     Besides, the HMD main body  100  of the present system includes the speakers  570 L,  570 R, but they may not be given if it is not necessary to supply audio to the user. In this case, the circuit relating only to the audio (amplifier  550 ) may not be given within the HMD main body  100 . 
     Second Embodiment 
     A second embodiment of the present invention is described. The present embodiment is a modified example of the HMD main body  100  of the first embodiment. Here, only different points from the HMD main body  100  of the first embodiment are described. The different points exist in the operations of the CPU  520 . 
       FIG. 3  is an operation flowchart of the CPU  520  of the present embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the CPU  520  begins to monitor whether the external input terminal  202   in  is coupled to an external device or not based on a coupling state of the external input terminal  202   in  (step S 11 ), when power of the HMD main body  100  is turned on, and the power supply to the respective parts of the HMD main body  100  is started. 
     The CPU  520  continues the power supply for the decoder  540   de  (step S 12 ) during a period when the external input terminal  202   in  is coupled to the external device (terminal  500 ) (YES in step S 11 ). At this time, the supply of the video and audio (supply of contents) from the HMD main body  100  to the user becomes possible. Incidentally, a supply method of the contents for the user is as same as it is described in the first embodiment. 
     On the other hand, the CPU  520  stops the power supply for the decoder  540   de  (step S 13 ) during the period when the external device (terminal  500 ) is not coupled to the external input terminal  202   in  (NO in step S 11 ). At this time, the supply of the contents from the HMD main body  100  to the user becomes impossible. 
     Besides, the CPU  520  controls the encoder  540   en  as same as the control relating to the decoder  540   de  as stated above (The flow thereof is the same as in  FIG. 3 , and the drawing is not given). Namely, the CPU  520  monitors whether the external output terminal  202   out  is coupled to the external device or not based on a coupling state of the external output terminal  202   out . 
     The CPU  520  continues the power supply for the encoder  540   en  during the period when the external output terminal  202   out  is coupled to the external device (HMD main body  100 ′). At this time, an output of a video signal and audio signals (output of contents signals) from the HMD main body  100  to the external device becomes possible. Incidentally, an output method of the contents signals for the external device is as same as it is described in the first embodiment. 
     On the other hand, the CPU  520  stops the power supply for the encoder  540   en  during the period when the external device is not coupled to the external output terminal  202   out . At this time, the output of the contents signals from the HMD main body  100  to the external device becomes impossible. 
     As stated above, the HMD main body  100  of the present embodiment limits the operations of the encoder  540   en  and the decoder  540   de  to the minimum, and therefore, a power consumption thereof can be reduced. 
     Incidentally, subjects of limitation of the power supply are set to be both the encoder  540   en  and the decoder  540   de  in the HMD main body  100  of the present embodiment, but it may be either one of them. 
     Third Embodiment 
     A third embodiment of the present invention is described. The present embodiment is a modified example of the HMD main body  100  of the first embodiment. Here, only different point from the HMD main body  100  of the first embodiment is described. The different point exists in a point that it is configured such that a switching of the viewing eye is possible. 
       FIG. 4A  is an exterior view (schematic view) of the HMD main body  100  of the present embodiment, and an appearance in which a user U wearing the HMD main body  100  is viewed from a lateral direction is shown. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4A , the HMD main body  100  of the present embodiment has a turning mechanism  580  between the side arm  104  and the left headphone  102 L, and the side arm  104  can turn within an angle range of approximately 180° while using a line coupling between the left and right headphones (a line in a front-rear direction of a page space) as a turning axis resulting from a motion of the turning mechanism  580 , as shown by a dotted arrow in  FIG. 4A . An appearance of the HMD main body  100  after it is turned 180° is shown in  FIG. 4B . 
     Hereinafter, a state of the HMD main body  100  shown in  FIG. 4A  (=a turning angle of the side arm  104  is in a vicinity of 0°) is set as a “standard state”, and a state of the HMD main body  100  shown in  FIG. 4B  (=the turning angle of the side arm  104  is in a vicinity of 180°) is set as an “inverted state”. 
     Besides, whether the HMD main body  100  is in the standard state or in the inverted state is detected by a sensor  580   s  provided in a vicinity of the turning mechanism  580 . This sensor  580   s  is, for example, a mechanical switch which is turned on (or turned off) only when the turning angle of the side arm  104  is 90° or more. 
     The user U of the HMD main body  100  sets the HMD main body  100  in the standard state ( FIG. 4A ), and wears the HMD main body  100  on a head portion so that the left headphone  102 L is in contact with the left ear and the right headphone is in contact with the right ear, when the user U views the video with a left eye EL. 
     On the other hand, the user U of the HMD main body  100  sets the HMD main body  100  in the inverted state ( FIG. 4B ), and wears the HMD main body  100  on the head portion so that the left headphone  102 L is in contact with the right ear and the right headphone is in contact with the left ear, when the user U views the video with a right eye ER. 
     Accordingly, when it is viewed from the user U side, up, down, left and right of the displaying unit  101  are inverted and left and right of the headphone are inverted when the user U views the video with the right eye ( FIG. 4B ). 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the HMD main body  100  of the present embodiment. In  FIG. 5 , elements which are the same as those in  FIG. 2  are shown by the same reference numerals. As shown in  FIG. 5 , a selector  550   s  is inserted at an output side of the amplifier  550 , and an output of the sensor  580   s  is coupled to the CPU  520 , in the HMD main body  100  of the present embodiment. 
     It is possible for the CPU  520  to monitor the output of the sensor  580   s , and to recognize whether the HMD main body  100  is in the standard state or not. 
     Besides, it is possible for the CPU  520  to switch a transmission destination of the right audio signal and a transmission destination of the left audio signal between the right speaker  570 R and the left speaker  570 L by giving an indication to the selector  550   s . The audio supplied from the speakers  570 R,  570 L to the user is inverted between left and right, resulting from this switching. 
     Besides, it is possible for the CPU  520  to indicate the LCD driver  101 D′ to invert an output destination of the modulating signal among up, down, left and right. The video supplied from the LCD  101 D to the user inverts among up, down, left and right resulting from this inversion. 
     Consequently, the CPU  520  may perform the inversion of the contents as stated above when the HMD main body  100  shifts from the standard state ( FIG. 4A ) to the inverted state ( FIG. 4B ). Accordingly, it is possible for the HMD main body  100  to provide the information of the contents to the user in a proper direction in either case when the viewing eye is left or right. 
       FIG. 6  is an operation flowchart of the CPU  520  of the present embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the CPU  520  of the present embodiment monitors whether the HMD main body  100  is in the standard state or not based on the output of the sensor  580   s  (step S 21 ). 
     The CPU  520  supplies the contents to the user (step S 22 ) and outputs the contents signal of the same contents to outside (step S 23 ) as same as in the first embodiment, during the period when the HMD main body  100  is in the standard state (YES in step S 21 ). 
     On the other hand, the CPU  520  inverts the contents supplied to the user as stated above (step S 24 ) and outputs the contents signal of the same contents before the inversion to outside (step S 25 ) during the period when the HMD main body  100  is in the inverted state (NO in step S 21 ). 
     As stated above, the HMD main body  100  of the present embodiment can switch the viewing eyes, and has the function to invert the contents in accordance with the switching of the viewing eyes. However, the switching is not reflected on the contents signal transmitted to outside. 
     Consequently, it is possible for the HMD main body  100  of the present embodiment to provide the contents to the user in the proper direction, and it is also possible to prevent a possibility of malfunction of the coupled HMD main body  100 ′ (refer to  FIG. 1 ). 
     Incidentally, in the HMD main body  100  of the present embodiment, the switching method of the viewing eye is not limited to the above-stated method (the method in which the side arm is turned 180°), but, for example, any of the methods described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-233780 can be adopted. 
     Besides, the present embodiment is the modified example of the HMD main body  100  of the first embodiment, but the HMD main body  100  of the second embodiment may be modified similarly. 
     The many features and advantages of the embodiments are apparent from the detailed specification and, thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the embodiments that fall within the true spirit and scope thereof. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the inventive embodiments to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope thereof.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6